Reading Plan for June 28 - July 4

June 28, 2026 | Matthew 27:1-31
Reflection:
Today’s reading is lengthy. Read through it meditatively. Consider how Matthew’s accounts of these events are different from tabloid headlines in our own day. This narration does something different than relay events. Matthew takes us inside the worlds that collide together around Jesus: Jewish religious hierarchy, Roman imperial power, revolutionary forces, betraying conspirators, and divine prophecy that comes to fruition hundreds of years after they were first uttered. Read these stories devotionally and prayerfully. See what part speaks to you most? Which of these figures, by negative example, teaches us more about who Jesus is: the chief priests and elders, Judas, Pilate, Barabbas, Pilate’s wife, or the Roman soldiers? How do we meet God through this Jesus who is a king so very different from the kings of this world?

June 29, 2026 | Matthew 27:32-66
Reflection:
Today we have another long reading. Go beyond reading today. Picture yourself moving through the story that the narrator grants us. We have unique access to all that happens to Jesus, far more than any one character in the set of unfolding events. Notice how matter-of-fact the actual physical crucifixion of Jesus comes about: “And they crucified him.” We are given so many details leading up to this moment, but this is just so straightforward. We are spared the gory details. Crucifixion was a matter of daily life under Roman rule. The narrator wants us not to dwell on this moment, but to hear how, in the midst of all the world’s machinations to destroy, God is working to set things right. Notice the women who wait and watch. Notice how all the “powerful” people plot and scheme. The women remain faithful. Why is this an important detail to record and remember?

June 30, 2026 | Matthew 28:1-20
Reflection:
The culmination of the gospel story comes with the resurrection. Read this account as if for the first time. Notice how these final verses of Matthew both bring to an end the whole narrative and set the stage for the ongoing story, which brings us to our present moment. What details in the story stand out? Notice how Jesus appears to the women as they are running back to tell the disciples what they had seen and what the angel had told them. I once saw a mega-church production of the death and resurrection of Jesus. The resurrection had an angel (a woman on a cable) descending from the ceiling (about ten stories up), and the angel “zapped” the stone with lightning, and then there was a big explosion, and the stone blew up! And then Jesus came swaggering out like Elvis, saying, “I’m back!” Even though there is drama in Matthew’s telling of these events, I am more inspired by the subtleties. I am more interested in what it would have been like to touch Jesus’ feet than angelic pyrotechnics. What is most meaningful for you in reading about Jesus’ rising from the dead?

July 1, 2026 | Luke 1:1-12
Reflection:
Today, we start a fresh gospel story. This time, according to the perspective of the author history knows as Luke. Luke writes to a certain “Theophilus,” which could signify a person or, in general, a “lover of God.” That is, Luke could be writing to anyone who would pick up this gospel and read it in faith, hoping for a deeper faith. Luke’s Gospel does something that the other three do not. Luke tells us the “back story” behind Jesus’ birth. He does this to connect Jesus’ whole story with the greater story of the history and prophecies of the Jewish people. Only from Luke do we hear of Zechariah and Elizabeth, and the one born to them, John. Luke connects Jesus to John through close family ties. Notice throughout Luke’s stories of Jesus’ birth the close connection also to the center of Jewish life: the Temple. Jesus’ life is connected to prophets, priests, and kings, and the divine presence, embodied by the angel in the Temple. Notice how throughout the gospel narrative these central themes are interwoven in the unfolding story of Jesus’ life, ministry, death & resurrection.

July 2, 2026 | Luke 1:13-25
Reflection:
In today’s reading, Zechariah is told that his son will be filled with the Holy Spirit and that this boy, when grown, will be a major part of the turning of the ages. Now, it doesn’t say this outright, but this is what is implied. John will be part of God’s reconciling work in the world, “turning people toward God.” We will hear later from John the call to repentance, which means, “turn around.” John will set the stage for Jesus’ ministry, in that John, unabashedly, calls for all people to turn away from their destructive behaviors, which separate them from God, and turn toward the path of righteousness. All this is in the angel’s words to Zechariah. Who can blame Zechariah for asking, “How can this be?”

July 3, 2026 | Luke 1:26-38
Reflection:
This is perhaps one of the most well-known passages of scripture. Some of these verses make up the “Ave Maria” prayer, said by millions of Christians daily around the globe. It is quoted in the “Peanuts” Christmas special, “A Charlie Brown Christmas” (1965). This is acted out in Christmas pageants in thousands of churches each December. Because it is so well-known, it may be hard to read with fresh eyes or hear with fresh ears. Notice details that you might not have in the past. Like: how did Mary take the news that her son would reign as king over the house of Israel? Did she take this literally? Did she hear anything after the angel told her, “You’re going to have a baby, born of God’s power, even though you have known no man”? One note of interest is that in the angel’s greeting, “Χαῖρε, κεχαριτωμένη (Chaire, kecharistōménē)!” which is translated here as “Greetings, favored one,” the root of both of these words is charis, “grace, beauty, kindness.” It’s like the angel is saying, “Grace to you, graced one!” Or, “God’s favor be on you, most favored one!” The angel’s greeting says more about who God is than Mary. God is the one who is showing favor, kindness, and grace. Mary is the recipient of this divine favor and loving kindness.

July 4, 2026 | Luke 1:39-56
Reflection:
In today’s reading, we have the sister passage to yesterday’s. The “Hail Mary” prayer contains words both from yesterday’s reading, words spoken to Mary by the angel, and today we get Elizabeth crying, “Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb!” Then Mary sings out, echoing her ancient Jewish ancestor Hannah, who sang out a similar song when she learned she’d have a baby (1 Samuel 2:1-10). The word Mary most likely would have used to speak of her soul would have been related to the Hebrew word nefesh, which means “the whole person, body, mind, spirit, soul, one’s essential being.” Notice how Elizabeth cries out “with a great voice,” and Mary speaks “with her whole being” to proclaim the good news of what God is up to. If there were neighbors anywhere near, they would have heard these two women. They were not quiet and demure in this moment. They were raucously prophetic. And what they prophecy will see God bring about the great reversal: bringing down the unrighteously oppressive and lifting up the lowly. Take notice when women whom God through the Spirit anoints to preach the gospel!