Zacchaeus was short.
Zacchaeus was rich.
Zacchaeus was a tax collector, the most despised of professions.
Zacchaeus worked for the Romans.
But Zacchaeus was curious.
Zacchaeus climbed the tree.
Zacchaeus responded to Jesus.
Zacchaeus praised the Lord.
Zacchaeus changed his ways.
Short lesson this week, as we didn't get to play Ruler and Peasant last week. We're going to read the scripture for this week's gospel, and try to think of the person we know who is unlikeliest to be saved. Famous, that's okay, as long as you remember that we don't really know them. Local, okay, but change the name to protect the innocent. If we had a chance to talk to that person about Jesus, what would you say to pique their curiosity? What do you know about Jesus that would get someone to climb a tree? What do you think Zacchaeus had heard?
Luke 19:1-10 (The Message)
Then Jesus entered and walked through Jericho. There was a man there, his name Zacchaeus, the head tax man and quite rich. He wanted desperately to see Jesus, but the crowd was in his way—he was a short man and couldn't see over the crowd. So he ran on ahead and climbed up in a sycamore tree so he could see Jesus when he came by.
When Jesus got to the tree, he looked up and said, "Zacchaeus, hurry down. Today is my day to be a guest in your home." Zacchaeus scrambled out of the tree, hardly believing his good luck, delighted to take Jesus home with him. Everyone who saw the incident was indignant and grumped, "What business does he have getting cozy with this crook?"
Zacchaeus just stood there, a little stunned. He stammered apologetically, "Master, I give away half my income to the poor—and if I'm caught cheating, I pay four times the damages."
Jesus said, "Today is salvation day in this home! Here he is: Zacchaeus, son of Abraham! For the Son of Man came to find and restore the lost."
So the youth adapted the Lazarus story. It's interesting. They really got into the rewriting, which I am definitely going to think about more. And, I don't mean to sound surprised here, they're really good at it.
There was a man who was so rich he bathed in liquid gold. Meanwhile, at his door was a poor man named Larry. He was so poor he bathed in his own sweat. (Ick.)
Larry died and the angels carried him to be with Martin Luther King, Jr.
The rich man also died and was buried. In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw MLK far away, with Larry by his side. So he called to him, ‘Have pity on me and send Larry to just give me a single breath of air.
But MLK replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Larry received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. And besides you can’t get from here to there because of the incredibly dangerous minefield between us. And the immense wall covered in man-eating bears.
The rich man answered, ‘Then send Larry to my son, who has inherited all my wealth. Let him warn them, so that he will not also come to this place of torment.’
MLK replied, ‘He should listen to the Bible.'
But the rich man said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to him, he will repent.’ MLK said to him, ‘If he does not listen to the bible, he will not listen if even God Himself were to come to earth.'
This is a joke: A preacher and a New York taxi driver who arrive at the pearly gates of Heaven at the same time and were greeted by St. Peter. The preacher struts up to the gates and announces to St. Peter, “I am here!” St. Peter seems a little less excited, and looks up in a book. There is uncomfortable silence. The preacher starts to get nervous. “Um… St. Peter?” St. Peter finally says, “well, okay. You’re in.” The gates open a crack and he squeezes in. This makes the taxi driver even more nervous, and he edges toward the gates. St. Peter strides out to meet him and shakes his hand. “What are you waiting for? We’ve been expecting you!” The gates open wide for the taxi driver. “But why am I … the preacher… I’m so confused.”
St. Peter says, “Are you kidding? When the preacher was preaching, people slept. But when you were driving, people prayed! And prayed hard! “
1) What is supposed to make this joke funny?
2) Unfortunately jokes like this get a lot of stuff wrong:
• What determines if we get into heaven?
• Is heaven a reward for a job well done?
3) Can you think of any movies or stories where there’s a reversal – you start to expect one thing and then another happens?
Fergal OP @ Flicker
Jesus lived in a culture that appreciated a good story. He taught in parables because this was a good way of teaching then, as well as now. The gospel we’re reading is not a joke, but it is a good story. With a hook, a reversal… a story-telling surprise.
The Rich Man and LazarusLuke 16:9-31 There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.
The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’
But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’ He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father’s house, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’
Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’
‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’
He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’
4) What’s the twist?
5) What does the story get wrong?
6) What about the “punchline”: ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’ What was Jesus telling them, that they didn’t know yet?
7) How could we update the Lazarus and the Rich man story for today?
There was a man who was so rich he…
At his gate was a poor man named Larry. He was so poor…
Larry died and the angels carried him to be with…
The rich man also died and was buried. In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw _______ far away, with Larry by his side. So he called to him, ‘Have pity on me and send Larry to…
But ________ replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Larry received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. And besides you can’t get from here to there because…
The rich man answered, ‘Then send Larry to …
Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’
_______ replied, ‘They should listen to…
But the rich man said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ _______ said to him, ‘If they do not listen to …
they will not be convinced even if …
One more story from this week’s gospel:
Luke 18:9-14 Jesus told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, `God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, `God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather than the other; for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted.”
8) What’s the twist? What can we learn from it?
After this we'll play an adaptation of a classic card game.
“Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young”
Timothy is a big name in the bible. Unfortunately, we know it best as the name of books that are called Timothy because they start “Dear Timothy…” We don’t have any of his writing! But what we do know is interesting.
Timothy is generally thought of as one of the young people written about in scripture, along with John (the gospel author) and David (in his Goliath days). It is hard to pin down a precise age. When he starts travelling with Paul, he may be as young as a teenager or as old as late 20s.
Acts 16:1-4 Paul came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where a disciple named Timothy lived, whose mother was a Jewess and a believer, but whose father was a Greek. The brothers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him. Paul wanted to take him along on the journey, so he circumcised him because of the Jews who lived in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. As they traveled from town to town, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people to obey.
That seems to be in year 49 AD, about 20 years after Jesus resurrection. He travels with Paul to Phyrgia, Galatia (like Paul’s letter to the Galatians), Troas, Phillipi (Paul’s letter to the Phillipians), Thessalonica (Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians); he traveled with Paul for at least a few years in total, sometimes with a dozen disciples and sometimes with few. He sees Paul convert individuals and whole crowds, be arrested, whipped and miraculously freed, heal illnesses and perform other miracles.
1) Would you have gone with Paul?
1 Corinthians 4:15-17 Even though you have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. Therefore I urge you to imitate me. For this reason I am sending to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church.
In the second letter to the Corinthians, Paul describes it as “from Paul and Timothy” and talks about the preaching they received from himself and Timothy and Silas. The letters to the Colossians and Thessalonians, also. The letter to the Philippians is addressed as from Paul and Timothy, and he says:
Philippians 2:19-23 I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered when I receive news about you. I have no one else like him, who takes a genuine interest in your welfare. For everyone looks out for his own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. But you know that Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel. I hope, therefore, to send him as soon as I see how things go with me.
2) What does Paul think of Timothy?
Good advice, but
not what Paul was thinking.
When he writes Timothy, he addresses him as “To Timothy my true son in the faith.” And he has a lot of advice for him.
Beware false teachers
Remember Paul as an example of faith
Worship Jesus and the Father
Live your life as an example to others
Respect your elders
Care for those in need
Tell people – even the wealthy and powerful – to put their hope in God.
Don’t ever be ashamed of God. Nor of Paul when he was a prisoner.
Remember your faith in Jesus.
Live a pure life. 2 Timothy 2:22 “Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”
Rely on scripture to support you. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
3) What do you notice about this advice? Which is the most important to you? Why?
One of the most famous pieces of the Bible is in the forst letter to Timothy.
1 Timothy 6:6-10 But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
4) Sometimes this is misquoted as “money is the root of all evil.” What is the difference?
Paul closes the first letter with some good summing up:
1 Timothy 4:11-16 Command and teach these things. Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you.
Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.
5) What are some of your gifts that you are called to use for God’s glory?
We'll close by having the youth write their future selves advice from the past... should be interesting!
Photos from Flickr: cornflakegirl_, Augapfel, and tonythesuperperson
Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”
When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”
Even in the miraculous history of the Jews, healings from leprosy were rare. Moses’ sister Miriam had leprosy for a week, and Elisha healed a military commander. Leprosy was a death sentence and exile all in one. So it’s not clear what the lepers could have hoped for when they cried out to Jesus.
1) What are excuses that the nine lepers might have made about why they didn’t go back?
2) Were the nine lepers healed or not? What does the last phrase mean?
Why?
3) What’s an example of deep gratitude you’ve felt towards a person? What was the cause?
Some reasons for Thanksgiving:
• Thanksgiving praises God. We’re called to worship God – commanded to – and giving thanks is worshipful.
• Madame Blueberry learned that “A grateful heart is a happy heart.” Focusing on with what we have been blessed helps us know how blessed we are.
• It helps us remember that God is good. In the psalms they’re still thanking God for the Exodus. By thanking Him, it helps us remember all he’s done. It fights against taking God for granted.
• It trains us to look forward to continued blessings. God who has done mighty things for us, will continue to do mighty things for us.
4) Have you experienced any of these benefits? Are there other benefits you’ve received from giving thanks?
5) Do you make a distinction between praising God, worshipping God and giving thanks to God?
How?
6) When someone thanks you, what tells you if it’s genuine gratitude or politeness?
7) Does that apply to us giving thanks to God?
8) The two most frequent descriptions of thanksgiving in the bible are giving thanks (1) with song and (2) with praise. How does that help us give thanks?
When?
Paul tells us to “Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Eph 5:19-20); “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” (Col 3:17); “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thes 5:16-18)
Why Paul’s emphasis on everything? One Bible study says: “It couldn’t get any simpler or plainer. The verse means exactly what it says, “In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God.” Period. By giving thanks to God for everything, I give Him credit for everything. I give Him all the praise and glory. My focus is on Him. That’s what He wants. He wants my undivided attention. … If the tire goes flat, I’m to thank the Lord. If the weather cancels out an important event, I’m to thank the Lord. If I get fired from my job, I’m to thank the Lord. If I get sick, I’m to thank the Lord. When the Lord says “everything,” He literally means “everything,” regardless of the lightness or severity of the situation.”
9) How do you interpret “give thanks in all circumstances”?
Many psalms are good training for thanks giving, in particular 100, 106, 107, 118, and 136.
Psalm 136
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, His love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of gods. His love endures forever.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords: His love endures forever.
to him who alone does great wonders, His love endures forever.
who by his understanding made the heavens, His love endures forever.
who spread out the earth upon the waters, His love endures forever.
who made the great lights – His love endures forever.
the sun to govern the day, His love endures forever.
the moon and stars to govern the night; His love endures forever.
to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt. His love endures forever.
and brought Israel out from among them; His love endures forever.
with a mighty hand and outstretched arm; His love endures forever.
to him who divided the Red Sea [a] asunder His love endures forever.
and brought Israel through the midst of it, His love endures forever.
but swept Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea; His love endures forever.
to him who led his people through the desert, His love endures forever.
who struck down great kings, His love endures forever.
and killed mighty kings – His love endures forever.
Sihon king of the Amorites. His love endures forever.
and Og king of Bashan – His love endures forever.
and gave their land as an inheritance, His love endures forever.
an inheritance to his servant Israel; His love endures forever.
to the One who remembered us in our low estate. His love endures forever.
and freed us from our enemies, His love endures forever.
and who gives food to every creature. His love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of heaven. His love endures forever.
10) What verses would you add to this great hymn?
Like the old church response goes - Let us bless the Lord: Thanks be to God!
Bonus: One of the greatest stories of thanks I have ever heard is from Corey ten Boom, who had reason during the Holocaust to be thankful for fleas. Read this story, which is an excerpt from her book The Hiding Place.
The middle school study this week will be a subset of this men's study.
Giving Thanks (Youth Group version) Why do we, How do we, When do we?
Luke 17:11-19 Ten Healed of Leprosy
1) Why do you think Luke makes a point of the thankful man being a Samaritan?
2) Would your instinct have been to go back to Jesus or keep going to the priests or something else?
3) What are excuses that the nine lepers might have made about why they didn’t go back?
4) Were the nine lepers healed or not? What does the last phrase mean?
Why?
God doesn’t need us to give thanks, and He doesn’t do good for us to get thanks. He asks us to give thanks because it’s good for us! Some reasons for Thanksgiving:
• Thanksgiving praises God. We’re called to worship God – commanded to – and giving thanks is worshipful.
• Madame Blueberry learned that “A grateful heart is a happy heart.” Focusing on how we have been blessed helps us know how blessed we are.
• It helps us remember that God is good. In the psalms they’re still thanking God for the Exodus. By thanking Him, it helps us remember all he’s done. It fights against taking God for granted.
• It trains us to look forward to continued blessings. God who has done mighty things for us, will continue to do mighty things for us.
5) Have you experienced any of these benefits? Can you think of any other reason it’s good for us to give thanks?
How?
6) When someone thanks you, what tells you if it’s genuine gratitude or politeness?
7) What does that mean about how we should give thanks to God?
When?
Paul tells us to “Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Eph 5:19-20); “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” (Col 3:17); “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thes 5:16-18)
8) How do you interpret “give thanks in all circumstances”? Are we supposed to give thanks when things are terrible?
Many psalms are good training for thanks giving, in particular 100, 106, 107, 118, and 136.
Psalm 136
9) What verses would you add to this great hymn?
Like we say in church… Let us bless the Lord: Thanks be to God!
There was news this week that British censors tried to get Monty Python to not take the name Jesus Christ in vain in The Holy Grail, which would have been nice. (Basically the only thing I don't love about that movie.) They also tried to get them to take out "fart in your general direction," which would have been a shame.
I thought this post was a welcome counterpoint: how Monty Python influenced the faith walk of several interesting Christians.
The article has a great quote from a filmmaker named Murray Stiller:
"Monty Python and the Holy Grail and The Life of Brian are two great examples of religious satire that helped save my faith. How do films that make fun of religious beliefs and practices strengthen my faith? Simple: It helps me cut through the B.S. to recognize what I don’t believe and clears a path for what is important. Satire helps me to recognize what not to take seriously, especially my selfish quest for spiritual experience and enlightenment-or even worse the conviction that the success of the Kingdom of God rests on my accomplishments. When my goal is self-focused, I become a rightful target of satire."
I have yet to do a bible study on Monty Python, but it's coming. Riding in from the distance, seemingly never getting closer and then ... suddenly ... SPAM! It'll be here.
The Episcopalian and Catholic Churches set aside certain days to honor men and women who lived lives of great faithfulness, and in a way the Lutheran Church does, too. But while the Catholic Church is very formal in who is and who isn’t a saint, the Episcopal and Lutheran Church hold that all believers in Christ are saints. The Episcopal Church publishes a new calendar every three years that sets aside days to honor well-known Christians, such as Martin Luther King, Jr. They pick out readings that help us think about the saint’s life.
One of the greatest saints from history is one of the most humble – he shunned that kind of attention while alive! Francis from Assisi, Italy is remembered on October 4th. Francis Bernardone was born around 1180 AD and died when he was only 45. He was ot a good student as a boy, and not a good businessman when he tried working for his father. He was a tiny man, and when he tried to fight in a battle got captured for a year. While he was a captive, he started thinking about God. But when he returned home, he was a medieval equivalent of a partier. But then three incidents changed his life: (1) he met a disgusting leper that he was moved to help, (2) he gave a big donation to a shrine of St. Peter, and then (3) sold his home and stuff to repair his home church! This last was in response to a vision he had while praying. His father was so mad, though, he beat him, dragged him home and locked him up. His mother freed him when his father was away, and he returned to the church. When one day he heard the gospel where Jesus said:
Mark 6:7-11 Jesus Sends Out the Twelve
Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village. Calling the Twelve to him, he sent them out two by two and gave them authority over evil spirits. These were his instructions: “Take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. Wear sandals but not an extra tunic. Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town. And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave, as a testimony against them.”
He gave away the little he had left, and started wearing a coarse brown robe like the poorest beggars wore. And then people started following him and imitating him. They came to the attention of those in power in the church, and they tried to disband them but ultimately approved of them. His followers grew in number, and he sent them out 2 by 2 with one tunic and nothing for the journey. His example changed all the monks throughout Europe. He continued to have visions throughout his life. Sometimes the wounds of Jesus appeared on Francis’ body; this is called stigmata. He became famous, too, for his love of nature, and peace with the animals. There are stories of birds coming to listen to his sermons, and wild animals coming to him to be fed.
1) What do you notice about this biography? What questions do you have?
These are the readings the church picked out for his feast:
Galatians 6:14-18 May I never boast of anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is anything; but a new creation is everything! As for those who will follow this rule-- peace be upon them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.
From now on, let no one make trouble for me; for I carry the marks of Jesus branded on my body. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers and sisters. Amen.
2) Why would they pick this reading for Francis?
Psalm 148:7-14 Laudate Dominum (Praise the Lord)
Praise the LORD from the earth, you sea-monsters and all deeps;
Fire and hail, snow and fog, tempestuous wind, doing his will;
Mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars;
Wild beasts and all cattle, creeping things and winged birds;
Kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all rulers of the world;
Young men and maidens, old and young together.
Let them praise the Name of the LORD, for his Name only is exalted, his splendor is over earth and heaven. He has raised up strength for his people and praise for all his loyal servants, the children of Israel, a people who are near him.
Hallelujah!
3) Why would they pick this reading for Francis?
Matthew 11:25-30 Jesus said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
4) Why would they pick this reading for Francis?
There is a prayer ascribed to St. Francis, as well as other writings.
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon:
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope
where there is darkness, light
where there is sadness, joy
O divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.
Amen.
5) What in that prayer reminds you of anything we know about Jesus and what he said?
6) Take a second to jot down something new to you in this lesson.
There was a very hippy-feeling bio film of St Francis made by Franco Zeffirelli. Here's their take on the prayer of St Francis. It shows Clare, who started a Franciscan order of nuns to parallel the monks.
Bonus: an amazing hymn of praise. (If you check youtube there's a song for this, too.)
Canticle of All the Creatures, attributed to St. Francis
Most High, all-powerful, all-good Lord,
All praise is Yours, all glory, honor and blessings.
To you alone, Most High, do they belong;
no mortal lips are worthy to pronounce Your Name.
We praise You, Lord, for all Your creatures,
especially for Brother Sun,
who is the day through whom You give us light.
And he is beautiful and radiant with great splendor,
of You Most High, he bears your likeness.
We praise You, Lord, for Sister Moon and the stars,
in the heavens you have made them bright, precious and fair.
We praise You, Lord, for Brothers Wind and Air,
fair and stormy, all weather's moods,
by which You cherish all that You have made.
We praise You, Lord, for Sister Water,
so useful, humble, precious and pure.
We praise You, Lord, for Brother Fire,
through whom You light the night.
He is beautiful, playful, robust, and strong.
We praise You, Lord, for Sister Earth,
who sustains us
with her fruits, colored flowers, and herbs.
We praise You, Lord, for those who pardon,
for love of You bear sickness and trial.
Blessed are those who endure in peace,
by You Most High, they will be crowned.
We praise You, Lord, for Sister Death,
from whom no-one living can escape.
Woe to those who die in their sins!
Blessed are those that She finds doing Your Will.
No second death can do them harm.
We praise and bless You, Lord, and give You thanks,
and serve You in all humility.
