Glorious

Mashing up today’s readings:

And I have given them the glory you gave me,
so that they may be one, as we are one,
I in them and you in me,
that they may be brought to perfection as one,
that the world may know that you sent me,
and that you loved them even as you loved me.
–John 17:20-26

The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.”
Let the hearer say, “Come.”
Let the one who thirsts come forward,
and the one who wants it receive the gift of life-giving water.
The one who gives this testimony says, “Yes, I am coming soon.”
Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!
–Revelation 22:12-20

“Let there be light”: That light will dawn.
“Let there be life”: It will not die.
What God has promised yet will come;
what God has willed none will defy.

Then there will come an endless light
that our pale days but hint at now,
a glory that will fill the night
and bind it into heaven's hour.

The day in night, the night in day:
so God in Christ and Christ in us.
Then nothing shall take us away
and, oh, we shall be glorious!

Restored, as on the seventh morn,
not yet in shame and fig leaf dressed,
not more forsaken nor forlorn,
and from our labors we shall rest.

May it come quickly, Lord, we pray!
The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!”
as you yourself taught them to say,
and as you said it first to them.

Your word in us is ours to you,
as God in you and you in us:
Come quickly, Lord; make all things new!
And answer—ever answer—“Yes!”

English: Mosaic in the Baptistry of San Giovanni of Florence, ca. 1300, by the Florentine Master. By Florentinischer Meister um 1300 – The Yorck Project (2002) 10.000 Meisterwerke der Malerei (DVD-ROM), distributed by DIRECTMEDIA Publishing GmbH. ISBN: 3936122202., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=150949

Make All Things New

Mashing up today’s readings:

To love as you have loved us, Lord:
You give a new command.
To love as you and be restored—
yet still our old ways stand.
Transform us: All creation waits
to see us made like you.
For us the task is far too great,
but you make all things new.

Give years of joy for those we mourned;
let feast redeem the fast.
The bride shall come in love adorned
to meet her groom at last.
Your foes lie prostrate, length and breadth,
when you make us like you:
The last to be destroyed is death
when you make all things new.

This turning earth shall slow and cease,
our moment pass away—
our bound and shackled hearts released
into eternal day.
And you o'er all things glorified,
God glorified in you,
will wipe the tears from every eye
when you make all things new.

John of Patmos watches the descent of New Jerusalem from God in a 14th-century tapestry, Photo By Octave 444 – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=86993899

One Bride, One Body

Not as in David's era,
the man of many wives,
nor Solomon's great harem
and all his concubines,
but there shall come a Bridegroom
into the banquet hall,
his banner o'er us flying,
and he will wed us all.

And there will be no widows,
no orphans in the street,
but all shall come within doors,
reclining at his feet,
and all the words he's spoken
of mercy and of love
will bless the bread he's broken—
and there will be enough.

No strife or competition 
shall separate his brides;
his bounty and his wisdom
will bind us at his side
and we shall feast together
where new wine ever pours,
one bride forever wedded,
one body in the Lord.

Brautzug der Sulamith Geschlossener Zustand der Kabbalistischen Lehrtafel in der Kirche von Bad Teinach Als Braut: Antonia Prinzessin von Württemberg, Schwester Eberhard III.By Johann Friedrich Gruber – eingescannt aus: Hansmartin Decker-Hauff: Frauen im Hause Württemberg, Leinfelden-Echterdingen, 1997, ISBN 3-87181-390-7, S. 99, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1905265

May There Be

For the hungry and the thirsty,
for the for the poor and for the meek,
for the blind man crying, “Mercy!”
saying, “Lord, I want to see,”
when the skies rain down a savior,
when he gathers east and west,
may there be a great high table
where the least have all the best.

For the robber robed in splendor,
for the beggar at the gate,
for the last man in the vineyard,
for the bridesmaids coming late,
when the bread of heaven's broken,
when the saints go marching in,
may there be a door left open
as the wedding feast begins.

For the desperate and down-hearted,
for the captive and the bound,
for the ones who dwell in darkness,
all those waiting to be found,
when the shepherd comes to free them,
when the nights gives way to dawn,
in the loving arms of Jesus,
may we find the light goes on.

Late Roman marble copy of the Kriophoros of Kalamis (Museo Barracco, Rome) By No machine-readable author provided. Tetraktys assumed (based on copyright claims). – No machine-readable source provided. Own work assumed (based on copyright claims)., CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=9811227

Let Us Go

For God has commanded
   that every lofty mountain be made low,
and that the age-old depths and gorges
   be filled to level ground,
   that Israel may advance secure in the glory of God.
The forests and every fragrant kind of tree
   have overshadowed Israel at God’s command;
for God is leading Israel in joy
   by the light of his glory,
   with his mercy and justice for company.
—Baruch 5:1-9

A voice is crying in the desert:
“Make straight the path! Prepare the way,
that children may return from exile
and those in darkness see the day.

“The frail and foolish shall not falter;
the strong shall not oppress the weak,
but all come streaming to the altar
where kings bow down before the meek.”

But God it was made these rough places,
with plumb and line laid out the earth.
He comes, remaking this creation,
preparing hearts to know his birth.

And lo! The mountains bow to greet him;
the valleys rise to offer praise.
They know our God has come to meet us,
and all the earth shall see his face.

The narrow way grows wide and even
and shaded o'er by every tree.
No heights now block the way between us;
no gorges gape before our feet.

Then let us go along his highway
with all who come from east and west.
A light is breaking forth to guide us
into the pastures of his rest.

The Preaching of St. John the Baptist by Pieter Bruegel the Elder, 1566 – Google Arts & Culture: Home – pic Maximum resolution., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=122059315

Study War No Longer

Thus says the Lord of hosts:
There will yet come peoples and inhabitants of many cities;
and the inhabitants of one city will approach those of another, and say, “Come! let us go to implore the favor of the Lord and to seek the Lord of hosts. I too am going.”
Many peoples and strong nations will come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem and to implore the favor of the Lord.
—Zechariah 8:20-22

When the cities band together,
both the greater and the least,
not in league against their brethren
but to find the way of peace;

when they study war no longer,
even laying down the sword,
and as one, both weak and stronger,
they go up to seek the Lord;

when they set aside their ambush
and dismantle all their traps;
when they come with open hands, then,
one another's hands to clasp;

when they say, “Come climb the mountain:
We will ask God what to do.
Let us drink from wisdom's fountain—
I myself am going, too!”

it will be the end of all things.
All we know will pass away,
as the shadows of our small kings
disappear into the day.

This old world will burn to ashes;
heav'n and earth will be made new
and we, too, shall be refashioned—
Lord, my God, let it come soon!

Identifier: saitomusashibobe01debe (find matches) Title: Saito Musashi-bo Benkei : tales of the wars of the Gempei, being the story of the lives and adventures of Iyo-no-Kami Minamoto Kuro Yoshitsune and Saito Musashi-bo Benkei the warrior monk Year: 1910 (1910s) Authors: De Benneville, James S. (James Seguin) Subjects: Minamoto, Yoshitsune, 1159-1189 Benkei, d. 1189? Publisher: Yokohama : J.S. De Benneville Contributing Library: Harold B. Lee Library Digitizing Sponsor: Brigham Young University View Book Page: Book Viewer About This Book: Catalog Entry View All Images: All Images From Book Click here to view book online to see this illustration in context in a browseable online version of this book. Text Appearing Before Image: waka besidehim roused him up. Throwing down the halberd heagain drew his sword. One vicious sweep after anothermissed its mark. Benkei fought well. Too near the sideof the bridge, and missing his mark, he sank his sworddeep into the wooden beams. Before he could withdrawit Ushiwaka leaped at him giving him a severe kick in the * A modest eighteen feet. Japanese gates (moti) are lofty structuresof twenty to forty feet or more in height. t Hi no maru gunsen. The frames were of iron: used by highmilitary officers in ancient times (Brinckleys Diet). As to Ushiwakassword, that lie should cling to it is natural. Minamoto Mitsunaka(912-997 A.D.) had two of these famous weapons, forged by a smith inChikuzen, who fasted for a week and then spent seventy days in theforging of the weapons. These were hereditary treasures of the SeiwaGenji, and had names—Higekiru and Hizamaru. So likewise had theother militant family—the Taira. Their weapons were called Kogarasnand Nukemaru. (Ariga) II. p. 3. Text Appearing After Image: BENKEI AND USHIWAKA AT THE QOJO BRIDGE. BENKEI MEETS USHIWAKA-MARU. 331 forehead. Struck in this vital spot Benkei lost his sightand fell to the ground. Ushiwaka picked up the swordand lightly leaped up on the rail, some nine feet high.Oh! you miserable fellow! You wretched fencer!(Benkei writhed at this). You challenge me to get mysword and here I have yours. Shame on you, dressed ina priests robe. Come ! Be off with you ! Try to get atleast a little better set of morals to correspond to yourdress. As for your weapon it is too wretched a thing forme to keep from you, even if I could do such a thing.He examined it; then bending it threw it back to Benkei.Benkei, more ashamed and confused than defeated pickedit up, straightened the weapon in a way, and started totl rust it into the scabbard as if about to make off; butas Ushiwaka sprang down he turned quickly and made aswift slice at him. In a trice Ushiwaka was back on thetop of the bridge rail. This was too much for Benkei.God or ten Note About Images Please note that these images are extracted from scanned page images that may have been digitally enhanced for readability – coloration and appearance of these illustrations may not perfectly resemble the original work.By Internet Archive Book Images – https://www.flickr.com/photos/internetarchivebookimages/14760438876/Source book page: https://archive.org/stream/saitomusashibobe01debe/saitomusashibobe01debe#page/n412/mode/1up, No restrictions, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=41896582

I Cannot Keep Awake

“Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy
from carousing and drunkenness
and the anxieties of daily life,
and that day catch you by surprise like a trap.
For that day will assault everyone
who lives on the face of the earth.
Be vigilant at all times
and pray that you have the strength
to escape the tribulations that are imminent
and to stand before the Son of Man.”
—Luke 21:25-28, 34-36

My eyes will not stay open;
I cannot keep awake,
but trust what you have spoken
that swiftly comes the day

when you will come restoring,
come bringing exiles home.
I may not be here for it,
but I wait, even so.

The memories we carry,
old sorrows we still weep
like seeds the winter buried,
not dead but fast asleep,

with Jesse's stump forgotten
yet watered by the dew—
all that we lost shall blossom,
becoming something new.

The fruit we stole in Eden
and Cain's rejected sheaves,
their shoots will grow like weeds then
into your mercy's feast.

And if I cannot see it,
if I am buried deep,
yet you will come, Redeemer,
to wake me from my sleep.

Detail of Jesse from the Stained Glass window of All Saints Church, Hove, Sussex. England, Photo By Malcolmlow, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=64575403

A King Who Leads No Armies

Jesus answered, “My kingdom does not belong to this world.
If my kingdom did belong to this world,
my attendants would be fighting
to keep me from being handed over to the Jews.
But as it is, my kingdom is not here.”
—John 18:33b-37

He comes, a thief in darkness,
the king who tells no lies,
as tender as we're hardened;
his truth shall fill the skies.

He comes, the sun of justice
to right our wrongful ways.
He comes, the one who loves us.
He comes to buy the slaves

and seat them over princes,
above the highest lords,
to judge and save us sinners,
and he shall be adored.

He once before came helpless 
upon the earth he moves—
almighty God defenseless,
a lamb to save the wolves.

He comes now to disarm us
of whips and nails and thorns;
a king who leads no armies
tills gardens with our swords.

He comes to heal the broken;
he comes to break the chains,
and all the world waits for him—
Come, Lord, do not delay!

St. Catherine’s Monastery, Mount Sinai, Egypt, Photo By carulmare – https://www.flickr.com/photos/8545333@N07/4124982761/, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=30366875

Already Drawing Near

Though no one can say when it's coming,
for no one can see it appear,
the kingdom of God is among us.
The savior already draws near.

He hungers in all of the hungry;
in every dry throat does he thirst,
and all that we do is done to him.
In all of our wounds he is hurt.

But we have not learned how to see him—
O come, Son of Man, touch our eyes
to know you in all that we meet here.
O wisdom of God, make us wise

to weep with your children in sorrow,
to shelter your flock from the cold.
O dawn from on high, break our darkness
and light the way into your fold.

For there you will set a great table
and call us all into the feast—
but here let us feed you, O Savior,
yourself in the last and the least.

And thus, we will learn how to hear you:
O David's Son, lift up your voice
to heal us and let us draw near you.
Lord, shepherd us into your joy!

The Sarcophagus of Marcus Claudianus (ca. 330-335, Palazzo Massimo, Rome): Detail, a harvester. The figure directly to the left of the decedent’s portrait is a man harvesting wheat. Paired with the vintage on the right, this is possibly a Eucharistic reference. Photo By Dick Stracke – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=31956395

Fig Tree

Learn a lesson from the fig tree.
When its branch becomes tender and sprouts leaves,
you know that summer is near.
In the same way, when you see these things happening,
know that he is near, at the gates.
Amen, I say to you,
this generation will not pass away
until all these things have taken place.
Heaven and earth will pass away,
but my words will not pass away.
–Mark 13:24-32

There will be days of trial and tribulation:
The sun will hide; the moon will shine no more.
The princes and the pow'rs will all be shaken,
and they will see the coming of the Lord.

Come, learn to read the wonders of the heavens,
the times and seasons ticking through the year.
For those with eyes to see, they are a message:
The days roll on, and Christ is drawing near.

Oh, let it be the lesson of the fig tree,
that summer comes and all the earth turns ripe,
the bud and blossom growing out of myst'ry,
the slow beginning of the fruit of life.

We wait the rising of the sun of justice;
the bride keeps vigil 'til she sees her groom.
With hope and fear we wait the coming judgment
to see the deserts bursting into bloom.

O, give us courage, Lord, to stand before you,
and strengthen us to make a level way
where all may journey safely to adore you,
and give us patience while we wait for day.

Trew, C.J., Plantae selectae quarum imagines ad exemplaria naturalia Londini, in hortis curiosorum nutrit, vol. 8: t. 73 (1771) [G.D. Ehret] – http://plantillustrations.org/illustration.php?id_illustration=58571&language=English, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=22318968