Month: March 2012

The Jesus Tree–Day Thirty-Four

Today we read about the widow’s mite in Mark 12:41-44 and Luke 21:1-4. This is a very short story, but shows how Jesus noticed the smallest of details about people, including the fact that while many rich people donated much, the widow, showing her faith, gave all she had.

March 25–The Annunciation of Our Lord

From the Treasury of Daily Prayer:

The angel Gabriel appears to Mary and announces that God has shown her favor and will use her as the means for the Messiah’s birth. So Mary conceives Jesus when the angel says: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you” (Luke 1:35). This same Spirit who hovered over the waters and brought forth creation (Genesis 1:2) will now “hover over” the waters of Mary’s womb to conceive the creation’s Redeemer. As the Holy Spirit comes upon Mary, she conceives Jesus “through her ear” (as Martin Luther says). The one who is conceived is called Holy, the Son of God. This is the moment of the incarnation of our Lord. The date of the Annunciation falls on March 25, because the Ancient Church believed the crucifixion occurred on that date. In antiquity, people linked the day of a person’s conception with the day of his or her death. Thus, in the Annunciation, the Church joined together both the incarnation of Jesus and the atonement He accomplished.

Hymn of the Day–The Annunciation

Yes, I know we’re still in Lent. But, today is also the day of The Annunciation, where the angel Gabriel was sent to the virgin Mary, to bring the message that she was to give birth to the Son of God. So, even in the midst of Lent, an Advent hymn can still be appropriate!

The angel Gabriel from heaven came,
With wings as drifted snow, with eyes as flame;
“All hail to thee, O lowly maiden Mary,
Most highly favored lady.” Gloria!

“For know a blessed mother thou shalt be,
All generations laud and honor thee;
Thy son shall be Emmanuel, by seers foretold,
Most highly favored lady.” Gloria!

Then gentle Mary meekly bowed her head;
“To me be as it pleaseth God,” she said.
“My soul shall laud and magnify God’s holy name.”
Most highly favored lady, Gloria!

Of her, Emmanuel, the Christ, was born
In Bethlehem all on a Christmas morn,
And Christian folk throughout the world will ever say:
“Most highly favored lady.” Gloria! Lutheran Service Book #356

The Jesus Tree–Day Thirty-Three

Today’s reading was from John 8:1-11: Jesus and the woman caught in adultery. This reading contains one of Jesus’s more famous sayings: “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” It also contains something that has long puzzled Biblical scholars about Jesus…what did He write on the ground? The answer to that question isn’t really important, God would have given us that information in the Bible if it was, but it is still a bit of a puzzle.

The symbol for today looks very much like the symbol for the readings about the Temptation of Jesus, but instead of tan stones, they’re gray. That’s not particularly important, either, but it is a little funny to see two similar symbols on the tree!

The Jesus Tree–Day Thirty-Two

Today we read another very familiar story–Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead in John 11:1-44. This reading is broken up in three parts: The death of Lazarus; Jesus going to console Mary and Martha, Lazarus’s sisters; and Jesus raising Lazarus. Again, we see not only Jesus’s power over death, but also His compassion for his friends, as they mourned the loss of Lazarus. I also like the faith that Mary and Martha display in this story, both of them telling Jesus that if He had been there, their brother would not have died. They obviously recognized His power, but didn’t quite grasp just how powerful He actually was, as they didn’t consider and/or didn’t get that Jesus could actually raise Lazarus from the dead.

The Jesus Tree–Day Thirty-One

Today’s reading was about paying taxes to Caesar, found in Matthew 22:15-22, Mark 12:13-17, and Luke 20:20-26. This is another example of the Pharisees trying to trick Jesus into saying something that would either get Him in trouble with Jewish Law, or with the Roman government. Once again, however, Jesus knew exactly what to say, and left them marveling at His words.

The Jesus Tree–Day Thirty

Today’s reading was about how Jesus, because He had such great compassion for the widow of Nain, brought her son back to life. We read the account from Luke 7:11-17. This is a great story, not only because it showcases Jesus’s power over death, but because it also shows His great mercy toward this woman who would have otherwise been alone in the world without her son.