Martin Luther's Evening Prayer

A Lenten midweek service begins a series on the Seven Deadly Sins. The first, Sloth or Laziness, is the deadest of the deadly sins, as Dr. Zeile explains in his meditation. Send us Fan Mail

Dr. Zeile reads the Psalm in the 16th Century Book of Common Prayer, the 17th Century King James Version, and the 18th Century Challoner revision of the Douai-Rheims translation. Send us Fan Mail

This meditation was from a series entitled "Objects of the Passion" for Wednesday evening services in Lent. The palm, often associated with oriental royalty (picture the slave waving the palm branch to create a breeze for the sitting king), recalls Christ's triumphant entry into Jerusalem where He was acclaimed king and then crucified for being king. Readings from Jeremiah 10, Psalm...

This Ash Wednesday message confronts us with the fact of death and its meaning, which shows our need for the Savior who suffered and died for us. The classic Luther hymn based on Psalm 130 ,"From Depths of Woe I Cry to Thee,"   is included as well as the Ash Wednesday celebration of Holy Communion. Send us Fan Mail

Dr. Zeile's message reflects on the burden given to young Samuel who had to speak of God's judgment against the house of Eli the priest, Samuel's own foster father. The message is accompanied by a hymn inspired by the story, "Speak, O Lord, Your Servant Listens,: and the common of the Antecommunion (Confessional rite, introit, Kyrie, Gloria, collect).   Send us Fan Mail

After the Antecommunion (also called the Service of the Word, anciently the Service of the Catechumens) which includes Confessional rite, Introit, Kyrie, Gloria in Excelsis and collect, Dr. Zeile shares a meditation on the traffic jam that occurred at Nain where the multitude following the Lord of life confronted the procession of burial. The Nicene Creed and the hymn of consolation, "If Thou...

The Litany is prayed in procession, an ancient prayer imploring God for every blessing temporal and spiritual. Dr. Zeile's message reflects on the varieties of experience in Mark's brief account of a few days in Jesus' early ministry and how typical this is of human experience in general. Truly God has entered our condition! The St. Columba hymn "Christ is the World's rede...

While some have taken the "tribulation" in Revelation to singular, pertaining to the generation that will witness the Parousia (Christ's Return in Glory) and speak of THE Great Tribulation, Revelation 7 speaks of "These are those who have come out of great tribulation..." As Dr. Zeile explains, every generation of Christians experiences tribulation, and should expect this....

 Matins, the Church's morning prayer based on the Psalms is presented in this program including the Sunday Psalm 95 Venite and the canticle Te Deum Laudamus.  Dr. Zeile's meditation discusses the power for healing and peace that flowed from Jesus to others through His physical touch and how He touches us through Word and Sacrament today. The hymn "Son of God Eternal Savior" is...

Dr. Zeile reads the Psalm in the 16th Century Book of Common Prayer, the 17th Century King James Version, and the 18th Century Challoner Revision of the Douai-Rheims translation.  Send us Fan Mail

Dr. Zeile points out that certain aspects of Elisha's death point to the sacrificial death of Jesus the Christ. For one, the name "Elisha" means "God is my Salvation." Portions of the Good Friday liturgy of Tenebrae accompany this meditation, including the choral selection "Gross Darkness,"  as well as the strepidus  conclusion. The classic hymn based on a St. Be...

Dr. Zeile reads the Psalm in the 16th Century Book of Common Prayer, the 17th Century King James Version, and the 18th Century Challoner revision of the Douai-Rheims version.  Send us Fan Mail

Mark's Gospel presents Jesus as a man of action, and the events presented in his first chapter of Jesus' activities on a Sabbath in Galilee are instructive for us, as Dr. Zeile explains in this meditation. Included are Psalm 113, a reading from James 3, and the hymn, "Lamb of God." Send us Fan Mail

Dr. Zeile presents St. Paul's instructions to the Corinthian Church, a seaport notorious for its sex trade. The particular nature of sexual sin, that it affects the body and becomes part of the individual, presenting memories that invite the sinner to repeat, if only in his heart, the sin. Furthermore the ambiguous nature of sin leading to swings from pride to shame is also confusing to those...

Dr. Zeile reads the Psalm in the 16th Century Book of Common Prayer, the 17th Century King James Version, and the 18th Century Challoner revision of the Douai-Rheims version.  Send us Fan Mail

After the John 2 account of the wedding at Cana where Christ performed His first miracle of turning water into wine, the children's choir sings "Father I Adore You." Dr. Zeile explains the Christian understanding of marriage declared by Christ, "That the two (male & female) become one flesh" for the life of the partners.  It is a truth and ideal very difficult to live...

Dr. Zeile reads the Psalm in the 16th Century Book of Common Prayer, the 17th Century King James Version, and the 18th Century Challoner revision of the Douai-Rheims version.  Send us Fan Mail

Dr. Zeile reads the Psalm in the 16th Century Book of Common Prayer, the 17th Century King James Version, and the 18th Century Challoner revision of the Douai-Rheims version.  Send us Fan Mail

After the rehearsal of the Decalog (Ten Commandments), Confession of sins, and Kyrie, Dr. Zeile discusses the role of signs and wonders in the early Church and whether they are a part of our life today. The favorite hymn "I've Got Peace like a River" concludes the episode. Send us Fan Mail

After a choral anthem, "Christ is Risen from the Dead," Dr. Zeile shares the perpsective of those followers of Jesus on the first easter where the resurrection came as a complete, unbelievable surprise.  The Rite of Adult Confirmation and classic Easter hymns, "I Know that My Redeemer Lives," "With High Delight Let Us Unite," and Palestrina's "The Stride is...

Bells, the hymn "Jesus Has Come and Brings Pleasures Eternal," Confession with Absolution, the Introit, collect prayer, and Isaiah 55 reading leads into Dr. Zeile's meditation on the evil spirit who attacked a boy. The apostles were unable to cast it out and Christ explains that only by prayer (that is, relying on God to cast it out) is all we can do. In Christ that is enough! The h...

Why does Jesus sometimes tell people to be silent about Him? What's He hiding? Dr. Zeile's meditation on the Messianic Secret explains the Church's understanding, and its relevance in the life and witness of the believer. The hymn "Before Jehovah's Awe-ful Throne," the Suffrages, and the ancient Fortunatus hymn "Sing My Tongue" are included in this episode( ...

Dr. Zeile meditates on the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus and reflects on the experience of regret. Send us Fan Mail

In this Librivox recording Dr. Zeile reads Psalm 27 in the 16th Century Book of Common Prayer, the 17th Century King James Version, and the 18th Century Challoner revision of the Douai-Rheims version. Send us Fan Mail

Mark describes Christ's ministry on the fringes of the Jewish settlements and of the fact that those who touched the fringes of His garment received power. The Lord's reach beyond the familiar, safe, or conventional is the subject of Dr. Zeile's meditation. This is accompanied by the Rite of Confession, the Kyrie and Collect Prayer, the hymn "O God Forsake Me Not," and the...