Saturday, May 3, 2025

 

We are frequently in worship - - at least those who are paying attention, which most are not, never are - - surprised at the disconnect between the Collect for the Day, which originally was meant to establish the sense of worship for the day, the disconnect between the Collect and the lectionary propers, especially when the Gospel reading is so far off from the Collect.

When everything lines up, as is not the case for tomorrow, it's simple and fun for the liturgist to plan a complete worship service theme park for the day, specifically including with all the hymns fitting noticeably into the work ("liturgy" literally meaning the work of the people). As vicar and rector in the churches I led, I loved planning worship to make everything work like that. But in general it only works perfectly in Year A. We currently are in the middle of Year C.

Upon even shallowly delving into, what we find is that the Collects are matched with the lectionary propers, especially the Gospel, for Year A, but not for Years B and C. Just so for tomorrow, Easter 3C. Here's the Collect: 

Collect: O God, whose blessed Son made himself known to his disciples in the breaking of bread: Open the eyes of our faith, that we may behold him in all his redeeming work; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Which does not tie into the Gospel reading except perhaps for someone who is very determined and really strains to create a connection that doesn't actually exist. So,

Gospel: John 21:1-19

Jesus showed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias; and he showed himself in this way. Gathered there together were Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples. Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing." They said to him, "We will go with you." They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach; but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, "Children, you have no fish, have you?" They answered him, "No." He said to them, "Cast the net to the right side of the boat, and you will find some." So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in because there were so many fish. That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on some clothes, for he was naked, and jumped into the sea. But the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, only about a hundred yards off.

When they had gone ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish that you have just caught." So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred fifty-three of them; and though there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, "Come and have breakfast." Now none of the disciples dared to ask him, "Who are you?" because they knew it was the Lord. Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my lambs." A second time he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Tend my sheep." He said to him the third time, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, "Do you love me?" And he said to him, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep. Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go." (He said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.) After this he said to him, "Follow me."

A post-resurrection story from the oft-called "second ending of the Gospel according to John," that's a great Bible story, and it makes for an unlimited range of original, unoriginal, inspired, dull, and imaginative sermons, one or a blend of which parishioners throughout lectionary-oriented churches will hear from parish pulpits tomorrow morning. I'm looking forward to hearing ours! 

In fact, because of my deteriorating hearing, even with my magic hearing aids, I'll be sitting much closer to the front than I used to when I was a pew-sitting member of the congregation.

But, and my point, the Gospel reading does not relate to the Collect, which in theory was to collect (unite) our minds and set the tone for the day's worship. For the .0001% who notice the disconnect, the Collect is actually meant to fit the Gospel for Year A:   

Gospel: Luke 24:13-35

Now on that same day two of Jesus' disciples were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. 

While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, but their eyes were kept from recognizing him. And he said to them, “What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?” 

They stood still, looking sad. Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days?” He asked them, “What things?” 

They replied, “The things about Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things took place. Moreover, some women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning, and when they did not find his body there, they came back and told us that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who said that he was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but they did not see him.” 

Then he said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?” Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures.

As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on. But they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over.” So he went in to stay with them. When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight. They said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?” 

That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together. They were saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!” Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread.

Which is yet another good old Time Sunday school Bible story called a post-resurrection account. And also matches the Collect, and is a great Bible story for preaching! In fact, I've preached them all, and they're all good.

Xpistos avesti! Christ is risen!

The Lord is risen indeed!

RSF&PTL

T89&c

from 7H porch this morning: shot of incoming rainclouds 

The Supper at Emmaus, 1633. Creator: Matthias Stomer. interesting that in every age the artist seems to paint the Bible characters into his own Time, just so these 17th century men. Who's the third person? Probably the server at the inn, eh?

I keep coming back and adding to the blogpost. So, what did Jesus say as the blessing at the bread? He said the "ha-motzi,' which goes, Baruch ata, Adonai Eloheinu melech ha-olam; ha-motzi lechem min ha-aretz. Blessed are you, Lord our God, King of the universe, who brings forth bread from the earth.

Here's a modern view of the event.

Who's the woman? It's a modern DEI touch, isn't it. Some scholars have suggested that the other, unidentified person is the wife of Cleopas. Fine with me, although Luke's story seems to convey at least subconsciously, that the other traveler was a man. IDK, have it as you will.