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.

Prosperity and Wickedness--Sept. 2, 2013


 We cannot imagine that the sacrifice of
one hundred twenty thousand sheep
and of twenty-two thousand oxen
would be pleasing in your sight,
only a rude display of wealth.

Still, we who are rich act as if  
our wealth has earned us privilege.
We cannot suppose you have chosen
the poor in this world to be rich in faith,
and surely not to be heirs of your kingdom.

Remind us, the rich dragged Jesus into court,
the powerful and privileged mocked him,
struck him, spat upon him, beat him--
the wickedness of the prosperous.

Lectionary Readings

Ps. 62; 145; 73; 9
2 Chron. 6:32-7:7
James 2:1-13
Mark 14:53-65

Selected Verses
Ps. 73:3
 For I was envious of the arrogant;
          I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

2 Chron. 7:5
King Solomon offered as a sacrifice twenty-two thousand oxen and one hundred twenty thousand sheep.

James 2:5b-6
Has not God chosen the poor in the world to be rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him?  But you have dishonored the poor.  Is it not the rich who oppress you?  Is it not they who drag you into court?

Mark 14:64b-65
All of [the council members] condemned [Jesus] as deserving death.  Some began to spit on him, to blindfold him, and to strike him, saying to him, “Prophesy!” The guards also took him over and beat him.


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