Reflections

July 11, 2026 Today's Reading: Introit for Trinity 6 - Psalm 28:1-2, 7 ; antiphon: Psalm 28:8-9 Daily Lectionary: Judges 6:25-40 ; Acts 15:6-21 “Save Your people, And bless Your inheritance; Shepherd them also, And bear them up forever” (Psalm 28:9)   In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.   In Psalm 28:9, David prays that God would save his “people” and bless his “heritage.” He then adds the image of a sh...

July 10, 2026 Today's Reading: Acts 14:19-15:5 Daily Lectionary: Judges 6:1-24; Acts 14:19-15:5 “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22)   In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.   After preaching the Gospel to both Jews and Greeks in Iconium, Paul remained there a while, “speaking boldly in the Lord” (Acts 14:3), before departing for Lystra. However, a great number of both...

July 9, 2026 Today's Reading: Catechism: The Lord's Prayer - The Conclusion Daily Lectionary: Judges 4:1-24 ; Judges 5:1-31 ; Acts 14:1-18 “He Himself has commanded us to pray in this way and has promised to hear us.”   In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.   When Jesus teaches the disciples the Lord’s Prayer in Luke 11, he not only teaches them what to pray for, but also how to pray. There, he tells the...

July 8, 2026 Today's Reading: Acts 13:42-52 Daily Lectionary: Judges 3:7-31 ; Acts 13:42-52 “I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth” (Acts 13:47) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. What were “these things” that those in Antioch to whom Paul preached wanted to hear about the next Sabbath? What are “these things” that Paul preached, which stirred t...

July 7, 2026 Today's Reading: 1 Corinthians 1:18-25 Daily Lectionary: Judges 2:6-23 ; Acts 13:13-41 “The foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men” (1 Corinthians 1:25)   In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.   Each Sunday, amid a deeply disordered and violent world, we preach Christ crucified. We preach what the world calls foolish, weak, and despised. We preach a...

July 6, 2026 Today's Reading: 1 Kings 19:11-21 Daily Lectionary: Joshua 24:1-31; Judges 1:1-36 ; Acts 13:1-12 “I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life” (1 Kings 19:10, 14)  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Elijah, wearied from forty days and forty nights of wandering toward Mount Horeb, waits in the cave for “the word of the Lord.” He waits alone, afraid for his life. If it were only Jezebel w...

July 5, 2026 Today's Reading: Luke 5:1-11 Daily Lectionary: Joshua 23:1-16 ; Acts 12:1-25 “And Simon answered, ‘Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets’” (Luke 5:5) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Jesus blesses these unsuccessful fishermen with the greatest catch of all time, and through His blessing assures them and us that he will never let the godly...

July 4, 2026 Today's Reading: Introit for Trinity 5 - Psalm 27:1a, 11-12, 14 ; antiphon: Psalm 27:7, 9b Daily Lectionary : Joshua 10:1-25 ; Joshua 10:28-22:34 ; Acts 11:19-30 “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?” (Psalm 27:1a) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. As a young child, I don’t really think I was scared of the dark; I just didn’t like it. I wanted to be able to see where...

July 3, 2026 Today's Reading: Catechism: The Lord's Prayer - 7th Petition Daily Lectionary: Joshua 8:1-28 ; Acts 11:1-18 “But deliver us from evil. What does this mean? We pray in this petition, in summary, that our Father in heaven would rescue us from every evil of body and soul, possessions and reputation, and finally, when our last hour comes, give us a blessed end, and graciously take us from...

July 2, 2026 Today's Reading: Luke 1:39-45 (46-56) Daily Lectionary: Joshua 7:1-26; Acts 10:34-48 “‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!” (Luke 1:42b) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Saint Elizabeth was blessed. Her young relative from Nazareth had arrived at her home, and she was happy to see her. You can just see her in your mind, coming to the doorway, seeing Mary,...

July 1, 2026 Today's Reading: Romans 12:14-21 or Romans 8:18-23 Daily Lectionary: Joshua 6:6-27 ; Acts 10:18-33 “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:21) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. It’s like Paul is saying, “Don’t lower yourselves to their level.” Only he isn’t wording it condescendingly or negatively. “Win them over by love and goodness.” Yes, that is more like...

June 30, 2026 Today's Reading: Genesis 50:15-21 Daily Lectionary: Joshua 5:1-6:5 ; Acts 10:1-17 “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.” (Genesis 50:20) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Joseph’s brothers had a lot of specks in their eyes. They had gone for two decades without seeing him, after their...

June 29, 2026 Today's Reading: Matthew 16:13-19 Daily Lectionary: Joshua 4:1-24 ; Acts 9:23-43 “And Jesus answered him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 16:17) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Peter and Paul. The “Prince of the Apostles” and the “Apostle to the Gentiles.” They both are great movers and shake...

June 28, 2026 Today's Reading: Luke 6:36-42 Daily Lectionary: Joshua 3:1-17 ; Acts 9:1-22 “…first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother's eye.” (Luke 6:36) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. If you have flown, you have heard the spiel. In the event that the oxygen masks are activated, put your own mask on first, then assist others....

June 27, 2026 Today's Reading: Introit for Trinity 4 - Psalm 27:3-4a, 5; antiphon: Psalm 27:1-2 Daily Lectionary: Joshua 2:1-24 ; Acts 8:26-40 “The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalm 27:1) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. In the beginning, God said, “Let there be light.” Out of the nothingness and darkness, G...

June 26, 2026 Today's Reading: Acts 8:1-25 Daily Lectionary: Joshua 1:1-18 ; Acts 8:1-25 “Now when Simon [the magician] saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, saying, ‘Give me this power also, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.’” (Acts 8:18–19) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Simon the magician likes a specta...

June 25, 2026 Today's Reading: Catechism: The Lord's Prayer - 6th Petition Daily Lectionary: Proverbs 31:10-31 ; John 21:1-25 And lead us not into temptation.  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Prayer is chiefly for comfort. It is not a way to barter with God for what we want, like a cosmic vending machine. It is a Gift our Heavenly Father gives to us to be a balm in a hurting world. When we pray the...

June 24, 2026 Today's Reading: Luke 1:57-80 Daily Lectionary: Proverbs 30:1-9 , 18-33 ; John 20:19-31 “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people” (Luke 1:68) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Everything John the Baptist did pointed to the Messiah. His father, Zechariah, prophesied John “would go before the Lord, to prepare His way to give knowledge of salvation to h...

June 23, 2026 Today's Reading: 1 Timothy 1:12-17 or 1 Peter 5:6-11 Daily Lectionary: Proverbs 27:1-24 ; Prov 28:1-29:27; John 20:1-18 The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. (1 Timothy 1:15) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. St. Paul is not looking for sympathy. When he says he is foremost or chief of...

June 22, 2026 Today's Reading:   Micah 7:18-20 Daily Lectionary: Proverbs 25:1-22 ; Prov: 26:1-28 ; John 19:23-42 “He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.” (Micah 7:19) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Satan’s head is crushed by the bruised heel of Christ. That is where your iniquities lie - crushed into dust...

June 21, 2026 Today's Reading: Luke 15:1-10 or Luke 15:11-32 Daily Lectionary: Proverbs 24:1-22 ; John 19:1-22 “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.” (Luke 15:20) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. You would expect a father to be furious with his son. First, this son asks for his inheritance while his father is still liv...

June 20, 2026 Today's Reading: Introit for Trinity 3 - Psalm 25:1-2a, 5b, 15, 20 ; antiphon: Psalm 25:16, 18 Daily Lectionary: Proverbs 22:22-23:12 ; John 18:15-40 “Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. Consider my affliction and my trouble, and forgive all my sins.” (Psalm 25:16, 18) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Loneliness hurts. Suffering hurts. Having troubles hurts....

June 19, 2026 Today's Reading: John 18:1-14 Daily Lectionary: Proverbs 22:1-21 ; John 18:1-14 “So Jesus said to Peter, ‘Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?’” (John 18:11) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Whenever Peter is involved, I usually end up cringing, feeling embarrassed on his behalf, or trying to justify his choices (because I see myself in...

June 18, 2026 Today's Reading: Catechism: The Lord's Prayer - 5th Petition Daily Lectionary: Proverbs 20:5-25 ; Proverbs 21:1-31 ; John 17:1-26 And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. (The Fifth Petition, The Lord’s Prayer)  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Jesus taught us to pray boldly. We are coming to the Father with these words ‘‘forgive us our trespasses.’ We...

June 17, 2026 Today's Reading: John 16:17-33 Daily Lectionary: Proverbs 17:1-28 ; Proverbs 18:1-20:4 ; John 16:17-33 “For the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. I came from the Father and have come into the world, and now I am leaving the world and going to the Father.” (John 16:27-28) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. How amazing are these word...