The time when Easter is ordained to take place is, like the Paschal celebrations as a whole, redolent with sacred mystery. In the first place, we are careful to wait until after the equinox to celebrate the Lord's Passover . . . so that the feast-day on which the Mediator between God and man, having destroyed the power of darkness, opened the way of light for the world, might show its inner [significance] by means of the order of time. -- Bede, 0 (trans. Faith Wallis) Reflection It was a revelation to one of my … [Read more...] about Scholar’s Compass: Lent and Easter’s Timing
lent
Prayers for Chapel Hill
Last Tuesday afternoon, reports began to emerge of a shooting in the Finley Forest condominiums in Chapel Hill. I immediately thought of the several graduate students in the graduate IVCF chapter who live there and called one to check on their safety. They were just returning home from class and were greeted by parked police cars surrounding one of the condos. That was the first they had heard of the shooting which happened less than an hour before. It was only the previous Friday that our graduate InterVarsity … [Read more...] about Prayers for Chapel Hill
Book Review: Lent for Everyone
I am posting on N.T. Wright's Lent for Everyone: Luke, Year C (Westminster/John Knox, 2012) even in the midst of Lent so that some additional people may benefit from this great resource. I find most devotionals pretty schmaltzy. Not so this work by noted New Testament scholar N.T. Wright. The book follows readings in Luke. Wright's commentaries are a brief exposition of the text that really do comment on the text rather than use it as a springboard for some "inspiring thoughts". He concludes each day with a "Today" … [Read more...] about Book Review: Lent for Everyone
To Will One Thing; A Lenten Reflection on Matthew 4:1-11
Soren Kierkegaard famously said, "purity of heart is to will one thing." To center back on our call to will one thing, namely the will of God, is the chief purpose of Lent. This week's gospel reading comes from Matthew 4:1-11. It's the scene of Jesus' temptation in the wilderness. The Liar and Destroyer tempts Jesus, beckoning him to use God's power to turn stones to bread, to use God's power to call the angels to his aid, and he offers him the authority over all the kingdoms of the world, if only Jesus would will … [Read more...] about To Will One Thing; A Lenten Reflection on Matthew 4:1-11
Match Day: On Call
Today is Match Day. Today, thousands of medical students across the USA will be given a sealed envelope containing a description of where they will be going for residency. At noon, in every medical school, they will gather to simultaneously open those envelopes. These students have spent months applying and interviewing for various programs. Many will have spent hundreds of dollars and hours on applications, interview suits, travel expenses, and retail therapy in the pursuit of a place to give them the training … [Read more...] about Match Day: On Call