Reflections

Today's Reading: John 2:1-11 Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 38:1-23; Romans 7:1-20 On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee. (John 2:1) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Jesus could have chosen anywhere for His first miracle. The Jordan River or the Red Sea. A cemetery or hospital. The temple in Jerusalem. The wilderness or some mountain top. But Jesus chooses a wedding where a man and a wom...

Today's Reading: Introit for the Second Sunday after the Epiphany (Psalm 66:1-5, 20; antiphon: Psalm 66:4; 92:1) Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 37:15-28; Romans 6:1-23 All the earth worships you and sings praises to you; they sing praises to your name. (From the Introit for the Second Sunday after the Epiphany) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Tomorrow's Introit calls out at four times the promise of the...

Today's Reading: Luke 2:41-52 Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 36:33-37:14; Romans 5:1-21 And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. (Luke 2:51)    In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Stunning. The One who gave the Law places Himself under the Law, even under the Fourth Commandment. Why? For you, "to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive the adoption as...

Today's Reading: Joshua 3:1-3, 7-8, 13-17 Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 36:13-28; Romans 4:1-25 Now the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firmly on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan, and all Israel was passing over on dry ground until all the nation finished passing over the Jordan. (Joshua 3:17)     In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Have you ever asked yourself, "Why is my Bib...

Today's Reading: Small Catechism:  Table of Duties, To Youth Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 34:1-24; Romans 3:19-31 Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, "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 P...

Today's Reading:   1 Corinthians 1:26-31 Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 33:1-20; Romans 3:1-18 For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. (1 Corinthians 1:26) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. How insulting. Imagine your pastor walking out on Sunday morning and addressing your congregation like Paul ad...

Today's Reading: Isaiah 42:1-7 Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 18:1-4, 19-32; Romans 2:17-29 "I am the LORD; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness." (Isaiah 42:6-7) In the Nam...

Today's Reading: Matthew 3:13-17 Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 18:1-4, 19-32; Romans 2:17-29 John would have prevented him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" (Matthew 3:14) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. John thinks man should be the confidence of his own life before God. Jesus thinks He should be. John thinks if there is to be forgiveness, it must be because of our own wor...

Today's Reading: Introit for the Baptism of Our Lord (Psalm 89:1, 26-28; antiphon: Liturgical Text; Psalm 89:20) Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 3:12-27; Romans 2:1-16 I will sing of the steadfast love of the LORD, forever; with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations. (From the Introit for the Baptism of Our Lord) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Yesterday came the happy cry, "Aris...

Today's Reading: Isaiah 60:1-6 Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 1:1-14, 22-28; Romans 1:1-17 Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you. (Isaiah 60:1) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. "Up and at 'em!" my father would call out from the doorway as I tried desperately to catch a few more Zs. But Dad wasn't having it. It was Saturday. There were chores to do. Things that...

Today's Reading: Matthew 2:1-12 Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 66:1-20; Luke 3:21-38 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. (Matthew 2:10)   In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Why not rejoice with "exceedingly great joy"? Though they came from so far away, the wise men were certainly included in the angelic announcement made at Jesus' birth: "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good...

Today's Reading: Small Catechism:  Table of Duties, to Employers and Supervisors Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 65:8-25; Luke 3:1-20 Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him. (Ephesians 6:9) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. "Absolute power corrupts absolutely," wrote Lord Acton at the e...

Today's Reading: 1 Peter 4:12-19 Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 64:15-65:2; Luke 2:41-52 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. (1 Peter 4:14) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. It's not always fun being a Christian. Sometimes it's embarrassing. Sometimes people make fun of you. Sometimes they insult you. They may even raise their h...

Today's Reading: Genesis 46:1-7 Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 63:1-14; Luke 2:21-40 I myself will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also bring you up again. (Genesis 46:4) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. God is everywhere. "Do I not fill heaven and earth?" declares the Lord (Jeremiah 23:24). He was in Canaan. He was in Beersheeba. He was already in Egypt. Yet He says to Jacob, "I myself will go down...

Today's Reading: Matthew 2:13-23 Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 62:1-12; Luke 2:1-20 And he went and lived in a city called Nazareth, so that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, that he would be called a Nazarene. (Matthew 2:23) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Nathanael asked Philip (John 1:46). Philip had just told him that he had found the fulfil...

Today's Reading: Luke 2:21 Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 61:1-11; Luke 1:57-80 And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. (Luke 2:21) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Why do we begin each of these Reflections in the Name of Jesus? In one of the first sermons in the New Testament Church, Peter declares, "And t...

Today's Reading: Luke 12:35-40 Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 60:1-22; Luke 1:39-56 Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them. (Luke 12:37) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Happy New Year! The 365th day of 2021 will soon be ending. 2022 is just around the corner...

Today's Reading: Luke 2:33-40 Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 58:1-59:3, 14-21; Luke 1:26-38 And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him. (Luke 2:40) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Can God make a rock so heavy that He can't lift it? If God can do anything, He can certainly make a rock that is exceedingly heavy. But if God can do anything He could lift it. We...

Today's Reading: Small Catechism:  Table of Duties, To Workers Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 55:1-13; Luke 1:1-25 Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to ma...

Today's Reading: Matthew 2:13-18 Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 52:13-54:10; Matthew 2:13-23 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." And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and depa...

Today's Reading: John 21:19-24 Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 51:17-52:12; Matthew 2:1-12 This is the disciple who is bearing witness about these things, and who has written these things, and we know that his testimony is true. (John 21:24) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. John wrote many things, including several letters and the book of Revelation. But many scholars of the Bible place John's Gospel at the...

Today's Reading: Acts 6:8-7:2, 51-60 Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 49:22-26; 50:4-51:8, 12-16; Matthew 1:18-25 But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. (Acts 7:55) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. You can't get one day into the season of Christmas without rocks flying. Yesterday was a day of joy, of glory for God, peace on ea...

Today's Reading: Luke 2:1-20 Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 49:1-18; Matthew 1:1-17 "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!" (Luke 2:14 NKJV) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. A peculiar choir gathers in the field outside Bethlehem. Angels gather before an audience of shepherds and sing a new song, for the Lord has done a marvelous thing. Their hymn of three parts praises the...

Today's Reading: Isaiah 7:10-14 Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 44:21-45:13, 20-25; Revelation 12:1-17   Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. In his book on Christian doctrine, St. Augustine writes that there are two kinds of signs: natural and conventional. Natural...

Today's Reading: Philippians 4:4-7 Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 43:25-44:20; Revelation 11:1-19 The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:5b-7)   In the Name + o...