Third Sunday in Advent                   Year B                                                 17th December 2023 Lectionary Readings: Isaiah 61 v1-4, 8-11.              The good news of victory. Psalm 126                               Celebrating the harvest 1 Thessalonians 5 v16-24.     Always be joyful and never stop praying. John 1 v6-8, 19-28.                The message of John the Baptist. Deep roots. The prophecies of Isaiah…

The Second Sunday in Advent.                    Year B                         10th December 2023 Lectionary Readings: Isaiah 40 v1-11                       The Lord will rescue his people. Psalm 85 v1-2, 8-13.              A prayer for peace. 2 Peter 3 v8-15a.                    The Lord’s return is certain. Mark 1 v1-8.                          The preaching of John the Baptist. Leadership In his prayer for…

First Sunday in Advent.       Year B                                                            3rd December 2023 Lectionary Readings Isaiah 64 v1-9             Rip the heavens apart! 1 Corinthians 1 v3-9             Signs of God at work. Mark 13 v24-27                     When the Son of Man appears. Signs and blessings. (The third?) Isaiah was writing after the return of the exiles from Babylon,…

The Sunday before Advent                       Year A                                   26th November 2023 Lectionary Readings Ezekiel 34 v11-16, 20-24.      The Lord is the good shepherd. Ephesians 1 v15-23                Paul’s prayer. Matthew 25 v31-46.               The final judgement. Judgement Time Both Ezekiel and Matthew have been taking the religious leaders of their day to task for failing to provide…

33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time                   Year A                                    19th November 2023. Lectionary Readings: Zephaniah 1 v7, 12-18;   Psalm 90 v1-8,12;   1 Thessalonians 5 v1-11;   Matthew 25 v14-30. Investment returns. The gospel reading this week is another parable on the theme of the Kingdom. “The Kingdom is also like what happened when a man went away…

32nd Sunday in ordinary Time                    Year A                                     12th November 2023. Lectionary readings: Amos 5 v18-24; Psalm 70; Thessalonians 4 v13-18; Matthew 25 v1-13.             Are you ready to join the celebration? Amos, like most of the Old Testament prophets, is impatiently explaining once again to the people of Israel what the Lord requires of…

31st Sunday in Ordinary Time                     Year A                                     5th November 2023 Lectionary Readings: Micah 3 v5-12; Psalm 43; 1 Thessalonians 2 v9-13; Matthew 23 v1-12. Hypocrisy. In today’s gospel reading Jesus is talking about religious leaders who pay lip service to their own teaching and preaching. Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples:…

30th Sunday in ordinary Time                                             Year A                         29th October 2023 Lectionary Readings: Leviticus 19 v1-2, 15-18;       Psalm 1;       1 Thessalonians 2 v1-8;       Matthew 22 v 34-46.     Tricky questions, demanding answers. In the Old Testament passage, God says, “I am the Lord your God. I am holy and you must be holy too!”…

29th Sunday in Ordinary Time                                Year A                                     22nd October 2023. Lectionary readings: Isaiah 45 v1-7;         Psalm 96 v1-9;         Thessalonians 1 v1-10;         Matthew 22 v15-22.                   Knowing and Believing. I wonder if King Cyrus of Persia ever knew that God was using him as an instrument in the release of God’s chosen people from captivity…

28th Sunday in Ordinary Time                    Year A                                     15th October 2023 Lectionary Readings: Isaiah 25 v1-9; Psalm 23; Philippians 4 v1-9; Matthew 22 v1-14.                      Actions have consequences. Matthew’s telling of the great banquet story contains some verses that are difficult to reconcile with a God of love. “Many are invited, but only a few are…