Freedom in Lent - Day 16

There is deep in the soul a hope, a longing for what it might actually be like to feel a sense of freedom. For our siblings who are oppressed and downtrodden that is a daily, painful, reality. For all of us, trapped by the consumerism, prejudice, judgement, exclusion, that our world is so full of it can also be a strong feeling. Sometimes we can't even imagine what it would feel like to know freedom, and we have no way of imagining that. One way of expressing such feelings is in music and poetry, so today's reflection is a Nina Simone song, originally written by Billy Taylor and Dick Davies. 

I wish I knew how it would feel to be free
I wish I could break all the chains holding me
I wish I could say all the things that I should say
Say 'em loud, say 'em clear
For the whole round world to hear

I wish I could share all the love that's in my heart
Remove all the bars that keep us apart
I wish you could know what it means to be me
Then you'd see and agree
That every man should be free

I wish I could give all I'm longing to give
I wish I could live like I'm longing to live
I wish I could do all the things that I can do
Though I'm way overdue, I'd be starting anew

Well, I wish I could be like a bird in the sky
How sweet it would be if I found I could fly
Oh, I'd soar to the sun and look down at the sea
And then I'd sing 'cause I'd know, yeah
Then I'd sing 'cause I'd know, yeah
Then I'd sing 'cause I'd know
I'd know how it feels
I'd know how it feels to be free, yeah, yeah
Oh, I'd know how it feels
Yes, I'd know, I'd know how it feels
How it feels to be free, Lord, Lord, Lord, yeah

                                            Music Billy Taylor, lyrics by Dick Dallas

Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress;
   my eye wastes away from grief,
   my soul and body also.
For my life is spent with sorrow,
   and my years with sighing;
my strength fails because of my misery,
   and my bones waste away.

                                                           Psalm 31.9-10