Reflections

March 13, 2024  Today's Reading: Mark 12:28-44 Daily Lectionary: Genesis 44:1-18, 32-34 ; Mark 12:28-44 And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor...

March 12, 2024  Today's Reading: Ephesians 2:1-10 Daily Lectionary: Genesis 43:1-28 , Mark 12:13-27 But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:4-6) In the...

March 11, 2024 Today's Reading: Numbers 21:4-9 Daily Lectionary: Genesis 42:1-34, 38 ; Mark 12:1-12 And the LORD said to Moses, “Make a poisonous serpent, and set it on a pole; and everyone who is bitten shall look at it and live.” So Moses made a serpent of bronze, and put it upon a pole; and whenever a serpent bit someone, that person would look at the serpent of bronze and live. (Numbers 21:8-9...

March 10, 2024 Today's Reading: John 3:14-21   Daily Lectionary: Genesis 41:28-57 , Mark 11:20-33 Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believed are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God. (John 3:17-1...

March 9, 2024  Today's Reading: Psalm 27:3-5 ; antiphon: Psalm 27:1 Daily Lectionary: Genesis 41:1-27 , Mark 11:1-19 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.  Have you ever watched a scary movie then that night had innocuous things in your bedroom transform into something c...

March 8, 2024  Today's Reading: Mark 10:32-52 Daily Lectionary: Genesis 40:1-23 , Mark 10:32-52 But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. (Mark 10:43-45) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. In...

March 7, 2024 Today's Reading: Mark 10:13-31 Daily Lectionary: Genesis 39:1-23 , Mark 10:13-31 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him, “Then who can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God...

March 6, 2024 Today's Reading: Mark 10:1-12 Daily Lectionary: Genesis 37:1-36 , Mark 10:1-12 And Pharisees came up and in order to test him asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?”  He answered them, “What did Moses command you?” They said, “Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of divorce and to send her away.” And Jesus said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart he wrote y...

March 5, 2024  Today's Reading: 1 Corinthians 1:18-31 Daily Lectionary: Genesis 35:1-29 , Mark 9:33-50 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong (1 Corinthians 1:27) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Shame is pervasive, and many of us wrestle with it. Shame has strange ways of revealing itself, sometimes as anxiety, sometimes...

March 4, 2024  Today's Reading: Exodus 20:1-17 Daily Lectionary: Genesis 29:1-30, 31-34 , Mark 9:14-32 I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery (Exodus 20:2) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Today’s reading is the Ten Commandments. Honestly, this section of Scripture can be a bit of a hard slog, where God is viewed as the great cosmic killjoy, sett...

March 3, 2024  Today's Reading: John 2:13-22 (23-25)   Daily Lectionary: Genesis 27:30-45; 28:10-22 ; Mark 9:1-13 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews then said, “This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and will you raise it up in three days?” But he was speaking of the temple of his body. (John 2:19-21) In the Name + of Je...

March 2, 2024  Today's Reading : Psalm 69:14-16 ; antiphon: Psalm 69:9  Daily Lectionary: Genesis 27:1-29 , Mark 8:22-38 Answer me, Lord, out of the goodness of your love; in your great mercy turn to me.  (Psalm 69:16) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Have you ever felt like God was silent? You cry it in the dead of night as the walls close in and yet it appears that there was no answer? Maybe you lo...

March 1, 2024 Today's Reading: Mark 8:1-21 Daily Lectionary: Genesis. 24:32-52, 61-67 ; Genesis 25:1-26:35 ;  Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? (Mark 8:18) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. There were numerous signs pointing to Jesus being the long-awaited Messiah. It always baffles me that they couldn’t see and they couldn’t hear; they were blinded by their own self-righteo...

February 29, 2024  Today's Reading: 10 Commandments, 10th Commandment Daily Lectionary: Genesis 24:1-31 , Mark 7:24-37 You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor. (The 10th Commandment)  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Last week the ninth commandment warned us from coveting our neighbors’ possessions, a real...

February 28, 2024  Today's Reading: Mark 7:1-23 Daily Lectionary: Genesis 22:1-19 , Mark 7:1-23 What comes out of a person is what defiles them. (Mark 7:20)  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. It can be easy to blame your sin on other people, your circumstances, or even ignorance. But Jesus makes one thing clear in our reading, sin is a heart problem. No one causes you to sin, instead it is something t...

February 27, 2024 Today's Reading: Romans 5:1-11 Daily Lectionary: Genesis 21:1-21 , Mark 6:35-56 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! (Romans 5:9) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The first article of the Apostle’s Creed confesses that God is almighty, righteous, and just. We confess that “we should fear, love, and trust God abo...

February 26, 2024 Today's Reading: Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16   Daily Lectionary: Genesis 18:1-15 , Genesis 18:16-20:18 , Mark 6:14-34   No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham (Genesis 17:5) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Names are important. They give you identity. And many of you reading this have names that were picked specifically for you. Your parents may have agonized over p...

February 25, 2024  Today's Reading: Mark 8:27-38   Daily Lectionary: Genesis 16:1-9, 15-17:22; Mark 6:1-13 Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. (Mark 8:34) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. In 1989, the band Queen wrote a song that defined the world in which we live. The chorus goes as such, “I want it all, I want it now.” The message is clear, li...

February 24, 2024  Today's Reading: Matthew 11:25-30 Daily Lectionary: Genesis 15:1-21, Mark 5:21-43 All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. (Matthew 11:27) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Jesus chose His apostles, and it is to these He revealed Himself to. H...

February 23, 2024  Today's Reading:  Daily Lectionary: Genesis 13:1-18, Genesis 14:1-24 , Mark 5:1-20 When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. (Mark 5:6) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Today’s reading is one that could be a horror movie. A demon possessed man, crying out, cast from society, dwelling in the place of death, the tombs. Chains cannot hold him, ch...

February 22, 2024  Today's Reading: 10 Commandments, 9th Commandment   Daily Lectionary: Genesis 11:27-12:20 , Mark 4:21-41 “You shall not covet your neighbor's house” (9th Commandment) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Your friend got the new iPhone. You wish you had that, your phone is slow. It has a cracked screen, and the charger won’t work unless the cord is wiggled just right. It’s frustrating....

February 21, 2024 Today's Reading: Mark 4:1-20 Daily Lectionary: Genesis 8:13-9:17 , Genesis 9:18-11:26 The sower sows the word. (Mark 4:14)  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Have you ever felt like it was your job to convert someone? Whether it be a family member, a friend, or even a random stranger? It is easy to fall into. We feel responsible for saving others, as ones who have been redeemed by fa...

February 20, 2024  Today's Reading: James 1:12-18 Daily Lectionary: Genesis 7:11-8:12 , Mark 3:20-35 Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. (James 1:12) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. It’s not a secret. Life is hard. From the toddler that doesn’t get to make any decisi...

February 19, 2024  Today's Reading: Genesis 22:1-18 Daily Lectionary: Genesis 6:1-7:5 , Mark 3:1-19 Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” (Genesis 22:8) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. They were on a mountain, a mountain where a sacrifice would be made. A knife lifted high above his head; Abraham was ready to strike. Isaac, laying there bound and helpl...

February 18, 2024  Today's Reading: Mark 1:9-15 Daily Lectionary: Genesis 4:1-26 , Mark 2:18-28 As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending like a dove. (Mark 1:10)   In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Beginnings and endings are always the best part of a story. The beginning brings with it optimism, excitement, something new, a reason for hope. The e...