Faithful Conversations #144

“Every culture is anchored in shared stories. They are the glue that binds people to their traditions, landscapes, and ancestors, carrying history and values across generations. Origin myths, religious texts, folk tales, and national narratives serve as collective memory, shaping how communities understand the past and orient themselves toward the future.” (Richard L. Lechowick)

Richard Lechowick’s reflection on shared stories and collective memory articulates my reverence for the rhythm of the Revised Common Lectionary (RCL). This three-year journey through Scripture — embraced by many within the **catholic (see note below) Christian community — continues to shape worship and spiritual formation with its steady cadence of readings. The lectionary draws on two forces that form us at the deepest level: story and repetition. I grew up in the orbit of a storyteller — my father — who taught me to see the world through narrative. That lens still directs my teaching and mentoring, because story does more than entertain; it interprets our lives and reveals meaning in the ordinary. Each week, the RCL thrusts us into the greatest story ever told: the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We do not stand outside that story; we live inside it. Through repetition, the lectionary compels us to revisit this story from fresh angles each year. Its three-year cycle sweeps us across the breadth of Scripture, reminding us that faith grows from memory and renews itself in retelling. Story anchors us in the past, but it also illuminates the present, helping us discern who we are and how we belong to God’s unfolding narrative.

Thanks for your visit to this space again this week! There are several commemorations on the ELCA calendar this week, including three pastors from the Lutheran tradition on 24 November: Justus Falckner (1672-1723), Jehu Jones, Jr. (1786-1852), and William Passavant (1821-1894). Each has a compelling story, if you are interested to learn more. As with so many of those we commemorate, I had never heard of these three prior to now. (You will find all the commemorations on pages 14-17 in the front portion of the ELW).

My reflections this week will center on the Isaiah reading. I’m also including a haunting Advent hymn, a prayer from this year’s Advent Devotional (ELCA), and the first installment of a conversation with Pastor Jen Hatleli reflecting on her recent travels to Malawi, Africa.

** My deliberate use of the word “catholic” in my introduction stems from a discussion within our Lectionary group on Sunday. The Inter-Lutheran Commission on Worship began using “catholic” instead of “Christian” in the Apostles’ Creed with the publication of the Lutheran Book of Worship in 1978. This change restored the original wording of the ancient creeds, where catholic meant universal rather than Roman Catholic. For centuries, many Protestant churches had substituted Christian to avoid confusion, but the ELCA chose to reclaim the historic language. By doing so, the church emphasized continuity with the early church and the ecumenical nature of the creeds. Today, the wording reminds worshippers that they belong to the one universal body of Christ, rooted in memory and renewed in retelling.

** Note 1: Links to outside references are bolded and italicized and are meant for further reading or research on your part. While the text I am including in the blog is my own, I am pulling from a multitude of sites for ideas and connections.

** Note 2: In my increasing use of A.I. (Copilot), I will cite sourcing of how I am using the tool, if necessary. I don’t want that to be overly cumbersome, but I am gradually incorporating more tools. I am exploring the A.I. world this summer prior to my next teaching semester. As you can imagine, it is a great challenge right now and will forever change the face of education!

** Note 3: The images I include in the blog are drawn from Wikimedia Commons to the fullest extent possible.

Common Themes Among the Readings

A Strategy for the Readings

Focus Passage: Isaiah 2: 1-5

Reflections: Isaiah and Jesus: Prophecy and Fulfillment

Luther Seminary Professor Frederick Gaiser calls Isaiah “the longest and perhaps most important of the prophetic books, offering the full range of God’s prophetic message: terrifying words of judgment and comforting words of promise.” He’s right—Isaiah is not for the faint of heart.

Here’s some backstory. Isaiah, son of Amoz, lived in Jerusalem in the 8th century BCE and carried out his ministry in a time of political upheaval. He confronted kings head‑on, warning them against idolatry, injustice, and dependence on foreign powers as Assyria rose to dominance. His call came through a dramatic temple vision, and his message fused sharp judgment with enduring hope. Later generations expanded his legacy, weaving in words from the Babylonian exile and the return from captivity. Scholars divide the book into three movements: First Isaiah (1–39), addressing Assyrian threats; Second Isaiah (40–55), offering comfort and the Servant Songs during exile; and Third Isaiah (56–66), reflecting on rebuilding community and worship. Isaiah spoke with urgency in his own time, and his vision of justice and peace still shapes faith and history.

The Revised Common Lectionary draws heavily on Isaiah—Year A alone includes at least 24 readings, many during Advent. For Christians, Isaiah provides the essential backdrop for understanding the story of Jesus Christ. Recall that in the synagogue at Nazareth, Jesus read from Isaiah: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (Isaiah 61:1–2; Luke 4:18–19). By choosing this passage, Jesus announced that Isaiah’s vision had come to life in him. Isaiah spoke of a servant who would bring good news, heal the broken, and shine light into darkness. Jesus claimed that mission and embodied it in his ministry. For Christians, this connection strikes at the heart of Advent: God’s promises echo through Isaiah and find their fulfillment in Christ, the one who brings freedom, healing, and hope.

The first of the Isaiah readings — 2:1–5 — speaks with urgency and hope. The prophet envisions the mountain of the Lord rising above all others, drawing nations together to learn God’s ways and walk in God’s paths. He then delivers a bold image of transformation: weapons hammered into tools for planting and pruning, war exchanged for peace, destruction turned into life. These twin themes — universal invitation and radical peace –summon us to walk in the light of the Lord and embody reconciliation in a fractured world. As Walter Brueggemann reminds us in The Prophetic Imagination, the prophets confront the dominant culture with a sharp alternative — a counter-vision. Isaiah’s vision still cuts through the noise of our age, and his call remains powerfully relevant as we enter Advent in 2025. Let our journey begin.

Soli Deo Gloria!

Advent Music: “Each Winter as the Year Grows Older”

A Prayer for 1 Advent

Even when we trip over our good intentions, O God, guide our days this Advent season. Give us confidence and hope in this time of waiting and empower us to carry your message of love to all the world. Amen.

Source: “Devotions for Advent and Christmas, 2025-26.” (Augsburg Fortress).

Faithful Conversations Updates

Reflections on Malawi

Since 1999, the Northwest Synod of Wisconsin and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Malawi have been companions in ministry. Recently, several NW Synod representatives, including Pastor Jen Hatleli and Patti Whitworth from ELC, traveled there and met with many of our partners in the region. During Advent, I will post reflections on that journey from Pastor Jen. In our first exchange, she comments on what most surprised her about the spiritual lives of the communities she visited there.