Voices Found: The last shall be first,in that beautiful world on high.

 

Voices Found #138

I hope my mother will be there

I hope my mother will be there, in that beautiful

world on high, that used to join with

me in prayer, in that beautiful world on high.

REFRAIN

Oh I will be there, oh I will be there 

with the palms of victory, crowns of glory you shall

wear, in that beautiful world on high.

I hope my sister will be there, in that beautiful 

world on high, that used to join with 

me in prayer, in that beautiful world on high.

REFRAIN

I hope my brother will be there, in that beautiful

world on high, that used to join with

me in prayer, in that beautiful world on high.

REFRAIN

I know my Savior will be there, in that beautiful

world on high, that used to listen

to my prayer, in that beautiful world on high.

REFRAIN

Oh I will be there, oh I will be there 

with the palms of victory, crowns of glory you shall

wear, in that beautiful world on high.

Words: Ed. Nathaniel Dett (1882-1943)

Music: Arr. Carl Heywood

"I hope my mother will be there," reflects the hope Jesus offers in the Gospel, the hope of reuniting a family lost through death, crisis, family turmoil, or forcible separation.  Born out of the brutal bondage of slavery, this spiritual expresses the poignant hope of reconnection in the Resurrection.  That universal hope is proclaimed simply, with the singer trusting in Jesus  and the hope of that "beautiful world on high."

Mark10:17 is appointed for Proper 10 B (closest to July 13) in the Women's Lectionary for the Whole Church. 

In Mark 10:19 Jesus reminds his disciples of the commandments, including "Honor your mother and father." In the author's  notes to her translation,  Gafney states that the original text of the commandment, surprisingly, presents mothers before fathers. It is appropriate that in  this spiritual, the singer longs  first for  mother, honoring her before before her fathers, sisters, and brothers.  

 In the same lesson, Jesus speaks to his disciples who left everything to follow him, "Truly I tell all of you, there is no one who has left house or sisters or brothers or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the Gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age: houses, sisters, and brothers [or friends and kin], mothers and children, and fields with persecutions and, in the age to come, eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first."( Mark 10:29-31.)

Meditation:

Mary, the Mother offers a meditation to honor all mothers, fathers, and kin as she  proclaims  mercy and eternal glory: Strong Mother God  lifts up the lowly, sending the rich away empty.  

Eternal Mother, help me to sing your praise with Sarah, Hagar, Elizabeth, Mary, and all mothers of salvation.

Magnificat! 

Voices Found # 152

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,

my spirit rejoices in you, O God my savior,

for you have looked with favor on your lowly servant.

From this day all generations will call me blessed:

you, the Almighty, have done great things for me, and holy is your name.

You have mercy on those who fear you from generation to generation.

You have shown the strength of your arm

and have scattered the proud in their conceit,

Casting down the mighty from their thrones and lifting up the lowly.

You have filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty.

You have come to the help of your servant Isreal,

for you have remembered your promise of mercy,

The promise you made to our forebears, to Abraham and his children forever.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever.  Amen.

Words: the Song of Mary, Enriching our worship 1, 1998 The Church Pension fund

Music: Melody from Antiphon 17 (Laus Trinitati) by Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179) adapted by Lisa Neufeld Thomas