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.

December 06, 2006

I. Readings
Psalms 17, 50, 53
Isaiah 2:1-4
1 Thessalonians 2:13-20
Luke 20:19-26

II. Selections
Psalm 50:23
" ...Those who bring thanksgiving as their sacrifice honor me;
to those who go the right way
I will show the salvation of God." [ God, laying the charge]

Isaiah 2:4
[ The LORD] shall judge between the nations, and shall arbitrate for many peoples; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

1 Thessalonians 2:17
As for us, brothers and sisters, when, for a short time, we were made orphans by being separated from you-in person, not in heart-we longed with great eagerness to see you face to face.

Luke 20:25
[ Jesus] said to them, "Then give to the emperor the things that are the emperor's, and to God the things that are God's."

III. Meditation: Face to face in peace

Teach us to bring to you
what belongs to you,
including our thanksgiving.

Teach us to convert our arsenals
into utensils for peace.

Hasten the day when all our loved ones,
separated from us by war,
shall be restored to us face to face.

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