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.


What Have We to Do with Peace?--Sept. 23, 2011

Peace? What have we to do with peace?

As married partners are responsible for each other's bodies,
you call us to be responsible for suffering peoples.

You call us to hear the sound of Somali mothers
weeping for their starving babies.

Give us compassion to fall in behind you
to help rescue them from great evil.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 88; 148; 6; 20
2 Kings 9:17-37
1 Cor. 7:1-9
Matt. 6:7-15

Selected Verses
Ps. 6:8
Depart from me, all you workers of evil,
      for the LORD has heard the sound of my weeping.

2 Kings 9:18a
So the horseman went to meet [Jehu]; he said, "Thus says the king, 'Is it peace?'" Jehu responded, "What have you to do with peace? Fall in behind me."

1 Cor. 7:4
For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does; likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does.

Matt. 6:13
And do not bring us to the time of trial,
      but rescue us from the evil one.
Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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