All posts filed under: Year B

everyman – a reflection on Job 1:1; 2:1-10

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Lectionary / Religion / Wisdom Literature / Year B

The following is a reflection on Job 1:1; 2:1-10, the Hebrew Bible Lesson appointed for Proper 22B, according to the Revised Common Lectionary. There once was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job. Job opens with a certain “once upon a time” quality to it, in a make-believe land that no one has ever heard of. In this half verse Job is introduced as “everyman.” Attached to no time and to […]

on doing and being – a reflection on James 5:13-20

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Epistles / Gospels / Lectionary / Year B

The following is a reflection on James 5:13-20, the epistle lesson appointed for Proper 21B, according to the revised common lectionary. I think it’s helpful to read the conclusion of the Epistle of James in its full context. James was writing to a community engaged in conflict over class discrimination. It was apparently a vicious and heated inter-church argument. In the beginning of the Epistle, James urges the people in the church to be quick to […]

less “ui”, more “os” – a reflection on James 3:13-4:3, 7-8a

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Epistles / Lectionary / New Testament / Year B

The following is a reflection on James 3:13-4:3, 7-8a, the epistle lesson appointed for Proper 20 B according to the Revised Common Lectionary. One day Steve Jobs was walking through the Xerox corporation, and he saw something that helped him change the world as we know it: a computer with a graphic interface. Xerox was experimenting with how people interact with their computer, what we now call “user interface,” or “UI.” Graphic interface was revolutionary. […]

flame thrower – a reflection on James 3:1-12

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Epistles / Lectionary / New Testament / Religion / Year B

The following is a reflection on James 3:1-12, the epistle lesson for proper 19B, according to the Revised Common Lectionary. As we saw in the first chapter of James’s epistle, James is writing to a community in conflict. People are fighting, people are arguing, and things are not going well. As we saw in the second chapter of the epistle, the argument is over the bigotry of class distinction. What becomes clear very early on […]

cool it – a reflection on James 1:17-27

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Epistles / Lectionary / Year B

The following is a reflection on James 1:17-27, the epistle lesson appointed for Proper 17B in the Revised Common Lectionary. This is also the first in a series of five reflections on the Letter of James. Luther called the Epistle of James the “Epistle of Straw.” In other words, he didn’t care for it too much. Mostly, of course, because it is so very different from the epistles of Paul. It’s not as theologically “deep” […]

the bloody truth – a reflection on John 6:56-69

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Christology / Exodus / Gospels / New Testament / Old Testament / Pentateuch / Soteriology / Theology / Year B

The following is a reflection on John 6:56-69, the Gospel lesson appointed for Proper 16B, according to the Revised Common Lectionary. This post is from the tenth chapter of my book, “Going to Hell, Getting Saved.” Jesus told the people that his flesh was real food and that his blood was true drink—and to eat his flesh and drink his blood meant eternal life. And people stopped following him. The disciples grumbled about how hard […]

eat and live forever – a reflection on John 6:35, 41-51

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Christology / Creation / Gospels / Lectionary / New Testament / Soteriology / Year B

The following is a reflection on John 6:35, 41-51, the Gospel lesson for Proper 14B, according to the Revised Common Lectionary. There was one brief, shining moment in the Hebrew Bible where things were pretty good. We had safety, and security, we had the Presence of God walking among us. We had a nice garden. And then we blew it. We had only been given one “thou shalt not,” and we couldn’t manage the “not” […]

hit me – a reflection on John 6:24-35

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Christology / Gospels / Lectionary / New Testament / Year B

The following is a reflection on John 6:24-35, the Gospel lesson appointed for Proper 13B, according to the Revised Common Lectionary. So…I think to fully understand the “I am the bread of life” text, we need to go back a few chapters in John. In chapter four, Jesus is talking to the woman at the well. Jesus offers her water, she marvels at his lack of a bucket with which to draw water, and he […]