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 24, 2008

I. Readings
Psalms 6, 20, 88
Micah 6:1-8
Revelation 9:13-21
Luke 10:38-42

II. Selections
Psalm 20:4
May [ the LORD] grant you your heart's desire,
and fulfill all your plans.

Micah 6:3
"O my people, what have I done to you?
In what have I wearied you? Answer me! ... "
[ The LORD to Israel]

Revelation 9:20
The rest of humankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands or give up worshiping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or talk.

Luke 10:42
" ...But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe rue and mint and herbs of all kinds, and neglect justice and the love of God; it is these you ought to have practiced, without neglecting the others. ... " [ Jesus speaking at the dinner table to his host, a Pharisee]

III. Meditation: What have you done to weary us so?

We pray for our heart's desire,
and to have all our plans fulfilled,
which would be well and good-
if this desire were the practice of
justice for others and love for you.

But our heart's desire is fixed
on worshiping material things,
idols to gratify our love of self.
What have you done to weary
us of you and your love for us? ;

No comments:

Post a Comment