Blessing for a New Tomorrow

We gather here today to plant a new tomorrow,
fulfilling the prophet’s ancient vision –
swords into ploughshares, spears into pruning hooks,
and, yes, land mines into grape vines.

We gather here today to plant a new tomorrow
whose harvest will be not the grapes of wrath
but the fruit of peace, justice and healing,
fruit all flesh shall share together.

We gather here today to plant a new tomorrow,
watering these tender vines with waters from
the Jordan River mingled with waters from the United Nations,
in this sacred place – a garden of reconciliation and transformation.

We gather here today to plant a new tomorrow
asking the blessing of all that is holy
on our planting and pledging
our lives to be a holy planting.

We will go forth from here today
as many who are one,
who have planted together a new tomorrow
and pledged together to be a new tomorrow –

human gardens of reconciliation and transformation,
bearing the fruit of peace, justice and healing,
fruit all flesh shall share together,
in the name of all that is holy.
                                    So may it be.

Written for the International Day of Peace, 21 September 2005
by The Rev. Canon Charles Gibbs, Executive Director, United Religions Initiative
and read by those gathered at the Isaiah Wall across from the United Nations
to plant a grape vine to bear the fruit of peace, justice and healing for all.