Irreverently Reverend

  First Sunday of Christmas/New Year's Eve When the time came for their ritual cleansing, in accordance with the Law from Moses, they brought Jesus up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. (23 It’s written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male will be dedicated to the Lord.”) 24 They offered a sacrifice in keeping with what’s stated in the Law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons. 25 A man named Simeon was in Jerusalem. He was righteous and devout. He eagerly anticipated the restoration of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. 26 The Holy Spirit revealed to him that he wouldn’t die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27 Led by the Spirit, he went into the temple area. Meanwhile, Jesus’ parents brought the child to the temple so that they could do what was customary under the Law. 28 Simeon took Jesus in his arms and praised God. He said,   29 “Now, master, let your servant go in peace according to your word, 30    ...

  Advent II In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be call...

  Palm Sunday When Jesus and his followers approached Jerusalem, they came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives. Jesus gave two disciples a task,  2  saying to them, “Go into the village over there. As soon as you enter it, you will find tied up there a colt that no one has ridden. Untie it and bring it here.  3  If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘Its master needs it, and he will send it back right away.’” 4  They went and found a colt tied to a gate outside on the street, and they untied it.  5  Some people standing around said to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?”  6  They told them just what Jesus said, and they left them alone.  7  They brought the colt to Jesus and threw their clothes upon it, and he sat on it.  8  Many people spread out their clothes on the road while others spread branches cut from the fields.  9  Those in front of him and those followi...

  Third Sunday in Lent 18  For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.  19  For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,     and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.” 20  Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age?  Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?  21  For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe .  22  For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom,  23  but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles,  24  but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.  25  For the foolishness of God is wiser than men,...