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 15, 2007

I. Readings
Psalms 97, 112, 135
Isaiah 44:6-8, 21-23
Ephesians 4:1-16
Mark 3:7-19a

II. Selections
Psalm 112:9
[ The righteous] have distributed freely, they have given to the poor;
their righteousness endures forever;
their horn is exalted in honor.

Isaiah 44:22
I have swept away your transgressions like a cloud,
and your sins like mist;
return to me, for I have redeemed you.

Ephesians 4:1-2
I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love ...

Mark 3:13
[ Jesus] went up the mountain and called to him those whom he wanted, and they came to him.

III. Meditation: Life worthy of the calling

You have swept away our transgressions like a cloud,
and our sins like a mist; you have redeemed us;
you want us-you call us to return to you.

You call us to a life worthy of our calling,
one filled with humility, gentleness, and patience,
bearing with one another in love, freely giving to the poor.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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