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.

April 01, 2007

I. Readings
Psalms 32, 42, 84
Zechariah 9:9-12
1 Timothy 6:12-16
Matthew 21:12-17

II. Selections
Psalm 42:3
My tears have been my food
day and night,
while people say to me continually,
"Where is your God?"

Zechariah 9:10a
[ Your king] will cut off the chariot from Ephraim
and the war horse from Jerusalem;
and the battle bow shall be cut off,
and he shall command peace to the nations ...

1 Timothy 6:12
Fight the good fight of the faith; take hold of the eternal life, to which you were called and for which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

Matthew 21:12
Then Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who were selling and buying in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves.

III. Meditation: The good fight

You cut off the chariot, war horse, battle bow;
cleanse the temple of buyers and sellers;
and command peace to the nations.

Strengthen us for the good fight of the faith,
ready always to confess your presence,
even if then tears are our only food.

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