This Week.

Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The collect for this past Sunday instructs us that God “caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning.” This means the passages that comfort us like Psalm 123:3 “So our eyes look to the Lord our God, * until he show us his mercy.” This means the passages that challenge us like Matthew 15:30: “throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” It also means the Scriptures that we have just forgotten about, like the entirety of the Book of Judges.

This Sunday we heard seven verses from Chapter 4 of the Book of Judges. This is the only time in the three year lectionary cycle that we hear anything from this book. Judges is a collection of stories of the cyclical leadership of Israel. The cycle was generally Israel would fall into sin, bad things happen, a judge would be lifted up, Israel would repent, things would get better, and then the slide back into sin. There were six judges in all. The brief passage introduces us to Deborah, the only judge that was a woman. Deborah is also the only judge that was viewed as uniformly positive and identified as the “mother in Israel.”

You might be surprised by the stories told in judges. This is the book where the story of Samson and Delilah is told. It includes military battles and intrigue to rival Game of Thrones. But more importantly, when we read the whole book, in the context of the larger story of God, we see again and again that God is faithful, even when we are not. 

Maybe this week you can take a moment and turn to a part of the Bible you have not read before, you might be surprised what you find there. I hope you join us at BSC for our last Holy Eucharist of the semester at 11:45 am today, or drop by the Trinity Commons this afternoon. 

– Kelley

SCHEDULE

Tuesday

• 11:45 a.m. Worship at BSC
  I will be on campus at 10 am, come by and say hello. Then join us IN THE CHAPEL for a short service of Holy Eucharist.
• 3-6 p.m. Drop-in Hours at Trinity Commons
  Come by for a chat or just to take a break.

Sunday

• 6 p.m. Worship at Trinity Commons & Zoom
  Join us for Holy Eucharist in the chapel. We will again welcome the Rev. Emily Collette as our preacher. Sunday Supper following the service. Wear a mask and invite a friend. You can also join us via Zoom.