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Three Evangelist Rhapsodies
Free composition of gospel proverbs from  Matthew,  Mark, Luke and John

1. The tuning fork

∞ The wind blows where it wills, and you hear the sound of it,
but you do not know whence it comes or whither it goes;
so it is with every one who is born of the Spirit.

∞ Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.


2. Wine

○  First be reconciled to your brother.

○   A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another.

○  Whatever house you enter, first say, `Peace be to this house!' And if a son of peace is there, your peace shall rest upon him; but if not, it shall return to you.

○  Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

○  Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.

○  Give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap.

○  Let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves.

○  How often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times? Seventy times seven.

○  Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

○  Make friends quickly with your accuser, while you are going with him to court.

○  Pray for those who persecute you.

○  Love your enemies.

○  For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? And if you salute only your brethren, what more are you doing than others?

○  This I command you, to love one another.

○  You are the light of the world.

○  As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you; abide in my love.

○  I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit.



3. Stars
above the Christian road
(Three fragments)

The primary charity

* No sword
Put your sword back into its place; for all who take the sword will perish by the sword.

* No judgement
Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven.

* What you are to say
Do not be anxious how or what you are to answer or what you are to say; for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.

* To brothers
If you are offering your gift at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

* To strangers
As you enter the house, salute it. And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. If any one will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet as you leave that house or town.

* To accusers
Make friends quickly with your accuser, while you are going with him to court.

* To everybody
Whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them.

* 490 Remissions
Then Peter came up and said to him, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?" Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven."

* Sit in the lowest place
When you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, `Friend, go up higher'; then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you. For every one who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.

* For nothing
Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying, give without pay.

* Intention
Beware of practicing your piety before men in order to be seen by them. When you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.


The charity college

* Abandon conflict
You have heard that it was said, `An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I say to you, Do not resist one who is evil.

* Turn the other
If any one strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.

* Let him
If any one would sue you and take your coat, let him have your cloak as well.

* Go
If any one forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. 

* Love thy enemy
Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? And if you salute only your brethren, what more are you doing than others?



Synergy

* Friends
I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.

* In the middle
Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

* Bear fruit
I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit.

* Enter
I am the door; if any one enters by me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.

* Utter
What I tell you in the dark, utter in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim upon the housetops. And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.

* Light to All
Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a bushel, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.

* I Send You
I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.