Irreverently Reverend

  Easter Sunday But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared.  2  They found the stone rolled away from the tomb,  3  but when they went in, they did not find the body.  4  While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them.  5  The women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. [ a ]   6  Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee,  7  that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again .”  8  Then they remembered his words,  9  and returning from the tomb, they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest.  10  Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told this to the apostles.  11  But these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not

  Palm Sunday 28  After he had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. 29  When he had come near Bethphage and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of the disciples,  30  saying, “Go into the village ahead of you, and as you enter it you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here.  31  If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ just say this, ‘The Lord needs it.’”  32  So those who were sent departed and found it as he had told them.  33  As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?”  34  They said, “The Lord needs it.”  35  Then they brought it to Jesus; and after throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it.  36  As he rode along, people kept spreading their cloaks on the road.  37  As he was now approaching the path down from the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the deeds of po

  Fifth Sunday of Lent When  Adonai  restored Tziyon’s fortunes, we thought we were dreaming. 2  Our mouths were full of laughter, and our tongues shouted for joy. Among the nations it was said, “ Adonai  has done great things for them!” 3  Adonai  did do great things with us; and we are overjoyed. 4  Return our people from exile,  Adonai , as streams fill  vadis in the Negev. [NRSV: Restore our fortunes, O Lord,     like the watercourses in the Negeb.] 5  Those who sow in tears will reap with cries of joy. 6  He who goes out weeping as he carries his sack of seed will come home with cries of joy as he carries his sheaves of grain. (CJB)             House Bill 1557, colloquially called the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, passed in Florida this past week, prohibiting discussion about sexual or gender identity in primary school classrooms. [1]   It is one of nearly 300 anti-LGBT bills introduced across the United States in 2022 alone, [2] part of a systematic attempt to