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.

Blessed Are the Eyes That See--Nov. 27, 2019



[By accident my computer was set to Oct. 30 instead of Nov. 27, and that was what I used for my meditation.  I have decided to leave it as written, with the excuse that it seems more fitting in preparation for our American Thanksgiving Day.]

Gracious God,
we do not need to remind you;
you remember, but we forget.

We make excuses: the scroll
is lost, or it is sealed to us.

Yet the truth is, many people
longed to see what we are able
to see, and to hear what we are able
to hear, about all the ways you bless us.

God, open our eyes and our ears, and make us thankful.


Lectionary Readings
Ps. 96; 147:1-11; 132; 134
Obadiah 15-21
1 Peter 2:1-10
Matt. 19:23-30

Selected Verses
Ps. 132:1
O LORD, remember in David’s favor
          all the hardships he endured

Ezra 6:2
But it was in Ecbatana, the capital in the province of Media, that a scroll was found on which this was written: “A record.  …”

Rev. 5:1
Then I saw in the right hand of the one seated on the throne a scroll written on the inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals…

Matt. 13:16-17
“…But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear.  Truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.”  [Jesus, to his disciples]

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

1 comment:

  1. Mea SententiaNovember 27, 2019 at 9:18 PM

    A lovely meditation for Thanksgiving. Hope your holiday is a happy one. Peace.

    (It is strange how sometimes I am able to comment, and other times not.)

    ReplyDelete

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