Reflections

Today's Reading: Small Catechism: Lord's Prayer, Introduction Daily Lectionary: Proverbs 16:1-24; John 16:1-16 Our Father who art in heaven. What does this mean? With these words God tenderly invites us to believe that He is our true Father and that we are His true children, so that with all boldness and confidence we may ask Him as dear children ask their dear father. (Small Catechism, Lord's Pra...

Today's Reading: Proverbs 9:1-10 Daily Lectionary: Proverbs 15:1-29; John 15:12-27 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight. (Proverbs 9:10) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The time we live in is filled with many confused people who think they are wise, but are not. The prevailing wisdom of our age is to reject the clear teaching of the Bible abou...

Daily Lectionary: John 15:1-11 When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, "Ask what I shall do for you, before I am taken from you." And Elisha said, "Please let there be a double portion of your spirit on me." And he said, "You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it shall be so for you, but if you do not see me, it shall not be so." (2 Kings 2:9-10) In the...

Today's Reading: Luke 14:15-24 Daily Lectionary: Proverbs 13:1-25; John 14:18-31 When one of those who reclined at table with him heard these things, he said to him, "Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!" (Luke 14:15) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The LORD is our God who has created us. He provides all that we need to support this body and life--in the Lord's Prayer, we ca...

Today's Reading: Introit for the Second Sunday after Trinity (Psalm 18:1-2a, 27, 30a, 49; antiphon: vs. 18b-19) Daily Lectionary: Proverbs 10:1-23; John 14:1-17 The Lord was my support in the day of my calamity. He brought me out into a broad place; he rescued me, because he delighted in me. (From the Introit for the Second Sunday after Trinity) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Our Introit for the Se...

Today's Reading: Mark 6:7-13 Daily Lectionary: Proverbs 9:1-18; John 13:21-28 Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyrus, sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet. (Acts 4:36-37) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Today we thank God for redeeming Barnabas by grace through fait...

Daily Lectionary: Proverbs 8:22-36, John 13:1-20 Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. (John 13:1) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Jesus was about to go out to the Garden of Gethsemane, where He would be arrested. Then He would be tortured, falsely t...

Today's Reading: Small Catechism: Apostles Creed, Third Article, part 2 Daily Lectionary: Proverbs 8:1-21; John 12:36b-50 In the same way He calls, gathers, enlightens and sanctifies the whole Christian church on earth, and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith. In this Christian church He daily and richly forgives all my sins and the sins of all believers. On the Last Day He will raise...

Today's Reading: 1 John 4:16-21 Daily Lectionary: Proverbs 5:1-23; John 12:20-36a So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. (1 John 4:16) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Faith is not easy. It can be hard to believe that God loves us as much as He does, because we know all the ways that we have si...

Today's Reading: Genesis 15:1-6 Daily Lectionary: Proverbs 4:1-27; John 12:1-19 And (the LORD) brought (Abram) outside and said, "Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them." Then he said to him, "So shall your offspring be." And he believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness. (Genesis 15:5,6) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. When Abram was 75 and his wi...

Today's Reading: Luke 16:19-31 Daily Lectionary: Proverbs 3:5-24; John 11:38-57 …"If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead." (Luke 16:31b) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Today, we meet Lazarus. He has the distinction of being the only character in Jesus' parables to be given a name. Lazarus means, "One whom God helps." Every day...

Today's Reading: Introit for the First Sunday after Trinity (Psalm 13:1-4; antiphon: vs. 5-6) Daily Lectionary: Proverbs 1:8-33; John 11:17-37 [O Lord,] I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me. (From the Introit for the First Sunday after Trinity) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Psalm 13 was wr...

Daily Lectionary: Ecclesiastes 12:1-14; John 11:1-16 Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near of which you will say, "I have no pleasure in them." (Ecclesiastes 12:1) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. God gave King Solomon special wisdom from God so that he could be a good king over Israel (See 1 Kings 3). You hear powerful wisdom from Sol...

Today's Reading: Romans 11:33-36 Daily Lectionary: Ecclesiastes 11:1-10; John 10:22-42 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! (Romans 11:33) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Romans gives a beautiful explanation of how God saves sinful man through His Son, Jesus Christ. Make it a regular read throughout your life. Y...

Today's Reading: Small Catechism: Apostles Creed, Third Article, pt. 1 Daily Lectionary: Ecclesiastes 10:1-20; John 10:1-21 I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith. (Small Catechism: Apostles Creed, Third Article) In...

Daily Lectionary: John 9:24-41 Jesus said, "For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind." (John 9:39) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. In John 9 we see a man with tremendous courage. He had been born blind, and Jesus had given him sight. It was such an amazing miracle that everyone was praising Jesus, which caused the Jewish leaders to br...

Today's Reading: Isaiah 6:1-7 Daily Lectionary: Ecclesiastes 8:1-17; John 9:1-23 "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!" (Isaiah 6:3b) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Isaiah goes into the temple and sees the Lord God sitting on a throne. God is so glorious that even the train of His robe fills the huge building. John 12:41 tells us that Isaiah is seeing the Son...

Today's Reading: John 3:1-17 Daily Lectionary: Numbers 35:9-30; Luke 24:28-53 Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God." (John 3:5) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Nicodemus knew that Jesus was a teacher sent from God, but he wanted to learn more, so he came to Jesus at night. What he learned was greater than he could...

Today's Reading: Introit for Holy Trinity (Psalm 8:1-2a, 3-5; antiphon: Liturgical Text) Daily Lectionary: Numbers 32:1-6, 16-27; Luke 24:1-27 Out of the mouth of babies and infants, you have established strength because of your foes, to still the enemy and the avenger. (From the Introit for the Holy Trinity) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The Introit for Trinity Sunday is based on Psalm 8. This ps...

Today's Reading: Genesis 11:1-9 Daily Lectionary: Numbers 27:12-23; Luke 23:26-56 Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the LORD confused the language of all the earth. And from there the LORD dispersed them over the face of all the earth. (Genesis 11:9) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. As we continue to celebrate Pentecost, we rejoice that the Gospel of Christ Jesus has gone all around...

Today's Reading: Acts 2:1-21 Daily Lectionary: Numbers 24:1-25; Luke 23:1-25 But others mocking said, "They are filled with new wine." (Acts 2:13) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Today, we hear the account of what happened on Pentecost. The believers were all together. The mighty rushing wind blew around them, and then tongues of flame appeared on the believers' heads as the Holy Spirit was poured o...

Today's Reading: Small Catechism: Apostles Creed, Second Article, part 3 Daily Lectionary: Numbers 23:4-28; Luke 22:47-71 …that I may be His own and live under Him in His kingdom and serve Him in everlasting righteousness, innocence and blessedness, just as He is risen from the dead, lives and reigns to all eternity. This is most certainly true. (Small Catechism: Apostles Creed, Second Article) In...

Today's Reading: John 10:1-10 Daily Lectionary: Numbers 22:21-23:3; Luke 22:24-46 "When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers." (John 10:4,5) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Today we continue our celebration of Pentecost as we hea...

Today's Reading: John 3:16-21 Daily Lectionary: Numbers 22:1-20; Luke 22:1-23 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Yesterday we celebrated the Feast of Pentecost. Now, for two days after Pentecost, the Church focuses on readings that help us remember important things ab...

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid." (John 14:27) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. A joyful and blessed Pentecost to you! Today we celebrate the day that the Holy Spirit was poured out upon the Church. We rejoice that He caused the Gospel to be preached--starting in Jerusalem and then to...