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 28, 2006

I. Readings
Psalms 7, 12, 36
Zechariah 11:4-17
1 Corinthians 3:10-23
Luke 18:31-43

II. Selections
Psalm 7:9
O let the evil of the wicked come to an end,
but establish the righteous,
you who test the minds and hearts,
O righteous God.

Zechariah 11:16
For I am now raising up in the land a shepherd who does not care for the perishing, or seek the wandering, or heal the maimed, or nourish the healthy, but devours the flesh of the fat ones, tearing off even their hoofs.

1 Corinthians 3:21a
So let no one boast about human leaders.

Luke 18:32
" ...For [ the Son of Man] will be handed over to the Gentiles; and he will be mocked and insulted and spat upon. ... " [ Jesus to the twelve]


III. Meditation: End the rule of the wicked

We dare not boast of our human leaders-
even the Son of Man was mocked
and insulted and spat upon.

O righteous God, you test the minds and hearts-
bring to an end the rule of wicked shepherds,
who do not care for the perishing, or seek the lost,

or heal the maimed, or nourish the healthy,
but devour the flesh of the fat sheep,
even tearing off their hoofs.

Raise up on the earth righteous rulers,
you who test the minds and hearts,
O righteous God.

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