Christianity’s liturgical calendar has some unusual qualities. It celebrates or commemorates things that now are often unfamiliar to the twenty-first century church. So it is that the lectionary readings for this Sunday, especially the gospel text, may seem strangely out of place at this point in the calendar year.

Pop culture is already revved-up for the extravagance and expense of the Christmas holiday. Yet even if consumer culture barely admits that there is a Christian component behind Christmas, there is at least a vague memory that this holiday is tied to the birth of a newborn baby in the manger. Why, then, does this final Sunday before Advent have us reading Luke’s presentation of the crucifixion? Why does the church present Jesus’ death certificate just before entering the season…