A New Year
Sundown Friday, September 15, marks the beginning of a new year for the Jewish people. It is year 5784 on their calendar - quite a lot of history to remember and contemplate! But remembrance, I believe, the anchor of our hope. Recalling what God has done in the past reminds of His faithfulness. Recounting His promises fills our hearts with purpose and hope. Meditating on His commands illuminates the boundaries of our journeys. And contemplating His story sets our individual lives in context. This context, I believe, is important for Gentile Christians who have been grafted into the mystery of salvation - the work of redemption for which the Jewish people were chosen some 4000 years ago. Jesus tells us in the gospel of John, “Salvation is from the Jews.” It is tempting to gloss over these words as a side point in an irrelevant debate; however, everything Jesus is was true, and more profoundly true than we yet comprehend.
For several years my morning prayer has been tethered to the Office of Readings. I love the Office for many reasons. Each set of prayers includes three portions of psalms, a reading taken from the Old Testament or the epistles, and an excerpt from the writings of a church father or saint. It never grows old as there is simply too much material to remember. More importantly, the Holy Spirit is active, pointing out truths in scripture I had missed before.
This year, however, I feel the Spirit prompting me to focus my study in Torah. I will be following the Jewish cycle of readings this year rather than the Catholic liturgy. As I read, I will write some of my reflections here on this blog. I invite you to come along on this journey with me - whether that means checking in once every week or two, or diving into the daily readings yourself. My plan is to post on Mondays and Fridays beginning Friday, Sept. 15. The Friday entries will list the Torah readings for the following week.
I fully anticipate hearing the Lord speak in this study, for this is His story. I also hope to hear from you, my sisters and brothers in the faith. If you find yourself inclined, please respond with thoughts in the comment section. It would be wonderful to have a virtual dialog of sorts. The Lord loves for His people to discuss His word together. (Mal 3:16) Finally, I plan to invite other writers to post on this blog because we see God’s glory more fully when we see through many eyes.