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.

October 13, 2007

I. Readings
Psalms 98, 104, 138
Jeremiah 35:1-19
1 Corinthians 12:27-13:3
Matthew 9:35-10:4

II. Selections
Psalm 138:8
The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me;
your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever.
Do not forsake the work of your hands.

Jeremiah 35:16
The descendants of Jonadab son of Rechab have carried out the command that their ancestor gave them, but this people has not obeyed me.

1 Corinthians 13:1
If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.

Matthew 9:36
When [ Jesus] saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

III. Meditation: ...or clanging cymbals

Do not forsake the work of your hands,
but fulfill your purpose for us; and help us
obey you; your steadfast love endures forever.

Lord Jesus, you had compassion for the crowds
because they were like sheep without a shepherd.
Should not we who would follow you have compassion
on the harassed and helpless? Otherwise what are we but
noisy gongs and clanging cymbals-no matter our fine words?

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