Jesus said: “My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. No one can take them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one can take them out of the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.” —John 10:27-30
We long to stand where endless praise is sung, where we are named and counted as the stars, where each one sings to you in his own tongue— O Shepherd, speak to each of us in ours!
For we are weary of our Babel here, the endless bleak confusion of our days. But if you speak, our senses may yet clear and let us seek together for your ways.
Bring us where all distress is in the past: The Lamb is in the center of the throne, his court a refuge that will ever last. We'll never be displaced, for we are home.
Oh, see: Our thirst and hunger are no more, and you will wipe the tears from every eye. Then speak to us, Good Shepherd! Speak, O Lord! That we may find the springs that ne'er run dry!
Speak, then, and let it be as you will say: Make us your own, as you made sea and land, that we may stand there in your endless day where nothing takes us from the Father's hand.
Jesus, der gute Hirte im Tympanon der evangelischen Friedenskirche in Hanau-Kesselstadt, Photo By amras.wi – Own workOriginal text: eigenes Photo, Copyrighted free use, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=69223980
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.
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 monkYear: 1910 (1910s) Authors: De Benneville, James S. (James Seguin)Subjects: Minamoto, Yoshitsune, 1159-1189Benkei, d. 1189?Publisher: Yokohama : J.S. De BennevilleContributing Library: Harold B. Lee LibraryDigitizing Sponsor: Brigham Young UniversityView Book Page: Book ViewerAbout This Book: Catalog EntryView 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 tenNote About ImagesPlease 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
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!
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
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.
When justice streams from heaven, will it burn or drown the world as in a second flood? Will we have time to run for cover first? The mountains melt like wax before the Lord,
whose truth shall spring up from the tired ground, obliterating what we thought was safe. Was it on rock or sand we built the house? He comes, he comes, the reckoner of days.
For he has heard the wailing of the poor— Weep then, you rich, at your impending doom. He comes to give us each our sure reward, and how can earth not quake when heaven stoops?
Yet all these things will pass and silence fall, and every knee shall bend before his might, but ere he judges, God will stoop still more to mourn the passing of each blameless light.
Unshroud the dead; let him see every face, and tremble, heaven, as he sees who died. Roll back the stones, disturbing every grave, and let him see their hands, their feet, their sides.
O angels, turn your faces; do not look. O six-winged seraphs, hide your flaming eyes. Earth would dissolve in fire if it could, not to be there when its creator cries.
In the valley of the shadow we have learned to make our homes, building with the wood we have here on the ashes of what's gone. We have trembled with its passions; we have goosestepped to its drums: How will we inhabit mansions when the peaceful kingdom comes?
Oh, but you have set a table where the foe looks on the foe, where the air still rings with anger and the ground is filled with bones. There you take the bread of anguish, sorrow's wine that overflows, and you turn it into manna, and you make this vale your home.
Lord, we know thw day is coming when the earth and sky will blaze, when the armies stop their drumming and our grief at last will fade. With this manna, sweet as honey, teach us how to live that day; breaking bread, we hold your promise: Death will not steal all away.
He said, “This is how it is with the kingdom of God; it is as if a man were to scatter seed on the land and would sleep and rise night and day and the seed would sprout and grow, he knows not how. Of its own accord the land yields fruit, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. And when the grain is ripe, he wields the sickle at once, for the harvest has come.”
Mark 4:26-29
First the harrow, then the plow turns and opens barren fields where the seeds are trampled down into wounds the sun will heal.
First the shoot and then the leaf pierce the earth to catch the rain, turning all this dead world green, springing up to life again.
First the sprouting, then the growth prophesying joy to come, bounty pledging summer's troth while the length'ning days run on.
First the blade and then the ear, then the grain comes, rip'ning gold, to the harvest of the year, to the feast so long foretold.
First creation's sixfold day, then the years' repeating rounds: Death and life eachother chase 'til the final sun goes down,
then out of the ling'ring gloom comes the day that will not end. Seeds sprout up from every tomb. Winter will not come again.
Kate Bluett 
