One of the things we’re going to do on this blog on Mondays is look back and forth at the Daily Office readings (or lessons) so we can better process together what the Scriptures are saying.  I’m not always going to touch on all four reading tracks, much less give a play-by-play review of the week past or preview of the week to come, but just look more generally at where we’ve been and where we’re going.  This plan was introduced at length last Monday.

The other thing we’re going to do on Mondays starting today is list the recommended Propers for the Communion or Antecommunion service for each day of the week.

Readings Review

Last week: 1 Samuel 30-2 Samuel 5, Romans 11-16, Hosea 9-14, Joel 1, John 11:45-15:17
This week: 2 Samuel 6-11, Philippians, Colossians 1:1-20, Joel 2-3, Amos 1-5, John 15:18-19:37
Special lesson for St. Bartholomew (24 Aug.) = Luke 6:12-16

After spending half a month reading the Epistle to the Romans, the Morning New Testament lessons are going to start feeling a little more fast paced as we get through Philippians in six days, and will jump into a couple more short epistles until the end of the month.

The Old Testament lessons in Evening Prayer are also hopping through a short book right now in between two longer ones.  Joel in particular is going to feel like a throwback to Ash Wednesday, a day which prominently places readings from chapter 2 before us.  This time we’re reading it in its full context (Saturday through tonight), so we get to hear the full scope of the threat Joel foresaw and the repentance demanded by God through him, and the promise fulfilled at Pentecost, providing hope to God’s people.

Also in the Evening, our journey through the Gospel of John has made it to the Upper Room Discourse, in which Jesus gave extended teachings to the twelve at the Last Supper.  In the coming week we’ll finish those and make it to the death of Christ.  On Palm Sunday and Good Friday (and every day in between in the traditional lectionary) we typically hear these passion narratives at break-neck speed in lengthy readings in church, so enjoy the slightly slower pacing this time, and take in the story piece by piece.

Planning Propers

This is the week of Proper 15 (or Trinity 9 in the traditional calendar), so keep in mind that the historic Prayer Book default is that a mid-week Eucharist will repeat the Collect & Lessons (the propers) for yesterday.  Otherwise, we recommend…

Monday: Votive (of the Holy Spirit) *
Tuesday: St. Bernard of Clairvaux (monastic & teacher of the faith) or Votive (of the Holy Angels) *
Wednesday: Votive (of the Incarnation) * or Jonathan M. Daniels (martyr)
Thursday: Votive (of the Holy Eucharist) *
Friday: Votive (of the Holy Cross) *
Saturday: SAINT BARTHOLOMEW

* A Votive is a “Various Occasion” (page 733 in the BCP 2019) and label in parentheses are simply a traditional suggestion.