‘Listen to the Blood’ litany
By Rev. Dr. Steven L. Lyons
The following is a litany in response to the violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, and the current events of the times.
Leader: Who would have thought in the year of our Lord 2017, we would be experiencing the hatred, intolerance, inequalities and perilous race relations that we have seen over the last few years and especially in the last few weeks. Blood is still being shed today; blood of the guiltless as well as guilt-ridden is needlessly being shed.
People: Listen to the Blood
Leader: When Cain took the life of Abel, God informed the murderous kinsman, “The voice of your brother’s blood is crying out to me from the ground.” Heather Heyer’s blood is speaking from the ground. Emmett Till’s blood is crying from the ground. Trayvon Martin’s blood is crying from the ground. John Lewis’ blood was spilled and has a voice from the ground. Can’t you hear it??? Injustice against anyone is injustice against everyone.
People: Listen to the Blood
Leader: When elected leaders refuse to call outright wrong wrong … when politicians and democracy professionals seem to skew and misinterpret and misrepresent the words, “all men are created equal” and throw its true meaning to the wind, something has got to be done. Some of them decry “let’s just honor the past and look to the future.” But, what about the blood?
People: Listen to the Blood
Leader: Racism is wrong. Xenophobia is wrong. Nazism is wrong. The Alt-Right position is wrong. Terrorism is wrong. Hatred is wrong. Murder is wrong. White supremacy is wrong. Wrong is wrong and must be named. It must be called out. We take no joy in having those words, those names fall from our lips but we do so invoking the spirit of God to right the wrongs, the negativities of bigotry, narcissism, egotism, just down right meanness, wherever it is seen.
People: Listen to the Blood
Leader: The innocency of Barcelona, peaceful protesters in Charlottesville, in Georgia, in Maryland, in Kentucky, in Winston-Salem, righteous sympathizers in Durham, those who sit in prayer and intercession in their homes, those who are on the right side shall prevail because only what is done in the name of Christ, Christendom and righteousness will last.
People: Listen to the Blood
Leader: There are threats from foreign lands, climate change and environmental issues loom over us, the economy is still not where it needs to be, education concerns and the plight of the academy strongly exists and then the cares and concerns for the fate of man’s soul speaks loud and rings true.
People: Listen to the Blood
Leader: Too many people are dying; those who have done no wrong, peacefully protesting, without a club or a container full of urine in hand. Even the lives of morally competent and decent law enforcement officers have been snuffed out. A car used as a weapon, the light of tiki torches with the faces of supremacists glowing in the dark, opposing sides not taking a moment to hear with the other has to say … Foolishness being blamed on both sides … REALLY? REALLY? Smh (shaking my head)…. #REALLY?
People: Listen to the Blood
Leader: The word of God, the actions of His Son Jesus the Christ, the move of His Holy Spirit cause us not to sorrow and weep as those who have no hope. Because of the cross of Calvary, the victory of the empty grave and the message of God’s mercy, if we but listen to the blood … the blood of Him who died for us all; red and yellow, black and white … If we but listen to the blood, in the fullness of God’s time, all men will be able to see, feel, experience and share God’s love. It’s not seen in a statue or posted on a blog or expressed in a tweet. It’s seen in how we treat one another, respecting differences yet celebrating our humanity. It starts and ends with those who respect the blood.
People: Listen to the Blood
Leader: Brothers and sisters, Jew and Gentile, men and women, let’s Listen to the Blood. The Blood of JESUS connects, convicts and cleanses us from the sin that separates us from walking together and living together as man with man, man helping man and man honoring God. “What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.”
People: Listen to the Blood. It’s saying “I am my brother’s keeper!” In the name of Jesus. Amen.
Dr. Lyons is pastor of St. James A.M.E. Church in Winston-Salem.
