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.

March 25, 2008

I. Readings
Psalms 66, 98, 116
Exodus 12:28-39
1 Corinthians 15:12-28
Mark 16:9-20

II. Selections
Psalm 116:10
I kept my faith, even when I said,
"I am greatly afflicted" ...

Exodus 12:39
[ The Israelites] baked unleavened cakes of the dough that they had brought out of Egypt; it was not leavened, because they were driven out of Egypt and could not wait, nor had they prepared any provisions for themselves.

1 Corinthians 15:22
...for as all die in Adam, so all will be made alive in Christ.

Mark 16:9
Now after he rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons.

III. Meditation: Made alive in Christ

Even when we are greatly afflicted,
with no time to leaven the dough,
and possessed by seven demons,
though in Adam we will die-

we will be made alive in Christ,
we will eat the bread unleavened,
you will cast out the seven demons,
and somehow we will keep our faith.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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