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.

September 16, 2007

I. Readings
Psalms 19, 81, 113
1 Kings 19:8-21
Acts 5:34-42
John 11:45-57

II. Selections
Psalm 81:1
Sing aloud to God our strength;
shout for joy to the God of Jacob.

1 Kings 19:13
When Elijah heard [ the sound of sheer silence], he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then there came a voice to him that said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"

Acts 5:41
As [ the apostles] left the council, they rejoiced that they were considered worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name.

John 11:50
" ...You do not understand that it is better for you to have one man die for the people than to have the whole nation destroyed." [ Caiaphas, the high priest, to the council]

III. Meditation: In the sheer silence

One man died for us to prevent
all of us from being destroyed,
and his apostles rejoiced that
they were considered worthy
to suffer dishonor for his name.

We sing and shout for joy
to you, God of our strength.
But when the sound of sheer
silence comes upon us, we hear:
"Then what are you doing here?"

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