Grace Toward Ourselves
To Sutton and Savannah, my two incredible daughters (and anyone else who might be interested),
The Lectionary is a series of weekly readings from the Bible that spans 3 years. It is intended to take the reader or listener through all sections of scripture. To do that the weekly readings include four readings: a Gospel reading, a Psalm reading, an Old Testament reading and a 2nd New Testament reading. My reflections are going to focus on the Gospel reading and the Psalm reading. I will send out the Gospel reading on Monday and the Psalm reading on Thursday. These will be sent during the week prior to the Sunday when they are used by many churches worldwide. If you want to read the actual scripture, you can tap or click on the scripture reference and it will take you to a website that will show you the reading.
-Dad
Inside Out Lectionary Letters
Year A - Psalm Reading
First Sunday of Advent (readings for November 30, 2025)
Isaiah 2:1-5 / Psalm 122 / Romans 13:11-14 / Matthew 24:36-44
Scripture as a Mirror of the Soul
Psalm 122 is one of the Songs of Ascents, believed to have been sung by pilgrims traveling to Jerusalem for festivals. The psalm is attributed to David and expresses joy and reverence for the city of Jerusalem as the spiritual and communal center of Israel.
The reference to thrones of judgment highlights Jerusalem not only as a religious hub but also the political seat of David’s dynasty. Justice, worship, and unity converge there.
The call to pray for Jerusalem’s peace has enduring significance. In Hebrew, “shalom” implies more than the absence of conflict—it includes wholeness, prosperity, safety, and harmony. For the psalmist, Jerusalem’s peace meant the flourishing of the entire community.
How does this Psalm draw us toward the inner journey of faith? Well the opening of the passage invites us to go to the house of the Lord. Jesus states in John 14 that if we love Him, we will obey his commands, and the Father will love us and make His home within us. We have become the house of the Lord. We are the new Jerusalem where God’s Spirit takes up residence. So the application of this Psalm to our life is to journey inward; to identify the many tribes or personalities within us, and to seek peace or integration.
We are invited to pray for the peace of our inner Jerusalem, the core of our identity. We seek the wholeness that comes with peace. Until we make peace within, there will not be peace outwardly. And the path to peace is not through destruction, but through love. We are invited to love inwardly by receiving, and practicing, a radical form of grace toward ourselves. It is a love that takes the hurting parts, the parts that evoke shame, the parts that hold grief, the embarrassing parts, the shadow parts and treats them with love. The prosperity that comes from love honors all of who we are by ushering in peace.
Prayer
Lord, unite the scattered parts of me and fill me with Your shalom. May the peace You give me ripple outward into my relationships, my work, and my world. Amen