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.

August 11, 2006

I. Readings
Psalms 25, 40, 84
Judges 9:1-16, 19-21
Acts 4:13-31
John 2:1-12

II. Selections
Psalm 84:3
Even the sparrow finds a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may lay her young,
at your altars, O LORD of hosts,
my King and my God.

Judges 9:7b-8
"Listen to me, you lords of Shechem, so that God may listen to you.
The trees once went out
to anoint a king over themselves.
So they said to the olive tree,
'Reign over us.' ... "

Acts 4:31
When [ Peter, John, and their friends] had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God with boldness.

John 2:7
Jesus said to [ the servants], "Fill the jars with water." And they filled them up to the brim.

III. Meditation: Even the sparrow and the swallow

At your altars the sparrow has a place,
the swallow builds her nest.
If such as these are welcome in your presence,
why should we need a human king?

As the servants filled the jars with water,
fill us with your Spirit to the brim.
Change insipid water into wine
and shake our gathering place,
that with boldness we may
speak your word.

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