The Fourth Sunday after Pentecost, 17 April 2016

My apologies to all of you who follow this blog. I just got out of the hospitial after discovering that I had "atrialflutter," something that was rendering me weak and generally useless. I was not able to compose notes for this Sunday, and do apologize.  I shall be back in the blogger's saddle later this week for the coming Sundays' lectionaries. For those who wish to view my comments on these readings, when they last appeared in the lectionary, please click here. Blessings to you during this holy Eastertide.

Fr. Michael T. Hiller


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Second Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 5, 6 June 2021

Image
  The Second Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 5, 6 June 2021   Track 1 or Track 2 1 Samuel 8:4-11, (12-15), 16-20, (11:14-15) Psalm 138 2 Corinthians 4:13-5:1 Mark 3:20-35   Genesis 3:8-15 Psalm 130 2 Corinthians 4:13-5:1 Mark 3:20-35   The Collect   O God, from whom all good proceeds: Grant that by your inspiration we may think those things that are right, and by your merciful guiding may do them; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.  Amen .     Background: Serpents   It is not surprising to find frequent mentions of serpents in the Hebrew Scriptures ( see the Track Two First Reading ). They were a common and ubiquitous part of the culture and mythology of the Ancient Near East. It was both a symbol of fertility ( see the image of the snake eating itself )    but of evil and chaos as well. The name in Hebrew is  nachash a word that is associated with divination. Serpents are surreptitious as well, and not just in t
Read more

The Day of Pentecost, Whitsunday, 23 May 2021

Image
The Day of Pentecost, 23 May 2021   Acts 2:1-21 or  Ezekiel 37:1-14 Psalm 104:25-35, 37 Romans 8:22-27 or  Acts 2:1-21 John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15   The Collect   Almighty God, on this day you opened the way of eternal life to every race and nation by the promised gift of your Holy Spirit: Shed abroad this gift throughout the world by the preaching of the Gospel, that it may reach to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.  Amen.   or this   O God, who on this day taught the hearts of your faithful people by sending to them the light of your Holy Spirit: Grant us by the same Spirit to have a right judgment in all things, and evermore to rejoice in his holy comfort; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.     Background: Whitsunday   This is another name for the Day of Pentecost, the last S
Read more

The Sixth Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 8, 26 June 2016

Image
The Sixth Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 8, 26 June 2016 Track One: II Kings 2:1-2, 6-14 Psalm 77:1-2, 11-20 Track 2 I Kings 19:15-16, 19-21 Psalm 16 Galatians 5:1, 13-25 Saint Luke 9:51-62 Background: Elijah and Elisha Since both tracks are focused on the prophetic work or one or the other of these men, it might be good to point out an excellent study of their prophetic work seen in the context of what is viewed as a historic review of the Kings of Judah and Israel. That these background characters, with certain legendary elements to them, gives us a screen through which to see the sacred history of kings, and the attempt to tie their history to the worship of YHWH. In the context of king and prophet the prophet is always striving for the God of Israel and providing context, history, and interpretation to the acts of the kings. Such commentary and pronouncements on their part, however, to do not reveal a static understanding of the state of the relig
Read more