.

When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his clothes.

.

Go and inquire of the LORD for me and for the people and for all Judah

about what is written in this book that has been found.

Great is the LORD’s anger that burns against us

because those who have gone before us have not

obeyed the words of this book.

.

Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Akbor, Shaphan and Asaiah went to speak to prophet Huldah,

who was the wife of Shallum son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe.

She lived in Jerusalem, in the New Quarter.

.

She said to them,

“This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Tell the man who sent you to me,

‘This is what the LORD says:

I am going to bring disaster on this place and its people,

according to everything written in the book the king of Judah has read.

Because they have forsaken me and burned incense to other gods

and aroused my anger by all the idols their hands have made,

my anger will burn against this place and will not be quenched.’

.

Tell the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the LORD,

‘This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says concerning the words you heard:

Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before the LORD

when you heard what I have spoken against this place and its people –

that they would become a curse and be laid waste –

and because you tore your robes and wept in my presence,

.

I also have heard you, declare the LORD.

Therefore I will gather you to your ancestors,

and you will be buried in peace.

Your eyes will not see all the disaster I am going to bring

on this place.'”

.

So they took her answer back to the king.

.

Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to

destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads

to life, and only a few find it.

.

.

Then one of the synagogue leaders, named Jairus, came,

and when he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet. 

He pleaded earnestly with him, 

.

My little daughter is dying.

.

Please come and put your hands on her

so that she will be healed and live.

.

So Jesus went with him.

.

Your daughter is dead,

why bother the teacher anymore?

.

Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him,

Don’t be afraid; just believe.

.

Why all this commotion and wailing?

The child is not dead but asleep.

.

But they laughed at him.

.

He took the child’s father and mother

and the disciples who were with him,

and went in where the child was.

.

He took her by the hand and said to her,

Talitha koum!

(Little girl, I say to you, get up!)

.

Immediately the girl stood up and began to walk around

(she was twelve years old).

.

At this they were completely astonished.

He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this,

and told them to give her something to eat.

.

And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead, raised to life again. There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection.

.

.

Don’t you have saying,

it’s still four months until harvest?

Open your eyes

and look at the fields!

.

He left Judah

and went back once more to Galilee

.

It was about noon

A Samaritan woman came to draw water

.

The well is deep

Where can you get this living water?

.

Give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty

and have to keep coming here to draw water

.

Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain

.

Woman, Jesus replied, God is spirit

His worshippers must worship in the Spirit and in truth

.

and I saw water coming out from under the threshold of the temple toward the east 

.

and then led me through water that was ankle-deep

and led me through water that was knee-deep

and led me through water that was up to the waist

but now it was a river that I could not cross, because the water had risen and was deep

enough to swim in – a river that no one could cross

.

.

May all who love you

be like the sun

when it rises in its strength

.

Under the Palm of Deborah

She held court

.

Transfigured before them

.

From the heavens

the stars fought

.

The river swept them away

.

.

There he was transfigured before them.

His face

shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white

as the light.

The light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed

in the face of Christ.

And we all, who with unveiled faces reflect the Lord’s glory,

are being transformed into his image with ever increasing glory,

which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin

looked intently at Stephen,

and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.

Look, he said, I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing

at the right hand of God.

For my eyes have seen your salvation,

which you have prepared in the sight of all nations,

a light for revelation to the Gentiles,

and the glory of your people Israel.

.

[Acts 26:23; Matt 17:2; 2 Cor 4:6; 2 Cor 3:18;

Acts 6:15; Acts 7:56; Luke 2:30-32, NIV]

.

Night

No light above

.

Night of clouds

No stars

.

Light

Hidden

Shining

.

.

The sun shines

Warming us

Inside 

.

Gold

Innocent

Pure

.

Outside

Fiery 

Bright

.

.

angels

before

and

after

above

us

present

blooming

seed

trees

is

and

was

and

to

be

.

.

Few words

Voice clear

Night starlit

.

Light

Born again

.

Budded

Blossomed

Israel

.

Here

Red Sea

Still

.

Here 

What is not

But is

.

.

During the night Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said,

“Up! Leave my people, you and the Israelites!”

The Israelites journeyed from Rameses to Sukkoth. 

There were about six hundred thousand men on foot,

besides women and children.

On this night, all the Israelites are to keep vigil to honour the Lord 

for the generations to come.

After leaving Sukkoth they camped at Etham on the edge of the desert. 

By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud 

to guide them on their way,

and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light

so that they could travel by day or night.

Neither the pillar of cloud by day

nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.

.

This night is for the Lord, to be remembered by all the people of Israel for all time.

.

Remembering Afghan refugees, forced out of Islamabad, and some out of Pakistan.