Down By the River

Sermon by Rev. David Jones

Peace

We all are as grass in blazing sun
Without a bud for fortune,
No bloom assembles life itself
War’s raging fires are daunting.

Within life’s silenced withered blade
With roots no source of nurture,
It’s Peace that cries, a clanging bell
Oh Peace where is your future

For you desire to bud and bloom
But face foreseen demise,
For naked, fall your garments
No resources for disguise.

As humankind cries shouts of hate
Brute spectacles arrayed,
Enriching and empowering
Gnarled blades of grass displayed.

Oh Peace come forth in singing,
Bow down on bended knee,
By God, Peace be annointed
So our world can clearly see,

That as withered grass is glooming,
Burned, parched, no strength to sprout,
Only God and all His angels
Can extinguish hate’s battling clout.

We’ll embrace you at the threshold
To escort you home at last,
Oh come, oh come Lord Jesus
With Peace anchored to your breast.

Soon let human kind embrace her
So our world with her is blessed
When the torch of Peace is carried
Forcing hatred to regress.

Blow your healing breath upon us
Letting Peace take root on earth
We await your second coming
As we celebrate your birth

Author Candace Jones
Copyright Advent 2023