Blessed are the uninsured with conditions pre-existing and
the ones with co-pays and deductibles beyond their means,
pressured under a mountain of out-of-network bills,
weighing their care with a lifetime of debt,
they will find healing.
Blessed are the unemployed seeking opportunity,
the under-employed seeking dignity,
and the underpaid working three jobs to earn enough to almost get by,
they will be valued.
Blessed are the queer homeless youth,
turned out and away,
homes broken by ‘family values’ and ‘righteousness’
they will be at welcomed home.
Blessed are the hungry, seeking nutrition on the dollar menu,
thirsting for fresh from deep in the food desert,
they will be nourished.
Blessed are the fat, heavy with body-shaming,
weary in their own skin, worried about where they fit in
they will be comfortable.
Blessed are the harassed and abused,
the trafficked and assaulted by the power-hungry,
‘grabbed’ as an object for control rather than a child of God’s great love,
they will be empowered.
Blessed are the immigrants seeking a way out of no way,
traveling through danger,
detained and families divided,
sacred bonds broken by state sponsored abuse and ice cold lies
they will be reunited.
Blessed are students afraid to go back,
walking weary through hallways once rocked by the rhythms of war,
grappling with survivor guilt and PTSD, a lifetime of grief and lost,
wondering when it will happen again,
they will be comforted.
Blessed are the resisters, uncovering their privilege working to change themselves
and untangle systems of suppression,
risking it all to speak truth to power,
protesting injustice and working for a better way,
they will be heard.
Blessed are the veterans with wounds to deep to see,
blessed are the single parents shouldering it all,
blessed are the refugees dreaming of home,
blessed are the diagnosed and the undiagnosed,
blessed are the broken hearted living with vivd dreams and memories,
Blessed are the poor and the poor of spirit,
Blessed are the meek, the mild and the ones longing for peace.
Blessed.
© Rev. Debra McKnight, Urban Abbey
