Living Psalm 118: 1-2, 14-24

Living Psalms Book

Psalms in the form of words and art, reborn in the specific contexts of our world, privileging the voices of historically marginalized communities and those acting in solidarity with them.

Tread carefully, my Beloveds
when you celebrate today
because somewhere,
somewhere, the tomb stone
hasn’t been rolled away.

Sing your praises to Me
gently, my Loves,
because somewhere
the grief is greater
than the story.

Somewhere, the miracle
of new life is still only a promise,
an aching in the veins,
a tale told to children whose hope
has been carried away.

I don’t say this to steal your joy
this holy day. I don’t remind you
of pain to put a damper on
the celebration of new life
and the empty tomb.

I want you to rise and stretch,
drink water, pull out your
fancy hats, your woolly scarves,
your boots and patent leather shoes,
break the fast with me.

I want you to dance,
embracing the ones you love –
I want you to sit together
to eat and pray
and remember.

Jesus rose, hands and feet
still marked, side bloodied.
His presence was met with fear
and disbelief, and those who loved him
still grieved the man they’d lost.

He was transformed, Beloveds,
out of torture and pain,
betrayal, abandonment –
he died alone, as all must,
and that could have been the end.

But instead, Christ rose – not for feasts
or celebrations, but to bring hope
to the grief-stricken, to encourage each of us
to keep going, even when the horror is refreshed daily,
and the stone too heavy to roll away alone.

Tread carefully, my Beloveds,
when you celebrate today
because somewhere,
somewhere, someone is crying out
for you to transform death into justice.

Rise, Loves,
and do what must be done.
You were born with grace already upon you –
live now with the open-tomb, Easter
risen Christ beating Love in your hearts.

Living-Psalm-118-1-2-14-24_Mankin-Easter-March-31-2024 Download

Living Psalm 118: 1-2, 14-24 was written by Maria Mankin.

Living Psalms Book is created by UCC Witness & Worship Artists’ Group, a Network of UCC connected artists, activists and ministers bridging the worship and liturgy of the local church with witness and action in the community. Maren Tirabassi, editor

Logo is detail from Living Psalm 80 by Sophia Beardemphl, Redwoods, CA. Recovering from significant bullying, Sophia, age nine, read Psalm 80 and thought of brokenness that needs mending. She drew this broken and mended bowl.