A litany for worship commemorating
the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.
Ken Sehested
Admiring Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream is not the same
as being captured by it. Too many find it possible to
respect the man but relinquish the mission. It has become
too easy to revere the dreamer but renege on the dream.
So let us now recall the deep roots of that vision as
spoken in ages past:
We remember when Hannah praised God by saying:
The bows of the mighty are broken,
but the feeble gird on strength.
We dream of the day when the wolf shall dwell
with the lamb. For the earth shall be full
of the knowledge of the Lord.
We long for the day when all shall eat in plenty
and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord.
We eagerly await the day when the lame shall be
restored, the outcast gathered, and the Blessed One
will change their shame into praise.
On that coming day, says Mother Mary,
God will pull down the mighty from their thrones
and exalt those of low degree.
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,
release to the captives,
recovering of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.
We still have a dream:
of a new heaven and a new earth,
when the Beloved will dry every tear
and death itself will come undone.
For we know that creation itself,
now groaning in travail,
will be set free from its bondage to decay.
Ignite in us again the Word that stirs
insurrection against every imperial reign,
against every forecloser’s claim,
against every slaver’s chain,
until the Faith which death could not contain,
the Hope which doubt could not constrain,
and the Love which fear could not arraign
lifts every voice to sing ’til earth and heaven ring!
Let our rejoicing rise,
High as the list’ning skies,
Let it resound loud as the rolling sea!
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Inspired by 1 Sam 2:1–8; Isa 11:3–9; Joel 2:19–26; Zeph 3:19; Luke 1:51-53; Luke 4:18–19; Rev 21:1–4; Rom 8:19–24. Final line from “Life Every Voice and Sing” (also known as “The Negro National Anthem”) by James Weldon Johnson.
