Words for Today, Words of Life
31 December 2008
Former Weston-super-Mare teacher and Sister of La Retraite, Bernadette Arscott, is one of the writers from across the globe who has contributed to the 2009 edition of ‘Words for Today’.
‘Words for Today’ offers a year’s Bible reading notes in one volume. The writers come from different faith traditions and include Jewish as well as Christian biblical scholars.
The book combines a systematic reading of the texts within wide-ranging themes and invites readers to act in the light of their reading and prayer. Themes for 2009 include: Who is Jesus? Widows, orphans and aliens; the Eucharist; Burden bearers; Christian love, and readings in Mark, Nehemiah, Ezekiel and Revelation.
Sister Bernadette, who is one of the three writers reflecting on the theme of Eucharist, found the experience a challenging one. “I know these notes are used by all sorts of people from many religious faith traditions and none”, she said, “I needed to find a way-in that would speak to and draw from their everyday experience”.
She found herself thinking back to the years she spent teaching at Corpus Christi School in Weston-Super-Mare. “I have many happy memories of making bread with the children in Weston, with all the symbols these memories evoke. Even the smell of the baking bread was enough to stimulate our creative gifts for writing and painting!”
Sister Bernadette, whose mission within the La Retraite Community after she left Weston, has included working with novices and younger sisters, has worked for many years in Birmingham, training prayer guides and spiritual directors as part of the West Midlands Spirituality Network (now known as the ‘Manresa Link’).
Over the years she has baked and shared bread with a large number of individuals and groups. “I love to bake bread with anyone who is willing because of the sense of community it brings and I ponder the meaning of the Bread of Life as every ingredient is kneaded into the loaf”, she says, adding “I hope this book will find its way into the hands of the many people who want to ponder and pray the words of Scripture as we hear them today”.
Words of Today 2009 is edited by Nicola Slee and published by the International Bible Reading Association (IBRA). Copies can be obtained from the IBRA website.
Alternatively, the monthly scheme of readings is listed on the Christian Education website, and may be downloaded in English, French and Spanish.
Sister Moira McDowall
Former Weston-super-Mare teacher and Sister of La Retraite, Bernadette Arscott, is one of the writers from across the globe who has contributed to the 2009 edition of ‘Words for Today’.
‘Words for Today’ offers a year’s Bible reading notes in one volume. The writers come from different faith traditions and include Jewish as well as Christian biblical scholars.
The book combines a systematic reading of the texts within wide-ranging themes and invites readers to act in the light of their reading and prayer. Themes for 2009 include: Who is Jesus? Widows, orphans and aliens; the Eucharist; Burden bearers; Christian love, and readings in Mark, Nehemiah, Ezekiel and Revelation.
Sister Bernadette, who is one of the three writers reflecting on the theme of Eucharist, found the experience a challenging one. “I know these notes are used by all sorts of people from many religious faith traditions and none”, she said, “I needed to find a way-in that would speak to and draw from their everyday experience”.
She found herself thinking back to the years she spent teaching at Corpus Christi School in Weston-Super-Mare. “I have many happy memories of making bread with the children in Weston, with all the symbols these memories evoke. Even the smell of the baking bread was enough to stimulate our creative gifts for writing and painting!”
Sister Bernadette, whose mission within the La Retraite Community after she left Weston, has included working with novices and younger sisters, has worked for many years in Birmingham, training prayer guides and spiritual directors as part of the West Midlands Spirituality Network (now known as the ‘Manresa Link’).
Over the years she has baked and shared bread with a large number of individuals and groups. “I love to bake bread with anyone who is willing because of the sense of community it brings and I ponder the meaning of the Bread of Life as every ingredient is kneaded into the loaf”, she says, adding “I hope this book will find its way into the hands of the many people who want to ponder and pray the words of Scripture as we hear them today”.
Words of Today 2009 is edited by Nicola Slee and published by the International Bible Reading Association (IBRA). Copies can be obtained from the IBRA website.
Alternatively, the monthly scheme of readings is listed on the Christian Education website, and may be downloaded in English, French and Spanish.
Sister Moira McDowall
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