Reflections

Today's Reading: Jeremiah 23:1-20 Daily Lectionary: Jeremiah 23:1-20 ; Matthew 25:14-30 “I will set shepherds over them who will care for them, and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be missing, declares the Lord.” ( Jer. 23:4 ) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Today God teaches you why you have a pastor.  And that is, God gives you a pastor so that you might be spiritually c...

Today's Reading: Small Catechism: Sacrament of the Altar, part 3 Daily Lectionary: Jeremiah 22:1-23 ; Matthew 25:1-13 What is the benefit of this eating and drinking? These words, "Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins," shows us that in the Sacrament forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation are given us through these words. For where there is forgiveness of sins, there is also life a...

Today's Reading: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 Daily Lectionary: Jeremiah 20:1-18 ; Matthew 24:29-51 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, a...

Today's Reading: Exodus 32:1-20 Daily Lectionary: Jeremiah 11:1-23 ; Matthew 24:1-28 “And he received the gold from their hand and fashioned it with a graving tool and made a golden calf. And they said, ‘These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!’  ( Ex. 32:4 ) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. A translation issue from the original Hebrew helps unlock this text, and an...

Today's Reading: Matthew 24_15-28 ,  Introit:Ps. 130:1–2, 7–8; antiphon: Ps. 130:3–4 Daily Lectionary: Jeremiah 8:18-9:12 ; Matthew 23:13-39 “Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it.   For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.”  ( Mt. 24:23-24) In the Na...

Today's Reading: Introit for the Third-Last Sunday of the Church Year Daily Lectionary: Jeremiah 7:1-29 ; Matthew 23:1-12 “If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared.” ( Ps. 130:3-4 ) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. A guilty conscience cannot hide.  Try as one might, God sees what is done in secret.  He knows the secrets...

Today's Reading: Ephesians 5:15-21 Daily Lectionary: Jeremiah 5:1-19 ; Matthew 22:23-46 “Be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart.” ( Eph. 5:18b-19 ) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Christians are encouraged to learn psalms.  More than any other book of the Bible, the Psalms speak to every situati...

Today's Reading: Isaiah 55:1-9 Daily Lectionary: Jeremiah 3:6-4:2 ; Matthew 22:1-22 “Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way,  and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him,  and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.” ( Isa. 55:6-7 ) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Seek the Lord wh...

Today's Reading: Small Catechism: Sacrament of the Altar, part 2 Daily Lectionary: Jeremiah 1:1-19 ; Matthew 21:23-46 Where is this written?  The holy Evangelists Matthew, Mark, Luke and St. Paul write: Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to the disciples and said: "Take, eat; this is My body, which is given fo...

Today's Reading: Matthew 5:1-12 Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 34:1-12 ; Matthew 21:1-22 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” ( Mt. 5:3 ) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. All Saints’ Day is a day of backwards blessings. Our Lord sets it up this way, as He pronounces blessings upon people who don’t seem like they are blessed at all.  It’s backwards from what natural ma...

Today's Reading: Romans 3:19-29 Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 32:28-52 ; Matthew 20:17-34   “But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it” ( Rom. 3:21 ).   In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. A young Martin Luther trembled at the fear that the all-knowing, wrathful Judge was watching his every move and weighing it on the co...

Today's Reading: Matthew 22:1-14 , Introit: Ps. 48:1, 9–11 Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 31:30-32:27 ; Matthew 20:1-16 “Everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.” ( Mt. 22:4c ) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Today the Lord bids you to feast at the house of the King!  You know the food will be good. The meals at regular wedding receptions are always tasty - with cake, too! How much better woul...

Today's Reading: Introit for the 20th Sunday after Trinity Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 31:1-29 ; Matthew 19:16-30 Psalm 48:1 The Lord is righteous in all he has done to us, for we have not obeyed his commandments.  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.  The Lord is righteous in all he has done to us, for we have not obeyed his commandments. It’s not reassuring.  You deserve everything that you get.  The...

Today's Reading: John 15:12-21 Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 30:1-20 ; Matthew 19:1-15 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. ( John 15:6 ) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.  Saints Simon and Jude did not choose to be of the Apostles, their Lord J...

Today's Reading: Ephesians 4:22-28 Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 29:1-29; Matthew 18:21-35 Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members of one another. (Ephesians 4:25) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.  Have you ever told a lie? The thing with telling a lie is that you have to remember who you told it to and what you said. But as a li...

Today's Reading:   Small Catechism: Sacrament of the Altar, part 1 Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 28:1-22 ; Matthew 18:1-20 What is the Sacrament of the Altar? It is the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ under the bread and wine, instituted by Christ himself for us Christians to eat and to drink. (Luther’s Small Catechism: Sacrament of the Altar, Part 1 ) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.  H...

Today's Reading: Genesis 28:10-17 Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 27:1-26 ; Matthew 17:14-27 Gen. 28:12. And he dreamed, and behold, there was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. And behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it! In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.  Jacob goes camping.  Finds a nice spot.  Lays his head on a rock and looks up at the stars.  I...

Today's Reading: Matthew 9:1-8 Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 25:17-26:19 ; Matthew 17:1-13 And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven.” ( Matthew 9:2b ) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.  Time and time again, the same story plays itself out.  Disaster. Fear. Despair. Frustration. Christians pray. Things are still a mess.  Never mind the questi...

Today's Reading: Acts 15:12-22 , Introit: Ps. 78:1–3, 4b; antiphon: Ps. 35:3b; 34:17a, 6b; 48:14a Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 24:10-25:10 ; Matthew 16:13-28 Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God, but should write to them to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood. (...

Today's Reading: Introit for the 19th Sunday after Trinity  ( Psalm 78:1–3, 4b ; antiphon: Psalm 35:3b; 34:17a, 6b; 48:14a ) Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 21:1-23 ; Matthew 16:1-12 Say to my soul, “I am your salvation!” (From the Introit for the 19th Sunday after Trinity) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The psalmist says to God, “Speak to my soul and say, ‘I am your salvation.’” And indeed, God does...

Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 20:1-20 ; Matthew 15:21-39 “When you go out to war against your enemies, and see horses and chariots and an army larger than your own, you shall not be afraid of them, for the Lord your God is with you, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.” ( Deuteronomy 20:1 ) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The Israelites were about to enter the Promised Land. Moses knew that...

Today's Reading: 1 Corinthians 1:4-9 Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 19:1-20 ; Matthew 15:1-20 I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus,… who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. ( 1 Corinthians 1:4, 8 ) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. I think that Paul might have written these words for himself as much...

Today's Reading: Small Catechism:  Office of the Keys Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 18:1-22 ; Matthew 14:22-36 What is the Office of the Keys? The Office of the Keys is that special authority which Christ has given to His church on earth to forgive the sins of repentant sinners, but to withhold forgiveness from the unrepentant as long as they do not repent. ( Small Catechism: Office of the Keys )...

Today's Reading:   Luke 10:1-9 Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 17:1-20 ; Matthew 14:1-21 “Heal the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’” ( Luke 10:9 ) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Before Luke became a missionary and an evangelist, he was a doctor. He bandaged wounds, set broken bones, and prescribed medicines. He did his best to make bodies whole and to extend temp...

Today's Reading: Deuteronomy 10:12-21 Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 15:19-16:22 ; Matthew 13:44-58 “Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no longer stubborn.” ( Deuteronomy 10:16 ) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. God commanded the sons of Abraham to get circumcised. Circumcision was a sign attached to the covenant promise that God would bless the offspring of Abraham and also bless...