Hello dear brothers and sisters,
As we come towards the closing days of our Lenten season, I wonder if you might like to join me in one of my own practices as we approach Easter. Each year I like to read one of the gospels in its entirety and landing on the Easter story on Easter day. This year I am reading the gospel of Mark. I will be posting a video reading a chapter each day if you would like to join me.
Eugene Peterson talks about Mark’s gospel having a sense of breathless excitement in every sentence Mark writes. I love that idea of the story literally pulling us forward to our hope and our joy. So please join me in finding time to immerse ourselves in the gospel of St. Mark. I will be reading from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible the NRSV that we read from in our churches.
I find that I like to prepare by lighting a candle and spending a few moments in prayer for those on my heart at this time. I then read the chapter and after a few moments of silence end with the Lord’s Prayer. The videos of each chapter just have the Bible reading so please use them as you wish.
The story of the incarnation, death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ is OUR story. In it we find our comfort and our strength. At this time perhaps more than ever, we are faced with the vulnerability of Christ’s incarnation because we have been brought face to face with our own vulnerability. As we read through Mark’s gospel together we will hear once again of incredible faithfulness and of human frailty. We will end our reading on Easter Sunday with that promise of resurrection and hope.
May each of you find glimpses of hope and light in these next days.
All my love,
Jane
