Pentecost 9 Readings

What is the Revised Common Lectionary?

The Revised Common Lectionary grew out of late‑20th‑century ecumenical work, especially the Consultation on Common Texts, which wanted churches to share a common, three‑year rhythm of Scripture shaped by the seasons of the church year. We are currently in Ordinary Time, the longest season of the church year. There are 25 Sundays between Pentecost and Christ the King Sunday, the final Sunday on the church calendar (this year on 22 November).

The weekly readings are meant to speak to one another: the Old Testament reading sets the theme, the psalm responds to that reading, the epistle widens the theological frame, and the Gospel anchors the day. Watch for that as you work your way through the four readings this week.

Five-Minute Homily

Discernment and its connection to leadership has been on my mind this week. Years back, I had the remarkable opportunity to spend a week in a seminar with historian Gordon Wood, one of the leading experts on the Revolution and early Republic. He suggested to us that the most important moment in George Washington’s career came at the end of the Revolutionary War — the day the commanding general and future President gave up power. In the Western world of the late eighteenth century, victorious generals usually moved in the opposite direction. Europe was crowded with monarchs, and within a generation Napoleon would seize control of France. Against that backdrop, Washington’s decision was startling. He could have seized power: the army trusted him, the public revered him, and many assumed he might become a kind of American monarch. Instead, in December of 1783, he walked into the chamber of Congress, surrendered his commission, and returned home to Mount Vernon. As he put it, “Having now finished the work assigned me, I retire from the great theatre of action; and… take my leave of all the employments of public life.” Like all leaders, Washington was complicated — and flawed. He owned enslaved people, and his ruthless policies toward Indigenous nations left deep wounds that remain part of our historical record.** Yet his decision to relinquish power still stands as a moment of discernment: a leader reading the times, recognizing his limits, and choosing restraint for the sake of the republic’s future.

Washington’s story prompts me to think about the centrality of decision‑making in our lives — and about the kind of discernment we should expect from our leaders when we choose them. The word discernment comes from the Latin discernere — to separate, to sift, to judge. It’s not a flashy skill, and it’s not always common among leaders. Discernment requires humility, the willingness to admit limits, and the courage to ask for guidance. This week’s readings from 1 Kings and Romans echo that same need. In 1 Kings, young Solomon has his “dream conversation” with God, and what he asks for is not wealth, not victory, not a long life — but discernment. He knows leadership demands more than ambition or strength; it requires the ability to distinguish wisely, to judge faithfully, to see clearly. That’s remarkable maturity for someone so young, especially given the complicated backstory of his family and the weight of the throne he inherited. His request pleases God precisely because it comes from humility — a recognition that he cannot lead well on his own. The Apostle Paul echoes this same dependence in Romans. He knows we often face decisions that leave us baffled, moments when we don’t even know how to pray or what to ask for. His reassurance is that the Spirit intercedes for us — that God meets us in our uncertainty and helps us carry what we cannot carry alone. And then he gives one of Scripture’s strongest promises: that all things work together for good for those who love God, and that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.

Washington’s humility, Solomon’s request for discernment, and Paul’s assurance of God’s steadfast love all point toward the same truth: wise decisions grow out of a deep trust in God. Discernment is not only a quality we should seek in our leaders; it is a practice we cultivate in our own lives. When we face choices that matter — in our families, our work, our communities — we are invited to adopt that same posture of humility and dependence, trusting the Spirit to guide, steady, and shape us.

Soli Deo Gloria.

** Washington’s extensive relationship with Indigenous people is explored in Colin Calloway’s 2018 book, The Indian World of George Washington.

Image of the Week

Musical Reflection

ELCA Commemorations

Note: The ELCA commemorates a wide range of Christians throughout the year as a way of remembering that God has worked through ordinary people in every age. These commemorations — drawn from Scripture, the early church, the Reformation, and more recent history — invite us to see faith lived out in many different vocations and cultures. They aren’t about elevating “heroes,” but about widening our sense of the communion of saints and letting their witness encourage our own. In marking these days, the church pauses to give thanks, to learn, and to be reminded that the Holy Spirit continues to shape faithful lives in every generation.

You will find the full listing of them in the front of the ELW. Explore this week’s commemorations via the links provided under the dates.

Going Beyond