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.

June 20, 2006

I. Readings
Psalms 42, 102, 133
Numbers 11:1-23
Romans 1:16-25
Matthew 17:22-27

II. Selections
Psalm 102:17
He will regard the prayer of the destitute,
and will not despise their prayer.

Numbers 11:13
" ...Where am I to get meat to give to all this people? For they come weeping to me and say, 'Give us meat to eat!' ..." [ Moses, to the LORD]

Romans 1:19
For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.

Matthew 17:25b-26
..."What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings of the earth take toll or tribute? From their children or from others?" When Peter said, "From others," Jesus said to him, "Then the children are free. ..."

III. Meditation: Quail, or fish bearing coins?

O God, you are beyond our understanding ...
yet you have shown us what can be known.
It is plain that you care about the destitute-
the poor and oppressed, the hungry and sick.
Do not despise our prayer for them.

Where can we get food for hundreds of millions?
Shall we depend on you to send flocks of quail,
or fish bearing coins like food stamps?
You have set us free to feed them ourselves;
free to share our own abundance, even through taxes.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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