You Send Lambs

Go on your way;
behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves.
Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals;
and greet no one along the way.
Into whatever house you enter, first say,
‘Peace to this household.’
If a peaceful person lives there,
your peace will rest on him;
but if not, it will return to you.
Luke 10:1-12, 17-20

You set us barefoot in the world
to walk along its dusty streets,
not hunters sent to slay the wolves,
but lambs sent out to bring them peace.

The sheep are safely in your fold,
but all the ark must yet be filled
so you send lambs and make them bold
to call the beasts of wood and field,

of mountain height and open air,
of darkness under stone and sea.
To all you say, The kingdom's here,
through lambs your word has taught to speak.

To shorn and unshorn all alike
give us the courage, then, to go
that clean and unclean fill the ark
and all the world your mercy know.

We must not go out clothed in gold
or carried high above the dust,
but as you came into the world:
You walked the road as one of us.

To all who walk the dusty earth
or crawl or fly or swim its miles,
O loving shepherd, send us forth,
each one your peaceful kingdom's child.

Icon of the Seventy Apostles By Ikonopisatelj – http://chattablogs.com/aionioszoe/archives/70Apostles.jpg, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3536332

Christ Our Peace

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.
Not as the world gives do I give it to you.
Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.
You heard me tell you,
‘I am going away and I will come back to you.’
If you loved me,
you would rejoice that I am going to the Father;
for the Father is greater than I.
And now I have told you this before it happens,
so that when it happens you may believe.
John 14:23-29

To the tune AURELIA:

Not as the world would give it,
a burden with a price,
but Christ our peace is given:
the groom unto his bride.
He bears no obligation
and comes without a cost,
our joyful expectation
and hope when all is lost.

Lay down your restless striving,
your neverending need,
your terror swift-arriving,
to lie down at his feet.
Your burdens will wait for you;
your fears will not depart
while here his peace restores you,
and you refresh your heart.

And if you cannot find him,
if he has gone away,
let not your heart be frightened,
but trust him still and wait.
For he will yet awaken,
who sleeps within the storm,
to still the sea's impatience
and bid the winds be calm.

Jesus saying farewell to his eleven remaining disciples, from the *Maesta* by Duccio, 1308–1311. By Duccio di Buoninsegna – Web Gallery of Art: Image Info about artwork, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7922656

He Shall Be Peace

Rise up in splendor, Jerusalem! Your light has come,
the glory of the Lord shines upon you.
See, darkness covers the earth,
and thick clouds cover the peoples;
but upon you the LORD shines,
and over you appears his glory.
Nations shall walk by your light,
and kings by your shining radiance.
Raise your eyes and look about;
they all gather and come to you:
your sons come from afar,
and your daughters in the arms of their nurses.
Then you shall be radiant at what you see,
your heart shall throb and overflow,
for the riches of the sea shall be emptied out before you,
the wealth of nations shall be brought to you.
Caravans of camels shall fill you,
dromedaries from Midian and Ephah;
all from Sheba shall come
bearing gold and frankincense,
and proclaiming the praises of the LORD.
Isaiah 60:1-6

For Epiphany:

So long the clouds have covered us;
so long they hid the light,
but dawn is breaking over us.
Come, revel in the sight!

And see: The children lost to us
have set out on the way,
the sons and daughters taken once, 
returning with the day.

The deaf'ning thunder of our wars,
our sorrow's blinding tears:
They vanish when the rising morn
has touched our eyes and ears.

And all the riches of the earth
that glitter in the dawn
cannot outshine him at his birth:
The Sun of Justice comes!

Both king and shepherd, see him rise:
All nations now behold—
oh, brighter than the morning skies!—
the comfort long foretold.

Lift up your eyes, Jerusalem,
and shine at what you see:
A shepherd comes from Bethlehem,
and, oh! He shall be peace!

*Adoration of the Magi* by El Greco, 1568, Museo Soumaya, Mexico City – Museo Soumaya Plaza Carso, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=35846297

O Teacher, Do You Care?

On that day, as evening drew on, Jesus said to his disciples:
“Let us cross to the other side.”
Leaving the crowd, they took Jesus with them in the boat just as he was.
And other boats were with him.
A violent squall came up and waves were breaking over the boat,
so that it was already filling up.
Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion.
They woke him and said to him,
“Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”
He woke up,
rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Quiet! Be still!”
The wind ceased and there was great calm.
Then he asked them, “Why are you terrified?
Do you not yet have faith?”
They were filled with great awe and said to one another,
“Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey?”
Mark 4: 35-41

One for today’s Gospel reading, to the tune KINGSFOLD (“I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say”):

We set out for the farther shore,
O Lord, at your command,
and when the storm begins to roar, 
we call for every hand.
And when you do not come to us
or seem to hear our prayer,
how can we rest?  How can we trust?
O Teacher, do you care?

Though rebuke the howling wind
and bid the sea be still,
we have as yet a storm within
of wonder and of will.
The wind and waves obey your voice,
but can we have their faith
to make your peace our only choice
and hold fast to your grace?

When tempests rage and terrors rear,
awaken to us, Lord,
with kindness for our human fear
that calls you in the storm.
Do not rebuke our frightened hearts,
but help us still sail on
to know the mercy that you are
and reach you in the calm.

Stuttgart, Stiftskirche, Nordwesttür, Tympanonplastik „Stillung des Sturmes durch Jesus“ von Jürgen Weber, 1957 By Photo: Andreas Praefcke – Own work (own photograph), CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=15039823

Weaponless

 The world is fierce with weaponry
 and we are born with swords in hand;
 in every face an enemy,
 each step a palace to make our stand.
Our shields and armor weigh us down,
 and when the waters rise, we'll drown.

You came into this world, oh Lord,
without a shield strapped to your back,
 your message as your only sword,
 the truth alone as your attack.
The Son of God to earth come down,
you walk the waters where we drown.

How can we follow where you lead,
too heavy here to walk your road
 when it's your weightless peace we need?
Oh, free our shoulders from the load!
Teach us to lay our weapons down
and save us, Lord, before we drown!

Then lead us onward, swordless king,
 as we go weaponless to fight,
 and bless the empty hands we bring
 to work for you and build the right.
For you we lay these burdens down,
 and take your hand, and do not drown.

By Amédée Varin – http://www.culture.gouv.fr/GOUPIL/IMAGES/101_Christ_sur_eau.jpg (Gravures et eaux fortes), Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4780982

With Your Justice, the King’s Son

Justice shall flower in his days,
and profound peace, till the moon be no more.
May he rule from sea to sea,
and from the River to the ends of the earth.
Psalm 72: 7-8

 The sapling wood is withered;
 the once-green world is dry.
 The lithe is bent and brittled
 and weeps with tearless eye.
 The mountains do not listen
 when, "Fall on us!" we cry,
 but wait another whisper
 to tell them when 'tis time.
 
 When comes the time appointed,  
 the hills shall bring forth peace.
 All fractured and disjointed,
 dividing wars shall cease.
 The lost and poor, rejoicing,
 shall come from west and east,
 their praise fearlessly voicing
 to share in freedom's feast.
 
 When shall he come to ransom
 the captives in their chains?
 To rise in haste to answer
 the boasting of the vain?
 The weeping world is chastened,
 despairing in its pain.
 Send us your hope, Lord: Hasten
 the coming of Christ's reign!

Pray for peace, everybody.