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.

Man of Dust and Man of Heaven--Oct. 22, 2013


 Gracious God, you keep faith forever,
executing justice for the oppressed
and giving food to the hungry.

We who bear the image of the man of dust
yearn to bear the image of the Man of Heaven.

As he called to those that were weary,
give us strength to share their burdens.

As he comforted the sorrowful,
give us eyes to see them, and to
know how to give them comfort.

As he showed justice to the oppressed
and fed the hungry, so may we.

Lectionary Readings

Ps. 54; 146; 28; 99
Lam. 1:1-12
1 Cor. 15:41-50
Matt. 11:25-30

Selected Verses

Ps. 146:6b-7
…who keeps faith forever;
            who executes justice for the oppressed;
            who gives food to the hungry.

Lam. 1:12a-b
Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by?
          Look and see
if there is any sorrow like my sorrow,
          which was brought upon me…

1 Cor. 15:49
Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we will also bear the image of the man of heaven.

Matt. 11:28
"Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.  …"  [Jesus]

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)