Christ For You

Introit: Ps. 39:4-5, 7-8; antiphon: Isaiah 35:10

Gradual: Ps. 45:14-15

Old Testament: Is. 65:17-25

Psalm 149 (antiphon: v. 2)

Epistle: 1 Thess. 5:1-11 

ProperVerse: Rev. 21:2

Gospel: Matt. 25:1-13

By Faith We Are Prepared for Christ's Return

"The day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night" (1 Thess. 5:1_11). The arrival of the bridegroom will be sudden and unexpected. Therefore you are to be watchful and ready like the five wise virgins. "For you know neither the day nor the hour" when the Son of Man is to return. (Matt. 25:1_13). The lamps are the Word of Christ. The oil in the lamps is the Holy Spirit, who works through the Word to create and sustain the flame of faith in Christ. The foolish are those who do not give proper attention to the working of the Holy Spirit in baptism, preaching, and the supper, and so their faith does not endure. The wise, however, are those who diligently attend to these gifts of the Spirit, and who therefore have an abundance of oil. The flame of faith endures to the end. By God's grace they are received into the eternal wedding feast of the Lamb in His kingdom, the new heavens and the new earth created by the Lord for the joy of His people (Is. 65:17_25).

First Reading: Revelation 7:(2-8) 9-17

Psalm 149 (antiphon: v. 4)

Epistle: 1 John 3:1-3

Gospel: Matthew 5:1-12

Saints Are Blessed in the Eternal Presence of Christ

"A great multitude from all tribes and peoples and languages," cry out "salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne" (Rev. 7:9_17). Faith-filled saints from every place and time with unified voices eternally magnify the Lamb of God. As His beloved children, we too, "shall see him as he is" (1 John 3:1_3). Joined with the throng of angels and a myriad of saints, we shall "serve him day and night in his temple" (Rev. 7:9_17). In our earthly tension vacillating between saint and sinner, faith and doubt, sacred and profane, we earnestly seek Jesus to calm our fears, comfort our spirits, and forgive our sins. The Holy Spirit, through faith in Christ propels us forward, fortifying us in Word and Sacrament, to our eternal home. In the midst of our constant struggle as believers, we need to be blessed. And so we are. The poor in spirit, the meek, the hungry, the thirsty, the merciful, the pure, and the persecuted are all blessed and we will most certainly inherit the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 5:1_12).

First Reading: Revelation 14:6-7

Psalm 46 (antiphon: v. 7)

Epistle: Romans 3:19-28

 Gospel: John 8:31-36 or

     Matthew 11:12-19\n

The Son of God Has Set Us Free from Sin and Death by His Grace

"Wisdom is justified by her deeds" (Matt. 11:19), and the true Wisdom of God, Christ Jesus the incarnate Son, justifies us by His deeds. He prepares His way by the preaching of repentance, but He has suffered the violence of the Law and voluntarily handed Himself over to violent men, that we might eat and drink with Him in His Kingdom and "remain in the house forever" (John 8:35).  For He is "a friend of tax collectors and sinners" (Matt. 11:19), and He has rescued us by His grace from the slavery of sin and death. By the proclamation of His eternal Gospel "to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people" (Rev. 14:6), "the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law" (Rom. 3:21), "that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus" (Rom. 3:26). And by hearing the Gospel of Christ Jesus, "whom God put forward as a propitiation by His blood, to be received by faith" (Rom. 3:25), "you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free" (John 8:31_32).

Introit: Ps. 130:1-2, 7-8; antiphon: Ps. 130:3-4

Gradual: Ps. 133:1, 3b

Old Testament: Micah 6:6-8

Psalm 116:12-19 (antiphon: v. 13)

Epistle: Phil. 1:3-11

ProperVerse: Ps. 147:3

Gospel: Matt. 18:21-35

Walking humbly with our God and forgiving one another

With what shall we come before the Lord (Micah 6:6) who forgives all our sins, and how often shall our fellow Christians sin against us and we forgive them (Matt. 18:21)? Our gracious God on high does not need our "burnt offerings" or "thousands of rams" (Micah 6:6-7), which we could legitimately offer in thanksgiving. He is the Savior who gave His only-begotten Son for our transgression. He offers the fruit of His body, once hanging dead on a cross but now living and giving life in His holy Meal, for the sin of our souls (Micah 6:7). Because He releases us from our enormous debt of sin against Him, we need not imprison our fellow sinners with our lack of love and refusal of forgiveness (Matt. 18:24, 27, 30). As partakers of His grace, we yearn for one another "with the affection of Christ Jesus" (Phil. 1:8). As forgiven sinners, "filled with the fruit of Christ's righteousness," our "love may abound more and more, with knowledge and discernment" (Phil. 1:11, 9), for He leads us "to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with [our] God" (Micah 6:8).

Introit: Ps. 119:1-2, 5-6; antiphon: Ps. 119:137, 124

Gradual: Ps. 33:12, 6

Old Testament: Prov. 25:6-14

Psalm 2 (antiphon: v.11)

Epistle: Eph. 4:1-6

ProperVerse: Ps. 116:1

Gospel: Luke 14:1-11

Whoever Humbles Himself Will Be Exalted

"Do not put yourself forward in the king's presence" (Prov. 25:6_14). Rather, take the lowest position at the table. Humble yourself before Him. For your place is not for you to take but for Him to give. Conduct yourself with all lowliness and gentleness, bearing with one another in love (Eph. 4:1_6), that the King may give you glory in the presence of those at the table with you. "For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted" (Luke 14:1_11). Is this not the way of Christ? He is the one who took the lowest place, who humbled Himself even to the point of death for us. He is now exalted to the highest place at the right hand of the Father that penitent believers may be exalted together with Him in the resurrection. To the humble at His Supper He says, "Friend, move up higher," giving you His very body and blood for your forgiveness that you may ascend to take part in the great wedding feast which has no end.

Introit: Ps. 86:1, 7, 12, 13; antiphon: Ps. 86:3, 5

Gradual: Ps. 102:15-16

Old Testament: 1 Kings 17:17-24

Psalm 30 (antiphon: v. 5b)

Epistle: Eph. 3:13-21

ProperVerse: Ps. 115:11

Gospel: Luke 7:11-17

Jesus Calls forth Life from Death

A large funeral procession carrying the only son of a widow is confronted by another large procession, Jesus and His followers. Death and Life meet face to face at the gate of the city (Luke 7:11_17). Filled with compassion, Jesus comes into direct contact with our mortality in order to overcome it. He touches the coffin and speaks His creative words of life, "Young man, I say to you, arise." Jesus does what is neither expected nor requested. For through Christ, God the Father "is able to do far more abundantly than all we ask or think" (Eph. 3:14_21). Jesus bore our death in His body that we may share in His resurrection. Even as Elijah stretched himself out three times over the Zarephath woman's son (2 Kings 17:17_24), God stretched Himself out over us in the threefold application of His name in the baptismal water, breathing new and everlasting life into us. "To Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen."

Introit: Ps. 86:4, 6, 15a, 16; antiphon: Ps. 86:1a, 2b, 3

Gradual: Ps. 118:8-9

Old Testament: 1 Kings 17:8-16

Psalm 146 (antiphon: v. 9a)

Epistle: Gal. 5:25-6:10

ProperVerse: Ps. 95:1

Gospel: Matt. 6:24-34

Anxious Bondage vs. Confident Trust

"You cannot serve God and money" (Matt. 6:24_34), for they require two contrary forms of service. Worry is the worship given to the false god of mammon, an unbelieving anxiousness and focus on the things of this world. Faith is the worship of the true God, a confident trust that He is a loving Father who will care for all of our needs in both body and soul. The widow of Zarephath served God„ that is, she believed the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah that the bin of flour would not be used up nor would the jar of oil run dry (1 Kings 17:8_16). He who feeds the birds and clothes the flowers will certainly provide for our daily needs. For He has already provided for our eternal needs, clothing us with Christ's righteousness in Baptism and feeding us His body and blood for our forgiveness. With such confidence we are liberated from worry and freed to do good with our material resources, especially to those who are of the household of faith (Gal. 5:25_6:10).

Introit: Ps. 84: 1-2a, 4, 10b, 11b; antiphon: Ps. 84:9-10a\nGradual: Ps. 92:1-2

Old Testament: Prov. 4:10-23

Psalm 119:9-16 (antiphon: v. 12)

Epistle: Gal. 5:16-24

ProperVerse: Ps. 65:1

Gospel: Luke 17:11-19

The Cry of Faith: Lord, Have Mercy

The ten lepers cried out from a distance, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!" (Luke 17:11_19). Their condition cut them off from God and others. So also do the works of the flesh cut us off from God and others. "Those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God" (Gal. 5:16_24). Thus we cry out with the lepers, "Lord, have mercy; Christ, have mercy; Lord, have mercy," eagerly seeking His good gifts. Jesus said to the lepers, "Go and show yourselves to the priests." And as they went, they were cleansed. So too, we walk by faith and not by sight, being confident of Jesus' help before we see any evidence of it, trusting that Jesus' cleansing words of forgiveness will restore us to wholeness in the resurrection. Let us be as the one leper who returned to the true High Priest to give Him thanks and glory. For Jesus bore our infirmities in His sacrifice at Calvary. His words are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh (Prov. 4:10_23).