July 2, 2026

Today's Reading: Luke 1:39-45 (46-56)

Daily Lectionary: Joshua 7:1-26; Acts 10:34-48

“‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!” (Luke 1:42b)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Saint Elizabeth was blessed. Her young relative from Nazareth had arrived at her home, and she was happy to see her. You can just see her in your mind, coming to the doorway, seeing Mary, and shrieking with excitement! The crazy thing is, the Blessed Virgin would not even be one month into pregnancy yet. She’s not showing. But St. Elizabeth knows! And she knows Who is in the womb of her relative, since God has revealed that to her.

Saint John the Baptizer was blessed. Today’s world might dismiss him as merely a six-month-developed fetus. But that precious baby in his mother’s womb was gifted by God also to know! St. John wasn’t just kicking like babies normally do inside their mothers; he was leaping for joy at the presence of God! He was not able to use his voice yet to preach and point others to Christ, so he used movement to do the preaching. “Mom! Look! God is here!”

The Virgin Mary is blessed. God, in His wisdom and grace, chose this girl to be the Mother of God-with-us. She was blessed to hear the Word of God through the Angel Gabriel, and through faith to believe it. Then she was blessed to actually carry God in her womb! Nine precious months with the Creator inside a creature, the Nourisher and Sustainer of all being nourished and sustained by His mother.

All of these saints are blessed not from themselves, but from their connection to THE Blessed One. Take some time to go through the Psalms. Did you ever notice how many times it talks about the Blessed Man? It’s not David bragging about how good he is. It’s not even praising some prophet or other man. It’s all about Jesus! Christ is THE Blessed One. And through His holy life, innocent death, and glorious resurrection, He gives that blessedness to you and all His Church.

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God, my Savior. For He has regarded the lowliness of His handmaiden. For behold from this day all generations will call me blessed. For the Mighty One has done great things to me, and holy is His name; and His mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with His arm; He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He has cast down the mighty from their thrones and has exalted the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent empty away. He has helped His servant Israel in remembrance of His mercy as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to His seed forever. (LSB 248)

Rev. Richard Heinz, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Lowell, IN.