Today as I was looking for a prayer for Sunday, I ran across the words to Bruce Springsteeen's song Resurrection. I thought of Thomas and the disciples behind the closed doors not knowing whether to believe if the resurrection is true or not. I thought of all the people today who struggle with whether the resurrection is true or not. I thought of the times I have struggled with my own doubts and beliefs.
RESURRECTION
Ever since I was a young man
I've known the devil too well
I can still hear my mama screamin'
"Boy you gonna burn some day in hell"
Drag me to church on Sunday
Head down, head down, head down on your knees and pray
When it comes you won't forget to call
Well I can't say that I'm a believer
I can't say that I ain't
Oh but three words on a piece of paper
It sure ain't gonna make no kind of sense
Drag us to church on a Friday
And we confess our sins
Special old price of three Hail Marys and your soul is clean again
Yeah!
You must believe what we are saying to believe for without belief you are dying
They told me you must believe what we tell you to believe and yours is not to question why
For the sisters never lie
Yours not to know or die
Might as well not even try
Hail, hail resurrection
You'll invited to come and dance on my grave
Oh I'm gonna have a lot of money
I'll say my prayers to the earth and the sunI
'll say my prayers to the earth and the sun
I'll say my prayers to the earth and the sun
I'll say my prayers to the earth and the sun
Hail, hail resurrection
Hail, hail resurrection
Hail, hail resurrection
Hail, hail resurrection
Hail, hail resurrection
Oh won't you come on now
Hail, hail resurrection
Whoa whoa whoa
Hail, hail resurrection
Can't you hear'em coming now
Hail, hail resurrection
I said can't you hear'em coming now
Hail,
hail resurrection
Hail, hail resurrection
Hail, hail resurrection
Hail, hail resurrection
Hail, hail resurrection
I wondered how many of us were dragged to church, abused by religion, by ministers, by believers, by family, by church members, and now now we don't go at all, don't even want to go, can't make us go? How many does Bruce sing for besides himself?
Forgive us our abuses, for now they don't understand the real meaning of your resurrection. Forgive us our abuses, for now they don't know your love, your grace, your mercy.
Forgive us our abuses, for now the abuse keeps getting passed on from one generation to another.
Forgive us our abuses, for we don't understand the real meaning of your resurrection, your love, your grace, your mercy, we haven't stopped the abuse, and we don't live as Easter People.
Help us live as Easter People. Help us to forgive as you forgive. Help us to stop the abuse. Help us to show others the real meaning of your resurrection. Help us to show them your love, your grace, your mercy.
2 comments:
i love your understanding. it's terribly sad but overwhelmingly true.
you've written a beautiful prayer. thank you for sharing it.
I just read this. It made me cry, for Bruce. And for many. :-( Oh Lord, forgive us!
Post a Comment