Reflections

Today's Reading: Luke 18:9-14 Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 11:1-26; 2 Corinthians 6:1-18 "God, be merciful to me, a sinner!" (Luke 18:13b)  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. You there! Do you think you are basically a good person who does good things when given the opportunity? Do you talk about yourself and your accomplishments every chance you get? Are there more selfies on your phone than pictures of...

Today's Reading: Introit for the 11th Sunday after Trinity           (Psalm 68:1, 3, 7a, 10b, 19; antiphon: v.5b, 6a, 35b) Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 9:1-9; 10:1-13; 2 Corinthians 5:1-21   O God, when you went out before your people, in your goodness, O God, you provided for the needy. Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears us up; God is our salvation. (From the Introit for the 11th Sunday after Pent...

Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 8:22-30, 46-63; 2 Corinthians 4:1-18 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. (2 Corinthians 4:8-10) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. When Christianity is dep...

Today's Reading: Small Catechism:   Lord's Prayer, Sixth Petition Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 7:51-8:21; 2 Corinthians 3:1-18  Lead us not into temptation. ( Small Catechism:  Lord's Prayer)   In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. After "Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us," God teaches us to pray, "lead us not into temptation." I wonder if it's to remind us that Christian...

Today's Reading:   Luke 22: 24-30 Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 5:1-16; 2 Corinthians 1:23-2:17  "But not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves." (Luke 22:26) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. St. Bartholomew is my favorite apostle. He's the Charlie Brown of the blessed Twelve. He's the kid who never fits in. He has one of the best lines i...

Today's Reading:   Romans 9:30-10:4 Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 3:1-15; 2 Corinthians 1:1-22   But that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law. Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. (Romans 9:31-32a) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. There is nothing wrong with trying to do your best. It is what is expected...

Today's Reading: Jeremiah 8:4-12 Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 2:1-27; 1 Corinthians 13:1-13   "Even the stork in the heavens knows her times, and the turtledove, swallow, and crane keep the time of their coming, but my people know not the rules of the Lord." (Jeremiah 8:7) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. A bird has more sense than you do! That is the message God used to invite His people to return to H...

Today's Reading: Luke 19:41-48 Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 1:1-4, 15-35; 1 Corinthians 12:14-31   And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, "Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes." (Luke 19:41-42) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Interesting, isn't it? Jerusalem contains the word "peace" (salem) in i...

Today's Reading: Introit for the Tenth Sunday after Trinity           (Psalm 55:1, 4-5, 16; antiphon: v.16a, 17b, 18a, 22a) Daily Lectionary: 2 Samuel 12:1-25; 1 Corinthians 12:1-13   I call to God, and he hears my voice; He redeems my soul in safety. (From the Introit for the Tenth Sunday after Trinity) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Object fixation is when a kid rides his bike into the tree he do...

Daily Lectionary: 2 Samuel 11:1-27; 1 Corinthians 11:17-34  For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. (1 Corinthians 11:26) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. You can take communion wrong. It's not just that it's rude to party in front of starving people. To eat or drink unworthily is to be guilty before Jesus, who will judge the living and the...

Today's Reading: 1 Corinthians 10:6-13 Daily Lectionary: 2 Samuel 7:18-20; 1 Corinthians 10:23-11:16  Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. (1 Corinthians 10:12) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The apostle Paul was a super-religious guy in his previous life. We also know him as Saul of Tarsus, a Pharisee of Pharisees. He had his religious life all neatly packaged up,...

Today's Reading: Small Catechism:  Lord's Prayer, Fifth Petition Daily Lectionary: 2 Samuel 7:1-17; 1 Corinthians 9:24-10:22  Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. ( Small Catechism:  Lord's Prayer)   In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. This is one sentence we wish was two separate things. Having my forgiveness and my willingness to forgive others linked together is a da...

Today's Reading: 2 Samuel 22:26-34 Daily Lectionary: 2 Samuel 6:1-19; 1 Corinthians 9:1-23  He makes my feet like the feet of a deer and sets me secure on the heights. (2 Samuel 22:34) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Really, David? Your elderly feet like the feet of a deer? You couldn't even protect your old self from the Philistines and had to be told by your soldiers to just stay home and not get...

Today's Reading: Luke 1:39-55 Daily Lectionary: 2 Samuel 5:1-25; 1 Corinthians 8:1-13    And Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name." (Luke 1:46–49) In the Name + of Jes...

Today's Reading: Luke 16:1-13 Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 25:1-22; 1 Corinthians 3:1-23 "You cannot serve God and money." (Luke 1:13) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Yes, Jesus, we get it. We cannot serve God and money. If only it were that simple. The new you in Christ says a loud, "Amen," to the word of Jesus that concludes the parable of the rich man and the shrewd manager. However, the old sinful...

Today's Reading: Introit for the Ninth Sunday after Trinity (Psalm 54;1-3, 7; antiphon: v.4-5) Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 31:1-13; 1 Corinthians 7:1-24 To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. A Maskil of David, when the Ziphites went and told Saul, " Is not David hiding among us?"(Introduction to Psalm 54 ) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. We're already familiar with the jealousy and murderous...

Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 28:3-25; 1 Corinthians 6:1-20 Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Chr...

Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 26:1-25; 1 Corinthians 5:1-13 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you. . .  a man has his father's wife. . .  deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord. (1 Corinthians 5:1-5) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Paul had some difficult things to say to the church in Corinth. They...

Today's Reading: Small Catechism:  Fourth Petition of the Lord' s Prayer Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 25:23-44; 1 Corinthians 4:1-21 Give us this day our daily bread. ( Small Catechism:  Fourth Petition of the Lord' s Prayer) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Luther's explanation says, "God certainly gives daily bread to everyone without our prayers, even to all evil people." If that's true, then why do...

Today's Reading: Acts 20:27-38 Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 25:1-22; 1 Corinthians 3:1-23 And there was much weeping on the part of all; they embraced Paul and kissed him. (Acts 20:37) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Why was there so much weeping from the Ephesian elders? Why did they hug and kiss Paul, sad to see him go? They were emotional because of their great love for Paul. And they loved Paul, m...

Today's Reading: Jeremiah 23:16-29 Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 24:1-22; 1 Corinthians 1:26-2:16 "Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you, filling you with vain hopes. . . they say continually to those who despise the word of the Lord, ‘It shall be well with you' ; and to everyone who stubbornly follows his own heart, they say, ‘No disaster shall come upon you.' " (Jeremiah 23...

Today's Reading:   Matthew 7:15-23 Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 20:24-42; 1 Corinthians 1:1-25 "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits." (Matthew 7:15–16a) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Why can't we all just get along? Why is the Church so fractured, divided, and engaged in endless doctrinal arguments? W...

Today's Reading:   Introit for the Eighth Sunday after Trinity  (Psalm 48:1, 3, 11, 14; antiphon: v.9-10) Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 20:1-23; Acts 28:16-31 We have thought on your steadfast love, O God, in the midst of your temple. (From the Introit for the Eighth Sunday after Trinity) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Tomorrow is the Lord's Day. Once again, we will go to the house of the Lord for wor...

Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 19:1-24; Acts 28:1-15 And Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father. (1 Samuel 19:4) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. David's troubles with Saul continue in today's reading. Saul is still plotting and scheming to take David's life. But here we learn that David had an intercessor and friend in Saul's son Jonathan, who spoke on behalf of his friend David. How bold Jonat...

Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 18:10-30; Acts 27:27-44   Saul was afraid of David because the LORD was with him but had departed from Saul. (1 Samuel 18:12) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Speaking of tyrannical kings (recall the Reflection from the Seventh Sunday after Trinity) and evil plans and purposes of the devil (yesterday's Reflection) , we have in 1 Samuel 18:10–30 the incarnation of both. Saul...