1/30/2020

Sacred Encounters: March 2020 lectionary preview

by Rev. Dr. Neal Presa

These next five Sundays in March, we sojourn into the sacred season of Lent, as the Spirit of the Lord prepares us for the cross of Holy Week, the silence of Holy Saturday, and the victory of Easter. The psalms and the Gospel readings go hand-in-hand as the former sings reflective words that glorify the Lord, and a corresponding Gospel reading that narrate a formative sacred encounter in which God’s mighty hand and outstretched arm of love and restoration are on full display. Enter this Lenten season with prayerful intentionality, both in personal devotions and in community. This is a special time for sacred encounters with the Lord who sojourns with us, who forges in our hearts and in our lives a deepening and broadening wellspring of joy through the trials and troubles of life in the real world.

Click the links below to read that date’s lectionary preview.

March 1
Psalm 32 and Matthew 4:1-11
March 8
Psalm 121 and John 3:1-17
 

 

March 15
Psalm 95 and John 4:5-42
March 22
Psalm 23 and John 9:1-41
 

 

March 29
Psalm 130 and John 11:1-45

 

Rev. Dr. Neal Presa

Rev. Dr. Neal Presa

The Rev. Neal D. Presa, Ph.D. is Executive Presbyter of the Presbytery of San José. He also serves as Affiliate Associate Professor of Preaching at Fuller Theological Seminary, and Senior Fellow of The Center for Pastor Theologians. He is past chair (2020-2022) and vice chair (2018-2020) of the Board of Trustees of the Presbyterian Foundation. He served as Moderator of the 220th General Assembly (2012-2014), and he currently represents the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) on the World Council of Churches Central Committee and Executive Committee, where he is moderator of the finance policy committee. He is moderator of the Theology Working Group for the World Communion of Reformed Churches’ 27th General Council (2025, Chiang Mai). He is author/(co-)editor of nine books and over 100 essays, journal articles, and book reviews, including the recent Worship, Justice, and Joy: A Liturgical Pilgrimage (Cascade, 2025), as part of the Worship & Witness series in partnership with the Calvin Institute for Christian Worship and with funding from the Louisville Institute. For two decades he served congregations in New Jersey and California, and as a senior administrative faculty and visiting professor/research fellow in theological institutions in the United States, Philippines, and South Africa. He is married to Grace née Rhie (a publisher of English books on Korean subjects) and they have two college age sons. Connect with Neal on social media @NealPresa or email Neal@sanjosepby.org.

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