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.

September 30, 2006

I. Readings
Psalms 63, 100, 122
Esther 9:1-32
Acts 20:1-16
Luke 4:38-44

II. Selections
Psalm 63:8
My soul clings to you;
your right hand upholds me.

Esther 9:5
So the Jews struck down all their enemies with the sword, slaughtering, and destroying them, and did as they pleased to those who hated them.

Acts 20:16
For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus, so that he might not have to spend time in Asia; he was eager to be in Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of Pentecost.

Luke 4:42
At daybreak [ Jesus] departed and went into a deserted place. And the crowds were looking for him; and when they reached him, they wanted to prevent him from leaving them.

III. Meditation: Clinging

Our soul clings to you;
your right hand upholds us;
and that is good.

The crowds clung to Jesus;
they did not want to let him leave;
and that is forgivable.

Paul clung to his desire
to celebrate Pentecost in Jerusalem,
and that is understandable.

In the name of justice
we cling to the right of vengeful slaughter,
and that is a sinful scandal.

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