Reflections

June 22, 2023 Today's Reading: John 11:1-16 Daily Lectionary: Ecclesiastes 12:1-14 , John 11:1-16 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” (John 11:9-10) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Do me a favor: re-read John 11...

June 21, 2023 Today's Reading: Table of Duties, Luther’s Small Catechism: First Article Part 2 Daily Lectionary: Ecclesiastes 11:1-10 , John 10:22-42 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. (Matthew 6:26) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Is that all? I know, I know…if you’ve read through Part 1 of Luther’s Small Catechism...

June 20, 2023 Today's Reading: Romans 5:6-15 Daily Lectionary: Ecclesiastes 10:1-20 , John 10:1-21 “For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.” (Romans 5:6) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Timing is everything. I don’t know how those three words make you feel. But, in one way or another, they’re the absolute truth. Think of all of the things that have happened in yo...

June 19, 2023 Today's Reading:   Exodus 19:2-8 Daily Lectionary: Ecclesiastes 9:1-17 , John 9:24-41 “‘You shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.” (Exodus 19:6) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Our family loves camping. There’s something about the great outdoors, enjoying the beauty of creation, unplugging from responsi...

June 18, 2023 Today's Reading: Matthew 9:35-10:20 Daily Lectionary: Ecclesiastes 8:1-17 , John 9:1-23 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” (Matthew 9:37-38) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Our Gospel lesson this week unfolds in the most beautiful fashion. Jesu...

June 17, 2023 Today's Reading: Introit for Pentecost 3: Psalm 67:4-7, antiphon: 67:3 Daily Lectionary: Ecclesiastes 7:11-29 , John 8:39-59 ; antiphon: Psalm 67:3 Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for You judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth. (Psalm 67:4) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. “Judge not, lest you be judged.” I’ll never forget the first time these words wer...

June 16, 2023 Today's Reading: Romans 4:13-25 Daily Lectionary: Ecclesiastes 6:1-7:10, John 8:21-38 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” (Romans 4:3) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Paul’s life was forever changed when, on the road to Damascus, on his mission to imprison followers of Jesus, He met Jesus Himself. Paul was struck blind, b...

June 15, 2023 Today's Reading: Table of Duties, Luther’s Small Catechism: First Article Part 1 Daily Lectionary: Ecclesiastes 5:1-20 , John 9:1-23 “Of old You laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands.” (Psalm 102:25) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Father’s Day is right around the corner, and if your dad is anything like my kids’ dad, a good Father’s Day might con...

June 14, 2023 Today's Reading: Psalm 50:1, 7-15 Daily Lectionary: Ecclesiastes 4:1-16 , John 7:32-53 “Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.”  (Psalm 50:15) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Have you ever struggled to find a gift to give someone? Sometimes, picking just the right thing can be a challenge, it might even feel impossible. What do you buy for the...

June 13, 2023 Today's Reading: Hosea 5:15-6:6 Daily Lectionary: Ecclesiastes 3:1-22 , John 7:14-31 “Come, let us return to the Lord; for He has torn us, that He may heal us; He has struck us down, and He will bind us up.” (Hosea 6:1) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Some lessons are harder to learn than others. I’m sure that comes as no surprise to you. In school, some subjects will be easier than ot...

June 12, 2023 Today's Reading: Matt. 9:9-13 Daily Lectionary: Ecclesiastes 2:1-26 , John 7:1-13 Jesus said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Matthew 9:12-13) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Have you ever  played the game, Follow the Leader? If yo...

June 11, 2023 Today's Reading: Mark 6:7-13   Daily Lectionary: Ecclesiastes 1:1-18 , John 6:60-71 And [Jesus] called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits.  (Mark 6:7) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Everyone needs a Barnabas. No, I don’t mean to say that your life is somehow incomplete if you don’t have a friend who goes by “Barney.” Toda...

June 10, 2023 Today's Reading: Introit to Pentecost 2: Psalm 50:7-10 ; antiphon: Psalm 50:1 Daily Lectionary: Song of Solomon 7:6-8:14 , John 6:41-59   The Mighty One, God the Lord, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting. (Psalm 50:1) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. When I am at a stop light, I can yell all I want for the traffic signal to change from red to green, bu...

June 9, 2023 Today's Reading:  Daily Lectionary: Song of Solomon 6:4-7:5 , John 6:22-40 I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. (John 6:35) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. C.S. Lewis once observed that, “God likes matter; after all, He created it.” We see this truth throughout Scripture as well. Time and time again, God takes the s...

June 8, 2023 Today's Reading:  Daily Lectionary: Song of Solomon 5:2-6:3 , John 6:1-21   Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?”  (John 6:5) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. When we pray in the Lord’s Prayer, “Give us this day our daily bread,” we are reminded that throughout the S...

June 7, 2023 Today's Reading: Table of Duties, Luther’s Small Catechism: The Close of the Commandments Daily Lectionary: Song of Solomon 4:1-5:1 , John 5:30-47  What does God say about all these commandments? He says, “I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of their fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate Me,  but showing love to a thousand...

June 6, 2023 Today's Reading: Acts 2:14a, 22-36 Daily Lectionary: Song of Solomon 2:8-3:11 , John 5:19-29   He foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption.  (Acts 2:31) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. When Jesus met two of His disciples on the Emmaus road after His resurrection, He taught them how to read the Old Testam...

June 5, 2023 Today's Reading: Genesis 1:1-2:4a Daily Lectionary:   Song of Solomon 1:1-2:7 , John 5:1-18 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. (Genesis 1:1-2) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Ever wondered where in the Old Testament you he...

June 4, 2023 Today's Reading: Matthew 28:16-20 Daily Lectionary: Numbers 35:9-30 , Luke 24:28-53  “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” (Matthew 28:19) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Stay on the path. That’s one of the most basic rules of hiking. Those are also wise words for Trinity Sunday, a day when we ce...

June 3, 2023 Today's Reading: Introit for Holy Trinity Psalm 16:8 ; antiphon: Liturgical Text Daily Lectionary: Numbers 32:1-6,16-27, Luke 24:1-27 Blessed be the Holy Trinity and the undivided unity; let us give glory to Him because He has shown us mercy.  (Liturgical Text) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. I don’t know about you, but I enjoy a good mystery. Solving a riddle. Reading Sherlock Holmes....

June 2, 2023 Today's Reading: Acts 2:1-21 Daily Lectionary: Numbers 27:12-23 , Luke 23:26-56 And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Acts 2:21) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. In Exodus 20:24, when God instructed Moses to build the tabernacle, He promised, “In every place where I cause my name to be remembered I will come to you and I will bless y...

June 1, 2023 Today's Reading:  Daily Lectionary: Numbers 24:1-25 , Luke 23:1-25 But they all cried out together, “Away with this man, and release to us Barabbas”—   a man who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection started in the city and for murder.  (Luke 23:18-19) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. When we hear the word martyr, the first thing that most likely comes to mind is a Christian wh...

May 31, 2023 Today's Reading: Table of Duties Luther’s Small Catechism: Tenth Commandment Daily Lectionary: Numbers 23:4-28 , Luke 22:47-71 We should fear and love God so that we do not entice or force away our neighbor’s wife, workers, or animals, or turn them against him, but urge them to stay and do their duty. (Explanation to the Tenth Commandment) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. God is the God...

May 30, 2023 Today's Reading: John 10:1-10 Daily Lectionary: Numbers 22:21-23 , Luke 22:24-46 The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.  (John 10:3-4) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Where do you go to hear God’s voice? Some would direct you inward to yo...

May 29, 2023 Today's Reading: John 3:16-21 Daily Lectionary: Numbers 22:1-20 , Luke 22:1-23 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. (John 3:17) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. It’s a safe guess that most of us know John 3:16. It rolls off the tongue easily. It’s memorable for and memorized by many. It’s a great summary...