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.

When We Mortals Die--July 23, 2013


 When Samuel died, all Israel assembled and mourned him;
and they buried him at his home in Ramah.

When the grain is ripe, the one who scattered the seed
goes in with his sickle; the harvest has come.

When our breath departs, we return to the earth;
our plans may perish, but yours do not.

We are mortals, and we return to you, the living God;
maker of heaven, earth, sea, and all therein.

Lectionary Readings

Ps. 123; 146; 30; 86
1 Sam. 25:1-22
Acts 14:1-18
Mark 4:21-34

Selected Verses

Ps. 146:4
When [mortals'] breath departs, they return to the earth;
          on that very day their plans perish.

1 Sam. 25:1
Now Samuel died; and all Israel assembled and mourned for him. They buried him at his home in Ramah.

Acts 14:15b
"…We are mortals just like you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them.  …"  [Barnabus and Paul to those who wanted to worship them]

Mark 4:29
"…But when the grain is ripe, at once [the one who scattered the seed] goes in with his sickle, because the harvest has come.”  [Jesus to the crowd]

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