Welcome to the Pauline Family's "Year of the Bible"! We've been reading the Bible clear through this year. We are finishing the New Testament, so read along with me. But first, let us pray:
Father,
When the fullness of time had come, you sent your Word in the One who said, “Whoever sees me, sees the Father.” No revelation can surpass this until Jesus comes again. By your gift, the Church continues to receive unfathomable riches from the inheritance handed on from the Apostles and guaranteed by the Holy Spirit.
Let the Spirit who inspired the writing of today's pages "guide me in the truth and teach me" to follow Jesus ever more closely, until he calls me to follow him to the Kingdom where he lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever. Amen.
Today's chapters are Romans 1-3.
Brace yourself! Today we not only begin a new section of the New Testament (the Epistles!), we start with the world's first-ever doctoral dissertation on Christian theology, the Letter of St Paul to the Romans. Maybe you've never quite heard it called that, but basically that is what it is: a masterpiece of theological breakthroughs, written for a somewhat diffident audience in which each member was disposed to put a different question to the writer.
We don't know exactly how the Roman Christians reacted to the original letter, but the fact that it was so carefully preserved and copied and then distributed to communities of the ancient world certainly gives us some insight! This letter went on to create history (and doctoral dissertations) itself. Perhaps two of the most significant historical events "provoked" by the Letter to the Romans were the conversion of St Augustine (Romans 13:13) and Martin Luther's 1517 personalization of Romans 1:16-17, which became a powerful catalyst for the Reformation (the anniversary of Luther's October 31 experience is celebrated as "Reformation Day").
All that to tell you: This won't be easy.
But look at your Bible, and how far we've come! We are prepared for this! St Paul is praying for us! And nobody said we had to understand Romans the first time through. (Not even the Romans did, I'm sure.)
As far as today's chapters: Paul is introducing himself to a community he has never met, and one in which his reputation has preceded him (and we might assume not for the better). He presents himself, his threefold credentials, and a summary of his message--all before the typical salutation of a first-century letter! The opening verses also tell us why Paul is writing: He hopes to visit Rome.
Toward the end of Chapter 1, Paul moves quickly into preaching mode. His words do not make for comfortable reading. He is not afraid to condemn "degrading passions," and follows that up with a list of vices. Too bad there's a chapter division right there. We might think Paul was pointing an accusing finger at others, but in the very next verses he warns his readers that in condemning others, they condemn themselves. (We are definitely in for some challenges.)
Paul is writing to an ethnically mixed community. Jewish members may have taken pride in the promises of Mosaic Law, leaving Gentile members insecure of their status. What Paul is going to do is show that both are equally in need of mercy and salvation. He is going to spend the next several chapters building his case.
Start reading here.
N.T. Wright's Paul: A Biography is the book I would recommend to someone who wanted to read one (only one) book that combined the life and letters of St Paul. Written by a noted Scripture, this is a flowing narrative that is scripturally enlightening and historically sound. Wright gives the reader a way of following Paul through the Acts of the Apostles and the writing of his letters, making Paul the person that much more approachable, and the letters themselves more readable as a result of having a social and historical context. 
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