Heal Our World
You probably don’t need reminding that our world is in deep need of healing. Even before the global pandemic, lives have been destroyed by racism and white supremacy, global warming, gun violence, patriarchy with accompanying misogyny, sexism, heterosexism, and sexual violence. Scientists have discovered that the COVID-19 pandemic may be one of the results of climate change. In fact, all these evils are related, and they all threaten our survival.
Human actions caused these evils, and human actions can end them. They are human-made and can be human-healed. The Black Lives Matter movement contributes to healing racism and white supremacy; the “Me Too” movement contributes to changing our patriarchal system that results in misogyny, sexism, heterosexism, and sexual violence. The March for Our Lives movement helps end gun violence. We can join the work of healing through these and many other movements and organizations.
We can contribute to ending this pandemic by getting vaccinated, wearing masks, and social distancing. It’s hard for me to understand why people resist these simple actions that demonstrate love of our neighbors by saving countless lives. I pray that everyone will join the work of healing. Before the pandemic, I wrote the hymn “Heal Our World, O Christ-Sophia.” So I didn’t specifically name the pandemic, but the last stanza applies: “Help us join Your work of healing, that we all may thrive; give us grace and strength for action; keep our hope alive.
Here is Larry E. Schultz, minister of music at Pullen Memorial Baptist Church in Raleigh, North Carolina singing “Heal Our World, O Christ-Sophia.” Larry, my collaborator and friend for more than 20 years, sang this as part of our presentation at The Hymn Society 2020 Virtual Convocation.
Heal our world, O Christ-Sophia; heal us all, we pray;
fill us all with loving kindness; show Your peaceful way.
Christ-Sophia, heal our world, we pray;
fill us all with loving kindness; show Your peaceful way.
Hear the urgent cries of children, marching for their lives;
help us now to end the violence, so they all survive.
Christ-Sophia, heal our world, we pray;
fill us all with loving kindness; show Your peaceful way.
Women rise up now for justice, calling out “Me Too”;
Black Lives Matter movement joins in making all things new.
Christ-Sophia, heal our world, we pray;
fill us all with loving kindness; show Your peaceful way.
Help us join Your work of healing, that we all may thrive;
give us grace and strength for action; keep our hope alive.
Christ-Sophia, heal our world, we pray;
fill us all with loving kindness; show Your peaceful way.
Words © 2018 Jann Aldredge-Clanton PASS ME NOT
Beautiful💕
Thank you, Janet!