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.

Deceived and Deceiving--Aug. 17, 2017

[From Aug. 13, 2009 archive]

Like Absalom,
we deceive others;
like the accusers of Paul,
we deceive ourselves as well.

Jesus did not deceive others or himself.
He understood what would happen to him,
and he tried to make his followers understand.

You show us the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of life;
in your right hand are pleasures forevermore--
but we must also face pain and sorrow.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 97: 147:12-20; 16; 62
2 Sam. 15:1-18
Acts 21:27-36
Mark 10:32-45

Selected Verses
Ps. 97:11
You show me the path of life.
            In your presence there is fullness of joy;
            in your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

2 Sam. 15:11
Two hundred men from Jerusalem went with Absalom; they were invited guests, and they went in their innocence, knowing nothing of the matter.

Acts 21:27-36
For [the Jews from Asia] had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian with [Paul] in the city, and they supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple.

Mark 10:32
[Jesus and his disciples] were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them; they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid.  He took the twelve aside again and began to tell them what was to happen to him…

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