It Does Matter
Today was a day of celebration in our church. Today was a day of sorrow in our church.
For the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr and the work to rid our lives of racism is far from over.
The responsive reading used, was written by a minister in the Unitarian-Universalist Association who had worked tirelessly for years in the advancement of civil rights.
Her words are as follows:
A Litany of Restoration
If, recognizing the interdependence of all life, we strive to build community, the strength we gather will be our salvation. If you are black and I am white,
It will not matter.
If you are female and I am male,
It will not matter.
If you are older and I am younger,
It will not matter.
If you are progressive and I am conservative,
It will not matter.
If you are straight and I am gay,
It will not matter.
If we join spirits as brothers and sisters, the pain of our aloneness will be lessened, and that does matter.
In this sprit, we build community and move toward restoration.
Marjorie Bowens-Wheatley.
Responsive Reading Number 576 in the UU hymnal, “Singing the Living Tradition,” [Boston, MA, © 1993]
As I was later paging through the hymnal, I found a melody that has haunted me from the first time that I heard a young girl singing it to herself at a Camperee years, and years ago.
You may recognize it as “By the Waters of Babylon.”
It is usually used for the words from Psalm 137, “By the waters, the waters, of Babylon, we sat down and wept, and wept for thee, Zion. We remember, we remember, we remember thee, Zion.”
It struck me that the words of the responsive reading could be easily adapted to that melody . . . and so I did.
And I now share it with you.
It Does Matter
If you are black and I am white it matters not.
It matters not one wit, one wit, it matters not.
If I’m black and you are white it matters not, it matters not.
If you are female and I am male it matters not.
It matters not one wit, one wit, it matters not.
If I’m female and you’re male it matters not, it matters not.
If you are older and I am young it matters not.
It matters not one wit, one wit, it matters not.
If I’m older and you’re young it matters not, It matters not.
If you are straight and I am gay it matters not.
It matters not one wit, one wit, it matters not.
If I’m straight and you are gay it matters not, It matters not.
If you’re conservative and I’m a lib’ral I matters not.
It matters not one wit, one wit, it matters not.
If I’m conservative and you’re lib’ral it matters not, It matters not.
If you are Jewish and I am Christian it matters not.
It matters not one wit, one wit, it matters not.
If I’m Jewish and you’re Christian it matters not, It matters not.
If we join spirits as brothers and sisters,
The pain of our aloneness, aloneness, will be lessened.
And that matters, and that matters, and that matters, does matter.
The music is such that it can be sung as a three-part canon.
And as the Exiles in the Days of Yore sought solace and comfort for their aloneness by the waters of Babylon, we, in our Days of Today, seek to lessen our aloneness as we join spirits as brothers and sisters in community.
If anyone would like a copy of the music with words, I will be very happy to e-mail a one-page .pdf file with this arrangement and words.
And may you find comfort and solace for both you and your neighbor in the shelter of community.
The Refectory Manager
For the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr and the work to rid our lives of racism is far from over.
The responsive reading used, was written by a minister in the Unitarian-Universalist Association who had worked tirelessly for years in the advancement of civil rights.
Her words are as follows:
A Litany of Restoration
If, recognizing the interdependence of all life, we strive to build community, the strength we gather will be our salvation. If you are black and I am white,
It will not matter.
If you are female and I am male,
It will not matter.
If you are older and I am younger,
It will not matter.
If you are progressive and I am conservative,
It will not matter.
If you are straight and I am gay,
It will not matter.
If we join spirits as brothers and sisters, the pain of our aloneness will be lessened, and that does matter.
In this sprit, we build community and move toward restoration.
Marjorie Bowens-Wheatley.
Responsive Reading Number 576 in the UU hymnal, “Singing the Living Tradition,” [Boston, MA, © 1993]
As I was later paging through the hymnal, I found a melody that has haunted me from the first time that I heard a young girl singing it to herself at a Camperee years, and years ago.
You may recognize it as “By the Waters of Babylon.”
It is usually used for the words from Psalm 137, “By the waters, the waters, of Babylon, we sat down and wept, and wept for thee, Zion. We remember, we remember, we remember thee, Zion.”
It struck me that the words of the responsive reading could be easily adapted to that melody . . . and so I did.
And I now share it with you.
It Does Matter
If you are black and I am white it matters not.
It matters not one wit, one wit, it matters not.
If I’m black and you are white it matters not, it matters not.
If you are female and I am male it matters not.
It matters not one wit, one wit, it matters not.
If I’m female and you’re male it matters not, it matters not.
If you are older and I am young it matters not.
It matters not one wit, one wit, it matters not.
If I’m older and you’re young it matters not, It matters not.
If you are straight and I am gay it matters not.
It matters not one wit, one wit, it matters not.
If I’m straight and you are gay it matters not, It matters not.
If you’re conservative and I’m a lib’ral I matters not.
It matters not one wit, one wit, it matters not.
If I’m conservative and you’re lib’ral it matters not, It matters not.
If you are Jewish and I am Christian it matters not.
It matters not one wit, one wit, it matters not.
If I’m Jewish and you’re Christian it matters not, It matters not.
If we join spirits as brothers and sisters,
The pain of our aloneness, aloneness, will be lessened.
And that matters, and that matters, and that matters, does matter.
The music is such that it can be sung as a three-part canon.
And as the Exiles in the Days of Yore sought solace and comfort for their aloneness by the waters of Babylon, we, in our Days of Today, seek to lessen our aloneness as we join spirits as brothers and sisters in community.
If anyone would like a copy of the music with words, I will be very happy to e-mail a one-page .pdf file with this arrangement and words.
And may you find comfort and solace for both you and your neighbor in the shelter of community.
The Refectory Manager
posted by The Refectory Manager | 5:09 PM
1 Comments:
Marjorie Bowens Wheatley was a lovely voice within the UU community and she will be missed. I have read a few of her essays and she was a wonderfully insightful writer. I also agree with her when she asserts that the essence of Jesus' ministry can be found in Luke 4:16. That is really meaningful to people who, like us, have been oppressed by society and parts of the church due to who we are.
Thanks for sharing these thoughts. I love the blog and I am glad you have it linked to your kinship identity so that we can get to know you a little better through your sharing in this space.
Duane in Indiana
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