Reflections

March 30,  2023 Today's Reading:   Daily Lectionary: Ex 4:19-31 , Mark 15:16-32 Exodus 4:21–23: “And the LORD said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you do before Pharaoh all the miracles that I have put in your power. But I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go. Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the LORD, Israel is my firstborn son, and I say to you, “L...

March 29,  2023 Today's Reading:   Luther’s Small Catechism – Ten Commandments - Third Commandment Daily Lectionary: Ex 4:1-18 , Mark 15:1-15 Remember the Sabbath Day by keeping it holy.  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. God wasn’t tired after making everything. The Sabbath isn’t a chance to parrot God catching His breath. The focus on abstaining from work on the Sabbath day misses the point.  The po...

March 28,  2023 Today's Reading:   Hebrews 9:11-15 Daily Lectionary: Ex 2:23-3:22 , Mark 14:53-72 Hebrews 9:15: “Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.” In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. A covenant is a promise God...

March 27,  2023 Today's Reading: Ezekiel 37:1-14 Daily Lectionary: Ex 2:1-22 , Mark 14:32-52 Ezekiel 37:4: “Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.” In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. This story isn’t just Ezekiel. It’s every pastor of every church, called out into a valley full of sinners cut off from one another. Addicts with secrets an...

March 26,  2023 Today's Reading: John 11:1-45 Daily Lectionary: Ex. 1:1-22 , Mark 14:12-31 John 11:21: “Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. I think John made sure to get this in the story not to leave us with a bad impression of Martha marked on one of the hardest days of her life. I think it’s to give us the words to sp...

March 25,  2023 Today's Reading:  Luke 1:26-38 Daily Lectionary: Gen 49:29-50:7, 14-26 , Mark 14:1-11 Luke 1:28–29: “And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be.” In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Two angels visited young women. One was evil. The other good. Both made...

March 24,  2023 Today's Reading:   Daily Lectionary: Gen 47:1-31 , Mark 13:24-37 Mark 13:37: “And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake.”” In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Stay awake. It’s ominous. It reads like a threat that isn’t even all that veiled. It leaves us looking to the Lord returning on the last day to catch us, not to save us. It’s actually not because of how it’s written. It’s beca...

March 23,  2023 Today's Reading:  Ephesians 5:8-14 Daily Lectionary: Gen 45:1-20, 24-28 , Mark 13:1-23 Ephesians 5:14: “for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”” In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Shine light on everything. If it’s of the light, it will reflect. If it’s of darkness, it will flee. It’s a sim...

March 22,  2023 Today's Reading:   Luther’s Small Catechism – Ten Commandments: Second Commandment Daily Lectionary: Gen 44:1-18, 32-34 , Mark 12:28-44 You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Ask ten strangers what they think about Christianity. They’ll tell you. You’ll hear some heartbreaking stuff. You’ll hear about a hateful God who despises the sinners...

March 21,  2023 Today's Reading:  Isaiah 42:14-21 Daily Lectionary: Gen 43:1-28 , Mark 12:13-27 Isaiah 42:21: “The LORD was pleased, for his righteousness’ sake, to magnify his law and make it glorious.” In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Everyone always talks about God’s patience like it has no end.  We want things now. He’s content to wait until the right time. Isaiah disagrees. He paints a picture o...

March 20,  2023 Today's Reading:   John 9:1-41 Daily Lectionary: Gen 42:1-34, 38 , Mark 12:1-12 John 9:2: “And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”” In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The disciples find a man born blind. They ask a reasonable question.   Whose fault is it?  There has to be someone to blame. Sometimes you can find fault.  The Ten...

March 19,  2023 Today's Reading:   Matt. 2:13-15, 19-23 Daily Lectionary: Gen 41:28-57 , Mark 11:20-33 Matthew 2:13: “Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.”” In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. J...

March 18,  2023 Today's Reading:  Introit for Lent 4 Ps. 27:4-6 ; antiphon: Ps. 25:15 Daily Lectionary: Gen 41:1-27 , Mark 11:1-19 Psalm 25:15: “My eyes are ever toward the LORD, for he will pluck my feet out of the net.” In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. As a pastor, when the Lord promises rescue, I secretly get scared. I’ve been around cancer that isn’t healed.  Paralytics that still can’t walk. Add...

March 17,  2023 Today's Reading:   Mark 10:32-52 Daily Lectionary: Gen 40:1-23 Mark 10:45: “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”” In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Patrick tends to get belittled. Faithful teaching about the Holy Trinity is truncated to a 3 leaf clover or maybe a satirical youtube video in select circles. His time in Ir...

March 16,  2023 Today's Reading:   Daily Lectionary: Gen 39:1-23 Genesis 39:23: “The keeper of the prison paid no attention to anything that was in Joseph’s charge, because the LORD was with him. And whatever he did, the LORD made it succeed.” In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Whatever Joseph did, the Lord made it succeed. Joseph, of course, being the guy wrongfully imprisoned. But, like, really succe...

March 15,  2023 Today's Reading:   Luther’s Small Catechism – Ten Commandments: First Commandment Daily Lectionary: Gen 37:1-36 , Mark 10:1-12 We should fear, love, and trust in God above all things In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Idols are good things. The money you love more than God isn’t evil. The love of it is. The people we value more than God are the neighbors He gave you. The power you trust...

March 14,  2023 Today's Reading:  Romans 5:1-18 Daily Lectionary: Gen 35:1-29 , Mark 9:33-50 Romans 5:8: “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Spiritual warfare is easier when it’s us against the devil, but I am a sinner.  The problem is me. It’s the devil who would have you think the only enemies are outside of yours...

March 13,  2023 Today's Reading:   Ex. 17:1-7 Daily Lectionary: Gen. 29:1-30 , Mark 9:14-32 Exodus 17:7: “And he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the quarreling of the people of Israel, and because they tested the LORD by saying, “Is the LORD among us or not?”” In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Moses is tired of the people complaining and fighting.  So the Lord tells him to...

March 12,  2023 Today's Reading:   John 4:5-26 Daily Lectionary: Gen 27:30-45, 28:10-22 , Mark 9:1-13 John 4:10: “Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.”” In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. This lady’s a sinner.  She has to work herself up every time she goes out in pub...

March 11, 2023  Today's Reading: Introit for Lent 3 Ps. 84:1-4 ; antiphon: Ps. 84:5   Daily Lectionary: Gen 27:1-29 , Mark 8:22-38   How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD of hosts! My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the LORD; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God. (From the Introit for the Third Sunday in Lent)  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Churches come in all shapes an...

March 10, 2023  Today's Reading:  Daily Lectionary: Gen 24:32-52, 61-67 , Mark 8:1-21  And they began discussing with one another the fact that they had no bread. And Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why are you discussing the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? And do you not...

March 9, 2023  Today's Reading:  Daily Lectionary: Gen 24:1-31 , Mark 7:24-37   And taking him aside from the crowd privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and after spitting touched his tongue. And looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. And Jesus charged them to tell no one....

March 8, 2023  Today's Reading:   Luther’s Small Catechism - Table of Duties: To Everyone  Daily Lectionary: Gen 22:1-19 , Mark 7:1-23   For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Romans 13:9)  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen....

March 7, 2023  Today's Reading:   Romans 4:1-8, 13-17  Daily Lectionary: Gen. 21:1-21 , Mark 6:35-56   For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith. (Romans 4:13)  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Yesterday, we looked at how Abraham was blessed by God through a promise that he would father a great n...

March 6, 2023  Today's Reading: Gen. 12:1-9  Daily Lectionary: Gen. 18:1-15 , Mark 6:14-34  Now the LORD said to Abram…“I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” (Genesis 12:1-3)  In the Name +...