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 08, 2006

I. Readings
Psalms 16, 102, 130
Isaiah 3:1-4:1
1 Thessalonians 4:1-12
Luke 20:41-21:4

II. Selections
Psalm 102:2a
Do not hide your face from me
in the day of my distress.

Isaiah 3:15
What do you mean by crushing my people, by grinding the face of the poor? says the Lord GOD of hosts.

1 Thessalonians 4:9
Now concerning love of the brothers and sisters, you do not need to have anyone write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another ...

Luke 20:47
" ...[ The scribes] devour widows' houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation." [ Jesus to the disciples, in the hearing of all the people]

III. Meditation: Why do we not see your face?

You have taught us to love one another;
we should not need anyone to remind us.
We know that long prayers for the sake of appearance
are no compensation when we have allowed the poor to be devoured.

If we, in the day of our distress, cannot see your face,
perhaps it is because you have hidden your face
in the faces of the poor-faces that we have crushed
and ground into their poverty.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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