Reflections

Daily Lectionary: Job 7:1-21; John 4:7-26 A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, "Give me a drink." (John 4:7) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. I tried to find Jesus comforting the sinner in this story. But I couldn't quite shake the feeling that He was heckling her the whole time. Every response she gives is biting. She comes to see He has power, but never really finds mercy for...

Daily Lectionary: Job 6:14-30; John 3:22-4:6 "He must increase, but I must decrease." (John 3:30) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. John baptized. The disciples baptized. Jesus baptized. It says so. Everyone gets a Baptism. Then someone started a fight over all that purification. At least we know that people's arguing over what Baptism is isn't a new thing.  How old do you have to be? What if there's...

Today's Reading: Small Catechism:   First Commandment Daily Lectionary: Job 6:1-13; John 3:1-21 You shall have no other gods. (Small Catechism:  First Commandment ) 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 that. The fruit of the Tree of Kn...

Today's Reading: 2 Peter 1:16-21 Daily Lectionary: Job 5:1-27; John 2:13-25 And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. (2 Peter 1:19) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Peter saw the uncontainable majesty of the transfigured Christ while a voice boome...

Today's Reading: Exodus 34:29-35 Daily Lectionary: Job 4:1-21; John 2:1-12 When Moses came down from Mount Sinai, with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand as he came down from the mountain, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God. Aaron and all the people of Israel saw Moses, and behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to co...

Today's Reading: Matthew 17:1-9 Daily Lectionary: Job 3:11-26; John 1:35-51 And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only. (Matthew 17:8) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. For just a moment, Peter didn't have to look at Jesus, who looked like everyone else, and perceive that He was God incarnate. He saw the transfigured Christ. He didn't have to imagine what the victory over death...

Today's Reading: Introit for the Transfiguration of Our Lord (Psalm 84:1-2a, 4, 10-11; antiphon: Psalm 77:18b) Daily Lectionary: Job 2:1-3:10; John 1:19-34 How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD of hosts! My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the LORD. Blessed are those who dwell in your house, ever singing your praise. (From the Introit for the Transfiguration of our Lord) In the Name +...

Daily Lectionary: Job 1:1-22; John 1:1-18 "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I shall return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD." (Job 1:21) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Job certainly endured more than his share of pain and grief in his life. Yet through it all Job never blamed chance or fate, the devil or evil people, Mother Nature, or even hi...

Today's Reading: Small Catechism:  Table of Duties, To Everyone Daily Lectionary: Zechariah 14:1-21; Titus 2:7-3:15 The commandments. . . are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself." (Romans 13:9) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. You have probably heard it said that you can't love others until you first love yourself. That might sound cute and clever, but it's not all helpful and...

Today's Reading: Luke 2:22-32 Daily Lectionary: Zechariah 12:1-13:9; Titus 1:1-2:6 When the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, [Mary and Joseph] brought [Jesus] up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord. (Luke 2:22)   In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The next time we will hear about Jesus is 12 years down the road when Mary and Joseph return to the temple with Him. Calli...

Today's Reading: Romans 13:8-10 Daily Lectionary: Zechariah 11:4-17; 2 Timothy 4:1-18 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. (Romans 13:10)     In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Paul certainly doesn't set the bar very high, does he? "Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law." Who does Paul think we are? Sinners who are always...

Today's Reading: Jonah 1:1-17 Daily Lectionary: Zechariah 10:1-11:3; 2 Timothy 3:1-17 But the LORD hurled a great wind upon the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship threatened to break up. (Jonah 1:4)     In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. It's easy to conclude, when all you see is the storm, that God hates you, doesn't care, forgive, or want to help you at all but is only i...

Today's Reading: Matthew 8:23-27 Daily Lectionary: Zechariah 9:1-17; 2 Timothy 2:1-26 And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. (Matthew 8:24)    In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Ever felt like Jesus is sleeping on the job? Something really bad happens to you. The storm is raging. The winds are howling. The sea is unleashing...

Today's Reading: Introit for the Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany (Psalm 107:1, 8, 24-25; antiphon: v.28-29) Daily Lectionary: Zechariah 8:1-23; 2 Timothy 1:1-18 Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed. (From the Introit for the Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany)    In the Name + of Jes...

Today's Reading: Romans 12:16-21 Daily Lectionary: Zechariah 6:1-7:14; Romans 16:17-27 Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil. (Romans 12:16c-17a) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. It seems like the smart thing to do. I mean, someone wrongs you, you wrong them back. Right? If they speak evil of you, you speak evil of them. Meet hatred with hatred, pushing and shoving with pushing...

Today's Reading: Exodus 33:12-23 Daily Lectionary: Zechariah 4:1-5:11; Romans 15:14-33 "And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy." (Exodus 33:19b) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. They had lost every right to call themselves God's children. In fact, the taste of the golden calf, which Moses had them melt into a beverage and drink, was still in t...

Today's Reading: Luke 10:1-9 Daily Lectionary: Zechariah 2:1-3:10; Romans 15:1-13  "And say to them, 'The kingdom of God has come near to you.'" (Luke 10:9) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. "Has come near" does not capture the full sense of the word that Jesus uses. "Has arrived" or "is present" says it better. It's what Jesus is telling His early "pastors" to teach and preach in His Name. Every lepe...

Today's Reading: Acts 9:1-22 Daily Lectionary: Zechariah 1:1-21; Romans 14:1-23 "Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine." (Acts 9:15a) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The Lord has a funny way of choosing, doesn't He? He finds an unbeliever, His harshest critic, His biggest enemy, an infamous persecutor. And says, "Here's my guy!" On what basis does God choose us? Certainly not on the basis of the...

Today's Reading: 1 Timothy 6:11-16 Daily Lectionary: Joel 3:1-21; Romans 12:14-13:14 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called. (1 Timothy 6:15a) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. "Flee. . . pursue. . . fight." With such language, you might think Paul is talking about kickboxers in an octagon or wrestlers at WrestleMania. No. He'...

Today's Reading: Matthew 8:1-13 Daily Lectionary: Joel 2:18-32; Romans 11:25-12:13 "I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 8:11) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. A great theme during the Epiphany season is that the Gospel is for everyone. It's why we sing, "Joy to the World." Not just to some, but to the wo...

Today's Reading: Introit for the Third Sunday after the Epiphany (Psalm 97:1, 10-12; antiphon: v.6, 9) Daily Lectionary: Joel 2:1-17; Romans 11:1-24 For you, O LORD, are most high over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods. The LORD reigns, let the earth rejoice; let the many coastlands be glad. (From the Introit for the Third Sunday after the Epiphany) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. I...

Daily Lectionary: Joel 1:1-20; Romans 10:1-21 Put on sackcloth and lament, O priests; wail, O ministers of the altar. . . .Gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land to the house of the LORD your God, and cry out to the LORD. (Joel 1:13-14)    In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. As the people of God gather today, the minister still takes the lead: "O almighty God, merciful Father." The rest o...

Today's Reading: Romans 12:6-16 Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 47:1-14, 21-23; Romans 9:19-33    Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty. (Romans 12:15-16a) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. COVID. Mask mandates. Vaccinations. Earthquakes. Fires. Hurricanes. The Taliban. Afghanistan. Wars. Rumors of wars. Critical Race Theory. The border...

Today's Reading: Small Catechism:  Table of Duties, To Widows Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 44:1-16, 23-29; Romans 9:1-18 The widow who is really in need and left all alone puts her hope in God and continues night and day to pray and to ask God for help. (1 Timothy 5:5) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. At the time of Luther, the church was saying that there were works to get to, super-duper good works, i...

Today's Reading: Mark 8:27-9:1 Daily Lectionary:  Ezekiel 40:1-4; 43:1-12; Romans 8:18-39 And he asked them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered him, "You are the Christ." (Mark 8:29)  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Peter properly says, "You are the Christ" (Mark 8:29). But because man is always trying to squash Jesus into his own scheme of things, Jesus "strictly charged them to tell no...