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.

God, Call Us to Peace--March 14, 2020


Lord God most faithful,
into your hand we commit our spirit.
You have redeemed us, called us to peace.

Help us in love to deal with separations;
teach us that it is no disgrace to weep
when overcome by our emotions,
and take away our prejudice
against mental illness.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 43; 149; 31; 143
Gen. 43:16-34
1 Cor. 7:10-24
Mark 5:1-20

Selected Verses
Ps. 43:5
Into your hand I commit my spirit;
          you have redeemed me, O LORD, faithful God.

Gen. 43:30
With that, Joseph hurried out, because he was overcome with affection for his brother, and he was about to weep.  So he went into a private room and wept there. 

1 Cor. 7:15
But if the unbelieving partner separates, let it be so; in such a case the brother or sister is not bound.  It is to peace that God has called you.

Mark 5:15
[The local people] came to Jesus and saw the demoniac sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, the very man who had had the legion; and they were afraid.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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