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.

Oppressed and Trampled Down--May 29, 2021

[From May 30, 2015 archive]

 

I just realized that earlier I posted 

the wrong lectionary passages for today.  

Below is the correct one.  Under present 

conditions, global hunger is even worse

because of he pandemic.  We must 

share the vaccine as well as food.

 

Millions of the world's poor and hungry people 

are oppressed and trampled down, O God. 

They lie at our gate and long to satisfy 

their hunger with what falls from 

our table. 

 

You have told us what we should do--welcome 

the alien, attend to the hungry and thirsty--

but we do not listen to your word or do 

as you say. 

 

We have received your grace and we live 

in abundance; in thanksgiving may we 

heed your word and work to end 

all oppression. 

 

Lectionary Readings

Ps. 56; 149; 118; 111

Deut. 5:22-33

2 Cor. 4:13-5:10

Luke 16:19-31

 

Selected Verses 

Ps. 56:1 

Be gracious to me, O God, for people trample on me; 
          all day long foes oppress me… 

 

Deut. 5:27b

"…Then tell us everything that the LORD our God tells you, and we will listen and do it.  …"  [The people of Israel to Moses] 

 

2 Cor. 4:15 

Yes, everything is for your sake, so that grace, as it extends to more and more people, may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God. 

 

Luke 16:20-21a 

"…And at [the rich man's] gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who longed to satisfy his hunger with what fell from the rich man's table…"  [Jesus]


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