Monday 30 March 2009

Back to front lectionary?

I do at times struggle with the Revised Common Lectionary! Sometimes the readings make no sense in respect of where they start and stop, often half-way through a verse or in the middle of a longer passage. I would expect too that the lectionary would at certain times follow the 'story' in a reasonably logical manner but no!! I wasn't preaching yesterday so hadn't paid much attention to the plan only to find that yesterday was designated on our plan as Passion Sunday and our minister took that as his theme. Now while I realise the importance of marking the passion it just seemed that yesterday we were putting the cart before the horse so to speak as we were looking at the events which happened after the triumphal entry into Jerusalem which of course we will be thinking about next week. I am fairly sure last year our plan was marked with both Palm Sunday and Passion Sunday on the same week which I suppose makes a little more sense.
I know I am probably being a little picky about this but it is one of those things that I can't quite get my head round and I am sure I am not alone in this.

2 comments:

Richard Hall said...

I sort of see what you mean, FP. But even in the old lectionary, the Sunday before Palm Sunday was headed "The victory of the Cross". If we don't give attention to the Cross on these Sundays, some of our folk will skip straight from Palm Sunday, with it's cheering children waving branches, to the victory of Easter Sunday morning without going to Calvary at all.

Fat Prophet said...

Good point - well made. I suspect some of our folk would have nothing at all to do with Good Friday given the opportunity and would rather glory in the joyfulness of Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday than spend time in meditation about that dreadful day.