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 10, 2007

I. Readings
Psalms 1, 33, 89:1-18
Isaiah 41:1-16
Ephesians 2:1-10
Mark 1:29-45

II. Selections
Psalm 33:16
A king is not saved by his great army;
a warrior is not delivered by his great strength.

Isaiah 41:10
...do not fear, for I am with you,
do not be afraid, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you.
I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.

Ephesians 2:1-2
You were dead through the trespasses and sins in which you once lived, following the course of this world, following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work among those who are disobedient.

Mark 1:41
Moved with pity, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched [ the leper], and said to him, "I do choose. Be made clean."

III. Meditation: You chose

You chose to make the leper clean.
Touch us, then, and make us clean-
we who follow the course of the world,
we who are dead through trespass and sin.

Our hope is not in a great army;
our own strength will not deliver us;
but if you are with us, we will not fear.
You are our God-uphold us with your hand.

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