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.

You Loose the Bonds, Jesus--Apr. 28, 2015


Jesus, you loose the bonds--
the bonds of fear and dismay,
of estrangement and hostility,
of sorrow and weeping,
even of hunger.

And if we are your servants
and you have loosed our bonds,
pray use us to loose the
bonds of others.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 98; 146; 66; 116
Jer. 30:10-17
Col. 1:15-23
Luke 6:12-26

Selected Verses
Ps. 116:16
O LORD, I am your servant;
          I am your servant, the child of your serving girl.
          You have loosed my bonds. 

Jer. 30:10a
But as for you, have no fear, my servant Jacob, says the LORD,
          and do not be dismayed, O Israel…

Col. 1:21
And you who were once estranged and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds…

Luke 6:21
“Blessed are you who are hungry now,
          for you will be filled.
“Blessed are you who weep now,
          for you will laugh.  …"  [Jesus to the crowds]
Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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