The Lectionary.
A lectionary is a list of readings. As a spiritual discipline, a person may simply open The Bible at the beginning, and start reading. They might read a chapter or more each day. The weakness of this kind of reading is that it is the reading style of our time, the method for reading a novel, or even a text book. It assumes a narrative thread from beginning to end. However, a text book is often not read from cover to cover. It may be designed as a resource with discrete sections to be consulted at appropriate times.
The Bible is even less novel-like. With 39 "books" in the Hebrew Scriptures, and 27 in the Christian Scriptures, there are multiple authors, times, geographic locations, and theological perspectives represented. This considers only the main collection (Canon) of the books common to most Christian traditions. There are also the books not present in the Hebrew Scriptures or "Old Testament" which are often known as the deutero-canonical books. How does one read all this and make sense of it?
Christian groups have traditionally created lists of texts that are considered important to read. They sketch out some of the key planks of that group's tradition, and its understanding of the Christian faith.
One well known modern lectionary is the Revised Common Lectionary, which is used by many churches world wide. It divides the bible over a three year period, based around the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke. The readings are chosen to reflect the cycle of church year as it progresses from the hope for a Messiah (Advent), through Christmas, and on to Easter. Each week also has a reading from the Hebrew Scriptures, the Psalms, and from the letters of the New Testament. The Gospel of John is used in each year around the times of the major festivals. There are often readings assigned for special days which do not occur on a Sunday.
Many ministers preach from a lectionary. It provides a discipline which works against the temptation to avoid uncomfortable subjects and concentrate on favourite themes.
A lectionary provides an overview of the Christian tradition. Unfortunately, it also represents a particular theological and historical outlook. Some people point out, for example, that women's stories, often already marginalised in Scripture are further submerged by the RCL . The lectionary is also constructed of short readings, excerpts from the whole, so that some parts of the bible will never be read in public worship under this scheme. It also means that the wider flow of a narrative is interrupted, and perhaps divided in ways never anticipated by the authors. In their own devotions, many people will at least read from the end of the previous week's readings to the end of the designated readings of the current week, in some attempt to overcome this disintegration of the narrative.
When Life Seems all Washed Up
Peter carefully drove the tractor across the flooded creek. The water came only a little above the front axles, so we quickly chained the Landcruiser behind the tractor. As I towed him across, only minutes later, the front tires of the tractor completely disappeared below the water. I suddenly understood his caution! I asked if I should come down to the creek in a couple of hours, to pull him back.
“No, she’ll still be too high. I’ll just wait until she drops down. It won’t take long.”
When Peter returned, the creek was higher than he’d ever seen it, and it was clear he was in for a very long wait. Although deep and wide, the creek seemed fairly slow flowing, so Peter made a decision. He carefully wrapped his boots and clothes in his big drizabone, planted his hat firmly, and plunged in. It was very soon evident this had not been a good idea! He realized that if he did not abandon his clothing to a long trip down to the Darling, that’s where he would go!
A mile downstream, cold and shaken, he came ashore with only his hat. It was a long limp home through the Bathurst burrs and the rain.
When everything goes wrong, we at least try to maintain some dignity by sneaking in unseen, through the rarely used front door of the farm house. Even this was denied. Peter’s 13 year old daughter heard the veranda creak, and puzzled there could be a visitor during the flood, added one last insult to all his injury.
Our best plans sometimes end up down the creek. We are left feeling naked and humiliated. It matters not that we are doing the right thing; Peter was checking the safety of his animals, and did it himself, rather than leave the dangerous work to me, his hired man. Sometimes we make unwise decisions, and begin to cross rivers which are too wide for us. We do not always wash up in a good place.
One thing I have found about the living the Jesus life, is that I can always limp home. Even If I suffer the shame of needing a lift from a neighbour who found me naked in the paddock, the front door of God’s Love is open and waiting. God does not greet me with the offended primness of a school girl- “Dad... you are sooo disgusting.” God does not humiliate me with the hilarity of the rest of the household, who pass the story on to the whole district. God does not scold me like my badly frightened wife. God simply loves me, lets me curl up and get warm, and understands I need time to pick the prickles out of my feet.
This is the love of God.
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