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.

Created to Do Good--Jan. 12, 2011

Jesus, you chose to do good works;
you chose to make the leper clean.

In you we are created for good works;
God prepared them as our way of life.

Then let your steadfast love be with us
in our work, even as we hope in you.

We do not do good works for our salvation,
but because you are with us as we do them.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 89:1-18; 147:1-11; 1; 33
Isa. 41:1-16
Eph. 2:1-10
Mark 1:29-45

Selected Verses
Ps. 33:22
Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us,
      even as we hope in you.

Isa. 41:10
…do not fear, for I am with you,
      do not be afraid, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
      I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.

Eph. 2:10
For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.

Mark 1:40-41
A leper came to [Jesus] begging him, and kneeling he said to him, “If you choose, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, and said to him, “I do choose. Be made clean!”

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