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.

How to Love Our Enemies--May 9, 2020


Good Shepherd, even in
the presence of our enemies,
still you are present with us, too.

As your glory filled the tabernacle,
Lord, fill us with your Holy Spirit—
for how can we love more and more,
how can we even love our enemies,
unless we are full of your love?

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 92; 149; 23; 114
Exod. 40:18-38
1 Thess. 4:1-12
Matt. 5:38-48

Selected Verses
Ps. 23:5
You prepare a table before me
          in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
          my cup overflows.

Exod. 40:34
Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. 

1 Thess. 4:10
…and indeed you do love all the brothers and sisters throughout Macedonia.  But we urge you, beloved, to do so more and more…

Matt. 5:44-45
“…But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous.  …”  [Jesus, to the crowds on the mountain]
Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

2 comments:

  1. Mea SententiaMay 9, 2020 at 12:00 PM

    Yesterday while driving I suddenly became angry at people who hurt me decades ago. The call to love enemies is perennial. Such a hard form of love.

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  2. Elmer E. EwingMay 10, 2020 at 12:20 AM

    The road you mentioned driving is very familiar to me. Loving enemies and forgiving them is for me the hardest form of love. After Jesus taught the disciples to pray, the only part of the prayer to which he added a comment was the part about forgiveness. I guess he knew it would be hard. I find it helpful to remember that if I don't forgive them, they still have the power to make me suffer. That's not loving them yet, but perhaps it's a step along the way.

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