Advent 4, Cycle C (2015)
THEME OF THE DAY
The difference the coming baby will make. This is a Sunday for focusing on Christ, his work (Atonement), and the difference he makes in our lives (Sanctification and Social Ethics). Construing Christ as fulfillment of God’s plans also invites an emphasis on Providence.
Advent 4, Cycle C
The Collect (Prayer of the Day) for Advent 4 is truly a classic. It is not a weak “Help us to do so and so.” Instead, it is a bold call in the best Older Testament style with its “Stir up your power, O Lord, and come! Take away our sins and make us ready [...]
Epiphany 6 | Ordinary Time 6, Cycle B
“Lord God, mercifully receive the prayers of your people. Help us to see and understand the things we ought to do, and give us grace and power to do them; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.”
It is in the portions of The Prayer of the Day for this Sunday that are italicized above that we see the unifying factor in the four texts selected for this day. Naaman, the commander of the army of the king of Syria, needed help from the Lord God through Naaman’s own servants before he could understand the things that he should do in the cleansing of his body from leprosy in the 2 Kings 5:1-14 Elisha story.
Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5, Cycle B
Isaiah 40:21-31 God is acclaimed in this text as not only the Creator of all of the splendor of the universe, but also as the one who watches over and actually mini-manages everything, without ever growing weary or lacking in understanding. Although even young men and women become tired and weak during strenuous activity, all [...]
Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4, Cycle B
The issue of absolute authority and of derived authority is the most significant factor that is considered in these texts. In Deuteronomy 18:15-20 it is said that the absolute authority of God is so awesome that the people of God pleaded that they would not hear the voice of the Lord God again or see [...]
