The Bible is filled with texts that speak of peace and justice. If one were to remove all the texts related to peace and justice, the Bible would be a much smaller book. This became clearly evident to me when I read through the three-year cycle of lectionary texts for the Christian calendar. The “Old and New” Testaments (Hebrew and Christian scriptures) speak of a God who breaks the weapons of war, calls for economic justice, incites prophetic visions of the reign of peace, and calls for care for the poor and vulnerable in society. We read of a Christ who shows the way of nonviolence and nonretaliation, engages in active peacemaking, transgresses social boundaries, and challenges unjust structures. We experience a Spirit that empowers a community of equity, transcending race, gender, nationality and politics.

These themes of justice and peace are not found in a few isolated texts, but are scattered throughout the pages of the Bible. Peace and justice are not simply texts found in the books of the prophets or limited to Jesus’ radical sayings. They permeate our sacred texts.

Even with all of these radical texts in the Bible, from the pulpits of many Christian churches the message of God’s call to peace and justice is heard only occasionally (e.g., on special Peace Sundays), if at all. This lectionary guide provides the proclaimer, liturgist and worship planner a table full of rich texts from which to feed God’s people on the word of a just peace.  It also can serve as devotional guide for spiritual readings throughout the Christian year. In this guide, descriptive phrases or sentences are given of the peace and justice themes found in selected lectionary texts.

The Christian calendar is a significant resource for preaching and liturgy within the churches. Beginning with Advent and concluding with Pentecost, the Christian year is a liturgical journey through the life of Jesus. The lectionary is constructed around a three-year cycle of biblical readings (years A, B, C), each year following the seasons of the Christian year. 

Leo Hartshorn, formerly of Peace and Justice Support Network, has written and illustrated Readings for Radicals: a peace and justice lectionary that highlights the lectionary texts related to peace and justice. Links for pdf copies of each season (on Mennonite Mission Network's web site: www.MennoniteMission.net) will be updated on this web site. 

Lent 2009, Year B:  Download (PDF)