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.

Where the Soles of Our Feet Tread--Jan. 5, 2015

[From Jan. 5, 2007 archive]

Mighty King, lover of justice,
you have chosen us to bear fruit,
fruit that will last.

Surely you intend us to pray for justice
and work to establish equity,
for justice bears lasting fruit.

In our world there is so little equity--
we live in privileged comfort
while the destitute starve.

That may be the greatest injustice in our time--
even worse than those killed by cruel torture--
those killed by cruel poverty.

Wherever the soles of our feet tread,
does the land belong to us?
No, our footprint is too big.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 99; 145; 96; 110
Josh. 1:1-9
Heb. 11:32-12:2
John 15:1-16

Selected Verses
Ps. 99:4
Mighty King, lover of justice,
            you have established equity;
you have executed justice
            and righteousness in Jacob.

Josh. 1:3
Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, as I promised to Moses.

Heb. 11:37-38a
[Other people of faith] were stoned to death, they were sawn in two, they were killed by the sword, they went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, persecuted, tormented—of whom the world was not worthy.

John 15:16
You did not choose me but I chose you.  And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name.

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