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.

Jesus Understood about Mobs--Aug. 15, 2013


 The hearts of a mob are easily stirred up,
stolen by an unscrupulous leader.

The mindset of the mob is to assail
and batter until its victim totters and falls.

When Jesus led his disciples to Jerusalem,
he knew what the mobs would do.

Lectionary Readings

Ps. 97; 147:12-20; 16; 62
2 Sam. 15:1-18
Acts 21:27-36
Mark 10:32-45

Selected Verses

Ps. 62:3
How long will you assail a person,
          will you batter your victim, all of you,
          as you would a leaning wall, a tottering fence?

2 Sam. 15:13
A messenger came to David, saying, "The hearts of the Israelites have gone after Absalom."

Acts 21:27
When the seven days were almost completed, the Jews from Asia, who had seen [Paul] in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd.  They seized him…

Mark 10:32
They were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them; they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid.  He took the twelve aside again and began to tell them what was to happen to him…

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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