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.

Lovers Find No Flaw--June 11, 2021

[From June 14, 2013 archive]

 

Lovers find no flaw in one another;

all that they do is done to build each other up.

 

You had a similar effect on your audiences, Jesus;

the common people were spellbound by what they heard.

 

They sought you out; they rejoiced and were glad in you;

in you they found salvation.  How great you are!

 

Lectionary Readings

Ps. 84; 148; 25; 40

Song of Sol. 2; 8-13; 4:1-4a, 5-7, 9-11

2 Cor. 12:11-21

Luke 19:41-48

 

Selected Verses 

Ps. 40:16

But may all who seek you 
          rejoice and be glad in you; 
may those who love your salvation 
          say continually, “Great is the LORD!”

 

Song of Sol. 4:7

You are altogether beautiful, my love; 

there is no flaw in you.

 

2 Cor. 12:19c

Everything we do, beloved, is for the sake of building you up.

 

Luke 19:47b-48

The chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people kept looking for a way to kill [Jesus]; but they did not find anything they could do, for all the people were spellbound by what they heard.


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