Rhyming Redsong: Matthew 14 (John the Baptist Beheaded; Jesus Feeds Five Thousand; Jesus and Peter Walk on the Water; Jesus heals the sick)
Then at that time, the tetrarch Herod heard
all the reports ‘bout Jesus and he said
to those, who, to his needs, they would attend,
“This is, the Baptist, John, who, from the dead,
has risen! That, at work in him is why
are powers as, miraculous, defined.”
Now Herod had arrested John and bound
him and, a prison cell, he put inside,
because of her, his brother, Philip’s wife,
Herodias, for John, to him had said:
“Unlawful, it’s, for you, as if you’re wed,
to have her.” Herod wanted, John, to kill,
but, of the people, fear in him instilled,
‘cause they believed that John, a prophet, was.
On Herod’s birthday, of Herodias,
her daughter, danced, performed, for all the guests,
and Herod, pleased so much, with an oath, that
he promised to give her whate’er she asked.
Then by her mother, prompted, she, this, said,
“Upon a platter, give me here, the head
of John the Baptist.” The king was distressed
but for his oaths and all his dinner guests,
he ordered that, be granted, her request,
and in the prison, they cut off John’s head.
Upon a platter, how, his head brought in
and given to the girl, who carried it,
her mother, to. Disciples, John’s, came and
his body, took, and buried it. They then
went out and told to Jesus all these things.
When Jesus heard of all these happenings,
he to a solitary place withdrew
by boat, in private. Hearing this, pursued
him, did the crowds on foot out from the towns.
When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd,
he had compassion on them, healed their sick.
As evening had approached, they came to him,
“this is a place, remote,” to him explained,
“and in the day it is already late.
So they can go, send all the crowds away,
the villages, to, so, themselves, they may
some food, buy.” This, to them, Jesus replied,
“They do not need to go away. Provide
for them yourselves some food that they can eat.”
They answered, “We have here a single meal.
Five loaves of bread, two fish, more, what we need.”
He said to them, “Bring all that food to me.”
And he directed, people, the, to sit
down on the grass. The five loaves and two fish,
he took. To heaven, up, he lifted his
eyes, he gave thanks and broke the loaves in two,
then he gave to, disciples, his, the food,
it, the disciples gave, the people, to.
They all ate and their hunger was relieved,
disciples, the, the pieces all retrieved,
those broken ones, filled up twelve basketfuls
that were left over. Number, the, of those
who ate was ‘bout five thousand men besides
the women, children, too, all of them dined.
At once, made, Jesus, the disciples, get
into the boat and go on ‘head of him,
the other side, to, while, them, he dismissed,
the crowd. Once he dismissed them, he processed,
the mountainside, up, by himself to pray.
That night, he, there, all by himself when late,
and from the shore, the boat, a distance, great,
already was, and buffeted by waves
because the wind, against it, how it strained.
Before dawn, shortly, Jesus on the lake,
went out to them, he walked. They were afraid,
when the disciples saw him walk that way,
upon the lake as if on land. “A ghost
it is,” they cried, by fear, they were engrossed.
Immed’iately, but, Jesus to them, said:
“Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
“Lord, if it’s you, tell me,” Peter replied,
“to come to you, I’ll, on the water, stride.”
He said, “Come.” Then, out, Peter, from the boat,
got down, and he, upon the water, strode
toward Jesus. But when Peter saw the wind,
he was afraid, to sink, did he begin
and he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Jesus reached
his hand out and caught him immed’iately.
“O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
he said. And when they climbed into the boat,
the wind died down. Then, in the boat, all those
who were, him, worshipped, saying, “Now we know
that truly you are him, the Son of God.”
They landed at, when they had, over, crossed,
Gennesaret. And when men of that place
had, Jesus, recognized, sent word out, they,
to all the country that surrounded there.
The people brought all of their sick to him
and begged him to just let them touch its hem,
his garment’s, and whoever, it, did feel,
all those who touched it, instantly were healed.
T.H. Chalm 