Life Thoughts in the Church Year
Life Thoughts in the Church Year are designed to help pastors and congregations see the church year through the lens of the sanctity of human life. Life Thoughts are based on the appointed readings from Lutheran Service Book using the Three-Year Lectionary.
Also available:
Life Thoughts in the Church Year – One-Year Lectionary 2025 (Word)
Life Thoughts in the Church Year – One-Year Lectionary 2025 (PDF)
Audio: LifeMoments from Lutherans For Life and KFUO Radio
Life Thoughts in the Church Year – Three-Year Lectionary:
March 2 – Transfiguration of Our Lord – Our Savior’s miraculous radiance reveals three sanctity of life truths. The timing and manner of our deaths—like those of Jesus, Moses, and Elijah—are God’s business and decision (Luke 9:30). Then, every human life receives a glory from Jesus that we cannot always immediately envision. Just because it’s hidden doesn’t mean it’s missing. And this message isn’t meant for keeping to ourselves!
March 9 – Lent I – Abortion and assisted suicide enact idolatry by assessing life apart from the Word of the Lord (Luke 4:4, 8). Saving faith, on the other hand, receives both child and trials as riches from the loving hand of God. He who makes hills give milk and honey will no doubt bring forth even better blessings from the humblest human life!
March 16 – Lent II – The heart of Christianity is proclaiming Gospel promises courageously. Jeremiah (Jeremiah 26:8) follows the lead of Jesus Himself (Luke 13:31-32) in speaking of God’s truth and Christ’s love even when unpopular. They believe their lives—and everyone else’s—belong in the Heavenly Father’s hands above all. Gospel-motivated voices For Life, take note!
March 23 – Lent III – If Almighty God has “no pleasure in the death of the wicked” (Ezekiel 33:11), how much more does death of innocents grieve Him? Why then should the people of God ever tolerate the killing of unborn sisters and brothers? And if the Lord of all only deals in death when human iniquity does not allow Him to avoid it, will not the same love move us to warn others against dealing in death?
March 30 – Lent IV – The prodigal’s father kept watching every day for his wayward son’s return. He had to have in order to spot him “while he was still a long way off” (Luke 15:20). Our Gracious God never gives up on a human life, no matter what size, skills, circumstances, or sins it involves. We need not let surprise pregnancies, chronic conditions, or terminal diagnoses steal our hope—or anyone else’s!
April 6 – Lent V – The Lord our God forms persons and peoples for Himself (Isaiah 43:21). Our lives and every neighbor’s body belong to the Almighty Maker. He intends each one not only for survival but for salvation in the resurrection from the dead (Philippians 3:10). This means we get to receive all humankind’s members as gifts and privileges and treat them as inestimably precious.
April 13 – Palm Sunday/Passion of Our Lord – Incarnation, atonement, and resurrection from the dead have earned Jesus Christ authority over the manner of our living and the timing of our dying (Deuteronomy 32:39). Even in surprise pregnancy or terminal diagnosis, we may commit human life’s course to His loving care, for His own humble humanity has sanctified every moment of ours (Philippians 2:8-9).
April 20 – Resurrection of Our Lord – Lethal measures like abortion and assisted suicide claim to express autonomy, but they really embody surrenders to death. Jesus Christ, sacrificed and arising again, liberates from submission to this ultimate enemy (1 Corinthians 15:26). Neither we nor our neighbors need equate human worth with length of days or lack thereof (Isaiah 65:20). Who will tell them? Why not us?
April 27 – Easter II – “An angel of the Lord…brought them out and said, ‘Go…and speak to the people all the words of this Life’” (Acts 5:19-20). Life—immediate, abundant, ongoing from fertilization to forever—belongs to the heart of the Gospel and the very identity of our Savior Jesus Christ. And is there any clearer Scriptural invitation for the sanctity of life to occupy all our conversation?
May 4 – Easter III – Our Father in heaven gathers into His flock persons of every tribe and nation and language (Revelation 5:9-10). Ages, appearances, and abilities do not disqualify anyone, and our world works best when our words and ways proclaim and practice it. And as both Peter and Paul illustrate, neither heritage nor history keeps hearts from Him either. Forgiveness and faith relieve even from involvement in abortion!
May 11 – Easter IV/Mother’s Day – With motherly tenacity and tenderness, Jesus insists none of His little ones perish (John 10:28). Each one comes from the Heavenly Father’s own almighty hand (John 10:29), no matter size or skills or circumstances (Revelation 7:9). He desires the whole human community to share His delight in caring for them all (Acts 10:28), even in surprise pregnancy or terminal diagnosis.
May 18 – Easter V – “What God has made clean, do not call common” (Acts 11:9). Peter’s cuisine vision reveals the sanctity of human lives. What God has created, redeemed, and called precious, do not call clump of cells, tumor or tissue, parasite or potential life only. What God has given as gift and privilege, do not regard as burdensome, undignified, or vegetative. And don’t consent to anyone else doing so either!
May 25 – Easter VI – Surprise pregnancy, infertility, disability, or terminal diagnosis sometimes hide the sanctity of life. But humankind’s Heavenly Bridegroom beholds every member of our race as beautiful, blessed, and special (Revelation 21:7). His Word helps us see every neighbor with the same gracious eyes that regard us beloved. What joy will be ours when our mouths give voice to our vision – and invite our whole society to share!
June 1 – Easter VII – The sanctity of human life means more than implementing regulations or controlling behaviors. Jesus longs “that they may be one” (John 17:22) and “that the love with which you have loved me may be in them” (John 17:26). This represents invitation and instruction to receive every neighbor as gift and privilege, treat all bodies and needs as such, and speak courageously and compassionately about it.
June 8 – Pentecost – Words about the worth and purpose invested in every human being belong not to us alone but to Almighty God Himself (John 14:24). Our Savior graciously endows the Words of Life with the Holy Spirit’s power (John 14:26). So we must not dilute or suppress what He has made unquestionably clear, and we may entrust the public effects of the message to His wisdom.
June 15 – Festival of the Holy Trinity/Father’s Day – The Maker of heavens and earth has the nature of fatherhood and sonship. Begetting and parenting belongs to His distinctive and eternal character. No greater wisdom, insight, or answer exists for any circumstance of humankind—surprise pregnancy and terminal diagnosis included—than the goodness of delighting in children and parents—embryo, elderly, or otherwise—and submitting ourselves to their welfare.
June 22 – Pentecost II (Proper 7C) – Death is the devil’s lair and destruction is his labor. Demonic forces lurk around the grave and lead to nowhere else (Luke 8:27). Feeble mortals do well not to dabble with such sinister powers, even if technology like abortion and assisted suicide make it accessible. Better to beg the Lord Jesus to rescue and safeguard human life even when it appears less than to us.
June 29 – St. Peter and St. Paul, Apostles – Humankind once mistook Jesus for somebody less than Lord God (Matthew 16:13-14). Even His own people once mistook Gentiles for something less than just as special (Acts 15:5). The Gospel and its Apostles delight to embrace neighbors not yet born and neighbors no longer able as blessings, brothers and sisters, beloved and belonging to one Heavenly Father. May we rejoice to proclaim and practice it!