Drew Downs

Make a New Normal

Make a New Normal

Between Proper 27 + 28 (Year A)

Between — a photo of a city street lit up at night.
Between — a photo of a city street lit up at night.

A look at the gaps in the lectionary.

This week: the gap between Proper 27A and 28A
The text: none

Remembering the contest for the gospel should be easier this week as we have another dark parable. Which comes right after the one from last week.

And while there is no gap in the lectionary this week, digging back in to the context will help ground us again this week.

This is especially valuable as we approach the central virtue espoused by a straight reading of the parable sounds an awful lot like arguing we all commit one of the greatest sins named in the Hebrew Bible: usury.

Rather than twist ourselves in knots trying to make it work, the context seems to suggest we consider maybe it isn’t supposed to work.

And thus, the hearer has the responsibility, not to make it work, but name precisely why it doesn’t. And therefore determine the right path forward themselves.