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.

In our Mourning, Words of Spirit and Life--Feb. 4, 2016


As we mourn and weep over a loved one's death,
we are assured by the psalmist that the deaths
of your faithful ones are precious in your
sight, O God--you mourn as we do.

Your mourning must be especially acute for the
victims of torture and killing--the faithful
of whom the world is not worthy.

In our mourning, comfort us with the words
of Jesus--his words are spirit and life.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 116; 147:12-20; 26; 130
Gen. 23:1-20
Heb. 11:32-12:2
John 6:60-71

Selected Verses
Ps. 116:15
Precious in the sight of the LORD
          is the death of his faithful ones. 

Gen. 23:2
And Sarah died at Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan; and Abraham went in to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her.

Heb. 11:37-38a
They were stoned to death, they were sawn in two, they were killed by the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, persecuted, tormented--of whom the world was not worthy.

John 6:63
"…It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless.  The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.  …"  [Jesus to his disciples]

No comments:

Post a Comment