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.

You Summon the Stars--Jan. 29, 2013


 Lord God, the strength of your people,
you summon the stars of the sky,
and they stand at attention;
we your people do not.

Overcome our cynicism,
our clinging to past grievances,
that we may glorify you because of
all the faithful ones who have served you.

Lectionary Readings

Ps. 54; 146; 28; 99
Isa. 48:12-22
Gal. 1:18-2:10
Mark 6:1-13

Selected Verses

Ps. 28:8
The LORD is the strength of his people;
          he is the saving refuge of his anointed.

Isa. 48:13, 18a
My hand laid the foundation of the earth,
          and my right hand spread out the heavens;
when I summon them,
          they stand at attention. 
O that you had paid attention to my commandments!

Gal. 1:23-24
…[the churches of Judea] only heard it said, “The one who formerly was persecuting us is now proclaiming the faith he once tried to destroy.”  And they glorified God because of me.

Mark 6:3
"…Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him."  [Words spoken against Jesus when he taught in his hometown synagogue]


No comments:

Post a Comment