In my gut, in my soul, there’s a song making whole

Everything busted in me, everything that’s aching to be

Free of the fears, years and years of the fears.

Now my song’s rising strong, it’s been there all along:

Once, this beat, in my feet; then a dart to my heart;

A phrase, maybe two, and a verse slipping through.

Here I see it in you, like a song in full view!

In your joy, in your eyes, in the lovely surprise

Of your peace and your gladness,

I release every sadness; and I sing.

I just sing. 

Praise God.

 

Digging doubts do intrude, it’s just what doubts do;

But I’ll hold your hand, and you’ll hold mine too.

And we’ll sing “Don’t You Weep”

And we’ll sing “Don’t You Mourn”:[1]

We’ll imagine the mornings our babies are born!

How the last will be first, how the wise will be humble;

How the tyrants will fall and empires crumble.

In your joy, in your eyes, in the lovely surprise

Of your peace and your gladness,

I release every sadness; and I sing.

I just sing.

Praise God.

 

With our sisters in history, with Miriam and Hannah,[2]

My soul magnifies mystery:  Alleluia!  Hosanna!

Sing bright to the Light, the One God, whose great might

Is revealed in sweet meekness, in the weakness of grace:

Turning love’s face to the weary and least,

And gathering foes at the table of peace.

In your joy, in your eyes, in the lovely surprise

Of your friendship and gladness,

I release every sadness; and I sing.

I just sing.

Praise God.

 

You remind me today that my body’s a sacrament,

And the affection between us, this affection’s an instrument

Of blessing and courage, of song and vocation.

What’s growing in me brings joy and salvation

To all the earth’s creatures, to every people and nation,

Without rancor and judgment, with great joy and elation.

 

In this temple in time, heaven’s here, heaven’s now.

And if one day your eyes fill with tears, here’s my vow:

Your pain is my pain, and your hope is my prayer;

And when everything’s breaking, in love I’ll be there.

For God, God’s the bond between you and me,

And holy the Light by which, even now, we can see

Justice and mercy, abundance and peace,

And the kingdom is coming, the kingdom’s a feast!

 

So yes, my song is rising strong,

And yes, it’s been there all along.

But you, my friend, have set it free,

I’ve come all this way, and now I see,

That faith is shared, and hope between us,

That God is flesh, and God is with us:

In rhythm and verse, in joy and sorrow too,

In ecstasy and harmony, this choir, me and you.

 

So I sing.

And you sing.

Praise God.

 

Luke 1:39-56

Dave Grishaw-Jones, 12/15/19

Community Church of Durham (UCC)

[1] Recall the great freedom song and spiritual: “O Mary, Don’t You Weep”—a celebration of liberation, divine partnership and human freedom from tyranny and injustice. 

[2] Recall Miriam (with her brother Moses) leading the people through the Red Sea and into new life in the desert wilderness (Exodus 15:20-21); scholars think this may be the oldest hymn in all the bible.  And recall Hannah (1 Samuel) who faced intimidation and found courage in faith to stand up for herself and her particular calling.  The “Magnificat” in Luke bears a powerful resemblance to Hannah’s own song of deliverance and faith.