The time I spend reading the stories of Jesus
Brings happiness to me
I relate to him as he walks among men
And blesses them generously.
I can read those adventures again and again
And relive His loving deeds
As he walked the pathways of Galilee
And filled the peoples’ needs.
He attended a marriage in Cana
With apostles, as neighbor and friend.
His mother told him the host had a problem
And asked him a hand to lend.
The wine was all gone-- a disaster!
Not Jesus’ problem, but his mother knew
His sympathy for others and his kindness
Would cause him something to do.
His mother said to the servants
“Do what he tells you to do.”
“Fill-these-waterpots full-to-the-brim,” said he
“With water. Draw from them
What you need to serve.”
They took it to the master of the feast and he
Said, “This last wine is better than the first.
How did that happen to be?”
This beginning of miracles did Jesus
In Cana of Galilee.
This manifestation of his power
His believing disciples did see.
To him came a man with withered hand
Useless and pitiful to see.
With a word Jesus restored its strength and look
As useful as the other hand would be.
There was brought to him one possessed with a devil
Helpless, dumb and blind.
Jesus healed him and gave him welcome sight
And ability to speak with unhindered mind.
To Jesus came a leper who worshiped him and said,
Lord, If thou wilt thou canst make me clean.
Jesus put forth his hand and touched the man
And said, I will. Be thou clean.
And the leprosy was cleansed immediately.
And Jesus said, Tell no man but go thy way
Show thy self to the priest and give a gift
As commanded by Moses and be on thy way.
In Capernaum a centurion approached Jesus
Saying, Lord, my servant has palsy.
Jesus said, I will come and heal him.
But the centurion said, Speak the word only
And my servant shall be well.
Jesus marveled and said to those following
Such faith I have not seen in all Israel.
From a Roman that faith is most heartening.
And Jesus said to the centurion,
“By thy faith so shall it be done unto thee.”
The servant was healed in that self-same hour
And from the palsy he was once again free.
And when Jesus was come unto Peter’s house
Peter’s wife’s mother was ill.
Jesus touched her and she was healed and
She served them in health and with a will.
When even was come they brought many to him
Those possessed with spirits and devils.
He cast our the spirits and healed them
Of sicknesses and of all evils.
And he entered a ship and the disciples went too.
He slept. Though a tempest arose and a strong wind blew,
The waves rose higher and the wind blew stronger
Till the terrified disciples could endure it no longer.
Then they came to him in fear and awoke him saying,
Master we perish. Save us O Lord!
And he said, “ Why do ye fear, ye of little faith?”
And he calmed the wind and the waves with his word.
When he came to the country of the Gergesenes
Two men possessed of devils came out of a tomb
And said, Jesus, thou Son of God, art thou
Come to torment us before our time of doom?
And they besought him saying, If thou cast us out
Suffer us to go into that herd of swine.
And he said, Go. And the whole herd ran violently
Into the sea from over a steep incline.
Then he took a ship to his own country.
And they brought him a palsied man, helpless on a bed.
And seeing their faith he said to the man,
Arise and walk. Go to thy house and carry thy bed.
Jesus went from thence and saw a man
Named Matthew collecting custom
And he said to this tax-collector
Follow me and Matthew followed him.
As Jesus sat at meat in a house
Sinners and publicans sat with him as he dined.
When Pharisees objected he said, They that are whole
Have no need of a doctor but they whose health has declined.
A ruler worshipped him and said,
My daughter is dead but if you’ll put your hand
On her I know that she will live.
When they came to the house the mourners did stand
Making noise, but Jesus said, Give place.
For she is not dead but only asleep.
Then he took her hand and the maid arose
And her parents had no more cause to weep.
A woman with a twelve- year-long-issue of blood
Thought by touching his robe she’d be made whole.
Jesus felt power go out of him and turned and saw her
And said, Woman thy faith hath made thee whole.
Two blind men said, Lord have mercy on us.
He said, Have you faith in what I can do?
They said, Yea, Lord! We have faith.
And he said, By your faith be it unto you.
And they brought a blind man possessed with a devil.
He cast out the devil, the man saw and was well.
The multitude marveled and said to each other
It was never so seen in all Israel.
When Jesus heard of John’s death
He went to a desert place apart.
But the people followed him out of the cities
And from him they would not depart.
When he saw the multitude he was filled with compassion.
He gave comfort to all and healed sick without number.
At evening the disciples said, Master it is late.
Send the people to the village to get food and slumber.
But Jesus said to the concerned disciples,
They need not depart. Give ye them to eat.
They said, We’ve but five loaves and two little fishes.
He said bring them and have the people take a seat.
Then he blessed the food and brake it in pieces,
And gave it to the disciples to give to all.
All ate till their hunger was satisfied
And left-over fragments into twelve baskets did fall.
And they who had eaten were five thousand men
In addition to wives and children of them.
Jesus sent the disciples in a ship to go
To the other side of the lake
While he went to a mountain apart and alone
Where prayer to the Father he could make.
In the middle of the night tossed by wind and wave,
As the ship rode the stormy sea,
The amazed disciples saw Jesus come
Calmly walking on the sea
They thought it was a spirit and cried out in fear.
Jesus said , Be not afraid of me.
Peter said, Lord if be thou bid me come
And walk on the water to thee.
Peter came and walked on the water
Till he doubted and started to sink.
And cried, Save me Lord! Jesus saved him
And said, Why of doubts did you think?
Then they went to the land of Gennesaret
Where people had faith in his role.
Many asked to touch the hem of his garment
And as many as touched it were made whole.
Jesus then went to coasts of Tyre and Sidon.
There a Caananite woman cried, Make-my-daughter-well!
Have mercy on me thou son of David.
But he said I am not sent but to Israel.
It is not meet to take the children’s bread
And cast it unto the dogs instead.
But she said, True .Lord, but the dogs eat crumbs
That fall from the master’s table.
Then Jesus said, Great is thy faith. Thy daughter
Shall be healed for thy faith is able.
In Galilee Jesus went up into a mountain
And a multitude came bringing blind and lame
And dumb and maimed and he healed them all
And they worshiped him and spread his fame.
But better than stories of long ago
Are blessings he gave for you and me:
Come unto me, all ye that labor
And are heavy laden
And I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you,
And learn of me.
For I am meek and lowly in heart
And ye shall find rest unto your souls.
For my yoke is easy
And my burden is light.–Matt 11:28-30
