May 5, 2024 Revised Common Lectionary Acts 10:44-48 Psalm 98 1 John 5:1-6 John 15:9-17 Lectionary for Mass (RC) Acts 10:25-26, 34-35, 44-48 Psalm 98:1, 2-3, 3-4 (see 2b) 1 John 4:7-10 John 15:9-17 “O sing a new song to the Lord, who has worked such wonders” (Ps 98:1). What does it mean for us to sing this jubilant psalm during the Easter season? Raising our voices in a “new song” suggests that the old songs just won’t do, at least not in the same old way, because the resurrection of Jesus has changed everything. The risen One has breathed his Spirit into the world, bursting open our enclaves ..read more

Press release: April 2024 The Iona Community has appointed two world-renowned musicians to support church worship leaders. Scottish conductor and church musician, Iain McLarty, and Jane Bentley, a specialist in musical participation, will start working for the Iona Community, as part of the Wild Goose Resource Group later this year. Both Iain and Jane have worked alongside the Community for many years and will continue to use their talents to develop music in worship. Both musicians will lead workshops, produce new publications and recordings and continue to grow the Community’s work in t ..read more

April 28, 2024 Revised Common Lectionary Acts 8:26-40 Psalm 22:25-31 1 John 4:7-21 John 15:1-8 Lectionary for Mass (RC) Acts 9:26-31 Psalm 22:26-27, 28, 30, 31-32 (26a) 1 John 3:18-24 John 15:1-8 Where are you “at home”? You could respond with a street address, a city, or a country. You could describe your house, apartment, or room. You could name the people with whom you live. You could even cite a group or activity, as in “I feel most at home on the soccer field.” That simple question can mean many different things and so could be answered in a variety of ways. When Andrew and another, unnam ..read more

April 21, 2024 Revised Common Lectionary Acts 4:5-12 Psalm 23 1 John 3:16-24 John 10:11-18 Lectionary for Mass (RC) Acts 4:8-12 Psalm 118:1, 8-9, 21-23, 26, 28, 29 (22) 1 John 3:1-2 John 10:11-18 Social justice and anti-apartheid activist Nelson Mandela served twenty-seven years in prison before going on to become the first President of South Africa chosen in a fully democratic election. During his five years (1994-1999) in office, he oversaw the dismantling of a system that had severely disadvantaged the Black majority while favoring the White minority. Throughout his career, Mandela spoke ab ..read more

March 31, 2024 Revised Common Lectionary Acts 10:34-43 or Isaiah 25:6-9 Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 or Acts 10:34-43 John 20:1-18 or Mark 16:1-8 Lectionary for Mass (RC) Acts 10:34a, 37-43 Psalm 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23 (24) Colossians 3:1-4 or 1 Corinthians 5:6b-8 John 20:1-9 or Mark 16:1-7 For more than thirty years, newscaster Paul Harvey hosted a radio feature entitled The Rest of the Story, usually presenting a little-known fact about some well-known person, place or event. Harvey ended each broadcast with his signature tag line, “And now you know . . . the rest of the story ..read more

March 24, 2024 Revised Common Lectionary (Palms) and (Passion) Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29 Mark 11:1-11 or John 12:12-16 Isaiah 50:4-9a Psalm 31:9-16 Philippians 2:5-11 Mark 14:1 – 15:47 or Mark 15:1-39 (40-47) Lectionary for Mass (RC) Mark 11:1-10 or John 12:12-16 Isaiah 50:4-7 Psalm 228-9, 17-18, 19-20, 23-24 (2a) Philippians 2:6-11 Mark (14:1-72) 15:1-39 (40-47) On this Sunday with two names—Palm and Passion—both readings from the Gospel of Mark portray Jesus as a king—yet one who stands in stark contrast to Roman rulers of the first century or European royalty of our time. The Gospel of the Palms ..read more

March 17, 2024 Revised Common Lectionary Jeremiah 31:31-34 Psalm 51:1-12 or Psalm 119:9-16 Hebrews 5:5-10 John 12:20-33   Lectionary for Mass (RC) Jeremiah 31:31-34 Psalm 51:3-4, 12-13, 14-15 (12a) Hebrews 5:7-9 John 12:20-33 The heart has long been celebrated by poets and songwriters as the seat of love and emotions. When we are overcome with feelings of joy, sadness, or pain, we often point to our heart, saying that it is full, hurting, or broken. To this day the heart remains a powerful symbol of our innermost longings and deepest attachments. The human heart figures prominently in tod ..read more

March 10, 2024 Revised Common Lectionary Numbers 21:4-9 Psalm 107:1-3, 17-22 Ephesians 2:1-10 John 3:14-21 Lectionary for Mass (RC) 2 Chronicles 36:14-16, 19-23 Psalm 137:1-2, 3, 4-5, 6 (6ab) Ephesians 2:4-10 John 3:14-21 We all mess up. We say or do hurtful things, make bad decisions, neglect important matters, and sometimes selfishly hoard our time or resources. In our human frailty, we stumble and fall, causing pain to ourselves and others. When we become aware of our shortcomings, our failings, our sins, we often feel guilt and shame. Sometimes, others are quick to judge and criticize, add ..read more

March 3, 2024 Revised Common Lectionary Exodus 20:1-17 Psalm 19 1 Corinthians 1:18-25 John 2:13-22 Lectionary for Mass (RC) Exodus 20:1-3 (4-6) 7-8 (9-11) 12-17 Psalm 19:8, 9, 10, 11 (Jn 6:68c) 1 Corinthians 1:22-25 John 2:13-25 At the end of each day, my husband and I often sit down to watch television before heading to bed. Lately we’ve been viewing episodes of a 1970s police drama called Adam 12. The show was clearly written, at least in part, in response to widespread mistrust of law enforcement after the social upheaval of the 1960s. The two main characters, Officers Malloy and Reed, are ..read more

Revised Common Lectionary Genesis 9:8-17 Psalm 25:1-10 1 Peter 3:18-22 Mark 1:9-15 Lectionary for Mass (RC) Genesis 9:8-15 Psalm 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9 (see 10) 1 Peter 3:18-22 Mark 1:12-15 Growing up near Pittsburgh, I became accustomed to warnings and news of floods. Heavy rain can quickly lead to disaster in a region dominated by rivers, creeks, hillsides, and narrow valleys known as “hollows”—or as they say in much of Appalachia, “hollers.” Several buildings in downtown Pittsburgh have plaques that mark flood levels from the past, including one on the former Joseph Horne Co. department store (pi ..read more