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.

May 04, 2006

I. Readings
Psalms 47, 68, 113, 147:12-20
Exodus 20:1-21
Colossians 1:24-2:7
Matthew 4:1-11

II. Selections
Psalms 113:7
He raises the poor from the dust,
and lifts the needy from the ash heap,
to make them sit with princes,
with the princes of his people.

Exodus 20:21
Then the people stood at a distance, while Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was.

Colossians 1:27
To [ his saints] God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

Matthew 4:11
Then the devil left [ Jesus], and suddenly angels came and waited on him.

III. Meditation: Mystery made known
While the people stood at a distance,
Moses drew near to the thick darkness,
the mysterious darkness,
where you were.

The devil left Jesus,
and suddenly angels came
and waited on him-
a mysterious turn of events.

You raise the poor from the dust,
lift the needy from the ash heap,
to make them sit with the princes of your people.
Together they all sit, mystified.

You have made known to us a mystery,
a mystery with great riches of glory,
the mystery of Christ in us,
the mystery of hope.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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