The Legend
Deep in the forgotten glades of the forest, a cathedral of trees raise their limbs gratefully to the emerald light.
A butterfly flutters between these old guardians, pausing a moment at a patch of friendly daisies. Among them, a highly unusual tree stands beside the waters. Roots grip deep beneath the earth and drink peacefully from the River.
At first glance, the tree seems quite ordinary, save that it has twin trunks extending toward the sky. When one looks more closely, however, one notices that two trees rise here, lifting entwined arms toward their Creator in praise.
One, a lithely Linden: dancing eternal, arms outstretched in joyful song; large, heart-shaped leaves, whorls of creamy yellow-white flowers with a heady scent, and long, slender bracts filled with tiny black seeds.
The other, a sturdy Oak: bent and gnarled, limbs set with the strength of pain and endurance and time; spirally arranged leaves with lobate margins, spears of small golden flowers, and clusters of acorns.
Two trees, one root.
THE PAINTING: Jupiter und Merkur bei Philemon und Baucis (Jupiter and Mercury at Baucis and Philemon), by Johann Carl Loth. Oil on canvas, 178 x 252 cm, painted circa 1659 and 1662. Located in the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna. Courtesy of Wikipedia Commons.
The Song
Inspired by the story of Baucis and Philemon (adapted from Ovid's Metamorpheses), and the encounter Abraham and Sarah had with two angels and Someone quite extraordinary in Genesis 18:1-15. May our home be always open to entertaining angels unaware.
Words and Music by Jason Christopher Hackwith
Upon a hill, deep in the forest glades
Beside the waters cool and clear
Unto a town on the last summer's day
Two lonely wanderers appeared.
Their clothes were torn, worn thin through many miles
Their faces cracked and lined with sun
Beneath their beards there trembled weary smiles
To see their journeying done.
But as they came into the little town
The people jeered and called them names,
And one by one, as they walked house to house,
Each turned the travelers away.
"We have no room!" The villagers proclaimed,
"Begone and leave us well alone."
And then they spat into the pilgrims' face,
And drove them from their doors with stones.
The pilgrims turned back to the weary road
Their faces saddened now, and hard
The people's scorn was like a heavy load
Upon their backs and on their hearts
“My brother, hold:" The elder stopped and said
"There is one house we have not tried
Now let us go unto that lonely home
And let us see what we shall find."
And so they walked up to this humble house,
It was not tall, nor was it wide;
But to their knock a man and wife came out,
And with one look drew them inside.
"Our home is yours," the woman said to them,
"Come in and lay your cares aside."
She sat them down and bathed their swollen feet,
And served rough bread and watered wine.
"It's all we have," the man said to his guests,
"But all we have is yours to share.
Within this home, may you find peace and rest,
Please sit and join us in our fare."
They poured the wine and shared the humble bread,
But soon their eyes were opened wide,
For the bread was soft, the wine was rich and red,
The pitcher never would run dry.
The man bowed low, his poor face red with shame.
"We have no meat to serve such guests;
Only this goose that we raised from an egg,
To grace this table you have blessed."
"Nay," said the strangers, "Please do not harm the bird,
Don't be afraid, all will be well.
For you've found favor with the Lord of all the earth
And with his messengers you dwell."
"The Lord in kindness set us upon this task,
And you have shown us your great love;
Now for His namesake, tell us what you would ask
And in His name it will be done."
The man and woman looked in each other's eyes
And knew the answer they would tell:
"Sir, when the day comes for one of us to die,
We pray the other leaves* as well."
Then said the elder, "Great is the love you share,
And great the kindness that you've shown;
Be not afraid, your days are in His care,
In Jesus' name it will be done."
The strangers smiled and blessed them and their home,
Then suddenly they were not there;
So the man and wife knelt to the Lord of Hosts,
And lifted humble hands in prayer.
Long years there dwelling deep in the forest glades
Upon the hill above the town,
Their humble building became a house of faith,
Their kindness known for miles around.
When death came calling, he held her in his arms,
Their souls flew from the trembling earth;
And in his arms, she became a linden tree,
And he into an oak had turned.
And on that hill deep in the forest glades,
Beside the waters cool and clear;
Yes on that hill deep in the forest glades,
The oak and linden stand still.
Yes on that hill deep in the forest glades,
The oak and linden stand still.
The oak and linden...
Copyright © 2013-2025 by Jason Christopher Hackwith. All Rights Reserved. *Pun absolutely intended.*
The Scripture
“Keep on loving each other as brothers and sisters. Continue in brotherly love. Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it! Remember those in prison, as if you were there yourself. Remember also those being mistreated, as if you felt their pain in your own bodies.”
“Then the Lord appeared to him by the terebinth trees of Mamre, as he was sitting in the tent door in the heat of the day. So he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing by him; and when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them, and bowed himself to the ground, and said, “My Lord, if I have now found favor in Your sight, do not pass on by Your servant. Please let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. And I will bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh your hearts. After that you may pass by, inasmuch as you have come to your servant.”
They said, “Do as you have said.”
So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said, “Quickly, make ready three measures of fine meal; knead it and make cakes.” And Abraham ran to the herd, took a tender and good calf, gave it to a young man, and he hastened to prepare it. So he took butter and milk and the calf which he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree as they ate.
Then they said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?”
So he said, “Here, in the tent.”
And He said, “I will certainly return to you according to the time of life, and behold, Sarah your wife shall have a son.” (Sarah was listening in the tent door which was behind him.)
Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age; and Sarah had passed the age of childbearing. Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, “After I have grown old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?”
And the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Shall I surely bear a child, since I am old?’ Is anything too hard for the Lord ? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.”
But Sarah denied it, saying, “I did not laugh,” for she was afraid.
And He said, “No, but you did laugh!”
Then the men rose from there and looked toward Sodom, and Abraham went with them to send them on the way.
And the Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing, since Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? For I have known him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the Lord , to do righteousness and justice, that the Lord may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him.” And the Lord said, “Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grave, I will go down now and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry against it that has come to Me; and if not, I will know.”
Then the men turned away from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the Lord. And Abraham came near and said, “Would You also destroy the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there were fifty righteous within the city; would You also destroy the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous that were in it? Far be it from You to do such a thing as this, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be as the wicked; far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?”
So the Lord said, “If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.”
Then Abraham answered and said, “Indeed now, I who am but dust and ashes have taken it upon myself to speak to the Lord: Suppose there were five less than the fifty righteous; would You destroy all of the city for lack of five?”
So He said, “If I find there forty-five, I will not destroy it.”
And he spoke to Him yet again and said, “Suppose there should be forty found there?”
So He said, “I will not do it for the sake of forty.”
Then he said, “Let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Suppose thirty should be found there?”
So He said, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.”
And he said, “Indeed now, I have taken it upon myself to speak to the Lord: Suppose twenty should be found there?”
So He said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of twenty.”
Then he said, “Let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak but once more: Suppose ten should be found there?”
And He said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of ten.” So the Lord went His way as soon as He had finished speaking with Abraham; and Abraham returned to his place.”
“Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. They were haughty and did detestable things before me. Therefore I did away with them as you have seen.”
Butterfly Kiss
Photo by the brilliant Joshua J. Cotten, courtesy of Unsplash.
Little Sister Daisy
Photo by the amazing Christian Widell, courtesy of Unsplash.
