I am an emeritus professor from Cornell University and was a Commissioned Lay Preacher in the Presbyterian Church (USA). For many years I have followed the Daily Lectionary as printed in the Mission Yearbook of my church. For each day of a two-year cycle, the lectionary lists four psalms and three other scriptural passages--usually one from the Old Testament and two from the New Testament. My practice is to copy down a verse or two from one of the psalms and from each of the other three passages. After I have written out all four selections, I reflect upon them, rearrange their order, and incorporate them into a meditation. Sometimes I retain much of the original wording; sometimes all that remains of a selection is an idea that was stimulated when I read the original words. All selections are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible. For the Daily Lectionary, see the link below.

The Practice of True Piety--Sept. 21, 2014


Lord God of all compassion, may your way be known
upon earth, your saving power among all nations.

Save us from practicing our piety before others
in order to be seen by them, and from losing
our tempers when others fail to show us
the honor we suppose to be our due;

but remind us that the practice of true piety
is to show compassion for the poor and helpless,
without bowing to what the world thinks piety demands.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 67; 150; 46; 93
Esth. 3:1-4:3
James 1:19-27
Matt. 6:1-6, 16-18

Selected Verses
Ps. 67:2
…that your way may be known upon earth,
            your saving power among all nations. 

Esth. 3:5
When Haman saw that Mordecai did not bow down or do obeisance to him, Haman was infuriated. 

James 1:27
Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

Matt. 6:1
"Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven.  …"  [Jesus to the crowds on the mountain]
Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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