Reflections

May 12, 2025 Today's Reading: Acts 20:17-35 Daily Lectionary: Leviticus 9:1-24 ; Luke 9:18-36 “Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.” (Acts 20:28) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.  Jesus speaks to His lamb through the Apostle Paul: My dear lamb, I am your Good Shep...

May 11, 2025 Today's Reading: John 10:22-30 Daily Lectionary: Leviticus 8:1-13, 30-36 ; Luke 9:1-17 “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.” (John 10:27-29) In th...

May 10, 2025 Today's Reading: Introit for Easter 4 - Psalm 78:70-72; 79:13; antiphon: John 10:14, 15b Daily Lectionary: Exodus 40:17-38 ; Leviticus 1:1-7:38 ; Luke 8:40-56 “And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed. And he said to her, ‘D...

May 9, 2025 Today's Reading: Luke 8:22-39 Daily Lectionary: Exodus 39:32-40:16 ; Luke 8:22-39 “And those who had seen it told them how the demon-possessed man had been healed. Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked [Jesus] to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear. So he got into the boat and returned.” (Luke 8:36-37) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.  Je...

May 8, 2025 Today's Reading: Catechism: The Lord's Prayer - The Second Petition Daily Lectionary: Exodus 38:21-39:8, 22-23, 27-31 ; Luke 8:1-21 “Then his mother and his brothers came to him, but they could not reach him because of the crowd. And he was told, ‘Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see you.’ But he answered them, ‘My mother and my brothers are those who hea...

May 7, 2025 Today's Reading: Luke 7:36-50 Daily Lectionary: Exodus 34:29-35:21 ; Exodus 35:22-38:20 ; Luke 7:36-50 “Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.’ And he said to her, ‘Your sins are forgiven.’” (Luke 7:47-48) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.  In this passage, the Pharisees directly encounter Jesus’s tenden...

May 6, 2025 Today's Reading: Revelation 5:(1-7) 8-14 Daily Lectionary: Exodus 34:1-28 ; Luke 7:18-35 “And he answered them, ‘Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them. And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.’” (Luke 7:22-23) In the Na...

May 5, 2025 Today's Reading: Acts 9:1-22 Daily Lectionary: Exodus 33:1-23 ; Luke 7:1-17 “Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ And he said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.” (Acts 9:3-5) In the N...

May 4, 2025 Today's Reading: John 21:1-14 (15-19) Daily Lectionary: Exodus 32:15-35 ; Luke 6:39-49 “Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, ‘Children, do you have any fish?’ They answered him, ‘No.’ He said to them, ‘Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.’ So they cast it, and now they we...

May 3, 2025  Today's Reading: Introit for Easter 3 - Psalm 145:4-7, 9; antiphon: Psalm 145:10 Daily Lectionary: Exodus 32:1-14 ; Luke 6:20-38 “One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts. On the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works, I will meditate. They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds, and I will declare your great...

May 2, 2025 Today's Reading: Catechism: The Lord's Prayer - The First Petition Daily Lectionary: Exodus 31:1-18 ; Luke 6:1-19 “God’s name is kept holy when the Word of God is taught in its truth and purity, and we, as the children of God, also lead holy lives according to it.”(Small Catechism: The Lord’s Prayer - The First Petition, Explanation) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.  Have you ever been bl...

May 1, 2025 Today's Reading: John 14:1-14 Daily Lectionary: Exodus 25:1-22 ; Exodus 25:23-30:38 ; Luke 5:17-39 “‘Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.” (John 14:1) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.  There are many things that can trouble our hearts these days. It doesn’t take much: a quick check of the news, which is designed to trouble you; a quick scroll through social...

April 30, 2025 Today's Reading: Luke 5:1-16 Daily Lectionary: Exodus 24:1-18 ; Luke 5:1-16 “While he was in one of the cities, there came a man full of leprosy. And when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and begged him, ‘Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.’ And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, ‘I will; be clean.’ And immediately the leprosy left him.” (Luke 5:12-13) In t...

April 29, 2025 Today's Reading: Revelation 1:4-18 Daily Lectionary: Exodus 23:14-33 ; Luke 4:31-44 “When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, ‘Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.’” (Revelation 1:17-18) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.  How often...

April 28, 2025 Today's Reading: Acts 5:12-20 (21-32) Daily Lectionary: Exodus 22:20-23:13 ; Luke 4:16-30 “...they arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison. But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said, ‘Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life.’ And when they heard this, they entered the temple...

April 27, 2025 Today's Reading: John 20:19-31 Daily Lectionary: Exodus 20:1-24 ; Luke 4:1-15 “Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, ‘We have seen the Lord.’ But he said to them, ‘Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never b...

April 26, 2025  Today's Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:19-26 Daily Lectionary: Exodus 19:1-25 ; Hebrews 13:1-21 “For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.” (1 Corinthians 15:21-22) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. He is Risen! He is Risen, Indeed! Alleluia! Amen. Adam really messed things up for us. H...

April 25, 2025 Today's Reading: Mark 16:14-20 Daily Lectionary: Exodus 18:5-27 ; Hebrews 12:1-24 “ Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.” (Mark 16:16) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The end of Mark gives us language that is reminiscent of Matthew’s ending: the admonition to proclaim the Gospel and baptize the nations. The sacrament of Baptis...

April 24, 2025 Today's Reading: Isaiah 65:17-25 Daily Lectionary: Exodus 17:1-16 ; Hebrews 11:1-29 “ For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind.” (Isaiah 65:17) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. He is Risen! His is Risen Indeed! Alleluia! Amen. A new creation sure sounds like a great idea. The people of the southern kingdom were ce...

April 23, 2025 Today's Reading: John 21:1-14 Daily Lectionary: Exodus 16:13-35 ; Hebrews 10:19-39 “ Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish. This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.” (John 21:13-14) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. He is Risen! He is Risen, Indeed! Alleluia! Amen. Jesus gives them bread and...

April 22, 2025 Today's Reading: Luke 24:36-49 Daily Lectionary: Exodus 15:19-16:12 ; Hebrews 10:1-18 “ See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” (Luke 24:39) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. He is Risen! He is Risen, Indeed! Alleluia! Amen. In the Third Article of the Apostle’s Creed, we confess that we believ...

April 21, 2025 Today's Reading: Luke 24:13-35, 36-49 Daily Lectionary: Exodus 15:1-18 ; Hebrews 9:1-28 “ When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them.” (Luke 24:30) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. He is Risen! He is Risen, Indeed! Alleluia! Amen. For the disciples, their world had just been rocked. The Messiah had been crucified, and now they were po...

April 20, 2025 Today's Reading: Luke 24:1-12 Daily Lectionary: Exodus 14:10-31 ; Hebrews 7:23-8:13 “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen…” (Luke 24:5b-6a) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The question asked by the angel is a peculiar question. The ladies have arrived to finish the burial process. The last couple of days were very unpredictable for the disciples and...

April 19, 2025 Today's Reading: Matthew 27:57-66 Daily Lectionary: Exodus 13:17-14:9 ; Hebrews 7:1-22 “ Therefore order the tomb to be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples go and steal him away and tell the people, ‘He has risen from the dead,’ and the last fraud will be worse than the first.” (Matthew 27:64) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The church leaders go to great lengths to ma...

April 18, 2025 Today's Reading: John 19:17-30 Daily Lectionary: Exodus 12:29-32; 13:1-16 ; Lamentations 5:1-22 , Hebrews 6:1-20 , Psalm 22 “ he said to his mother, ‘Woman, behold, your son!’ Then he said to the disciple, ‘Behold, your mother!’” (John 19:26b-27) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Dying is very deadly. Dead is dark. The light of the world is no longer shining. Darkness has covered the wo...