Lectionary Resources — Year B

The lectionary readings at the beginning of Advent invite us to ponder the inbreaking of God. What might it mean to live as watchful Christians, to raise our eyes above the fray and look for the presence of God in our world? We acknowledge that the cry for divine justice in Isaiah 64 is a cry of both lament and hope. It comes from a colonised people and continues to echo in our current world. Mark 13 takes us into apocalyptic territory, inviting us to consider the coming of Jesus in power and glory with themes that look forward to the cross. We refer to Robert Alter s Translation of the Hebrew Bible , Ched Myers Binding the Strong Man, and an education initiative (including Advent bibles studies) from St Mark the Evangelist: Illuminating Faith

Howard and Fran discuss Isaiah 64:1–9 and Mark 13:24–37. Includes reference to Sam Wells’ 'How to Preach'.

Dr Angela Sawyer joins us to explore the tender and powerful image of God in Isaiah 40, as well as the cosmic and personal hope the end of exile represents to Israel. We talk about suffering and the yearning for freedom and fulfilment in Israel s foundational story, and how it informs and shapes ours (communally). In a few short phrases Mark 1 outlines the subversive character of Mark s writing, and of Jesus message of good news . We note that everybody came to hear John talk about repentance: what is the peculiar task of preaching about repentance in the 21st century? We highlight some key Advent questions: for whom are we waiting and why?We refer to Ched Myers , Binding the Strong Man and Rick Morton s One Hundred of Dirt.

Fran and Howard discuss Isaiah 40:1–11 and Mark 1:1–8. Includes reference to Psalm 85 and 2 Peter 3.

Dr Angela Sawyer returns to speak about Isaiah 61, a passage that reflects the concerns of returned exiles, the difficulty of life under colonial rule, and hope in God reversing the fortunes of the marginalised. The alternate to the Psalm this week is Mary s Magnificat, a song that continues these themes hundreds of years later. And the gospel reading gives us another view on John the Baptist presenting him as a witness, inviting reflection on how we witness or testify to Christ today. We refer to Ched Myers Binding the Strong Man.Vivaldi s Business Plan by Samuel Wells

Craig Thompson and Robyn discuss Isaiah 61:1–4, 8–11; Psalm 126; John 1:6–8, 19–28; 1 Thess 5:16–24. Mentions Fleming Rutledge’s 'Advent'.

Rev. Sharon Hollis, President-elect of the Uniting Church, joins the conversation for Advent 4. We discuss how Mary is portrayed as a prophet in Luke 1 and the surprising agency she has (for that time) in speaking her consent (1:26-38) and her song of praise and protest (1:46-55). Her particularity as a young Jewish girl living in occupied territory makes her song the song of colonised women everywhere who draw upon their cultural traditions to proclaim liberation.We note the promise that Jesus will sit on the throne of David fulfils the covenant in 2 Samuel 7:1-11 and reveals God s faithfulness.We refer to Anne Elvey s Reading the Magnificat in Australia and Elizabeth Johnson s Truly Our Sister.

Sharon and Fran explore Luke 1:26–38 and Luke 1:46b–55 with reference to 2 Samuel 7:1–11, 16. Mentions Gary Mason (ABC Radio National).