by Ken Sehested
One: Our nation is at war, and our hearts are torn. The seeds of fear are planted in terror and harvested in violence.
All: How long, O Lord, how long?
One: The dream of a new order birthed in justice and baptized in mercy has been ruptured by the nightmare of bloody enmity.
All: How long, O Lord, how long?
One: But we still have our dreams, hard-won dreams, purchased with a price, beckoning us forward.
All: We still have a dream.
One: Hannah declared: “The bows of the mighty are broken, but the feeble gird on strength. The Lord raises up the poor from the dust; God lifts the needy from the ash heap, to inherit a seat of honor.” (1 Samuel 2: 1-8)
All: May it be so with us, according to your word.
One: One day, says Isaiah, “The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.” (Isaiah 11:3-9)
All: May it be so with us, according to your word.
One: We long for the day when “every boot of the trampling warrior in battle tumult and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire.” (Isaiah 9:6, 7)
All: May it be so with us, according to your word.
One: One day, says the Lord, all nations “shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.” (Micah 4:3-4)
All: May it be so with us, according to your word.
One: On that day the lame shall be restored, the outcast will be gathered, and God will change their shame into praise. (Zephaniah 3:19)
All: May it be so with us, according to your word.
One: Our hearts ache for the time when the People of God will again be anointed with the power to preach good news to the poor, to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord. (Luke 4:18-19)
All: May it be so with us, according to your word.
One: We testify to the coming “new heaven and new earth,” when God will wipe away every tear, and death shall be no more.” (Revelation 21:1-4)
All: Today we stand ready to be instruments of your peace.
One: Today we pledge to infect our young ones with these dreams.
All: To shout them from the mountain tops.
One: Blessed are you who linger in this season of lament, for you shall be comforted.
All: Alleluia! Thanks be to God!