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.

August 17, 2007

I. Readings
Psalms 51, 65, 142
2 Samuel 15:19-37
Acts 21:37-22:16
Mark 10:46-52

II. Selections
Psalm 142:4
Look on my right hand and see-
there is no one who takes notice of me;
no refuge remains to me;
no one cares for me.

2 Samuel 15:26
" ...But if [ the LORD] says, 'I take no pleasure in you,' here I am, let him do to me what seems good to him." [ King David to the priests Abiathar and Zadok]

Acts 22:4
" ...I persecuted this Way up to the point of death by binding both men and women and putting them in prison ... " [ Paul, addressing the mob after his arrest in Jerusalem]

Mark 10:46b-47
...Bartimaeus son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the roadside. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout out and say, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"

III. Meditation: Not so alone after all

Three men in grave trouble, no refuge available:
a king on the run says he will accept your will for him;
an apostle tries to evangelize the mob that caused his arrest;
above the noise of the crowd a blind beggar calls to Jesus for mercy.
You did not ignore them.

No comments:

Post a Comment