...in the memory of all the saints who from their labors rest, and in the joy of a new beginning, we ask you to help us work for that day when black will not be asked to get in back, when brown can stick around, when yellow will be mellow, when the red man can get ahead man, and when white will embrace what is right. That all those who do justice and love mercy say Amen.
5 comments:
Amen!
I was at WES and the amazing thing is that the crowd I was with said "amen," too, and it's the same crowd who whooped and cheered when obama mentioned "non-believers".
One definition of amen = an exclamation expressing agreement with a statement. So-called non-believers can say "amen" with gusto. Especially when the subject is about color of skin.
I loved Lowry. Old and wise and funny. Can't beat that.
I'm ready to get in touch with my whole brain again.
What I loved about Rev Lowery's benediction was that he began it with the words of the third verse of "Lift Every Voice and Sing," which is often called "The Negro National Anthem." It was written by James Weldon Johnson in 1899 for a celebration of Lincoln's birthday. We used to sing it once or twice a year in my previous Episcopal Church in Silver Spring, on days that had special significance to African Americans. It's a rousing tune. Here are the full lyrics:
'THE NEGRO NATIONAL ANTHEM'
Lift every voice and sing
Till earth and heaven ring,
Ring with the harmonies of Liberty;
Let our rejoicing rise
High as the listening skies,
Let it resound loud as the rolling sea.
Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us,
Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us,
Facing the rising sun of our new day begun
Let us march on till victory is won.
Stony the road we trod,
Bitter the chastening rod,
Felt in the days when hope unborn had died;
Yet with a steady beat,
Have not our weary feet
Come to the place for which our fathers sighed?
We have come over a way that with tears have been watered,
We have come, treading our path through the blood of the slaughtered,
Out from the gloomy past,
Till now we stand at last
Where the white gleam of our bright star is cast.
God of our weary years,
God of our silent tears,
Thou who has brought us thus far on the way;
Thou who has by Thy might
Led us into the light,
Keep us forever in the path, we pray.
Lest our feet stray from the places, Our God, where we met Thee;
Lest, our hearts drunk with the wine of the world, we forget Thee;
Shadowed beneath Thy hand,
May we forever stand.
True to our GOD,
True to our native land
I am glad I she posted this. I enjoyed it so much. thanks
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