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.

April 13, 2006

I. Readings
Psalms 27, 102, 126
Lamentations 2:10-18
1 Corinthians 10:14-17; 11:27-32
Mark 14:12-25

II. Selections
Psalm 126:5-6
May those who sow in tears
reap with shouts of joy.
Those who go out weeping,
bearing the seed for sowing,
shall come home with shouts of joy,
carrying their sheaves.

Lamentations 2:18
Cry aloud to the Lord!
O wall of daughter Zion!
Let tears stream down like a torrent
day and night!
Give yourself no rest,
your eyes no respite!

1 Corinthians 10:16
The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a sharing in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a sharing in the body of Christ?

Mark 14:24
[ Jesus] said to them, "This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. ..."

III. Meditation: Before we carry home the sheaves
Before with joy we carry home the sheaves,
we must go out weeping, bearing the seed
to be sown in tears.

Must cry aloud to you, let tears stream down
like a torrent, day and night.
No rest, our eyes no respite.

Poured out for many,
the blood of your covenant
shared in the cup of blessing.

The bread we break,
a sharing in your broken body
sown in tears.

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