We’re leaving the Old Testament in our lectionary readings this week to read from Paul’s Letter to the Thessalonians, which may be the earliest writing of the New Testament. We’ll be reading from Thessalonians most weekdays till next Tuesday.

About four scripture readings in our morning and evening prayers are from Thessalonians, so this is a good time to deepen our understanding of this book of scripture.

We’re also leaving Matthew’s gospel the end of this week; next Monday we start reading from Luke’s Gospel on weekdays. Every year we repeat the gospels, the lectionary readings and celebrations of the saints. Why the repetition?

The liturgy calls for deep reading. Deep reading is different than the quick reading we do a lot of today. We’re looking for facts.

We need to take in more than facts, however. Deep reading recognizes we need time to understand. We learn little by little. We are slow learners. Besides, we forget. So we need deep reading. 

Deep reading is how we learn from the gospels and other scriptures, from our prayers and from the lives of the saints. These are not sources we learn all at once. We learn from them today. “If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.” We learn from them today, and tomorrow.

The scriptures, our prayers, the lives of saints like Monica, Augustine, John the Baptist, whose feasts are celebrated this week, have something to tell us today. Along with the signs of the times, God speaks to us through them.