The Gospel readings on the first Sunday in Lent for all three years of the lectionary cycle are always one or another version of Jesus being led by the Spirit into the wilderness for forty days where he is tempted by Satan. This year, Year A in the lectionary, the account comes from the Gospel of Matthew. Matthew’s version of the temptation story, like Luke’s, is expanded from Mark’s very simple description (two verses long) of this event, describing each of three specific temptations put forth by Satan. At the end of Matthew’s story of the temptation, Jesus having answered and resisted each of Satan’s temptations we read this: “Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him.” Read more →

On this last Sunday before Lent, we hear the story of Jesus transfigured on the mountaintop, his face shining and his garments glowing so bright his followers had to shield their eyes. Peter, James, and John were inspired, afraid, and confused by this vision. How many times in our lives does a mountaintop experience cause us to step back and reconsider our decisions, our plans, our hopes and dreams? Read more →

As we continue with readings from Matthew’s version of the Sermon on the Mount, we come to the section where Jesus seems to up the ante on some of the commandments. “You have heard that it was said…but I say to you….” In this Sunday’s reading Jesus speaks on the subjects of murder and anger, adultery and lust, divorce and faithfulness, and false testimony and the taking of oaths. I am particularly interested in what Jesus says about being angry with your brother or sister, Read more →

Beginning last week with the beatitudes and continuing for the next several weeks up to and including Ash Wednesday, the Gospel readings   are from Matthew’s version of the Sermon on the Mount. For this Sunday we have that well-known imagery Jesus uses of salt and light,  telling the people that they are the salt of the earth and the light of the world. Read more →

The first reading for this Sunday is from the minor  prophet Micah (minor only because of length), perhaps his most well-known words  and among the more familiar words found in the Hebrew Scriptures. Micah asks  the rhetorical question of how one should try to please God. Read more →