Reflections

December 4, 2023  Today's Reading: Isaiah 65.1-9 Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 10:12-27a, 33-34 ; 2 Peter 1:1-21 I was ready to be sought by those who did not ask for me; I was ready to be found by those who did not seek me. I said, “Here I am, here I am,” to a nation that was not called by my name.” (Isaiah 65:1 ) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.  How long does God have to wait for someone to seek Him ou...

December 3, 2023 Today's Reading: Mark 11:1-10 Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 9:8-10:11 ; 1 Peter 5:1-14 “If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord has need of it…” (Mark 11:3) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Today marks the beginning of the season of Advent.  Our journey over the next three weeks will eventually lead us to a manger in the city of David where an angel of the Lord ann...

December 2, 2023 Today's Reading: Introit For Advent 1: Psalm 25:1-3 ; antiphon Zechariah 9:9b , alt Daily Lectionary: Jeremiah 29:1-19 , Matthew 26:36-56 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you;  and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. (Zechariah 9:9) In the Name + of Jesus....

December 1, 2023 Today's Reading:   Daily Lectionary: Jeremiah 26:1-19 , Matthew 26:20-35 “Take, eat; this is my body.”   And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. (Matthew 26:26-28) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. It’s one thing to make a promis...

November 30, 2023 Today's Reading: John 1:35-42a Daily Lectionary: Jeremiah 25:1-18 , Matthew 26:1-19 The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” (John 1:35-36) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. In one sentence, John tells us everything we need to know about Jesus….everything we need to know about our life...

November 29, 2023 Today's Reading: Luther's Small Catechism: The Sacrament Part 2 Daily Lectionary: Jeremiah 23:21-40 , Matthew 25:31-46 What is the benefit of this eating and drinking? These words, “Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins,” show us that in the Sacrament forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation are given us through these words. For where there is forgiveness of sins the...

November 28, 2023 Today's Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:20-28 Daily Lectionary: Jeremiah 23:1-20 , Matthew 25:14-30 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. (1 Corinthians 15:22) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. In Today’s reading from 1 Corinthians 15, St. Paul tells us a tale of two Adams. The man Adam, formed by God from the dust of creation. And the God-man, Jesus, the Secon...

November 27, 2023 Today's Reading: Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24 Daily Lectionary: Jeremiah 22:1-23 , Matthew 25:1-13 For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out. (Ezekiel 34:11) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Every now and then, you hear a song on the radio or Spotify and think to yourself, “This song sounds so familiar.” There’s a reason for that. Mus...

November 26, 2023 Today's Reading: Matthew 25:31-46 Daily Lectionary: Jeremiah 20:1-18 , Matthew 24:29-51 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. (Matthew 25:34) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Some folks read Jesus’ teaching on the Last Day in Matthew 25 like The Hunger Games: “Last...

November 25, 2023 Today's Reading: Introit for Pentecost 26: Psalm 39:4-5, 7-8, 12a ; antiphon 2 Peter 3:13 Daily Lectionary: Jeremiah 11:1-23 , Matthew 24:1-28 In keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness. (2 Peter 3:13) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The end of the world is going to happen and Christian’s and non-Christians believe...

November 24, 2023 Today's Reading: James 5:7-11 Daily Lectionary: Jeremiah 8:18-9:12 , Matthew 23:13-39 Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil, being patient about it, until it gets the early and late rains. (James 5:7) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The church year is almost over and we are moving to where we hear about t...

November 23, 2023 Today's Reading:   Daily Lectionary: Jeremiah 7:1-29 , Matthew 23:1-12 And she said to Elijah, “What have you against me, O man of God? You have come to me to bring my sin to remembrance and to cause the death of my son!”  (1 Kings 17:1-24) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Coloring books are all over the place these days. In Christianity those color books are about happy events in t...

 November 22, 2023 Today's Reading: Luther's Small Catechism: The Sacrament Part 1 Daily Lectionary: Jeremiah 5:1-19 , Matthew 22:23-46 It is the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, under the bread and wine, for us Christians to eat and to drink, instituted by Christ Himself. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Hungry?  Sure, you’ve all been there. If you don’t eat, you get “hangry”, weak and...

November 21, 2023 Today's Reading: 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 Daily Lectionary: Jeremiah 3:6-4:2 , Matthew 22:1-22 But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. (1 Thessalonians 5:1) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. During this time of year we are coming to the close of another church year. Between this time and the season of Advent, we hear an awful lot...

November 20, 2023 Today's Reading: Zephaniah 1:7-16 Daily Lectionary: Jeremiah 1:1-19 , Matthew 21:23-46   Be silent before the Sovereign Lord, for the day of the Lord is near. The Lord has prepared a sacrifice; he has consecrated those he has invited.  (Zephaniah. 1:7) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Imagine if your pastor started his sermon with “Be quiet!” It would get your attention.  This is ho...

November 19, 2023 Today's Reading: Matthew 25:14-30 Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 34:1-12 , Matthew 21:1-22 His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’  (Matthew 25:21) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. We can easily get bogged down by these parables to see who we...

November 18, 2023 Today's Reading: Introit to Pentecost 25: Psalm 143:2, 5-6, 10-11 ; antiphon Psalm 143:1 Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 32:28-52 , Matthew 20:17-34 Hear my prayer, O Lord; give ear to my pleas for mercy!  In your faithfulness answer me, in your righteousness!  (Psalm 143:1) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. David was betrayed. There were those who ran after him to take his life. One o...

November 17, 2023 Today's Reading: Ezekiel 36:22-28 Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 31:30-32:27 , Matthew 20:1-16 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. (Ezekiel 37:27) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Sin loves to eat at us. Even if it's not bugging you all the time, you still find you...

November 16, 2023 Today's Reading:   Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 31:1-29 , Matthew 19:16-30 The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. (Deuteronomy 31:8) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. “The Lord be with you” is a statement you often hear your pastor say.  This is not a simple greeting, it is a blessing a...

November 15, 2023 Today's Reading: Luther's Small Catechism: The Office of the Keys Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 30:1-20 ,  Matthew 19:1-15 but before the pastor we should confess only those sins which we know and feel in our hearts. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. When you go to a doctor, maybe you have a small issue that bothers you. Maybe it’s a larger issue that you can’t handle.  You’ve tried...

November 14, 2023 Today's Reading: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 29:1-29 , Matthew 18:21-35 In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Death is very confusing.  It’s really confusing for those outside of the church. For a non Christian, a funeral is pure grieving, pure loss, pure hopelessness, because death is only seen as permanent separation. And this is the approach the Thessalonians...

November 13, 2023 Today's Reading: Amos 5:18-24 Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 28:1-22 , Matthew 18:1-20 But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream! (Amos 5:24) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Justice is a big buzzword in our society today. Our world says we must have justice for whatever we are passionate about. Many Christians today  emphasize the Christian fait...

November 12, 2023 Today's Reading: Matthew 25:1-13 Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 27:1-26 , Matthew 17:14-27 The foolish ones said to the wise, “Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.”  (Matthew 25:8) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Some read this parable and say “Do you have enough oil?”  Or in other words, “Do you have enough faith?” That’s the question so many want to ask today in Chri...

November 11, 2023 Today's Reading: Introit for Pentecost 24: Psalm 84:1, 9-12 ; antiphon Psalm 84:3 Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 25:17-26:19 , Matthew 17:1-13 Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars, O LORD of hosts, my King | and my God. (Psalm 84:3 ) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. God makes room for the worthless.  It strikes...

November 10, 2023 Today's Reading:   Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 24:10-25:10 , Matthew 16:13-28 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:16) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Who do you say that the Son of Man is? We’re still asking the same question.  We’re past the days where people haven’t heard the name Jesus.  Even today, He still gets a lot of press.  T...