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.

Hidden from Our Eyes--June 16, 2017


Familiarity hides the beautiful from our eyes.
We grow accustomed to the face we once adored;
we fail to recognize the things that make for peace;
and even upon returning to a familiar place,
we may not find it--or our loved ones--
as we wish.

Your dwelling place is in our hearts, O Christ,
may we never lose sight of the beauty,
or weary of your presence there.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 84; 148; 25; 40
Song Sol. 2:8-13; 4:1-4a, 5-7, 9-11
2 Cor. 12:11-21
Luke 19:41-48

Selected Verses
Ps. 84:1
How lovely is your dwelling place,
          O LORD of hosts! 

Song Sol. 4:1a
How beautiful you are, my love,
          how very beautiful!

2 Cor. 12:20a
For I fear that when I come, I may find you not as I wish, and that you may find me not as you wish…

Luke 19:41
As [Jesus] came near and saw [Jerusalem], he wept over it, saying, "If you, even you, had only recognized on this day the things that make for peace!  But now they are hidden from your eyes. …"

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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