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.

The Poor and Hungry Cry for Justice--June 6, 2013


 Lord Jesus, there are many in our world today
who cry day and night for justice--
simple people, who have been brought low,
poor people who cry for justice.

You have called your people to pursue justice;
justice is of central importance to you.
Remind us that for our sake you became poor,
and by your poverty we became rich.

Remind us, and forbid that we should neglect
to do justice for hungry, poor people.

Lectionary Readings

Ps. 143; 147:12-20; 81; 116
Deut. 16:18-20, 17:14-20
2 Cor. 8:1-16
Luke 18:1-8

Selected Verses

Ps. 116:6
 The LORD protects the simple;
          when I was brought low, he saved me.

Deut. 16:20
Justice, and only justice, you shall pursue, so that you may live and occupy the land that the LORD your God is giving you.  [Moses to the Israelites]

2 Cor. 8:9
For you know the generous act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich.

Luke 18:7
"…And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night?  Will he delay long in helping them?  …"  [Jesus to his disciples]

No comments:

Post a Comment