The Word Among Us, Year A, Vol. 1: Reflections on the Readings of the Revised Common Lectionary

A.J. Pell is rector of Christ Church in Hope, B.C., and lecturer in the
Anglican Studies Programme at Regent College in Vancouver.

Herbert O’Driscoll is a notable preacher and writer for preachers.
Each year clergy and laity look forward to his annual writing on the
Anglican liturgical lectionary and to his latest volume in The Word
Among Us series.

The latest in the series, Year A. Volume 1, weaves themes from the
readings for each Sunday and major festival, and reflects on them.
Despite some interesting ideas in this volume, enthusiasm is lacking all
through it. On a few occasions (e.g., Psalm 148 on the first Sunday
after Christmas), there is a life in the writing that grips the reader.
But at other times (e.g., the Magnificat from Luke 1: 47–55 on the
third Sunday of Advent), a particularly powerful Bible passage receives
such surprisingly weak treatment that the reader feels deflated.

Perhaps the formula is wearing on O’Driscoll, or on the reader, or on
both. But this time round preachers are advised to pass over Year A,
Volume 1 and work with basic biblical commentaries to discover the
liveliness the author has not communicated.