(Placed by a reader, Joe, as a comment to my piece “Water into Wine: Rereading the Wedding Feast at Cana”).

Thanks, Joe.

Sweet Saint John was a dancer

on the shore of old Capernaum
a lovely boy not fit for fishing
or carpentry, or marrying.
They tell he left his empty boat
for the sake of the bold young fellow
who looked at him that April morn
and said, my love, come follow.

Chorus:
Sweet Saint John said yes, he left his nets
and the rest of life seemed hollow
compared to the love of the wild-eyed boy
who said, my love, come follow.

John saw the hungry eat their fill,
saw the sinful girl forgiven,
He saw the hardened hearts of men,
flow freely with compassion,
He saw the one he loved so dear,
betrayed and shamed and tortured,
by those who could not hear the word
of the awful grace he offered.

Sweet Saint John said yes, he left his nets
and the rest of life seemed hollow
compared to the love of the wild-eyed boy
who said, my love, come follow.

On the twenty-seventh of December
we remember his devotion,
his courage, and his faithfulness,
and his delicate emotion.
Rare visions he was said to have,
Deep mysteries he expounded.
But we love his love for the lovely one
whose love sweet John astounded.

Saint John said yes, he left his nets
and the rest of life seemed hollow
compared to the love of the wild-eyed god
who said, my love, come follow,
compared to the love of the lovely one
who says, my love, come follow.

(long instrumental reel, with difficult but frenzied dance, should follow)