III. The Anthem
Now, open your ears
And hear the anthem ringing through the sanctuary—
Hear the organ pipes bellow
And their notes cascading through the air—
Trains upon trains of tones in concert,
Rushing like whitewater all around you.
Hear the voices roaring out a song
From every mural in every corner of this room—
Voices of those still living, those who have died, and those only imagined
Thundering as one
As they chant the Great Theme
That unifies this creation
Under one purpose and one Heavenly vision:
That dream of salvation
That justifies all striving—
That heavenly destination
That inspires every step of our pilgrimage—
That highest good hoped for
That sets our sights and tells us, each moment,
Whether we are closer or farther away.
They chant the anthem to the prized ideal
That propels this creation forward
Through all confusion and all hardship
Along the way of becoming.
Some are drawn toward dreams of luxury,
Others to reputation or glory, others simply to quiet solitude;
And they gauge their every move
Based on how much closer or farther
They are to or from this dream of Heaven.
But I have found that all other pictured paradises
Fail ultimately to deliver the one thing the soul most desires,
Which is only and has always been —
The fullness, the everything of life.
All else fails except for the exhaustless ideal and goodness
Of the love of God and the spotless vision of His people
Rich in peace and flourishing as the united Body of Christ.
And this unifying theme,
Which I love to sing with all of my soul,
Has given me the gift of all gifts:
A purpose eternal and an unspeakable joy.
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