November 1, 2026
Today's Reading: Matthew 5:1-12
Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 34:1-12; Matthew 21:1-22
“And [Jesus] opened his mouth and taught them, saying: ... ‘Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied…’” (Matthew 5:2,6)
In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.
Being satisfied sounds great, but when does that happen? Even when you’ve had a great meal, you’ll get hungry again. You did well on the test you prepared for, but another one’s coming. You trained hard, ran well, and the team had a record finish, but there’s another Cross-Country invitational next week. The music you’ve been rehearsing for months reached its resounding crescendo at last week’s fall concert, and now the work begins to prepare for the next performance. Those are just some of the outward things that, even in their accomplishment, leave us wanting more.
What about the friendships, or lack thereof, that always leave you wondering if you’re enough. How about when you don’t think you can actually put in words what you’re feeling, or are afraid that if you did, no one would stick around. What are we really hungering for? What will satisfy that thirst for belonging?
The real truth is that there is only one in whom we will be satisfied- Jesus. Although you may know the joyful truth and healing balm of the Gospel, sinners still sin in thought, word, and deed. That sin in our world, even in our own sinful flesh, breaks stuff. In fact, sin breaks us too. If we are looking to be satisfied by our accomplishments or the opinion of others, we will be left with the “many who say, ‘who will show us some good?’” (Psalm 4:6)
But that same Psalm continues, “Lift up the light of your face upon us, O Lord!” Jesus may well have said in the Beatitudes, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for ME, for they shall be satisfied.” In Christ we find our most satisfying “highest good,” and He promises to be present as He delivers His body for our hunger and His blood for our thirst.
So we gather with all the Saints where Jesus is, bringing all the sin-brokenness of our soul and declare the promise as we receive Him, “Thou, Bread of Life, alone art able to satisfy and make me whole: Lord, may Thy body and Thy blood be for my soul the highest good!” (LSB 618:1).
In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.
Almighty and everlasting God, You knit together Your faithful people of all times and places into one holy Communion, the mystical body of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Grant us so to follow Your blessed saints in all virtuous and godly living that, together with them, we may come to the unspeakable joys You have prepared for those who love You; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Rev. Jason Schockman, associate pastor of Saint Paul Lutheran Church in Oconomowoc, WI.
Scholar and author A. Andrew Das bridges the gap between Bible commentary and daily devotional in this innovative exploration of Luke's Gospel. Through a creative narrative device—a dinner conversation with the physician and Gospel writer Luke himself— you will discover the radical message that turned the ancient world upside down.
