Scott Lewis

Fifth Sunday of Lent (Year C) April 3 (Isaiah 43:16-21; Psalm 126; Philippians 3:8-14; John 8:1-11)

God can and does act in surprising and even shocking ways and cannot be confined by dogmatic formulas or learned treatises. Did calling one individual — Abraham — and staking everything on his fidelity make sense? Who would have ever predicted or reasoned the burning bush, the plagues of Egypt, the exodus, the giving of the commandments on Sinai and the entrance into the Promised Land?

Fourth Sunday of Lent, March 27 (Year C) Joshua 5:9a, 10-12; Psalm 34; 2 Corinthians 5:7-21; Luke 5:1-3, 22-32

The journey of the Israelites to the promised land should have taken a few months, but it stretched into 40 years.

Third Sunday of Lent, March 20 (Year C) Exodus 3:1-8a, 13-15; Psalm 103; 1 Corinthians 10:1-6, 10-12; Luke 13:1-9

After his flight from Egypt, Moses had settled down to a quiet life as a shepherd, but God had other plans for him.

Second Sunday of Lent, March 13 (Year C) Genesis 1 5:5-12, 17-18; Psalm 27; Philippians 3:17-4:1; Luke 9:28b-36

Covenants were serious affairs in the ancient world and were sealed in blood. God had promised Abram (he had not received his name change yet) land and many descendants. He would become the father of a great nation. God told him that his descendants would be more numerous than the stars in the sky.

First Sunday of Lent (Year C) March 6 (Deuteronomy 26:4-10; Psalm 91; Romans 10:8-13; Luke 4:1-13)

What is the proper attitude for the beginning of the Lenten journey? The reflex response would be “repentance” but we might ask if there is a response that is deeper and more helpful.

Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C) Feb. 27 (Sirach 27:4-7; Psalm 92; 1 Corinthians 15:54-58; Luke 6:39-45)

The four verses from Sirach may be short, but they pack quite a punch. The words that come from our mouths reveal more about us than we will ever know. This is one of the many reasons that the people of Israel took such care in what they uttered.

Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C) Feb. 20 (1 Samuel 26:2. 7-9, 12-13, 22-25; Psalm 103; 1 Corinthians 15:45-49; Luke 6:27-38)

Having our enemy right where we want them can be a consoling and satisfying thought. Perhaps they have hurt us or done great harm to us—- who can blame us for wanting to get even?

Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C) Feb. 13 (Jeremiah 17:5-8; Psalm 1; 1 Corinthians 15:12, 16-20; Luke 6:17, 20-26)

“Cursed is the one who trusts in mere mortals” does not sound like a ringing endorsement of people or an encouragement to human relationships. Many would see such statements as extreme and cynical.

Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C) Feb. 6 (Isaiah 6:1-2a, 3-8; Psalm 138; 1 Corinthians 15:1-11; Luke 5:1-11)

Isaiah was terror stricken, for he found himself where he should not be — in the very presence of God. Never had he felt the vast gulf between humanity and divinity so acutely as he did when he witnessed and felt God’s glory and power within the divine throne room. He did not expect to survive the encounter.

Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C) Jan. 30 (Jeremiah 1:4-5, 17-19; Psalm 71; 1 Corinthians 12:31-13:13; Luke 4:21-30)

Many people agonize over what they should do with their lives, but Jeremiah had no such problem. His life was signed, sealed and delivered by God, who made it clear that refusal was not an option.