Reflections

January 17, 2026 Today's Reading: Introit for Epiphany 2 - Psalm 66:1-5, 20; antiphon: Psalm 66:4; 92:1 Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 39:1-10, 17-29 ; Romans 7:21-8:17 “Shout for joy to God, all the earth; sing the glory of his name; give to him glorious praise! Say to God, ‘How awesome are your deeds! So great is your power that your enemies come cringing to you. All the earth worships you and sings...

January 16, 2026 Today's Reading: Romans 7:1-20 Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 38:1-23 ; Romans 7:1-20 “For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin th...

January 15, 2026 Today's Reading: Catechism: First Commandment Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 37:15-28 ; Romans 6:1-23 “You shall have no other gods. What does this mean? We should fear, love, and trust in God above all things.” (The Small Catechism, The First Commandment) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. One of my favorite exercises in Confirmation is having the confirmands noodle on the question of how...

January 14, 2026 Today's Reading: Ezekiel 36:33-37:14 Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 36:33-37:14 ; Romans 5:1-21 “Then he said to me, ‘Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, Thus says the Lord GOD: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.’ So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood...

January 13, 2026 Today's Reading: 1 Corinthians 1:26-31 Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 36:13-28 ; Romans 4:1-25 “But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.” (...

January 12, 2026 Today's Reading: Joshua 3:1-3, 7-8, 13-17 or Isaiah 42:1-7 Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 34:1-24 ; Romans 3:19-31 “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...

January 11, 2026 Today's Reading: Matthew 3:13-17 Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 33:1-20 ; Romans 3:1-18 “Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, ‘I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?’ But Jesus answered him, ‘Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.’" (Matthew 3:13-15) In the...

January 10, 2026 Today's Reading: Introit for The Baptism of Our Lord - Psalm 89:1, 26-28; antiphon: Liturgical Text; Psalm 89:20 Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 18:1-4, 19-32 ; Ezekiel 19:1-24:27 ; Romans 2:17-29 “I will sing of the steadfast love of the LORD, forever; with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations. He shall cry to me, ‘You are my Father, my God, and the Rock of m...

January 9, 2026 Today's Reading: Ezekiel 3:12-27 Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 3:12-27 ; Ezekiel 4:1-11:25 ; Romans 2:1-16 “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me…But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD.’ He who will hear, let him hear; and...

January 8, 2026 Today's Reading: Catechism - Table of Duties: To Everyone Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 2:1-3:11 ; Romans 1:18-32 “The commandments...are summed up in this one rule: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.’ (Romans 13:9) I urge…that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone. (1 Timothy 2:1)” (Small Catechism, Table of Duties, To Everyone) In the Name + of Jesus. Am...

January 7, 2026 Today's Reading: 1 Peter 4:12-19 Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 1:1-14, 22-28 ; Habakkuk 1:1-3:19 ; Romans 1:1-17 “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.” (1 Peter 4:12-13)...

January 6, 2026 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. And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.” (Matthew 2:10-11) In the Name + of Jesus. A...

January 5, 2026 Today's Reading: Genesis 46:1-7 Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 65:8-25 ; Luke 3:1-20 “I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will make you into a great nation. I myself will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also bring you up again, and Joseph’s hand shall close your eyes.” (Genesis 46:3-4) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Several years ago,...

January 4, 2026 Today's Reading: Matthew 2:13-23 Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 63:15-65:7 ; Luke 2:41-52 “And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, ‘Out of Egypt I called my son.’” (Matthew 2:14-15) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. There is a deep thread of exodus th...

January 3, 2026 Today's Reading: Introit for Second Sunday After Christmas - Psalm 8:1, 4-6; antiphon: Psalm 8:2 Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 63:1-14 ; Luke 2:21-40 “Out of the mouth of babies and infants, you have established strength because of your foes, to still the enemy and the avenger.” (Psalm 8:2) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Christmas provides us with a unique lens to contemplate Psalm 8:2....

January 2, 2026 Today's Reading: Galatians 4:1-7 Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 62:1-12 ; Luke 2:1-20 “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.” (Galatians 4:4-5) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The word Paul uses for time here is "chronos," meaning clock time. The t...

January 1, 2026 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. There is something remarkable and yet so subtle in the Christmas story: the Holy Child of Bethlehem is not called Jesus unti...

December 31, 2025 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…You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” (Luke 12:37, 40) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Awake and ready! These are the words our Lord Jesus uses to describe the mission of His disciples, you...

December 30, 2025 Today's Reading: Isaiah 11:1-5 or 2 Samuel 7:1-16 Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 58:1-59:3, 14-21 ; Luke 1:26-38 “There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him…” (Isaiah 11:1-2a) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Our lives and even this world (our newsfeeds, our headlines, our daily burde...

December 29, 2025 Today's Reading: Luke 2:(22-32) 33-40 Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 55:1-13 ; Luke 1:1-25 “...for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples…” (Luke 2:30-31) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. It is now the fifth day of Christmas, and what is it that you see? Do your eyes gaze on a tree that was once brimming with anticipation, gifts, and loved o...

December 28, 2025 Today's Reading: Matthew 2:13-18 Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 52:13-54:10 ; Matthew 2:13-23 “Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah: ‘A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be comforted for they are no more.’” (Matthew 2:17-18) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Christmas is war . That may sound jarring...

December 27, 2025 Today's Reading: John 21:20-25 Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 51:17-52:12 ; Matthew 2:1-12 “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!” (John 21:22) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. It’s easy to make comparisons to others. The flesh wants to be on top, number one, the best at everything. You see it in children who cry and throw tantrums when they los...

December 26, 2025 Today's Reading: Matthew 23:34-39 Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 49:22-26; 50:4-51:8, 12-16 ; Matthew 1:18-25 “Truly, I say to you all these things will come upon this generation” (Matthew 23:36) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. This text speaks about Jerusalem’s rejection of Christ. Prophets and wise men will come from God only to suffer death, a pattern history reveals in the examples o...

December 25, 2025 Today's Reading: John 1:1-18 Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 49:1-18 ; Matthew 1:1-17 “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The words “in the beginning” take us back to Genesis. We know the story: a perfect, pristine creation by God in six da...

December 24, 2025 Today's Reading: Matthew 1:18-25 Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 44:21-45:13, 20-25 ; Daniel 10:1-12:13 ; Isaiah 48:1-22 ; Revelation 12:1-17 “She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Isaiah 44:21-45:13 makes the point that God is in control of conducting affairs and uses people acco...