Cities Dis-united

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Cities Dis-united

Divided Cities, divided families,
Fractured people, broken lives
Division caused by fear, anger, loss and lies
Satan is busy. The old theme;
Divide and conquer, we are easier to pick off one by one.

Belfast, Glasgow – sectarian hatreds
Football loyalties,  lines of denomination
Catholic, protestant; Rangers, Celtic; City, United
False markers of Community
Become border lines of difference

Berlin, most famous of all
A concrete wall pierced through it’s heart
Families, lovers, friends pulled apart:
A wall; symbol of demonic torture
Now a tourist attraction, an art gallery
Like the people; broken into myriad parts

A battleground of ideology
With lives still littering the ground
Such a price to be paid
Broken promises, shattered dreams
Tattooed flesh, braided hair
Symbols of pain and rejection of generations
How much longer Lord?

Gaza, a concrete snake strikes through a people
Along faith lines: Jew – Muslim
Sectarian nations
Oppressor : oppressed
The same old pattern
Our ears muffled by the screams of children
Are blinded to the cry of the One









Listen, all of you
Innocents and guilty alike, held by fear.
Do not be afraid.
You’re imprisoned by a mirage.
Move your hands and feet.  You are free.
I took the chains and nails for you
I died for you
And I live again for you
Do not be afraid.


Come my children, my dear sweet children
Let me wash away your bruises
Let me hold you close
Let me cradle your head as you slowly awake
Hush my child, it’s only a bad dream.
In my arms you are safe
You are loved and cherished.  You belong
You are not alone, Don’t be afraid.
says the Lord.

Are we not all brothers and sisters
A rainbow community
Catholic, protestants, communist, capitalist
Jew, Muslim, Christian
Names more dangerous than the walls they create
Imagined divisions,
Nightmares of lies.

Lord, hear our prayer, forgive us our sins.
Blinded by fear, we strike out and kill our brothers and sisters
We claim to be your disciples, but act like Cain and Abel
What have we done?
Broken lives, shattered dreams, frightened people

In God, with God – the only escape
Not from reality, but TO reality
How can my enemy be my enemy if he is my brother?
My son, my sister, my daughter
Linked by the spirit, purchased by his blood
My enemy becomes ME.
Reach out in love. This is my will.
No more Belfasts; no more Glasgows
No more Berlins; No more Gazas
Reach out in love, Reach up!
May the walls of your hearts echo the Berlin wall
A piece of history.
Fragments in a case

Reach out, reach in
See the Spirit within
Let your heart leap for joy
You are free indeed
Freed by my love
Sealed by my blood
People united by love
Mended lives, resurrected dreams

Love’s enduring caress

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