The Prayer of Manasseh; Ezra 9; Nehemiah 9; Psalm 51; 1 Chronicles 21:14-15; Mat 6:9-15; Luke 23:34; Acts 7:60; Romans 5:8; Ephesian 4:32 What is forgiveness? How is it related to repentance? Is one the pre-requisite of the other? These questions have been foremost in my mind since hearing the compassion of Erika Kirk directedContinue reading “Light From the Readable Books 30: The Prayer of Manasseh, Repentance, and Forgiveness”
Tag Archives: Confession
Light from the Readable Books 28: 4 Maccabees, God’s Reason, and the Passions
4 Maccabees, Hebrews 11, Acts 22, Revelation 12. “But why the Maccabees?” asked St. Gregory Nazianzen in an Oration given during a celebration of the martyrs (Oration 15). He went on to answer an assumption in his own day that martyrs can only be called such if they die for Christ, and so the MaccabeesContinue reading “Light from the Readable Books 28: 4 Maccabees, God’s Reason, and the Passions”
Light from the Readable Books 19: Baruch’s Confession
Baruch 2:1-3:8; Dan 9:7-19, Deuteronomy 28:15-69; Deuteronomy 30; Jeremiah 24:1-10; 2 Chronicles 6:12-42. As we saw in the last episode, Baruch is a short but important book, composed of three major parts: the first (1:1-3:8) focusses upon confession, the second (3:9-4:29) commends wisdom to the people in exile, and the last (4:30-5:9) comforts the exilesContinue reading “Light from the Readable Books 19: Baruch’s Confession”
Light From (and Upon) the Readable Books 18: Baruch in Babylon
Most of the Readable Books that we have been studying are found in our section of the Old Testament where other “wisdom” books are found—Psalms, Proverbs, Solomon, and so on. Like the tales of Daniel, however, the book of Baruch is found amidst the prophets, because it picks up the narrative from the book ofContinue reading “Light From (and Upon) the Readable Books 18: Baruch in Babylon”
Light from the Readable Books 10: Prophecy and Prayer in Tobit
Tobit, Amos 8:10, Daniel 3:51-90, Revelation 21:18-21 The book of Tobit, with all its action and suspense, is studded with poignant prophecies and prayers. Its first section includes a pessimistic prophecy of Amos, and the book concludes with the hopeful prophecy of Tobit as his last will and testament. Throughout the narrative, key figures likeContinue reading “Light from the Readable Books 10: Prophecy and Prayer in Tobit”
Light From (and Upon) the Readable Books 7: Esther’s Humility and God’s Rescue
Esther 4:17a-x, Psalm 1, Psalm 150-151, Daniel 3:2-45; 2 Kings/4 Kingdoms 19:14-19, Nehemiah 1:5-11 From the early days of the Church, the righteous Esther has been put forth as an example of both courage and humility. The first century father Clement of Rome, exclaimed: Many women, fortified by the grace of God, have accomplished manyContinue reading “Light From (and Upon) the Readable Books 7: Esther’s Humility and God’s Rescue”
Light from the Readable Books 2: Let Them Know that You are God!
Daniel 3:37-50; Psalm 50/51; 1 Ezra 8:71-87 How sad that so few Christians know the luminous confession of Azariah! In the last episode, we spoke generally of the Readable Books and shorter extended texts, how they have been bequeathed to us by the fathers, how they are found in the Old Greek (Septuagint) versions ofContinue reading “Light from the Readable Books 2: Let Them Know that You are God!”
Edith M. Humphrey 