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 Beautiful, Peace--Feb. 2, 2021


Gracious and loving God,

how beautiful upon the mountains, 

is your messenger who brings peace.

 

When we see only vileness in humankind,

show us those with compassion for the hungry.

 

And when we see wickedness on every side,

grant us more empathy for one another.

 

Lectionary Readings

Ps. 12; 146; 36; 7

Isa. 52:1-12

Gal. 4:12-20

Mark 8:1-10

 

Selected Verses 

Ps. 12:8

On every side the wicked prowl,
          as vileness is exalted among humankind.

 

Isa. 52:7

How beautiful upon the mountains
          are the feet of the messenger who announces peace,
who brings good news,
          who announces salvation,
          who says to Zion, "Your God reigns."

 

Gal. 4:12a

Friends, I beg you, become as I am, for I also have become as you are.

 

Mark 8:1-2

In those days when there was again a great crowd without anything to eat, [Jesus] called his disciples and said to them, “I have compassion for the crowd, because they have been with me now for three days and have nothing to eat.  …”


Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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