Reflections

April 10, 2023 Today's Reading: Luke 24:13-35 Daily Lectionary: Ex 15:1-18 , Heb 9:1-28 When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. Luke 24:30-31 In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.  Christ is risen! Saint Luke recounts that on the Sunday of the Resurrection, two dis...

April 9, 2023 Today's Reading: Matthew 28:1-10 Daily Lectionary: Ex. 14:10-31 , Heb 9:1-28 “He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay.”  Matthew 28:6 In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.   Christ is Risen!! Heard any good jokes lately? Believe it or not there were some Church Fathers who said that at Easter God played a practical joke on the devil by raising Jesus fro...

April 8,  2023 Today's Reading: Matt 27:57-66 Daily Lectionary: Ex 13:17-14:9 , Heb 7:1-22 Matthew 27:59–60: “And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had cut in the rock. And he rolled a great stone to the entrance of the tomb and went away.” In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The Bible isn’t much on the in-between.  We have Christmas, t...

April 7,  2023 Today's Reading: John 18:1-19:42 Daily Lectionary: Ex 12:29-32, 13:1-16 , Lam 5:1-22 , Heb 6:1-20 , Psalm 22 In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Everybody’s made the joke about “Good” Friday.  Good for us. Bad for Him. It’s not just of boomers, but of the devil. Satan can never undo what was finished when Jesus died to save you. So he tries to twist it, whispering that this sacrifice migh...

April 6,  2023 Today's Reading:   Matt 26:17-30 Daily Lectionary: Ex 12:1-28 , Lam 4:1-22 , Heb 5:1-14 , Psalm 31 Matthew 26:26–28: “Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood...

April 5,  2023 Today's Reading: Luke 22:1-23:56 Daily Lectionary: Ex 10:21-11:10 , Lam 3:1-66 , Heb 4:1-16 Luke 22:46: “and he said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation.”” In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The Garden of Gethsemane is where I brought every idea of what my life should be like, then stared dumbfounded as they were dashed to pieces in front...

April 4,  2023 Today's Reading:   Mark 14:1-15:47 Daily Lectionary: Ex 9:29-10:20 , Lam 2:1-22 , Heb 3:1-19 Mark 14:30–31: “And Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” But he said emphatically, “If I must die with you, I will not deny you.” And they all said the same.” In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. I don’t know why, but...

April 3,  2023 Today's Reading:   Matt. 26:1-27:66 Daily Lectionary: Ex 9:1-28 , Lam. 2:1-22 , Heb 3:1-19 Matthew 26:11: “For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me.” In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. It’s easy to question the LORD when He encourages expensive perfume being poured on his feet rather than sold to care for the poor. This is the thing that drove Judas to the c...

April 2,  2023 Today's Reading: Matt. 27:11-66   Daily Lectionary: Ex 8:1-32, Heb. 1:1-14 Matthew 27:54: “When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!”” In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Palm branches are for victory. Jesus rode into town to the palm leaves thrown do...

April 1,  2023 Today's Reading:  Introit for Holy Week Ps. 24:7-10 ; antiphon: Ps. 118:26 Daily Lectionary: Ex 7:1-25 , Mark 16:1-20 Psalm 24:8: “Who is this King of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD, mighty in battle!” In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. I can see why the crowds who gathered to cry Hosanna missed it.  Hosanna.. Save us. And He does. But we measure might differently than God...

March 31,  2023 Today's Reading:   Daily Lectionary: Ex. 5:1-6:1 , Mark 15:33-47 Mark 15:34: “And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”” In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. It’s the commemoration of St. Joseph, but the Bible story is Jesus. It’s the wrong story, except it’s not. Joseph is a story about de...

March 30,  2023 Today's Reading:   Daily Lectionary: Ex 4:19-31 , Mark 15:16-32 Exodus 4:21–23: “And the LORD said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you do before Pharaoh all the miracles that I have put in your power. But I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go. Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the LORD, Israel is my firstborn son, and I say to you, “L...

March 29,  2023 Today's Reading:   Luther’s Small Catechism – Ten Commandments - Third Commandment Daily Lectionary: Ex 4:1-18 , Mark 15:1-15 Remember the Sabbath Day by keeping it holy.  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. God wasn’t tired after making everything. The Sabbath isn’t a chance to parrot God catching His breath. The focus on abstaining from work on the Sabbath day misses the point.  The po...

March 28,  2023 Today's Reading:   Hebrews 9:11-15 Daily Lectionary: Ex 2:23-3:22 , Mark 14:53-72 Hebrews 9:15: “Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.” In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. A covenant is a promise God...

March 27,  2023 Today's Reading: Ezekiel 37:1-14 Daily Lectionary: Ex 2:1-22 , Mark 14:32-52 Ezekiel 37:4: “Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.” In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. This story isn’t just Ezekiel. It’s every pastor of every church, called out into a valley full of sinners cut off from one another. Addicts with secrets an...

March 26,  2023 Today's Reading: John 11:1-45 Daily Lectionary: Ex. 1:1-22 , Mark 14:12-31 John 11:21: “Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. I think John made sure to get this in the story not to leave us with a bad impression of Martha marked on one of the hardest days of her life. I think it’s to give us the words to sp...

March 25,  2023 Today's Reading:  Luke 1:26-38 Daily Lectionary: Gen 49:29-50:7, 14-26 , Mark 14:1-11 Luke 1:28–29: “And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be.” In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Two angels visited young women. One was evil. The other good. Both made...

March 24,  2023 Today's Reading:   Daily Lectionary: Gen 47:1-31 , Mark 13:24-37 Mark 13:37: “And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake.”” In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Stay awake. It’s ominous. It reads like a threat that isn’t even all that veiled. It leaves us looking to the Lord returning on the last day to catch us, not to save us. It’s actually not because of how it’s written. It’s beca...

March 23,  2023 Today's Reading:  Ephesians 5:8-14 Daily Lectionary: Gen 45:1-20, 24-28 , Mark 13:1-23 Ephesians 5:14: “for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”” In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Shine light on everything. If it’s of the light, it will reflect. If it’s of darkness, it will flee. It’s a sim...

March 22,  2023 Today's Reading:   Luther’s Small Catechism – Ten Commandments: Second Commandment Daily Lectionary: Gen 44:1-18, 32-34 , Mark 12:28-44 You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Ask ten strangers what they think about Christianity. They’ll tell you. You’ll hear some heartbreaking stuff. You’ll hear about a hateful God who despises the sinners...

March 21,  2023 Today's Reading:  Isaiah 42:14-21 Daily Lectionary: Gen 43:1-28 , Mark 12:13-27 Isaiah 42:21: “The LORD was pleased, for his righteousness’ sake, to magnify his law and make it glorious.” In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Everyone always talks about God’s patience like it has no end.  We want things now. He’s content to wait until the right time. Isaiah disagrees. He paints a picture o...

March 20,  2023 Today's Reading:   John 9:1-41 Daily Lectionary: Gen 42:1-34, 38 , Mark 12:1-12 John 9:2: “And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”” In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The disciples find a man born blind. They ask a reasonable question.   Whose fault is it?  There has to be someone to blame. Sometimes you can find fault.  The Ten...

March 19,  2023 Today's Reading:   Matt. 2:13-15, 19-23 Daily Lectionary: Gen 41:28-57 , Mark 11:20-33 Matthew 2:13: “Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.”” In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. J...

March 18,  2023 Today's Reading:  Introit for Lent 4 Ps. 27:4-6 ; antiphon: Ps. 25:15 Daily Lectionary: Gen 41:1-27 , Mark 11:1-19 Psalm 25:15: “My eyes are ever toward the LORD, for he will pluck my feet out of the net.” In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. As a pastor, when the Lord promises rescue, I secretly get scared. I’ve been around cancer that isn’t healed.  Paralytics that still can’t walk. Add...

March 17,  2023 Today's Reading:   Mark 10:32-52 Daily Lectionary: Gen 40:1-23 Mark 10:45: “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”” In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Patrick tends to get belittled. Faithful teaching about the Holy Trinity is truncated to a 3 leaf clover or maybe a satirical youtube video in select circles. His time in Ir...