Fifth Sunday of Easter

Second Sunday after Pentecost

Hosea exposes the emptiness of mere ritual, calling instead for a steadfast love that acknowledges our deep spiritual need. In Romans, Paul highlights Abraham to show that justification never comes through fulfilling the Law, but entirely by faith in God's promises. Finally, Jesus encapsulates this in Matthew, declaring that He came to call sinners, not the self-righteous, offering mercy over sacrifice.

May 31, 2026

Today the Church celebrates Trinity Sunday. It is a day to bask in the wonder of knowing the triune God - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - who has been revealed to us in the Scriptures. While we often think about the three persons of the Trinity having their own areas of expertise (the Father creates, the Son redeems, the Spirit sanctifies), the Readings for today focus on how the three persons of the Trinity work together in every task. In the Old Testament Reading from Genesis, we see all three persons are present and active in the creation of the world. In our Reading from Acts, we see all three persons active in the salvation of the world. And in the Holy Gospel from Matthew, we see that all three persons are active in the new life we have as baptized children of God.

PENTECOST SUNDAY

“What does this mean?” This question might sound familiar to anyone who has spent time studying Luther’s Small Catechism. As the catechism covers each of the Six Chief Parts, the question is asked again and again: “What does this mean?” And then explanation follows. This same question was asked by many in the crowd on the Day of Pentecost, as recorded in Acts 2. As the people hear and see these miraculous events, they are amazed and perplexed, asking one another, “What does this mean?” In the verses that follow, Peter gives explanation from the Old Testament. He proclaims that God has fulfilled His promise to “pour out His Spirit on all flesh.” The gift of the Holy Spirit has been given for all nations. As you celebrate the Day of Pentecost today, reflect on these events by asking yourself, “What does this mean—for me?”

Seventh Sunday of Easter

AS WE GATHER: I glorified You on earth, having accomplished the work that You gave me to do. Jesus prays. Jesus reveals that His greatest glory is to enter into suffering with us and for us. And not only on the cross as He did when His hour came. But also to join us in our present day suffering, to shine the glory of His death for us as we walk through this journey of life. Even now, He glorifies you in His Word. He glorifies you in His gift of eternal life, that you know the only true God and Jesus Christ whom He has sent. You are glorified in Jesus. Right now. Today. And forever.

Sixth Sunday of Easter

Today is a day of overlapping identities and deep emotions. In the secular calendar, we celebrate Mother’s Day … a day of gratitude for the gift of life, nurture, and the hands that held us when we were small. In the Church’s calendar, we stand in the bright, lingering light of the Resurrection, observing the Sixth Sunday of Easter. At first glance, these two might seem to pull us in different directions. One is about domestic love and biological or adoptive bonds; the other is about the cosmic victory of Christ over the grave and the coming of the Holy Spirit. Yet, in our Gospel text from John 14, Jesus speaks a word that bridges these two worlds perfectly. He says… "I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you."