A PERSONAL REFLECTION

Some of you know that over the years I have been subject to clinical depression & a general anxiety disorder. For the most part they've been under control, that is, until my serious car accident on Jan. 8. This accident has really thrown me for a loop. Among other things, I have been filled with shame & distress for myself & my family, especially Lois, because this accident was totally my fault. I am also stressed by the financial pressures my accident has caused. My depression & anxiety have returned.

If you read today's blog, aside from some topics related to Christian stewardship & the value of life, you'll notice that I'm focusing on where we can find comfort & hope in our distress. I'm not looking for pity, although I'd gladly welcome your prayers for Lois & me. What I'm really hoping & praying is that if you, as well, are struggling with anxiety & depression, you might be edified by today's post.

MY ROCK & FORTRESS

"I love You, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock & my fortress & my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, & the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, & I am saved from my enemies." Psalm 18:1-3

GIVING

"Giving some portion of your income away is a discipline & a privilege taught by Scripture. I believe every Christian, no matter what his level of lifestyle, should use part of his income to meet the financial & material needs of others . . . " Doug Sherman & William Hendricks, Men's Devotional Bible

WHY IS STEWARDSHIP FOR YOU?

"Stewardship is what we as stewards do. It is faith in action. Stewardship is the living out of our faith through our serving, giving, witnessing, & relating to others. It is the faithful use of our time, talents, & money in doing God's will. It is our faithful response of gratitude for God's gift of forgiveness & salvation. As God's stewards, we are called by Him & governed by His Word. God's Word gives us motivation, direction, & purpose for our stewardship. Prompted by the Holy Spirit through God's Word, we freely & joyously commit all that we are & have for His purpose." Steward Builders

THE PROMISED COMFORT OF HEAVEN

In My Father's House are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? (John 14:2)

"Jesus Himself promises those who trust in Him eternal dwellings. Since the Bible promises us both a resurrection like Jesus' & a 'new heaven & earth,' I'm looking for real, eternal homes." 

From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." (Matt. 4:17)

"Heaven comes in Jesus' person & proclamation."

And when He came out of the water, immediately He saw the heavens torn open & the Spirit descending on Him like a dove. (Mark 1:10)

"Luther said that in Jesus' Baptism & ours, heaven is wide open. It's nothing but doors & windows! "Whoever believes & is baptized will be saved (Mark 16:16)." Christian are certain of heaven." Matthew Harrison, The Lutheran Witness, Nov. 2022

A PRAYER FOR COMFORT

"Dearest Jesus, during these days we may feel like no one understands our needs, anxieties or heartache. Only You know the depths into which we have plunged; only You can reach us, sustain us & lift us up. We pray that You, who forsook comfort for the cross, would not forsake us but would gather us up to Yourself & hold us fast, that we may know Your lasting comfort & peace. Amen." The Lord's Mercy Endures Forever:  40 Daily Devotions of God's Comfort

AN EASTER HYMN OF HOPE

If Christ Had Not Been Raised from Death (LSB #486)

If Christ had not been raised from death Our faith would be in vain, Our preaching but a waste of breath, Our sin & guilt remain. But now the Lord is ris'n indeed; He rules in earth & heav'n:  His Gospel meets a world in need--In Christ we are forgiv'n.

If Christ still lay within the tomb Then death would be the end, And we should face our final doom With neither guide nor friend. But now the Savior is raised up, So when a Christian dies We mourn, yet look to God in hope--In Christ the saints arise!

If Christ had not been truly raised His Church would live a lie; His name should nevermore be praised, His words deserve to die. But now our great Redeemer lives; Through Him we are restored; His Word endures, His Church revives In Christ our risen Lord.

WHAT I'M READING

I finished reading the biography of Jim Thorpe. Very enlightening. Also very depressing. Now I'm reading "The Jazz Age President:  Defending Warren G. Harding." He's often considered one of the worst if not the worst U.S. president. I'm learning why this isn't true.

WHAT WE'RE WATCHING

Lois & I started watching S.W.A.T. What it lacks in authenticity it makes up for with stilted dialogue & stock characters.

HERE'S TO YOUR HEALTH

"Skinny jeans cause cellulite?" Drudge Report

POLITICAL POTPOURRI

"Cue card hosts press conference while Biden out sick." Babylon Bee

"Planned Parenthood CEO warns that Down Syndrome Barbie could teach young girls to value human life." Ditto

"Biden unable to participate in Democratic debates due to looming screenwriters strike." Ditto

"DOT saves $20M by just identifying existing crash dummies as females." Ditto

"Biden campaign ad uses stunt double for high-risk stairs scene." Ditto

TRENDING NEWS

"Man jiggles toilet handle, thus exhausting his knowledge of plumbing." Babylon Bee

"Millions of Boomers call grandkids to ask how to change channel from Fox News." Ditto

THERE IS NO PLACE LIKE FLORIDA

"FL woman drunkenly shoots & kills pet parrot, sprays husband with water during argument." Fox News Online

PASSWORDS *

* Source:  Reader's Digest, June 2022

"A mobile security firm called Lookout analyze passwords that had been leaked on the dark web, & it published a list of the common ones. If you use any of these, try being a little (or a lot) more original:"

> 123456

> Qwerty

> Iloveyou

> Abc123

> DEFAULT

> 111111

> Password

TRAVEL TIPS

"You've just arrived at the checked baggage counter &--drat!--your suitcase is over the weight maximum. Now you have to pop it open & put on a fashion show for fellow passengers as you layer on three sweaters. Next time you fly, bring a zippered pillowcase. Pillows aren't usually considered a personal item by most airlines, so you can pack a few extra outfits instead of dealing with a carry-on or an overweight luggage fee. Just make sure to check your airline's pillow policy before you fly." Reader's Digest, June 2022

TODAY'S TRIVIA *

* Source:  Uncle John's Awesome 35th Anniversary Bathroom Reader

> Laid end-to-end, the human circulatory system would be 66,000 miles long, & would stretch more than two & a half times around the equator.

> Most commonly photographed on Instagram:  pizza.

> Parrots, like humans, can get addicted to opiates, & have been known to attack opium poppy fields in India (grown for pharmaceutical firms) to get more of the drug.

GOD'S STEADFAST LOVE

"I will call upon You, for You will answer me, O God; incline Your ear to me; hear my words. Wondrously show Your steadfast love, O Savior of those who seek refuge from their adversaries at Your right hand. (Ps. 17:6-7)

OUR FATHER, FRIEND, & COMPANION

"He is our Father, our Friend, & can be our Companion on the path of life. Such an association becomes the most cherished relationship in the world." W. Phillip Keller, Men's Devotional Bible

FAITH OR GOOD WORKS?

"Nevertheless, Scripture attributes both faith & good works not to our strength, but to God alone . . . If we have faith, then we need nothing more, for it brings with it the Holy Spirit, who not only teaches us all kinds of things but also makes it powerful, & leads us through death & hell to heaven . . . If faith is true, then it does good; if it does not do good, then it certainly is a dream & a false delusion about faith . . . Faith makes righteous, but works demonstrate this faith & righteousness . . . God wants us to let the righteousness that we have received in faith break forth, demonstrate itself, & benefit others, so that false faith becomes known & rooted out. God gives no one His grace so that it may lie down & be of no benefit, but so that it would give a good return, & through knowledge & outward public demonstration entice everyone to God. Christ says, 'Let your light shine among people so that they see your good works & praise your Father in heaven (Matt. 5:16) . . .So remain with this truth that man is justified inwardly in spirit before God only through faith without any works. However, externally & publicly before people & toward himself he is justified through works, that is, he knows & becomes certain that he is inwardly genuine, believing, & righteous." A Year in the Gospels with Martin Luther

WHILE THE EARTH REMAINS

Then Noah built an altar to the Lord & took some of every clean animal & some of every clean bird & offered burnt offerings on the altar. And when the Lord smelled the pleasing odor, the Lord said in His heart, "I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the intention of man's heart is evil from his youth. Neither will I again strike down every living creature as I have done. While the earth remains, seedtime & harvest, cold & heat, summer & winter, day & night, shall not cease." (Gen. 8:20-22)

God loves the world He created & sent His Son to take the curse of sin onto Himself, 'that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life' (John 3:16). All of us who trust in Him for salvation have been born anew in Baptism, created anew in Christ. When the time is right, at our Savior's return, God will renew & restore His creation . . . Anticipating that day, we look forward to 'new heavens & a new earth in which righteousness dwells' (2 Peter 3:13). We don't know exactly what that new creation will be like, but we know that we will live forever in our Savior's presence. Nothing will ever be the same again." The Lord's Mercy Endures Forever:  40 Daily Devotions of God's Comfort

TODAY'S PRAYER

"Lord Jesus, shield us in the many storms & trials that we face. Forgive us when we turn away from You & from Your Word to follow our own desires & the temptations of the world around us. Help us by Your Spirit to live as Your redeemed & renewed people until the day when we live in Your presence forever. Amen." Ditto

TODAY'S HYMN

Oh, That I Had a Thousand Voices," LSB #811, vs. 4-5

All creatures that have breath & motion, That throng the earth, the seas, the sky, Come, share with me my heart's devotion, Help me to sing God's praises high. My utmost pow'rs can never quite Declare the wonders of Your might.

 Creator, humbly I implore You To listen to my earthly song Until that day when I adore You, Together with the angel throng And learn with choirs of heav'n to sing Eternal anthems to my King.

TODAY'S VERSES FROM PSALMS

"I will call upon You, for You will answer me, O God; incline Your ear to me; hear my words. Wondrously show Your steadfast love, O Savior of those who seek refuge from their adversaries at Your right hand. (Ps. 17:6-7)

ONCE A PARENT

"Once a parent, always a parent. Fathers & mothers alike, we don't stop caring just because we're no longer the main providers 0f shelter, food & the comforts of home . . . It's also our joyful pleasure to care for them, even if they no longer seem to need us." D, Bruce Lockerbie, Men's Devotional Bible

BECOMING RIGHTEOUS

Thus it is true that man must be righteous first without any good works & therefore before any good works, & so it is also clear how impossible it is that he should become righteous through works, if he is not first righteous before he does good works. Christ stands firm when He says, 'How can you speak good when you are evil?' So also how can you do good when you are evil?" A Year in the Gospels with Martin Luther

FACING DEATH

"At some point, unless the Lord returns first, we will experience physical death. It will not be a near-death experience. It will be real death &--from an earthly point of view--it will appear to be final. Yet we know otherwise. We have died with Christ in Baptism. We can face physical death with hope & perhaps even a word of baptismal defiance:  'I am baptized!' NDE stories cannot provide the assurance that we have in the promise of death & life through faith in Christ Jesus:  'Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him' (Rom. 6:8). When we are away from the body, we will be 'at home with the Lord' (2 Cor. 5:8), yet even then, there will be more to come.

"When Jesus returns on the Last Day, our bodies will be raised from death, as He was raised. Our hidden baptismal life will be fully & finally revealed:  'When Christ who is your life appears, then you will also appear with Him in glory' (Col. 3:4) The work that God began in our lives when we were baptized will be brought to completion on the great day of resurrection (Phil. 1:6). Our crucified & risen Lord has promised, 'Surely I am coming soon' (Rev. 22:20). Eagerly anticipating the joy of our own eternal experience, we respond, 'Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!'" Dr. Carol Geisler, The Lutheran Witness, Nov. 2022

FATHER, FORGIVE THEM

"Pinned to the cross by nails & by our sins, our innocent Savior prayed, 'Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do' (Luke 23:34) His prayer was for those who crucified Him. His prayer was for us. That prayer from the cross was answered. Through Jesus' death & resurrection, our heavenly Father has forgiven us. Only in God's forgiveness for us can we forgive others. As we live in repentance for our own sins & receive forgiveness, we find daily healing in Jesus' wounds, & only in those wounds is the strength to forgive. We may never see or really know the one who caused us harm . . . The forgiveness we offer may take place unseen & unknown, at a distance & in prayer. And if it happens that we cannot yet grant forgiveness, we pray again that we are not led into temptation, & that Jesus' own prayer from the cross for His tormentors would become our own." The Lord's Mercy Endures Forever:  40 Daily Devotions of God's Comfort

TODAY'S PRAYER

"Heavenly Father, forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. By the power of Your Spirit, through the preaching & teaching of Your Word, touch the lives of those who work evil & seek to harm others. Bring them to repentance so that they too will know the forgiveness won for them on the cross. For the sake of Jesus, whose blood washes us clean from our sins, strengthen us to forgive & make His prayer our own. Amen." Ditto

TODAY'S HYMN

Your Name Most Holy," LSB 590, vs. 3-4

My faithful God, You fail me never; Your promise surely will endure. O cast me not away forever If words & deeds become impure. Have mercy when I come defiled; Forgive, lift up, restore Your child.

All that I am & love most dearly--Receive it all, O Lord, from me. Let me confess my faith sincerely; Help me Your faithful child to be! Let nothing that I am or own Serve any will but Yours alone.

A PERSONAL REFLECTION

This morning in church we sang "Thy Strong Word," LSB #578. I first became acquainted with this hymn in 1976, as I was finishing my first year of teaching at Luther High School North in Chicago. We sang it during the processional at our commencement service, & it became one of my favorite hymns. 

This morning dawned chilly & gloomy. "Thy Strong Word" was our first hymn. Wonder of wonders! As we sang, "Thy strong word did cleave the darkness," the sun broke through the clouds & illumined our pew. Ordinarily, this would annoy me, but not this morning. As the sun shone through the eastern, stained glass windows, I couldn't help but think how God's Word shines in our lives, in our dark world.

"Thy strong Word did cleave the darkness; At Thy speaking it was done. For created light we thank Thee, While Thine ordered seasons run. Alleluia, alleluia! Praise to Thee who light does send! Alleluia, Alleluia! Alleluia, without end!" LSB #578, ST. 1

PSALM 16:9-10

"Therefore my heart is glad, & my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure. For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let Your Holy One seer corruption."

A HUSBAND'S AUTHORITY

"Most important for every husband is to accept the authority the Lord gives him when he becomes the spiritual head of his house." Leonard LeSourd, Men's Devotional Bible 

LOST IN THE OCEAN

"Our lives are stained with sin, & we live in a fallen, sin-stained world. When we fail & fall, as we do daily, we need not endlessly rehearse our sins. Through His Sprit & His Word, God turns our hearts to repentance. We hear the forgiveness spoken in God's Word & receive & taste that forgiveness in Jesus' body & blood, given & shed for us. God has removed your sins from His sight. He does not remember them, & He does not want you to remember them either. God delights in steadfast love, & your sins are gone forever, lost in the ocean depths of forgiveness." The Lord's Mercy Endures Forever:  40 Daily Devotions of God's Comfort

A PRAYER

"Grant, almighty God, that we who have celebrated the mystery of the Lord's resurrection may by the help of Your grace bring forth the fruits thereof in our life & conduct; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives & reigns with You & the Holy Spirit, one God, now & forever. Amen." Collect for the 2nd Sunday of Easter, Lutheran Worship

AN EASTER HYMN

Christ Has Arisen, Alleluia (LSB #466,  Sts 1, 4, 5)

Christ has arisen, alleluia. Rejoice & praise Him, alleluia. For our Redeemer burst from the tomb, Even from death, dispelling its gloom. Let us sing praise to Him with endless joy; Death's fearful sting He has come to destroy. Our sin forgiving, alleluia! Jesus is living, alleluia!

Go spread the news:  He's not in the grave; He has arisen this world to save. Jesus' redeeming labors are done; Even the battle with sin is won. Let us sing praise to Him with endless joy; Death's fearful sting He has come to destroy. Our sin forgiving, alleluia! Jesus is living, alleluia!

Christ has arisen; He sets us free; Alleluia, to Him praises be. Jesus is living! Let us all sing; He reigns triumphant, heavenly King. Let us sing praise to Him with endless joy; Death's fearful sting He has come to destroy. Our sin forgiving, alleluia! Jesus is living, alleluia!

TODAY'S VERSES FROM PSALMS

"O Lord, who shall sojourn in Your tent? Who shall dwell on Your holy hill? He who speaks blamelessly & does what is right & speaks truth in his heart . . . He who does these things shall never be moved." (Ps. 15, 1-2, 5b)

WHAT GOD REQUIRES

"Therefore, we must listen only to God's Word about this. God's Word reveals & shows us what God the Father's will is. First, His will is that He sent His only-begotten Son into the world to make peace with God for our sins by His death, & through His blood to cleanse & save us without our merit, etc. He sends this proclamation to everyone through the Gospel & requires you to believe & accept it. Christ also Himself says this with clear words:  'The will of Him who sent Me is that whoever sees the Son & believes in Him has eternal life (John 6:40)." A Year in the Gospels with Martin Luther

YOUR GIVING MUSCLES

"God has made us to be givers. It isn't something we have to do in order to please Him so much as it's something we need to do to keep ourselves working properly. We are healthy & whole when we are both giving & receiving . . . As it happens, giving is to your benefit. It doesn't make you a saint or martyr to give. In giving you are simply reflecting God's image--He who gave everything." Daniel Taylor, Men's Devotional Bible

WHERE IS PEACE FOUND?

"'Peace I leave with you,' Jesus said. 'My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.' (John 14:27) Worldly peace depends on circumstances, or rather, the absence of those circumstances:  no war, no storms, no illness, no violence or evil. Jesus' peace is not to be found in the right set of events. His peace is found in His forgiveness, His power & His presence, right here, right now, wherever we are, however frightening the events that surround us. He will speak to us in His Word & by His Spirit to grant us His peace." The Lord's Mercy Endures Forever:  40 Daily Devotions of God's Comfort

PEACE IN THE STORM

"Lord Jesus, You rescued Your disciples in the threatening storm. Be present with us in every storm of life that threatens us. When we call to You, hear our prayers. Forgive our sins & through Your Word & Your Holy Supper, fill is with the peace that You alone can give. Amen." Ditto

TODAY'S HYMN

Lord & Savior, Do You Heart Us (Tune:  Let Us Ever Walk with Jesus

When distress & trouble grieve us, Bringing illness, storm or loss, May we, patiently enduring, Bear with faithfulness the cross. As we, Lord, receive Your mercy, May we then Your mercy share, Giving comfort, hope & care. For this work may we be nourished, As our hearts in love are stirred, By Your Spirit & Your Word.

In the world, Lord, You have told us There is trouble to endure. Fill our doubting hearts with courage. For in You our hope is sure. As with Your disciples sailing On the windy, storm-tossed sea, You awoke & heard their plea, Stilling storm & wind & water, Bid our fear & sorrow cease With Your quiet Word of peace.

A VERY PERSONAL REFLECTION

If you follow my posts, you know that I was in a pretty serious car accident on Jan. 8:  three fractured ribs, broken hand, dislocated pinky, front tooth knocked out, & I bit through my tongue. I spent 2 weeks in the hospital, where I had surgery to "plate my ribs" & surgery on my hand, where two pins were inserted. I have no one to blame but myself. I was blinded by the sun, ran a stop sign, & got hit by a fire truck. No, really! Then I spent 10 days in a skilled care facility. Thankfully, we were able to travel to FL in FEB, but while we were there, my blood sugar spiked--also my fault--to the point where I almost suffered kidney failure. Since my accident, I have had a plethora of appointments, procedures, physical & occupational therapy. I had to have a dental implant, & I'm looking at probably 1 or 2 root canals, due to abscesses caused by trauma to my other front teeth. I haven't been able to drive since my accident, which has put that much more of a burden on Lois. Because of my carelessness, I have put a burden on my wife, worried my family, & caused us financial difficulties. Here's the bottom line. I feel ashamed, anxious, & depressed.

I have a daily quiet time every morning. It's not unusual that in one of my Scripture readings and/or devotional books I read something that speaks directly to the circumstances of my life. It happened to me on Good Friday morning, as I read a devotion from The Lord's Mercy Endures Forever:  40 Daily Devotions of God's Comfort. I'm going to share an excerpt from today's devotion. Maybe it will speak to you, too.

"Come to Me, all who labor & are heavy laden, & I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, & learn from Me, for I am gentle & lowly in heart, & you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, & My burden is light." (Matt. 11:28-30) 

"Jesus lifts from your shoulders the burden of sin & guilt. He takes from you the burning questions & doubts. 'I could have done more.' 'If only I had arrived on time.' 'Why didn't God do something?' God has done something. He took the weight of our guilt & shame & placed it on His Son. Bearing the awful weight of our sins & the sins of the whole world, Jesus was nailed to the cross. He died in our place & rose to life to set us free. The heavy burden of sin was left behind, at the cross & in the empty tomb.

"Our crucified & risen Lord feeds us with His Word & with His body & blood in Holy Communion. His forgiveness restores us. His Spirit floods us with new life & strength. We live, even surrounded by storm & loss, in the hope of rest to come. God rested from His work of creation & blessed the Sabbath. On a Sabbath, our Lord once slept in death in the tomb, His work of saving us complete. So for us also, 'there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God' (Heb. 4:9). Then will come the waking to endless joy & our Savior's invitation, 'Come to Me."

A READING FOR EASTER DAY

"Alleluia. Christ has risen, as He said. He has risen from the dead. Alleluia. Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever. Let Israel say:  'His love endures forever.' I was pushed back & about to fall, but the Lord helped me. I will give You thanks, for You answered me; You have become my salvation. The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone: This the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice & be glad in it. Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, from the house of the Lord we bless You." (Matt. 28:62, 7b; Ps. 118:1-2, 13, 21-22; 24, 26) Introit for Easter Day, Lutheran Worship

A VERSE FOR EASTER DAY

"Alleluia. Alleluia. Christ has destroyed death. Alleluia. And He has brought life & immortality to light through the Gospel. Alleluia." (2 Tim. 1:10b)

A READING FOR EASTER EVENING

"The angel spoke to them, 'Don't be alarmed,' he said. 'You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen.' Alleluia. Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Serve the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is He who made us, & w3e are His; we are His people, the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with Thanksgiving & His courts with praise; give thanks to Him & praise His name. For the Lord is good & His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations." (Mark 16a;Ps. 100) Introit for Easter Evening, Lutheran Worship

A VERSE FOR EASTER EVENING

"Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed for us. Alleluia. (1 Cor. 5:7) Lutheran Worship

RESURRECTION COURAGE

"If nothing that happened today could change tomorrow, what would it give you freedom to do today? That sounds like the start of a terrible self-help book, but think of it more like the movie 'Groundhog Day.' Every day, Bill Murray's character could do whatever he wanted because he knew the next day was going to be Feb. 2 all over again.

"That's what the Resurrection does. The future is guaranteed. No matter what happens in this life, whatever trials & suffering we will have to endure, nothing changes the end of the story. Our future is already written. It belongs to Jesus. He is risen; so shall we arise on the day of His return. All the crosses & trials that afflict us today will be left in the grave at the Resurrection. All the suffering & heartache will stay in the dirt. All the brokenness & frailty will decompose with the casket.

"Then I saw a new heaven & a new earth, for the first heaven & the first earth had passed away, & the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, 'Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, & they will be His people, & God Himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, & death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.' (Rev. 21:1-4)

"Bodies & souls knit back together perfectly. No more mourning, nor crying, nor pain. The former things are the former things. They will have passed away for good. God will dwell with us, His redeemed people. He will be with us as our God. Death shall be no more. The church lives with this kind of courage & confidence every single day. The afflictions of this life are temporary. Resurrection is forever. Take courage." Rev. Matthew Harrison, President of the LCMS, The Lutheran Reporter, April 2023

LIFE THOUGHTS FOR EASTER

"'Do not be afraid,' both the Easter angels & the risen Savior assure us (Matt. 28:4, 10). His everlasting & overcoming love (Jer. 31:3) means our being, body & soul, may rest secure (Ps. 16:9). We heed fear neither surprise pregnancy nor terminal diagnosis, suffering nor death, because Jesus Christ mysteriously but mightily safeguards every human life (Col. 3:3)." Grace Lutheran Church Bulletin

EASTER PRAYERS *

* Source:  Collects for Easter Day from Lutheran Worship

"O God the Father, through Your only-begotten Son Jesus Christ, You have overcome death & opened the gate of everlasting life to us. Grant that we, who celebrate with joy the day of our Lord's resurrection, may be raised from the death of sin by Your life-giving Spirit; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives & reigns with You & the Holy Spirit, one God, now & forever. Amen."

"O God, for our redemption You have given Your only-begotten Son to the death of the cross, & by His glorious resurrection You have delivered us from the power of the enemy. Therefore grant that all our sin may be drowned through daily repentance & that day by day a new man may arise to live before You in righteousness & purity forever; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives & reigns with You & the Holy Spirit, one God, now & forever. Amen." 

AN EASTER HYMN

Jesus Christ Is Risen Today (LW #127)

Jesus Christ is ris'n today, Alleluia! Our triumphant holy day, Alleluia! Who did once upon the cross, Alleluia! Suffer to redeem our loss. Alleluia!

Hymns of praise then let us sing. Alleluia! Unto Christ, our heav'nly king. Alleluia! Who endured the cross & grave, Alleluia! Sinners to redeem & save. Alleluia!

But the pains which He endured, Alleluia! Our salvation have procured; Alleluia! Now above the sky He's King, Alleluia! Where the angels ever sing. Alleluia!

Sing we to our God above, Alleluia! Praise eternal as His love; Alleluia! Praise Him, all you heav'nly host, Alleluia! Father, Son, & Holy Ghost. Alleluia!

ANOTHER EASTER HYMN

Alleluia! Jesus Is Risen (LSB #474, St. 1)

Alleluia! Jesus is risen! Trumpets resounding in glorious light! Splendor, the Lamb, Heaven forever! Oh, what a miracle God has in sight! Jesus is risen & we shall arise:  Give God the glory! Alleluia!

A REFLECTION

What were Jesus' disciples up to on the day after His death? Scripture doesn't reveal this, but we can speculate. They are undoubtedly locked in a room. They are frightened & depressed. Will they be the next ones to be arrested, found guilty, & crucified? Why depressed? The Messiah, whom they were counting on to establish an earthly kingdom, was murdered. Some had stood at the foot of the cross & watched Him die in humiliation, reviled by the very people who had cheered His entry into Jerusalem just days before.

Perhaps John is feeling overwhelmed. From the cross, Jesus had commissioned him to take Jesus' mother into his home. Mary, the mother of the Savior, is now to be John's mother; John is now to be her son. What an awesome responsibility!

And the there's Peter. Perhaps he was overwhelmed with guilt. After swearing that he would defend Jesus to the death, instead, he had sworn that he didn't know the Galilean. Talk about guilt!

Jesus had give His followers many warnings about the fate awaiting Him in Jerusalem. Yet they either couldn't or wouldn't accept His warnings about His own suffering & death.

Jesus had also promised that He would rise from the dead on the third day. Even as they forgot His prophecies, even as they wondered whether they would ever see their Master again, & even as they feared that they would suffer the same fate, an Easter miracle is about to unfold, & life for them would never be the same.

HIS SACRIFICE ON THE CROSS

"In Jesus the kingdom comes & in His life, death & resurrection, the Father's will was perfectly carried out on earth. Jesus is Himself our daily bread, the Bread of life, who nourishes & sustains us in Word & Sacrament. Only through His sacrifice on the cross are our sins forgiven, forgiveness that, through the power of His Spirit, is ours to share. For us Jesus was led into temptation, overcoming it on our behalf. He has delivered us from every evil that would threaten to separate us from His love," The Lord's Mercy Endures forever: 40 Daily Devotions of God's Comfort

A READING FOR HOLY SATURDAY

"Christ entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. He is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance. He provided redemption for His people; He ordained His covenant forever." (Heb. 9:12b, 15a; Ps. 111:9a) Gradual for Good Friday,Lutheran Worship

A PRAYER FOR HOLY SATURDAY

"Heavenly Father, I am silenced at the grave of Your Son, who knew no sin, yet was made sin for us. You permitted Him to die, exchanging His innocence for our guilt. In love He came to us, but He was rejected by hate. He taught us obedience, but men rebelled against Him.

"I confess that a great mystery confronts me at this tomb of sin & death. He was buried behind the great seal of my sin & my death. By faith I know also that He who died is the One who unlocked the great secret of Your love. His tomb is my tomb. He carried with Him to the grave my sin & my death, that He might break their hold on me.

"Trusting in the Lord's promise that He would rise again on the third day, I come not to mourn Him but to confess the sin that He would leave buried, Have mercy on me, O God! Have mercy on me. Amen," Lutheran Book of Prayer

A HYMN FOR HOLY SATURDAY

We Sing the Praise of Him Who Died (LW #118, Sts. 1, 5)

We sing the praise of Him who died, Of Him who died upon the cross. The sinner's hope let all deride; For this we count the world but loss.

The balm of life, the cure of woe, The measure & the pledge of love, The sinner's refuge here below, The angels' theme in heav'n above.

A REMINISCENCE

I can't remember whether my home congregation, St. Paul's Lutheran in Concordia, MO, stripped the altar on Maundy Thursday or shut off all the lights on Good Friday. For sure the pastor didn't slam the Bible shut at the end of the service. That's why it came as I shock at the congregation we belonged to in Chicago, Grace Lutheran, when all the lights were turned off & the pastor exited the chancel, you could hear him sing "O Darkest Woe." Then he slammed the Bible shut, & I jumped.

Meaningless tradition? I don't think so. I find it very moving when all the lights go down at the end of our Good Friday service, the Bible is slammed shut [I no longer jump.], & we exit the church in silence. For me this drives home the finality of Jesus' sacrifice, His death on the cross. He died the death that should have been mine, should have been ours. Yet He did it willingly, out of His overwhelming love for sinners. Out of His overwhelming love for you & me.

Did I say "finality?' It may have seem like finality when Jesus said, "It is finished," as He died on the cross. But we know--because we know what happened on that first Easter Sunday--that Jesus' death was anything but final.

A READING FOR GOOD FRIDAY

"O Lord, be not far off; O my Strength, come quickly to help me. My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from saving Me, so far from the words of My groaning? In You our fathers put their trust; they trusted & You delivered them. But I am a worm & not a man, scorned by men & despised by the people. Yet You brought me out of the womb; You made me trust in You even at my mother's breast. From birth I was cast upon You; from my mother's womb You have been my God. Do not be far from me, for trouble is near & there is no one to help." (Ps. 22:19; 22:1, 4, 6, 9-11) Introit for Good Friday, Lutheran Worship

A VERSE FOR GOOD FRIDAY

"Surely He took up our infirmities & carried our sorrows, yet we considered Him stricken by God, smitten by Him, & afflicted." (Is. 53:4) Lutheran Worship

A PRAYER FOR GOOD FRIDAY

"Almighty God, graciously behold Your family, for whom our Lord Jesus Christ was willing to be betrayed, to be given into the hands of sinners, & to suffer death on the cross; who now lives & reigns with You & the Holy Spirit, one God, now & forever. Amen." Collect for Good Friday, Lutheran Worship

A HYMN FOR GOOD FRIDAY

Jesus, I Will Ponder Now (LW #109, St. 1)

Jesus, I will ponder now On Your holy Passion; With Your Spirit me endow For such meditation. Grant that I in love & faith May the image cherish Of Your suff'ring, pain, & death That I may not perish.

 

A VERY PERSONAL REFLECTION

If you follow my posts, you know that I was in a pretty serious car accident on Jan. 8:  three fractured ribs, broken hand, dislocated pinky, front tooth knocked out, & I bit through my tongue. I spent 2 weeks in the hospital, where I had surgery to "plate my ribs" & surgery on my hand, where two pins were inserted. I have no one to blame but myself. I was blinded by the sun, ran a stop sign, & got hit by a fire truck. No, really! Then I spent 10 days in a skilled care facility. Thankfully, we were able to travel to FL in FEB, but while we were there, my blood sugar spiked--also my fault--to the point where I almost suffered kidney failure. Since my accident, I have had a plethora of appointments, procedures, physical & occupational therapy. I had to have a dental implant, & I'm looking at probably 1 or 2 root canals, due to abscesses caused by trauma to my other front teeth. I haven't been able to drive since my accident, which has put that much more of a burden on Lois. Because of my carelessness, I have put a burden on my wife, worried my family, & caused us financial difficulties. Here's the bottom line. I feel ashamed, anxious, & depressed.

I have a daily quiet time every morning. It's not unusual that in one of my Scripture readings and/or devotional books I read something that speaks directly to the circumstances of my life. It happened to me on Good Friday morning, as I read a devotion from The Lord's Mercy Endures Forever:  40 Daily Devotions of God's Comfort. I'm going to share an excerpt from today's devotion. Maybe it will speak to you, too.

"Come to Me, all who labor & are heavy laden, & I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, & learn from Me, for I am gentle & lowly in heart, & you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, & My burden is light." (Matt. 11:28-30) 

"Jesus lifts from your shoulders the burden of sin & guilt. He takes from you the burning questions & doubts. 'I could have done more.' 'If only I had arrived on time.' 'Why didn't God do something?' God has done something. He took the weight of our guilt & shame & placed it on His Son. Bearing the awful weight of our sins & the sins of the whole world, Jesus was nailed to the cross. He died in our place & rose to life to set us free. The heavy burden of sin was left behind, at the cross & in the empty tomb.

"Our crucified & risen Lord feeds us with His Word & with His body & blood in Holy Communion. His forgiveness restores us. His Spirit floods us with new life & strength. We live, even surrounded by storm & loss, in the hope of rest to come. God rested from His work of creation & blessed the Sabbath. On a Sabbath, our Lord once slept in death in the tomb, His work of saving us complete. So for us also, 'there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God' (Heb. 4:9). Then will come the waking to endless joy & our Savior's invitation, 'Come to Me."

A READING FOR EASTER DAY

"Alleluia. Christ has risen, as He said. He has risen from the dead. Alleluia. Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever. Let Israel say:  'His love endures forever.' I was pushed back & about to fall, but the Lord helped me. I will give You thanks, for You answered me; You have become my salvation. The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone: This the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice & be glad in it. Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, from the house of the Lord we bless You." (Matt. 28:62, 7b; Ps. 118:1-2, 13, 21-22; 24, 26) Introit for Easter Day, Lutheran Worship

A VERSE FOR EASTER DAY

"Alleluia. Alleluia. Christ has destroyed death. Alleluia. And He has brought life & immortality to light through the Gospel. Alleluia." (2 Tim. 1:10b)

A READING FOR EASTER EVENING

"The angel spoke to them, 'Don't be alarmed,' he said. 'You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen.' Alleluia. Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Serve the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is He who made us, & w3e are His; we are His people, the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with Thanksgiving & His courts with praise; give thanks to Him & praise His name. For the Lord is good & His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations." (Mark 16a;Ps. 100) Introit for Easter Evening, Lutheran Worship

A VERSE FOR EASTER EVENING

"Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed for us. Alleluia. (1 Cor. 5:7) Lutheran Worship

RESURRECTION COURAGE

"If nothing that happened today could change tomorrow, what would it give you freedom to do today? That sounds like the start of a terrible self-help book, but think of it more like the movie 'Groundhog Day.' Every day, Bill Murray's character could do whatever he wanted because he knew the next day was going to be Feb. 2 all over again.

"That's what the Resurrection does. The future is guaranteed. No matter what happens in this life, whatever trials & suffering we will have to endure, nothing changes the end of the story. Our future is already written. It belongs to Jesus. He is risen; so shall we arise on the day of His return. All the crosses & trials that afflict us today will be left in the grave at the Resurrection. All the suffering & heartache will stay in the dirt. All the brokenness & frailty will decompose with the casket.

"Then I saw a new heaven & a new earth, for the first heaven & the first earth had passed away, & the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, 'Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, & they will be His people, & God Himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, & death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.' (Rev. 21:1-4)

"Bodies & souls knit back together perfectly. No more mourning, nor crying, nor pain. The former things are the former things. They will have passed away for good. God will dwell with us, His redeemed people. He will be with us as our God. Death shall be no more. The church lives with this kind of courage & confidence every single day. The afflictions of this life are temporary. Resurrection is forever. Take courage." Rev. Matthew Harrison, President of the LCMS, The Lutheran Reporter, April 2023

LIFE THOUGHTS FOR EASTER

"'Do not be afraid,' both the Easter angels & the risen Savior assure us (Matt. 28:4, 10). His everlasting & overcoming love (Jer. 31:3) means our being, body & soul, may rest secure (Ps. 16:9). We heed fear neither surprise pregnancy nor terminal diagnosis, suffering nor death, because Jesus Christ mysteriously but mightily safeguards every human life (Col. 3:3)." Grace Lutheran Church Bulletin

EASTER PRAYERS *

* Source:  Collects for Easter Day from Lutheran Worship

"O God the Father, through Your only-begotten Son Jesus Christ, You have overcome death & opened the gate of everlasting life to us. Grant that we, who celebrate with joy the day of our Lord's resurrection, may be raised from the death of sin by Your life-giving Spirit; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives & reigns with You & the Holy Spirit, one God, now & forever. Amen."

"O God, for our redemption You have given Your only-begotten Son to the death of the cross, & by His glorious resurrection You have delivered us from the power of the enemy. Therefore grant that all our sin may be drowned through daily repentance & that day by day a new man may arise to live before You in righteousness & purity forever; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives & reigns with You & the Holy Spirit, one God, now & forever. Amen." 

AN EASTER HYMN

Jesus Christ Is Risen Today (LW #127)

Jesus Christ is ris'n today, Alleluia! Our triumphant holy day, Alleluia! Who did once upon the cross, Alleluia! Suffer to redeem our loss. Alleluia!

Hymns of praise then let us sing. Alleluia! Unto Christ, our heav'nly king. Alleluia! Who endured the cross & grave, Alleluia! Sinners to redeem & save. Alleluia!

But the pains which He endured, Alleluia! Our salvation have procured; Alleluia! Now above the sky He's King, Alleluia! Where the angels ever sing. Alleluia!

Sing we to our God above, Alleluia! Praise eternal as His love; Alleluia! Praise Him, all you heav'nly host, Alleluia! Father, Son, & Holy Ghost. Alleluia!

ANOTHER EASTER HYMN

Alleluia! Jesus Is Risen (LSB #474, St. 1)

Alleluia! Jesus is risen! Trumpets resounding in glorious light! Splendor, the Lamb, Heaven forever! Oh, what a miracle God has in sight! Jesus is risen & we shall arise:  Give God the glory! Alleluia!

A REFLECTION

What were Jesus' disciples up to on the day after His death? Scripture doesn't reveal this, but we can speculate. They are undoubtedly locked in a room. They are frightened & depressed. Will they be the next ones to be arrested, found guilty, & crucified? Why depressed? The Messiah, whom they were counting on to establish an earthly kingdom, was murdered. Some had stood at the foot of the cross & watched Him die in humiliation, reviled by the very people who had cheered His entry into Jerusalem just days before.

Perhaps John is feeling overwhelmed. From the cross, Jesus had commissioned him to take Jesus' mother into his home. Mary, the mother of the Savior, is now to be John's mother; John is now to be her son. What an awesome responsibility!

And the there's Peter. Perhaps he was overwhelmed with guilt. After swearing that he would defend Jesus to the death, instead, he had sworn that he didn't know the Galilean. Talk about guilt!

Jesus had give His followers many warnings about the fate awaiting Him in Jerusalem. Yet they either couldn't or wouldn't accept His warnings about His own suffering & death.

Jesus had also promised that He would rise from the dead on the third day. Even as they forgot His prophecies, even as they wondered whether they would ever see their Master again, & even as they feared that they would suffer the same fate, an Easter miracle is about to unfold, & life for them would never be the same.

HIS SACRIFICE ON THE CROSS

"In Jesus the kingdom comes & in His life, death & resurrection, the Father's will was perfectly carried out on earth. Jesus is Himself our daily bread, the Bread of life, who nourishes & sustains us in Word & Sacrament. Only through His sacrifice on the cross are our sins forgiven, forgiveness that, through the power of His Spirit, is ours to share. For us Jesus was led into temptation, overcoming it on our behalf. He has delivered us from every evil that would threaten to separate us from His love," The Lord's Mercy Endures forever: 40 Daily Devotions of God's Comfort

A READING FOR HOLY SATURDAY

"Christ entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. He is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance. He provided redemption for His people; He ordained His covenant forever." (Heb. 9:12b, 15a; Ps. 111:9a) Gradual for Good Friday,Lutheran Worship

A PRAYER FOR HOLY SATURDAY

"Heavenly Father, I am silenced at the grave of Your Son, who knew no sin, yet was made sin for us. You permitted Him to die, exchanging His innocence for our guilt. In love He came to us, but He was rejected by hate. He taught us obedience, but men rebelled against Him.

"I confess that a great mystery confronts me at this tomb of sin & death. He was buried behind the great seal of my sin & my death. By faith I know also that He who died is the One who unlocked the great secret of Your love. His tomb is my tomb. He carried with Him to the grave my sin & my death, that He might break their hold on me.

"Trusting in the Lord's promise that He would rise again on the third day, I come not to mourn Him but to confess the sin that He would leave buried, Have mercy on me, O God! Have mercy on me. Amen," Lutheran Book of Prayer

A HYMN FOR HOLY SATURDAY

We Sing the Praise of Him Who Died (LW #118, Sts. 1, 5)

We sing the praise of Him who died, Of Him who died upon the cross. The sinner's hope let all deride; For this we count the world but loss.

The balm of life, the cure of woe, The measure & the pledge of love, The sinner's refuge here below, The angels' theme in heav'n above.

A REMINISCENCE

I did not really appreciate Maundy Thursday when I was growing up. We walked to church after the sun set. It was dark, gloomy. No light could be seen outside the normally vibrant stained glass windows. And then there was communion. In my mind there must have been hundreds, maybe thousands of congregants marching up to the communion rail. It was interminable! And the sermon? Like all sermons during Lent, & especially during Holy Week, it was all about sin & death. Not my cup of tea.

Well, I'd like to think I've done some growing up. No longer does the Maundy Thursday  service seem oppressive to me. In fact, I look forward to it. The message is always timely. Worship with fellow believers is a blessing. And Holy Communion is something to be treasured.

"By the way, "The word 'Maundy' comes from the Latin, 'mandatum,' or 'command' which refers to the instructions Jesus gave His disciples at the Last Supper." [In case you're wondering, I googled it.]

A READING FOR MAUNDY THURSDAY

"I will lift up the cup of salvation & call on the name of the Lord. How can I repay the Lord for all His goodness to me? I will lift up the cup of salvation & call on the name of the Lord. Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints. O Lord, I am truly Your servant; I am Your servant, the son of Your maidservant; You have freed me from my chains. I will sacrifice a thank offering to You & call on the name of the Lord." (Ps. 116:13; 12-13, 15-17) Introit for Maundy Thursday, Lutheran Worship

A VERSE FOR MAUNDY THURSDAY

"For whenever you eat this bread & drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes." (1 Cor. 11:26) Lutheran Worship

A PRAYER FOR MAUNDY THURSDAY

"O Lord Jesus, since You have left us a memorial of Your Passion in a wonderful Sacrament, grant, we pray, that we may so use this sacrament of Your body & blood that the fruits of Your redeeming work may continually be manifest in us; for You live & reign with the Father & the Holy Spirit, one God, now & forever. Amen." Collect for Maundy Thursday, Lutheran Worship

A HYMN FOR MAUNDY THURSDAY

The Death of Jesus Christ, Our Lord (LW #107, Sts. 4-9)

His Word proclaims & we believe That in this supper we receive His very body, as He said, His very blood for sinners shed.

A precious food is this indeed--It never fails in time of need--A heav'nly manna for our soul Until we safely reach our goal.

O, blest is each believing guest Who in this promise finds his rest; For Jesus will in love abide With those who do in Him confide.

The guest who comes with true intent To turn to God & to repent, To live for Christ, to die to sin, Will thus a holy life begin. 

They who His Word do not believe This food unworthily receive, Salvation here will never find--May we this warning keep in mind!

Help us sincerely to believe That we may worthily receive Your supper & in You find rest. Amen, He who believes is blest.

A REMINISCENCE

I can't remember whether my home congregation, St. Paul's Lutheran in Concordia, MO, stripped the altar on Maundy Thursday or shut off all the lights on Good Friday. For sure the pastor didn't slam the Bible shut at the end of the service. That's why it came as I shock at the congregation we belonged to in Chicago, Grace Lutheran, when all the lights were turned off & the pastor exited the chancel, you could hear him sing "O Darkest Woe." Then he slammed the Bible shut, & I jumped.

Meaningless tradition? I don't think so. I find it very moving when all the lights go down at the end of our Good Friday service, the Bible is slammed shut [I no longer jump.], & we exit the church in silence. For me this drives home the finality of Jesus' sacrifice, His death on the cross. He died the death that should have been mine, should have been ours. Yet He did it willingly, out of His overwhelming love for sinners. Out of His overwhelming love for you & me.

Did I say "finality?' It may have seem like finality when Jesus said, "It is finished," as He died on the cross. But we know--because we know what happened on that first Easter Sunday--that Jesus' death was anything but final.

A READING FOR GOOD FRIDAY

"O Lord, be not far off; O my Strength, come quickly to help me. My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from saving Me, so far from the words of My groaning? In You our fathers put their trust; they trusted & You delivered them. But I am a worm & not a man, scorned by men & despised by the people. Yet You brought me out of the womb; You made me trust in You even at my mother's breast. From birth I was cast upon You; from my mother's womb You have been my God. Do not be far from me, for trouble is near & there is no one to help." (Ps. 22:19; 22:1, 4, 6, 9-11) Introit for Good Friday, Lutheran Worship

A VERSE FOR GOOD FRIDAY

"Surely He took up our infirmities & carried our sorrows, yet we considered Him stricken by God, smitten by Him, & afflicted." (Is. 53:4) Lutheran Worship

A PRAYER FOR GOOD FRIDAY

"Almighty God, graciously behold Your family, for whom our Lord Jesus Christ was willing to be betrayed, to be given into the hands of sinners, & to suffer death on the cross; who now lives & reigns with You & the Holy Spirit, one God, now & forever. Amen." Collect for Good Friday, Lutheran Worship

A HYMN FOR GOOD FRIDAY

Jesus, I Will Ponder Now (LW #109, St. 1)

Jesus, I will ponder now On Your holy Passion; With Your Spirit me endow For such meditation. Grant that I in love & faith May the image cherish Of Your suff'ring, pain, & death That I may not perish.

A REMINISCENCE

I did not really appreciate Maundy Thursday when I was growing up. We walked to church after the sun set. It was dark, gloomy. No light could be seen outside the normally vibrant stained glass windows. And then there was communion. In my mind there must have been hundreds, maybe thousands of congregants marching up to the communion rail. It was interminable! And the sermon? Like all sermons during Lent, & especially during Holy Week, it was all about sin & death. Not my cup of tea.

Well, I'd like to think I've done some growing up. No longer does the Maundy Thursday  service seem oppressive to me. In fact, I look forward to it. The message is always timely. Worship with fellow believers is a blessing. And Holy Communion is something to be treasured.

"By the way, "The word 'Maundy' comes from the Latin, 'mandatum,' or 'command' which refers to the instructions Jesus gave His disciples at the Last Supper." [In case you're wondering, I googled it.]

A READING FOR MAUNDY THURSDAY

"I will lift up the cup of salvation & call on the name of the Lord. How can I repay the Lord for all His goodness to me? I will lift up the cup of salvation & call on the name of the Lord. Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints. O Lord, I am truly Your servant; I am Your servant, the son of Your maidservant; You have freed me from my chains. I will sacrifice a thank offering to You & call on the name of the Lord." (Ps. 116:13; 12-13, 15-17) Introit for Maundy Thursday, Lutheran Worship

A VERSE FOR MAUNDY THURSDAY

"For whenever you eat this bread & drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes." (1 Cor. 11:26) Lutheran Worship

A PRAYER FOR MAUNDY THURSDAY

"O Lord Jesus, since You have left us a memorial of Your Passion in a wonderful Sacrament, grant, we pray, that we may so use this sacrament of Your body & blood that the fruits of Your redeeming work may continually be manifest in us; for You live & reign with the Father & the Holy Spirit, one God, now & forever. Amen." Collect for Maundy Thursday, Lutheran Worship

A HYMN FOR MAUNDY THURSDAY

The Death of Jesus Christ, Our Lord (LW #107, Sts. 4-9)

His Word proclaims & we believe That in this supper we receive His very body, as He said, His very blood for sinners shed.

A precious food is this indeed--It never fails in time of need--A heav'nly manna for our soul Until we safely reach our goal.

O, blest is each believing guest Who in this promise finds his rest; For Jesus will in love abide With those who do in Him confide.

The guest who comes with true intent To turn to God & to repent, To live for Christ, to die to sin, Will thus a holy life begin. 

They who His Word do not believe This food unworthily receive, Salvation here will never find--May we this warning keep in mind!

Help us sincerely to believe That we may worthily receive Your supper & in You find rest. Amen, He who believes is blest.

IT'S ALL ABOUT ME

I just got back from the endodentist, where I had a root canal. I was just starting to eat more solid foods after my dental implant last WED. Now I'm back to soft foods, so it looks like yogurt, smoothies, protein drinks, & soup for the next few days. It also means that Easter dinner is questionable. And it turns out that I need another root canal on one of my front teeth. AND I may need a root canal on yet my other front tooth! Sigh. 

2023 RESOLUTIONS REVIEW

> Average 1 road trip per month. C. I've made it on 2 road trips; should have been on a 3rd one, but my car accident precluded that from happening. Our next road trip is to MN over Memorial Day weekend, & then, Lord willing, I will start catching up.

> Lose 5 lbs. A+. I've lost 14 lbs so far. Unless I go on a binge, which would be all-too-likely for me, I'm ahead of the game.

> Add to our National Park list. A+. We visited Biscayne Bay NP in FL last FEB--probably the only one we'll make it to this year.

> Avoid desserts. B. Since an episode of extremely high blood sugar numbers earlier this year, I've pretty much avoided desserts.

> Do my PT exercises and/or walk at least 4X/week. D. Except for physical therapy appts twice a week, this resolution has been sadly neglected.

> Publish my "Buzzwords" devotion book. C. I finished writing it. Now I'm reviewing it one more time before I look for a publisher.

> Write a "Chapter & Verse" devotion book. A. I've been working on this at Orphan Grain Train, steadily making progress, & the year is still young.

GPA:  B

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

"Pizza is more American than Italian, claims Marxist food historian." Fox News Online today

10 BEST STATES FOR A LONG, HEALTHY LIFE *

* Source:  Drudge Report, 4/2

"Life Extension, a company that aims to "extend the healthy human lifespan," compiled federal data to determine the best states for longevity based on life expectancy at birth & 8 lifestyle factors:  exercise, healthy diet, healthy weight, sleep quality, stress levels, social isolation, proximity to parks, amount that people spend on outdoor recreation."

 1. Hawaii [We lived in Hawaii from 1993-1997.]

2. Minnesota & Vermont, tie [My son & his family live in the Twin Cities. We visit them at least 2X/year.]

3. Washington [Been there]]

4. New Hampshire

5. Utah [Been there.]

6. Colorado [Been there, & we have family living there.]

7. Massachusetts

8. California [Been there, & we have family living there.]

9. Oregon [Been there.]

THERE IS NO PLACE LIKE THE U.S.A.

"USA leads world in weather catastrophes."  Drudge Report, 4/2

TRENDING NEWS FROM THE BABYLON BEE *

* Your trusted source for fake news

"Aidan getting excited for annual chance to whack sister with palm branch"

"Archeologists unearth high chair Zaccheus used while dining with Jesus"

"Media worried this Hitler fellow could cause violent backlash against Nazis"

"Scientists discover strong correlation between trusting government & eating paint chips"

"Pelosi:  "We have to convict Trump on the charges to find out what is in them"

"Doctors report startling rise in testicular injuries among woman athletes"

"Buffalo guy tagged & released back into wild"

TODAY'S TRIVIA *

* Compliments of Uncle John's Awesome 35th Anniversary Bathroom Reader 

> Sept. 29 is National Poisoned Blackberries Day.

> So why is the name so hard to remember? Hyperthymesia is the inability to forget. Fewer than 100 people have ever been diagnosed with it.

PALM SUNDAY REMINISCENCE

We celebrated Palm Sunday in church this morning. There were 12 confirmands. I was confirmed at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Concordia, MO, on Palm Sunday 1967. I remember it as a bright sunny day, & for some reason, I remember my mom's crocuses blooming in our backyard. I wore a sweater that was hand-knitted by my grandma. One of my godfathers gave me a Bible. There were 29 confirmands in my class. We sat in white robes in the front of the church & had our first communion.

This cheery day stood in contrast to Questioning Sunday a week before, where we also sat in white robes in the front of the church. Our pastor moved down the line & asked us to recite, from memory, answers from Luther's Small Catechism, along with the Bible verses that accompanied them. We had no inkling of the questions we would be asked. I had dreaded that Sunday. I spent the day before, also a sunny day, as I remember it, & instead of enjoying the day outside, I was stuck inside, frantically pouring over the answers & verses that I had recklessly neglected throughout the school year. [Our pastor taught our confirmation classes four days a week at St. Paul's Lutheran School.]

The moment of reckoning came. I don't remember the questions I was asked, but I do remember that I biffed the answer to the first one he directed at me. I think I answered the second one mostly correctly. The third time around we could volunteer our answers, & I judiciously kept my hand down. 

A READING FOR PALM SUNDAY

"Into Your hands I commit my spirit; redeem me, O Lord, the God of truth. In You, O Lord, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; deliver me in Your righteousness. Since You are my rock & my fortress, for the sake of Your name lead & guide me. Into Your hands I commit my spirit; redeem me, O Lord, the God of truth. I hate those who cling to worthless idols; I trust in the Lord. My times are in Your hands; deliver me from my enemies & from those who pursue me. Let Your face shine on your servant; save me in Your unfailing love." (Ps. 31:5, Ps. 31:1, 3, 5-6, 15-16)  Introit for Palm Sunday, Lutheran Worship

A VERSE FOR PALM SUNDAY

"The hour has come for the Son of God to be glorified." (John 12:23)

PRAYERS FOR PALM SUNDAY

"Most merciful God, as the people of Jerusalem, with palms in their hands, gathered to greet Your dearly loved Son when He came into His Holy City, grant that we may ever hail Him as our King &, when He comes again, may go forth to meet Him with trusting & steadfast hearts & follow Him in the way that leads to eternal life; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives & reigns with You & the Holy Spirit, one God now & forever. Amen." Grace Lutheran Church Bulletin

"Almighty & everlasting God the Father, who sent Your Son to take our nature upon Him & to suffer death on the cross that all mankind should follow the example of His great humility, mercifully grant that we may both follow the example of our Savior Jesus Christ in His patience & also have our portion in His resurrection; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives & reigns with You & the Holy Spirit, one God, now & forever. Amen." Lutheran Worship

A HYMN FOR PALM SUNDAY

Hosanna, Loud Hosanna (LSB #443, Sts. 1, 3)

Hosanna, loud hosanna, The little children sang; Through pillared court & temple The lovely anthem rang. To Jesus who had blessed them, Close folded to His breast, The children sang their praises, The simplest & the best.

"Hosanna in the highest!" That ancient song we sing; For Christ is our Redeemer, The Lord of heav'n our King. Oh, may we ever praise Him With heart & life & voice And in His blissful presence Eternally rejoice."