"...to the place where he knew there were valiant warriors." 2 Samuel 11:16

Back in February, I was elated when I heard the Old Testament reading appointed for Super Bowl Sunday.  I needed no other signs or portents to know that my team had to win.  The reading for that Sunday was from Isaiah and ended, “but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.”  Fly, Eagles, fly!

I went to a Super Bowl party later that day and told my host and hostess about the day’s reading.  My friend, who is Jewish, remarked, “So your pastor must be from Philadelphia?”  I didn’t understand at first.  It then dawned on me that he thought the pastor of my church had chosen that reading.

St. Timothy’s, however, like all Episcopal Churches, uses the Revised Common Lectionary (RCL).  No matter which Episcopal Church you attend in the United States, on any given Sunday you will hear the same readings.  In addition, no matter which Presbyterian, Lutheran, Methodist and more than a half dozen other denominations you attend, you will hear the same readings. The RCL is also used by the Church of England, as well as Protestant churches around the world.  The Roman Catholic Church largely follows the RCL as well. 

The RCL is a common plan for Bible readings in three-year cycles.  Each lectionary year begins the first Sunday in Advent.  We are currently in Year B of the three-year cycle.  After Year C we will begin again with the readings for Year A. We generally read an Old Testament lesson, a psalm, an epistle and a gospel lesson each Sunday.   

The lectionary was agreed to by a consultation with members from most mainstream Protestant denominations as well as the Roman Catholic Church, and has been revised over the years. This most recent lectionary was published in 1992 and officially adopted by the Episcopal Church in 2006. 

I am now scouring the Bible and RCL for references to Warriors to find if any will be read during a certain basketball tournament.  However, I do know for certain that the Bible never mentions Cavaliers.   --Amy Phillips Witzke