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 07, 2008

I. Readings
Psalms 42, 102, 43
Hosea 7:8-16
Acts 23:12-24
Luke 7:1-17

II. Selections
Psalm 42:3
My tears have been my food
day and night,
while people say to me continually,
"Where is your God?"

Hosea 7:14
They do not cry to me from the heart,
but they wail upon their beds;
they gash themselves for grain and wine;
they rebel against me.
[ The LORD speaks through Hosea about Ephraim, or Israel]

Acts 23:21a
" ...But do not be persuaded by [ the Jews in conspiracy with the council], for more than forty of their men are lying in ambush for [ Paul]. ... " [ Paul's nephew, speaking to the Roman tribune]

Luke 7:13
When the Lord saw [ the widow whose only son had just died], he had compassion for her and said to her, "Do not weep."

III. Meditation: Tears for food

O God, you are always with us; but sometimes people or events catch us in ambush, and we wonder where you have gone. When tears have been our food day and night, we may wail upon our beds and rebel against you. Come to us in the depths of our anguish, and in your compassion quench our weeping, that we may know you as well through our tears as we do through moments of bliss. In the name of Jesus, who had compassion for the widow who lost her son.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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