You found time to read through this email. If you have done that, you are likely reading the Bible Challenge as well with a piece of Scripture each day. During Lent, we often try to give up something that is unhealthy for us, that will benefit our overall well-being. Giving up chocolate may help our sugar addiction. Adding exercise may help get us back into shape. Maybe we give up other components of food or add other pieces to our lives that help us. Maybe you pray at a particular time or in a particular way. This year, you have already dedicated yourself to reading the Bible. Maybe, if you have fallen short or are not consistent, it is time to pick up this challenge, even if it is only for Lent. On Ash Wednesday, we read from the Book of Common Prayer the following Invitation: Dear People of God: The first Christians observed with great devotion the days of our Lord's passion and resurrection, and it became the custom of the Church to prepare for them by a season of penitence and fasting. This season of Lent provided a time in which converts to the faith were prepared for Holy Baptism. It was also a time when those who, because of notorious sins, had been separated from the body of the faithful were reconciled by penitence and forgiveness, and restored to the fellowship of the Church. Thereby, the whole congregation was put in mind of the message of pardon and absolution set forth in the Gospel of our Savior, and of the need which all Christians continually have to renew their repentance and faith. I invite you, therefore, in the name of the Church, to the observance of a holy Lent, by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and meditating on God's holy Word. And, to make a right beginning of repentance, and as a mark of our mortal nature, let us now kneel before the Lord, our maker and redeemer. - pg. 264-265 As you see in bold, the reading and meditating on Scripture is a key component to the invitation. If you are to focus on one single component of this year's Lenten discipline, you are invited in this process to read a little bit each day. We also ask you to have just one other person join this Lenten discipline with you and all of us. I know, we are in the middle of a book, but that is ok. Lent seems to come in the middle of our busy lives and we invite all into the middle of this journey. The question then is, how does the reading of Scripture daily impact your other Lenten disciplines or bring you closer to God? Does it help you in self-examination? If you have other practices such as giving up chocolate (an oldie but a goodie), does it inform that practice? At the least, whenever we encounter Scripture, we are accepting the invitation for God's movement in our lives. Let God move in your life this Lent. |
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![]() The portrayal of Paul in the Acts of the Apostles illustrated a man chosen by God. This is a man who persecuted the church and put to death many of the first Christians and then transitioned to, perhaps, the greatest advocate. He was literally blinded and given sight in the Lord. We are not entirely sure of the accuracy of Paul's description in Acts as the author of Luke and Acts may have altered his description and travels. We now read Romans, an authentic letter of Paul. What are we getting into? There are 14 letters often attributed to Paul in the New Testament, however, current consensus labels only 7 of them as actually written by Paul. These seven letters are Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Philippians, 1 Thessalonians, and Philemon. In fact, the oldest New Testament document (1 Thessalonians) is written by Paul (yes, older than all of the Gospels). I love Paul's theology, however, one must read each of his writings in context of the audience, culture, and person. The book in which we read now, Romans, is perhaps his most theological and revealing and as N.T Wright has noted, is laid out in a chiastic structure. The very center of the book provides his central theology with balanced arguments on either side. He no doubt finds baptism in Christ a central characteristic. But does all of this make sense for me to follow today? Remember as you read these Scriptures, that they are letters written from Paul to a particular group of people. He probably did not know that they would end up canonized for our reading 2,000 years later. I encourage you to read the opening introduction to each letter in your study Bible and if you do not have one, let me know and we'll get information to you. As letters, Paul may be writing to address particular concerns for a community that may not be a particular concern to us today. As you approach some problematic texts in his letters, keep this in mind. As you become more familiar with Paul, think about what he might say to our particular community based upon what he said to these. Paul was the antithesis of a Christian in his early life, not of the chosen Israel, Roman citizen, and persecutor of the church. As one of the strongest proponents with the most canonized Scripture, he is an example of God's love and mercy extended and speaking through people outside of native Israel. Paul received God's grace, God's mercy, and became an example to the point of martyrdom in around 65 CE. God's love is extended beyond a single people. We have evidence in these Scriptures of such movement of God in humanity and God continues to move in and through us. What is God saying to you through these ancient letters? What might Paul of today say to us?
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The Rev. William L. Packard
I am excited to read the Bible with you, not only for the knowledge and ability to say, "I've read the whole thing," but for the wonderful things that occur when Scripture is read intentionally each day. Archives
April 2019
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St. David's Episcopal Church & School
43600 Russell Branch Parkway Ashburn, VA 20147 703-729-0570 703-729-7481 (Pastoral Care emergency line) Church office: office@sdlife.org Office Hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 9am-4pm Monday and Friday by appointment St. David's Preschool www.stdavidspreschool.org 703-723-0286 School office: psfrontdesk@sdlife.org |