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Holy Textures is a spot for my musings on the various Biblical texts that come our way through the Revised Common Lectionary.

My goal is to provide timely, short, easy to use, faith inspiring explanations of the meaning of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John for your sermon, homily, bible study, or reflection.

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Year B - Seasons of Advent & Christmas - 2023

Advent and Christmas provide us with an opportunity to long for - and prepare for - and welcome - the onset of God's primordial aim for the well-being of the whole earth. In times of crises, the temptation is to choose self-interest. The call of Advent is to choose community - community with all living beings; community with the whole living earth.. To mimic here on earth the the joy-making right relationships eternally expressed among the Holy Threesome of the Trinity. May it be so.

David Ewart,
www.holytextures.com,
Short, easy to use, faith inspiring explanations of the meaning of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John for your sermon, homily, bible study, or reflection.

Permission is granted for non-profit use of these materials.
Acknowledgement in oral presentations is not required.
Otherwise, please acknowledge source as, "David Ewart, www.holytextures.com."

 

 

Stay awake!

Advent 1
December 3, 2023
Mark 13:24-37.
"The lesson for Advent is still: Stay awake. Be alert. Live in expectation. Live now as you will when the Son of Man does return."

 

Make the road smooth and straight

Advent 2
December 10, 2023
Mark 1:1-8.
"Unlike us, John the Baptizer is a wild and woolly character. But like us, he lives to point people to one who is greater than himself. John is the first Christian in the sense that he is the first who gives witness to Jesus."

 

Knowing and doing our work

Advent 3
December 17, 2023
John 1:6-8, 19-28.
"This Advent season is a time for us to wake up and see the light. It is time for us to do what is our work: to prepare the soil of our souls, so that the seed of God’s word can take root in us and put down deep and strong roots."

 

Shame remembered and spoken of is shame that can be healed

Advent 4
December 24, 2023
Luke 1:26-38.
"As the story of Jesus' life is bookended with a special embedding of the spiritual and the material (spiritual conception at birth; spiritual body at resurrection), so too, just within each bookend, as the first and last books on the shelf, are stories of total shame, violation and degradation (pregnancy outside of wedlock; naked execution on a cross)."

 

I am bringing you good news of great joy for all people

Christmas Eve, December 24, or Christmas Day, December 25
Any of the following lessons may be used on Christmas Eve / Day
Proper   I: Luke 2:1-14, (15-20)   
Proper  II: Luke 2:(1-7), 8-20   
Proper III: John 1:1-14  

 

Simeon took Jesus in his arms and praised God, saying ...

First Sunday After Christmas Day
Sunday between December 26 and January 1 Inclusive
December 31, 2023
May be replaced by readings New Year's Day, see below; or for Epiphany if date is January 1. See note below.
Luke 2:22-40.
"By the time we have finished reading Chapters 1 and 2 of Luke, we should realize that the stage has been set for a powerful confrontation between two kingdoms. The Pax Romana of Caesar - the way of peace through force of arms; and the peace of Christ - the way of peace through justice."

 

Lord, when was it we saw you ...

New Year's Day - January 1
Matthew 25:31-46
"What I love about this parable is that BOTH those judged to be honourable AND those judged to be dishonourable have exactly the same response: Lord, when was it we saw you hungry ...?."

 

In the beginning

Second Sunday After Christmas Day
Sunday Between January 2 and January 5 Inclusive
Not used this year.
May be replaced by readings for Epiphany. See note below.
John 1:(1-9), 10-18. 

Note: The Season of Epiphany begins on January 6, the Day of Epiphany of the Lord. If January 6 is a weekday, Epiphany may be celebrated on the first Sunday in January and replace the readings for Sundays following Christmas Day.

 

Key Liturgical dates for 2024

2024 Liturgical Dates

Short, easy to use, faith inspiring explanations of the meaning of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John for your sermon, homily, bible study, or reflection.