Friends, I am going to stick with the Gospel of Mark for Reformation Sunday (10/31) and All Saints Sunday (11/7). Our time with Mark (my favorite gospel account) is speeding toward its end for another three years. I want to read and reflect on as much of the Markan composition as possible in the time remaining. So, I’m going to focus on the following texts.
October 31 (Reformation): Mark 12:28-34 — The greatest commandment. I can’t think of a better text to focus our attention in a “First Commandment” way. And therefore, I can’t think of a better text to help us read texts the way Luther reads texts.
November 7 (All Saints): Mark 12:35-44 — David’s son and the Widow’s Mite. These verses provide some interesting opportunities to reflect on the communion of saints.
November 14: Mark 13:1-8, 32-37. I think that the prologue and epilogue of the Little Apocalypse is a good way to treat the text with integrity.
November 21 (Christ the King): Mark 15:1-20 — I think the Markan composition offers at least as many ways to reflect on Christ the King as does the Johannine text (especially with the Barabbas scene).
I hope this will offer a helpful heads up for ongoing readers.
The Acedic Lutheran 