This is the America I Believe In. On this past Independence weekend I received an email, the bulk of which makes up this post. It is from a friend, Pastor Woodie Rae, the senior pastor at a nearby Inter-Faith Chapel. He wrote: For today’s congregational message I would like to offer a song that I just recently became aware of. Sharon (his wife) first heard it at a DACA vigil and when she shared it with me, it genuinely spoke to my heart. It is entitled, “This is the America I Believe In” and was originally written in 2012 by Kathy Sherman CSJ, a member of The Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph. She states that she wrote it in response to the deep level of division and dissension that was occurring in our country at that time. Its message seems even more relevant today.
The music is stirring, the visual images are moving, and the lyrics challenge us that now is the time for us to lift up our values of care for each other, and that now is the time for America to be united. For me, it is a song of hope, peace, and promise, and I pray you may find inspiration in it, as well.
Click on “This is the America I Believe In” to listen to the song.
The Lyrics
I have added the lyrics below so that you may follow along, and perhaps even later meditate on the words.
Now, is the time for all to be fed, Now, is the time that all had a bed, To rest from the cold on a long winter’s night, This is the America that I love, This is the America I believe in, What about you?
Now, is the time for violence to end, Now, is the time for us to befriend, Those who have fallen on times that are hard, This is the America that I love, This is the America I believe in, What about you?
Now, is the time to heal what is broken, Now, is the time to hear what is spoken, From mourning for work, for food, and home, This is the America that I love, This is the America I believe in, What about you?
Now, is the time to set our sight, On the dream once again of how all have the right, To life and liberty, pursuit of happiness, This is the America that I love, This is the America I believe in, What about you?
Now, is the time to protect all creation, Now, is the time for equal education, For children who one day will lead us to peace, This is the America that I love, This is the America I believe in, What about you?
Now, is the time to reach out our hand, Now, is the time to join with all lands, In building a world where all are one, This is the America that I love, This is the America I believe in, What about you?
What about you?
Pastor Rea’s Prayer for the America We Believe In
Let us pray: O God, the America we believe in, is led by You. The America we believe in, is safe for all. The America we believe in, has compassion and respect for all people. O God of all nations, thank you for this country – for its beauty from coast to coast; for wide open prairies and deep, vast forests; for purple mountain majesties and for the Spanish moss of swamps. Thank you for the variety of people of this land that make us rich with cultural diversity. From First Nations, and from many nations, all are equal in beauty – let us all be equal in welcome and esteem. O God, we believe that America can be a beacon of light to the darkest corner of the world and can be a ray of hope to the deepest recesses of the human heart. This is the America we believe in. This is the America we all want. Help us to be a people of vision, and courage, and commitment, to make it be so. Through Christ we pray. Amen.