Sunday, August 23, 2015

Why We Seem to be Stuck on John 6 this Month

As the Sunday lectionary continues to be stuck in the sixth chapter of John, one starts to wonder if there is method to this madness. Today's selection was John 6:56-69,

"Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live for ever.’ He said these things while he was teaching in the synagogue at Capernaum.
When many of his disciples heard it, they said, ‘This teaching is difficult; who can accept it?’ But Jesus, being aware that his disciples were complaining about it, said to them, ‘Does this offend you? Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But among you there are some who do not believe.’ For Jesus knew from the first who were the ones that did not believe, and who was the one that would betray him. And he said, ‘For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted by the Father.’

Because of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him. So Jesus asked the twelve, ‘Do you also wish to go away?’ Simon Peter answered him, ‘Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.’"
Since the bread from heaven theme is repeated Sunday after Sunday in August, I have come to the conclusion that someone figured out that attendance is traditionally low in August as people try to squeeze in the last of summer vacation time, and these words are so important that by increasing the frequency of their presentation to the pewsitters, this would increase the probability that they would have a chance to learn that,
‘Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.’

4 comments:

  1. Interesting theory, although attendance at my parish has been up for the last few weeks.

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  2. Pewster,
    Our 1979 BCP lectionary uses John 6:60-69. It begins with "When many of his disciples heard it, they said, ‘This teaching is difficult; who can accept it?" I thought to myself, "What a confusing place to start a Gospel Reading?" I think you folks use the RCL. If so, it is better at providing context, at least in this case

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    Replies
    1. TEc's next BCP is rumored to use the RCL.

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