Easter words

Roddy Hamilton produces some great material on his Mucky Paws page: http://abbotsford.typepad.com/abbotsford/

Here's one that Anne and I are working with this Easter:

Rebellious Welcome
When our table is open only to members
may we find a new table
When our community is open only to those who are polite
May we find a new community
When we sing the songs familiar only to us
May we find a new song
O that the Gospel were for nice people
the beautiful the famous and the clean...
But God
you welcome the lost
you feed the hungry
you honour the prostitute
you kiss with the leper
you eat with the sinner
you break bread with the stranger
It is a hard Gospel for our world
all closed up against what we do not know
protective of what challenges us
avoiding what we do not understand
It is a hard gospel to be open
welcoming
affirming
growing
faithful
redeeming
But it is the gospel nonetheless
When we use our faith to shift us away from the stranger may we find a new faith
When we use the church to avoid what happens on the outside may we find a new church
When we use the Bible to divide us into sheep and goats may we find a new bible
Hear us
O God of welcomes
O God of grace
So be it