Confident.Faith

Readings Psalm 62 Psalm 32 Ezekiel 3:12–27 Romans 2:1–16 Large Catechism II:55–62

Readings Isaiah 42:1–9 Psalm 29 Romans 6:1–11 Matthew 3:13–17

Readings Psalm 19 Psalm 100 Ezekiel 2:1—3:11 Romans 1:18–32 Large Catechism II:47–54

Readings Psalm 46 Psalm 45 Ezekiel 1:1–28 Romans 1:1–17 Large Catechism II:34–46

Readings Psalm 45 Psalm 72 Isaiah 66:1–20 Luke 3:21–38 Large Catechism II:25–33 Festival Today we celebrate the Feast of the Epiphany of Our Lord. Although the feast of Epiphany commemorates no particular, concrete event, it is one of the most important days in the liturgical calendar — one of the principal feasts. On Epiphany, we remember that the God who became man in Bethlehem — that the Babe in the manger — needed present no proof that He was true man, but that He did indeed need to prove that He was true God. He did this superabundantly with the manifestations of the Trinity and the signs, wonders, and miracles that dot the pages of the New Testament record. In the Western Church tradition, Epiphany has become associated with the visit of the Magi, and this is fitting, for the Magi represent all the nations that were brought into the New Covenant through Christ — the true epiphany being the revelation of Christ as Lord, God, Savior, and King.

Readings Psalm 37 Psalm 10 Isaiah 65:8–25 Luke 3:1–20 Large Catechism II:9–24

Readings Psalm 40 Psalm 65 Isaiah 63:15—65:7 Luke 2:41–52 Large Catechism II:1–8

Readings Isaiah 60:1–6 Psalm 72:1–15 Ephesians 3:1–12 Matthew 2:1–12

Readings Psalm 108 Psalm 110 Isaiah 63:1–14 Luke 2:21–40 Large Catechism I:324–333

Readings Psalm 62 Psalm 98 Isaiah 62:1–12 Luke 2:1–20 Large Catechism I:311–323 Commemoration Today we commemorate J. K. Wilhelm Löhe, Pastor. Johann Konrad Wilhelm Löhe served as the pastor of Neuendettelsau in the Bavarian Alps in the 1800s. Although he never left Germany, Löhe had a significant impact on Lutheranism in North America. Recognizing the need for Church workers, Löhe assisted in the training of missionary pastors to be sent to the New World and Australia. A number of the men sent by Löhe would become founders of what is today the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (the LCMS). It was also due in part to Löhe’s financial backing that a theological school in Fort Wayne, IN, and a teachers’ institute in Saginaw, MI, were established. Löhe is widely recognized and fondly remembered for his confessional integrity and his dedication to Christian charity.

Readings 1 Kings 3:4–15 Psalm 119:97–104 Ephesians 1:3–14 Luke 2:40–52

Readings Psalm 113 Psalm 21 Isaiah 61:1–11 Luke 1:57–80 Large Catechism I:303–310 Festival Today we celebrate the Feast of the Circumcision and Name of Jesus. Per tradition, Jesus was circumcised on the eighth day and given the name “Jesus” as the angel had proclaimed. Under the Old Covenant, circumcision brought the benefits of forgiveness of sins, justification, and incorporation into the people of God. Under the New Covenant, circumcision is no longer necessary or effective; it has been replaced by Baptism, which is called, by St. Paul, a “circumcision made without hands” and “the circumcision of Christ”.

Readings Psalm 111 Psalm 8 Isaiah 60:1–22 Luke 1:39–56 Large Catechism I:292–302

Readings Numbers 6:22–27 Psalm 8 Galatians 3:23–29 Luke 2:21

Readings Psalm 89 Psalm 132 Isaiah 58:1—59:21 Luke 1:26–38 Large Catechism I:276–291

Readings Psalm 78 Psalm 93 Isaiah 55:1–13 Luke 1:1–25 Large Catechism I:263–275 Commemoration Today we commemorate David. David was the greatest of the kings of OT Israel, and ruled from about 1010 to 970 BC. Although David’s private conduct showed a mixture of good and bad, it was his fierce loyalty to God that defined his life and his reign. Under David, God fulfilled many of the promises to OT Israel, notably uniting Israel into a single nation with its capital at Jerusalem. Of course, God’s greatest promise would be fulfilled through the promised King — Christ, our Lord.

Readings Isaiah 30:8–17 Psalm 90:1–12 Romans 8:31b–39 Luke 12:35–40

Readings Psalm 9 Psalm 31 Isaiah 52:13—54:10 Matthew 2:13–23 Large Catechism I:254–262 Festival Today we celebrate the Festival of The Holy Innocents, Martyrs. Threatened by the prophecies concerning a “King of the Jews”, King Herod plotted to find and kill Jesus using the Wise Men, but was thwarted in that plan when the Wise Men went back to their lands by another route. Angered and still plotting to thwart the prophecy, Herod had all male children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or younger murdered. We commemorate these innocents as a reminder of the depravity, brutality, and evil that can take residence in the human heart and of the persecution Jesus suffered even before His earthly ministry had begun. By the hand of God, Jesus was spared from being numbered amongst the slain, for His path led to a different death — on a cross at Golgotha, to pay the price for our sins.

Readings Psalm 72 Psalm 92 Isaiah 51:17—52:12 Matthew 2:1–12 Large Catechism I:245–253 Festival Today we celebrate the Festival of St. John, Apostle and Evangelist. St. John, son of Zebedee and brother of James the Elder, was among the first disciples to be called by Jesus, and became known as “the disciple whom Jesus loved”. During Christ’s ministry, John witnessed many of Christ’s miracles, was present for the Transfiguration, went with Peter to reserve the upper room for the Last Supper, and, alone among the Disciples, did not forsake Christ during His Passion, remaining near Christ through the crucifixion. From the cross, Jesus made John guardian of Mary, His mother. John would go on to be a founding father of the Early Church. From John, we have the fourth Gospel, three Epistles, and the Book of Revelation, which was revealed to him while he was banished to Patmos by Emperor Domitian. John outlived all of the other Apostles, dying in Ephesus at around age one hundred.

Readings Psalm 34 Psalm 60 Isaiah 49:22—51:16 Matthew 1:18–25 Large Catechism I:234–244 Commemoration Today we celebrate the Festival of St. Stephen, Martyr. St. Stephen was one of the first seven deacons of the Church, appointed to distribute food and other necessities to the poor of the growing Christian community. In addition to such duties, the deacons also taught and preached. When some of his colleagues became jealous, they brought him before the Sanhedrin on false charges of blasphemy. Before the Sanhedrin, Stephen confessed his faith in Christ and rebuked members of the Sanhedrin for rejecting the Christ. Infuriated, the Sanhedrin had Stephen dragged outside the city and stoned. Honored as the first martyr of the New Testament Church, Stephen is remembered for his dying words: “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” and “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.”

Readings Isaiah 63:7–14 Psalm 111 Galatians 4:4–7 Matthew 2:13–23

Readings Psalm 96 Psalm 150 Isaiah 49:1–18 Matthew 1:1–17 Large Catechism I:222–233

Readings Psalm 98 Psalm 2 Isaiah 44:21—45:25 Revelation 12:1–17 Large Catechism I:211–221

Readings Isaiah 52:7–10 Psalm 2 Hebrews 1:1–12 John 1:1–18

Readings Isaiah 62:10–12 Psalm 98 Titus 3:4–7 Luke 2:15–20

Readings Psalm 39 Psalm 144 Isaiah 43:25—44:20 Revelation 11:1–19 Large Catechism I:199–210

Readings Isaiah 9:2–7 Psalm 96 Titus 2:11–14 Luke 2:1–14

Readings Psalm 115 Psalm 125 Isaiah 43:1–24 Revelation 9:13—10:11 Large Catechism I:189–198

Readings Isaiah 7:10–14 Psalm 110:1–4 1 John 4:7–16 Matthew 1:18–25

Readings Psalm 102 Isaiah 42:1–25 Revelation 9:1–12 Large Catechism I:179–188

Readings Psalm 119:25–32 Psalm 141 Isaiah 40:18—41:10 Revelation 8:1–13 Large Catechism I:167–178 Commemoration Today we commemorate Katharina Luther, née von Bora. Born in 1499, Katharina von Bora was placed into a convent when she was still a child and became a nun in 1515. In April of 1523, Katharina, along with eight other nuns, was rescued from the convent and brought to Wittenberg. In Wittenberg, Martin Luther helped the rescued nuns return to their families or start families of their own. Although initially hesitant to marry — as he feared assassination or execution by Rome — Luther believed that he must place his faith in God and practice what he preached. Katharina and Luther were married on 13 June 1525. God blessed the Luthers’ marriage with six children, and Katharina skillfully managed the Luther household. Although she suffered financial difficulties after Luther’s death in 1546, Katharina remained steadfast in her faith and her care for her children and others. Amongst her last recorded words, Katharina, on her deathbed, said that she would ‘stick to Christ as a burr to cloth.’

Readings Psalm 103 Psalm 19 Isaiah 40:1–17 Revelation 7:1–17 Large Catechism I:158–166 Commemoration Today we commemorate Adam and Eve. Father and mother to us all, Adam and Eve were the first two human beings created by God’s own hands. Adam, formed from the dust, was created first and Eve, formed from one of Adam’s ribs to be his companion, was created second. Failing to obey God and listening to the Serpent’s temptation, Eve ate of the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, which God had forbidden, and Adam, forsaking his role as head, joined her in rebellion. For their disobedience, they were driven from the Garden; by their disobedience, death entered the world. Nevertheless, in the midst of the tragedy of the Fall, God promised that the woman’s Seed — Christ, the Savior — would crush the Serpent’s head. In His death on the cross and His resurrection from the dead, Christ defeated sin, death, and the devil — fulfilling the promise of Genesis 3:15. As Luther commented: ‘God arranged to remove through Christ whatever the devil brought in through Adam.’

Readings Isaiah 7:10–17 Psalm 24 Romans 1:1–7 Matthew 1:18–25

Readings Psalm 119:81–88 Psalm 145 Isaiah 34:1—35:10 Revelation 6:1–17 Large Catechism I:150–157

Readings Psalm 40 Psalm 20 Isaiah 33:1–24 Revelation 5:1–14 Large Catechism I:141–149

Readings Psalm 149 Psalm 61 Isaiah 32:1–20 Revelation 4:1–11 Large Catechism I:129–140

Readings Psalm 146 Psalm 80 Isaiah 30:27—31:9 Revelation 3:1–22 Large Catechism I:120–128

Readings Psalm 27 Psalm 24 Isaiah 30:15–26 Revelation 2:1–29 Large Catechism I:112–119

Readings Psalm 89 Psalm 143 Isaiah 29:15—30:14 Revelation 1:1–20 Large Catechism I:103–111 Commemoration Today we commemorate Lucia, Martyr. Born into a wealthy family, Lucia gave away her dowry to the poor. When this came to the attention of the Roman governor, he ordered Lucia to burn a sacrifice to the emperor. Upon her refusal, the governor commanded that she be condemned to a brothel; Lucia was martyred by the soldiers who came to execute the governor’s sentence. As the name “Lucia” means light, many European nations have long held festivals in her memory involving lanterns or lights; such festivals have been particularly popular in the Scandinavian countries, where this time of year is quite short on daylight.

Readings Isaiah 35:1–10 Psalm 146 James 5:7–11 Matthew 11:2–15

Readings Psalm 106 Isaiah 29:1–14 Jude :1–26 Large Catechism I:96–102

Readings Psalm 5 Psalm 142 Isaiah 28:14–29 1 John 5:1–21 Large Catechism I:87–95

Readings Psalm 86 Psalm 130 Isaiah 26:20—27:13 1 John 4:1–21 Large Catechism I:78–86

Readings Psalm 17 Psalm 148 Isaiah 26:1–19 1 John 3:1–24 Large Catechism I:69–77

Readings Psalm 11 Psalm 142 Isaiah 24:14—25:12 1 John 2:15–29 Large Catechism I:59–68

Readings Psalm 25 Psalm 73 Isaiah 24:1–13 1 John 1:1—2:14 Large Catechism I:49–58 Commemoration Today we commemorate Ambrose of Milan, Pastor and Hymnwriter. Along with Augustine, Jerome, and Gregory the Great, Ambrose of Milan is considered one of the four great Latin Doctors of the Church. Becoming Bishop of Milan in AD 374 — largely by acclamation — Ambrose would go on to be a prolific hymnwriter and defender of the faith. Ambrose played no small part in suppressing the Arian heresy through his interactions with Emperor Gratian and Emperor Theodosius. Many are undoubtedly familiar with Ambrose’s hymn, “Savior of the Nations, Come”.

Readings Psalm 56 Isaiah 14:1–23 2 Peter 3:1–18 Large Catechism I:41–48

Readings Psalm 49 Isaiah 11:1—12:6 2 Peter 2:1–22 Large Catechism I:30–40

Readings Isaiah 11:1–10 Psalm 72:1–7 Romans 15:4–13 Matthew 3:1–12

Readings Psalm 145 Psalm 62 Isaiah 10:12–34 2 Peter 1:1–21 Large Catechism I:24–29