On the Back Porch
Reading, pondering and studying God’s Word is sometimes best done “on the back porch.” Each week we will try to offer something for you and your “back porch time.”
3rd Sunday of Easter, Year B
What We Celebrate
If this Sunday’s gospel seems to be very similar to last Sunday’s scene in the Upper Room – that is because it is. Previously our account came from the Gospel of John in which the first appearance of the Risen Jesus was to Mary Magdalene followed by the gospel scene in the Upper room. This Sunday our account is from the Gospel of Luke in which the Upper Room is also the second appearance, following on the heels of the Emmaus Road account in Luke 24.
Word of the Risen Jesus is spreading within the Jerusalem community of believers, but incredulity abounds alongside a good measure of fear and anxiety. They have no category of understanding with which to grasp the Resurrection. Jesus needs them to overcome their fear, be at peace, and begin their mission to the world. As always – a lot going on. Take some time and sort through it all in the comfort of your back porch.
Full Text of the Sunday Readings
Detailed Commentary on the 2nd Sunday of Easter Gospel
Image credit: Maesta altar piece, Duccio di Buoninsegna, 1308,
Museo dell’Opera Metropolitana del Duomo, Siena | Public Domain
The Resurrection of Jesus
This Sunday we move from the Gospel of John’s account of the Upper Room post-Resurrection appearances to Luke’s account. Take a moment to follow the whole Lukan account of post-Resurrection appearances.
4th Sunday of Easter, Year B
What We Celebrate
Every 4th Sunday of Easter the gospel is taken from John 10 known as the “Good Shepherd” discoure, the last of the public speeches of Jesus in John’ gospel. Jesus specifically invokes the image of the shepherd which is no only pastoral but , in the minds of the 1st century listeners, also kingly. Jesus is fulfilling the promises made in Ezekiel 34 that after a history of kings who lead Israel into sin and away from God, that God himself would come to shepherd the people. And that is just the start of the meaning of this rich text.
Take a moment and go deeper from the comfort of your back porch.
Full Text of the Sunday Readings
Detailed Commentary on the4th Sunday of Easter Gospel
Image credit: Pexel with Canva | G Corrigan | CC-BY-NC
The Prophet Ezekiel
The gospel text for Good Shepherd Sunday, John 10, leans quite heavily on the Book of the Prophet Ezekiel, who lived during the Fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians, witnessed the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple, went into Exile, and yet offers the people a message of Hope of the Messiah to come who would be God Himself, truly, the Good Shepherd. Take some time to watch the short videos explaining the Book of Ezekiel.
5th Sunday of Easter, Year B
What We Celebrate
These eight simple verses from the Gospel of John are incredibly rich in imagery, metaphor and meaning. The setting for the gospel is immediately after the Last Supper and it is as though Jesus is giving a farewell speech and trying to remind the disciples that his end is near, they will be sent to the ends of the earth to proclaim the good news, and these are the important parts. It seems like too much, all at once and so it is after Easter that we remind ourselves, as did the apostles, what would be the measure of the mission: fruitfulness and love.
Take a moment and go consider this amazing reading from the comfort of your back porch.
Full Text of the Sunday Readings
Detailed Commentary – 5th Sunday of Easter Gospel
Image credit: Pexel with Canva | G Corrigan | CC-BY-NC
Perichoretic power
The gospel of the Vine and the Branches asks that all disciples remain in Christ, bear much fruit, and pour God’s love into the world. This indwelling, abiding, is the Greek word perichoresis – a word that presents a far more dynamic power that the English translation indwelling offers. Take a few minutes to discover the perichoretic power of remaining “in Christ.”
6th Sunday of Easter, Year B
What We Celebrate
This Sunday’s gospel is an integral part of the discourse that began last Sunday with the “Branch and the Vines” passage. The closing words of the passage as to “abide,” to remain in Jesus. To what end? To bear much fruit and that fruit is seen in the actions of love. This Sunday’s gospel continues the discourse. Yet there is something very practical here: If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. Many suggest that this is the practical answer of how one remains in Christ and in his Word, bears fruit, and remains in the love of Jesus. These things are not some mystical experience. It is simple obedience. It is when we keep Christ’s commandments that we abide in his love. Once again appeal is made to Christ’s own example. He kept the Father’s commandments and thus abides continually in the Father’s love. And it is not a blind following of the commands, it is to “listen through” to the deeper love that resides within and throughout the commandments.
Take a moment and go consider this amazing reading from the comfort of your back porch.
Full Text of the Sunday Readings
Detailed Commentary – 6th Sunday of Easter Gospel
Image credit: Duccio di Buoninsegna – Appearance on the Mountain in Galilee | ca. 1310 | Museo dell’ Opera del Duomo, Siena | Public Domain
The Gospel of John
This is the second part of a two part video series on the Gospel of John. The beginning of this video reviews the “big picture” content of the first 14 chapters of John – and picks up the story at the Last Supper, the event located just before our Sunday gospel.
The Ascension, Year B
What We Celebrate
This Sunday the Church (in most places) celebrates the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord. We are most familiar with the accounts from the Gospel of Luke and most especially from the Acts of the Apostles (also written by Luke). The Markan account is, shall we say, unusual compared to Luke with a single verse describing the Ascension, and some expected and cryptic verses nearby.
Take a moment and consider this amazing reading from the comfort of your back porch.
Full Text of the Sunday Readings
Detailed Commentary – The Ascension in Mark
Detail from “The Ascension” (1775) by John Singleton Copley | Museum of Fine Arts, Boston | PD-US
Why the Ascension Matters
In our modern age it is easy to think of the Ascension of Jesus as the “break out” with Jesus being the first to escape earth and make it into heaven. The origins of such thinking are interesting and complex, but it is also a misunderstanding of the Jewish understanding of “heaven” and “earth.” Bishop Barron explains why the Ascension is akin to the “transfiguration” of earth? Interesting, heh? Watch the video to learn more.
Pentecost Sunday, Years ABC
What We Celebrate
Pentecost Sunday offers us two different readings about the giving of the Holy Spirit. The first reading from Acts 2 describes the Pentecost scene in dramatic fashion occurring 50 days after the Resurrection. The gospel reading from John describes the evening of Resurrection Sunday in the Upper Room when Jesus appears, breathes on the Apostles and says, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” Why the two accounts?
Take a moment and consider these amazing reading from the comfort of your back porch.
Full Text of the Sunday Readings
Detailed Commentary – Pentecost
Image credit: Descent of the Holy Spirit, Cryo-Russian icon, Wiki Commons, PD-US
The Importance of Pentecost
The book of Acts shows how God fulfilled His ancient promises to restore His blessing to all the nations through the offspring of Abraham: Jesus of Nazareth. In this video, we’ll explore how Jesus and the Spirit renew the people of Israel and prepare them to announce good news to the nations.