Matthew 6 (xi)

In Scripture, there are many names for the word of God on account of its innumerable virtues and works. It is a spiritual sword to fight against the Devil and all other spiritual enemies. It is referred to in many ways such as Light, the Early and Latter Rain, a Heavenly Dew, Gold, Silver, Healing and to terms relating to clothing and jewelry and many other such items. It is also referred to as Bread because our souls are fed and fortified by it and thus grow and become strong. And this reference is not just to bread as mere physical bread. Although Scripture uses the word ‘bread' as a general term to cover every type of bodily food (no matter how exotic an item may be), there are also innumerable references to spiritual bread to cover all kinds of spiritual food (...). For if the feasts of all the kings who ever existed on the earth or who still might exist in the future were piled up into one heap, they all could not be compared even slightly to the least significant word of God. That is why Christ in the Gospel speaks of a ‘a marriage feast' (Matthew 22,2) and Isaiah (25,6) refers to a feast of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined.

The complete Luther - "A Meditation for Each Day of the Year" is available as a biligual (English and German) BREVIARY published by Wartburg Verlag Weimar. It can be purchased in English, world-wide from most internet book shops.