March 2, 2015

“Jesus said to Nicodemus, “Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand this? Truly I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen…”
John 2:10 – 11

“Let it not be enough for you that you hear the divine lessons in church, but read them yourselves at home or look for others to read them and willingly listen to them when they do. Although through the mercy of G*d you frequently and devoutly hear the divine lessons throughout the entire year, still during these days we ought to rest from the winds and the sea of this world by taking refuge, as it were, in the haven of Lent and in the quiet of silence to receive the divine lessons in the receptacle of our heart.” Caesarius of Arles (470 – 542) “For All The Saints” volume I

One of the wonderful aspects of the three-year lectionary is that we hear lessons read from all four Gospels; and each year is focused on one in particular. Year A is Matthew; Year B is Mark; and Year C is Luke. John is mixed in throughout the church year during each of the years A, B, and C. One of the weaknesses of this three-year cycle is that we miss so much of the bible that is not included in these cycles. So, if you come to church every Sunday for three years, you will hear a good portion of the bible. But, if you really want to dig into the texts, then you need to embark on a one, two or three-year plan that will take you through the entire bible.

Why is this important? Because, first, I doubt many of you will make it to church every Sunday for three years. Second, it is not good that you are never exposed to some of the more challenging texts. I suggest you find a “bible buddy” and make a pledge that you will read the bible together – deciding on which ever plan you choose; and there are many to choose from. You can decide to read the bible chronologically – or you can read it straight through from cover to cover. Another way to read it is to read one Old Testament lesson, one New Testament lesson, and a Psalm. Do your research when deciding what plan you want to follow. I guarantee you will read stories that you will never hear on a Sunday morning – but you will be the richer for this experience.

Pastor Dave