Reflections

January 12, 2025   Today's Reading: Luke 3:15-22 Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 34:1-24 ; Romans 3:19-31 “His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire” (Luke 3:17) In the Name of Jesus. Amen. John testifies to Jesus, the “mightier One” Who holds the keys to life and death and the winnowing fork se...

January 11, 2025  Today's Reading: Introit for Baptism of our Lord - Psalm 2:7-11,12c; antiphon: Isaiah 42:1a Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 33:1-20 ; Romans 3:1-18 Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights. (Isaiah 42:1a) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. God delights in whom He chooses. This phrase is a comfort to us because we know that God chose to give His only-begotten Son...

January 10, 2025 Today's Reading: Romans 2:28-29 Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 18:1-4, 19-32 ; Ezekiel 19:1-24:27 ; Romans 2:17-29 “For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God.” (Romans 2:28-29) In the Name + of J...

January 9, 2025 Today's Reading: Catechism: The Third Commandment Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 3:12-27 ; Ezekiel 4:1-11:25 ; Romans 2:1-16 The Third Commandment: Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we do not despise preaching and His Word, but hold it sacred and gladly hear and learn it. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. “What makes you so...

January 8, 2025 Today's Reading: 1 Kings 3:4-15 Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 2:1-3:11 ; Romans 1:18-32 “And Solomon awoke, and behold, it was a dream. Then he came to Jerusalem… and made a feast for all his servants.” (1 Kings 3:15) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Did you get what you wanted for Christmas? Was your wishlist fulfilled? Or did you perhaps get a gift for someone else? Was it just what the...

January 7, 2025 Today's Reading: Ephesians 1:3-14 Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 1:1-14, 22-28 ; Habakkuk 1:1-3:19 ; Romans 1:1-17 “...In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ…” (Ephesians 1:4b-5a) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Have you ever heard an excited child talk about a favorite gift? They are so filled with joy that they can hardly contain it! They babble w...

January 6, 2025 Today's Reading: Matthew 2:1-12 Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 66:1-20 ; Luke 3:21-38 “When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him…” (Matthew 2:3) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Herod had a problem: he wanted to be first. It is why his life was a constant rat race. It was why he, an Idumean, usurped the Jewish throne. It was why he entertained Caesar and bo...

January 5, 2025  Today's Reading: Luke 2:40-52 Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 65:8-25 ; Luke 3:1-20 “And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them.” (Luke 2:51) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Today is the Eve of the Epiphany of our Lord. The lights of Christmas and the New Year still shine, and the whole world waits in anticipation of the Light who has yet to reveal Himself i...

January 4, 2025  Today's Reading: Introit for Second Sunday After Christmas - Psalm 147:1, 5, 11-12; antiphon: John 1:14 Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 63:15-65:2 ; Luke 2:41-52 “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. W.H. Auden once wrote, “Nothing that is pos...

January 3, 2025  Today's Reading: Colossians 3:12-17 Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 63:1-14 ; Luke 2:21-40 “…my eyes have seen your salvation” (Luke 2:30) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Simeon is not mentioned anywhere else in the Bible. He was not a political ruler or official of the temple. He was not a man of wealth or social standing. As far as we know, Simeon held no worldly power or influence, and...

January 2, 2025  Today's Reading: Catechism: The Second Commandment Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 62:1-12 ; Luke 2:1-20 “For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not be quiet, until her righteousness goes forth as brightness, and her salvation as a burning torch.” (Isaiah 62:1) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. In today’s Old Testament lesson, the prophet writes, “For Zion’s...

January 1, 2025 Today's Reading: Luke 2:21 Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 61:1-11 ; Luke 1:57-80 “And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.” (Luke 2:21) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The new year always begins with a festival called “The Circumcision and Name of Jesus.” This part of the Christmas story is...

December 31, 2024 Today's Reading: Luke 12:35-40 Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 60:1-22 ; Luke 1:39-56 “You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” (Luke 12:40) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. In 1914, Ernest Shackleton and 27 crewmembers left from Plymouth, England, on a ship named The Endurance. On January 18, 1915, after five months at sea, the ship became stuck...

December 30, 2024  Today's Reading: Exodus 13:1-3a, 11-15 Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 58:1-59:3, 14-21 ; Luke 1:26-38 “Therefore I sacrifice to the Lord all the males that first open the womb, but all the firstborn of my sons I redeem” (Exodus 13:15). In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Like any new parents, Mary and Joseph wanted to do everything just right for their newborn son. So, 40 days after Jesus’...

December 29, 2024 Today's Reading: Luke 2:22-40 Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 55:1-13 ; Luke 1:1-25 “…so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:11) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. I have worked with kids for 35 years. I’ve been a high school teacher, soccer...

December 28, 2024 Today's Reading: Matthew 2:13-18 Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 52:13-54:10 ; Matthew 2:13-23 “‘A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be comforted, because they are no more.’” (Matthew 2:18) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.  Where was God when Herod’s soldiers went house to house slaughtering toddlers? Why does He seem so...

December 27, 2024  Today's Reading: John 21:20-25 Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 51:17-52:12 ; Matthew 2:1-12 “So the saying spread abroad among the brothers that this disciple was not to die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he was not to die, but, ‘If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?’” (John 21:23) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.  John died of old age, exiled on Patmos. I...

December 26, 2024  Today's Reading: Matthew 23:34-39 Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 49:22-26; 50:4-51:8, 12-16 ; Matthew 1:18-25 “‘O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!” (Matthew 23:37) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.  They kil...

December 25, 2024 Today's Reading: John 1:1-14 (15-18) Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 49:1-18 ; Matthew 1:1-17 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.  There’s a curated charm about Christmas Eve that just doesn’t transfer over to the morning. Christmas Eve is prettier, but it’s fragile. If you speak, you can break the mo...

December 24, 2024  Today's Reading: Matthew 1:18-25 Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 44:21-45:13, 20-25 ; Daniel 10:1-12:13 ; Isaiah 48:1-22 ; Revelation 12:1-17 “Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 1:18) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.   The birth of...

December 23, 2024 Today's Reading: Micah 5:2-5a Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 43:25-44:20 ; Revelation 11:1-19 “And he shall be their peace…” (Micah 5:5) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.  Bethlehem. House of bread. There’s peace there. Pay attention. Not just to look back but to look forward, too. It’s easy to sing “O Little Town of Bethlehem,” to read a verse out of context in Micah, and connect the dots...

December 22, 2024 Today's Reading: Luke 1:39-45 (46-56) Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 43:1-24 ; Revelation 9:13-10:11 “for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;” (Luke 1:48) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.  Blessed are you among women  To be called the mother of God by the small whispering word And so much worse by those without e...

December 21, 2024 Today's Reading: John 20:24-29 Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 42:1-25 ; Revelation 9:1-12 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” (John 20:21) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.  We call Thomas by his nickname even though it’s never in the Bible at all. This story isn’t walking-through-a-wall-risen-from-the-dead-peace-giving-Jesus....

December 20, 2024  Today's Reading: Introit for Advent 4 - 1 Samuel 2:1b, 2, 5b-7; antiphon: Luke 1:46b-47  Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 40:18-41:10 ; Revelation 8:1-13 The LORD kills and brings to life; He brings down to Sheol and raises up. (1 Samuel 2:6) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.  The Lord Kills and makes alive. He brings down to Sheol and raises up. The Lord gives, the Lord takes away. Blessed...

December 19, 2024 Today's Reading: Catechism: The First Commandment Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 40:1-17 ; Revelation 7:1-17 You shall have no other gods.  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.  This commandment shouldn’t actually be that hard. There’s only one God. He’s literally the only God there is. There was a piece of fruit on a tree, and we made a god out of it. The fruit of the tree of knowledge of go...