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.

Consoled to Be Consoling--May 27, 2013

We praise you, O God, for you are good;
we sing to your name, for you are gracious.

We will not forget things our eyes have seen,
nor ever let them slip from our minds--

how you have consoled us in our affliction,
so that we may be able to console others,
ever serving as your salty people.

Lectionary Readings

Ps. 135; 145; 97; 112
Deut. 4:9-14
2 Cor. 1:1-11
Luke 14:25-35

Selected Verses

Ps. 135:3
Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good;
          sing to his name, for he is gracious.

Deut. 4:9a
But take care and watch yourselves closely, so as neither to forget the things that your eyes have seen nor to let them slip from your mind all the days of your life…

2 Cor. 1:3-4
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all consolation, who consoles us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to console those who are in any affliction with the consolation with which we ourselves are consoled by God.

Luke 14:34
"Salt is good; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored?  …"  [Jesus to the crowds traveling with him]

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