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[C] Joanna, Mary, and Salome, Myrrhbearers
[C] Joanna, Mary, and Salome, Myrrhbearers
August 3, 2022
Known in some traditions as the faithful women, the visit of these three persons and other women to the tomb of Jesus on the first Easter morning is noted in the Gospel records of Matthew (28:1), Mark (16:1), and Luke (24:10). Joanna was the wife of Cuza, a steward in Herod's household (Lk. 8:3). Mary, the mother of James (the son of Alphaeus), was another of the women who faithfully provided care for Jesus and His disciples from the time of His Galilean ministry through His burial after the crucifixion. Salome, the mother of the sons of Zebedee (Mt. 27:56), joined with the women both at the cross and in the bringing of the spices to the garden tomb. These faithful women have been honored in the church through the centuries as examples of humble and devoted service to the Lord.
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Pastors' Study Group in Plano
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8th Sunday after Trinity (G)
8th Sunday after Trinity (G)
August 7, 2022
Introit: Ps. 48:1, 3, 11, 14; antiphon: Ps. 48:9-10\rGradual: Ps. 31:2b,1a\rOld Testament: Jer. 23:16-29\rPsalm 26 (antiphon: v. 12)\rNT or Ep: Acts 20:27-38\r or Rom. 8:12-17\rProperVerse: Ps. 78:1\rGospel: Matt. 7:15-23\r\rBeware of False Prophets\r"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves" (Matt. 7:15). Deceit has its strength in masquerading as the truth. False prophets speak a vision of their own heart, not from the mouth of the Lord (Jer. 23:16-29). They deny the judgment of the Lord, speaking peace to the unrepentant, when in truth there is condemnation and wrath. "You will recognize them by their fruits" (Matt. 7:20). The "fruits" of a true prophet are not outward righteousness or success but faithfulness in proclaiming the Word of the Lord. This is the will of the Father in heaven, that pastors take heed to the flock, the Father's adopted ones (Rom. 8:12-17), warning them against the wolves and their lies, and shepherding the Church of God which He purchased with His own blood (Acts 20:27-38). For indeed, the cross is that good tree bearing good fruit-namely, the body and blood of Christ, given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.
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Divine Service
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Bible Study
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Adult Catechesis
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[C] Lawrence, Deacon and Martryr
[C] Lawrence, Deacon and Martryr
August 10, 2022
Early in the third century A.D., Laurence, most likely born in Spain, made his way to Rome. There he was appointed chief of the seven deacons and was given the responsibility to manage church property and finances. The emperor at the time, who thought that the church had valuable things worth confiscating, ordered Laurence to produce the treasures of the church. Laurence brought before the emperor the poor whose lives had been touched by Christian charity. He was then jailed and eventually executed in the year 258 by being roasted on a gridiron. His martyrdom left a deep impression on the young church. Almost immediately, the date of His death, August 10, became a permanent fixture on the early commemorative calendar of the Church.
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9th Sunday after Trinity (G)
9th Sunday after Trinity (G)
August 14, 2022
Introit: Ps. 54:1-3, 7; antiphon: Ps. 54:4-5\rGradual: Ps. 8:1\rOld Testament: 2 Sam. 22:26-34\rPsalm 51:1-12 (antiphon: v. 18)\rEpistle: 1 Cor. 10:6-13\rProperVerse: Ps. 112:1\rGospel: Luke 16:1-9 (10-13)\r\rThe Steward's Shrewdness Sanctified\r"The master commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness" (Luke 16:1-9). The steward's shrewdness is praiseworthy for two reasons. First, he knew the master would be merciful. He trusted that the master would honor the debts he forgave in the master's name. In the same way, though we have squandered our heavenly Father's possessions in selfishness and sin, Jesus is the Steward who has canceled our debt, knowing that His forgiveness will be honored by the Father because of the holy cross. Secondly, the steward was shrewd in using oil and wheat to provide for his earthly welfare. So also do these earthly elements aid us when pressed into heavenly use in the anointing of baptism and the wheat of the Lord's Supper. Those who have the Sacraments will have an eternal home when their earthly home fails. These provide us aid in times of temptation (1 Cor. 10:6-13). For the Lord is our strength and a shield to all who trust in Him (2 Sam. 22:26-34).
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Divine Service
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Bible Study
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Adult Catechesis
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[F] St. Mary, Mother of Our Lord (W)
[F] St. Mary, Mother of Our Lord (W)
August 15, 2022
Old Testament: Isaiah 61:7-11\rPsalm 45:10-17 (antiphon: v. 6)\rEpistle: Galatians 4:4 7\rGospel: Luke 1:(39-45) 46-55\r\rSt. Mary, Mother of God\rThe Lord clothes His people with the garments of salvation and covers them with the robe of righteousness (Isa. 61:10). So the Blessed Virgin Mary rejoices in God her Savior (Luke 1:47). The Lord was gracious to her. She believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord (v. 45). That is why all generations shall call her "blessed" (v. 42 & 48); likewise, "Blessed are all who hear the Word of God and keep it" (Luke 11:28). She has the unique honor of being the one from whom the Righteous One sprouts up on earth before all nations (Isa. 61:11). But she sings as a recipient of His great mercy. God sent forth His Son, born of this woman, born under the Law, to redeem those under the Law, that we might be sons and heirs (Gal. 4:4-7). Mary is rightly called "Mother of God" because of the nature of the Son she bore; but He alone is called "Savior," "Redeemer," and "Advocate." Jesus Christ is the one thing needful, come to rescue and heal and save us (Luke 10:28-42). He is the seed of the woman at last come to crush the serpent's head for us (Gen. 3:15).
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Circuit Pastors' Meeting
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[C] Isaac
[C] Isaac
August 16, 2022
Isaac, the long promised and awaited son of Abraham and Sarah, was born when his father was 100 and his mother 91. The announcement of his birth brought both joy and laughter to his aged parents (so the name Isaac, which means laughter). As a young man, Isaac accompanied his father to Mount Moriah, where Abraham, in obedience to God's command, prepared to sacrifice him as a burnt offering. But God intervened, sparing Isaac's life and providing a ram as a substitute offering (Gen. 22:114), and thus pointing to the substitutionary sacrifice of Christ for the sins of the world. Isaac was given in marriage to Rebekah (24:15), and they had twin sons, Esau and Jacob (25:1926). In his old age Isaac, blind and feeble, wanted to give his blessing and chief inheritance to his favoriteand eldestson, Esau. But through deception Rebekah had Jacob receive them instead, resulting in years of family enmity. Isaac died at the age of 180 and was buried by his sons, who by then had become reconciled, in the family burial cave of Machpelah (35:2829).
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Choir
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[C] Johann Gerhard, Theologian
[C] Johann Gerhard, Theologian
August 17, 2022
Johann Gerhard (15821637) was a great Lutheran theologian in the tradition of Martin Luther (14831546) and Martin Chemnitz (152286) and the most influential of the 17th-century dogmaticians. His monumental Loci Theologici (23 large volumes) is still considered by many to be a definitive statement of Lutheran orthodoxy. Gerhard was born in Quedlinburg, Germany. At the age of 15 he was stricken with a life-threatening illness. This experience, along with guidance from his pastor, Johann Arndt, marked a turning point in his life. He devoted the rest of his life to theology. He became a professor at the University of Jena and served many years as the Superintendent of Heldberg. Gerhard was a man of deep evangelical piety and love for Jesus. He wrote numerous books on exegesis, theology, devotional literature, history, and polemics. His sermons continue to be widely published and read.
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[C] Bernard of Clairvaux, Hymnwriter and Theologian
[C] Bernard of Clairvaux, Hymnwriter and Theologian
August 19, 2022
A leader in Christian Europe in the first half of the 11th century A.D., Bernard is honored in his native France and around the world. Born into a noble family in Burgundy in 1090, Bernard left the affluence of his heritage and entered the monastery of Citeaux at the age of 22. After two years he was sent to start a new monastic house at Clairvaux. His work there was blessed in many ways. The monastery at Clairvaux grew in mission and service, eventually establishing some 68 daughter houses. Bernard is remembered for his charity and political abilities, but especially for his preaching and hymn composition. The hymn texts O Jesus, King Most Wonderful and O Sacred Head, Now Wounded are part of the heritage of the faith left by Saint Bernard.
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[C] Samuel
[C] Samuel
August 20, 2022
Samuel, last of the Old Testament judges and first of the prophets (after Moses), lived during the 111th century B.C. The child of Elkanah, an Ephraimite, and his wife Hannah, Samuel was from early on consecrated by his parents for sacred service and trained in the house of the Lord at Shiloh by Eli the priest. Samuel's authority as a prophet was established by God (1 Sam. 3:20). He anointed Saul to be Israel's first king (10:1). Later, as a result of Saul's disobedience to God, Samuel repudiated Saul's leadership and then anointed David to be king in place of Saul (16:13). Samuel's loyalty to God, his spiritual insight, and his ability to inspire others made him one of Israel's great leaders.
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10th Sunday after Trinity (G)
10th Sunday after Trinity (G)
August 21, 2022
Introit: Ps. 55:1, 4-5, 16; antiphon: Ps. 55:16a, 17b, 18a, 22a\rGradual: Ps. 17:8, 2\rOld Testament: Jer. 8:4-12\r or Jer. 7:1-11\rPsalm 92 (antiphon: v. 4)\rEpistle: Rom. 9:30-10:4\r or 1 Cor. 12:1-11\rProperVerse: Ps. 88:1\rGospel: Luke 19:41-48\r\rJesus Weeps for Jerusalem\rOur Lord wept over Jerusalem for the destruction that would soon come upon her. For she did not recognize the time of God's visitation in Christ, who had come to bring her peace (Luke 19:41-48). Through His prophets God had consistently called His people to turn from their deceit and false worship. "But My people do not know the judgments of the Lord" (Jer. 8:4-12). They sought to establish their own righteousness rather than receive Christ's righteousness through faith (Rom. 9:30-10:4). So it was that God was in His temple to cleanse it, a precursor to the once-for-all cleansing from sin which He would accomplish in the temple of His own body on the cross. God grant us to know the things that make for our peace-His visitation in the Word and Sacraments-that by the Holy Spirit we may penitently confess "Jesus is Lord" (1 Cor. 12:1-11).
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Divine Service
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Bible Study
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[F] St. Bartholomew, Apostle (R)
[F] St. Bartholomew, Apostle (R)
August 24, 2022
Old Testament: Proverbs 3:1-8\rPsalm 121 (antiphon: v. 8)\rEpistle: 2 Corinthians 4:7-10\rGospel: Luke 22:24-30 or\r John 1:43-51\r\rSt. Bartholomew, Apostle \rSkinned alive! That, according to tradition, is how Bartholomew (called Nathanael in John) was martyred. Christ's preachers are not to be great lords, but servants who faithfully stay with Christ in His trials (Luke 22:24-30). They are jars of clay; the Savior they preach is the surpassing power (2 Cor. 4:7). Christ's servants are afflicted in every way, always carrying in their bodies the death of Jesus, so that His life may also be manifested there (v. 8-10). On the foundation of their prophetic and apostolic confession, the Church is built, held together by Christ the cornerstone (Eph. 2:20-21). As an apostle (Luke 6:13-14), Bartholomew manifested the Son of God in his preaching and his death. Christ is the Son of Man-the King who opens heaven to us by His wounds (John 1:49-51). We bear sufferings not leaning on our own understanding, but trusting in the Lord (Prov. 3:5-7). Life will be manifested in our odies too when the Lord brings healing to our flesh and refreshment to our bones in the resurrection (v. 8). For this reason Bartholomew is often depicted holding his flayed skin. He will have need of it on the last day-at least for sizing.
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[C] Monica, Mother of Augustine
[C] Monica, Mother of Augustine
August 27, 2022
A native of North Africa, Monica (A.D. 333387) was the devoted mother of Saint Augustine. Throughout her life she sought the spiritual welfare of her children, especially that of her brilliant son, Augustine. Widowed at a young age, she devoted herself to her family, praying many years for Augustine's conversion. When Augustine left North Africa to go to Italy, she followed him to Rome and then to Milan. There she had the joy of witnessing her son's conversion to the Christian faith. Weakened by her travels, Monica died at Ostia, Italy on the journey she had hoped would take her back to her native Africa. On some church year calendars, Monica is remembered on May 4.
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[C] Augustine of Hippo, Pastor and Theologian
[C] Augustine of Hippo, Pastor and Theologian
August 28, 2022
Augustine was one of the greatest of the Latin church fathers and a significant influence in the formation of Western Christianity, including Lutheranism. Born in A.D. 354 in North Africa, Augustine's early life was distinguished by exceptional advancement as a teacher of rhetoric. In his book Confessions he describes his life before his conversion to Christianity, when he was drawn into the moral laxity of the day and fathered an illegitimate son. Through the devotion of his sainted mother Monica and the preaching of Ambrose, Bishop of Milan (33997), Augustine was converted to the Christian faith. During the great Pelagian controversies of the 5th century, Augustine emphasized the unilateral grace of God in the salvation of mankind. Bishop and theologian at Hippo in North Africa from A.D. 395 until his death in 430, Augustine was a man of great intelligence, a fierce defender of the orthodox faith, and a prolific writer. In addition to the book Confessions, Augustine's book City of God had a great impact upon the church throughout the Middle Ages and Renaissance.
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11th Sunday after Trinity (G)
11th Sunday after Trinity (G)
August 28, 2022
Introit: Ps. 68:1, 3, 7a, 10b, 19; antiphon: Ps. 68:5b, 6a, 35b\rGradual: Ps. 28:7b, 1a, 2a\rOld Testament: Gen. 4:1-15\rPsalm 50:7-23 (antiphon: v. 14)\rEpistle: Eph. 2:1-10\r or 1 Cor. 15:1-10\rProperVerse: Ps. 90:1\rGospel: Luke 18:9-14\r\rThe Lord Lifts Up the Lowly\r"And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, but for Cain and his offering he had no regard" (Gen. 4:1-15). For unlike Abel, Cain's offering did not proceed from a heart that revered and trusted in the Lord. Thus, the lowly tax collector who prayed, "God, be merciful to me, a sinner!" was the one who went down to his house justified before God, not the respectable, outwardly righteous Pharisee who trusted in himself and his own good living (Luke 18:9-14). "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast" (Eph. 2:1-10). The one who penitently despairs of his own righteousness and relies completely on the atoning mercy of God in Christ is the one who is declared righteous. For Christ died for our sins and rose again the third day (1 Cor. 15:1-10). Therefore, "everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted."
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Divine Service
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Bible Study
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Council Meeting
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[F] The Martyrdom of St. John the Baptist (R)
[F] The Martyrdom of St. John the Baptist (R)
August 29, 2022
New Testament: Revelation 6:9-11\rPsalm 71:1-8 (antiphon: v. 23)\rEpistle: Romans 6:1-5\rGospel:Mark 6:14-29\r\rThe Martyrdom of St. John the Baptist \r"Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means!" (Rom. 6:1-2). John preached the Law boldly against Herod's adultery with Herodias. Choosing human honor over honesty, Herod served up John's head on a platter to pacify Herodias's conscience without the contrition and repentance of Baptism (Mark 6:17-28). So John was slain for the Word of God and for the witness he had borne (Rev. 6:9). John is Christ's forerunner also in death; so other fellow-servants and brothers continue to be martyrs (witnesses) of Christ to this day (Rev. 6:11). Their deaths are precious to the Lord (Ps. 116:15) and so also to us, who celebrate even a beheading. Such is the confidence of the baptized! Buried into Christ's death through Baptism, we believe we shall certainly be united with Him in a resurrection like His also (Rom. 6:4-5). United to Christ, the Church's Head, John can be confident that He will be reunited to his own at the last day. Even John isn't really the forerunner; Jesus has gone before us all: out of the tomb alive, the firstborn of those who sleep!
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