This meditation is based on a passage for November 2, 2010 in the Daily Lectionary Year 2 from the Book of Common Worship for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) (1993). Text: Zephaniah 1:14-18 Reflection and Question: Zephaniah’s words are in the style called “apocalyptic:” imagining God’s destruction of the world in response to human sin. In […]

This meditation is based on a passage for November 1, 2010 in the Daily Lectionary Year 2 from the Book of Common Worship for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) (1993). Text: Luke 12:49-59 Reflection and Question: To Jesus’ provocative question “Do you think I have come to bring peace?” I plead guilty. I cling to the […]

This meditation is based on a passage for October 30, 2010 in the Daily Lectionary Year 2 from the Book of Common Worship for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) (1993). Text: Revelation 13:11-18 Reflection and Question: Following the beast that is like a lamb and a dragon, and the first beast whose mortal wound has been […]

This meditation is based on a passage for October 29, 2010 in the Daily Lectionary Year 2 from the Book of Common Worship for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) (1993). Text: Nahum 2:13-3:7 Reflection and Question: Nahum, like Jonah, speaks about Nineveh, the great Assyrian city in modern day Iraq. While God’s treatment of Nineveh in […]

This meditation is based on a passage for October 28, 2010 in the Daily Lectionary Year 2 from the Book of Common Worship for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) (1993). Text: Psalm 26 Reflection and Question: The New Oxford Annotated Bible calls this psalm a Prayer for Justice, though the word “justice” does not appear in […]

This meditation is based on a passage for October 27, 2010 in the Daily Lectionary Year 2 from the Book of Common Worship for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) (1993). Text: Luke 11:37-52 Reflection and Question: We don’t call this kind of person “Pharisee” any more but we still have them. They are the devout folk […]

This meditation is based on a passage for October 26, 2010 in the Daily Lectionary Year 2 from the Book of Common Worship for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) (1993). Text: Jonah 3:1-4:11 Reflection and Question: We return to the prophetic story of Jonah after the great fish spews Jonah out onto the dry land and […]

This meditation is based on a passage for October 25, 2010 in the Daily Lectionary Year 2 from the Book of Common Worship for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) (1993). Text: Luke 11:14-26 Reflection and Question: In my youth the conclusion here totally confused me because it’s message, “Whoever is not with me is against me,” […]

This meditation is based on a passage for October 24, 2010 in the Daily Lectionary Year 2 from the Book of Common Worship for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) (1993). Text: Jonah 1:1-17 Reflection and Question: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Christians are often asked why we stay in the church, despite how often we […]

This meditation is based on a passage for October 23, 2010 in the Daily Lectionary Year 2 from the Book of Common Worship for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) (1993). Text: Luke 11:1-13 Reflection and Question: When Jesus taught the disciples to pray, He emphasized being both persistent and trusting in prayer. The Lukan version of […]