Advent frustration

On December 5, 2011 / By maggi dawn / Reply

There is something slightly odd about the readings for the second Sunday of Advent. They are supposed to represent the prophets, and consequently they tie them in with Gospel readings for John the Baptist. But then on the third sunday – Gaudete Sunday – the entire focus is on John the Baptist. Feels to me like the 2nd Sunday readings steal the thunder from Gaudete Sunday. Surely we could find a not-John-reading for the 2nd Sunday? If I were writing the lectionary I would put in Matthew 11:28-30 so that Comfort ye my people was matched up with Come to me all who labour and are heavy laden…

Not only that, but the alternative Psalm for Gaudete Sunday is the Magnificat, which means on Advent 4, the focus on Mary has also been pre-empted. What are these people drinking??

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10 Responses to “Advent frustration”

Comments

  1. Matthew Lyon
    On December 5, 2011 at 2:02 pm

    Do it! the [lectionary] was made for “man”, not “man” for the [lectionary].

  2. maggi dawn
    On December 5, 2011 at 2:08 pm

    Me? I tinker with the lectionary all the time – mostly because working in an educational institution where a) we have chapel on weekdays but not Sundays, and the lectionary doesn’t make sense half the time, and b) it’s an ecumenical setting and lectionary readings for feast days/celebrations are built to suit specific traditions. About three years from now I think we will have our own unique lectionary. Maybe we’ll publish it, but maybe it won’t be any use to anyone else….

  3. Mac
    On December 5, 2011 at 2:52 pm

    I get terribly frustrated with the way that the lectionary is based largely on sequential readings for the 2nd and 3rd services, but every time there’s a saint’s day it is superimposed on the sequence rather than breaking it.

    Last week: Tuesday – Revelation 20. Wednesday (St Andrew) – John 1. Thursday: Revelation 21, picking up at verse 9. Same with the Isaiah sequence in the OT.

  4. Gerry
    On December 5, 2011 at 7:16 pm

    I don’t know what they’re drinking, but they need to change beers!

  5. Jo
    On December 6, 2011 at 1:40 pm

    I am quite new to this lectionary lark and found myself preaching on Sunday about the the prophets, John in particular. But hey next Sunday we’re doing it again, but with readings that don’t ‘go’.
    Is there anyone out there listening????

  6. PeterK
    On December 6, 2011 at 2:19 pm

    Well said, Maggie. In our neck of the woods, after due reflection on the previous day, our Monday morning meeting pronounced it a dog’s dinner.

    Sharpen up, chaps!!

  7. Linda Parriott
    On December 6, 2011 at 2:52 pm

    If it’s any comfort, you aren’t alone in your frustration with the lectionary. Stories similar to yours are not uncommon. I’ve begun to wonder if the Consultation on Common Texts introduced these oddities with some alternative purpose in mind, perhaps to encourage the creation of new lectionaries by people such as yourself.

  8. Claire Alcock
    On December 6, 2011 at 2:54 pm

    Couldn’t agree more. It’s all terribly confusing, especially as the pink candle’s clearly not for the girl.

  9. rick
    On December 14, 2011 at 10:36 pm

    Grab Eugene Peterson and write one. By the way, I enjoyed the series you both did several years ago.

  10. Eric Kyte
    On December 16, 2011 at 5:28 am

    Total agreement – trebly unhelpful as well as the second Baptist reading is verses from John 1 which we are due to hear again on Christmas in non-edited form. I’ve always found that reading more than a little odd, as if it could stand alone
    For Gaudete I ditched John and substituted the set canticle.
    Now then, what’s the reading for Advent 4?? . . . oh . . . :)

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