Readings for this Sunday: 12 November 2017

Each Sunday morning we hear Scripture read during our worship gatherings. Normally, these readings come from a larger collection of weekly readings referred to as the Revised Common Lectionary. In the length of a Sunday sermon, it is only possible to explore these readings so far – but understanding these passages often takes much longer. As such, I am going to try and give you to the opportunity to prepare for Sunday as I start to prepare my message for the week. Here I will offer links to the readings for this Sunday, and some sources for meditation, reflection or further study. Feel free to have a look at as much or as little as you like.

This Sunday, we continue to journey towards the end of ‘Year A’ of the Lectionary, in which our Gospel readings come primarily from the Gospel of Matthew. During this part of the Lectionary, a number of options for the Old Testament are set, and I have outlined a couple of these below too.

Readings for the Week

  • First reading and Psalm
    • Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25
    • Psalm 78:1-7
  • Alternate First reading and Psalm
    • Wisdom of Solomon 6:12-16 or Amos 5:18-24
    • Wisdom of Solomon 6:17-20 or Psalm 70
  • Second reading
    • 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
  • Gospel
    • Matthew 25:1-13

For the full readings in the NRSV translation, visit: https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts.php?id=168

Lectio Divina on the Gospel

This week I have discovered a wonderful resource for meditation! The Alive Now magazine has produced a resource on SoundCloud with the weekly Gospel read for you in the style of a Lectio Divina (if you are unfamiliar with this style of scripture-focussed meditation, don’t worry, they introduce it really well). I find practicing Lectio Divina deeply enriching for my own faith, but it something which is often hard to do in a time-poor life. This resource is great, in that you can listen on your phone from anywhere.

Here is the link to this week’s ‘Audio Lectio’ on SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/alivenow/nov-9-2014-matthew-25-1-13?in=alivenow/sets/audio-lectio-year-a-2016

Introductory Commentaries and Reflections

As you start to reflect on the reading this week, there are some helpful commentaries available:

The Uniting Church Synod of NSW.ACT produces reflections in its Insights Magazine, this month by Rev Jon Humphries: https://www.insights.uca.org.au/features/lectionary-reflections/november-adopting-a-sense-of-humility

Alternatively, Working Preacher provides a number of more detailed commentaries on each text at www.workingpreacher.org

For example, for this Sunday the following resources (with links) are listed:

Gospel Reading

Matthew 25:1-13

Susan Hylen

1st Reading

Amos 5:18-24

Margaret Odell

Alt. 1st Reading

Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25

Dennis Olson

Psalm

Psalm 70

Kelly J. Murphy

2nd Reading

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

Jane Patterson

 

Services this week

This week, we have services at:

  • 9am – Wesley Uniting Church, Crookwell (Holy Communion)
  • 2.30pm – Jerrara Uniting Church (Holy Communion & Baptism)

Directions are available here.

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