Monthly Archives: March 2017

Lenten Readings: Day 18

Posted on March 21, 2017 by Bruce Bryant-Scott

Hoping Against Hope In today’s second reading from the Daily Office Lectionary Paul continues his argument that the faith of Abraham is very different from works, and that grace comes about not by works but through faith. He sees salvation … Continue reading →

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Lenten Readings: Day 17

Posted on March 20, 2017 by Bruce Bryant-Scott

Was Abraham a Gentile? At first glance it seems a strange question. Abraham a Gentile? As the patriarch of patriarchs, the person from  whom all Jews claim descent, one would have described Abraham also as a Jew. And yet, Arabs … Continue reading →

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Lenten Readings: Day 16

Posted on March 18, 2017 by Bruce Bryant-Scott

Grace and Belief: Which Came First? Grace, apart from being a lovely name for a beautiful actress, is the term that is used for the favour of God. Grace might be offered in response to something done, but in the … Continue reading →

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Lenten Readings: Day 15

Posted on March 17, 2017 by Bruce Bryant-Scott

Creating Dilemmas In today’s second reading in the Daily Office Lectionary Paul continues to build up the consequences of relying on good conduct before the Judgement of God. In the first paragraph today (Romans 2.25-29) Paul uses circumcision as the … Continue reading →

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Lenten Readings: Day 14

Posted on March 16, 2017 by Bruce Bryant-Scott

How To Make It Hard To Understand Romans One of the reasons I wanted to do reflections in Lent on the second reading from the Daily Office Lectionary was because I saw that for most of the season it was … Continue reading →

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St. Patrick, Missionary Bishop to Ireland

Posted on March 16, 2017 by Bruce Bryant-Scott

[This blog posting is heavily in debt to Thomas O’Loughlin’s Discovering Saint Patrick (New York NY/MahwahNJ: Paulist Press, 2005). If you are serious about Patrick you’ll read this book] There are few historical figure burdened with more legends, myths, and … Continue reading →

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Lenten Readings: Day 13

Posted on March 15, 2017 by Bruce Bryant-Scott

Wrath and Judgement Paul leaves what he understands to be “sexual depravity” to speak of depravity in general in the last few verses of Chapter 1. The failure to acknowledge God by the light of natural reason and turning to … Continue reading →

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Lenten Readings: Day 12

Posted on March 14, 2017 by Bruce Bryant-Scott

Roman Idol Having introduced himself and his various themes with elaborate rhetoric, Paul then goes on to state his main theme, lest anyone forget it: the good news of Jesus Christ “is the power of salvation to everyone who has … Continue reading →

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Lenten Readings: Day 11

Posted on March 13, 2017 by Bruce Bryant-Scott

Roman Holiday Today we begin reading Paul’s Letter to the Romans, and over the next four weeks we will work our way from the very beginning to the end of chapter eleven. We then pick it up later in Eastertide … Continue reading →

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Lenten Readings: Day 10

Posted on March 11, 2017 by Bruce Bryant-Scott

The Great High Priest Today’s second reading in the Daily Office Lectionary is our last from Hebrews this Lent until Holy Saturday, the final day of the season. Starting next week we begin reading our way through most of Paul’s … Continue reading →

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