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.

November 01, 2006

I. Readings
Psalms 96, 132, 134
Nahum 1:1-14
Revelation 12:1-6
Luke 11:37-52

II. Selections
Psalm 96:9
Worship the LORD in holy splendor;
tremble before him, all the earth.

Nahum 1:3
The LORD is slow to anger but great in power,
and the LORD will by no means clear the guilty.
His way is in whirlwind and storm,
and the clouds are the dust of his feet.

Revelation 12:3
Then another portent appeared in heaven: a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads.

Luke 11:42
" ...But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and herbs of all kinds, and neglect justice and the love of God; it is these you ought to have practiced, without neglecting the others. ... " [ Jesus]

III. Meditation: Mint and rue

The great red dragon with ten horns
and seven diadems on seven heads
presents an awesome sight;
but him we do not worship;
before him we need not tremble.

You we worship, before you we tremble-
you-slow to anger, great in power,
you do not ignore our guilt.
If we excel in mint and rue and other herbs,
but fail in loving you and doing justice, woe to us.

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