Letters On The Page

Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost 16  Genesis 50:15-21  Romans 14:1-12  Matthew 18:21-35 O Lord, let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, my rock and my redeemer. Amen.  From time to time, I am asked, “Why do we say the Lord’s Prayer so often.” The answer is that, first, this is the prayer that Jesus teaches. Second, we need regular reminding of the theology and wisdom embedded in the petitions. In these petitions, we ask God to shape us. As Christians, we are on the long path of repentance in addressing the corruption of our sinful nature. So, we need to ask God to make his name holy on our lips and in our hearts. We want to desire what God desires for us. He desires that by our words and conduct in all our days and nights, God will be glorified.  We regularly invite God’s kingdom to come and that His will be done in and through us because so much of what we decide is based on me and mine. Too easily, we forget that our whol...

 Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost Ezekiel 33:7-9  Romans 13:1-10  Matthew 18:1-20 O Lord, let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, my rock and my redeemer. Amen. I would like to know the age of the child that Jesus called to himself. In my mind’s eye I see a little boy of about 5 or 6. He must have been a child filled with curiosity fueled by a bit of innocent courage to be hanging around the men. Perhaps, he wanted to see Jesus up close? Jesus gave him the opportunity of a lifetime when he called the boy to himself.  Last week I finished Mac Barnett’s little book called Make Believe: On Telling Stories to Children. Mr. Barnett is a children’s book writer. He is the 2025-2026 appointed Library of Congress and Every Child a Reader, National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature. In his book Mr. Barnett describes some of the challenges that come with telling stories to children in a way that children will connect with them. In t...

  Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 17) Jeremiah 15:15-21   Romans 12:9-21   Matthew 16:21-28 In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.  Three Sundays ago, we heard that when Peter saw Jesus walking on water, he decided he wanted to be out on the water with Jesus too. He did fine until he turned his focus from Jesus to the storm around them. As Jesus reached down to lift Peter up, he scolded Peter, “ O you of little faith, why did you doubt. ” Last Sunday we heard Peter respond to Jesus’ query, “ who do you say that I am? ” Peter got it right! He said, “ You are the Christ .” Consequently, Jesus gave Peter an enthusiastic atta boy! “ Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah. ”  Today’s gospel is a continuation of that conversation. Jesus immediately explains that he, the Christ, must go to Jerusalem, suffer, be killed, and rise on the third day. Peter’s reaction makes plain that he said the right words in his confession but he di...

Low Church? High Church? Whose Church? I’ve been rather bemused by the recent flurry of online discussion and debate in response to a recent YouTube video entitled, “Low Church Missouri,” from one of the professors at our St. Louis Seminary, Rev. Dr. Joel Biermann. It’s no surprise that the topic of worship practices and styles would garner such attention, as that has persistently been the case to varying degrees for the past three or four decades. What is equal parts amusing and frustrating in the present conversation is the way in which the terms are being used and understood, and the sort of misleading dichotomy that is consequently perceived. Dr. Biermann is absolutely entitled to his own observations and opinions, and I can certainly resonate with his nostalgic recollections of the past. My own childhood and young adult experience was largely similar to the sort of worship practices he remembers and describes. And I frankly track with some of his statements expressing a desire for...

Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 16)   Isaiah 51:1-6   Romans 11:33-12:8  Matthew 16:13-20 “Blessed are you” O Lord, let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, my rock and my redeemer. Amen. Two Sundays ago, we reflected on Matthew 14, where Jesus walks on water and Peter does too, until he takes his focus away from Jesus. When Jesus takes hold of Peter and pulls him up, Jesus scolds Peter, “ O you of little faith, why did you doubt? ” Today, we have the privilege of witnessing Jesus praise Peter with rich words. Jesus declares, “ Blessed are you !” The word “bless” and its cognates “blessed and blessing” occur regularly in the Bible. In fact, the word is used already in Genesis 1 on the fifth and sixth days of creation week. God blesses his creation to be fruitful and multiply.  In the 2009 Lutheran Study Bible, page 842, there is a helpful threefold definition of the word bless. When God blesses his creation on the ...

 Pr. Jordan B. Cooper is a Lutheran Pastor and Professor at American Lutheran Theological Seminary of the Association of American Lutheran Churches. This is a most helpful Lutheran approach to spiritual disciplines of prayer.

Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost Isaiah 56:1, 6-8  Romans 11:1-2a, 13-15, 28-32  Matthew 15:21-20 O Lord, let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, my Rock and my Redeemer. Amen. In Genesis 32, the Patriarch Jacob, grandson of Abraham, son of Isaac, is in the process of leaving Laban and returning home. He will shortly confront the reality of his broken relationship with his twin brother Esau. Jacob is afraid. He sends his family ahead of him bearing gifts for Esau. He hopes that Esau will have mercy upon him for his family’s sake. He is alone. In the dark of night, a stranger comes. Jacob and the stranger get into an hours long wrestling match. The fight is a draw. No one is a clear winner, except that Jacob had a hold on the stranger and will not let go. As daylight breaks, the stranger demands, “ Let me go, for the day has broken .” But Jacob says, “ I will not let you go unless you bless me. ” Jacob was true to his word. He did not let go...

The Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost   Job 38:4-18   Romans 10:5-17   Matthew 14:22-33 O Lord, let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, my rock and my redeemer. Amen. In the state of Indiana, public school has either started or is about to begin a new school year. It’s been a while since I or our son was in school, but I imagine some things have not changed. Before school, parents, teachers, and students meet one another. Questions are asked and answer. Then, on the first day of class there is a statement about expectations, stated goals for learning, sometimes called projected outcomes. One class period turns to another, then time passes by and before we know it, progress reports are issued. Students and interested parties learn the progress of learning and striving toward the desired goals and outcomes. Most of us are both relieved and happy when progress is observed and applauded.  All of this came to mind as I reflected up...

Pentecost 10 (Proper 13)   Isaiah 55:1-5   Romans 9:1-5   Matthew 14:13-21 O Lord, let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, my rock and my redeemer. Amen. The feeding of the five thousand is found in all four of the gospels. (Mark 6:30-44, Luke 9:10-17, John 6:1-14) Because the Holy Spirit allows the authors of the gospels to record their unique observations and memories, we are blessed with additional details that provide a richer, fuller picture of this miraculous event. For example, from the gospel of John we learn that because of what the people are hearing, seeing, and experiencing with Jesus, some are already wondering out loud if Jesus is indeed the prophet of God that Moses spoke of. In Deuteronomy 18:15-18, Moses declared “ The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers - it is to him you shall listen – just as you desired of the LORD your God at Horeb on the day of the as...

Rev. Dr. Arthur Just, retired Professor of Concordia Theological Seminary, Ft. Wayne, IN is interviewed on the On the Line podcast.  Professor Just has written and published a theological memoir Ever to Emmaus: A Theological Memoir . This is a wide ranging and informative conversation. Well worth your time!

  The Ninth Pentecost Sunday after Pentecost  (Proper 12A) Deuteronomy 7:6-9 Romans 8:28-39 Matthew 13:44-52 O Lord, let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, my Rock and my Redeemer. Amen.  Through the book of Deuteronomy Moses retells the teaching and events of Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers. As Moses speaks to the people these words and commits them to written form, he knows that he is near the conclusion of his earthly journey.  The Lord will call him home soon. Moses will not go into the Promised Land. The mantel of leadership will pass on to Joshua. He will lead them in the conquest of the Promised Land.  Through Moses God addresses the new generation of Israel. Those who originally witnessed the mighty plagues that God visited upon Egypt, crossed the Red Sea on dry land, and wandered in the wilderness for 40 years, are passing on or soon will. The new generation needs to hear anew that God views them as His tre...

The Eighth Sunday after Pentecost  Isaiah 44:6-8  Romans 8:18-27  Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 O Lord, let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, my rock and my redeemer. Amen.  One way of looking at the parables of Jesus is that they are short stories. Some of the parables are explained, some are not. But just as a short story that is written by a gifted writer leads us into new insights and questions, so do Jesus’ parables. He uses familiar settings and scenes, but by the end of either the parable or His explanation, we may find ourselves feeling oddly uneasy. It’s as if Jesus is looking into our own crooked hearts and speaking right to us. He speaks the truth in love. Yet, his truth and his love are not always warm and fuzzy.  Last week’s parable of the Sower and the Seed is about the challenges of the seed landing on the good soil so that it can grow and mature. This parable is a teaching about God’s abundant grace in broadcast...

 

Video of Divine Service at St. Luke, Rensselaer, IN Seventh Sunday after Pentecost  Isaiah 55:10-13  Romans 8:12-17  Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 O Lord, let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, my rock and my redeemer. Amen. The theme of today’s lectionary is the Word of God and what the Word does. The Word of God is active. The Word moves outward. The Word is beneficial to those who receive it. The Word of God grows within us and changes us for the better.   Inspired by the Holy Spirit, the prophet Isaiah connects the life-giving benefits of water and snow upon the earth with the benefits of the Word. Water and snow bring the necessary moisture so that seed can grow and the fields and pastures flourish. The Word of God goes forth with purpose. The Word accomplishes that which it is supposed to accomplish.  As I reflected on the movement that Isaiah describes, in particular, downward and outward, I cannot help think of all th...