In the New Jerusalem

(Isaiah 65:17-25)
(May be read responsively, as a meditation, or in unison as a call to worship or prayer)

One day in the New Jerusalem
We shall all walk in peace.BR> There shall be joy, unspeakable joy.
No longer shall there be weeping or wailing
Nor shall we bury our daughters and sons prematurely
In the New Jerusalem.

We will not labor in vain.
No more shall we plant and not eat of the fruit of our hands
No more shall we build only to have another inhabit our dwelling
No more shall we be oppressed because of class, color, or gender
In the New Jerusalem.

Our enemies will be our friends.
Rise up children of the Most High God,
See what is to come!
Hold this promise in your heart
We shall toil and not see the benefits for a while
But one day, God shall come for us
And bring us into the new city
Where we may rest from our present angst
And find true communion with the Creator and all creation.

From the Africana Worship Book for Year C. Used with Permission.