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.

Our Friend's Adopted Children Were Born with AIDS--Aug. 18, 2016


It is dark. The sea is rough.  A strong wind blows.
God, you have fed them with the bread of tears,
given them tears to drink in full measure.
Will any escape to tell the sad story?
Who can describe the pain?
Have you come yet?
Will you come?
Lord Jesus?

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 36; 147:12-20; 80; 27
Job 1:1-22
Acts 8:26-40
John 6:16-27
           
Selected Verses
Ps. 80:5
 You have fed them with the bread of tears,
          and given them tears to drink in full measure. 

Job 1:19
"…and suddenly a great wind came across the desert, struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people, and they are dead; I alone have escaped to tell you." [A messenger, come to tell Job about his ten children]

Acts 8:32-33
Now the passage of the scripture that [the Ethiopian eunuch] was reading was this: "Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter, and like a lamb silent before its shearer, so he does not open his mouth.  In his humiliation justice was denied him.  Who can describe his generation?  For his life is taken away from the earth." 

John 6:17b-18
It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to [his disciples in the boat].  The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing.

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