Psalm 8

Reading: St. John 3:1-15

There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.”

Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”

Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

Nicodemus answered and said to Him, “How can these things be?”

Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things? Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.

Meditation: How excellent is God’s name in all the earth! Now, after long ages His name is finally revealed in all its fullness: Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, the eternal God who is trinity in unity and unity in trinity. This most excellent name of God is revealed thus—thefullname of God—for the first time by Jesus; not only revealed, but given to those baptized in it. Since God’s name is life and salvation, therefore one who receives it in Baptism is given rebirth and new life, by that name. Nic­odemus did not understand this, and so he scoffs:How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?Jesus’ answer is a stern rebuke: not only is this so, Nicodemus, but if one is not born by water and the Spirit, that is, by Holy Baptism in the name of God, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. Yes, Nicodemus! a man must be born when he is old: for the Old Adam must be renewed or he will perish. Yes, Nicodemus! a man must enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born: Baptism is second birth, the font is the second womb, and the Church is the second Mother.

Psalm 8

Reading: Acts 3:1-21 or 3:1-10

Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered the temple; who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms. And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, “Look at us.” So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them—walking, leaping, and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God. Then they knew that it was he who sat begging alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

Now as the lame man who was healed held on to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch which is called Solomon’s, greatly amazed. So when Peter saw it, he responded to the people: “Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified His Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go. But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses. And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.

“Yet now, brethren, I know that you did it in ignorance, as did also your rulers. But those things which God foretold by the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled. Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.

Meditation: At the gate of the temple called Beautiful a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was daily seen. But here he is healed by Peter and John, and he walks and leaps and praises God, entering this temple. This he did by the power of the name of Jesus Christ, by which Peter told him to rise and walk. Now, by the power of that name he no longer lies at the gate, unable to enter. Spoken by the Apostles, this name gives him entrance into the Beautiful place:beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion. So also, does Baptism in the name of Jesus Christ give entrance into the kingdom of heaven, which is likewise beautiful. But unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the beautiful kingdom of heaven. He must be born a second time, for he too is lame from his first mother’s womb, unable to walk before God. But by the name of God, given in Baptism, do the faithful rise and walk and enter the beautiful kingdom. The apostolic ministry of Peter and John was to give entrance to the kingdom to those unable to enter.

Psalm 8

Reading: Acts 4:1-37 or 4:23-31

Now as they spoke to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees came upon them, being greatly disturbed that they taught the people and preached in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. And they laid hands on them, and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. However, many of those who heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.

And it came to pass, on the next day, that their rulers, elders, and scribes, as well as Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the family of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem. And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, “By what power or by what name have you done this?”

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders of Israel: If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well, let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. This is the stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’ Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus. And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it. But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves, saying, “What shall we do to these men? For, indeed, that a notable miracle has been done through them is evident to all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. But so that it spreads no further among the people, let us severely threaten them, that from now on they speak to no man in this name.”

So they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.” So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way of punishing them, because of the people, since they all glorified God for what had been done. For the man was over forty years old on whom this miracle of healing had been performed.

And being let go, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: “Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them, who by the mouth of Your servant David have said:

Why did the nations rage,
And the people plot vain things?
The kings of the earth took their stand,
And the rulers were gathered together
Against the LORD and against His Christ.’

“For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done. Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.”

And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.

Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all. Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, and laid them at the apostles’ feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need.

And Joses, who was also named Barnabas by the apostles (which is translated Son of Encouragement), a Levite of the country of Cyprus, having land, sold it, and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

Meditation: See how these Apostles obtained their boldness to speak in the name of Jesus: they knew they were living the life of Jesus who had said to them,Follow Me. So they expected and gladly endured the opposi­tion of strong enemies who would lay hands on them. Did not men lay hands on Jesus first? Indeed; thus they counted it the highest honor if men would also lay hands on them who followed Him. For to follow Him at all is to follow Him in suffering. They did not shrink from the cross, but welcomed it. Forthe kings of the earth took their stand, and the rulers were gath­ered together against the Lord and against His Christ. Thus, as they understood that it was according to the Scriptures that Herod, Pilate, and the Gentiles gathered together against the holy Child Jesus, so also they under­stood their own situa­tion: Now, Lord, look on their threats, they prayed. Mindful of the great honor of suffer­ing with Christ they gained great boldness; yea, even the place where they were assembled was shaken, so filled with the Holy Ghost were they, mindful of this truth.

Psalm 8

Reading: Acts 5:1-42 or 5:12-16

But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession. And he kept back part of the proceeds, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles’ feet. But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.”

Then Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and breathed his last. So great fear came upon all those who heard these things. And the young men arose and wrapped him up, carried him out, and buried him.

Now it was about three hours later when his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. And Peter answered her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for so much?”

She said, “Yes, for so much.”

Then Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.” Then immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. And the young men came in and found her dead, and carrying her out, buried her by her husband. So great fear came upon all the church and upon all who heard these things.

And through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. And they were all with one accord in Solomon’s Porch. Yet none of the rest dared join them, but the people esteemed them highly. And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, so that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them. Also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed.

Then the high priest rose up, and all those who were with him (which is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with indignation, and laid their hands on the apostles and put them in the common prison. But at night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said, “Go, stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life.”

And when they heard that, they entered the temple early in the morning and taught. But the high priest and those with him came and called the council together, with all the elders of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.

But when the officers came and did not find them in the prison, they returned and reported, saying, “Indeed we found the prison shut securely, and the guards standing outside before the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside!” Now when the high priest, the captain of the temple, and the chief priests heard these things, they wondered what the outcome would be. So one came and told them, saying, “Look, the men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people!”

Then the captain went with the officers and brought them without violence, for they feared the people, lest they should be stoned. And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest asked them, saying, “Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? And look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this Man’s blood on us!”

But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: “We ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree. Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him.”

When they heard this, they were furious and plotted to kill them. Then one in the council stood up, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in respect by all the people, and commanded them to put the apostles outside for a little while. And he said to them: “Men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what you intend to do regarding these men. For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody. A number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was slain, and all who obeyed him were scattered and came to nothing. After this man, Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the census, and drew away many people after him. He also perished, and all who obeyed him were dispersed. And now I say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone; for if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing; but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it—lest you even be found to fight against God.”

And they agreed with him, and when they had called for the apostles and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name. And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.

Meditation: On Solomon’s porch did they stand, doing signs and wonders. Here also did Jesus once stand, when the Jews demanded that He tell them plainly if He be the Christ, and He replied, I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in My Father’s name, they bear witness of me (John 10.25). So also, the works that the Apostles do continue to bear witness of Him, for their works are still His works; the acts of the Apostles are nothing more than the continua­tion of the works Jesus only began to do in the Gospels. The people quickly learned this, and in recognizing it, esteemed them highly, and brought their sick to them just as they had to Jesus,that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them. For the shadow of Peter is cast by the sun, which is to say, the apostolic shadow is cast by the Sun of Righteousness, which is Christ. They healed every one, even as Christ had healed every one brought to Him. The power and authority of evil is as much overpowered in the apostolic minis­try (which continues to the present day in the Apostles’ succes­sors) as it is in Christ’s own ministry.

Psalm 8

Reading: Acts 6:1-15 or 6:8-1

Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business; but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”

And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch, whom they set before the apostles; and when they had prayed, they laid hands on them.

Then the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.

And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people. Then there arose some from what is called the Synagogue of the Freedmen (Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and those from Cilicia and Asia), disputing with Stephen. And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke. Then they secretly induced men to say, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.” And they stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes; and they came upon him, seized him, and brought him to the council. They also set up false witnesses who said, “This man does not cease to speak blasphemous words against this holy place and the law; for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs which Moses delivered to us.” And all who sat in the council, looking steadfastly at him, saw his face as the face of an angel.

Meditation: Stephen too is now seen to be full of faith and power, doing great wonders and signs among the people. But Stephen was no apostle! See, the apostolic authority over evil extends even beyond the Apostles themselves, now to Stephen whom they ordained (on whom they laid their hands). But what was this authority and power? None other than the power of the word of God, as it says, They were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke. All they could do was the same they had done against Christ Himself: charge him with blasphemy and arrest him, bring him to the council, and set up false witnesses against him. Now Christ is seen in Stephen! His Passion history is repeated in the life of this saint. Small wonder, then, that they saw his face as the face of an angel. An angel is a messen­ger, an ambassador, who bears divine message and presence. So whose face was this? Stephen’s? An angel’s? Or Christ’s? In Ste­phen, then, we see Christ, most especially as this bearer of Christ’s word is persecuted as Christ was.

Psalm 8

Reading: Acts 7:1-60 or 7:54-60

Then the high priest said, “Are these things so?”

And he said, “Brethren and fathers, listen: The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Haran, and said to him, Get out of your country and from your relatives, and come to a land that I will show you.’ Then he came out of the land of the Chaldeans and dwelt in Haran. And from there, when his father was dead, He moved him to this land in which you now dwell. And God gave him no inheritance in it, not even enough to set his foot on. But even when Abraham had no child, He promised to give it to him for a possession, and to his descendants after him. But God spoke in this way: that his descendants would dwell in a foreign land, and that they would bring them into bondage and oppress them four hundred years. And the nation to whom they will be in bondage I will judge,’ said God, and after that they shall come out and serve Me in this place.’ Then He gave him the covenant of circumcision; and so Abraham begot Isaac and circumcised him on the eighth day; and Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot the twelve patriarchs.

“And the patriarchs, becoming envious, sold Joseph into Egypt. But God was with him and delivered him out of all his troubles, and gave him favor and wisdom in the presence of Pharaoh, king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house. Now a famine and great trouble came over all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and our fathers found no sustenance. But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent out our fathers first. And the second time Joseph was made known to his brothers, and Joseph’s family became known to the Pharaoh. Then Joseph sent and called his father Jacob and all his relatives to him, seventy-five people. So Jacob went down to Egypt; and he died, he and our fathers. And they were carried back to Shechem and laid in the tomb that Abraham bought for a sum of money from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem.

“But when the time of the promise drew near which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt till another king arose who did not know Joseph. This man dealt treacherously with our people, and oppressed our forefathers, making them expose their babies, so that they might not live. At this time Moses was born, and was well pleasing to God; and he was brought up in his father’s house for three months. But when he was set out, Pharaoh’s daughter took him away and brought him up as her own son. And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and deeds.

“Now when he was forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren, the children of Israel. And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended and avenged him who was oppressed, and struck down the Egyptian. For he supposed that his brethren would have understood that God would deliver them by his hand, but they did not understand. And the next day he appeared to two of them as they were fighting, and tried to reconcile them, saying, ‘Men, you are brethren; why do you wrong one another?’ But he who did his neighbor wrong pushed him away, saying, Who made you a ruler and a judge over us? Do you want to kill me as you did the Egyptian yesterday?’ Then, at this saying, Moses fled and became a dweller in the land of Midian, where he had two sons.

“And when forty years had passed, an Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire in a bush, in the wilderness of Mount Sinai. When Moses saw it, he marveled at the sight; and as he drew near to observe, the voice of the Lord came to him, saying, I am the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ And Moses trembled and dared not look. Then the LORD said to him, “Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground. I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt; I have heard their groaning and have come down to deliver them. And now come, I will send you to Egypt.” ’

“This Moses whom they rejected, saying, Who made you a ruler and a judge?’ is the one God sent to be a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the Angel who appeared to him in the bush. He brought them out, after he had shown wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red Sea, and in the wilderness forty years.

“This is that Moses who said to the children of Israel, The LORD your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear.’

“This is he who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the Angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers, the one who received the living oracles to give to us, whom our fathers would not obey, but rejected. And in their hearts they turned back to Egypt, saying to Aaron, ‘Make us gods to go before us; as for this Moses who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’ And they made a calf in those days, offered sacrifices to the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands. Then God turned and gave them up to worship the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the Prophets:

Did you offer Me slaughtered animals and sacrifices during forty years in the wilderness,
O house of Israel?
You also took up the tabernacle of Moloch,
And the star of your god Remphan,
Images which you made to worship;
And I will carry you away beyond Babylon.’

“Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as He appointed, instructing Moses to make it according to the pattern that he had seen, which our fathers, having received it in turn, also brought with Joshua into the land possessed by the Gentiles, whom God drove out before the face of our fathers until the days of David, who found favor before God and asked to find a dwelling for the God of Jacob. But Solomon built Him a house.

“However, the Most High does not dwell in temples made with hands, as the prophet says:

‘Heaven is My throne,
And earth is My footstool.
What house will you build for Me? says the LORD,
Or what is the place of My rest?
Has My hand not made all these things?’

“You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you. Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers, who have received the law by the direction of angels and have not kept it.”

When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth. But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and said, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”

Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord; and they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

Meditation: The members of the council who had arrested Stephen were cut to the heart, for he had called them stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears. They had heard him recount the history of Israel and then tell them that they were not the true Israel, because they were the enemies and murderers of the Christ of Israel. So they gnashed at him with their teeth, further indicating that they are not the true Israel: the gnashing of teeth is what the castaways will also do at the Last Day, for they will have an eternal hunger and empty mouths. And they cast him out of the city and stoned him, for they indeed were living by the letter of the law, written on stone, not seeing Christ as the end of the law. Neither did they see that by casting Stephen out of their city they were again crucifying Christ, outside the city; nor did they hear Christ through Stephen, though his last prayers were the same as Christ’s last prayers: first, for the forgive­ness of the persecu­tors, and second, for heavenly recep­tion of his spirit. They did not hear because they had stopped their ears. Such is unbelief, never having ears to hear.

Psalm 8

Reading: Acts 8:1-40 or 8:14-25

Now Saul was consenting to his death.

At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.

As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison.

Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word. Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. And there was great joy in that city.

But there was a certain man called Simon, who previously practiced sorcery in the city and astonished the people of Samaria, claiming that he was someone great, to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the great power of God.” And they heeded him because he had astonished them with his sorceries for a long time. But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. Then Simon himself also believed; and when he was baptized he continued with Philip, and was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs which were done.

Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, saying, “Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”

But Peter said to him, “Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money! You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity.”

Then Simon answered and said, “Pray to the Lord for me, that none of the things which you have spoken may come upon me.”

So when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.

Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, “Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is desert. So he arose and went. And behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasury, and had come to Jerusalem to worship, was returning. And sitting in his chariot, he was reading Isaiah the prophet. Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go near and overtake this chariot.”

So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?”

And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him. The place in the Scripture which he read was this:

“He was led as a sheep to the slaughter;
And as a lamb before its shearer is silent,
So He opened not His mouth.
In His humiliation His justice was taken away,
And who will declare His generation?
For His life is taken from the earth.”

So the eunuch answered Philip and said, “I ask you, of whom does the prophet say this, of himself or of some other man?” Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him. Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, “See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?”

Then Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.”

And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”

So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him. Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing. But Philip was found at Azotus. And passing through, he preached in all the cities till he came to Caesarea.

Meditation: What is this, that the Holy Ghost had not yet fallen upon these people in Samaria who only had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus? Does not Baptism give the Holy Ghost? So what what is the meaning of this? Recall how the resurrected Jesus had once breathed on His Apostles, saying, Receive the Holy Spirit. But they too were already bap­tized and had received the Holy Ghost for faith. So what now did they receive? Jesus continued, saying, If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them, etc. See, He was calling and ordaining them into the Holy Apostolic Minis­try, whose office is to forgive and retain sins. So also now, the people in Samaria, who are already bap­tized and believ­ing, still had no one to preach and minister to them; that is, no one holding the office of the Holy Ghost, which is the Holy Apostolic Ministry. So see what is happening here: the Apostles are providing the new Samari­tan church with her first ministers! Christ gives this gift to His whole Church there, so the writer simply says they laid hands on them, since the hands that ordained their pastor thus blessed them all.

Psalm 13

Reading: St. Luke 16:19-31

“There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

“Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’

“Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’ Abraham said to him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ But he said to him, If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’ ”

Meditation: The rich man is clothed in royal purple and is satisfied with the riches of this life, but Lazarus laid at his gate is a poor beggar. Yet how different are they in death! For the rich man was buried, yet poor Lazarus was carried by angels. So now we know how different was the true state of affairs than it appeared. The rich man was not truly rich, but empty toward Christ, who does not even know His name, while the beggar was a faithful man whom Christ knew by name: Lazarus! His begging was truly toward Christ, for do not the faithful ever beg God for mercy? So Lazarus was en­light­ened, and did not sleep the sleep of death; while the rich man never saw him for the prince he truly was, until it was too late. Now behold, the rich man begs, and Lazarus, feasting with Abra­ham, cannot hear him! Nor can his brothers be helped, for if they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead. For it is only the word of God which converts the heart. They that have ears to hear are blessed, and rich, and satisfied with the fatness of His house, even if they be poor beggars on earth.

Psalm 13

Reading: Acts 9:1-43 or 9:3-19

Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.

As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”

And he said, “Who are You, Lord?”

Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.”

So he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?”

Then the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one. Then Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened he saw no one. But they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, “Ananias.”

And he said, “Here I am, Lord.”

So the Lord said to him, “Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying. And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, so that he might receive his sight.”

Then Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.”

But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.”

And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized.

So when he had received food, he was strengthened. Then Saul spent some days with the disciples at Damascus.

Immediately he preached the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God.

Then all who heard were amazed, and said, “Is this not he who destroyed those who called on this name in Jerusalem, and has come here for that purpose, so that he might bring them bound to the chief priests?”

But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, proving that this Jesus is the Christ.

Now after many days were past, the Jews plotted to kill him. But their plot became known to Saul. And they watched the gates day and night, to kill him. Then the disciples took him by night and let him down through the wall in a large basket.

And when Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, and did not believe that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. And he declared to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus. So he was with them at Jerusalem, coming in and going out. And he spoke boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus and disputed against the Hellenists, but they attempted to kill him. When the brethren found out, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him out to Tarsus.

Then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied.

Now it came to pass, as Peter went through all parts of the country, that he also came down to the saints who dwelt in Lydda. There he found a certain man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden eight years and was paralyzed. And Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus the Christ heals you. Arise and make your bed.” Then he arose immediately. So all who dwelt at Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.

At Joppa there was a certain disciple named Tabitha, which is translated Dorcas. This woman was full of good works and charitable deeds which she did. But it happened in those days that she became sick and died. When they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room. And since Lydda was near Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent two men to him, imploring him not to delay in coming to them. Then Peter arose and went with them. When he had come, they brought him to the upper room. And all the widows stood by him weeping, showing the tunics and garments which Dorcas had made while she was with them. But Peter put them all out, and knelt down and prayed. And turning to the body he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. Then he gave her his hand and lifted her up; and when he had called the saints and widows, he presented her alive. And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed on the Lord. So it was that he stayed many days in Joppa with Simon, a tanner.

Meditation: When the light of Christ shined upon Saul, he fell to the earth blinded, heard Jesus’ voice, and now began a life of submis­sion to the One he had been persecuting, saying, Lord, what do you want me to do? So now he, at last knowing Christ, learns also to consider Christ’s death and resurrection, for he himself will be in the darkness of blindness for three days, before his own Baptism into the resurrected One. Then, on the street called Straight, in the house of one Judas, he by Baptism re­ceives Christ who is the Way: while on the Straight Way he receives the Way who makes the crooked straight. And with the name Judas we are reminded of how the ranks of Jesus’ closest disciples were once breached by the Evil One, that we may rejoice in this vindication, as the highest ranks of the Evil One are breached in return by Christ, and Saul himself, the very leader of the persecution effort, is snatched away by Christ for His Kingdom, as Christ now calls him a chosen vessel of mine, to bear My name before Gentiles.

Psalm 13

Reading: Acts 10:1-33 or 10:9-22

There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment, a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always. About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, “Cornelius!”

And when he observed him, he was afraid, and said, “What is it, lord?”

So he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God. Now send men to Joppa, and send for Simon whose surname is Peter. He is lodging with Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea. He will tell you what you must do.” And when the angel who spoke to him had departed, Cornelius called two of his household servants and a devout soldier from among those who waited on him continually. So when he had explained all these things to them, he sent them to Joppa.

The next day, as they went on their journey and drew near the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour. Then he became very hungry and wanted to eat; but while they made ready, he fell into a trance and saw heaven opened and an object like a great sheet bound at the four corners, descending to him and let down to the earth. In it were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. And a voice came to him, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.”

But Peter said, “Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean.”

And a voice spoke to him again the second time, “What God has cleansed you must not call common.” This was done three times. And the object was taken up into heaven again.

Now while Peter wondered within himself what this vision which he had seen meant, behold, the men who had been sent from Cornelius had made inquiry for Simon’s house, and stood before the gate. And they called and asked whether Simon, whose surname was Peter, was lodging there.

While Peter thought about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are seeking you. Arise therefore, go down and go with them, doubting nothing; for I have sent them.”

Then Peter went down to the men who had been sent to him from Cornelius, and said, “Yes, I am he whom you seek. For what reason have you come?”

And they said, “Cornelius the centurion, a just man, one who fears God and has a good reputation among all the nation of the Jews, was divinely instructed by a holy angel to summon you to his house, and to hear words from you.” Then he invited them in and lodged them.

On the next day Peter went away with them, and some brethren from Joppa accompanied him.

And the following day they entered Caesarea. Now Cornelius was waiting for them, and had called together his relatives and close friends. As Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him. But Peter lifted him up, saying, “Stand up; I myself am also a man.” And as he talked with him, he went in and found many who had come together. Then he said to them, “You know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company with or go to one of another nation. But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean. Therefore I came without objection as soon as I was sent for. I ask, then, for what reason have you sent for me?”

So Cornelius said, “Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing, and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your alms are remembered in the sight of God. Send therefore to Joppa and call Simon here, whose surname is Peter. He is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea. When he comes, he will speak to you.’ So I sent to you immediately, and you have done well to come. Now therefore, we are all present before God, to hear all the things commanded you by God.”

Meditation: Peter prays upon the housetop because he is the foremost of all the Apostles in the house of God. He prays about the sixth hour, which is noon, the central hour of the Lord’s crucifixion. Now Christ is the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world; hence God is not a respecter of persons, and must teach the same to Peter. The special status of the nation of Israel, token as it was of things to come, is now at an end; so also cleanness or uncleanness of certain foods, token as that was of Israel’s special status, is also at an end. So Peter is given command to eat unclean foods, something hereto­fore unheard of. This is to show him how the Gentiles are now to be included as Gentiles, as the resurrected Jesus had Himself declared, saying, Make disciples of all the nations. Yet this was once forbidden by God; therefore though the command is given thrice by the thrice holy One, still Peter is uncertain, until the Spirit shows him that the three men seeking him are also from the thrice holy One. Thus the Prince of the Apostles must now acknowledge that the New Testament requires the new inclusion of Gentiles.

Psalm 13

Reading: Acts 11:1-30 or 11.1-4*,15-18 (*not including “saying”)

Now the apostles and brethren who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. And when Peter came up to Jerusalem, those of the circumcision contended with him, saying, “You went in to uncircumcised men and ate with them!”

But Peter explained it to them in order from the beginning, saying: “I was in the city of Joppa praying; and in a trance I saw a vision, an object descending like a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came to me. When I observed it intently and considered, I saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. And I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’ But I said, ‘Not so, Lord! For nothing common or unclean has at any time entered my mouth.’ But the voice answered me again from heaven, ‘What God has cleansed you must not call common.’ Now this was done three times, and all were drawn up again into heaven. At that very moment, three men stood before the house where I was, having been sent to me from Caesarea. Then the Spirit told me to go with them, doubting nothing. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house. And he told us how he had seen an angel standing in his house, who said to him, ‘Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon whose surname is Peter, who will tell you words by which you and all your household will be saved.’ And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, as upon us at the beginning. Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ If therefore God gave them the same gift as He gave us when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could withstand God?”

When they heard these things they became silent; and they glorified God, saying, “Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life.”

Now those who were scattered after the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to no one but the Jews only. But some of them were men from Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they had come to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord.

Then news of these things came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent out Barnabas to go as far as Antioch. When he came and had seen the grace of God, he was glad, and encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord. For he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord.

Then Barnabas departed for Tarsus to seek Saul. And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.

And in these days prophets came from Jerusalem to Antioch. Then one of them, named Agabus, stood up and showed by the Spirit that there was going to be a great famine throughout all the world, which also happened in the days of Claudius Caesar. Then the disciples, each according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brethren dwelling in Judea. This they also did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.

Meditation: Now Peter must convince the others of what he himself has been convinced, namely, that then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life. At first they contended with him, but when he recounted to them all that transpired in order to be convinced himself, they became silent. For Peter tells them that now upon the Gentiles the Holy Ghost has been poured out, as upon us at the beginning. That is, the Pentecost miracle has been repeated. What was that miracle? They heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. These tongues, we recall, were the tongues of all the nations who had been gathered at Jerusalem for the feast of Pentecost. So again are the tongues of all nations heard, making unmistakable the Spirit’s confirmation of the very words of the resurrected Christ: Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations. All nations, that is, all Gentiles: the outpouring of the Spirit, then, is a spilling forth of the Gospel beyond the borders of Jewry, as never before permitted. The reluctance of the Apostles to receive this is testimony to their faithfulness to the tradition; their final reception of it is testimony to their submission to the authority of God.

Psalm 13

Reading: Acts 12:1-25 or 12:1,7-16

Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church. Then he killed James the brother of John with the sword. And because he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to seize Peter also. Now it was during the Days of Unleavened Bread. So when he had arrested him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of soldiers to keep him, intending to bring him before the people after Passover.

Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church. And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison. Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, “Arise quickly!” And his chains fell off his hands. Then the angel said to him, “Gird yourself and tie on your sandals”; and so he did. And he said to him, “Put on your garment and follow me.” So he went out and followed him, and did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. When they were past the first and the second guard posts, they came to the iron gate that leads to the city, which opened to them of its own accord; and they went out and went down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him.

And when Peter had come to himself, he said, “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jewish people.”

So, when he had considered this, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered together praying. And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a girl named Rhoda came to answer. When she recognized Peter’s voice, because of her gladness she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter stood before the gate. But they said to her, “You are beside yourself!” Yet she kept insisting that it was so. So they said, “It is his angel.”

Now Peter continued knocking; and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished. But motioning to them with his hand to keep silent, he declared to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, “Go, tell these things to James and to the brethren.” And he departed and went to another place.

Then, as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers about what had become of Peter. But when Herod had searched for him and not found him, he examined the guards and commanded that they should be put to death.

And he went down from Judea to Caesarea, and stayed there.

Now Herod had been very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon; but they came to him with one accord, and having made Blastus the king’s personal aide their friend, they asked for peace, because their country was supplied with food by the king’s country.

So on a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat on his throne and gave an oration to them. And the people kept shouting, “The voice of a god and not of a man!” Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died.

But the word of God grew and multiplied.

And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had fulfilled their ministry, and they also took with them John whose surname was Mark.

Meditation: Behold how the enemies of the Church fight. But now, lest her enemy say, I have prevailed against her, and those that trouble her rejoice when she is moved, her Lord intervenes, as an angel rescues Peter from prison. Neither chains, nor the the first and second guard posts, nor the iron gate can hold him, for when the Lord deals bountifully with him, none is strong enough to bind him (If God is for us, who can be against us?). Yet this imprisonment followed upon the first execution of one of the twelve. Thus, although in the escape of Peter we see the al­mighty hand of God’s angel, yet James was not spared. Though Christ sits at the right hand of Power, yet persecution and death fall upon His people. Why? Behold now the appearance of Peter at the door, how very like the first appearances of the resur­rected Jesus Himself: a woman’s tidings are disbelieved, Peter stands by the closed door, and he beckons with his hand. In this we recall that the persecution and vindication of the Church is nothing other than a holy repetition of the suffering and resur­rection of Christ.

Psalm 13

Reading: Acts 13:1-52 or 13:1-12 

Now in the church that was at Antioch there were certain prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away.

So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus. And when they arrived in Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. They also had John as their assistant.

Now when they had gone through the island to Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew whose name was Bar-Jesus, who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. This man called for Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. But Elymas the sorcerer (for so his name is translated) withstood them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. Then Saul, who also is called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him and said, “O full of all deceit and all fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease perverting the straight ways of the Lord? And now, indeed, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you shall be blind, not seeing the sun for a time.”

And immediately a dark mist fell on him, and he went around seeking someone to lead him by the hand. Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what had been done, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord.

Now when Paul and his party set sail from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia; and John, departing from them, returned to Jerusalem. But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and sat down. And after the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent to them, saying, “Men and brethren, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, say on.”

Then Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said, “Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen: The God of this people Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with an uplifted arm He brought them out of it. Now for a time of about forty years He put up with their ways in the wilderness. And when He had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, He distributed their land to them by allotment.

“After that He gave them judges for about four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet. And afterward they asked for a king; so God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. And when He had removed him, He raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.’ From this man’s seed, according to the promise, God raised up for Israel a Savior—Jesus— after John had first preached, before His coming, the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. And as John was finishing his course, he said, Who do you think I am? I am not He. But behold, there comes One after me, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to loose.’

“Men and brethren, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, to you the word of this salvation has been sent. For those who dwell in Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they did not know Him, nor even the voices of the Prophets which are read every Sabbath, have fulfilled them in condemning Him. And though they found no cause for death in Him, they asked Pilate that He should be put to death. Now when they had fulfilled all that was written concerning Him, they took Him down from the tree and laid Him in a tomb. But God raised Him from the dead. He was seen for many days by those who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are His witnesses to the people. And we declare to you glad tidings—that promise which was made to the fathers. God has fulfilled this for us their children, in that He has raised up Jesus. As it is also written in the second Psalm:

You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.’

And that He raised Him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, He has spoken thus:

I will give you the sure mercies of David.’
Therefore He also says in another Psalm:
You will not allow Your Holy One to see corruption.’

“For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell asleep, was buried with his fathers, and saw corruption; but He whom God raised up saw no corruption. Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins; and by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses. Beware therefore, lest what has been spoken in the prophets come upon you:

‘Behold, you despisers,
Marvel and perish!
For I work a work in your days,
A work which you will by no means believe,
Though one were to declare it to you.’ ”

So when the Jews went out of the synagogue, the Gentiles begged that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath. Now when the congregation had broken up, many of the Jews and devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.

On the next Sabbath almost the whole city came together to hear the word of God. But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy; and contradicting and blaspheming, they opposed the things spoken by Paul. Then Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said, “It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first; but since you reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles. For so the Lord has commanded us:

I have set you as a light to the Gentiles,
That you should be for salvation to the ends of the earth.’ ”

Now when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.

And the word of the Lord was being spread throughout all the region. But the Jews stirred up the devout and prominent women and the chief men of the city, raised up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region. But they shook off the dust from their feet against them, and came to Iconium. And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

Meditation: As Paul and Barnabas go forth as missionaries, behold how a false prophet also goes forth, whose name was Bar-Jesus, which means, son of Jesus. But Jesus has no sons; His Apostles He calls, rather, brethren, and He is Himself the Son of God. From this we learn how it is that whenever faithful preach­ers are found, there false prophets may also be expected. But now see how Paul, according to his office, condemns this man as no bar-jesus, but son of the devil, who perverts the ways of the Lord. Then the man is blinded, as is fitting, for he has been seeking to turn away from the faith the proconsul of that country, that is, seeking to blind one whose eyes had been lightened by the Gospel. But since Paul does not fail in his duty to condemn this perversion, so the proconsul believed, when he saw what had been done, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord. For to preach the Gospel is also to condemn what is falsely preached; this is the office of the Holy Ghost. Since Paul’s faithful preaching here is not on his own authority, thus he is also here first called Paul rather than Saul, his former name.

Psalm 13

Reading: Acts 14:1-28 or 14:8-18

Now it happened in Iconium that they went together to the synagogue of the Jews, and so spoke that a great multitude both of the Jews and of the Greeks believed. But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brethren. Therefore they stayed there a long time, speaking boldly in the Lord, who was bearing witness to the word of His grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands.

But the multitude of the city was divided: part sided with the Jews, and part with the apostles. And when a violent attempt was made by both the Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, to abuse and stone them, they became aware of it and fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the surrounding region. And they were preaching the gospel there.

And in Lystra a certain man without strength in his feet was sitting, a cripple from his mother’s womb, who had never walked. This man heard Paul speaking. Paul, observing him intently and seeing that he had faith to be healed, said with a loud voice, “Stand up straight on your feet!” And he leaped and walked. Now when the people saw what Paul had done, they raised their voices, saying in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!” And Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. Then the priest of Zeus, whose temple was in front of their city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, intending to sacrifice with the multitudes.

But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard this, they tore their clothes and ran in among the multitude, crying out and saying, “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men with the same nature as you, and preach to you that you should turn from these useless things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all things that are in them, who in bygone generations allowed all nations to walk in their own ways. Nevertheless He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good, gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.” And with these sayings they could scarcely restrain the multitudes from sacrificing to them.

Then Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there; and having persuaded the multitudes, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead. However, when the disciples gathered around him, he rose up and went into the city. And the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.

And when they had preached the gospel to that city and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, “We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.” So when they had appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed. And after they had passed through Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia. Now when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia. From there they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work which they had completed.

Now when they had come and gathered the church together, they reported all that God had done with them, and that He had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles. So they stayed there a long time with the disciples.

Meditation: See how Paul’s ministry recapitulates Jesus’ minis­try, when he heals this crippled man. Recall the paralytic who was once brought similarly to Jesus, who, seeing their faith, forgave him and healed him. Here we see a man who must likewise have been brought by others, being unable himself to walk. So also, as Jesus had perceived the faith of those who had brought to Him the paralytic, does Paul, steadfastly beholding this man, now perceive faith in him. And again, Jesus had healed the paralytic with His enemies nearby, so here Paul and Barnabas are found to have enemies on every hand. Yet Paul, like Jesus, heals the lame and speaks with such authority that men marvel: they call him Hermes, divine messenger of the gods, and Barnabas they call Zeus, king of the gods. For they perceived that these men carried divine authority, which they did, but they did not know its source, since they still walked in their own ways, unlike this healed man who now walked and leaped, in Him who is the Way.

Psalm 18

Reading: St. Luke 14.16-24

Meditation: Consider the excuses of those who refused the gra­cious invitation to the great supper. The first says, I have bought a piece of ground, for he does not believe that the meek shall inherit the earth. The second says, I have bought five yoke of oxen, for he does not believe that Christ’s yoke is easy and His burden is light. The third says, I have married a wife, for he does not believe in the Heavenly Banquet of the Bridegroom and the Bride. These are not the true citizens of Israel; for one sees the value of land, but the promised land of Israel was not an end unto itself; another sees the value of five yoke, but the five books of Moses are not an end unto themselves; and the other sees the value of marriage, but even marriage is not an end unto itself. But these are shadows; the substance is of Christ, the Seed of David, as all true Israelites would know. Thus they lose the inheritance altogether, as it is given instead to the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind, ones whom Jesus healed in demonstration that He is the Christ, and finally even to those in the highways and hedges, that is, the Gentiles.

Psalm 18

Reading: Acts 15.1-41 or 15.1-11

Meditation: Here we see how the Church, even from its earliest days, has ever been a place of strife and contention. Even with the holy Apostles of the Lord present to guide her, she is troubled by the threat of schism, as here the dispute rages over whether the Gentiles should be made to keep the law of Moses. For here were men torn between their old Pharisaic customs and the way of Christ, even as the Pharisees in the Gospel also opposed Christ. Now, alas, their conflict tears at the holy convocation and threatens the unity of the Church. But consider the substance of this conflict: these men were saying, Unless you are circumcised, ye cannot be saved. Yet the very reverse was true, namely, circumcision cannot save you! So the conflict is between faith and works of the law. The Apostles must therefore insist on faith, for to insist on works of the law for salvation is putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear. The Church has never been free from this false claim that faith alone can save no one, yet the truth is that it is only faith that can save.

Psalm 18

Reading: Acts 16.1-40 or 16.1-5

Meditation: Now, in spite of his own insistence that circumci­sion is not of the faith, Paul circumcises Timothy. Why? Timothy’s mother was a Jewish woman who believed, but his father was Greek. Here Paul does not reject, but affirms the law of Moses, in the place where Timothy’s pagan father had rejected it. For when at the council he and all the Apostles had rejected the requirement that the Gentiles be circumcised, Moses had not been thereby rejected. Rather, this was an affirmation that Moses had been fulfilled in Christ. So now, in a context where Moses and Christ are both rejected (by Timothy’s father), Paul must affirm Moses in order to preach Christ as Moses fulfilled. So context determines Paul’s course of action. To be all things to all men was for Paul not therefore to avoid offending unbe­liev­ers, as is commonly thought; on the contrary, it was precise­ly to offend the sub­stance of their unbelief! In one place Paul must offend the circumcised, in order that circumcision of heart, namely faith, may be exalted; in another, he must offend the pagan father, in order that the heavenly Father might be exalted.

Psalm 18

Reading: Acts 17.1-15 or 17.5-9

Meditation: See how the Jews continue to oppose the Apostles, even as they had opposed Christ Himself, and for the same reason:envy. They gather some of the evil men from the marketplace, for they, being evil, cannot attract the pious; they assault the house ofJason (“heal­er”), for they, being diseased, cannot heal; they attack the brethren whom they, being opposed to God, cannot gain for themselves. But behold the reason this is so, out of their own mouths: These have turned the world upside down, that is, have put down the mighty from their seats and exalted them of low degree. And as Jesus Himself had once turned the money changers’ tables upside down, so now the Apostles in His name have gone forth to overturn all the world by their Gospel, according to the word of David, Thou wilt save the afflicted people; but wilt bring down high looks. By preach­ing the world is turned upside down! The mighty are felled, the lowly are raised, the hungry are filled, the rich are sent empty away. Well does St. Peter therefore exhort, saying Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time.

Psalm 18

Reading: Acts 18.1-28 or 18.1-8

Meditation: Paul now comes to Corinth and makes tents. How fitting that he should be called Tentmaker, for this is also the result of his preaching: tents are made! For Christ has made His tent among us, that is, has become flesh and dwelt among us, in fulfillment of the tabernacle built through Moses; so now, as Christ is preached, tents are made, that is, churches of the Incarnate One spring up. Some will attack these “tents,” for a tent is no palace, as David also acknowledged; others will enter them as a royal priest­hood, by Baptism and faith. So do we find Jews who opposed and blas­phemed, whom Paul rejects, saying, Your blood be upon your own heads, for he will not sprinkle them with the blood of Christ; yet we also find other Jews, Justus and Crispus, believing, one with a house beside the syna­gogue, and the other, the synagogue’s chief ruler. These and others believed, and were baptized, that is, sprinkled with Christ. And as a tent is sup­ported by a wooden frame, so does the cross support the Church; but the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, ­but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

Psalm 18

Reading: Acts 19.1-41 or 19.1-8

Meditation: Why does Paul baptize some who say they were only baptized into John’s baptism? Did not John’s Baptism forgive sins? Certainly so! Did it not thereby grant life? Certainly, for where there is forgiveness of sins, there is also life and salvation. Why, then, does Paul now baptize them? Certainly not to disparage John the forerunner of Christ, nor to deny the power of his Baptism, wherein indeed Christ Himself stood, hearing the voice of His Father, and seeing the Spirit descend! But how is it that these disciples did not know that there is a Holy Spirit? Or why did Paul have to inform them of the One coming after John, namely Christ Jesus? Evidently whoever claimed to have baptized them into John’s Baptism (it certainly could not have been John himself) did not preach to them this Gospel. So then, were they truly baptized into John’s Baptism? Here the Apostle baptizes them at once, to lay this question to rest. And now also, to ensure that there would be preaching in their midst—inasmuch as those who are baptized are always entitled to it—he laid hands on these twelve, that the apostolic preaching tradition of the Twelve apostles might accompany their Baptism. Now they will themselves begin to administer it, and properly, to others.

Psalm 18

Reading: Acts 20.1-38 or 20.7-12

Meditation: Here the Church at Philippi is seen in the midst of the Divine Service, with Paul as the preacher, where they are gathered together to break bread, that is, partake in the Blessed Sacrament. The service is a high feast, for there were many lamps; indeed every celebration of the Holy Sacrament is the Lamb’s High Feast. See, this liturgy transpires in the upper room, like unto the upper room where Jesus had first institut­ed the Supper (of which this is a continuation, the unending Feast). So what happens? A certain young man sat in a window, for the Sacrament is verily the window between this world and the eternal Kingdom, wherein we join with angels and archangels and all the company of heaven. So it is that this young man falls asleep, falls from the third story, and dies. But faith itself experiences this in the Supper, participating in the death of Christ. To receive Christ here is to be joined to Him in His death and three-day “fall” into the grave. Yet behold, the man is then raised by Paul, in token of the blessed resurrection awaiting all who partake in faith.

Psalm 9

Reading: St. Luke 15.1-10

Meditation: This man receives sinners and eats with them. This is the Gospel: Christ came to receive sinners—to bring them back to Paradise lost through sin—and to eat with them, to feast at the unending Supper in which He Himself is Host and Guest. See what sort eat with Him, namely sinners who have no inherent claim of righteousness; while they who think they are righteous in themselves are unwelcome. See, Jesus is the man who leaves ninety-nine sheep in the wilderness, where nothing grows, indi­cating judgment on these proud and self-righteous (of which there are many); He seeks instead the one lost sheep until He finds it, indicating His desire for the repentance of one sinner. This sheep He lays on His shoulders: He carries the one who does not walk, who hangs about His neck in comforted trust. Such is the mission not only of Christ, but of His Church, as of a woman who sweeps the house (with the broom of the Gospel) for her lost coin. See what great value this little silver piece has to her! She calls her friends and neighbors, angels and archangels and all the company of heaven, to rejoice with her.

Psalm 9

Reading: Acts 21.1-39 or 21.8-15

Meditation: Philip the evangelist has four virgin daughters, who prophesied, tokens of the Church, that virgin and pure Bride of Christ, whose four Gospels (evangels) are to be preached abroad to the four corners of the earth. But in the apostolic preaching Christ Himself goes to the ends of the earth; thus we find the history and passion of Christ repeated not only in the preaching of His Gospel, but even in the persecution of those who are sent forth in His name. See how Paul is warned by his people not to go up to Jerusalem, even as Christ Himself used to be warned by His disciples not to go there. See also how Paul declares, in the courage of faith, I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus. For Paul this would be the highest honor heaven could bestow, in effect to follow the Via Dolorosa, the way of Christ’s sorrows, in the very holy city where Christ Himself suffered. For Paul knows Christ crucified, and hence desires to show the loyalty of his most holy baptismal faith, by suffering for that blessed name which is above every name.

Psalm 9

Reading: Acts 21.40—22.29 or 22.22-29

Meditation: Paul’s own ministry now follows the same pattern as that of Christ his Lord and Master: the Jews cry, away with such a fellow, and call for his death, even as they had done against Christ. The commander binds him in response to the outcry and tumult of the people, even as Pilate for fear of a riot had bound Christ. Then he interrogates him, even as Pilate had questioned Christ. Are you a Roman? he asks, as Pilate had similarly asked Jesus what His office was (Are you a king?); and Paul, like Jesus, answers,Yes. Then the commander, hearing Paul’s reply, like Pilate at Christ’s reply,was afraid. So does Paul imitate Christ especially by imitating His suffering and persecu­tion, not fearing his enemies, but rather trusting that God maintains his right and his cause. The very pattern of his suffering is the same as Christ’s. So Paul, bound by the commander’s binding, is fearless and the commander fears. For Paul freely and willingly suffers for Christ, knowing that in the train of Christ who suffered, he shall also, through faith, be raised with Him and vindicated against all his enemies.

Psalm 9

Reading: Acts 22.30—23.35 or 23.6-11

Meditation: Here Paul, like Gideon of old against the Midian­ites, turns his enemies against each other, Pharisees against Sadducees. For Sadducees say that there is no resurrection—and no angel nor spirit; but the Pharisees confess both. Thus when Paul declares that he is a Pharisee and confesses the resurrection of the dead, there is an uproar. As Jesus once asked, if Satan is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand? Recall now that it was also (believing) Pharisees who had earlier caused dissension in the apostolic council at Jerusalem, over the question of circumcision. Now the Pharisaic spirit is itself thwarted, by Sadducees, and thus God in poetic justice turns their devices upon their own heads. See the spirit of the Pharisee, which insists on circumcision for salvation, thus rejecting salvation by faith alone, now finding its own faith rejected by others, the substance of whose faith is even more meager than its own. Thus the heathen are sunk down in the pit that they made; in the net which they hid is their own foot taken.

Psalm 9

Reading: Acts 24.1-27 or 24.22-27

Meditation: Now Felix hears Paul; that is, governor hears his subject. But whose office is truly greater? For the judgment of Felix is of this world, whereas Paul’s word is from heaven. Therefore as he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid. Yea, well does David exhort, saying, Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. For Felix would have no power over Paul were it not granted from above, as was the case also when Pilate sat in jurisdiction over Christ. Yet, though he tremble, he still will not submit himself to the judgment of God, instead telling Paul, Go away for now; when I have a convenient time, I will call for you. So Felix remains seated above, and will not submit himself to the preaching of Paul: when I have a convenient time, he says! O Felix! When shall this be? Now is the day of salva­tion! But Felix has no desire for the things of God, and is quite blind to the greatness of the heavenly ambassador before him in bonds. Well does David pray, Put them in fear, O Lord: that the nations may know themselves to be but men.

Psalm 9

Reading: Acts 25.1-27 or 25.22-27

Meditation: Festus, who at Caesarea had replaced Felix as governor of Judea, now grants to Agrippa the opportunity to hear Paul, before Paul is sent to Caesar. So Agrippa and Bernice come with great pomp into the place of hearing. Now Agrippa was the great-grandson of Herod the Great, who had slain the Holy Inno­cents in Bethle­hem; Bernice was his sister with whom he had been living incestu­ously. Great pomp! Outward show this is, hiding inward decadence. And Paul is brought forth in bonds. Outward poverty this is, hiding inward greatness which adheres to the office of this apostle of Christ. Yet Festus knows something is amiss, for he tells Agrippa that he has found in Paul nothing deserving of death, in manner reminiscent of Pilate, who, when the people cried for Jesus’ crucifixion, likewise objected, saying, Why, what evil has He done?Why, similarly, do the Jews want Paul’s death? Clearly, on account of the name of Christ, of whom he is an ambassador in bonds.

Psalm 9

Reading: Acts 26.1-32 or 26.1,22-32 

Meditation: Why does King Agrippa think Paul mad? Surely, the words he speaks are unlike anything Agrippa has ever heard: that the Christ would suffer, etc. What? This is written in Moses and the prophets? Earthly kings like Agrippa receive homage; why should heavenly receive stripes and crucifixion? And that Christ would rise from the dead? Resurrection is certainly an honor­able end, even if unbelievable to Agrippa, but for such a dishon­ored king? So Agrippa reasons that Paul is mad. But Paul is not mad. Faith is surely more sane than all earthly reason: The words of truth and reason. So now we see Paul exchanging roles with his interrogator; now he, with the heavenly authority of his apostolic office of preacher of the Word, questions Agrippa: Do you believe the prophets? But he does not charge Agrippa with madness, though he shows him that it is less than reasonable to believe the prophets and not to believe Christ. Still, his office is not to pass judgment on him, but to invite him to believe; for this is the task of the preaching office he holds.

Psalm 79

Reading: St. Luke 6.36-42

Meditation: How is your Father merciful? By being your Father; for there is only one Son of God, and therefore only One who can rightly claim God as Father; yet He bids you to step into His place, and call God your Father here. This is mercy, that the miserable (such as we all are) should be so privileged, to think of God the Father Almighty as if they were the only Son of God Himself! Truly, He has forgiven us, in that we may stand in relation to God as if we were Christ Himself. So also shall we then become Christ to our neighbor: as Christ has bid us to stand in His place, which is what faith believes, so now are we bidden to bid our neighbor to stand in our place, that is, to love him as ourself. So does the Christian heart have faith toward God and love toward the neighbor. He who sees the speck in his brother’s eye without seeing the plank in his own is truly blind; but he who by faith casts the plank out of his own eye may then by love pull the speck out of his brother’s eye, that is, in both cases, by forgiveness and mercy. Believe in mercy and your plank is removed; bestow mercy and your neighbor’s speck is removed.

Psalm 79

Reading: Acts 27.1-44 or 27.40-44 

Meditation: Now Paul and his company en route to Rome endure peril at sea, even as the very Church herself is imperiled by the persecutions which have fallen upon her. The winds are contrary, unlike the wind and Spirit at Pentecost, when the Church grew and flourished by the thousand. Such is Christian life itself, in which trials come threatening. But Paul gives a word of comfort to the seafarers, even as the Gospel means to give comfort to all the hearers. So were the hearersall encouraged. But then trouble becomes even more threatening, for the soldiers’ plan was to kill the prisoners. And this counsel comes when the ship runs aground and breaks asunder at the place where two seas met: indeed, two worlds are met here, the world of faith and the world of unbelief, imperiling the Church. But the centurion, wanting to save Paul, kept them from their purpose, and in spite of the peril, no one aboard the ship perished, even as Paul had prom­ised. For the word of the Lord endures forever, and thus accord­ing to that word, the Lord preserved those that were appointed to die. Perils threaten, but the promise is sure.

Psalm 79

Reading: Acts 28.1-31 or 28.1-6

Meditation: Here on the island of Malta the barbarous people are kinder to Paul than his own people the Jews. Receiving him they receive Christ’s ambassador, and so they kindled a fire because of the cold and rainy conditions on the island, token of the heavenly fire of Pentecost kindled now in their midst against the cold of unbelief. So Paul lays wood on the fire, a token of the wooden cross which he preaches; and from the fire comes forth a serpent to attack him, a token of the devil who ceaselessly attacks this preacher. The witnesses were expecting him to succumb to the venom of this serpent, even as those who behold the suffering of the Church and her preachers expect that they shall succumb to the Evil One; but Paul shook off the beast into the fire, and suffered no harm. See, the viper, here called a beast, another name of the Foe, is shaken off into the fire, even as the Foe himself shall be consumed in the Judgment. For the faithful this means release from sin and the condemnation of death and hell, even as Paul now heals one sick of a fever and dysentery ,and then others, who also came and were healed.

Psalm 79

Reading: Romans 1.1-15 or 1.1-6,11-15

Meditation: What is the spiritual gift which Paul desires to impart to the Romans? Paul refers to the grace and apostleship which he himself had received from the resurrected Christ, for obedience to the faith among all nations, that is, that he might by preaching to the Gentiles bring the faith to them. This is the purpose of his apostleship, to preach Christ, that faith might come to those who hear. So Paul declares, I am ready to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome also. But the spiritu­al gift he desires to give them is, as he says, so that you may be established. How is the faith established? Paul the mission­ary desires that the Church in Rome be more than a mission post: this is done when Rome receives her own preacher. Such a fine spiritual gift this would be: the establishment of the Church in that place with her own shepherd, that they, as God’s people and sheep of His pasture, may give Him thanks forever. So does Paul also desire to receive an offering from them (some fruit among you, he calls it), in order that the Church may continue to be established and spread to all generations.

Psalm 79

Reading: Romans 1.16-32 or 1.16-22 

Meditation: The Gospel is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, says Paul, because in it the righteous­ness of God is revealed from faith to faith, since the preaching of the faith produces faith. And this is because the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all men, namely, in the same Gospel. There we see that the pouring out of His wrath upon the heathen, of which the Psalmist speaks, is fulfilled in the cross. Christ, expelled in His crucifixion from the holy city, is thereby become Substitute for all the heathen; the wrath of God against them is there revealed, namely, that it was poured out on Him. This is why God has not poured out His wrath upon all the nations, even though He knows that all men are without excuse, since creation itself is His self-expression. Why did God permit them to continue? Out of His clemency and mercy, for His wrath was turned away. Instead, He gave them up to uncleanness (which is the reason for the gross indecency seen in them), in order that there may still be hope of their becoming cleansed by the Gospel, the power of God to salvation.

Psalm 79

Reading: Romans 2.1-29 or 2.17-29

Meditation: To the Jews Paul preaches the very law in which they boast. They suppose that by doing outwardly the things that the law requires they shall be saved: they are members of the commu­nity of the circumcised, which, to them, is enough. So Paul strikes with the very law by which they thought they were safe: have you stolen, committed adultery, committed sacrilege? If you have not kept the law, it is no good to you unless you see that Christ is the end of the law; for though you be circumcised or in any way prepared outwardly, yet inwardly sin clings to the heart and is not cut off. But Christ is our Circumcision, who was cut off out of the land of the living; therefore by faith in Him are we delivered, and our sins purged away for His name’s sake. Faith is the true, inward, spiritual circumcision. This is demonstrated by the very fact that the Gentiles now believe without the external sign of circumcision. For the nameJewwill not save, but the name of Christ. This is received by Baptism which, by washing away sins, purifies and circumcises the heart in the true faith.

Psalm 79

Reading: Romans 3.1-31 or 3.20-31

Meditation: The righteousness of God, says Paul, is though faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For faith in Jesus Christ is the faith which says that He is our propitiation by His blood, through faith. The advantage of being a Jew is that the Jew is at least familiar with sin, uncleanness, propitiation, blood, sacrifice. In the temple ritual Christ Himself was hidden: Christ the lamb, Christ the sacrifice, Christ the priest. The Jews knew well the ritual by which the blood of sacrifice was sprinkled first upon the altar and then upon them, by the priest. The Gospel now makes clear the meaning and the end of this ritual: the true altar is the cross, the lamb is Christ upon the cross, the priest is Christ in the Holy Ministry (which administers Him to the people), the lamb’s blood is the holy chalice of Christ’s own blood, to be received in faith, for everlasting cleansing and salvation. This faith does not make the law of Moses void, therefore; on the contrary, through the preaching of this faith we establish the law, that is, proclaim Christ as the revelation of what was hidden there.

Psalm 64

Reading: St. Luke 5.1-11 

Meditation: Simon and his fellow fishermen will now become fishers of men, as Jesus says. So may the Gospel itself be illustrated by the events which transpire here. These men have toiled all night and caught nothing. So also, the remnant of Israel has been fraught with disappointment all their night of watchfulness for the Messiah’s kingdom. But now they are washing their nets, as also John has been baptizing to prepare the way for Christ. And now Christ Himself comes, and sits down in one of their boats to teach, even as He had just sat down to teach on the previous day, in the synagogue, announcing the fulfillment of that for which the prophets had long waited. So they catch a great multitude of fish, even as great multitudes of people pressed about Him to hear the word of God. But then the nets break, prophetic of the strife which will soon beset Jesus and His followers. Now both boats must bring the catch to shore, even as both the synagogue and the Gentiles will now be joined together in this new testament. Yet still the ships begin to sink, even as both must be baptized into the death of Christ.

Psalm 64

Reading: Romans 4.1-25 or 4.16-25

Meditation: Abraham believed God, where sight was denied. For Sarah was well beyond the child-bearing years; shall she indeed have a son, being old? But God had promised Abraham that he would be the father of a multitude. Therefore Abraham casts all reason and sight away, and believes: he, contrary to hope, in hope believed. Though he was a hundred years old, and Sarah barren, yet he did not waver, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God. For he held fast to this, that God is true, and would do this thing. So was Isaac at length born, token of the promised Christ, who would come from the same fragile line. Fragile, for it was not just this once, but continually that this line would suffer the threat of annihilation, until finally Christ would come. But what then? He, last of the line, is crucified. Yet must faith believe still, as ever, in the face of apparent despair, hoping against hope. So God raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, because God is true. And this, because of our justification, that is, to vindicate this faith, this stalwart, stubborn, unmovable hope against hope.

Psalm 64

Reading: Romans 5.1—6.2 or 5.17-21

Meditation: By the one man’s offense death reigned. That is, sin came through Adam to all men. Herein is the reason for all the wickedness in the world: all the workers of iniquity encourage themselves in an evil matter because Adam was so encouraged; they say, Who shall see them? because Adam also thought he could hide from God. All sin arises from the sin of Adam. But if this is true (which it is), much more is it true that the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. How many? As many as there are sinners, children of Adam. For all men shall fear, and shall declare the work of God; for they shall wisely consider of his doing: by the righteousness of one, of Christ, the free gift came to all men. For what end? Resulting in justification of life. What, then, of the wicked who refuse this life? They are excluded, for God shall shoot at them with an arrow; suddenly shall they be wounded. These shall no more be called “men,” children of Adam, but of the devil. For Adam believed in Him who was to come; therefore he who fell was restored by grace, by the righteousness of the Second Adam. So also all true children of Adam.

Psalm 64

Reading: Romans 6.12-18

Meditation: Sin shall not have dominion over you, because by Christ, the Second Adam, dominion has been given to you over all things. This is as God had intended for the first Adam, saying to him who was newly created, Have dominion. But Adam fell, giving sin dominion over him and all his offspring. So was he slave rather than master, until freed by the Gospel of the Lord and Master Jesus Christ; for a Master (dominus) is one who has dominion. So the grace of God in Christ is this, that He, by dying for the sin of Adam, released Adam from sin’s dominion, since God had declared that he by sin must die. So also, by rising from the dead, Christ restored to Adam his once lost dominion. The dominion of sin is broken, even as sin had once broken Adam’s dominion. This is the substance of our most holy faith, by which also we are freed from obedience to the lust of sin. For from the knowledge that sin’s dominion has been broken comes also the knowledge that Adam’s dominion has been restored; and from this faith all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just works proceed.

Psalm 64

Reading: Romans 7.1-25 or 7.1-6

Meditation: The commandments of God bind a man to obedience for as long as he lives, in the very same way as they bind a wife to her husband for as long as he lives. Now everyone agrees that if a wife’s husband should die, there is nothing which could deny her the freedom to marry another, for the wedding vow does not bind husband and wife beyond the grave, but only “until death parts us.” In the same way, the holy Church has been freed, by death, from her first husband, namely, the law. For in the death of Christ is the death of the law, since He died to sin. There­fore the holy Church was freed to marry another. Whom has she married? Him who was raised from the dead. So she is free from the law and bound to her new Husband, to Christ, the Bride­groom from on high. Therefore she is free from the law, so the law has no dominion over her, and cannot justly accuse her. Behold, the law is dead! Have we sinned? Indeed we daily sin much, and indeed deserve nothing but punishment. But see what mercy there is for all who are in Christ: the law is dead, and the Spirit by which Christ arose, and by which we live, is free from it.

Psalm 64

Reading: Romans 2.1-29 or 2.1-6

Meditation: Freedom from the law means freedom from judgment. Therefore one who judges another is not free from the law, since in judging he shows that he desires to be under the law. But this is folly, since the law condemns all. Judge your neighbor and you have judged also yourself. Is condemning your neighbor worth your own condemnation? See how the blind leading the blind falls into the pit with him! Or why search out iniqui­ties? Do you wish to have your own sought out as well? For God shall shoot at them with an arrow; suddenly shall they be woun­ded. Rather, let us live by mercy, that is, by His goodness, forbearance, and longsuf­fering. To know this for one’s self is also to know it for one’s neighbors. When the Lord did not condemn the sinful Simon (who said, Depart from me, for I am a sinful man), He thereby taught him not to condemn his sinful neigh­bors. So it is that God will render to each man according to his deeds, for the heart that knows mercy also knows how to be merciful, while the hardened heart, not knowing mercy, is also merci­less.

Psalm 64

Reading: Romans 13.1-7

Meditation: It is for Christ’s sake that children of God render taxes, customs, fear, and honor to whom these are due. God has set up His hierarchy on earth, which is earthly government: for there is no authority except from God, and the governor is God’s minister. All this is contained in the Fourth Commandment, Honor thy father and thy mother. For God is Father, but He also gives earthly fa­thers; and the Holy Church is Mother, but there are also earthly moth­ers. These authorities exist not only in the home, however; they also exist throughout the land. Blessed Martin Luther speaks of fathers in blood and fathers in office. But all authority, whether in the home, in the world, or in the Church, is from God, and therefore to honor those in authority is to honor God Himself. The faith­ful of God, mindful of these things, will surely know how to fear and honor God as Giver of all good things, for they will see Him in the lawmaker and the judge, in the policeman and the hangman, in the reverend fathers of the Church, and in the parents He gives in the home. These too are the works and doing of God, for the good of His people.

Psalm 28

Reading: St. Matthew 5.20-26

Meditation: How shall your righteousness exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees? Surely not if it is an outward righteous­ness, for outwardly they were the most righteous of all, whom Jesus called whitewashed tombs, outwardly clean and pure, al­though inwardly full of unclean­ness and dead men’s bones. So your righteousness must be an inward righteousness, the righ­teousness of faith whereby we cry, The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped. Otherwise we shall perish, being sinful by nature. For the law says more than simply, Thou shalt not kill. Only be angry with your brother, or revile him, and you have already killed him! Jesus’ interpreta­tion of the law makes it far more pene­trating and dreadful than it appears. This law is indeed your adversary, which would deliver you to the Judge, which is Christ Him­self, and the Judge to the officer, which is Satan, and the officer to the prison, which is hell. It would, that is, unless you agreed with its accusations and despaired of your righ­teousness, being saved, fed, and lifted up forever in the works of the Lord Christ.

Psalm 28

Reading: Romans 14.1—15.3 or 14.13-23

Meditation: When would eating meat or drinking wine cause the weak brother to stumble? Only if he were a devout Jew who knew that the Levites who served the temple were forbidden from certain tokens of unclean­ness. The Apostle thus counsels patient dealing with Jews who, being devout, were well-trained in the rituals of pre-Christian ceremony. Those were not false rituals; rather, they have been fulfilled in Christ; so these weak broth­ers must learn first of Christ’s fulfillment of Mosaic ritual, lest they misinter­pret freedom from it as rebel­lion. But what now of other weak brothers, who previous­ly had altogeth­er false notions of piety? Behold, here it is incum­bent upon the faithful not to offend the weakness of a misguid­ed con­science which supposes that true righ­teousness is like that of the Phari­sees, which is exter­nal and false. So in one case, absti­nence prevents stumbling, but in another, absti­nence causes it! For all must serve to exalt faith in Christ, and not works of the law; hence one who loves his brother will neither wish him to despise Moses nor to be in bondage to him, for whatever is not of faith is sin.

Psalm 28

Reading: Romans 15.14-33 or 15.24-29 

Meditation: As Jerusalem once received the Gentiles into the faith, so now the Apostle comes to these Gentiles of Rome in order to collect from them and from all the Gentile converts from one end of the Sea to the other, that is, all the way to Spain, a contri­bution to return to Jerusalem. The saints at Jerusalem suffer at the hands of their persecutors, and would by the offering be comforted both materi­ally and spiritual­ly, receiving the encourage­ment of their fellow saints. See, they once learned to extend the Gospel to the Gentile world; so now, the Gentile world in turn will through this collection extend their thanks to their mother church, and gladly return the encourage­ment and comfort of the Gospel once so freely given to them. For so it is among saints. There is neither Jew nor Greek, but all are one in Christ. This is the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ, that in Him the breach in creation is healed, as all nations are baptized in His name. For all who cry unto Him, their Rock, all who call upon His name, are His people and inheri­tance. As God is one, so are His people one.

Psalm 28

Reading: Romans 16.1-27 or 16.17-20

Meditation: Who are those who cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which you learned? Whoever would oppose the doctrine of the Gospel, thus attacking the unity of the faith, which faith is one because God Himself is one. So David, speaking for all Israel, prays, saying, Unto thee will I cry, O Lord, my rock; be not silent tome. He prays as one person even though he is praying for all the people, since all confess one faith and one God. There­fore everyone who teaches con­trary to the doctrine of the Gospel makes a divi­sion of the faith, which is most grievous; so the Apostle says that these must be avoided. But see what happens now: there is a division of another kind. For as Israel of old was to be sepa­rate from the heathen nations, so the Church must avoid those who plant mis­chief and destroy the unity of the Gospel. So we find this irony at work, that if the doctrine of the Gospel is not divided and separated from evil doctrines, then the unity of the faith will be divided. So let us give the devil’s lies no place along­side the truth of Christ, who alone is our strength and shield.

Psalm 28

Reading: I Corinthians 1.10-31 or 1.18-25

Meditation: As he had said to the Romans, so now the Apostle says to the Corinthians that he desires their unity in the one faith. There is but one cross, and one Christ, who, being cruci­fied, has joined even heaven and earth together into one. But He is a stum­bling block to the Jews who require a sign, because they would not receive the sign of Jonah; for as Jonah was raised from his depths on the third day and thence went and preached to Gentiles, so the risen Christ sent His preachers to the Gen­tiles. Yet to the Gentiles who require wisdom, He on the other hand is foolishness, because they would not receive the wisdom of God. For God’s wisdom, by appear­ing as foolish in the cross, confounds and fools the wisdom of this world. Thus both the sign and the wisdom of faith are in the cross, which neither self-made Jews nor Gentiles will find, but which faith re­ceives. So Paul preach­es Christ cruci­fied. How foolish this is; yet how wise! How weak He ap­pears; yet how strong! Yea, wiser and stronger than men. Let faith ever behold the Cruci­fied on His cross, in whose weakness and folly are the strength and wisdom of God.

Psalm 28

Reading: I Corinthians 2.1-16 or 2.1-8

Meditation: The wisdom of God is spoken in a mystery, and is a hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the ages for our glory. For the wisdom of this world, which is not hidden, is a false wisdom which leads to death. Such fine wisdom that is, by which Eve fell to the Serpent, Esau sold his birth­right, Pharaoh pursued Israel into the Red Sea, and David slew Uriah for his wife! So the Apostle came to these wise Corinthians speaking foolishness, the fool­ishness of Christ and Him crucified, lest they cling still to the wisdom of this world, whose end is destruction. Would they have mocked him? Indeed, had they clung to their own wisdom. But they received him, having ears to hear. There­fore they must admit that their faith came through the foolish words he spoke to them, and not by their own wisdom, reason, or strength. For man in his wicked­ness regards not the words of the Lord, nor the operation of His hands, and therefore God shall destroy them, and not build them up. Where­with? With the hidden mystery of the Gospel, whose foolish­ness shames their wisdom, and whose weakness shames their strength.

Psalm 28

Reading: I Corinthians 4.6—5.5 or 4.10-16

Meditation: St. Paul warns the Corinthians against the folly of being attracted to what is attractive on earth. See, he tells them, we Apostles ourselves are not attractive! We are fools, weak, despised, hungry, thirsty, naked, buffeted, reviled, persecuted, defamed, and made as the filth of the world. Now will you receive us? Only true faith, born of God, would receive such foolish appearing men, since faith rests not in appearanc­es but in the words of their Gospel. For though these are truly the noblest and greatest of all men, being ambassadors of the Most High God and Lord Jesus Christ, yet they appear as ragged and destitute paupers! Such an impenetrable disguise they wear! Who would recognize them? Only those whose faith is in the hidden mystery of the Gospel. This repels all the proud and self-assured, brings down the mighty from their seats, and renders to the workers of iniquity what they deserve. Only those who in the meekness of faith behold these cloaked angels, whose strength lies in the words they preach and not in their appear­ance of strength, will receive the help and salvation of the Lord.

Psalm 47

Reading: St. Mark 8.1-9

Meditation: See how Jesus, whose mercies are new every morning, has compassion on this multitude: three days they fasted with Him, and now their fast is broken when He feeds them bread. So also the holy Church fasts in spirit with Jesus, in confessing His cruci­fixion, death, and burial, until her fast is broken likewise on the third day, that is, on Sunday the Lord’s day, when she feasts on the Bread of Life. This is why the Holy Sacrament is the Feast of every Sunday, a perpetual celebra­tion of the resur­rection of our Lord. Seven loaves multiplied into enough for 4,000, when the Lord spoke and gave them to His disciples to distrib­ute. Likewise the Church re­ceives more than seven mere loaves, when the Lord speaks and His ministers dis­tribute the Blessed Sacra­ment. She like­wise receives enough, for she receives the Loaf which is Christ Him­self. Since eight is a number greater than seven, so she receives this Loaf every eighth day, that is, every Sunday. For Sunday is both the third day and the eighth day: both the day of resurrec­tion and the beginning of a new week, signifying a new cre­ation through the Bread of Life.

Psalm 47

Reading: I Corinthians 5.9—6.20 or 6.9-14

Meditation: The vices which the Apostle catalogs here all have one thing in common: all pertain to the gratification of evil lusts. So he warns the people of God against the same: they will not inherit the kingdom of God. And, he adds, suchweresome of you! Not, suchare, but suchwere. What then happened to you? You were washed, sancti­fied, and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. So does Baptism grant new life, being not simple water only, but a washing in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Now a washing is a cleansing, so the one bap­tized is purified by faith, from his sins and evil lusts. By Baptism he is now reck­oned as holy, sancti­fied before God, that is, justified not in his own name, but in the name of the Lord Jesus the Righteous. This is the inheri­tance He has chosen for us, the excellency of Jacob whom He loved. So Paul shows the folly of returning to the lusts of fallen nature. It was these, which give no inheritance at all, which ren­dered you unclean in the first place. But Baptism is a transfer of body and soul to the new kingdom of Christ, through His name.

Psalm 47

Reading: I Corinthians 7.1-40 or 7.1-9

Meditation: Marriage is a great mystery, as the Apostle acknowl­edges else­where, wherein is pictured Christ and His Bride, the Church. It is for this reason especially that the husband should render to his wife the affection due her, and likewise also the wife to her husband. For marriage is meant to provide a living, divinely ordained illustration of the heavenly reality. Christ loves the Church, so husbands must love their wives; the Church loves Christ, so wives must love their husbands. This love must be physical, for Christ is incar­nate and His Church is the earthly dwelling of the Holy Spirit. The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does, not merely in the earthly but in the heavenly marriage, where the Church must follow the divine authority of her pastors, representatives of Christ. So also, the husband does not have authori­ty over his own body, but the wife does, not merely in the earthly but in the heavenly mar­riage: the pastor must follow the author­ity of the Bride, all that is noble and Chris­tian in the tradi­tion of the One Holy Church, in dealing with the matters of his own parish.

Psalm 47

Reading: I Corinthians 8.1-13

Meditation: There was a pagan custom in Corinth, according to which such things as regular funeral rites involved the idola­trous ritual of the Roman Empire. Christian people who found themselves pressured into partaking in such things needed the Apostle’s guidance. So also do we, living similarly in a culture which in many respects is given to idolatry, need to heed this guidance. Here he declares there is only one true God, and only one true Lord: only Christ is true, who alone is also God, one with the Father, and it is He through whom are all things, and through whom we live. So therefore no idol receives the false worship addressed to Him, since idols have no true exis­tence as gods. Yet it is incumbent upon the faithful, for the sake of love, to avoid the appearance of giving worship to idols, since the uninformed might be led astray. So true worship in spirit and truth avoids any suggestion of unity with the spirits of this world. So let the Church’s worship—her music, her prayers, and her high Feast—be godly, bearing no resemblance to them, as St. John also declares, saying, Keep yourselves from idols.

Psalm 47

Reading: I Corinthians 9.1-23 or 9.19-23

Meditation: To the Jews the Apostle became a Jew, and to the Gentiles (those without law) he became a Gentile. Summing this up, he declares: To the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. Note, however, that he does not say, “to the strong I became as strong.” So in becoming all things, yet he will not become strong, but only weak. To become all things is to submit to all things, for love endures all things. Paul’s will­ingness to endure affliction for the sake of the Gospel testifies to weak and strong alike that he is truly the servant of the Crucified. Indeed martyrdom itself is the great­est such testimony: it shames the proud, who have nothing resem­bling such sublime dignity, and it encourages the weak, who see in patient endurance the quiet resolve of a confi­dent faith. Willing to be weak, he demonstrates that he truly believes what he cannot yet see, that God shall subdue the people under us. In this way the Apostle hopes to save some, who see in him the same Holy Spirit as was in Christ in His Passion.

Psalm 47

Reading: I Corinthians 10.14-33 or 10.14-22

Meditation: Communion means a joining together of two things into one: co- and -union. What two things are joined into one, in the Sacrament? The cup (that is, the wine in the cup) is joined together with the blood of Christ to become one thing; and the bread which we break is joined together with the body of Christ to become one thing, as these words say. And so, eating and drinking this, we eat and drink­ Christ Himself. See what a mystery is here! Who can explain it? But we bend the knee and believe what we cannot explain here, that this is not mere bread and wine, but a commu­nion: now it is the Bread of Life and Eternal Drink, for it is Christ! Christ in the cele­brant’s hands, Christ in the mouth, Christ on the tongue. So therefore, by this eating and drinking, those who partake in this Sacra­ment become bonded and joined to Him, and also to one another. This is why it is necessary that no idola­ter partake, for Christ has no company with idols, and will consume and destroy them. Are we stronger than He? Certainly not; therefore faith alone, faith which flees from idolatry, is worthy to partake.

Psalm 47

Reading: I Corinthians 11.1-22 or 11.1-10

Meditation: The woman was created for the man, as it is written in the book of Genesis. This is a mystery, wherein is pictured the creation of the Church for Christ. For the Church was created to be Christ’s beloved Bride, even as Eve was created to be a bride for Adam. And the two became one flesh, even as the Church and Christ become one flesh in the Holy Sacrament. See how Christ becomes husband to His Bride: He gives Himself for her, clothes her in the pure garments of His righteousness, and joins Himself to her. Should she not, therefore, honor and obey Him who loves her so? So also does very creation itself, in the mystery of the sexes, reflect this truth. This is why woman is the weaker vessel, and why man should honor her for it, as Christ blessed the Church. So also, this is why woman ought to have authority on her head, the authority of her husband. Though the words “symbol of” do not appear in the origi­nal, the wearing of hats was once a noble custom symbol­izing this, for the willing­ness of a woman to wear a hat was a mark of the Church’s willing submis­sion to the authori­ty of Christ who gave Himself for her.

Psalm 48

Reading: St. Matthew 7.15-23

Meditation: Christ is truly the Good Tree who bears good fruit: on the tree of the cross, were not His own arms raised like the limbs of a tree, and did not water and blood come forth as fruits from Him then? Does He not give His people of His own body and blood to eat and drink? But what, then, are bad trees? False prophets do not hold forth these Blessed Sacraments, fruits of the Good Tree for the remission of sins; but will offer instead the fruits of death. Yet how can a prophet be known except by his prophecy? Thus to be wary of false prophets is to be wary of their words: they will not exalt the Good Tree and hold forth His Good Fruit, but will replace Him with themselves, speaking lies of a false salvation, replacing His blessed words with their own, while saying unto Him, Lord, Lord, in the presence of their betrayed and deceived hearers. But woe to them, for in that dayHe will say to them,I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness! For it is lawless to preach anyone but Christ the Tree of Life as the atonement for sin, or to hold forth anything but His Good Fruit as the Feast of Salvation.

Psalm 48

Reading: I Corinthians 12.12-31 or 12.27-31

Meditation: See what God has appointed in the Church, all for the unity of the body of Christ: first Apostles, second proph­ets, third teachers. These, which have as their purpose the oversight, the procla­mation, and the teaching of the Gospel, are therefore the highest gifts, since the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation. The list continues with the next item: miracles, presumably serving to verify the apostle­ship and the genuineness of the Church; and then, as in a final category, the gifts (charis­mata). Since this is an early epistle, it is difficult to know what is meant by these terms, since the termi­nology of the Church was not yet standard, but they may well have designated duties of a diaconate meant to assist the preachers of the Gospel. So each part is meant for the good of the others. The Corin­thians’ vainglory led to disor­der among them, so the Apostle tells them that they are one body, and that this is the body of Christ. But Christ gave Himself for all, that they who live should not live for themselves. Anyone who boasts of spiritual gifts must always be met with the same admoni­tion.

Psalm 48

Reading: I Corinthians 14.1-40 or 14.26-40

Meditation: The Corinthians were engaging in some novel practic­es not edifying to the Church, but causing confu­sion. Yet God, says the Apostle, is not the author of confu­sion but of peace. How can disorder be peaceful? Or how can impropriety bring peace? This is how Paul ad­dresses the Corinthian claims of new manifesta­tions of the Spirit: Did the word of God come originally from you? Or was it you only that it reached? Certainly not! So also today, it is not a healthy thing to bring novelty and change to the church­es, in the name of the Spirit. The Spirit gives newness of life, but this is not to be misinter­pret­ed as a break from what is noble and good in the Church’s tradi­tion, since all that the Church has received has been given by prior genera­tions. What, then, are we to make of all the new things which arise in our generation? Claims of new gifts, novel ceremo­nies, or even (as was evi­dently also attempted even in Corinth) women preach­ers? Consider the Apos­tle’s reply to all this: If anyone is ignorant, let him be ignorant. Decency and order require respect for the Church of all times.

Psalm 48

Reading: I Corinthians 15.58—16.24 or 16.13-24

Meditation: See how the Apostle counts the Church as one. Though he speaks of the household of Stephanas, and of the churches of Asia, and of all the brethren, yet he speaks of unity. For there is one faith: Stand fast in the faith, he says. Therefore there are not really many churches, even though he says “churches”; for though they are many, yet they are one. One, that is, in the one faith, and in love, as he says, Let all that you do be done with love. So then, love is the bond of unity between the faithful. Thus he speaks of greetings: The churches of Asia greet you, etc. For these greetings express the unity of faith and love. So also, the holy kiss was to signify oneness of mouth, since in a kiss two mouths become one. Unity in Chris­tian love is unity of mouth, that is, unity of faith and its confes­sion. And what of those who will not share this unity and confession? These also have no share in the love of the faith­ful, the love of Christ, and are condemned for refusing to join in unity of confession and love, as the Apostle declares, If anyone does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be ac­cursed.

Psalm 48

Reading: II Corinthians 1.1-24 or 1.1-11

Meditation: The sufferings of Christ abound in us, declares the Apostle. As Christ suffered once for all, now all who suffer for Him are one in His sufferings. So does the Church, which is the body of Christ, remember His sufferings, not only in thought but in life; not only in recollection but in the experience of her own affliction. For he says, We were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life. And this, not because he had forgotten Christ, but because he knew Christ, who also cried out that He was forsaken. As did Christ, so do His faithful ones experience forsakenness and affliction unto death. Yet they also are then comforted, even as Christ was raised from the dead. Paul says, We had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead. As the dying cannot trust themselves, so must they trust in Him who is the resurrection from the dead. The affliction and consolation of some saints consoles also others, when they see in them the continuation of the suffering of Christ, whom God raised from the dead.

Psalm 48

Reading: II Corinthians 2.1—3.3 or 2.5-11

Meditation: St. Paul’s counsel to the Corinthians regarding the penitent sinner is clear: You ought to forgive and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one be swallowed up with too much sorrow. For if the verdict of Christ’s forgiveness has been granted, how can not the members of Christ also forgive? Who are they to withhold from the penitent what Christ does not withhold? So ought the people of Christ to regard one another in love. Whoever has received Holy Absolution must also enjoy the privi­lege of acceptance into the family of faith. Whom God forgives let also the faithful forgive, not begrudging forgiveness from the heart, lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices. What are his devic­es? When enmity, strife, jealousy, and the like are planted in the heart, such a heart is soon wrenched from the love of God in Christ. No matter what the degree or the type of offense; the one who has turned from it, he whom Christ by the word of Absolution has re­ceived again, must also be fully received by the rest as one of them. Otherwise they themselves shall stand condemned.

Psalm 48

Reading: II Corinthians 6.11—7.16 or 6.11-18

Meditation: Where leniency is confused with mercy, both the law and the Gospel suffer. So while on the one hand, mercy must be given to the penitent, yet on the other, the impenitent must be excluded. For the Apostle says, What accord has Christ with Belial? And, citing the prophet Isaiah, he again declares, Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. But how is this consis­tent with love, which bears all things? Here a clear distinction must be made between faith and love. For love indeed does not seek its own, or insist on its own way; but faith does. And since love rejoices in the truth, therefore there is no contradiction between love and faith. So it is in love that the Church must not abide being yoked with unbelievers. It is in love that she separates herself from them, and will not join them at the altar and eat with them. For what communion has light with darkness? For light, which is divine mercy, cannot be confused with darkness, because God separated the light from the darkness, and saw the light, that it was good. Without such good separation of the light, all would be darkness.

Psalm 54

Reading: St. Luke 16.1-9

Meditation: Why labor for that which does not endure? Rather, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home. This is a curious saying, for elsewhere Jesus says, You cannot serve God and mammon. Then what use is unrighteous mammon? Only this, that it can be used to make friends, that is, eternal friends who shall receive you into an everlasting home. For unrighteous mammon is the goods of this earth. The shrewd steward used these goods for his own benefit when he lost his employment. Oil and wheat became instruments of help for him when the days of his stewardship were over. So also do these earthly elements aid the faithful when pressed into heavenly use. Oil is used for anoint­ing, in connection with Baptism; and wheat for bread, for the Holy Sacrament. Even the money used to purchase them and to support those who administer them is thus given a holy use. So do these unrighteous mammon become aids to salvation when conse­crated by the word of God, for those who have the Sacraments shall have an eternal home when the earthly fails.

Psalm 54

Reading: II Corinthians 8.1-24 or 8.1-9

Meditation: The poor at Jerusalem were in great need, so part of the reason for Paul’s journey was to take a collection for them. These poor were held in highest regard by the Apostle, for they were suffering on account of their stead­fast faith, even as Christ Himself had suffered at Jerusalem on account of His Gospel. Therefore the Macedonians, in giving alms for them at great cost to themselves, were proving thereby that they too held the faithful poor in high regard. Thus now he encourag­es also Corinth, not by commandment, but, he says,Testing the sincerity of your love by the diligence of others. The evidence of the Macedonians’ faith was seen in their own selfless expres­sion of love for the faith­ful poor; even as Christ Himself was selfless: who, though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich. Now His riches are not earthly but heavenly; therefore who will hoard earthly riches? He can hardly desire also the heaven­ly.

Psalm 54

Reading: II Corinthians 9.1-15 or 9.1-8

Meditation: God loves a cheerful giver, says the Apostle. Who is a cheerful giver? Abel gave the firstborn of his flock, Abraham gave cakes to God, Solomon gave the Beautiful temple. These gave not simply for the joy of the giving, but for the joy of knowing the One to whom they gave. For what kind of giving can bring cheer for its own sake, unless it be selfish giving, meant only for the expecta­tion of a greater return? Yet to sacrifice for the poor, for the sake of Christ who became poor, this is done in the good cheer of faith in Him, as the angel wished good cheer to poor shep­herds, whereupon they left their flocks to find Christ in His poverty, with His poor mother. But these Corinthians, who had already made their intentions known to help the Jerusalem poor, had not yet done so. Now was the time, as Paul prepared to come to them; for unless their inten­tions were carried through, there would be no proof that they even existed in the first place.

Psalm 54

Reading: II Corinthians 10.1-18 or 10.1-7

Meditation: St. Paul declares himself to be at war here, speaking of our warfare, and weapons. Against whom? Against some, says he, who think of us as if we walked according to the flesh. Who are these? Strangers are risen up against me, and oppressors seek after my soul; they have not set God before them, says David. Recall how Adam, when he fell into sin, walked according to the flesh, when he, being deceived by the devil, did not set God before him, but hid himself. So has all flesh become as grass, which withers and fades. But we have been saved by the name of God, and in Him who is the resurrection; therefore we no longer walk according to the flesh, even though we are in the flesh. For we are at war against the flesh. But what weapons does Paul use? He uses only the words of God, which are mighty in God for pulling down strong­holds. So do not doubt that His mere words can do such great things; do not look at things according to the outward appear­ance. He who looks at outward appearance shall not see the inward might of God, who casts down every high thing by the humility of Christ and the simplicity of His Gospel.

Psalm 54

Reading: II Corinthians 11.1-18 or 11.1-6

Meditation: What is a chaste virgin, but a maiden who is pre­pared only for her husband? This is what the Apostle desires the Corinthians to be. For he says, I have betrothed you to one husband. Therefore the Church is a virgin Bride for the Bride­groom who was also virgin-born. And as virginity is purity, so also, as Christ is pure, must His Bride be pure. But wherein is her purity? In Christ, through whom she came into exis­tence. For as Eve came from Adam, so also the Church comes from Christ; as Eve was bone of Adam’s bone, the bone of Adam’s side, so also the Church is created in water and blood, the Holy Sacraments from Christ’s side. And only thus is she pure and virgin, prepared only for Him. But now false apostles have arisen, even as the Serpent arose in Eden, to deceive the woman. And as she was deceived and listened to the Serpent’s voice rather than the voice of her husband, so now does Paul fear that the virgin Bride of Christ will be deceived again by the Serpent’s heirs. So he warns of another Jesus, a different spirit, and a different gospel, that the Church may not be deceived as Eve was.

Psalm 54

Reading: II Corinthians 12.19—13.13 or 13.2-6

Meditation: Examine yourselves, says the Apostle, as to whether you are in the faith. And again he says, Test yourselves. How is this done? Consider his prior words: Though He was crucified in weakness, yet He lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in Him, but we shall live with Him by the power of God toward you. What, then, is the mark of faith? Is it not recog­nition that the strength of God is seen in weakness, the weakness of the cross? Who despises weakness? Such a one is not in the faith. Who cherishes Christ? Must he not also cherish weakness, then? So Paul boasts before the Corinthians, not of his strength, but of his weakness. Will they scoff at his weakness? They cannot scoff, if they are in the faith, for the faith does not despise weakness. For when weakness in the flesh is evident, then the spirit may the more boldly cry out to God, Judge me by thy strength. For when they are weak, then they are strong in Him. So also let us glory in the weakness of the cross of Christ, and in the simplicity of preachers who like Paul will do nothing among us but preach and administer the Holy Sacra­ments.

Psalm 54

Reading: Galatians 1.1-24 or 1.3-12

Meditation: As it was in Corinth, so also were the Galatians troubled by false preachers. For wherever Truth flourishes, there also will falsehood arise to war against it. So Paul wages war against it, saying, Even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel, let him be accursed. Twice he affirms t­his and so binds himself, resolutely placing himself beneath his Gospel, and no one above it, for the Gospel is Christ. So let us place ourselves beneath this Gospel and cling to Christ who alone removes the curse. For where this Gospel is not, even if an angel from heaven be there, there is a curse, even the curse of everlasting damnation. And what is this Gospel? Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, this is the Gospel. For the grace of God is freely given to remove the curse, and the peace of God is the result of the curse’s removal, as the angels of Bethlehem sang. Through whom? Through Christ, as he says here, not saying simply “from God the Father,” but at once adding “ and our Lord Jesus Christ.” For He became a curse that we might be freed from the curse, and the Garden restored.

Psalm 55

Reading: St. Luke 19.41-48

Meditation: Why does Jesus weep? Over Jerusalem, who will not believe, for they did not know the things that make for peace. What are the things that make for her peace? He Himself is the Peacemaker, who was teaching daily in the temple. So also today in the preach¬ing of Christ is peace announced between God and man, as angels sang at Christ’s birth, saying, Peace on earth! Christ is our Peace, and we, receiv¬ing Him, have peace with God. Yet the chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people sought to destroy Him, the Peace¬maker; hence they cannot have peace, and Jesus weeps. So does Jesus weep in His Church today over those who would silence the preaching of Christ our Peace, for truly He weeps with those who weep. Yet He will not always weep, for days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment, etc. So was Jerusalem destroyed by Rome some forty years later, and so also shall God destroy, in His Day, all the enemies of the cross and of Christ our Peace. For wherever Christ is preached and they will not believe, to them also does He declare, You did not know the time of your visitation.

Psalm 55

Reading: Galatians 2.1-21 or 2.11-21

Meditation: So firmly does Paul believe that all, even angels of heaven, must be subject to the Gospel, that he opposes Peter to his face. For Peter here stood in error, prefer¬ring the circum-cised Jews to the uncircumcised Gentiles. There¬fore even Peter, Prince of all the Apostles and first among them, stands rebuked under this Gospel, which declares that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ. Now if even the great Peter is beneath the authority of the Gospel, surely everyone else must be! But what is this Gospel that is greater than Peter? That Christ was cruci¬fied, and became weak and despised for us. So Peter and everyone must fall beneath Him, and become cruci¬fied with Christ. For He is our righteousness. So faith discards circumcision, laws, works, angels, Peter, and heaven itself, and clings only to Him who was crucified. But if we cling to the Crucified, shall we not also suffer? For who are we to chafe under affliction, if He, for us, did not? So then, the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God. Not by works, but by faith do I live, willing even to suffer.

Psalm 55

Reading: Galatians 3.1-14 or 1-8

Meditation: See how the Galatians became foolish: they began in the Spirit, but now suppose that they are now being made perfect by the flesh. They began, that is, in the faith worked through Baptism, but soon gained (false) security instead by ¬circumcision of the flesh. For circumcision was fulfilled in Christ who was Himself cut off and cursed, having become a curse for us in His crucifixion. Thus anyone who fails to see that circumcision (or any part of the law) is fulfilled in Christ does not give place to Christ. Even Abraham himself, the father of all the circumcised, had no such misconceptions about circumcision, for it is written, Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. So let Christ be your circumcision, the cutting off of your sinful flesh; see in Him the cursed flesh removed; count the Crucified as your cleansing. For as in circumcision blood is shed, so in Christ’s redemption blood was shed; as in circumcision the useless is removed, so in the cross the curse was removed; and as in circumcision the wound is washed clean, so in Baptism those who are Christ’s own are washed and made new.

Psalm 55

Reading: Galatians 4.8-20

Meditation: The Galatians, once pagan Gentiles without the law, have now become so enamored with the law as to have forgotten Christ, who is the end of the law. Paul sees the irony in this, for he finds these foolish Galatians clinging to the very things he once discarded. So he says, I urge you to become like me, for I became like you. O Galatians! I have been freed from a false dedication to days and months and seasons and years. For circumcision has now given place to Baptism, Passover to Easter, and the old Pentecost offerings to the new Pentecost and descent of the Holy Spirit. And you would prefer those things to their end, which is Christ? Brethren, become like me: freed from all works of the law, having Christ instead. So let your calendar be new, and let the observance days give place to that which they portray: Christ Himself, our Daystar from on high, our Sun of Righteousness. Let months or the moon give place to that which it portrays: as the moon reflects the sun, so does every apostle and preacher reflect Christ, and ought be received as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus. Let seasons give place to the acceptable season, when Christ redeemed the world; and let years give place to the everlasting year of salvation in His blessed name.

Psalm 55

Reading: Galatians 5.1-15 or 5.7-12

Meditation: The Apostle uses strong language to oppose the false teachers who have been turning the hearts of the Galatians away from Christ, being especially enraged that someone has evidently been claiming his support in the teaching of circumcision as necessary for salvation. He does not even know who is doing this, but knows that he shall bear his judgment. For this is taking the blessed name of Christ in vain, when one preaches the law and circumcision as though Christ were not the fulfillment and end of it. Let all take heed, then: no preaching of the law without its fulfillment can be tolerated in the Church of God. Indeed the very reason St. Paul suffered was that he was considered to have rejected such a religion of works of the law, by which he once lived, and by which his persecutors still lived. Whoever still commands circumcision rejects Christ who is our Circumcision. Thus let such preachers cut themselves off! For such preachers are in truth already emasculated, being no true ambassadors of the Man Jesus Christ. The offense of the cross has ceased wherever the Crucified is not seen as our own circumcision and cutting off of our sin and curse; therefore let the offense stand, and let the preachers proclaim only Christ crucified.

Psalm 55

Reading: Galatians 6.11-18

Meditation: Here the Apostle reserves the most concise terms for his defense in summary against the Judaizers: From now on let no one trouble me, for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus. So for him neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything. He replaces marks of circumcision with the marks of the Lord Jesus. What are these? These are his stripes, his wounds, his sufferings for the sake of Christ and His Gospel. To be marked thus is to be blessed, as Jesus Himself had once said, Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you for My sake. So let all the faithful of God desire these marks rather than the marks of outward obedience to the law. Which are better marks to have, those of a follower of the law, or those of a follower of Christ? The former marks are only outward, and gain only the rewards of esteem in the sight of deceived men; the latter, the marks of persecution and suffering for Christ’s sake, these boast of the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. For the way of Christ cannot be the way of boasting in obedience to the law, else what purpose would the cross have served? Rather, His way is the way of the cross, as He also declared: If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.

Psalm 55

Reading: Ephesians 6.1-9

Meditation: Why is it right for children to obey their parents? Because this obedience, as the Apostle says here, is in the Lord. What does this mean? Parents themselves are in the Lord, that is, in His stead. Fathers serve in the stead of our Father in heaven; mothers serve in the stead of the Church, who, as St. Paul says elsewhere, is the mother of us all. So must parents understand their responsibility as representatives. Thus fathers are not to provoke their children, for this would misrepresent our Father in heaven who is merciful and gracious, longsuffering and plenteous in mercy and truth. Rather, children must be brought up in the training and admonition of the Lord, that is, especially with a solemn awareness of His mercy through their own expression of it. So also must children see their parents as the heavenly gifts they are: to disobey them is to spurn God, to honor them is to honor God. To be an obedient child to them is to be in the stead of Christ, who is Himself the Son of the Father, being obedient unto the death of the cross, and of the Blessed Virgin, to whom also He was subject. For true obedience, whether to parents, or to other masters under God, is really obedience to Christ, as it says here: be obedient . . . as to Christ.

Psalm 68

Reading: St. Luke 18.9-14

Meditation: Behold this Pharisee, how good he looks: he prays aloud, in the temple, he thanks God!, he fasts twice a week, and gives tithes of all that he possesses. How could anyone look better? From this parable we learn that none of these things look impressive to God, however, for God beholds the inward, secret things. God sees the heart, that it is foul and sinful. Thus the tax collector’s condition is the better one, for he knows and acknowledges this, whereas the Pharisee does not. The tax collector stands afar off, knowing his unworthiness; he would not raise his eyes to heaven in haughtiness, as the Psalmist who prays, saying, Lord, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty. Rather, he beats his breast, in token that he is worthy to be beaten, even crucified, for his own sin; yet he also pleads for mercy, as all the faithful of God must do, knowing the One crucified for sinners. So he went down to his house justified, as all the faithful go into the house of God through the righteousness of the Just One; for to humble oneself is to place one beneath the Him whose humiliation was for sinners. And as Christ was exalted, so shall the faithful be at last.

Psalm 68

Reading: Ephesians 6.18-24

Meditation: Behold how aware the Apostle is that utterance is a gift. The preaching of the Gospel is a work of the Spirit of God, as is also every confession of the faith. This is why we frequently pray with David, saying, O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise. As the mouth is opened to speak, so also is it made bold to speak, by the same Spirit. See how stubborn is this Apostle: he is in chains, that is, imprisoned, persecuted; yet he still calls himself an ambassador, for that is truly what he is, being made apostle by the Lord Jesus Himself. To what is this stubbornness owed? To the Spirit alone, whose task it is to cause the preaching of the Gospel to sound forth. The making known of the mystery of the Gospel is itself a mystery. As Jesus said: You cannot tell where the wind comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit. The mystery hidden for long ages in the figures and types of the Scriptures is now made known by the Spirit, by whom Christ Himself was conceived and born of the Virgin Mary. Who can explain this birth? Who can explain the faith? Both are heavenly births, and both from the Spirit, who opened the Virgin’s womb and who opens the lips of the faithful to speak.

Psalm 68

Reading: Philippians 1.1—2.4 or 1.12-21

Meditation: The Apostle boasts of his chains, because this is the way of the cross. Behold how Christ boasted that He would be crucified, and how the Church has therefore counted His cross as His glory, shameful though it was to sight. Thus the eyes of the faithful are trained to regard things which the world despises as great and glorious. Not only does this apply to the crucifixion of our Lord, but also to our own suffering in Him. So Paul boasts, and so do all the faithful learn to boast: the more they will suffer for the sake of Christ and His Gospel, the more occasion will they have to boast, for they do not boast in themselves but in Him; and not in strength but in weakness. Even in death will they then have occasion to boast, as St. Paul does here, saying, To live is Christ, and to die is gain. What is gained by suffering and death? In these the Apostle magnifies Christ who suffered and died, for thus it is written, Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints. The crown of life, which Christ gained when He was raised the third day, shall be given to all the faithful who thus regard Christ and boast in His suffering, and who can yet say amid their own suffering, My soul magnifies the Lord.

Psalm 68

Reading: Philippians 2.19-30 or 2.19-24

Meditation: St. Paul desires to send Timothy to the Philippians, confident of his own episcopal authority to do so. So is this same authority exercised in the sending forth of all preachers by their peers. This is for the benefit of the Church according to her need for preachers and the comfort they bring. The Apostle refers to himself as a father with regard to Timothy, in that as a son with his father he served with me in the gospel. Thus did the ancient address of a preacher as father arise, and persists in certain circles to the present day. For the ministers of the Gospel must always be sent, that is, they must not preach on their own authority or appoint themselves as preachers; rather, they serve in the stead of the One who sent them: God, who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Even in the Apostle’s own service in this office we see how earnestly he desires the well-being of this church, and to come to them himself; this desire itself is also a reflection of the desire of Christ to come down from heaven to redeem the fallen world. So does the Church live from grace: the grace by which Christ came, and the grace by which He continually provides her with her preachers, that she may hear and believe.

Psalm 68

Reading: Philippians 3.1-11

Meditation: Behold how St. Paul has occasion to boast: Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee, etc. If anyone has occasion to boast in the law, it is he. Yet he counts it all as rubbish. He has discarded everything he had by which he used to boast, clinging instead to the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus. For Benjamin was the most favored, youngest son of Israel, yet Christ is the Son of God who said of Him, This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. So let all count as rubbish any status they may have gained on earth, no matter whether inherited or achieved; better than all is the knowledge of Christ, who is the only-begotten Son of God. Such a view requires faith, for whereas all earthly occasions to boast are seen, the inheritance of faith is unseen and hidden. So the Apostle also warns against those who would boast, calling them evil workers, the mutilation, meaning those who persist in preaching circumcision. By this they discard Christ who alone is good, as the Psalmist declares, Thou art good and doest good. Thus St. Paul is willing to know the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, for he lives by this faith alone.

Psalm 68

Reading: Philippians 4.1-3

Meditation: When the Apostle encourages the Philippians to stand fast in the Lord, he means for them to follow his own example. His stubbornness in clinging to the words of the truth is manifested by his chains and imprisonment; such stubbornness testifies to the truth of his confession of faith; to this same resolve he now encourages them. It is always, however, in the Lord that they must stand, for it is Christ who through His Gospel gives this stubbornness and resolve. Specifically does he implore Euodia and Syntyche, presumably deaconesses, and then also does he urge the church to help them in their service. Then he mentions Clement by name, whom tradition recognizes as the one who would later become bishop of Rome. To stand fast, therefore, is not only to be stalwart in confessing the faith, but in supporting those who labor in the faith; these, according to the Apostle’s words, are his fellow workers, whose names are in the Book of Life. The ministrations even of those who assist in the work of the Gospel are highly to be regarded, therefore, and also as manifestations of the grace of God toward His people.

Psalm 68

Reading: Philippians 4.8-23 or 4.8-13

Meditation: St. Paul calls here for meditation on good things, knowing that all good comes from God who is good and does good. Most especially, however, does he bid the Philippians to imitate what they see in him. What do they see in him? They see one who has suffered for Christ, and who can yet say, I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content. It is in fact the very privilege of suffering for Christ that has taught him this contentment; to be stripped of good things is to have greater occasion to cling alone to the One who is good. See how much he has gained through his suffering: he can now say with confidence: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Therefore it is good to meditate on good things, but it is better to meditate on the Giver of all good. Do you wish to be content? Seek to gain the secret of contentment, which is found in the mystery of Christ and His Gospel. How does one seek this? By learning to regard by faith the things of Christ which are lowly and despised in the eyes of men, that in knowing these, one may know the one thing needful, which shall not be taken away. Herein is contentment, treasures in heaven where moth and rust do not corrupt, and where thieves do not break through and steal.

Psalm 70

Reading: St. Mark 7.31-37

Meditation: Consider this deaf man: because he cannot hear, he has an impediment in his speech. So also, all who cannot hear the words of God will have an impediment in their speech, that is, in their confession of faith. For faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. But what does Jesus do for this man? He takes him aside from the multitude, even as one is taken aside still today for Baptism. Behold now how the things which occur in Baptism are so very like what happens to this man: first Jesus put His fingers into the man’s ears; just as the Spirit of God (which Holy Scripture names elsewhere also as the Finger of God) comes first to the ears in the hearing of the Gospel words connected with Baptism. Next, Jesus spat and touched his tongue, as also in Baptism, there is water from Jesus’ mouth (sanctified by His word), which is applied to the faithful. And this Baptism touches also the lips, for by the faith given here the Lord prepares the lips and the mouth to show forth His praise. Finally Jesus speaks: Ephphatha, that is, Be opened, and the ears are opened, the impediment of the tongue is loosed, and the man speaks plainly. In Baptism too, by Jesus’ word the ears are opened, the tongue is loosed, one begins to confess the faith.

Psalm 70

Reading: Colossians 2.1-23 or 2.1-10

Meditation: The Apostle’s desire is that the people would attain to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ. What, then, is the mystery of God, or why is the knowledge of Him referred to here as a mystery? In this we behold the nature of the Gospel, that it is not comprehensible to the natural mind. Since it is a mystery, therefore it must be uncovered, revealed, made known. See how necessary is the preaching of the Gospel, by which alone the mystery of Christ is made known. And what is this mystery? That in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. It is marvelous enough to say that in the Babe in the manger dwells all, all the fullness of the Godhead. More marvelous still is the adverb which follows: bodily! See, in the flesh of this Child, this Boy, this Man, this Crucified One. Here is where the Godhead in all its fullness may be found. Behold the mystery: who would think to find God here, a suffering, wounded Victim of crucifixion? None but those to whom the mystery is revealed in the Gospel which declares exactly this truth, that we may learn where the fullness of the Godhead is: in Christ, in His body, and therefore also, especially for us, in the Holy Supper.

Psalm 70

Reading: Colossians 3.18—4.18 or 4.16-18

Meditation: Careful attention to the closing words of the Apostle here shows us that the practice of an oral reading of these apostolic epistles is a tradition which began in apostolic times, and by apostolic direction. From this we learn that the primary meaning of the reading of an apostolic epistle is not a reading with the eyes, but an oral reading, that the ears may hear it. This is one of the central ingredients in the Divine Service, therefore, this reading of the memoirs of the Apostles, that is, of the New Testament epistles. St. Paul knew that the words he wrote were not his own, but from the Lord, and therefore he insisted on their public reading. Moreover in this very context a certain Archippus was told to take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it. Therefore the ministry is fulfilled expressly by the attention given to the public reading of the Sacred Scriptures. Paul also signs the epistle with his own hand, that none may doubt its authenticity (and that, implicitly, the Church may be warned against fraudulent epistles which have no such imprimatur), and bids the church, Remember my chains: for these are also significant marks of authenticity, that he is stubborn enough about the truth to suffer so for it.

Psalm 70

Reading: I Thessalonians 1.1-10

Meditation: Our gospel, says the Apostle, did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit. By this we learn that in words of the Gospel the Holy Spirit’s divine power is always imbedded. So these Thessalonians received the word in much affliction; the affliction they endured testified to their convictions. To believe that Christ is good when evil is at hand, that is a more convincing faith. So even to those in other regions, Macedonia and Achaia, the evidence of the Thessalonians’ faith was evident: How you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God. For faith in idols cannot see the hidden God, and therefore could not comprehend faithfulness in the face of affliction. Yet true faith believes what it cannot now see: that Christ, who was raised from the dead, delivers us from the wrath to come. How does He deliver us? By the hidden power of the Spirit in Baptism, for John the Baptist once referred to Baptism in these very terms, and St. Paul elsewhere also refers to the resurrection of Christ from the dead in connection with Baptism, saying, We were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

Psalm 70

Reading: I Thessalonians 2.1 20 or 2.1 12

Meditation: The Apostle spoke the Gospel of God in much conflict, he says here. That is, for speaking it he and his companions were spitefully treated at Philippi. Yet he continued to speak. To Thessalonica he came, in spite of ill-treatment at Philippi, and in spite of the knowledge that for continuing to speak he could expect continual ill-treatment. His steadfastness in speaking is testimony to his conviction: so clear was it that he came not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts; for men pleasers do not get such troubles from men. So St. Paul says that he did not use flattering words; such would not be God’s words, for God’s words do not flatter but first condemn men, that they might then also comfort them with the Gospel. The Thessalonians’ reception of the Apostle then was clearly a reception of this Gospel. They did not accept flattery, for he did not give it; thus they received the comfort of the Gospel which is foreign to those who prefer flattery. So also must every Christian prefer the Gospel over flattery, receiving it with meekness, the meekness of contrition and faith.

Psalm 70

Reading: I Thessalonians 3.1 13 or 3.1 7

Meditation: The afflictions of the Apostle carry the danger of shaking the faith of his converts, who might well ask, If the Apostle is true, why does he suffer so? Why do men say, as they said to David, Aha, aha!? So does faith wrestle with God, as did Israel himself, beset continually with the afflictions of an evil world which we know Christ has overcome. So Paul sends Timothy to them with the reminder: You yourselves know that we are appointed to this. The suffering of these Apostles, indeed the suffering of the Church herself, is appointed by Him whose own suffering was likewise appointed. Was it not necessary that Christ suffer and be raised? So also is the suffering of His people necessary, that they may become poor and needy even as Christ Himself was, crying to Him who is their Help and Deliverer. The encouragement that Paul received in return from Timothy was that they had indeed remembered this, and that they were not offended by his weakness and suffering. So the Thessalonians’ acceptance of the Apostle serves to encourage all the faithful to receive Christ and His messengers in spite of their weak appearance.

Psalm 70

Reading: I Thessalonians 4.8 12

Meditation: Concerning brotherly love the Apostle here encourages the Thessalonians to increase more and more. That is, especially now toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia; and then more and more, that is, to the whole Christian Church. It is as if he would say, You love one another, which is good; so love the whole Church, which is better. For the Holy Spirit by which the Apostle here speaks is also the giver of the bond of unity in the faith, which bond is love. In this bond the Church shares a common confession of faith. Such faith is expressed in the gentleness of love by which, he says, You aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands. Faith, being confident only in God, pertains only to the things of God; hence love, by which faith works, does not fret over or engage in the business of others. It is not truly love, then, which intrudes unwelcomed into the lives of others (even if it be in the name of evangelism or church growth!). For true love, born of faith, knows that it is God who orders all things for the good of His Church, and hence is gentle and of a quiet spirit in all things.

Psalm 74

Reading: St. Luke 10.23 37

Meditation: Who is my neighbor? That depends upon where you see yourself in this parable. If you are wounded and naked (before God), then the Samaritan will be your neighbor. Jesus Himself was called a Nazarene, for He was brought up in Nazareth, which is in Samaria. So Jesus, our Good Samaritan, has come to us, who were stripped of our clothing, that is, naked and ashamed, unable to stand before God. Now the Law cannot help us, even as the priest and Levite would not help; but Christ does: He had compassion, and bandaged our wounds in His mercy; He poured in oil and wine, that is, washed us in Holy Baptism (which was in earliest times associated with the anointing with oil), and poured the wine of the holy blood of Christ into us in the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar. So also, He has brought us to His Inn, that is, His Holy Christian Church, where He charges the innkeeper (the pastor), saying, Take care of him, having given him two denarii, that is, provision for these two Sacraments; with a promise encouraging that pastor to be faithful, saying, When I come again, I will repay you, which will happen at the Last Day.

Psalm 74

Reading: I Thessalonians 5.12 28 or 5.12 16

Meditation: To recognize those who are over you in the Lord is to honor them for the sake of their office. For the pastor has been charged by Christ to take care of you (like the innkeeper in the Good Samaritan parable), and therefore you will do well to recognize that this is his calling under God. What is their charge? To admonish you, says the Apostle. What is their admonishment? Here he makes it clear by extending the task to the Thessalonians themselves: Warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all. This is also the task, most specifically (and authoritatively) of the pastor: he warns with the law, he comforts and upholds with the Gospel and its Sacraments, and he is patient, for he stands in the stead of Christ, who is Himself longsuffering, and plentous in mercy and truth, as David says. To pursue what is good, then, is most especially to seek to gain from the pastor the gifts of Christ; and in having these, to find continual comfort in the Gospel and mercy of Christ, knowing what it means to rejoice always.

Psalm 74

Reading: I Timothy 1.1 20 or 1.12 17

Meditation: Every Christian may draw comfort from this faithful saying: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. See, he does not say, I was chief: though his former way of life is proof of his sinfulness, yet he knows this sinfulness still clings to him. So the faithful saying is not only Christ came for sinners, but also, I am chief. For although St. Paul says, I obtainred mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief, still he calls himself chief. For he is well aware of the peril of his own sinfulness. While it is possible for some who fall from faith to be restored (consider David, Solomon, and St. Peter), yet there is also the ever present danger of a knowing blasphemy which makes such repentance impossible. For the Scriptures declare that it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame. So it is good to know oneself, as the Apostle does here, that one may learn vigilance against the devil, as well as the ever present need for Christ Jesus who came for sinners.

Psalm 74

Reading: I Timothy 2.1 15 or 2.8 15

Meditation: Women are to learn in silence with all submission. Why? Because Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. So let all women learn from the error of Eve, that by speaking (to the Serpent) where she ought to have been silent, she fell. And let all men learn from the error of Adam, that by listening to Eve instead of to God, he fell; Eden’s tragedy occurred by an inversion of the order of creation. So let the order be set aright: let Christ (the Second Adam) have authority over the Church (the second Eve); let the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, that is, let the priestly duties be done by pastors who are men, in token of their likeness to the Man Jesus Christ; let the lifting up of their hands be in token of His crucifixion; and let women refuse to do such things, in token of their likeness to the Church and Bride of Christ, in submission to Him; for she (that is, Eve and all her daughters) will be saved in childbearing, which is to say, in that Holy Virgin Birth of our Lord, to which all childbearing bears resemblance.

Psalm 74

Reading: I Timothy 3.1 16 or 3.14 16

Meditation: Since the Church is the pillar and ground of the truth, therefore the word of God sounds forth and is confessed there. So now the Apostle gives her a primitive creed to confess, which has served as a pattern and justification for her later creeds. And for this creed he gives a rationale: great is the mystery of godliness. Since the faith is a mystery, therefore the Church must learn to confess only according to the words of the faith given to her, for without these she could not confess the truth: God was manifested in the flesh; that is, the incarnation of God is the heart of the mystery, and of our salvation; justified in the spirit; that is, raised from the dead by the power of His divine nature; seen by angels, not only at His resurrection, but upon His ascension to the right hand of the Father, where the angels ever see Him; preached among the Gentiles, that is, from the day of Pentecost forward; believed on in the world; for by this preaching the Church has ever lived, by grace; and received up in glory; for the glory of His ascension is especially seen in the vindication of His humble Gospel as its preaching continues in every generation.

Psalm 74

Reading: I Timothy 4.1 16 or 4.12 16

Meditation: Here the duties of the pastor are clearly set forth: first, exemplary conduct in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity. For no openly disgraceful or shameful conduct should be permitted among pastors, lest the people’s faith be offended. Second, attention to reading, that is, to the public reading of the Scriptures as the basis from which all preaching and teaching must arise (which is why the readings always precede the sermon). Third, to exhortation, that is, to apostolic preaching, which, having its roots in the synagogue, is to continue in the churches by this divine direction. Finally, to doctrine, that is, to the teaching or catechesis of the faith. Then he says, Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership; by this we see not only that ordination is a divine rite by which the divine gift of the office is given, but also that neglect of reading, exhortation, and doctrine would be neglect of the office itself. So he says give yourself entirely to these things. Therefore every pastor who does so does well, and every church with such a pastor is indeed blessed.

Psalm 74

Reading: I Timothy 5.1 25 or 5.17 21

Meditation: Here we see that elders, that is, ordained pastors, who rule well ought to be counted worthy of double honor. In this we see two things: first, that they who are Christ’s representatives in the Church therefore by divine right bear the authority of the word, by which they rule. Second, that those who do so well are to be honored doubly: once for their holding of the office, and again for their faithfulness in bearing it, in likeness to Christ. For as Christ is to receive honor and praise, so are His servants to be given honor, since it is He who has sent them. But the Apostle likens them to oxen here, lowly beasts who tread out the grain, since they in their humble service provide the Bread of Life to the people; yet as oxen are not to be muzzled but permitted to eat of that grain, so do pastors themselves feast on Christ, and must be given adequate provision that they may do so. For it says, The laborer is worthy of his wages, and that the faithful elders labor in the word and doctrine.

Psalm 84

Reading: St. Luke 17.11 19

Meditation: Let the example of these lepers help us. They stood afar off because they knew of their uncleanness, even as we all should know of the uncleanness of our hearts. Yet they still were bold to cry for mercy, even as we all should be bold to do the same, letting our Kyries (“Lord, have mercy”) be full of faith; for they did as Jesus asked, going to show themselves to the priests before they even had evidence of His help, for it says that as they went, they were cleansed. So too let every Christian be confident of Jesus’ help before seeing evidence of it, for we live by faith, and not by sight. But let us take above all the example of the one leper who returned. Now that he is cleansed he no longer stands afar off, but at once draws near, falling down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. Even though cleansed, still he prostrates himself before the Incarnate One here, in recognition of His majesty. So also let every Christian recognize His majesty, especially at the altar where we receive His cleansing. Ten were cleansed, one returned; so also let our release from bondage to the law (the Ten Commandments) come by the one true faith.

Psalm 84

Reading: I Timothy 6.1 21 or 6.3 10

Meditation: False preachers may appear holy, but in fact are proud, knowing nothing, obsessed with disputes, full of envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, etc. From their falsehood such things are spread among their hearers. Therefore from such withdraw yourself. But to whom shall you flee? To Christ and His Holy Supper, which is the mystery of godliness. Even the term sacrament comes from the Latin sacramentum, a translation of the Greek mysterion. So then godliness itself comes from the Sacrament; this is its benefit, since, in that it confers the forgiveness of sins, so also it confers true godliness upon those who receive it. Knowing this, then, one may also know true contentment; thus the Apostle declares that godliness with contentment is great gain, unlike the selfish ambitions of the false preachers. What good is their greed? We brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. Thus, having food and clothing, with these we shall be content, especially with the food of the Holy Supper, and the attendant clothing of the godliness of Christ.

Psalm 84

Reading: II Timothy 1.1 18 or 1.1 7

Meditation: Timothy has become St. Paul’s beloved son, though the Apostle never married. And Eunice is Timothy’s mother, though her husband is not mentioned. How very like our Lord Christ is Timothy, then, for Christ from eternity is the beloved Son of the Father, and also the Son of the Blessed Virgin; so it is to Timothy’s genuine faith that Paul refers in calling him his son. Not only so, but also to his holy ordination, as the Apostle declares here: I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. As Christ Himself was declared to be the beloved Son of God at His Baptism, so Timothy is declared the Apostle’s beloved son by virtue of his ordination. For in that Sacrament the gift of God was given him and is in him. What gift? The Holy Orders he received to preach and to administer the Blessed Sacraments. How, then, shall Timothy stir up the gift except by preaching and administering the Sacraments? Let no preacher through fear withhold these gifts, for God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind, namely, the mind of Christ.

Psalm 84

Reading: II Timothy 2.1 26 or 2.1 13

Meditation: How foreign to the modern ear are the words of the Apostle: Endure hardship as a good soldier, etc.; or again, the Gospel is, he says, that for which I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even to the point of chains. Why is it that the good and faithful preachers Paul and Timothy must suffer and endure affliction? Surely, on the one hand because the world is evil, and as evil men persecuted Christ, so do they persecute His preachers, as He Himself often said they would. But surely also because as Christ was persecuted and slain for the redemption of the world, His preachers bear in their bodies His image especially well when they too are persecuted and slain. They not only proclaim Him with their words, but by their suffering for His sake. In this they are proven to be genuine. And if we endure, he says, we shall also reign with Him. For as Christ was raised and vindicated, so also shall all His preachers, indeed all their faithful hearers likewise be raised and vindicated. Let those hearers be encouraged in the Gospel, then, when they consider both the sufferings of Christ and the afflictions of His Church and her faithful preachers.

Psalm 84

Reading: Titus 1.1 16 or 1.1 5

Meditation: Pay heed now to what the Apostle says: God has in due time manifested His word; this is like what the Epistle to the Hebrews declares, saying, God has in these last days spoken to us by His Son. But behold what St. Paul here says about how God manifested His word: through preaching. See how highly he regards the preaching of the Gospel; it is the very means by which God speaks to us. And see next how it is that preachers come: they are appointed by God Himself, for the Apostle says here that this preaching was committed to me according to the commandment of God our Savior. For how shall they preach unless they be sent? It is the commandment of God our Savior; whom the Apostle also designates here as Jesus Christ our Savior, thus highlighting Jesus’ divinity. And then it was St. Paul who says to Titus here, I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking; and it is Titus who then is charged to appoint elders in every city as I commanded you. For Christ appoints preachers through other preachers, whom He first appointed as Apostles. And in this way He manifested His word.

Psalm 84

Reading: Titus 2.1 10

Meditation: Titus is now instructed to speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine. What are these? Specific instructions for men and women, older and younger, husbands and wives, in accordance with their callings in life, instructions which pertain to chaste and decent lives in word and deed. For those who believe and are enlightened in the doctrine of the Gospel should also have learned the secret of contentment; and, being content, ought to behave as contented, not in strife, quarreling, and things not becoming contentment. So also we see among the exhortations here reverence, love, discretion, chastity, obedience, soberness, and fidelity. These things are not in themselves the doctrine of the Gospel (indeed, they are the true meaning of the law); but they adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things, as they are indications of the contentment and devotion of a genuine faith. And since the Apostle speaks in connection with the various callings in life, he therefore indicates that these are divine callings; God has placed each one in his station, and it is there that by sobriety and fidelity he lives according to the Gospel.

Psalm 84

Reading: Titus 2.15—3.3

Meditation: Here the Apostle commands respect for authority, both by those who bear it and by those who are subject to it. For to Titus he charges, Rebuke with all authority, and of Titus’ hearers he expects submission and obedience to rulers and authorities. This is because there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. The sin of Adam was in essence disobedience against authority, for Adam lusted after his own gain, and sought to be like God, therefore he was foolish, disobedient, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating; and it is therefore not surprising to find Adam’s offspring living in the same way; but to be regenerate, to be washed, is to return to the purity of obedience in which Adam was created. Hence the Apostle encourages the preacher Titus to preach in such a way as to bring regeneration, from which will also come the kind of obedient behavior as was first seen in Eden. In addition, regenerate hearts are peaceable and gentle, for they live not according to the strife ridden fallen world, but by faith in the Second Adam, who is Husband to His Church, in a new Paradise.

Psalm 86

Reading: St. Matthew 6.24 34

Meditation: Look at the birds of the air, who are fed by your heavenly Father. What are they fed? Birds eat seeds, as Jesus declares in His parable of the sower: Some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. Therefore if we would become like the birds we would desire what Christ sows, which is the word of God. The birds do not sow, for Christ is the Sower; they do not reap, for the angels are the reapers; they do not gather, for the Harvest is yet to come. And you are of more value than they, for Christ has bought you with the price of His own lifeblood. Or again, consider the lilies: with what are they arrayed? With flowers; though they are found among thorns, as it is said of the Bride of Solomon’s song, A lily among thorns. To be like a lily is to be clothed in beauty; as is the Church, the Bride of Christ, clothed in the baptismal garment of His righteousness. So the lilies do not toil nor spin, for Christ gives His good freely. And all flesh is grass, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven; therefore be not of little faith, but full of faith, for it is only the clothing of Christ which shall abide.

Psalm 86

Reading: Titus 3.8 15

Meditation: The Apostle declares not once but twice that the people must maintain good works. For these things are good and profitable to men. This is because whoever will not do good must be unregenerate, and nothing which is unregenerate can profit. As he says elsewhere, everything that does not proceed from faith is sin. Therefore a divisive man is at length to be rejected, for he is warped and sinning, being self condemned. He condemns himself by his evil deeds, whereby he shows that he is unregenerate; unless he turns from evil for mercy, according to the Psalmist who says, Thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive. Otherwise he is condemned. For as Jesus said, You cannot serve God and mammon. So it is that condemnation of the wicked is sealed by the wicked works that they do; and so also, that the faith of the faithful is demonstrated by the works that they do. No one can say that he loves God if he hates his neighbor, as St. James declares, saying also that faith without works is dead. For true faith is alive and active; and though faith alone gains salvation, yet faith is never alone.

Psalm 86

Reading: Philemon 1 25 or 10 17

Meditation: The Apostle refers to Onesimus as my son, whom I have begotten while in my chains; this Onesimus was formerly Philemon’s slave, whom the latter evidently once sent to St. Paul, since he says, here, I am sending him back. So this slave was to have been slave to the Apostle, who was himself in chains. But on hearing his preaching, Onesimus believed, and so was freed from bondage to sin and death. Not only so, but was evidently also ordained into the ministry by the Apostle, for he says, I wished to keep him with me, that he might minister to me; and again, encourages Philemon by saying, Receive him as you would me. Now if St. Paul is to be received as an ambassador of Christ, should not also Onesimus be thus received? How then might O¬nesimus have ministered to him? Perhaps by hearing his confession, inasmuch as even Apostles need confessors to whom to confess their sins and from whom to receive absolution. So as the Apostle is prisoner indeed, but of Jesus Christ, so also now is Onesimus slave indeed, but likewise, of Jesus Christ. For every preacher is bound to Him and required to be faithful.

Psalm 86

Reading: Hebrews 1.1 14 or 1.1 4

Meditation: Adam was created in the image of God, but Christ is the image of God; for Adam was created in the image of the One who was to come, that is, in the image of Christ, who is God; Christ is the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person. The pattern of man’s creation in the image of God is not only that he was created without sin, but that he was created in the very likeness of the Incarnate One. For this is the way in which God worked toward His people of old: at various times and in various ways He spoke to the fathers by the prophets. He foretold, that is, in different ways, that He was Himself coming to visit His people. In different ways, because in one case He speaks words of prediction, and in another, recounts the holy history which He Himself designed to be a preview of the things to come. The creation of Adam is only one of such previews. But all are fulfilled in Christ, who is the Second Adam, Noah, Abraham, Enoch, Moses, Elijah, David, and Solomon; indeed, He is the one appointed Heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; and in His most excellent name have we been washed.

Psalm 86

Reading: Hebrews 2.5—3.6 or 2.5 10

Meditation: Here the Apostle argues from the Psalms that all the Scriptures reach their fulfillment in Jesus Christ. For in the second Psalm it is said, What is man that You are mindful of him? and, You have made him a little lower than the angels, and again, You have put all things in subjection under his feet. Now who could know, excepting one who has Christ the Key to the Scriptures, that these refer to His incarnation? But he points out the obvious, that we do not yet see all things put under Him, an indication here that there must be more to this than meets the eye; and then he clearly declares that it refers first of all to Christ Himself: We see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor. He knows this because he sees Christ in all the Scriptures. So here, a little lower than the angels indicates the little while of Christ’s humiliation, wherein He subjected Himself in all humility to the death of the cross. And why? That He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone. So then, for everyone, that is, for man, He did all this, that all things might at the last be put under our feet.

Psalm 86

Reading: Hebrews 4.14—5.14 or 5.5 10

Meditation: Christ, since He was a Son, the eternal Son of the Father, learned obedience by the things which He suffered. Now how can He who knows all things learn something? Or how can He who was without sin learn obedience as though it were something He did not already know? His learning of obedience was His own experience of affliction and vehement cries and tears; this is an holy mystery, that He not only stooped in humiliation, but that the degree to which He stooped was beyond our imagination. In this way He gained salvation, then: He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him; He whose obedience was faith toward His Father now gains from His faithful the obedience of their faith toward Him; and as their own experiences contain afflictions like unto His own, so do they, through their own experience of suffering, learn this obedience. For the testing of faith produces patience, as St. James also declares; so too, the degree to which the faithful willingly endure affliction, persecution, and martyrdom is also beyond the imagination of the fallen world.

Psalm 86

Reading: Hebrews 6.1 20 or 6.1 12

Meditation: Now the Apostle wishes to go on, that is, to leave the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, and to go on to perfection. What does this mean? Surely not to leave the Gospel to concentrate more fervently on the commandments; for no law ever gave life; nor can any law bring perfection; rather, through the law comes the knowledge of death. Indeed he preaches here the law in such a way, as to threaten eternal death, saying, It is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance. For although many faithful have fallen and been restored, yet none who have come so far forward in the faith, if they fall away, can be restored. Therefore it is incumbent upon these Hebrews to press on to perfection. What perfection? The kind which shows diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end. This is the perfection of faith and patience, the patience produced by trials and affliction. Thus the going on of which he speaks is a going on to the perfect patience which is gained only by suffering for Christ.

Psalm 88

Reading: St. Luke 7.11-17

Meditation: Behold how Life and death contend, for each has its procession here: a large crowd was with Jesus, and a large crowd from the city was with the dead man being carried out. Here the Lord of life is seen in triumph over the lord of death, therefore. See what anguish Satan has visited upon this poor widow, whom grief has now visited twice, both in the death of her husband and in the death of her only son, and how very helpless she is in her distress. Yet when the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her; for truly, it is because of compassion that the Lord, seeing also the sorry helpless state of His poor people, has come to us all in His holy incarnation. Now see what results: He stops the procession, touching the open coffin, and raises the dead. Now the widow is given ten times more joy than she has ever known. See how good He is, who likewise speaks comforting words of the Gospel to His people today, stopping also among us the procession of death as well, for we through faith in Him shall likewise be raised and live eternally with Him.

Psalm 88

Reading: Hebrews 7.1-28 or 7.1-10

Meditation: Why did Abraham give Melchizedek a tithe? For Abraham is the father of a multitude, but who is Melchizedek? Behold, he has no lineage at all; so beyond all contradiction the lesser is blessed by the better. Why? Surely, because he was more like our Christ than Abraham, even though Christ is the Seed of the latter. For the inheritance of heavenly reward is not by lineage or rank, but rather through Christ alone. So the true children of Abraham are not his blood-relatives, even though Christ Himself is the Seed of Abraham. Rather, they are the relatives of Melchizedek, that is, they are like Melchizedek, and so also like Christ. For as Melchizedek is without father and mother, so Christ has no earthly father and declares those who hear His word and keep it are His mother and sister and brother; and as Melchizedek has neither beginning of days nor end of life, like Christ who is the Alpha and Omega, so also those who are in Christ shall live forever in Him who was before the worlds were made. And as Melchizedek means “king of peace”, so Christ our Melchizedek bestows peace through His Gospel, and not through earthly lineage or rank.

Psalm 88

Reading: Hebrews 8.1-13 or 8.1-6

Meditation: Christ as High Priest must take His seat in heaven and not on earth, for if He were seated on earth, He would not be a priest, since earthly priests offer gifts according to the law, according to the pattern shown to Moses on the mountain. Therefore He has ascended on high and given gifts to men, according to that which is above the earth. See, He gives gifts not only to God but to men. Now the Levitical priests did likewise, for they not only sacrificed, but sprinkled the blood of the sacrifices on the people, and the people also ate of the meat. Yet the earthly is a copy and shadow of the heavenly; therefore the heavenly sacrifice which the Levitical sacrifices portrayed is greater, being offered on the cross with His own precious blood, and then sprinkled and given to His people to eat and drink. So He must sit not on earth but in heaven, so that by this heavenly authority He may send forth those who will give His gifts to men in His stead.

Psalm 88

Reading: Hebrews 9.1-10

Meditation: What was the meaning of the tabernacle under the first covenant? Surely, as the first covenant was to be fulfilled in the second, so too the first tabernacle and that which it contained also find their fulfillment in the second, that is, in Christ. So therefore what can the lampstand, table, and showbread signify, but the Word of Christ, the Altar of Christ, and the Sacrament upon the Altar? For there was also a veil behind, in token that behind the preaching of the Gospel, and behind the Altar and its Sacrament are also an unseen reality, namely the presence of the Most High. For within the veil was the ark with its the golden pot that had the manna, Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant. These are the very elements which demonstrated and confirmed the presence of God among His people in the wilderness. And though unseen, these were precious gold, as also in the Sacrament: what is unseen is the precious body and blood of Christ. What is unseen within the veil is also a censor, as also in the Sacrament, what is unseen is that the prayers of the Holy Liturgy accompanying the celebration of the Sacrament truly ascend before the throne of grace. Truly, the worship of Israel teaches well the truth of the mystery of the Divine Presence that accompanies Divine Worship.

Psalm 88

Reading: Hebrews 9.16-28

Meditation: Where there is a testament, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. So it was that Christ said that He must suffer many things and be crucified. For surely we are the heirs of Christ our Testator. For He has willed and bequeathed to us eternal riches, which are His by right. And where did He will it to us? Consider His words This is the new testament in my blood, which He spoke when instituting the Holy Supper. For He became flesh in order to redeem flesh; and this He did by shedding His blood. For Christ was offered to bear the sins of many. So what is the inheritance, then? Is it not Life? For the blood is the life, as Moses said; and therefore the blood of Christ, in whom all the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily, must be the Life of God. See how great is the inheritance which Christ has bequeathed to us: the Testator died and shed His blood—and in that blood is proof of His death—whereupon He gives His blood to His heirs to drink, that they, by drinking, might be taking in the Life of God.

Psalm 88

Reading: Hebrews 10.1-34 or 10.1-10

Meditation: The body of Jesus Christ was offered once for all, to which the former sacrifices testified, as it is written, in the volume of the book it is written of me. Now a volume suggests the want of a second; there the book must have two volumes to be complete. So there must be two volumes to the Scriptures in order for them to be complete, an Old and a New. For the New is the Revelation of the accomplishment of that which the Old established. So the New recalls the Old, and says, In the volume of the book it is written of me, me. So the sacrifices were incomplete in themselves, being a testimony to that which was to come. But now that Christ has come as the perfect Sacrifice, the performance of the Old sacrifices is no longer required, being completed. Yet their testimony remains, for they still testify for us of Christ; yea, now even better than before, inasmuch as we know their fulfillment. So their testimony is called the Old Testament, since it is about the Testament established in Moses but not yet enacted by the death of Christ. Now that Christ is come, what is required is another, new testimony, namely, that He fulfills the Old. Therefore the new testimony is called the New Testament, being the apostolic testimony about Christ and the New Testament in His blood.

Psalm 88

Reading: Hebrews 11.1-7

Meditation: The Apostle knows of Abel’s faith by virtue of the fact that his sacrifice was accepted whereas Cain’s was not. So his sacrifice was more excellent than Cain’s, and was that because it was accompanied by faith. What did Abel believe? God had said to his parents that the woman’s Seed shall bruise the Serpent’s head, though the Serpent would bruise His heel; and therein is seen the truth that there must be an offering. For the Serpent’s head must be bruised if Eden is ever to be restored, but in order that the Serpent’s head might be bruised, there must come also the bruising of the woman’s Seed. Therefore the Seed must submit to sacrifice, to bruising. So which offering is greater, a grain offering or a sacrificial offering? Surely the latter, for the former requires work, whereas the latter requires death. And so not only Abel’s lamb was killed, but Abel himself! Here is the substance of things hoped for, then, that work will not suffice, but only sacrificial death. So also Enoch had the testimony. What testimony? Behold Abel and his offering. So Enoch, trusting, did not see death. Neither do any who, seeing no merit in the work of Cain, instead trust Christ our Sacrifice, and even die with Him like Abel. But such death is no death, as the Apostle says, dying, and behold, we live.

Psalm 119.137 144

Reading: St. Luke 14.1 11

Meditation: Consider the feast to which the faithful have been invited: is not the Holy Sacrament the High Feast of heaven? Now since this is so, it behooves them to sit down in the lowest place, which is to say, to come with no thought of merit or worthiness. For then when the more honorable one comes, namely Christ Himself, there will be no shame. For is it not shameful that men should parade about in their own honor and merit? And particularly in the presence of Christ, for He it is who alone is truly honorable and meritorious. Now this was the very error of the Pharisees, who thought themselves most honorable and thought Christ dishonorable. So when He healed the man of dropsy on the Sabbath, they were surely indignant, for in doing so He was taking the place of honor to which He alone is entitled, and they were put to shame, for their laws would have forbidden the very good which was done. So let all beware of pride, which will at length bring shame in the presence of the Most High, and learn humility and a knowledge of unworthiness, at which is received well the gracious gift of highest honor at His Feast. For in the Sacrament, penitent sinners are truly awarded the highest honor that heaven can bestow.

Psalm 119.137 144

Reading: Hebrews 11.17 40 or 11.17-21

Meditation: Abraham’s willingness to offer his son was more than a mere dedication to the will of God, as even the pagans demonstrate when they sacrifice their children. For Abraham knew that God had promised that he would be the father of a multitude, as his name Abraham also indicates, and also that it was through Isaac that his Seed would be called. This he had learned when he saw that Isaac was born according to promise even though Sarah was well beyond the childbearing years. So he had learned that with God nothing shall be impossible; that faith must know he will not lie. So therefore if this same God instructed him to sacrifice his son through whom the promise must come, therefore Abraham had to conclude that God would—that God must—also raise him from the dead. So in Isaac is a type of the coming One and His sacrifice and resurrection. And when Isaac himself blessed first the younger son Jacob over his own preferred son Esau, surely we also recognize in Jacob a type of the coming One who was first humbled and then vindicated over His brothers, the Jews, by His resurrection. And when Joseph blessed first Ephraim the younger with his right hand and Manasseh with his left, he crossed his arms. For faith knows that by the cross of our Lord the last are made first, and the first, last.

Psalm 119.137 144

Reading: Hebrews 12.1 17 or 12.1-7

Meditation: What is the chastening of the Lord? Consider Christ and His chastening. For what sone is there whom a father does not chasten? Yet earthly fathers chasten sons for their own sins, while the Eternal Father chastened His Son for the sin of the world. Was He not holy and well-pleasing to His Father? So His chastening was not because He guilty of sin, but because He in obedience became the world’s sin-bearer. So also all the faithful, of whose faith Jesus is the author and finisher. They too are chastened, and not for their own sins. Indeed, they are to lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily ensnares, that is, to be confident that their troubles are not due to their own errors. Rather, their chastening is in the likeness of Christ’s own chastening, that they their legitimacy as sons might be evident. So they suffer at the hands of hostile men who despise them for the truth of their Gospel, even as Christ Himself suffered. And this is so even if it is not to the point of bloodshed; for Christ too suffered even in ways not amounting yet to bloodshed. Did He not suffer even when His enemies maligned Him? As it is written, I am small and despised; and again, trouble and anguish have taken hold on me. So then, to run with endurance is to follow the way of the cross wherever it leads.

Psalm 119.137 144

Reading: Hebrews 13.1 25 or 13.1-8

Meditation: What is brotherly love? Did not Jesus call His Apostles His brethren? Surely, therefore, it is love of the apostolic brotherhood. That is, when a pastor is first sent to a church, he is a stranger to them. Yet some, namely Abraham and Sarah, have entertained strangers who turned out to be angels, a manifestation of the Triune God. Now the faithful pastor is also an angel, for angel means “messenger”, of the Gospel, that is, the Evangel, which means “good news”. And as marriage is to be held honorable and the bed undefiled, so also in the Church, the marriage between Christ’s servant and His people is to be undefiled by idolatry and covetousness. In short, says the Apostle, remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you. For their rule is precisely the rule of the word of God; their preaching of the word of God is the authoritative preaching of Christ Himself, and their teaching likewise Christ’s own catechesis. Is not Christ Lord? Surely therefore the lordship of His preachers must also be recognized; yet also that it is lordship in which, like Christ Himself, they stand among His people as One who serves, for as He Himself said, the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.

Psalm 119.137 144

Reading: James 1.1 15 or 1.2-12

Meditation: The trials of faith oppress the faithful, testing their faith. This is by God’s design, producing patience, which must have its perfect work. What is the perfect work of patience? Surely it is the work of Christ, for what other work could be called perfect? So trials at length bring patience to its perfect work, which is to say, when the faithful suffer persecution and affliction, they learn internally of the perfect work of Christ, who likewise was persecuted and afflicted. For faith which experiences trial is perfected in being made like the Christ which is its object. To know the sufferings of Christ is not only to know them in heart and mind, but also in the wounds of the faithful. Now if this perfecting has not yet occurred, that is, if anyone lacks wisdom, let him ask God. For God gives wisdom, that is, Christ who is the Wisdom of God, freely. But He gives it with a cross and suffering, so one who receives this Wisdom must also have confidence in the word of God. If he doubts God’s faithfulness, he will like a wave of the sea, tossed by the wind. Even Peter was tossed when he attempted to walk on the sea but doubted Christ and looked instead at the perils. So too, when the faithful are persecuted, let them not doubt, but firmly believe, that Christ will not renege on His promise to His people.

Psalm 119.137 144

Reading: James 2.1 13 or 2.9-13

Meditation: It is imperative that favoritism not be shown in the church, which is as much sin as adultery and murder. Indeed, if the faithful in the church are cast aside, then spiritual adultery against them is committed, and if they should lose faith as a result, spiritual murder has taken place. Moreover, behavior among the faithful (and especially among the pastors) must be such because judgment shall be by the law of liberty. But what is the law of liberty? Is it not the law fulfilled by Christ, which is the Gospel? For this is the freedom He has given, namely that He has fulfilled the law that we might be freed from its curse. But in doing this He showed mercy to those to whom mercy was not due. For how can anyone deserve mercy? Mercy is for the miserable, as the very term indicates. Now this means that those who have been shown mercy have received it because God did not show favoritism in their case, but received to Himself the unworthy. So therefore, to anyone who has received mercy there remains this necessity, that he show mercy; else he shows that he does not value the mercy he himself has received. For mercy begets mercy, and thus, mercy triumphs over judgment.

Psalm 119.137 144

Reading: James 2.14 26 or 2.14-21

Meditation: Here St. James makes clear that faith must be genuine, else it is no faith at all. And genuine faith does good, even as God Himself does good, as the Psalmist also says, Thou art good and doest good. This is why he says that faith without works is dead. Now in saying this he is not denying that faith alone justifies before God, but rather that the works which faith invariably does are the evidence of that faith. Thus all hypocrisy shall be exposed, since faith without works is dead, that is, is no faith at all. But then there will come some who say, You have faith, and I have works, for they will think that the outward works they do will suffice for faith; so James answers them by saying that true works are that which show faith; in other words, works must be genuine as well; they must spring from faith, else they are no works at all. The great example of this is Abraham who did his work because he believed that God would raise his son from the dead; and whose faith was therefore not idle, but responded well to the command of God. This is the nature of genuine faith.

Psalm 122

Reading: St. Matthew 22.34 46

Meditation: Here Jesus says that the second great commandment is like the first; that is, the love of the neighbor is like the love of God. How can this be? If loving the neighbor is like loving God, then surely the neighbor must in some respect be like God. So let us consider the neighbor, who is our flesh and blood. Is there not a Neighbor who is not only like God, but who is God? For Christ Himself is both God and man; therefore to love Him is truly both to love God and to love the neighbor, since He has become our Neighbor. But the Pharisees did not receive Him, and therefore He questioned them. Whose son is Christ? The Son of David and also the Lord of David, that is, the God of David. This is our Jesus, who is both God and man in one Person, and who therefore is become my neighbor. How much better a question was His than theirs! For theirs pertained to the law, which commands our love for God and the neighbor, whereas the Gospel is this, that He who is the Son and Lord of David, shows His love toward us.

Psalm 122

Reading: James 3.1 18 or 3.1-10

Meditation: Consider the tongue: it was created that it might be used for speech. But is not speech a divine thing? Was it not God who first spoke, in Creation? Therefore we see in speech the gift of a divine thing given to man, in likeness of the Word become flesh. But all have fallen and sinned. Therefore the tongue is a poor likeness of Christ the Word, being, rather, a fire, a world of iniquity. For is not Christ alone the Tongue of God? Therefore how very needful is His word, without which we cannot be saved. And as the tongue is like a ship’s rudder, a little member boasting great things, so does the Tongue of God become a little member, submitting to the silence of a lamb that is led to slaughter, to crucifixion and to death, in order that He, being raised from the dead, might give tongues of fire to His Holy Apostolate, that they might preach the truth of the Gospel to the fallen and sinful man, that they might again bless our God and Father, and by such faith be saved.

Psalm 122

Reading: James 4.1—5.6 or 4.1-6

Meditation: Why does St. James refer to those who fight as well as to those who lust as adulterers and adulteresses? Against whom is this adultery committed? Since the word comes from ad ulter which means, “to another,” therefore the greatest of all adulteries is that which turns one from the heavenly Bridegroom, which is Christ. But if such a one is guilty of adultery, would it not be as adulteress against the Son of Man? For one who turns from the worship of Christ is as an unfaithful bride. Then who is an adulterer, that is, and unfaithful husband? Surely this would then be an unfaithful pastor, who is supposed to be one standing in for Christ. So let all flee from earthly lust, whether as preachers or hearers, lest they become as adulterers or adulteresses. For true faith does not lust after such pleasures as the earth can give, but rather, desires only Christ, the true Bridegroom, and the Church, His true Bride.

Psalm 122

Reading: James 5.12 20

Meditation: Here are instructions for the Church and her ministers. She must be confident in the power of the Gospel, not thinking she needs to be bolstered by anything more than the Yes of her confession of faith and the No of her renunciation of the devil. She must in this confidence pray, knowing that even in suffering all will be well in Christ, who is the Truth and the Life; she must ever sing the Psalms, or the Holy Liturgy (which consists in Psalms), even in cheerful days, mindful of the unseen perils ever present; she must desire the elders (that is, the pastors) of the Church to visit her when sick or nearing death, that she may receive the unction and balm of mercy in their anointing (for the anointing of oil, does it not bespeak Baptism’s promise?). For the prayer of faith is the prayer of a righteous man, which is surely the prayer of Christ Himself. This will surely be rewarded, and the sick will be saved: shall they not rise again in the resurrection at the Last Day, as Martha also knew? And when the pastors anoint, or bless, or lay on hands for absolution, does this not forgive sins? And where there is forgiveness of sins, is there not also life and salvation?

Psalm 122

Reading: I Peter 3.1 7

Meditation: The submission of wives to husbands is surely a likeness of the submission of the Church to Christ, for the Church is Bride and Christ is Bridegroom. Therefore consider Sarah: she called her husband lord, saying, After I have grown old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also? Now this she said as she laughed at the promise of a son. Verily, she imperiled herself by her laughter, for the LORD knew it, though she denied it. Yet she was saved through childbearing, that is, she was saved from her sin, since she was faithfully submissive to the lordship of Abraham, and conceived a child through him. For Abraham was surely in the stead of God, being the father of a multitude, as his name signifies. So also, the Church is saved from her sin, being submissive in faith to the lordship of Christ, in whom, like Abraham, one can see the Father. And so must every wife and husband submit to the divine order in which Christ is Head and Lord, without which no one can be saved.

Psalm 122

Reading: I Peter 3.15 22

Meditation: Christ was put to death in the flesh, for He had taken upon Himself mortality that He might bring immortality to light through the Gospel, and that we might bear the image of the heavenly Man. And how did He bring immortality to light? Surely, by rising again from the dead, as St. Peter declares, saying, He was made alive by the Spirit, that is, by His own divine nature. For Christ has raised Himself, as He said, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it. And He who is the Resurrection also pronounced judgment upon the spirits now in prison, that is, in hell, who were disobedient in the days of Noah. Recall how Noah was mocked by all his enemies; consider him now, vindicated by Christ Himself the greater Noah. For as Noah saved his family in the ark buoyed above the destructive waters, so Christ has saved His family of faithful ones, in His holy Church, buoyed atop the waters of Baptism which have destroyed sin, death, and hell. And so shall Christ’s return in glory vindicate all who are His own against those who have persisted in their enmity against them and against Him.

Psalm 122

Reading: I Peter 5.1 5

Meditation: Pastors will do well to remember the meaning of the term pastor, for it means shepherd. Now as shepherd do not lord it over their flocks, neither ought pastors lord it over the flock of God. For their lordship must be like Christ’s own lordship, for Christ did not come to be served but to serve and to give His life a ransom for many. So also must pastors serve in the stead of Christ, ever giving to His flock: for they must wash them (in Baptism), comfort them (in preaching), and feed them (at the Altar). Thus they shall be examples to the flock. Examples of what? Surely, examples of Christ the Chief Shepherd, as if to say, See, dearly beloved, it is Christ who is washing, comforting, defending, and feeding you here in my ministry.

Psalm 34

Reading: St. Matthew 9.1 8

Meditation: Behold how very like Baptism is the healing of this paralytic. He is carried on a bed by others, even as infants are carried forth to the font. Jesus then forgives his sins, as He also does in Baptism. And what next? He heals his paralysis, and he rises and goes to his house. Now this too may be compared to Baptism, for where there is forgiveness of sins, there is also life and salvation. Thus all who are baptized may take comfort and confidence from this truth, that they have not only received therein the forgiveness of sins, but also the guarantee of that which must follow: complete restoration and soundness of health and life, in the resurrection of the just. For at that day, they too shall rise and go to their house, as Jesus said elsewhere, In My Father’s house are many mansions. But some saw blasphemy here. For who can forgive sins or grant life but God? Yet here we see, in the healing of this man, that God is indeed the one doing this, that this Man is true God; not only so, but God in the flesh; so also does He give to men, that is, to those men whom He ordains into His stead, the same power. For God has given such power to men.

Psalm 34

Reading: I John 1.1 10

Meditation: What is that which was from the beginning? Behold, the Apostle says it is that which we have heard. What is heard, but the Word? And the Word was from the beginning, as he also says in the opening of his Gospel, In the beginning was the Word. And in that Gospel he then says that the Word became flesh, even as here he also says, Which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled. The Word became flesh, so that we might receive and behold Him in the flesh. For this is the holy Gospel, that God spoke in the beginning, and that His Word which proceeded forth from Him, which is also the eternal God (for God is one and indivisible), has joined Himself to us. What was that Word that was heard in the beginning? God said, Let there be light. And so it is that Christ, the Incarnate Word, Himself says, I am the light of the world, as the same is declared here: God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. For this light is Christ, who enlightens the darkened heart with His mercy. Therefore let us walk in the light, that is, walk in Christ, cling to Him, and follow Him.

Psalm 34

Reading: I John 2.1 17 or 2.1 11

Meditation: To know that we know Him is to be confident that we are no pretenders. For there are many pretenders, who say, I know Him, but do not keep His commandments. Now as all of His commandments are fulfilled by love, therefore one who has no love does not truly know Him. For God is love: the Father loves the Son, and the Son loves the Father. The shining of the true light, then, is the proclamation of this Christ who demonstrated His love to His Father by obedience unto death, to be the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world, as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (as is sung at the Holy Sacrament). See how the light shines! How Christ loves the Father! This love is stronger than death, and by the brightness of its shining (by preaching and the Sacrament), the darkness of hearts is dispersed, and men are enlightened. For this love is itself also God (since God is one and indivisible); this love is the Holy Spirit, shed abroad in the hearts of those enlightened by it. Then they too love the Father and the Son (faithful even unto death), being rooted in the Divine Love, which is the Spirit.

Psalm 34

Reading: I John 5.1 3

Meditation: We need to know that we love not only God Himself, but also the children of God, because there are many pretenders, who say they do but in fact do not, like Cain, who brought God an offering but then slew his brother for envy. But what of us? Are we genuine? Would we ourselves, we who are of the same sinful nature as Cain, have loved Abel? Thus the Apostle writes, By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments (similarly to his earlier words, By this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments). But His commandment is that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another. This is fulfilled by Baptism in the name of this Jesus who is the Christ. To embrace the faith, being baptized, is to embrace and love Christ Himself, therefore. To embrace and love Christ is most especially to receive Him in the Holy Supper, according to His commandment, This do. To love God and His children is to partake in the Sacrament, where we with all the children of God join Abel, whose offering was in likeness to the Lamb of God.

Psalm 34

Reading: I John 5.10 21

Meditation: What is the difference between sin leading to death and sin not leading to death? The answer has to do with whether or not one has the Son of God. For he says, He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. Therefore one who does not have the Son of God has no life, but rather has sin which leads to death. But one who has the Son, though he has sin (for all unrighteousness is sin), yet he has also life; for Christ said, I am the life. Such a one is also called one born of God, that is, having received the life born from the baptismal font. From the font comes also the confidence that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. For Christ must hear when His name (which has been received in Baptism) is called upon. And since only this faith, born of Baptism, has the name of Christ upon which to call, therefore the Apostle calls the Church little children, that they might remain as newly baptized infants, and says also, Keep yourselves from idols, that they might be wary against trusting any other name.

Psalm 34

Reading: II John 1 13 or 7 11

Meditation: Here the Apostle gives a warning for all to take to heart: not only to beware of deceivers, but that many deceivers have gone out into the world. Not only, that is, that this may be found; they shall be found. And who are they? They do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. See, they may profess to know Him, or even to preach Him, but not as coming in the flesh. For many say that Christ is God, but deny that God was born of Mary or was crucified. But there is no other God than this Man, who was contained within His mother’s womb, found in a manger or on the cross, or (in the Holy Supper) on the altar. But there are many deceivers who will quickly deny this, which is the doctrine of Christ. Yet now the Apostle speaks a harsh word: Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. See how serious a matter it is to believe faithfully in the Incarnate One. Indeed, if anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house (that is, your church) nor greet him, that is, do not commune with him, nor count him as your brother in the faith.

Psalm 34

Reading: III John 1 14 or 9 12

Meditation: Here the Apostle speaks of one who loves to have the preeminence, that is, to take a seat of honor and have himself honored by men. How is St. John able to make this judgment? See, he speaks of malicious words, words which are evil. For the faithful must learn to discern the difference between the Gospel and evil words, which are lies, contrary to the word of Christ who said, I am the truth. Moreover, this evil man not only speaks lies, but acts in accordance with them: He does not receive the brethren, and forbids those who wish to, putting them out of the church. Not only so, but his evil works are done within the church, from which he wrongfully puts some out, in his own desire for preeminence. So the Apostle must now become froward toward the froward, marking this evildoer and mentioning him by name: Diotrephes, that the faithful may also mark and avoid him. For to believe Christ is both to reject the lies of evil men and to imitate what is good and, contrary to the works of Diotrephes, to receive the brethren in the unity of the faith. So let the faithful of God exercise such love toward one another.

Psalm 145

Reading: St. Matthew 22.1 14

Meditation: God is the king of all the earth, says the Psalmist. So here we learn that He arranged a marriage for his son. Who is the Son of God? He, according to this parable, is One who marries a Bride, and to whose marriage servants of God call those invited; but the invitations of those servants are treated lightly, until finally some seize the servants and kill them. So does the martyrdom of the Apostles serve to demonstrate the fact that Jesus is the Son of God. And what happened to their murderers? The king, furious, sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. So also, then, the destruction of Jerusalem by the armies of Rome in A.D. 70 also serves to demonstrate the true identity of Jesus. And from this we see too why the Gospel is sent forth to all nations: the servants were sent out now into the highways to invite as many as they find. Yet even so, no one may come to the feast (the Holy Sacrament) without a wedding garment, that is, without baptismal regeneration, lest he be condemned to the outer darkness, where there will be no feast, but empty mouths whose teeth gnash amid weeping.

Psalm 145

Reading: St. Mark 4.1 41 or 4.35 41

Meditation: How can Christ sleep amid a storm? So did the disciples wonder, whose cries to Him were so like those of the Psalmist: Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing? As though they would say with David, How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord? forever? Yet their cries do not conclude as David does, saying, But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice, etc. So Jesus must rebuke them: How is it that you have no faith? For although faith must experience the tempests of life, and be sorely troubled by them, yet it dare never forget the power that Christ has to command obedience even of the wind and the sea. For Christian life itself is lived in the sea, that is, from the font of Baptism, daily drowning therein, through much affliction, that we may learn also the joy of resurrection and life in the word of Christ, Peace, be still!, as He also said to His disciples at His resurrection (when again He awoke from sleep), saying, Peace be with you, and as He says even again in the Divine Service when the celebrant turns to the people and blesses them with peace. For with the word of Christ the wind ceases, and the Spirit gives a great calm.

Psalm 145

Reading: St. Luke 13.18 35 or 13.18 21

Meditation: Behold the mustard seed, how very small; yet a man buried it in the ground, for he knew it would grow. In the same way God gave His Son into crucifixion and burial: how very small He was in His humiliation, yet God willed His crucifixion, for He knew what the outcome would be; and as the mustard seed grew and became a large tree, so Christ arose from the grave, and drew all men to Himself by sending forth His preachers with the tidings of Himself, who suffered and rose from the dead. And as the birds of the air nested in the branches of the tree, so do the Gentiles, the nations of the world, receive their nest and home in Christ, and in the wood of His holy cross. Yea, they also eat the fruit of that cross, for the Holy Sacraments came forth from His side as blood and water when He was crucified and pierced. So now behold also the leaven which the woman took and hid, even as the Church in faith knows that the bread she employs for use in the Holy Supper, being leavened with the words of Christ, is now filled with Him, being His body and blood for the remission of sins. Thus and so does the faith flourish, by the grace of God.

Psalm 145

Reading: St. Matthew 13.31 58 or 13.44 46

Meditation: Behold the treasure hidden in a field: who finds it? A man who then hid it again. Is this not like Christ Himself, who is hidden in the world, for His glory is not manifested—indeed, on one occasion we are told that He hid Himself—and who is then crucified, dead, and buried. Who buried Him? Was it not God Himself, whose will it was that He suffer and die? And what next? The man bought the field for the value of its hidden treasure. In the same way God gained the world for the value of Christ who was buried therein. See how much it cost! All that He had, for all that He had was in Christ, who was crucified. Yet the return was the redemption of the world. Or again, consider the merchant who finds a pearl of great price: here now is Christ Himself, who comes to find His Church, which to Him is worth all that He had, which is why He was willing to suffer, that is, to give it all and to hold nothing back, all that He may purchase her to be His own, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but holy and blameless, made like unto Himself by virtue of the payment He gave for her.

Psalm 145

Reading: St. Matthew 16.13 20

Meditation: Who do you say that Jesus is? Simon Peter replied, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. This fulfills the word of the prophet Hosea, saying, In the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not My people,’ there it shall be said to them, ‘You are the sons of the living God.’ For Israel was called out of Egypt, as Hosea said, I called my son out of Egypt. But now we see Jesus, who was likewise called out of Egypt, in His infancy, likewise led into the wilderness, where He contended with the devil, and likewise tested by God. But He, unlike Israel of old, passed that test. For He fulfilled all that Israel was meant to be, and therefore is the true Israel, the obedient Son. This Peter recognizes, so Jesus calls him blessed, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to him, but Jesus’ Father who is in heaven. And since Peter was first to make this bold confession, therefore he becomes the rock (petra) upon which Christ begins to build His Church. For with the heart one believes, and with the mouth one confesses; and since this confessional faith is worked by God alone, therefore the gates of Hades shall not prevail.

Psalm 145

Reading: II Corinthians 3.10—4.18 or 3.12-18

Meditation: Moses’ face was veiled, for it shone with the glory of God. This was also written to teach us, upon whom the end of the ages has come. For Christ, who is greater than Moses, was likewise veiled, and the shining of His divine majesty was likewise hidden; yet only to those who are perishing. What is the veil? It is blindness of the mind, as the Apostle says here. For they read the Old Testament, yet they do not see Christ there. So let us see Christ there! Where we see Moses, let us see Christ, whom Moses indeed called a prophet like me. Where we see the veil, let us see the hiddenness of Christ’s glory (for we live by faith). Yea, whatever we see in the Scriptures, let us find Christ there, for He Himself said, They testify of Me. So let our faces be unveiled, that we might behold as in a mirror the glory of the Lord. Now a mirror reflects the face of the one looking at it. Thus let us look at ourselves also according to faith, and see (that is, believe) that we are being transformed into the same image (as Christ is) from glory to glory. For He became flesh, in order that we might become divine, in Him.

Psalm 145

Reading: II Corinthians 5.1 21 or 5.1-8

Meditation: What is our earthly house? Is it not our flesh? As Christ called His own body the true temple, so let us see our bodies as tents. Yet these bodies are to be destroyed, being mortal. So let us enter the true temple of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. This temple is the body of Christ, into which we gain entrance by faith. Our bodies, our tents, are passing away; thus we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven. This heavenly habitation, the body of Christ, is our eternal clothing. Yet in this habitation we have already been clothed, as it says, Having been clothed. Have we not been clothed, in Holy Baptism? For God also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. The guarantee of the Spirit is Baptism itself, by which we are confident. Have you been baptized? So sure may you be that you have received the Spirit. But this baptismal garb is unseen; for we walk by faith, not by sight. And since this is so, we are well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.

Psalm 90

Reading: St. John 4.46 54

Meditation: The nobleman here implores Jesus to come down and heal his son. In this we see that he believed Jesus had power to do it, yet also that he required Jesus to be present in order for Him to exercise His power. How very unlike a certain centurion who at another time, when Jesus offered to come to his house to heal his servant, expressed confidence that Jesus need not do so, but could heal from afar, saying, Only speak a word, and my servant will be healed, and confessing his unworthiness to have Jesus in his house. So this nobleman’s faith is weak; as he confessed, Sir, come down before my child dies! As if he would say, Yes, Lord, my faith is weak! Help my unbelief! So what happens? Jesus now speaks the word of His power: Go your way; your son lives. And by this word not only is the nobleman’s son healed (at the very hour when Jesus spoke the word, as he was later to discover), but also this nobleman is given a greater faith, like the faith of that centurion. For now the man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he went his way. So does the word of Christ, even today, produce great faith.

Psalm 90

Reading: Ephesians 1.1 23 or 1.3 14

Meditation: See how abundant is the grace of Christ: not only does He work our redemption through His blood; He also predestined us to adoption as sons. For Christ is not only the propitiation for our sins; He also grants us the faith to believe it. And this because He has predetermined that we would believe it. Why did He do this? In love, says the Apostle. When did He do this? Before the foundation of the world. So safe in Him are we! For He made known to us the mystery of His will. And what is this mystery? that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth. Here is the mystery: the fullness of the times has come, in that we in Christ have become His new and eternal creation, that is, citizens of the new heaven and earth. For we have been gathered into Him, being sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, that is, baptized in His name. For in Baptism is the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance. Are you baptized? Then you have this guarantee to believe, that Christ has indeed chosen you.

Psalm 90

Reading: Ephesians 2.1 22 or 2.1 10

Meditation: Here it is clear that the new creation is as completely the work of God as was the first. For in the beginning God created Adam out of dust. And now again in Christ, He made you alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins. Christ was Himself dead in trespasses and sins, namely the sins of the world, when He rose from the dead. But the resurrection of our Lord was not only His alone, but also the rebirth of all creation. So therefore all who are in Christ, being baptized in His holy name, have been joined also to His work: as He was raised from the dead, so also He raised us up together with Him; and as He ascended to the right hand of power, so also He made us sit together with Him in the heavenly places. So in Christ have we died, been raised, and ascended to the divine throne. This, then, is grace; that from start to finish He has saved us. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that (namely that faith by which you believe) not of yourselves; it is the gift of God. It is indeed the new creation of God. We are His workmanship, twice: created once and now anew, to walk in the good works prepared by the One who is good.

Psalm 90

Reading: Ephesians 4.7 21 or 4.7 16

Meditation: What are the gifts of Christ to His people? Here they are listed: first, apostles, second, prophets, third, evangelists, and finally pastors and teachers, that is, ministers who feed and instruct. And why has He given these gifts? The reasons are also listed: first, for the equipping of the saints, second, for the work of ministry, and third, for the edifying of the body of Christ. For saints are equipped by the word of God which these ministers preach; and they are ministered unto by the ministers’ holy work of administering the Sacraments; and so are they built up, through the Gospel and the Sacraments, as the body of Christ. And so is the unity of the faith attained, when we become, by the faith which this Gospel gives, one body, a perfect man, the New Adam, the body of Christ our Lord, upon which we feed. So then, by preaching and the Sacraments we shall no longer be tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine. Rather, speaking the truth in love, (in the Holy Liturgy, the Divine Service) we shall grow up in Him who is the head—Christ.

Psalm 90

Reading: Ephesians 4.29 32

Meditation: What is a corrupt word? Is it not a word contrary to Christ, who is the Truth? Therefore corrupt words are not only lies but all false teaching, coming from the devil who is the father of lies. Such words are not fitting for those who belong to Christ. Rather, let what is good for necessary edification come out of your mouth, that it may impart grace to the hearers. Now the hearers are those present during the Divine Service; and therefore the words which ought to come out of your mouth, are they not the divine liturgy, which is the sung word of God? So then this liturgy of the faithful is to be sung by all, with faith, lest you grieve the Holy Spirit of God. See, He is grieved when the liturgy is neglected or spurned. And when it is used, that is, when the words of the faith are sung, Baptism is recalled, through which, by the Spirit, you were sealed for the day of redemption. Behold, in hope for that Day of the Lord which is to come, the Divine Service brings us to its gates, and dispels (by the word of God) all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking. And the kind, tenderhearted forgiveness of God shall abound.

Psalm 90

Reading: Ephesians 5.10 14

Meditation: In the beginning, God said, Let there be light, and God saw the light, that it was good. But He did not call the darkness good; rather, He divided the light from the darkness. So let us also learn to divide light from darkness, that is, to have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. How are they exposed? By light; which is the Gospel of Christ, for in Him was life, and the life was the light of men. So the Gospel exposes the darkness: it shows us Christ, how He suffered for the sin of the world, being betrayed into the hands of the wicked, and, the Evangelist tells us, There was darkness over all the land. But Christ arose from death, and angels announced His resurrection with the rising of the sun on Easter morning. So let us turn from all evil and its attendant darkness and cling to our risen Christ; for by Baptism we are joined to His death and resurrection, and thus the Apostle here calls to mind this early baptismal hymn: Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light. For as Christ slept in the grave and awoke, so do all who are baptized, who believe in His name.

Psalm 90

Reading: Ephesians 5.22 33

Meditation: How is marriage a great mystery? Behold now the truth behind marriage: Christ and the church. See, the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and again, wives are to be subject to their own husbands in everything, as also the church is subject to Christ. For the true heavenly marriage, of which every earthly marriage is but a dim image, is the marriage between Christ the Bridegroom, and the Church His Bride. For as He loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her by Holy Baptism; so also husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies (for the Church is the body of Christ). And as Christ gives His name to His Church in Baptism, so the husband gives his name to his bride in marriage. Or again, as the Church honors Christ, so ought wives to honor their husbands. And as Adam rejoiced over Eve, saying, This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh, so may the response of the Church and Bride of the Second Adam rejoice in return, saying, We are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones; especially as we receive His body in the Holy Sacrament.

Psalm 130

Reading: St. Matthew 18.23 35

Meditation: See how much this servant owed his master: ten thousand talents, abundantly more than a servant could pay though he work a lifetime for it. Yet his master forgave the debt. Now see how little his fellow servant owed him: a hundred denarii, a meager sum, which in comparison to ten thousand talents cannot even be measured. So the servant who refused to forgive was quite clearly not mindful of the tremendous benefit he had received in being relieved of his own debt; and for this reason his master recalled him and sent him to the torturers. The message is clear: the forgiveness of sins has been won at a great price, abundantly more than any man could pay in a lifetime. Who is he that cannot forgive his fellow man, then? Only one who is not mindful of this truth. Faith knows that abundance of mercy is required, and so cries for mercy out of the depths. Surely one mindful of this will have no trouble forgiving all his neighbor’s debts to him, which are not worthy to be compared to the debt of which he has himself been relieved. It is only unbelief, then, which cannot forgive; since faith knows forgiveness well.

Psalm 130

Reading: St. Matthew 18.1 22 or 7-18

Meditation: Here Jesus instructs His disciples in order that they may know how to minister to His people, which is the office for which they are being trained. Now in this we see included the necessity of rebuking the erring: If your brother sins against you, go and tell him, etc. But there also is a necessity of due process of law, in the event that he will not hear you. For in the event of error which refuses correction, there arises the need of removal: If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off, etc. Yet removal is serious, and therefore it must be carried out with great care, lest unnecessary or mistaken amputation occur. Thus the presence of witnesses is fitting, and even of hearing the amen of the whole church to applications of the ban. So we see two truths operative: on the one hand, it is better for you to enter into life less a member than that the whole body be cast into the everlasting fire; on the other hand, if the ban should be wrongly applied, this would cause one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin; and therefore with regard to one who does so, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, etc.

Psalm 130

Reading: St. Mark 9.33 50 or 9.33-37

Meditation: See how the disciples are silent when Jesus questions them here, for they are ashamed, as was the man at the wedding feast in Jesus’ parable who came in not having on a wedding garment. But silence is not fitting when it is time for the confession of sins, as David also says, When I kept silence, my bones waxed old, and again, I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord, and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. O disciples! Be not silent, but confess! But to confess is to admit unworthiness to be greatest among you. Yet this is the truth, which is why Jesus says, If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all. For the first shall be last. No one among the disciples is worthy to be first; therefore he who strives to be first shall be the greatest fool, being the more ignorant of his true state before God. So Jesus takes a little child and sets him in the midst, in order that they might become as newly born children, returning by childlike faith to the font of Holy Baptism from which they were born anew.

Psalm 130

Reading: St. Luke 17.20 37 or 17.20-32

Meditation: The kingdom of God does not come with observation, says Jesus. For it is a kingdom of faith in what is unseen. Where is the kingdom, then? The kingdom of God is within you, He says. That is, through Baptism you have become a new creation in this new kingdom. So do not look here or look there, as the false prophets will bid you to do; rather, live by faith in what is hidden, revealed only by the Gospel. For faith is the substance of things not seen, as the Apostle also declares. But at the Last Day we shall see; for as the lightning that flashes out of one part under heaven shines to the other part under heaven, so also the Son of Man will be in His day. And this will fulfill the word of the Psalmist, saying, The lightnings lightened the world: the earth trembled and shook. So let us tremble even now, and revere the holy name as we await our redemption. Remember Lot’s wife: she looked back, she did not live by faith; thus she was condemned to be a pillar of salt, token of all from whom the water of Baptism is withdrawn. For the greater separation of the good from the evil will come at the Harvest, the Day of the Lord.

Psalm 130

Reading: Romans 8.24 39 or 8.24-30

Meditation: Here again we see that hope and sight are not found together, for why does one still hope for what he sees? But our hope is in Christ, whose glory is yet to be revealed in us. So it is that the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. How so? With groanings which cannot be uttered. Behold, even all creation groans in travail, but its groaning also cannot be heard, as the Psalmist says, There is no speech. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, being without the benefit of glory revealed to sight. So we wait, in the confidence that as we wait, the Spirit makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. So good He is, that He does not even leave the matter of intercession to us, but works it Himself, as is especially seen in the divine liturgy, wherein with angels and archangels and all the company of heaven we magnify His glorious name, evermore praising Him. Thus in this fallen life we wait by faith, knowing that all things work together for good to those who love God, for in “all things” is understood “all creation.” If all creation joins the Spirit in groaning for our redemption, surely the faithful have no reason to be afraid.

Psalm 130

Reading: St. Mark 12.1 12

Meditation: A man planted a vineyard with a hedge, and leased it to vinedressers, who then were found to be wicked. These are the scribes and Pharisees, who do not bring forth good fruit from that vineyard. Thus is answered the Psalmist’s longing question: Why hast thou then broken down the vineyard’s hedges? It was because there was no fruit. And this even though God sent servants to the vineyard, which were His prophets, whom the vinedressers persecuted and killed. And then at last He sent His Son. What then? They furiously raged together against the Lord and against His Anointed. Why? Out of envy, as Pilate was also aware. So they cast Him out: outside the walls of Jerusalem He was crucified. What next? He will come and destroy the vinedressers, and give the vineyard to others. So it was that in A.D. 70, Jerusalem was destroyed by the armies of Rome, as the Gospel was going out into all the world, and Gentiles were received into the new vineyard. For the stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner, the corner of the wall leading back one way to the Jewish heritage, and leading ahead another way to the Gentile inclusion.

Psalm 130

Reading: St. Matthew 25.14 30 or 14-19, 26-30

Meditation: Here is a parable about investment. The servant with five talents made another five, the one with two made two, but the one with one buried and hid it. So also, the five books of Moses must be used to find Christ; in this way they are doubled in value; and again, the two testaments of the Scriptures must be used to find Christ; in this way they are doubled in value, as Jesus Himself declares, saying, Search the Scriptures; they testify of Me. So what of the one talent? It is like our one Christ, who likewise was buried and hid in the tomb; but not only so: for He was raised from the dead. Thus He is vindicated against His enemies who crucified Him. See then from this parable what shall happen to them, who crucified Him and sent Him to burial: they shall be condemned as wicked and lazy, what they did have shall be taken from them, and they shall be cast into the outer darkness, far from Christ who is the Light of the world. Thus let all search the Scriptures to find Christ there, employing them for great gain, as the faithful servants did with their talents, while the wicked who do not seek Christ shall be cast out.

Psalm 85

Reading: St. Matthew 22.15 22

Meditation: Now the Pharisees plotted how they might entangle Him in His talk. What folly! For how can the Truth be bound or entangled? What fellowship has Truth with lies? For He said, I am the Truth. But they will not have Him, therefore they are, as He says, hypocrites, pretenders, who are in fact allied with the father of lies. So rather than succeeding in entangling Him, they find themselves entangled, as David also says: Their sword shall enter into their own heart. So He asks them, Why do you test Me? By testing Him they indicate their allegiance with Satan, who also tested Him, in the wilderness. And whose image is on the coin? Caesar’s, not God’s. Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s. But if to Caesar the coin bearing Caesar’s image ought to be given, what ought then to be given to God? Is not Christ the image of God? And therefore, does it not behoove Christ to be offered to God, to suffer and be crucified, as a sweet-smelling savor and aroma to God? For in His cross, mercy and truth are met together, that God might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith.

Psalm 85

Reading: I Corinthians 3.1 23 or 3.1-9

Meditation: Babes require milk, and older children solid food. What is milk? Is it not the word of God, as Peter also says: as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word. And why? That you may grow thereby. So the Apostle treated the Corinthians as babes, that is, as the newly baptized neophytes that they were, feeding on the Gospel. But now he chides them, for they must be weaned from milk to solid food, as the Psalmist declares, My soul is even as a weaned child. See, they need not only the Gospel, but also solid food. What does this mean? Here we see the necessity of obtaining a deeper faith, resting on solid food, that is, on sacramental food. Is not the Holy Supper solid food? But what else is it? Is it not the elements of Christ’s suffering? Therefore he who partakes also expresses a willingness to suffer for Christ. Envy, strife, and divisions, these are tokens of childish behavior among those who ought to have grown to maturity. These indicate a failure to digest well the solid food of the Sacrament. To digest this food well is to take up one’s cross and follow Him, to be filled with the suffering of Christ.

Psalm 85

Reading: St. Matthew 19.16 30 or 19.16-26

Meditation: Why did this man call Jesus good? If he believes that he must do something to inherit eternal life, how can he call the benefactor good? For an inheritance is a gift, and therefore not something earned, and if it be given only for the earning of it, then the benefactor could not be called good. So herein is the mercy of God, that He is good, and gives mercy freely; and here we see the Incarnate God. But He must show this man how futile is his quest, so He refers him to the commandments. Yet he claims to have kept them. But why, then, can he not follow Jesus’ command and invitation here? Surely, because he does not believe Jesus is good, or able to provide treasure in heaven. So he went away sorrowful, clinging rather to his great possessions. But if the rich cannot enter the kingdom, who can? With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible. So with God it is possible for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, or even for all the fullness of God to dwell in Christ bodily.

Psalm 85

Reading: St. Luke 14.12 15

Meditation: When you give a feast, invite the poor. Was not Christ Himself poor? For the Apostle declares that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich. So you are rich in Him; but shall you favor the rich, then? May it never be, for it was His poverty that has provided your riches. So he who is rich toward God does not need to entertain those who will repay him; that is, he does not need to trouble himself about the riches of this life, for they cannot repay the eternal riches bestowed. With faith toward God, then, comes love and liberality toward the neighbor, which does not see in the neighbor a means of gain, since all has already been gained through mercy. Therefore blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God. For the divine riches are obtained at the eternal unending Feast of heaven. There, at the altar, in the Holy Sacrament, Christ the Blessed Poor invites His people, that they might feast with Him who is the Bread of Life. There is the gate of the kingdom, the entrance to the resurrection of the just, for with angels and archangels and all the company of heaven we laud His name.

Psalm 85

Reading: St. Mark 13.1 37 or 13.24-27

Meditation: Behold the signs that the end of the age is at hand: The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars of heaven will fall, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. Here we recall the dream of Joseph, in which the sun and moon and stars, that is, his father, mother, and brothers, bowed down to him. So then in these are comprehended the whole people of Israel. But what happened to them? In A.D. 70, Jerusalem was utterly destroyed and left desolate, and God withdrew from that nation. See how the sun, moon, and stars fell! And what also happened? Behold, He sent out His angels and gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest part of the earth to the farthest part of heaven. Who are His angels? Are they not His messengers? His Apostles and their successors? Did they not go forth into all the world to preach the Gospel to every creature? But what does this indicate? See, it means that the Son of man is exalted on high, in the clouds with great power and glory, from whence He shall come again to judge the living and the dead.

Psalm 85

Reading: Romans 9.1 23 or 9.14-23

Meditation: There is not unrighteousness with God. But there would be, if he were to have predestined some to eternal death without regard to their own fault. Yet this is what some were evidently contending against the Apostle, saying, Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His will? But how does he respond? O man, who are you to reply against God? See what fault there is in man! Even in the very inclination to reply so to God there is fault! Is it unjust of Him to show mercy? Certainly not, for it is given freely. But is it unjust to show wrath? Certainly not, for God endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction. Now it does not say, prepared beforehand for destruction, as it does in the case of the elect, whom, it says, He had prepared beforehand for glory. Thus whom He predestines, He predestines to life; but whom He condemns, He first endures with much longsuffering. Who is to blame for their condemnation? Certainly not God, who is rich both in mercy and truth. So it is the nature of man to call God unjust; but it is the nature of faith to recognize rather His goodness.

Psalm 85

Reading: Romans 10.1 21 or 10.10-17

Meditation: The heart believes, the mouth confesses. How so? By the ear, which hears. For the Apostle declares that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. But how does one hear the name of the Lord, that he may call upon it? A preacher is required: How shall they hear without a preacher? he says. See, even the Bible is not enough! For the Bible does not preach, but rather, is to be preached. For God did not send a Bible, but His only begotten Son, who is the Word made flesh. And as Christ Himself wrote nothing, but only preached, so He did not intend that the name of the Lord be learned merely by reading it on a page, but by those who, baptized in this name, hear it preached aloud. So a preacher is required. But whence come the preachers? They are sent, for how shall they preach unless they are sent? So those who preach without the call and ordination of God are no true preachers at all, and are not to be heeded. For Christ sends forth His preachers, saying Baptize all nations in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. So the baptized faithful who have ears to hear shall be saved.

Psalm 95

Reading: St. Matthew 9.18 26

Meditation: A woman here had a flow of blood for twelve years, even as the twelve tribes of Israel had a flow of the blood of sacrifices until the coming of Christ. But now the woman came from behind and touched the hem of His garment and her flow stopped, even as now the faithful of Israel, coming from behind, that is, from the prophets looking forward, at last touch the Christ they saw shrouded in the garments of the prophets’ preaching. The flow stops because of its fulfillment in the blood of Christ. Now there is also a girl whom Jesus raises, even as He brings to life all those who had no faith at all, being dead in trespasses and sins. But both are now called daughters: for now both the expectant faithful and those reborn to the faith are daughters of the King, all glorious within. To the faithful therefore this is a promise of reward for patience; while to those dead this is a call to life and salvation. And the report of this went out into all that land: that Christ has power over all blood and death. Verily, through His own blood and death is this so.

Psalm 95

Reading: Romans 11.1 33 or 11.25-33

Meditation: All Israel will be saved, says the Apostle. What, then, is the Church, but the Israel of God, as he also says elsewhere? For although Christ left desolate the house of Jerusalem, yet not that He would void His promise to Jacob, that is, to Israel. Rather, the inclusion of the Gentiles fills up the void left by the disobedient among the Jews: You were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience, according to Christ’s own parable of the wedding feast to which guests came who were not at first invited. But does this consign the Jews to inescapable damnation? Certainly not, for the grace of God is offered to all alike (since there is no difference); thus He says, Through the mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy. For God is more gracious than we might have supposed (how unsearchable are his judgments!). Behold, even St. Paul himself, a Jew, gained the mercy to believe and be saved. God has committed all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all; that is, no one is saved by merit; all have sinned; all who are saved are saved by mercy alone.

Psalm 95

Reading: II Thessalonians 1.11—2.17 or 2.3-12

Meditation: Where is the man of sin? He sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. Therefore the man of sin is found among the people of God. Why is he there? That he might deceive some among them. How are they deceived? By mistaking him for God whom they wish to honor and adore. For God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie. Why is it God’s desire to do this? Because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. See how treacherous a thing it is to regard lightly the preaching of the Gospel! God’s response to those who do so is to delude them, to harden them, to consign them to blindness and death. So then who is the man of sin? Surely, it is one who sits among the faithful, who appears, behaves, and even preaches (in part) as though he were true, but who by this appearance shall deceive many. One may wish to pass this judgment against certain men within the Church, but to determine for all time who this might be would have the effect of lessening the need for perpetual vigilance, of believing the truth, which is the Holy Gospel.

Psalm 95

Reading: II Thessalonians 3.1 18 or 3.1-6

Meditation: See how vigilance against evil is obtained: by grace. For it is something which God must grant, which is why it is to be sought by prayer. For who prays for what he can obtain by merit? And so it is clear that the hearts staid on Christ are so by His grace alone, as it is said, May the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ. For no one directs his own heart this way. So too, in the name of God is the strength of vigilance found, which is to say, by the strength of Baptism in His name. And there is great peril in thinking otherwise, for there are many deceivers spread abroad, which is why the Apostle here warns in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, calling to mind the faithful tradition handed down through Baptism in His name. Anyone who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition is to be avoided. See how highly he regards tradition! The faith itself is something handed down, as Christ gave to the Apostles and they gave to the churches to pass on from generation to generation. For it is through the tradition of faith that the grace of God is obtained.

Psalm 95

Reading: II Timothy 3.1 17

Meditation: The last days have clearly come. For the signs of them listed here are clearly all among us: Men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, etc. How did the Apostle know that this would come to pass? Surely he received it from Christ; for had not Christ Himself said it? As the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. Thus we know that the last days are upon us; for as it was then, so it is now, and as the floods came suddenly, so shall the end come suddenly. And as then many were deceived and only a few, that is, eight souls, were saved alive aboard the ark, so also now, Christ’s own little Easter flock find themselves among many deceived. For among the godless there are some having a form of godliness but denying its power. Behold how the form of godliness deceives many; but what is its power? In the word of the Holy Gospel.

Psalm 95

Reading: II Timothy 4.1 22 or 4.1-8

Meditation: To Timothy the preacher the Apostle here gives strict admonition: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For he knows that it is only the preaching of the word which can convert, bring, and keep the faithful of God. But the deception of those who would contend otherwise is no small thing, since by this deception there will be hearers who will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers. How is the preacher to fight such deception? By the word which he preaches: by the very sound doctrine which they will not endure. So it will come to pass that there will be those who, hearing the preacher’s Gospel, will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. This is therefore why the Apostle says here not only that the preacher must preach, but that he must also endure afflictions. And in his very endurance he will also portray Christ, who likewise endured afflictions, to his hearers. In this way St. Paul himself fought the good fight.

Psalm 95

Reading: St. Matthew 24.1 14

Meditation: See how clear it is that the end is near! Christ’s own words describe the state of affairs as we know it in our day: Lawlessness will abound, and the love of many will grow cold. But what else? Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. But why should these be signs of the end? All these, He says, are the beginning of sorrows. Surely, then, they are indications of creation itself groaning in travail. The new creation, long kept within the womb of the Holy Church, is ready to spring forth amid new heavens and a new earth. Indeed, the Head of this new creation, Christ Himself, has already come into view, being raised from the dead, as the first fruits of them that sleep. So as the world now thrashes and turns in her misery, let us regard these signs as indications of the imminence of her deliverance, as when any mother is soon to give birth. For he who endures to the end shall be saved, that is, shall enter into His rest, the rest which rejoices in the knowledge of the newly born.

Psalm 31

Reading: St. Matthew 24.15 28

Meditation: Daniel’s prophetic words had made it clear: From the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and the abomination of desolation is set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety days. Now this is 3 ½ years; and if in fulfillment we multiply these years by 10, we arrive at 35 years, which, from Jesus’ crucifixion (in fulfillment of the daily sacrifice) at about A.D. 35, brings one to A.D. 70. And behold, in that year Rome’s armies surrounded Jerusalem, which is why He gave this warning: Let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, etc. And Jerusalem was destroyed, and all her inhabitants slain, yea, great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. For in that Day the end of all things was foreseen, or rather, begun. There are the first parts of the Day of the Lord’s judgment, in token that that Day shall fully come to pass in its time. But unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days were shortened, that is, the end of all things began at that time, but was not completed; so that in the hiatus, all the elect (that is, we) might be grafted in.

Psalm 31

Reading: St. Matthew 24.29 51 or 24.29-31

Meditation: Immediately after the tribulation of those days, Jesus said. What days? The days of the destruction of Jerusalem, the beginning of the end of all things, of which Jesus had been speaking up till now; but what happens next? The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Now this is the language of Ezekiel and Daniel, and again of the book of Revelation; that is, figurative language, in which heavenly bodies designate earthly things: see, the Jewish nation was no more after this, that special nation of God, recipient of His grace for hundreds of years, now is no longer. Next the sign of the Son of Man in heaven, that is, the sign that the Son of man is seated there at the right hand of God. What sign? He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. Who are these angels, and what their trumpet? Behold, they are the preachers going forth into all the world to preach the Gospel to every creature, and their trumpet is their Gospel, by which the elect are gathered. This preaching is the sign: Christ reigns, and shall return in glory.

Psalm 31

Reading: St. Matthew 22.23 33

Meditation: What fools the Sadducees are, who study much! But they have not Christ, who is the Key to the Scriptures, so He says, You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God, for to know the Scriptures is to know the power of God. So they ask of seven brothers who all married the same bride, and whose she will be in the resurrection; in this way they seek to do battle by words against the truth of God. But the heavenly incarnate Word answers them with truth, condemning their folly, and the folly of anyone who would argue against Him who is the Truth. For indeed in the Church there are, as it were, seven brothers who all married the same Bride, that is, pastors of all the churches, designated in the book of Revelation by seven churches. But their pastors are called angels, even as Christ here says that these seven brothers will be like angels of God. Which of these will be husband to the Bride, in the resurrection? Behold, all shall be one in that Day; yea, all shall be one in Him who is Himself one God, the triune God of Abraham (father of a multitude), Isaac (his faithful son), and Jacob, which is Israel and the Holy Church, created by the Spirit. Not the God of the dead, but of the living, eternally.

Psalm 31

Reading: I Corinthians 15.11 58 or 15.42-52

Meditation: The body is sown, says the Apostle here; sown, as a seed is sown. This is Christian burial; and just as seeds sprout and are changed into living vegetation, so this mortal must put on immortality. Just as seeds appear to be without life until they spring from their bed, so does the body of the Christian who has fallen asleep appear to be without life until it springs forth at the Last Day. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body; now the two are the same body, but entirely changed from one into the other, like a seed into the stalk: I tell you a mystery: We shall all be changed. Who? We, who attend with faithfulness to the Holy Mystery of the Altar, the body and blood of Christ. For He too was sown as a seed, but raised out of the garden where His tomb was hewn, for He is the Second Man, the Lord of heaven. And whereas the first man was cast out of the Garden of Eden, the Second gains entrance into that Garden and Paradise, as He said to the thief on the cross, Today you will be with Me in Paradise. Now this great Paradise shall be seen by all the faithful on the Day when the trumpet will sound, and the dead are raised. For the trumpet, token of the Gospel, is most fittingly that which shall hail the Day of Christ.

Psalm 31

Reading: Hebrews 3.7—4.13 or 3.12—4.1

Meditation: An evil heart is an unbelieving heart; an unbelieving heart is not an honest and good heart, for in it the word of God has not grown up and yielded fruit. Therefore the Apostle encourages the Church, saying, Beware, and, Exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. This daily exhortation takes place in the Holy Liturgy of the Church, where we sing the words of God to one another, as in the Te Deum, saying, day by day we magnify Thee. And shall not each day be called “today” until the Last Day? For they shall need no light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light, saying, I, Jesus, am the Bright and Morning Star. This is His voice; hear it today, and you shall also behold Him on the Day of days. Rebel against it, and you shall become like those who sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness. For life itself is a wilderness, until that Day. What then? As Israel finally entered the promised land of their rest, so shall all the faithful enter the promised land of eternal Sabbath, a land flowing forever with milk and honey, in Him who is our Rest. For the Sabbath day is truly fulfilled in Christ Himself, who said, I will give you rest.

Psalm 31

Reading: Hebrews 11.8 16

Meditation: By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. By faith we also go to the place to which we were called, that is, to the heavenly country. Were we not called there? Did not Holy Baptism call us, by the name of God? For Baptism is indeed the divine call of heaven to His eternal kingdom, through which this faith is given and sealed. So also, by faith Abraham dwelt in a foreign country; yea, by faith we also dwell in a foreign country, according to the words of the Psalmist, I am a stranger in the earth. For we have here no abiding city. And Abraham dwelt in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs. So also we dwell in tents, as heirs of Abraham. For the promised Seed of Abraham is Christ, and we who have been baptized have put on Christ, so we are the heirs. What are these tents? These are the bodies of the faithful, temples of the Holy Ghost (for where faith is, there is the Holy Ghost). Thus, by faith Sarah herself also conceived and bore a child when she was past the age; as also do we, by faith, receive strength to conceive and bear the Christ in our hearts by faith. For we, like the Blessed Virgin herself, are those whom Sarah’s life foretold.

Psalm 31

Reading: Hebrews 12.18 29

Meditation: If the children of Israel, and Moses himself, were exceedingly afraid and trembling at the mountain of God, how much more should we have reverence and godly fear. For you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels. How have you come? Behold, this is the language of the Holy Supper, which is, to him who approaches in faith, indeed the city of the living God. For there we sing with angels and archangels and all the company of heaven; there we stand at the very gates, where the King of Glory comes in; there we hear the angels cry one to another, saying, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Hosts. Indeed, there is no more sacred and holy place in all the world, no place more worthy of holy fear, for our God is a consuming fire, who sits there on the altar. There is His blood, the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel, for Christ is our Greater Abel, who offered Himself, a Lamb without blemish. For He is the Stone which the builders refused, which has become the Headstone of the corner, the One in whom now both Jews and Gentiles, as two walls joined at the corner, by faith shall enter the city of God.

Psalm 56

Reading: St. Matthew 25.31 46

Meditation: On the Last Day Christ will sit, for He is Judge Eternal; it will be on a throne, for He is King of kings; and the throne will be of His glory, for He is the Incarnate God. And He shall thus judge the living and the dead as a shepherd divides His sheep from the goats, for He is the Good Shepherd, and we His sheep. So the sheep on His right shall be blessed, but those on His left shall be damned. This is because He will not recognize all as sheep. Now sheep and goats are similar in many ways, but not to the eye of the Shepherd. He recognizes the sheep as sheep because He was hungry and they gave Him food, etc., while He does not know the goats, because they did not feed Him, etc. See, He was watching all along! But they did not see Him watching, for both those on the right and on the left replied, saying, when? But the righteous, though they did not see Him, yet they alone recognized Him in the least of His brethren. But who are His brethren? He says, these, these My brethren. Which are these? Are they not His disciples, to whom He is speaking here? Thus His brethren are His Apostles and their successors, the preachers of the Gospel. Whoever sees Christ in them shall be blessed.

Psalm 56

Reading: I Peter 1.1 12

Meditation: See what it means to be elect: it means to be the recipient of divine blessings from the Holy Trinity. For it says, first, that the inheritance we have received is due to the foreknowledge of God the Father: just as Christ His Son was slain before the foundation of the world, so also, those who are in Christ were elect in His Father before the foundation of the world, and thus the inheritance is incorruptible and undefiled and does not fade away. Second, it says that this inheritance was in sanctification of the Spirit: the Spirit brought us to the sanctification of faith, and we are kept by the power of God through faith. Third, it says that the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ, who is the eternal Son, is the price of this precious inheritance, more precious than gold that perishes. This is why such genuine faith does not fade, for it is worked from start to finish by Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Moreover, it is through the preaching of the Gospel that this precious faith is delivered, which preaching is also worked by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Such faith, being from the eternal God, is itself eternal, which is why it is said that the end of your faith is the salvation of your souls.

Psalm 56

Reading: I Peter 1.13—2.10 or 1.22—2.3

Meditation: As newborn babes desire and receive milk from the mother’s breast, so must the people of God receive the milk of the word from the breast of the Holy Church. For, as St. Paul also says, the Church is the mother of us all; therefore her holy breasts must be her sacred places from which the word sounds forth. Attentive hearers therefore are truly living as those brought forth from her womb, that is, from Baptism, ought to live. And what does it mean to taste that the Lord is gracious, but to taste this holy milk, as it is written, Taste and see that the Lord is good. Is not tasting receiving with the mouth? Behold in this the most wonderful way to feed on the milk of the word, then, namely, to receive the Holy Sacrament, which is a visible and tangible word, at the Holy Altar. Behold what manner of mother we have in the Church: a virgin mother, like unto the Blessed Virgin, who, like her, gives birth to her children by the Holy Spirit alone. Obedient children of this Holy Virgin Mother will therefore rejoice on receiving such blessed nurture as she provides, and will also recognize here the true home of our Father in heaven, as it is written, He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children.

Psalm 56

Reading: I Peter 4.1 7

Meditation: The mind of Christ, with which His people are to be armed, is one which was willing to suffer in the flesh, in pure obedience to the Father; therefore as Christ did not flee from His own persecution, neither may we flee when men revile us and persecute and say all manner of evil against us falsely. But someone might ask, Why do they do so? Answer: They think it strange that we no longer run with them in the same flood of dissipation. So they are pricked in conscience by the repentance they see in us, and so they speak evil of us. Did they not do the same to Christ? Was it not out of envy that they delivered Him? Who are we to expect that we ought to be exempt from similar treatment? Do we not follow Him who was crucified? Did He not bid us to take up our cross and follow Him? For the Gospel is indeed preached to those who are dead, that is, who have no life in themselves, in order that it might bring them out of death into life by the resurrection of Christ from the dead. Since this is so, why should it bring sorrow to be judged according to men in the flesh? Behold, they are dead, but we live! And we ourselves have died to sin, that we might live unto righteousness, oblivious to their judgment and evil-speaking.

Psalm 56

Reading: I Peter 4.12 19

Meditation: The beloved of God might indeed be inclined to think it strange if they are treated roughly by the world. They mean the world no harm; yea, rather, they mean the world only good, that is, the mercy of God. Their daily prayers for the world are surely heard by our merciful God, and may even be said to be the reason God gives daily sustenance and support to the world. See how much the world owes the Christians! So why are they reproached, then? See, it is for the name of Christ! And this is why they ought not think it strange when made to endure the fiery trial of the world’s scorn. Did not Christ also bear the world’s scorn? Thus to bear the world’s scorn for the name of Christ is truly to partake in the very sufferings of Christ. See how very closely united are the Christians to their dear Lord: they even feel in their own bodies the pain of His crucifixion, for that is truly what it is that they are feeling when they bear suffering for His sacred name. It is this knowledge which gives courage amid the suffering of scorn, for what could be greater than unity with Christ? And must not unity with Christ also be unity with His sufferings? For as a Christ who does not suffer is no Christ, so also a Church devoid of affliction is no Church.

Psalm 56

Reading: II Peter 1.1 15

Meditation: The promises which have been given to us are exceedingly great and precious, for this reason: through these one becomes partaker of the divine nature. This is unity with the Triune God. For as thoroughly as Christ bound Himself to our flesh, so thoroughly are we therefore bound to His divinity. And it is upon this truth that the Apostle now builds, as it were, His tabernacle of faith, encouraging the adding of virtue to faith, virtue of the kind to which knowledge is also added, namely the knowledge of Christ. For this knowledge also has self-control added to it, the single-mindedness of faith staid on its unity with the divine nature. This is because brotherly kindness is added to this self-control, the kindness first seen in our Lord Jesus Himself who offered Himself for us all; and this kind of kindness is truly the best kind of love, seen first in His compassionate heart. Those who are diligently attentive to this promise thereby make their call and election sure, for it is in the promise that the guarantee of election is also found. To think thus is truly to be one with the Holy Church and Bride of Christ, which, being pure like Christ and virgin like His mother, is surely not barren, bearing much fruit.

Psalm 56

Reading: II Peter 2.1 22 or 2.1-11

Meditation: Consider Noah, one of eight people alone against the corruption of the whole ancient world. As Noah preached righteousness, so the preachers of the Gospel today preach righteousness, the righteousness of faith in Christ. For though eight were saved, yet Noah was at the head of the ark, being its preacher, even as Christ who is at the head of the Church, having been raised on Sunday the eighth day, preaches His own eternal righteousness to her, that she might be saved from the corruption of the world in which she languishes. So also Lot, alone with his family against the filthy conduct of the wicked, tormenting his soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds, is likened unto Christ with His Church. For Lot is here called righteous, which tells us that he is our figure of Christ. And though Lot alone is named here, yet we know that his family was with him in the midst of an evil generation. So also, as Christ alone is righteous in all the evil world, yet His family is likewise with Him, which family we are by faith. Yet as the flood removed Noah’s family from the drowning world, and as angels removed Lot’s family from Sodom aflame, so Baptism removes Christ’s family from the world whose destruction is appointed.

Psalm 45

Reading: St. Matthew 25.1 13

Meditation: Ten virgins appear holy and righteous, for virginity signifies holiness. All appear outwardly to be keeping the Ten Commandments, yet as Moses’ books, the Torah, are five in number, so there are five who keep the Torah inwardly, being a new creation, while five keep it only outwardly. Moreover, all had lamps with which to meet the bridegroom, and a lamp signifies the word of God, as David says, Thy word is a lamp. And all went forth to meet the bridegroom, even as those who are present at the altar have gone forth to meet Christ our Bridegroom in the Holy Supper. But only five of these were wise, that is, held Christ the Wisdom of God in their hearts by faith. So only five had oil in their vessels with their lamps. Now as oil signifies Baptism, so the presence of oil in the lamp signifies the holy life of faith which springs from Baptism. See, the five fools may well have had oil in their lamps, but not in their vessels! So also, to have once been given the new life in Baptism is one thing, but to live therein is another.

Psalm 45

Reading: II Peter 3.1 18 or 3.1-9

Meditation: In the last days scoffers will come, says St. Peter. How will they scoff? They will mock the promise of the Christ’s coming. So already we hear scoffers who claim to speak for God, who not only mock Christ’s promised return, but question the first coming of Him who is God of gods and Lord of lords. They willfully forget that by the word of God the heavens and earth were made: willfully, meaning that their forgetfulness is born of their own evil will; for if they are able to forget that they have a Creator, then surely they may also be free to forget about any word said to be from Him, and blindly and ignorantly go their way. But we know that it is by His word that the heavens and earth have not only been made but are now being preserved. It is by His promise that all things are preserved in existence. Now the same word also promises the Day of the Lord. So when they ask, Where is His coming? we reply, It is in the promise: the Day of the Lord will come as a thief! As the devil stole earth from God in the beginning, so will the Lord steal it back, and justly, on the Day of His Judgment. For as in the beginning God spoke and it was so, so also does God still speak, and it will be so. For God alone is true.

Psalm 45

Reading: Jude 1 25 or 1-9

Meditation: Certain men have crept in unnoticed, says St. Jude. Crept in where? Crept in among the saints to whom he writes, those who are called, sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ. But certain men have crept in unnoticed. Now Jude exposes them, saying that they are the ones who turn the grace of God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ. Now since he says that the only Lord is God, and also that Jesus Christ is our Lord, surely he is saying that Jesus Christ is the only Lord God, come in the flesh. Whoever rejects this befouls the grace of God, for the grace of God is this, that God has come in the flesh to be our Salvation. Whoever rejects this makes God’s grace a lewdness, that is, a wantonness, immorality, or lasciviousness; in short, everything evil. For what could be more evil than to replace the Gospel with lies and rejection of our Incarnate God? Thus St. Jude exhorts the Church to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. This is the faith taught in the Sacred Scriptures; it is the only true faith, since Jesus Christ is the only Lord, come in the flesh.

Psalm 45

Reading: I John 2.18 29 or 2.18-23

Meditation: St. John here declares that it is the last hour; therefore there cannot be another hour, another age coming after this one. Now that Christ has come, we await His return in the last hour. And as the Antichrist comes at the last hour, so, he says here, many antichrists have already come! Each one manifests Antichrist, denying that Jesus is the Christ, thus also denying both the Father and the Son. For as Christ has sent out preachers of the Gospel to manifest Himself, saying, He who hears you hears Me, thus also those who hear the preachers of Antichrist hear Antichrist himself. And he is called Antichrist because he is against Christ, opposed to Christ. Now as Christ is the Incarnate One, so the Antichrist’s opposition to Christ is in his false portrayal of Christ as not being incarnate. Whoever claims to have God without the incarnate Christ has instead the spirit of antichrist. Whoever denies Christ denies also the Father. The truth consists not merely in God as some indefinite deity, but in Christ, the Incarnate God. Our defense against Antichrist is therefore the incarnate Christ, who comes to us in His Gospel and Holy Sacrament.

Psalm 45

Reading: I John 3.1 12

Meditation: Here is a mystery: St. John in this epistle says clearly that if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. Yet here he says that whoever abides in God does not sin, and whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him. Indeed, he who sins is of the devil. So if the truth be in us, we must say that we have sin; yet if we sin we are of the devil. Alas! Are we of the devil, then? May it never be, for the manner of love that the Father has bestowed on us is that we are called children of God. So we conclude that we who by nature would be children of the devil are by grace children of God. And since this is so, since we abide in Him, we do not sin. See, we both sin and do not sin: by nature we sin, by grace we do not sin. Our life in the flesh is still full of sin, yet our life in Christ is without sin. But we are children of God, who would otherwise surely be children of the devil, being sinners. Therefore, contrary to our own sin, we also love God and one another. Herein is the demonstration that we, though sinners by nature, are children of God by grace: that we love like Abel, whose offering was therefore called righteous, whereas Cain’s evil was exposed by the hatred that led to murder.

Psalm 45

Reading: I John 3.19 24

Meditation: If our heart condemns us, says St. John. Ah! Does not our heart daily condemn us? For we must say that we have sin, lest we deceive ourselves, as he also says. So an honest heart must condemn us, who are sinful and unclean, to the deepest hell. But God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. What does God know, that our heart has failed to tell us? Behold, the Father knows the Son! He knows therefore the blood of Jesus Christ His Son, that it cleanses us from all sin. And God’s mercy is seen in His desire that we might know this Holy Gospel. For when we hear and learn this, then the condemnation of our hearts must be annulled and cancelled, with the result that our heart now may no longer condemn us. And if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. From whence does this confidence come? Not from our heart, but from the blood of Christ, who commands that we should believe on His name, against the condemnation of our hearts. So as Baptism gives both this name and faith in it, and as the Sacrament of the Altar gives this blood, that we, receiving it, may know what the Father knows, so must the condemning heart be put to silence.

Psalm 45

Reading: I John 3.24—4.8

Meditation: Notice how frequently St. John refers to the Father and the Son throughout this epistle, and nowhere does he refer to the Holy Spirit, until here. Yet he speaks of love throughout the epistle, but does not do so near the end, when he speaks only of the Spirit. Here is the transition, then, between his frequent references to love and his references to the Spirit. And here he declares that God is love. So we may conclude that what he means to reveal to us is that the Spirit is Himself the love of which he speaks. To love one another, then, and to love God, is to be in the Spirit who is love; or rather, it is the Spirit who loves when we love. And what manner of love is this? That we who by nature are sinful and unclean are called God’s children. So the Spirit of God teaches us mercy, both God’s mercy toward us, and our mercy toward one another, as we also pray in the Lord’s Prayer. This is the life of the Holy Spirit, then; one which receives and gives the love of God, which is His pure undeserved mercy. So God Himself dwells in His people, and Christ is conceived in our hearts by the Spirit. So therefore everyone who loves is born of God, and is Christ to his neighbor.