Hymn at a time of ‘levelling up’ – A promise of heaven is fine if you’re dead

A promise of heaven is fine if you’re dead, 

but we’re in the present, need food and need bread, 

the Christ that we ‘worship’ to whom we might pray, 

would heal in the present, feed folk in his day.



And that still has meaning where poverty kills, 

where selfishness injures – that’s not what God wills. 

A levelling up, to which we might aspire, 

says yes to the sacrifice God would require.



To follow the Christ child from manger to cross, 

involves our self-giving not counting the loss, 

to take from the poor while we bolster our wealth, 

confirms our hypocrisy, signs our ill-health.



The world Jesus promised in action and word 

made selfishness something both cruel and absurd;  

to love every neighbour of each race and creed, 

gave all of God’s grace to meet all the world’s need.


Andrew Pratt; 15/7/2021

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Metre:11.11.11.11