Lectionary Links: Sunday, February 19, 2012
Transfiguration Sunday
Year B: February 19, 2012
First Reading: 2 Kings 2:1-12
Virgie Goes to School with Us Boys by Elizabeth Fitzgerald Howard (Written for ages 5-9)
Comment: “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” In his commentary, WM. Loyd Allen references Elisha’s persistence as one of “two faithful responses to the crises of the in-between times… [when you] can see the end of one path and cannot see the beginning of another.” (Feasting on the Word, Year B, Volume 1, p 436) Virgie is growing up in the times following the civil war. She is persistent in her desire to accompany her brothers to school. After months of asking, she is finally allowed to journey with her brothers. Like Elisha, Virgie isn’t entirely sure of what lies ahead. As Elisha will take on Elijah’s prophetic role, at the close of Howard’s book, we learn that Virgie will take on the role of teacher to share her learning of what it is to be free with her mama and papa.
Second Reading: 2 Corinthians 4:3-6
Eleanor, Quiet No More: The Life of Eleanor Roosevelt by Doreen Rappaport (Written for ages 5-9)
Comment: In this text, Paul is defending his knowledge of God. Ronald Allen explains Paul’s vision of reality as “a ‘holy discomfort’ with the present status of the world” and suggests that the preacher use this text to reflect theologically with his or her congregation to “identify those forces in the world…with which it should have holy discomfort and those that it can commend.” (Feasting on the Word, Year B, Volume 1, pp 449-450) Eleanor Roosevelt lived a life that reflected an understanding of holy discomfort and was an advocate for those who suffered from oppressive conditions. Rappaport’s book is filled with quotes and stories of the actions Roosevelt took to help make the world a better place for others. She was indeed a force to be commended!
Gospel Reading: Mark 9:2-9
Goose by Molly Bang (Written for ages 4-8)
Comment: In the story of the Transfiguration, Peter, James, and John have a mountaintop experience, both terrifying and informative. It is in this moment when they hear God’s voice proclaiming Jesus as beloved son. Goose, adopted at birth by a woodchuck family, struggles with her own identity. She leaves the comfort of her home to discover who she is. Goose also has a terrifying, yet informative mountaintop experience. As she is falling from the cliff, she discovers she can fly. Like the disciples, Goose’s trip to the mountain informed her journey into the life set before her. Her experience eventually leads her home, surprised to discover who she is and what she can accomplish.
The Lectionary Links post this week was written by regular contributor Noell Rathbun and Union Presbyterian Seminary student Rachel Mastin.
Lectionary Links: Sunday, February 19, 2012 by Storypath is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Thanks for this …. really useful
Your suggestions for books relating to each weeks readings are great but there is never enough time to purchase the books for Sunday! When able can you provide books/stories that we can purchase and download on line.
Tracey, I’m sorry you’re having trouble getting the books in time to use them on Sunday. We moved our post dates up to allow at least a month between the time we write the Lectionary Links and the time they are to be used. We are always working to try to make this blog more useful, so we will see if there is a way to provide even more lead time. And it is true that very few children’s books are being delivered in e-reader format. We will make sure to note that a book is available for download when we use one that fits a particular passage. Thanks for your suggestion.