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.

June 05, 2008

I. Readings
Psalms 81, 116, 143, 147:12-20
Ecclesiastes 3:16-4:3
Galatians 3:1-14
Matthew 14:13-21

II. Selections
Psalm 147:15
He sends out his command to the earth;
his word runs swiftly.

Ecclesiastes 4:1b-c
Look, the tears of the oppressed-with no one to comfort them! On the side of their oppressors there was power-with no one to comfort them.

Galatians 3:14
...in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

Matthew 14:14
When [ Jesus] went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them and cured their sick.

III. Meditation: Swiftly

Your word runs swiftly, always has;
today the commands of the rulers
of this world run swiftly, too.

On the side of the oppressors there is power.
On the side of the oppressed there are tears,
with no one to comfort them.

When Jesus saw a great crowd of oppressed people,
he comforted them and healed their sick.
He brought to all the blessing of Abraham.

Give us through Christ the promise of the Spirit today,
that we may comfort the oppressed, share their tears,
and in our deeds make your word run swiftly.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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