Monday Of Holy Week

Monday in Holy Week

March 25, 2013

Today, we continue tracing the footsteps of Jesus, as Monday morning he returned with his disciples to Jerusalem. Along the way, Jesus cursed a fig tree because it had failed to bear fruit. Some scholars believe this cursing of the fig tree represented God's judgment on the spiritually dead religious leaders of Israel. Others believe the symbolism extended to all believers, demonstrating that genuine, living faith is more than just outward religiosity. True faith must bear spiritual fruit in a person's life.

When Jesus arrived at the Temple he found the courts full of corrupt money changers. He began overturning their tables and clearing the Temple, saying, "The Scriptures declare, 'My Temple will be a house of prayer,' but you have turned it into a den of thieves." (Luke 19:46)

On Monday evening Jesus stayed in Bethany again, probably in the home of his friends, Mary, Martha, and Lazarus.

READINGS

Click on Scripture Lessons below for study links and resources for each individual pericope:

Isaiah 42:1-9Roman Catholic reading: Isaiah 42:1-7

Psalm 36:5-11
Roman Catholic reading: Psalm 27:1, 2, 3, 13-14

Hebrews 9:11-15

John 12:1-11

Reading and Studying the Text This Week

• Texts:
  • Illustrated lectionary readings at Vanderbilt Divinity Library: Year A, Year B, Year C.
  • Lectionary readings from the Episcopal Lectionary: BCP - RCL.
  • The Roman Catholic Lectionary for Mass (1998 USA Edition). At Felix Just S.J.'sThe Roman Catholic Lectionary For Mass - a site featuring comprehensive tables of editions of the Roman Catholic Lectionary.
  • PCUSA - Lectionary for Sundays and Festivals Scripture Reference.
• Commentary, Exegesis & Sermon Preparation (see also listings at individual scripture pages, linked in listings at top of page)
  • Preaching Helps (Holy Week Monday). Safiyah Fosua, United Methodist Church General Board of Discipleship, 2012.
  • "Deadly Odor," sermon by Samuel D. Zumwalt, St. Matthew's Evangelical Lutheran Church, Wilmington, NC.
  • John Shearman's Lectionary Resource, Holy Week Monday, 2009, Rev. JohnShearman, Oakville, ON, Canada.
  • Holy Week Prep Party - Holy Monday Edition, RevGalBlogPals, 2011.
  • Kairos CoMotion Lectionary Discussion, Pre-Easter Monday. "A place of conversation regarding Progressive Christianity."
  • Wellspring of the Gospel, Monday in Holy Week, Catherine McElhinney and Kathryn Turner, Weekly Wellsprings.
  • "The Treasure," sermon by Samuel D. Zumwalt, St. Matthew's Evangelical Lutheran Church, Wilmington, NC.
• A list of links to on-line Bibles and general Bible study resources.
• A list of links to scholarly and preaching discussion groups and their homepages.
• A list of links to other lectionary-based preaching and worship resources.

OnLine Worship and Liturgy Resources

• Resources and Images on The Text This Week's Holy Week Resources page.
• Lent and Easter links at Rev. Richard J. Fairchild's A Holy Easter.
• Complete Liturgies and General Worship Planning Resources:
  • LCA Worship Resources, Holy Week Monday, includes liturgy, hymn suggestions, notes on the readings, visuals, drama, "Talking with Children," etc. Lutheran Church of Australia.
  • Liturgies Online, Holy Week Monday, by Rev Moira Laidlaw, Uniting Church in Australia.
• Prayers, Prefaces, Litanies, etc:
  • Laughing Bird Liturgical Resources by Nathan Nettleton, South Yarra Community Baptist Church, Melbourne, Australia. Prayers, blessings, Eucharistic prefaces and scripture paraphrases.
  • Prayers of the People, Monday in Holy Week. General intercessions for Sundays and Feasts, by Ormonde Plater, Archdeacon of the [Anglican/Episcopal] Diocese of Louisiana.
  • Thematic, Intercessory and Scripture Prayers for the RCL: Year A, Year B, Year C, Vanderbilt Divinity Library.
• Graphics and Bulletin Materials:
  • Art in the Christian Tradition, Year A, Year B, Year C, Jean and Alexander Heard, Vanderbilt Divinity Library. Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial ShareAlike 3.0 License.
  • Images for this week's readings, Year B, Pitts Theology Library Digital Image Archive.
  • Scripture Introduction for Bulletin Insert, Holy Week Monday, 2010, Rev. John Shearman, Oakville, ON, Canada.
• Hymns and Music:
  • Hymnary.org: Monday of Holy Week, Year A, Year B, Year C, hymns, scores, media, information.
  • Hymn selections (United Methodist) and more from Hymnsite.com.
  • Hymns of the Spirit Three, Holy Week Monday, Richard E. Hurst, Universalist National Memorial Church.
• With Children:
  • Lectionary Puzzles, Holy Week Monday. Word search puzzles in RTF or plain text, by Reg McMillan, St.Stephen's Presbyterian Church, Peterborough, Ontario.
• A list of links to other lectionary-based preaching and worship resources.