The lectionary readings around Christmas are fascinating, especially this year.

 Every year for the Sunday before Christmas, we read the genealogy from Matthew. This reading forces us to consider the entirety of the Old Testament—especially in light of Christ’s upcoming birth.

 Then this year for the Sunday after Christmas, the church has us celebrate St. Stephen. (Normally, St. Stephen is celebrated 2 days after Christmas, but this year, that also happened to be the Sunday after Christmas.) But back to our topic … the lectionary reading for St. Stephen comes from Acts, where his story is found. In that reading, we hear his speech to the Judeans, which is, essentially, a summary of the Old Testament.

 So, for two Sundays in a row, we’ve heard summaries of the Old Testament. This is a reminder that Jesus can never be separated from the Old Testament.