Reflections

March 5, 2023  Today's Reading: John 3:1-7   Daily Lectionary: Gen. 16:1-9, 15:17-22 , Mark 6:1-13  Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” (St. John 3:1–2)  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Remembe...

March 4, 2023  Today's Reading: Introit for Lent 2, Ps. 105:4-7 ; antiphon: Ps. 105:8   Daily Lectionary: Gen. 15:1-21 , Mark 5:21-43 He remembers his covenant forever, the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations. (From the Introit for the Second Sunday in Lent)  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. God always remembers, even when we forget. That can seem terrifying, can’t it? God our Father w...

March 3, 2023  Today's Reading:  Daily Lectionary: Gen. 13:1-18 , Mark 5:1-20  As (Jesus) was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons begged him that he might be with him. And he did not permit him but said to him, “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” And he went away and began to proclaim in the Deca...

March 2, 2023  Today's Reading:  Daily Lectionary: Gen. 11:27-12:20 , Mark 4:1-20  “Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path…Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil…Other seed fell among thorns…And other seeds fell into good soil and produced grain…” (St. Mark 4:3-8)  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. This Gospel text tends to cau...

March 1, 2023  Today's Reading: Luther’s Small Catechism - Table of Duties To: Widows Daily Lectionary: Gen. 8:13-9:17 , Mark 3:20-35   She who is truly a widow, left all alone, has set her hope on God and continues in supplications and prayers night and day, but she who is self-indulgent is dead even while she lives. (1 Timothy 5:5-6)  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. For the last few centuries, the...

February 28, 2023  Today's Reading: Romans 5:12-19  Daily Lectionary: Gen. 7:11-8:12 , Mark 3:20-35  Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. (Romans 5:18–19)  In the Name + of Jes...

February 27, 2023  Today's Reading: Gen. 3:1-21  Daily Lectionary: Gen. 6:1-7:5 , Mark 3:1-19  By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” (Genesis 3:19)  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Last Wednesday was a stark reminder of our future, wasn’t it? “Remember that you are dust, and to dust...

February 26, 2023  Today's Reading: Matt. 4:1-11  Daily Lectionary: Gen. 4:1-26 , Mark 2:18-28  The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” But he answered, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” (St. Matthew 4:3-4)  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The meaning of the...

February 25, 2023   Today's Reading: Introit for Lent 1, Ps. 91:9-13 ; antiphon: Ps. 91:15-16 Daily Lectionary: Job 20:1-23, 29 , John 8:21-38   You will tread on the lion and the adder; the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot. (Ps. 91:13)   In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. If I were to ask you to list five words that come to mind when you hear “Lent,” I doubt that ‘victory’ would b...

February 24, 2023   Today's Reading:   Matt. 11:25-30 Daily Lectionary: Job 19:1-12, 21-27 , John 8:1-20   “Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)   In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Sometimes older congregations will compile a history book, which will include the unique contributions of each of their pastors. Maybe one started a school outreach. Anot...

February 23, 2023   Today's Reading: Joel 2:12-19 Daily Lectionary: Job 18:1-21 , John 7:32-53   Who knows whether he will not turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him, a grain offering and a drink offering for the Lord your God? (Joel 2:14)   In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. When do you go to the doctor? Of course, it’s when you’re sick. Nobody in their right mind goes through the trouble of...

February 22, 2023   Today's Reading: Matt. 6:1-6, 16-21 Daily Lectionary: Job 16:1-22 , John 7:1-13   And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. (Matt. 6:4)   In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” [Genesis 3:19] This is a spiritual truth, which we need as Christians living out of our faith. Without this reminder, our “practice” of Christ...

February 21, 2023   Today's Reading: 2 Peter 1:16-21 Daily Lectionary: Job 16:1-22 , John 7:1-13   “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation” (2 Pet. 1:20 NKJV)   In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. One of the major tenets of the Reformation is Sola Scriptura , Scripture Alone. But what does that look like in practice? Originally, it was said against the papacy,...

February 20, 2023   Today's Reading: Ex. 24:8-18 Daily Lectionary: Job 15:1-23, 30-35, John 6:60-71   “Moses went up into the mountain of God.” (Exodus 24:13)   In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. When God gave the Law to the people at Mount Sinai, there were three distinctions for how close one got to the Lord: The blood-sprinkled people; Moses, with the priests and the 70 elders; Moses in the mountain...

February 19, 2023   Today's Reading: Matt. 17:1-9 Daily Lectionary: Job 14:1-22 , John 6:41-59   “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” (Matthew 17:5)   In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. It’s important for us to ponder the eyewitness testimony of Jesus’ transfiguration before we ponder His suffering. There is plenty of human suffering around us. We wake up with it. We se...

February 18, 2023   Today's Reading: Introit for Transfiguration, Ps. 99:1-5 ; antiphon: Ps. 99:9 Daily Lectionary: Job 13:13-28 , John 6:22-40   “Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at His holy mountain; for the Lord our God is holy!” (Psalm 99:9)   In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Scripture tells us, “The Lord is great in Zion.” Christopher Hitchens, renowned atheist, tells us, “god is Not Great.”...

February 17, 2023   Today's Reading: Job 13:1-12 Daily Lectionary: Job 13:1-12   “But I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to argue my case with God.” (Job 13:3)   In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Martin Luther said, “Oh, faith is a living, busy, active, mighty thing” But can faith be active even in arguing with God? It would seem so. Job is ready to speak and argue with the Almighty, but he’s...

February 16, 2023 Today's Reading: 1 Corinthians 3:1-9 Daily Lectionary: Job 12:1-6, 12-25 , John 5:30-47 “So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.” (1 Cor. 3:7) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. You might really like your pastor. You might think your pastor is out to lunch. Maybe your church has more than one pastor, but there’s one you’d rather go to...

February 15, 2023 Today's Reading: Luther’s Small Catechism - Table of Duties To: Youth ( 1 Peter 5:5-6 ) Daily Lectionary: Job 11:1-20 , John 5:19-29   “‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’ Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time.” (1 Peter 5:6)   In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. It’s hard being a teenager.  You’ve come so far, and...

Today's Reading: John 5:1-18 (Valentine, Martyr) Daily Lectionary: Job 10:1-22 , John 5:1-18   “Jesus said to him, ‘Get up, take up your bed, and walk.’ And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked.” (John 5:8-9)   In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Valentine has been remembered as a martyr since the early centuries of the Church. A priest and physician from Rome, he and his family...

Today's Reading: Deut. 30:15-20 Daily Lectionary: Job 9:1-35 , John 4:46-54 “Obeying his voice and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days” (Deuteronomy 30:20) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. If there were ever a passage that seems to support decision theology, it’s this one. “I have set before you today life and good, death and evil…therefore choose life!”  Martin Luther strongl...

Today's Reading:   Matt. 5:21-37 Daily Lectionary: Job 8:1-22 , John 4:27-45   And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell. (Matthew 5:30) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. This is the Gospel of the Lord? Praise to you, O Christ! Today’s Gospel gets us coming and going. If we came to c...

Today's Reading: Introit for Epiphany 6, Ps. 98:7-9; antiphon: Ps. 98:2 Daily Lectionary: Job 7:1-21 , John 4:7-27 “Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; the world and those who dwell in it!” (Ps. 98:7) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. What do these two things have in common? A child tugging at his mother’s sweater, each time saying louder, “Mama!” and the prophets of Baal limping around their alt...

Today's Reading: Job 6:1-13 Daily Lectionary: Job 6:1-13 , John 3:1-21  “Have I any help in me, when resource is driven from me?” (Job 6:13) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Human suffering: It’s universal. It’s agonizing to bear, and heartbreaking to witness. It’s caused by wickedness in the world. It’s caused by our own foolishness. It’s sent by God. Wait! What did you just say? Surely God wants us...

Today's Reading: Luther’s Small Catechism - Table of Duties: To Employers and Supervisors Daily Lectionary: Job 5:1-27 , John 2:13-25 “Do not threaten them, since you know that He who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with Him.” (Eph. 6:9) I n the Name + of Jesus. Amen. “My boss is such a jerk!”  This is a judgment we’re quick to pronounce. It’s socially accep...