So on the first day of the seventh month Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were able to understand. – Nehemiah 8:2

Today’s Scripture Reading (July 22, 2014): Nehemiah 8

Probably the holiday that I like the least is New Year’s Eve/Day. My relationship with this ball dropping celebration with its own signature song(s) is probably very complex. When I was younger, I often seemed to struggle with my health on New Year’s Eve – and I am not really sure that even I understand why. As a student in school, the dropping of the ball in New York seemed to also remind me that the Christmas break from school was coming to a close and that it was time to start to re-engage with the school culture – something that, to be honest, I never wanted to do. All of this is part of why New Year’s continues to be a bit of a joyless celebration.

But maybe the most significant factor in my love-hate relationship with New Year’s Day is my tendency to look back and evaluate the year that was. I tend to concentrate on all of the things that I wanted to accomplish in the year that was, and often come to the realization that a lot my planned accomplishments for one reason or another just did not happen. I get that part of the attraction of the holiday is the chance to tear off the calendar page and leave all of things that we didn’t do and exchange them for all of the dreams concerning what is possible in the year to come – but I just seem to find it hard to do. So even now, I continue my uneasy relationship with the holiday.

Ezra gathers the people to hear the law. The passage states that all who were capable of understanding gather to hear the words of the law. Both men and woman have gathered for the event. In the understanding of the law, at least according to Ezra in this moment, there is no difference between the sexes.

And Ezra is perfectly qualified for the task. He has spent his life in Babylon studying the ancient texts and gathering them together in one place. And on this day he chooses the text that he wants to read. Many believe that the book he has chosen for this occasion is the book of Deuteronomy.

It is the first day of the seventh month, the month of Tisri. According to our calendars it is early September. And the first day of the seventh month was an ancient holiday, it was the Feast of Trumpets – the celebration of the Jewish civil New Year. The Calendar was about to be flipped and there is probably no more appropriate moment for this reading than on this day. Because on this day they could look back at the ways that things had been and the reason that Israel had failed – but at the same time they could look into the future with expectation and promise. If they were willing to hear the law that is being read in this moment, they could make the changes that would help them as they move forward into the future that God had planned for them.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Nehemiah 9