Inside Out Lectionary
November 30 Readings
The Gospel - Matthew 24:36-44
To Sutton and Savannah, my two incredible daughters (and anyone else who might be interested),
As you already know, I don’t have many answers. I do have reflections, questions, thoughts and a lot of curiosity that I plan to share in this project. I hope you share yours as well.
I think scripture is often used by the Christian community as a weapon, a defensive explanation of values, an exploitive evangelistic mandate, an excuse to not engage, and an escape from responsibility. As a result, it is often dismissed by the non-Christian community.
Scripture may be a wonderful revelation of the Divine. But could it not be a revelation of the Divine work within us of healing, restoration, integration and wholeness? This will be a three-year exploration of that theme.
This project follows my belief that the first step in understanding the Bible is to consider it as a revelation of that which is going on inside of the human soul. Stories that last for generations do so because they resonate with our inner journey. So what is the inner story that is depicted in the characters, plot lines and settings in scripture? Nothing really changes outwardly in our lives until something changes inwardly. So instead of looking at scripture as a collection of good stories and moral teachings, let’s look at how it invites us to reflect on our inner journey, nothing more. Then, if our inner soul heals and grows and flourishes, the outward life will reflect that change.
-Dad
P.S. Obviously, you don’t have to read any of this. My writing is probably nothing more than my desire to be known. And really what I most want you to know about me is this: I love you and am so proud of you just as you are. You two are the best!
Year A - Gospel Reading
First Sunday of Advent (readings for November 30, 2025)
Isaiah 2:1-5 / Psalm 122 / Romans 13:11-14 / Matthew 24:36-44
Summary of Matthew 24:36–44
Jesus speaks to His disciples about the unexpected nature of His return (often called the Second Coming). He emphasizes that no one knows the day or hour—not the angels in heaven, nor even the Son, but only the Father.
Jesus compares His return to the days of Noah, when people were living ordinary lives—eating, drinking, marrying—right up until the flood came and swept them away. In the same way, people will be caught off guard when the Son of Man comes. He uses the examples of two people in a field or two women grinding grain: one will be taken, and the other left, showing the sudden and selective nature of His return.
Jesus urges His followers to be alert and ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour you do not expect.
Scripture as a Mirror of the Soul
The Gospel Lectionary reading begins with a very confusing set of images, supposedly intended to encourage people to be ready. The context is that Jesus is providing some of his last teachings to his disciples just days prior to his crucifiction. He tells them about ominous times to come.
In the future there will be a coming of the Son of Man.
No one knows when that will happen.
So, be ready.
However, it is hard to tell what “being ready” entails, or what the reward is for being ready. Here is what feels confusing:
In one analogy the return of Christ is compared to a thief!
In another analogy, the return of Christ is compared to a Master who cuts his unfaithful servant into pieces!
In one section the thief presumably takes the good stuff and leaves the bad behind. In another the Master takes the bad stuff, destroys it, and leaves the good stuff behind.
In the comparison to the days of Noah, we are simply told that the people were eating, drinking, and marrying, none of which is prohibited behavior, yet they were all destroyed.
The passage begins with men and women at work, half are taken and half are left behind. We don’t know if the good are taken, or the bad are taken. Their behaviors give us no clue.
The Christian community certainly makes a lot of assumptions about this reading, but many conclusions are not supported by the text. However, if we view the text from the perspective of “integration” (spiritual health and wholeness) we might find a more coherent understanding.
Concerning the two people in the field, is the hope that I am the one saved at the expense of the other, or is the hope that both are redeemed? If they both represent parts of me, then one might be my ego and the other my shadow. Integration is the only way both are saved.
Likewise, the passage speaks of both my masculine and feminine sides. One part I typically associate with my identity and the other I minimize as an inferior or inappropriate part of myself; again, my shadow. Through the hard work of acknowledgement-acceptantance-assimilation, the shadow portions of my life help me to redeem the out-of-balance portions of my life. Integration of these disparate parts is what brings about wholeness. Otherwise I lose them. They are stolen. They are pushed into the flood waters of the unconscious.
So, be ready to hear the voice of the unconscious. Listen to the shadow’s cries. Don’t be afraid of the dark, nor overly confident of the light. God’s Kingdom comes and God’s will is done when heaven and earth meet in me and in you. Then, not only are we transformed, but the way we interact with our respective communities is forever changed.