Podcasts about holy gospel

+ Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew 6: 7 – 15 Jesus said to his disciples: In praying, do not babble like the pagans, who think that they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask him."This is how you are to pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven.Give us today our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; and do not subject us to the final test, but deliver us from the evil one. If you forgive others their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.The Gospel of the Lord

+ Holy Gospel according to Saint Matthew 25: 31 – 46Jesus said to his disciples:"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne, and all the nations will be assembled before him. And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.Then the king will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.'Then the righteous will answer him and say, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?'And the king will say to them in reply, 'Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.'Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, a stranger and you gave me no welcome, naked and you gave me no clothing, ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.'Then they will answer and say, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and not minister to your needs?'He will answer them, 'Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.'And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."The Gospel of the Lord

+ Holy Gospel according to Matthew 4: 1 – 11Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was hungry.The tempter approached and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become loaves of bread."He said in reply, "It is written: 'One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.'"Then the devil took him to the holy city, and made him stand on the parapet of the temple, and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written: 'He will command his angels concerning you and 'with their hands they will support you, lest you dash your foot against a stone.'"Jesus answered him, "Again it is written, 'You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.'"Then the devil took him up to a very high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in their magnificence, and he said to him, "All these I shall give to you, if you will prostrate yourself and worship me." At this, Jesus said to him, "Get away, Satan! It is written: 'The Lord, your God, shall you worship and him alone shall you serve.'"Then the devil left him and, behold, angels came and ministered to him.The Gospel of the Lord

+ Holy Gospel according to St. Luke 5: 27 – 32 Jesus went out and saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the customs post. He said to him, "Follow me." And leaving everything behind, he got up and followed him.Then Levi gave a great banquet for him in his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were at table with them. The Pharisees and their scribes complained to his disciples, saying, "Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?"Jesus said to them in reply, "Those who are healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do. I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners."The Gospel of the Lord

+Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew 9: 14 – 15Then the disciples of John approached Jesus and said, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast much, but your disciples do not fast?"Jesus answered them, "Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.The Gospel of the Lord

+ Holy Gospel according to Saint Luke 9: 22– 25 Jesus said, "The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised."Then he said to all, "If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. What profit is there for one to gain the whole world yet lose or forfeit himself?The Gospel of The Lord

+ Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew 6: 1 – 6, 16 – 18  Jesus said to his disciples:"But take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.  When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to win the praise of others. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.  But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing, so that your alms-giving may be secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.  "When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners so that others may see them. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.  But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.  "When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites. They neglect their appearance, so that they may appear to others to be fasting. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.  But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you may not appear to be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.The Gospel of the Lord

+ Holy Gospel according to St. Mark 8: 14-21The disciples had forgotten to bring bread,and they had only one loaf with them in the boat.Jesus enjoined them, "Watch out,guard against the leaven of the Phariseesand the leaven of Herod."They concluded among themselves thatit was because they had no bread.When he became aware of this he said to them,"Why do you conclude that it is because you have no bread?Do you not yet understand or comprehend?Are your hearts hardened?Do you have eyes and not see, ears and not hear?And do you not remember,when I broke the five loaves for the five thousand,how many wicker baskets full of fragments you picked up?"They answered him, "Twelve.""When I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand,how many full baskets of fragments did you pick up?"They answered him, "Seven."He said to them, "Do you still not understand?"The Gospel of the Lord

+ Holy Gospel according to St. Mark 8: 11 – 13The Pharisees came forward and began to argue with Jesus,seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him.He sighed from the depth of his spirit and said,“Why does this generation seek a sign?Amen, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.”Then he left them, got into the boat again,and went off to the other shore.The Gospel of the Lord

+ Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew 5: 20 – 22a, 27 – 28, 33 – 34a, 37Jesus said to his disciples:I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the kingdom of heaven. But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment.You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery.' But I say to you, everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.Again you have heard that it was said to your ancestors, 'Do not take a false oath, but make good to the Lord all that you vow.' But I say to you, do not swear at all.Let your 'Yes' mean 'Yes,' and your 'No' mean 'No.' Anything more is from the evil one.The Gospel of the Lord

+ Holy Gospel according to St. Mark 8: 1 – 10 In those days when there again was a great crowd without anything to eat, Jesus summoned the disciples and said, "My heart is moved with pity for the crowd, because they have been with me now for three days and have nothing to eat. If I send them away hungry to their homes, they will collapse on the way, and some of them have come a great distance."His disciples answered him, "Where can anyone get enough bread to satisfy them here in this deserted place?"Still he asked them, "How many loaves do you have?""Seven," they replied.He ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground. Then, taking the seven loaves he gave thanks, broke them, and gave them to his disciples to distribute, and they distributed them to the crowd. They also had a few fish. He said the blessing over them and ordered them distributed also.They ate and were satisfied. They picked up the fragments left over - seven baskets.There were about four thousand people. He dismissed them and got into the boat with his disciples and came to the region of Dalmanutha.The Gospel of the Lord

+ Holy Gospel according to St. Mark 7: 14 – 23 Jesus summoned the crowd again and said to them, "Hear me, all of you, and understand. Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person; but the things that come out from within are what defile."When he got home away from the crowd his disciples questioned him about the parable. He said to them, "Are even you likewise without understanding? Do you not realize that everything that goes into a person from outside cannot defile, since it enters not the heart but the stomach and passes out into the latrine?" (Thus he declared all foods clean.) "But what comes out of a person, that is what defiles. From within people, from their hearts, come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly. All these evils come from within and they defile."The Gospel of the Lord

+ Holy Gospel according to St. Mark 7, 1-13 Now when the Pharisees with some scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around him, they observed that some of his disciples ate their meals with unclean, that is, unwashed, hands.(For the Pharisees and, in fact, all Jews, do not eat without carefully washing their hands, 2 keeping the tradition of the elders.And on coming from the marketplace they do not eat without purifying themselves. And there are many other things that they have traditionally observed, the purification of cups and jugs and kettles (and beds).)So the Pharisees and scribes questioned him, "Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the elders 3 but instead eat a meal with unclean hands?"He responded, "Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written: 'This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; In vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines human precepts.' You disregard God's commandment but cling to human tradition." He went on to say, "How well you have set aside the commandment of God in order to uphold your tradition!For Moses said, 'Honor your father and your mother,' and 'Whoever curses father or mother shall die.'Yet you say, 'If a person says to father or mother, "Any support you might have had from me is qorban"' 4 (meaning, dedicated to God), you allow him to do nothing more for his father or mother.You nullify the word of God in favor of your tradition that you have handed on. And you do many such things." The Gospel of The Lord.

+ Holy Gospel according to St. Mark 6: 53 – 56 After making the crossing, Jesus and his disciples came to land at Gennesaret and tied up there. As they were leaving the boat, people immediately recognized him. They scurried about the surrounding country and began to bring in the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. Whatever villages or towns or countryside he entered, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and begged him that they might touch only the tassel on his cloak; and as many as touched it were healed.The Gospel of the Lord

+ Holy Gospel according to St. Mark 6: 14 – 29King Herod heard about it, for his fame had become widespread, and people were saying, "John the Baptist has been raised from the dead; that is why mighty powers are at work in him." Others were saying, "He is Elijah"; still others, "He is a prophet like any of the prophets." But when Herod learned of it, he said, "It is John whom I beheaded. He has been raised up."Herod was the one who had John arrested and bound in prison on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, whom he had married. John had said to Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife." Herodias harbored a grudge against him and wanted to kill him but was unable to do so. Herod feared John, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man, and kept him in custody. When he heard him speak he was very much perplexed, yet he liked to listen to him.She had an opportunity one day when Herod, on his birthday, gave a banquet for his courtiers, his military officers, and the leading men of Galilee. Herodias's own daughter came in and performed a dance that delighted Herod and his guests. The king said to the girl, "Ask of me whatever you wish and I will grant it to you." He even swore (many things) to her, "I will grant you whatever you ask of me, even to half of my kingdom." She went out and said to her mother, "What shall I ask for?" She replied, "The head of John the Baptist."The girl hurried back to the king's presence and made her request, "I want you to give me at once on a platter the head of John the Baptist."The king was deeply distressed, but because of his oaths and the guests he did not wish to break his word to her. So he promptly dispatched an executioner with orders to bring back his head. He went off and beheaded him in the prison. He brought in the head on a platter and gave it to the girl. The girl in turn gave it to her mother.When his disciples heard about it, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.The Gospel of the Lord

+ Holy Gospel according to St. Mark 6: 7 – 13Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over unclean spirits. He instructed them to take nothing for the journey but a walking stick - no food, no sack, no money in their belts. They were, however, to wear sandals but not a second tunic.He said to them, "Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave from there. Whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you, leave there and shake the dust off your feet in testimony against them." So they went off and preached repentance. They drove out many demons, and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.The Gospel of the Lord

On Wednesday nights, Trinity Lutheran Church(Herrin, IL) offers to both children and adults an opportunity for teaching with Learn-by-Heart at 6:30 PM and a catechetical service at 7:00 PM. This service is designed to prepare God's people for the theme of the upcoming Sunday Divine Service. The dialog sermon explains the parable of the sower sowing the seed and the four types of soil (Luke 8:4-15), which is the Holy Gospel for Sexagesima Sunday. Learn-by-Heart will include “Almighty God, Eternal Lord” (The Augustana Service Book and Hymnal), Small Catechism, Office of the Keys questions one, two and three, and Psalm 1:2 or Luke 8:18. –Michael D. Henson, Pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church (Herrin, IL). Service Bulletin: Catechesis-Sexagesima-02-4-2026.pdf Insert for Hymn: ASBH-Almighty-God-Eternal-Lord.pdf Responsive Prayer for Catechesis: Responsive-Prayer-for-Catechesis-2026-ASBH.pdf https://vimeo.com/1159470189?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci

+ Holy Gospel according to St. Mark 6: 1 – 6 Jesus departed from there and came to his native place, accompanied by his disciples. When the sabbath came he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished. They said, "Where did this man get all this? What kind of wisdom has been given him? What mighty deeds are wrought by his hands! Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him.  Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and among his own kin and in his own house." So he was not able to perform any mighty deed there, apart from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them. He was amazed at their lack of faith. He went around to the villages in the vicinity teaching.The Gospel of the Lord

+ Holy Gospel according to Saint Mark 5, 21 – 43 When Jesus had crossed again (in the boat) to the other side, a large crowd gathered around him, and he stayed close to the sea. One of the synagogue officials, named Jairus, came forward. Seeing him he fell at his feet and pleaded earnestly with him, saying, "My daughter is at the point of death. Please, come lay your hands on her that she may get well and live." He went off with him, and a large crowd followed him and pressed upon him. There was a woman afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years. She had suffered greatly at the hands of many doctors and had spent all that she had. Yet she was not helped but only grew worse. She had heard about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak. She said, "If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured." Immediately her flow of blood dried up. She felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction. Jesus, aware at once that power had gone out from him, turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who has touched my clothes?" But his disciples said to him, "You see how the crowd is pressing upon you, and yet you ask, 'Who touched me?'" And he looked around to see who had done it. The woman, realizing what had happened to her, approached in fear and trembling. She fell down before Jesus and told him the whole truth. He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be cured of your affliction." While he was still speaking, people from the synagogue official's house arrived and said, "Your daughter has died; why trouble the teacher any longer?" Disregarding the message that was reported, Jesus said to the synagogue official, "Do not be afraid; just have faith." He did not allow anyone to accompany him inside except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. When they arrived at the house of the synagogue official, he caught sight of a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. So he went in and said to them, "Why this commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but asleep." And they ridiculed him. Then he put them all out. He took along the child's father and mother and those who were with him and entered the room where the child was. He took the child by the hand and said to her, "Talitha koum," which means, "Little girl, I say to you, arise!" The girl, a child of twelve, arose immediately and walked around. (At that) they were utterly astounded. He gave strict orders that no one should know this and said that she should be given something to eat. The Gospel of the Lord

+ Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew 4: 25 – 5: 12Great crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, and Judea, and from beyond the Jordan followed Jesus. When he saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him. He began to teach them, saying:"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted.Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land.Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God.Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you (falsely) because of me.Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven. Thus they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”The Gospel of the Lord

+ Holy Gospel according to St. Mark 4: 21 – 25Jesus said to them, "Is a lamp brought in to be placed under a bushel basket or under a bed, and not to be placed on a lampstand? For there is nothing hidden except to be made visible; nothing is secret except to come to light. Anyone who has ears to hear ought to hear."He also told them, "Take care what you hear. The measure with which you measure will be measured out to you, and still more will be given to you. To the one who has, more will be given; from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away."The Gospel of the Lord

+ Holy Gospel according to St. Mark 4: 1 – 20 On another occasion Jesus began to teach by the sea.  A very large crowd gathered around him so that he got into a boat on the sea and sat down. And the whole crowd was beside the sea on land.  And he taught them at length in parables, and in the course of his instruction he said to them, "Hear this! A sower went out to sow.  And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and the birds came and ate it up.  Other seed fell on rocky ground where it had little soil. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep.  And when the sun rose, it was scorched, and it withered for lack of roots.  Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it and it produced no grain.  And some seed fell on rich soil and produced fruit. It came up and grew and yielded thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold."  He added, "Whoever has ears to hear ought to hear."  And when he was alone, those present along with the Twelve questioned him about the parables.  He answered them, "The mystery of the kingdom of God has been granted to you. But to those outside everything comes in parables, so that 'they may look and see but not perceive, and hear and listen but not understand, in order that they may not be converted and be forgiven.'" Jesus said to them, "Do you not understand this parable? Then how will you understand any of the parables? The sower sows the word. These are the ones on the path where the word is sown. As soon as they hear, Satan comes at once and takes away the word sown in them.  And these are the ones sown on rocky ground who, when they hear the word, receive it at once with joy.  But they have no root; they last only for a time. Then when tribulation or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.  Those sown among thorns are another sort. They are the people who hear the word, but worldly anxiety, the lure of riches, and the craving for other things intrude and choke the word, and it bears no fruit.  But those sown on rich soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit thirty and sixty and a hundredfold."The Gospel of the Lord

On Wednesday nights, Trinity Lutheran Church(Herrin, IL) offers to both children and adults an opportunity for teaching with Learn-by-Heart at 6:30 PM and a catechetical service at 7:00 PM. This service is designed to prepare God's people for the theme of the upcoming Sunday Divine Service.  The dialog sermon explains the parable of the laborers in the vineyard (St. Matthew 20:1-16), which is the Holy Gospel for Septuagesima Sunday. Learn-by-Heart will include “Spread Our Table, Lord and Father!” (The Augustana Service Book and Hymnal), Small Catechism, Confession, Questions One, Two and Three, and meaning, and 1 Timothy 2:3-4. –Michael D. Henson, Pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church (Herrin, IL). Service Bulletin: Catechesis-Septuagesima-01-28-2026.pdf Insert for Hymn: ASBH-Spread-Our-Table-Lord-and-Father-b.pdf Responsive Prayer for Catechesis: Responsive-Prayer-for-Catechesis-2026-ASBH.pdf https://vimeo.com/1154517022?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci

+ Holy Gospel according to Saint Mark 3: 31 – 35 The mother of Jesus and his brothers arrived at the house. Standing outside, they sent word to him and called him.A crowd seated around him told him, “Your mother and your brothers and your sisters are outside asking for you.”But he said to them in reply, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” And looking around at those seated in the circle he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.” The Gospel of the Lord

† Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew 4: 12 – 23When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. He left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali, that what had been said through Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled:"Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light, on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death light has arisen."From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."As he was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew, casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen. He said to them, "Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men." At once they left their nets and followed him.He walked along from there and saw two other brothers, James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They were in a boat, with their father Zebedee, mending their nets. He called them, and immediately they left their boat and their father and followed him.He went around all of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and curing every disease and illness among the people.The Gospel of the Lord

January 24, 2026Today's Reading: Matthew 24:42-47Daily Lectionary: Joel 3:1-21; Romans 12:14-13:14“Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time?” (Matthew 24:45)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.In the space of just a couple of verses, Jesus plays the part both of a midnight thief and a delayed master. This fits with the broader context of Matthew 24, where Jesus preaches concerning the end times. He jumps from the things that will happen in the next few years to the things that will happen upon His return on the Last Day. He switches His similes just as abruptly: Noah's flood (Matthew 24:37–39); men in the field and women at the mill being taken away (Matthew 24:40–42); a thief who breaks in at an unannounced hour (Matthew 24:43–44); a master who returns after a long trip (Matthew 24:45–51). No shortage of false teachings have come from people trying to parse these sayings of Jesus and assign specific and definite meanings to the figures in His speech. But it's an impossible task. No one knows exactly what Jesus means here. But the point isn't to figure Jesus out. “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only” (Matthew 24:36).Whether it's a delayed master, a sneaky thief, a disappearing mate, or Noah's flood, the point is that you should never be unprepared for Jesus to return. “Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect” (Matthew 24:44).How do you prepare for Jesus to return? The last simile points you in the direction to look. “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time?” Since His departure, the Lord has ordered His household to prepare for His return. This includes appointing faithful servants to oversee the household and ensure everyone gets fed. In other words, Jesus has established the ministry of the Church.On this day of remembrance for St. Timothy, we remember not just the man but his service. St. Timothy, along with St. Paul and all the ministers of the Church who have faithfully proclaimed the Holy Gospel and administered the Holy Supper, are the faithful servants of Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:1) who have kept the food on the table, so to speak. Thanks be to God for his faithful servants and for His food.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Lord Jesus Christ, You have always given to Your Church on earth faithful shepherds such as Timothy to guide and feed Your flock. Make all pastors diligent to preach Your holy Word and administer Your means of grace, and grant Your people wisdom to follow in the way that leads to life eternal; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.Author: Rev. Jacob Ehrhard, pastor of St. John's Lutheran Church and School in Chicago, IL.Audio Reflections Speaker: Rev. Richard Heinz, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lowell, IN.Better understand difficult and overlooked Old Testament passages in this new book by Authors R. Reed Lessing and Andrew E. Steinmann. Their conversational yet academic writing style makes learning about the Old Testament accessible to those at all points in their Bible reading journey. Discussion questions at the end of each chapter invite you to think more in-depth about what you just read and record your answers. To stretch your understanding, a list of resources for further reading is also included at the back of the book.

+ Holy Gospel according to Saint Mark 3: 20 – 21Jesus came home. Again the crowd gathered, making it impossible for them even to eat. When his relatives heard of this they set out to seize him, for they said, "He is out of his mind."The Gospel of the Lord

+ Holy Gospel according to St. Mark 3: 1 – 6 Again, Jesus entered the synagogue. There was a man there who had a withered hand. They watched him closely to see if he would cure him on the sabbath so that they might accuse him. He said to the man with the withered hand, "Come up here before us." Then he said to them, "Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?" But they remained silent. Looking around at them with anger and grieved at their hardness of heart, he said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He stretched it out and his hand was restored.  The Pharisees went out and immediately took counsel with the Herodians against him to put him to death.The Gospel of the Lord

+ Holy Gospel according to Saint Mark 2: 23 – 28 As Jesus was passing through a field of grain on the sabbath, his disciples began to make a path while picking the heads of grain.At this the Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the sabbath?”He said to them, “Have you never read what David did when he was in need and he and his companions were hungry? How he went into the house of God when Abiathar was high priest and ate the bread of offering that only the priests could lawfully eat, and shared it with his companions?”Then he said to them, “The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath. That is why the Son of Man is lord even of the sabbath.”The Gospel of the Lord

+ Holy Gospel according to St. Mark 2: 18 – 22The disciples of John and of the Pharisees were accustomed to fast. People came to Jesus and objected, "Why do the disciples of John and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?"Jesus answered them, "Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast. But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast on that day. No one sews a piece of unshrunken cloth on an old cloak. If he does, its fullness pulls away, the new from the old, and the tear gets worse. Likewise, no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the skins are ruined. Rather, new wine is poured into fresh wineskins."The Gospel of the Lord

+ Holy Gospel according to St. John 1: 29 – 34 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. He is the one of whom I said, 'A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.' I did not know him, but the reason why I came baptizing with water was that he might be made known to Israel."John testified further, saying, "I saw the Spirit come down like a dove from the sky and remain upon him. I did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain, he is the one who will baptize with the holy Spirit.' Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son of God."The Gospel of the Lord

+ Holy Gospel according to Saint Mark 2: 13 – 17Once again Jesus went out along the sea. All the crowd came to him and he taught them. As he passed by, he saw Levi, son of Alphaeus, sitting at the customs post. He said to him, "Follow me." And he got up and followed him.While he was at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners sat with Jesus and his disciples; for there were many who followed him.Some scribes who were Pharisees saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors and said to his disciples, "Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?"Jesus heard this and said to them (that), "Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners."The Gospel of the Lord

+ Holy Gospel according to St. Mark 2: 1 – 12When Jesus returned to Capernaum after some days, it became known that he was at home. Many gathered together so that there was no longer room for them, not even around the door, and he preached the word to them.They came bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. Unable to get near Jesus because of the crowd, they opened up the roof above him. After they had broken through, they let down the mat on which the paralytic was lying.When Jesus saw their faith, he said to him, “Child, your sins are forgiven.” Now some of the scribes were sitting there asking themselves, “Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming. Who but God alone can forgive sins?”Jesus immediately knew in his mind what they were thinking to themselves, so he said, “Why are you thinking such things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, ‘Rise, pick up your mat and walk'? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins on earth” –he said to the paralytic, “I say to you, rise, pick up your mat, and go home.”He rose, picked up his mat at once, and went away in the sight of everyone.They were all astounded and glorified God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this.”The Gospel of the Lord

+ Holy Gospel according to Saint Mark 1: 40 – 45A leper came to him (and kneeling down) begged him and said, "If you wish, you can make me clean." Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand, touched him, and said to him, "I do will it. Be made clean." The leprosy left him immediately, and he was made clean.Then, warning him sternly, he dismissed him at once. Then he said to him, "See that you tell no one anything, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them."The man went away and began to publicize the whole matter. He spread the report abroad so that it was impossible for Jesus to enter a town openly. He remained outside in deserted places, and people kept coming to him from everywhere.The Gospel of the Lord

+ Holy Gospel according to Saint Mark 1: 29 – 39On leaving the synagogue, Jesus entered the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John. Simon's mother-in-law lay sick with a fever. They immediately told him about her. He approached, grasped her hand, and helped her up. Then the fever left her and she waited on them.When it was evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were ill or possessed by demons. The whole town was gathered at the door. He cured many who were sick with various diseases, and he drove out many demons, not permitting them to speak because they knew him.Rising very early before dawn, he left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed. Simon and those who were with him pursued him and on finding him said, "Everyone is looking for you."He told them, "Let us go on to the nearby villages that I may preach there also. For this purpose have I come." So he went into their synagogues, preaching and driving out demons throughout the whole of Galilee.The Gospel of the Lord

On Wednesday nights, Trinity Lutheran Church(Herrin, IL) offers to both children and adults an opportunity for teaching with Learn-by-Heart at 6:30 PM and a catechetical service at 7:00. This service is designed to prepare God's people for the theme of the upcoming Sunday Divine Service. The dialog sermon explains “Jesus’ first miracle of turning the water into wine” (John 2:1-11), which is the Holy Gospel for Second Sunday After Epiphany. Learn-by-Heart will include “Light of Gentile Nations”(The Augustana Service Book and Hymnal), the fourth question of Holy Baptism with its meaning from Luther’s Small Catechism a, and John 1:14. The service concludes with “Responsive Prayer for Catechesis 2026” (pdf link below). –Michael D. Henson, Pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church (Herrin, IL). Service Bulletin: Catechesis-Epiphany-2-1-14-2026.pdf Insert for Hymn: ASBH-Light-of-Gentile-Nations.pdf Responsive Prayer for Catechesis: Responsive-Prayer-for-Catechesis-2026-ASBH.pdf https://vimeo.com/1152404423?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci

+ Holy Gospel according to St. Mark 1: 14 – 20 After John had been arrested, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God: "This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” As he passed by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea; they were fishermen. Jesus said to them, "Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men." Then they abandoned their nets and followed him. He walked along a little farther and saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They too were in a boat mending their nets. Then he called them. So they left their father Zebedee in the boat along with the hired men and followed him. The Gospel of the Lord

- Holy Gospel according to St. Luke 4: 14 – 22aJesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news of him spread throughout the whole region. He taught in their synagogues and was praised by all. He came to Nazareth, where he had grown up, and went according to his custom into the synagogue on the sabbath day. He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah. He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written:"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord."Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down, and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him. He said to them, "Today this scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing."And all spoke highly of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They also asked, "Isn't this the son of Joseph?"The Gospel of The Lord

+ Holy Gospel according to Saint Mark 6: 45 – 52 Then he made his disciples get into the boat and precede him to the other side toward Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. And when he had taken leave of them, he went off to the mountain to pray. When it was evening, the boat was far out on the sea and he was alone on shore. Then he saw that they were tossed about while rowing, for the wind was against them. About the fourth watch of the night, he came toward them walking on the sea. He meant to pass by them. But when they saw him walking on the sea, they thought it was a ghost and cried out. They had all seen him and were terrified. But at once he spoke with them, "Take courage, it is I, do not be afraid!" He got into the boat with them and the wind died down. They were (completely) astounded. They had not understood the incident of the loaves. On the contrary, their hearts were hardened.The Gospel of the Lord

+ Holy Gospel according to St. Mark 6: 34 – 44 When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things. By now it was already late and his disciples approached him and said, "This is a deserted place and it is already very late. Dismiss them so that they can go to the surrounding farms and villages and buy themselves something to eat."He said to them in reply, "Give them some food yourselves." But they said to him, "Are we to buy two hundred days' wages worth of food and give it to them to eat?"He asked them, "How many loaves do you have? Go and see." And when they had found out they said, "Five loaves and two fish."So he gave orders to have them sit down in groups on the green grass. The people took their places in rows by hundreds and by fifties. Then, taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he said the blessing, broke the loaves, and gave them to (his) disciples to set before the people; he also divided the two fish among them all. They all ate and were satisfied. And they picked up twelve wicker baskets full of fragments and what was left of the fish.Those who ate (of the loaves) were five thousand men.The Gospel of the Lord

+ Holy Gospel according to Saint Matthew 4: 12 – 17. 23 – 25When he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. He left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali, that what had been said through Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled: "Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light, on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death light has arisen." From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."He went around all of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and curing every disease and illness among the people. His fame spread to all of Syria, and they brought to him all who were sick with various diseases and racked with pain, those who were possessed, lunatics, and paralytics, and he cured them. And great crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, and Judea, and from beyond the Jordan followed him.The Gospel of the Lord

On Wednesday nights, Trinity Lutheran Church (Herrin, IL) offers to both children and adults an opportunity for teaching with Learn-by-Heart at 6:30 PM and a catechetical service at 7:00 PM. This service is designed to prepare God's people for the theme of the upcoming Sunday Divine Service. The dialog sermon explains “Jesus in the Temple” (St. Luke 2:41-52), which is the Holy Gospel for First Sunday After Epiphany. Learn-by-Heart will include “Zion, Awake and Brighten!” (The Augustana Service Book and Hymnal), the third question of Holy Baptism with its meaning from Luther’s Small Catechism, and Isaiah 28:21. –Michael D. Henson, Pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church (Herrin, IL). Service Bulletin: Catechesis-Epiphany-One-1-7-2026.pdf Insert for Hymn: ASBH-Zion-Awake-and-Brighten.pdf Responsive Prayer for Catechesis: Responsive-Prayer-for-Catechesis-2026-ASBH.pdf https://vimeo.com/1147521641?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci

+ Holy Gospel according to St. John 1: 43 – 51The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee, and he found Philip. And Jesus said to him, "Follow me."Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the town of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and told him, "We have found the one about whom Moses wrote in the law, and also the prophets, Jesus, son of Joseph, from Nazareth."But Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come from Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see."Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, "Here is a true Israelite. There is no duplicity in him."Nathanael said to him, "How do you know me?" Jesus answered and said to him, "Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree."Nathanael answered him, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel."Jesus answered and said to him, "Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this." And he said to him, "Amen, amen, I say to you, you will see the sky opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."The Gospel of the Lord

+ Holy Gospel according to Saint John 1: 29 – 34The next day John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. He is the one of whom I said, 'A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.' I did not know him, but the reason why I came baptizing with water was that he might be made known to Israel."John testified further, saying, "I saw the Spirit come down like a dove from the sky and remain upon him. I did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain, he is the one who will baptize with the holy Spirit.' Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son of God."The Gospel of the Lord

+ Holy Gospel according to Saint John 1: 19 – 28 And this is the testimony of John. When the Jews from Jerusalem sent priests and Levites (to him) to ask him, "Who are you?" he admitted and did not deny it, but admitted, "I am not the Messiah."So they asked him, "What are you then? Are you Elijah?" And he said, "I am not." "Are you the Prophet?" He answered, "No."So they said to him, "Who are you, so we can give an answer to those who sent us? What do you have to say for yourself?"He said: "I am 'the voice of one crying out in the desert, "Make straight the way of the Lord,"' as Isaiah the prophet said."Some Pharisees were also sent. They asked him, "Why then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah or Elijah or the Prophet?"John answered them, "I baptize with water; but there is one among you whom you do not recognize, the one who is coming after me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie."This happened in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing. The Gospel of the Lord

+ Holy Gospel according to Saint Luke 2: 22, 36 – 40 When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, they took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord.There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple, but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer. And coming forward at that very time, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem. When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions of the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.The Gospel of the Lord

+ Holy Gospel according to St. Luke 2: 22 – 35 When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, the parents of Jesus took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, just as it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord, and to offer the sacrifice of a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons, in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord.Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, awaiting the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Christ of the Lord. He came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform the custom of the law in regard to him, he took him into his arms and blessed God, saying: “Lord, now let your servant go in peace; your word has been fulfilled: my own eyes have seen the salvation which you prepared in the sight of every people, a light to reveal you to the nations and the glory of your people Israel.”The child's father and mother were amazed at what was said about him; and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted (and you yourself a sword will pierce) so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” The Gospel of the Lord

+ Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew 2: 13 – 15. 19 – 23 When they had departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him." Joseph rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed for Egypt. He stayed there until the death of Herod, that what the Lord had said through the prophet might be fulfilled, "Out of Egypt I called my son." When Herod had died, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, "Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child's life are dead." He rose, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go back there. And because he had been warned in a dream, he departed for the region of Galilee. He went and dwelt in a town called Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, "He shall be called a Nazorean." The Gospel of the Lord

+ Holy Gospel according to Saint John 20: 1a, 2 – 8On the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, "They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don't know where they put him."So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb. They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and arrived at the tomb first; he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in. When Simon Peter arrived after him, he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there, and the cloth that had covered his head, not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place.Then the other disciple also went in, the one who had arrived at the tomb first, and he saw and believed.The Gospel of the Lord

Join St. Patrick's Cathedral for a special Monday Mass on the memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows. Celebrated by His Eminence Timothy Cardinal Dolan, this service honors Albert W. Guadagnoli and includes readings from the Letter to the Hebrews and the Holy Gospel according to Luke. Enjoy hymns from the St. Michael's hymnal and reflect on the Blessed Virgin Mary's participation in the Passion of Christ.