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.

January 09, 2007

I. Readings
Psalms 42, 102, 133
Isaiah 40:25-31
Ephesians 1:15-23
Mark 1:14-28

II. Selections
Psalm 42:5a
Why are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you disquieted within me?

Isaiah 40:27
Why do you say, O Jacob,
and speak, O Israel,
"My way is hidden from the LORD,
and my right is disregarded by my God"?

Ephesians 1:16
...I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers.

Mark 1:25
But Jesus rebuked [ the unclean spirit], saying, "Be silent, and come out of him!"

III. Meditation: Be silent, and come out

You who removed the unclean spirits,
remove from us all that disquiets
and casts down our souls.

Remove the arrogance
which leads us to suppose
our ways are hidden from you.

And teach us to give thanks,
praying for one another
without ceasing.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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