Reflections

June 16, 2026 Today's Reading : Ephesians 2:13-22 or 1 John 3:13-18 Daily Lectionary: Proverbs 16:1-24 ; John 16:1-16 “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” (Ephesians 2:13) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Have you ever been excluded? Perhaps you were picked last for a game or event. Maybe your interests aren’t ones that are seen as ‘cool.’...

June 15, 2026 Today's Reading: Proverbs 9:1-10 Daily Lectionary: Proverbs 15:1-29;  John 15:12-27 “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.” (Proverbs 9:10) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Have you ever had a conversation with a toddler? They are sure of everything. They know how to put on their shoes. They know how to get dressed. They know what...

Today's Reading: Luke 14:15-24 Daily Lectionary: Proverbs 14:1-27 ; John 15:1-11 “And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ But they all alike began to make excuses.” (Luke 14:17-18a) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Have you ever really looked forward to a celebration or a meal? Perhaps it’s your birthday - you just...

June 13, 2026 Today's Reading: Introit for Trinity 2 - Psalm 18:1-2a, 27, 30a, 49 ; antiphon: Psalm 18:18b-19 Daily Lectionary: Proverbs 13:1-25 ; John 14:18-31 “I love you, O LORD, my strength. The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,” (Psalm 18:1-2a)  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. These are words of witness. They speak of who God is and what He does for His people.  The Lord is our...

June 12, 2026 Today's Reading: Catechism: The Lord's Prayer - 4th Petition Daily Lectionary: Proverbs 10:1-23; Proverbs 11:1-12:28 ; John 14:1-17 What does this mean? God certainly gives daily bread to everyone without our prayers, even to all evil people, but we pray in this petition that God would lead us to realize this and to receive our daily bread with thanksgiving.  In the Name + of Jesus....

June 11, 2026 Today's Reading: Mark 6:7-13 Daily Lectionary: Proverbs 9:1-18 ; John 13:21-38 “And he 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. Disciples are followers of Jesus - literally. Before Jesus’ ascension, the disciples went where He went. They did what He did. He taught, they listen...

June 10, 2026 Today's Reading: John 13:1-20 Daily Lectionary: Proverbs 8:22-36; John 13:1-20 “Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.” (John 13:1)  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Do you get anxious before a big event? Maybe you get really excited; all...

June 9, 2026 Today's Reading:   1 John 4:16-21 Daily Lectionary: Proverbs 8:1-21 ; John 12:36b-50 “We love because he first loved us.” (1 John 4:19) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. I have to admit, I like to be first. In school, I liked it when I was done with my homework first, and I liked it when I ran a race and got first place. Even now, I like it when my favorite team gets first. I want to win....

June 8, 2026 Today's Reading: Genesis 15:1-6 Daily Lectionary: Proverbs 5:1-23 ; Proverbs 6:1-7:27 ; John 12:20-36a “But Abram said, ‘O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?’” (Genesis 15:2) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Perhaps Abram has a point. At age 75, he was called by God to leave his home and travel to a new land, but li...

June 7, 2026 Today's Reading: Luke 16:19-31 Daily Lectionary: Proverbs 4:1-27 ; John 12:1-19 “He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’” (Luke 16:31)  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. At first glance, today’s reading seems to suggest that life is the luck of the draw. The rich guy had it good during his earthly l...

June 6, 2026 Today's Reading: Introit for Trinity 1 - Psalm 13:1-4 ; antiphon: Psalm 13:5-6 Daily Lectionary: Proverbs 3:5-24 ; John 11:38-57 “How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me? Consider and answer me, O Lord my God; light...

June 5, 2026 Today's Reading: John 11:17-37 Daily Lectionary: Proverbs 1:8-33 ; John 11:17-37 “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.” (John 11:25-26) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. If you’ve been to a Lutheran Funeral, you have likely heard those words. In the Funeral order, the pastor...

June 4, 2026 Today's Reading: Catechism: The Lord's Prayer 3rd Petition Daily Lectionary: Ecclesiastes 12:1-14 ; John 11:1-16 God’s will is done when He breaks and hinders every evil plan and purpose of the devil, the world, and our sinful nature, which do not want us to hallow God’s name or let His kingdom come; and when He strengthens and keeps us firm in His Word and faith until we die. This is...

June 3, 2026 Today's Reading: John 10:22–42 Daily Lectionary: Ecclesiastes 11:1-10 ; John 10:22-42 “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are on...

June 2, 2026 Today's Reading: Romans 11:33-36 Daily Lectionary: Ecclesiastes 10:1-20 ; John 10:1-21 “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!” (Romans 11:33) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. This week is the week of the Holy Trinity. This week we meditate on what is perhaps the most unsearchable things of God. How ca...

June 1, 2026 Today's Reading: Isaiah 6:1-7 Daily Lectionary: Ecclesiastes 9:1-17 ; John 9:24-41 “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” (Isaiah 6:3) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. It can be easy to read Isaiah chapter six and gloss over just how intense the vision of Isaiah would have been. As the Lord called Isaiah to speak His Word, there is a lot going on....

May 31, 2026 Today's Reading: John 3:1-15 (16-17) Daily Lectionary: Numbers 35:9-30 ; Acts 1:1-7:60 ; Luke 24:28-53 “Jesus answered, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” (John 3:5-6) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. When Jesus speaks of a s...

May 30, 2026 Today's Reading: Introit for Trinity - Psalm 8:1-2a, 3-5 ; antiphon: Liturgical Text Daily Lectionary: Numbers 32:1-6 , 16-27 ; Luke 24:1-27 Blessèd be the Holy Trinity and the undivided Unity. Let us give glory to him because he has shown his mercy to us. (Antiphon for the Introit on Trinity Sunday)  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Tomorrow, we celebrate Trinity Sunday. It’s very likel...

May 29, 2026 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. (Act 2:21) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit descended upon the apostles, and they went out and began to preach the Gospel in languages that they’d never learned. That’s amazing!...

May 28, 2026 Today's Reading: Catechism: The Lord's Prayer - 2nd Petition Daily Lectionary: Numbers 24:1-25 ; Luke 23:1-25 “What does this mean? The kingdom of God certainly comes by itself without our prayer, but we pray in this petition that it may come to us also. How does God’s kingdom come? God’s kingdom comes when our heavenly Father gives us His Holy Spirit, so that by His grace we believe...

May 27, 2026 Today's Reading: Genesis 11:1-9 Daily Lectionary: Numbers 23:4-28 ; Luke 22:47-71 “Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the LORD confused the language of all the earth. And from there the LORD dispersed them over the face of all the earth.” (Genesis 11:9) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. When Noah and his family left the ark, God sent them forth with the blessing He had fir...

May 26, 2026 Today's Reading: John 10:1-10 Daily Lectionary: Numbers 22:21-23:3; Luke 22:24-46 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. In the Small Catechism, Luther names the sources of temptation as the devil, the world, and our own sinful nature (Lord’s Prayer, 3rd Petition). Very oft...

May 25, 2026 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. Why did Jesus come down from heaven to dwell on the earth? Easy, right? To die for the sins of the world. The familiar words of John 3:16 tel...

May 24, 2026 Today's Reading: John 14:23-31 Daily Lectionary: Numbers 21:10-35 ; Luke 21:20-38 “Jesus answered him, 'If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.’” (John 14:23) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. “Jesus answered him, 'If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to hi...

May 23, 2026 Today's Reading: John 14:8-21 Daily Lectionary: Numbers 20:22-21:9 ; Luke 20:45-21:19 “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.” (John 14:16-17) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Let’s be hon...