Blessed are the arrogant
It is hard to express the anger that rose from deep within me during the
events of Drumcree in 1996. Anger not at bigotry and prejudice and hatred,
that is part of our Northern Irish society, as Bono called it "the trench
dug within our heart". I expect that. No, my anger was for the clerical
collars, the Churches and the name of Christ being dragged through the
muck. To see a Church as the symbol of events beam out from my television
set each night and to be aware that Christians were deeply committed to the
sin of pride and arrogance was what caused rage deep within my soul. My
God, whom I love and strive to follow, was being abused and his reputation
was being destroyed before the eyes of a watching world.
It made me realise, too, that we do not really desire to follow Jesus. The
whole Gospel and particularly the Sermon On The Mount and specifically The
Beatitudes is an antithesis of what we saw at Drumcree. It seems that we
are very quick to fight for the name of Christ but have no desire whatever
to do so in his radical revolutionary way. This poem suggests that we have
turned it all around.
blessed are the arrogant
on these charred streets of belfast
there are scars on minds and hearts
the only thing we do together
is to rip one another apart
it's hard to find the chinks of light
in this god forsaken place
if he don't send his judgement down
it's an even more amazing grace.
and cursed are the peace makers
for they might compromise
cursed are those who mourn
for they might apologise
cursed are the poor in spirit
they might confess and regret
and cursed are the merciful
they might forgive and forget
and cursed are the meek
for they won't ride their high horse
but blessed are the arrogant
for they will maintain this curse.
on these broken hearts of belfast
there are spoken open lies
no matter what your fancy dress
the truth can't be disguised
we belligerently spit in the face of god
and this miraculous peace time space
if god don't send his judgement down
then it's an even more amazing grace.
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