Theme of the Day: Revealed As The Messiah Who Calls Us To Follow Him
We try to hide our faults and failures from others. We want people to see us at our best. Perhaps we assume that if people knew what we were really like, they would want nothing to do with us. There’s no hiding anything from God. He is all-seeing and all-knowing. Christ Jesus has witnessed our very worst, even the sins that only occurred in our heads. Yet even though Jesus knows all our faults and failures, he badly wants something to do with us. So, he calls us to follow him. He wants us to be with him, secure in his love of forgiveness. Here is this week’s epiphany: Jesus shows kindness when he calls us to discipleship. More, he shows kindness by giving us the ability to answer that call, so that we might always be near him and his blessing.
John 1:43-51
1 Samuel 3:1-10
2 Thessalonians 2:13-17
Psalm 139
716 – O Christ, Who Called the Twelve
375 – Arise and Shine in Splendor
566 – Father, God of Grace, You Knew Us
711 – Jesus Calls Us o’er the Tumult
702 – Come, Follow Me, the Savior Spake
Prayer of the Day: Almighty God, you gave your one and only Son to be the light of the world. Grant that your people, illumined by your Word and sacraments, may shine with the radiance of Christ’s glory, that he may be known, worshiped, and believed to the ends of the earth; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, now and forever.
Gospel Acclamation: Alleluia. John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” Alleluia.