Luther Gleanings

from House Postil for Trinity 7:

Aren't these eyes of our dear Lord Jesus Christ the friendliest and most loving eyes you've ever seen? They gaze right down into the hearts of these people, and his whole heart goes out to them, so hopelessly lost without a shepherd...

In short, there is no other task so difficult, as to train people to live piously, nor is there greater service we can render to God...

Spiritual food is far more precious than physical food, because it enables man to live eternally...

This is an example that fathers, mothers, lords, and ladies should follow, for by such service they can merit heaven for their own children and their household. What I mean is: The greatest, most God-pleasing work of faith a person can do, is to follow the example of Christ by helping people's souls, so they don't end up going to the devil...

The second lesson is that we get our priorities straight and make the searching of God's Word our first priority...

So then today's Gospel lesson is intended to teach us to recognize our dear Lord Jesus Christ as a gracious Lord and Father, who is anxious to help us both physically and spiritually.