Come to the altar all who are blameless and worthy

Come forward to receive me,
all who are blameless and worthy
freed from sin and pure of faith


Deny me to the unworthy and all are unworthy


Come forward to receive me,
all who are blameless and worthy
freed from sin and pure of faith


Deny my body to another and tear me apart


Come forward to receive me,
all who are blameless and worthy
freed from sin and pure of faith


Cast out the unbeliever and all are outcasts


Come forward to receive me,
all who are blameless and worthy
freed from sin and pure of faith

IF

If born a son of Greece,
would I have seen the God of unity
from which proceeds all good?


If I had sprouted from the seed of a Bodhi
would I have seen the end of suffering
in the ever present now?


If I had been born a roman centurion
during the time of our Lord,
would I have pierced his side?


If born a brother Jew,
would I thought him crazy too,
and ringed him a thorny crown?


If born in Mecca, would I too
profess there no God, but God alone,
and Muhammad his messenger?


If I were born on a plantation
would I have lived in luxury amidst
my chained servants?


If born on the plains,
would I have seen red men
on my land and dispensed with them?


If I had been born in Germany and seen
the renewal of my country
would I have helped to purify my race?


If I were Arab in Palestine
would I worship in the mosque
while I make a holy war?


I were a Jew in the land of Israel
would I proclaim the one God
while I walled off Palestine?


If I had been born an African in Liberia
would I suffer and die with by sisters
and brothers hungry and malnourished?


If if were a Christian, would I be born again
with Jesus in my heart, or would I find him
born anew amidst the sin and suffering?