Joseph arranged the bread and wine on the altar. Then he knelt before it alongside Martha. The two of them prayed in silence, while people came into the church. Breathing deeply, Joseph silently sung an alleluia. He felt as if he were inside the sound that was inside him. It filled every part of his mind and with each heartbeat moved through his body. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia! He felt the sadness lifting from his heart. He felt the tension flow from his shoulders and temples. He felt himself lifted up and carried on the sound resonating within him in silent prayer. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

He could sense the presence of Martha next to him. He was amazed by her strength and courage. She had known right away what they were to do. It would begin this morning in the Sunday service.

Joseph thought back to the strange events of the night before. Samuel had asked him to go with him to Bishop Rawlings' house. At first Joseph had resisted, because he had not recovered from the wounds received in the courtroom in Islamabad, but Samuel had been persistent. The two of them had taken a taxi and arrived about nine in the evening. Samuel hadn't explained anything. He'd only said that the Bishop had had a heart attack and wanted to talk with him. Samuel wanted Joseph along as a witness.

When the secretary to the Bishop took them into his bedroom, Joseph was astonished to see how wasted Bishop Rawlings looked. His color was pasty, and his mouth was slack. His wrinkled white hands lay on the blankets like withered sticks. Joseph and Samuel hadn't stayed long. With his last breath Bishop Rawlings had told them of the hanging of Javed, Hassan and Paul the night before in Islamabad. He also admitted that he had helped the government in its plan to eliminate the three men. Rawlings had confessed this to them, in an effort to clear his conscience before his death.

In addition, Rawlings told them that he had followed the Security Forces' car to the dump and witnessed their deaths. Both Samuel and Joseph were astonished by his account and, at first, refused to believe him. But Bishop Rawlings swore by all that was holy to what he had seen and heard.

When they left the Bishop's home Joseph was angry and unforgiving. But Samuel told him that perhaps the deaths of Paul, Javed and Hassan would lead to a new beginning among those who had known the three men. Suddenly, Joseph realized that he was called to help create this new beginning.

They were silent riding back to the colonies in the taxi. But when Samuel was dropped off near his home, Joseph asked the old man for his blessing. Samuel didn't hesitate. He laid his hands on Joseph's head and said simply, "Alleluia, alleluia."

It was time now to begin the service. Joseph rose and bowed to the crucifix behind the altar. Then he stepped to the side and moved behind the altar, turning to face the congregation. He was familiar with the Mass. He had an excellent memory, and he had heard the words often enough to know them by heart. "In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit," he began. And the people answered, "Amen."

Sister Martha joined him behind the altar to read the Gospel lesson for the day. It was from Mark 3:31-35. Jesus was healing and teaching in Galilee when his mother and his brothers arrived to take him home. He refused to go with them, however, saying: "Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother."

Then Martha sat down and Joseph began the message for the day. "Brothers and sisters, God has chosen me to tell you what happened to Fr. Paul after he was taken into custody. He was locked up in prison and tortured to name those who were conspiring with him against the laws of the state. The words he used were combined on a tape to make it sound like he had confessed that he and his lawyers, Javed and Hassan, were guilty of blasphemy. A mock trial was held in the prison by the Security Forces. Then, Fr. Paul was taken to the garbage dump outside Islamabad, where he, Javed and Hassan were hanged."

Joseph swallowed. "When the Security Forces put the ropes around their necks, Hassan was silent. His tongue had been cut out. Javed began to chant the Muslim creed that we've all heard in Arabic many times. The words mean: 'There is no god but God, and Muhammad is God's prophet.' After a moment of silence, Fr. Paul joined with Javed in the first part of the creed, chanting with Javed in Arabic. But as Javed chanted the second part of the Muslim creed, Fr. Paul chanted: 'Alleluia, alleluia!' Their voices rang out, loud and clear, until the boxes beneath their feet were kicked out from under them, and they died."

He paused, looking around the room. "I heard this from Bishop Rawlings just before his death last night from a heart attack. He had tried to negotiate the release of Fr. Paul, on the condition that Fr. Paul agreed to leave Pakistan. But Fr. Paul refused to leave his people. He wanted to stand trial, so he could argue that the blasphemy law was unjust. Bishop Rawlings followed the Security Forces. He saw the hanging, and he heard the last words of Fr. Paul. I went with Samuel last night to the home of Bishop Rawlings, and we heard his account together. Samuel is my witness."

Joseph didn't reveal that Bishop Rawlings was involved in a conspiracy with the Security Forces. Some might suspect that, but others wouldn't. There was no reason now to sully the name of Bishop Rawlings. After all, he was their primary witness. The church was absolutely silent. Joseph knew that the people were shocked by what they'd heard and by what Paul had done.

"We are all familiar with the word 'Alleluia,' Joseph continued. But it may be helpful to remind ourselves what this word means, if we are to understand and appreciate why Fr. Paul chose to end his life as he did. Alleluia means "Praise be to God." But the word comes from the ancient Hebrew. Alleluia is a word of praise that links us to our ancestors in faith, the Jewish people. It is also a word that reminds us how the Church has endured throughout the centuries, even when persecuted. It has endured because Christians have praised and trusted in God."

"The gospel lesson for this morning tells us that everyone who does the will of God is our sister and brother and mother. Jesus went out of his way to show his family and friends that the kingdom of God is open to all those who have faith in the one God. Jesus ate with sinners, he treated women as equals, he rejected the priesthood of the temple by teaching his disciples to pray directly to God as 'Abba,' as their loving father or 'papa,' which is what the word 'Abba' means." (Paul had once explained that to Joseph.)

"As the risen Christ, God came to St. Paul and through him opened the kingdom of God to Gentiles as well as Jews. St. Paul taught in the early Church that we are saved by faith through the grace of God. We aren't saved by just keeping the rules, but by trusting in God. St. Paul argued that this was clear because the scriptures said Abraham had faith in God and that his faith was reckoned to him as righteousness. Abraham lived before the Jews had received the law from Moses, before the rules of the covenant were established. But Abraham had faith, and he was saved by faith."

"St. Paul saw that Jesus had opened the kingdom of God to all those with faith, to all those who trust in God, whether or not they live up to the rules of the priests or the lawyers. He affirmed that Jews as well as Gentiles would be saved by the grace of God and that this was the good news of the gospel and what it meant to live in Christ."

"Now God has spoken to his people again through the life and witness of Fr. Paul. When he faced his own death at the hands of those who had falsely accused him, he didn't pray for other Christians who were being persecuted. He didn't curse those who had tortured him. He didn't simply confess his own faith in Jesus Christ. Instead, he joined in the prayer of a Muslim, who was also giving up his life in faith to God. That Muslim was also being killed unjustly. He, too, was not cursing his tormentors, nor praying only for his own people. He was worshipping God, in faith, as he had been taught. Fr. Paul joined him in praising God. To show that God is one, he chanted the Muslim prayer along with his Muslim friend, and then also a Christian prayer."

"Brothers and sisters, in Fr. Paul we are reminded again that everyone who does the will of God is our brother and our sister and our mother. Everyone who does the will of God, whether he is a Jew like Abraham, or a Muslim like Javed and like Hassan, or a Christian like our brother, Paul, will be saved. That's the good news of the gospel! That's the gospel we are called to proclaim and to live."

"Sister Martha and I are leading this service, because we believe that we have been called by God to take up the witness of our brother Paul. We welcome your continued support for the work of this mission, in its worship and in its service to our community."

Then Joseph began the prayers. He asked God's blessing upon the bread and the wine, and he gave thanks for them. Then he stepped from behind the altar, leaving the bread on the plate and the wine in the cup. Martha stood and came up beside him. In silence, they spread their hands and invited others to come forward. For a moment, no one moved. Then Philip rose and slowly made he was to the altar. He took a piece of bread from the plate, dipped it in the cup, and put it in his mouth. As he swallowed and turned toward the congregation, tears began to run down his cheeks. "I betrayed Fr. Paul," Philip sobbed. "I kept the Security Forces informed about him, and I took their money and bought dope with it. But I repent now of my sin, and all of you are my witnesses. I know Fr. Paul has forgiven me, because he told me again and again that God forgives those who repent. I only hope that all of you can forgive me."

As Philip moved to the back of the church, others came forward to eat the bread of life and to drink from the cup of salvation. Just then the door behind the congregation opened, and Joseph saw Khalida Ali slip in. She closed the door quietly and stood, with her head bowed, at the back of the church. She was dressed very simply in black, and the scarf over her head revealed only the light reflected in her eyes.

Once everyone was standing, Joseph began to hum, "We shall overcome." People began to hold hands and to sway from side to side. As they hummed, Sister Martha lifted her face and began to pray.

"Gracious and loving God, our Father, we are thankful for this morning and for all the gifts of life that you have given us. We are grateful for the gift of your son, Jesus, who came among us full of grace and truth, and who revealed to us that you are merciful and forgiving. And we are grateful for all those in the Church who have taught your gospel and lived in ways that have opened the door of your kingdom so that we might find the way to enter."

"We pray today especially for Fr. Paul, who has been taken from us. We all betrayed him, because we failed to give him the support he needed and deserved. We all let him down, because we despaired and didn't trust in his leadership. We all held him back, because we were more concerned with ourselves than with your call to lead our people to justice and peace in the everlasting kingdom of heaven. Forgive us, Father, for our sin and hardness of heart, and help us to be bold now in our witness to what you have revealed to us through him."

"We pray also for the souls of Javed and Hassan. These Muslim men of courage and truth gave their lives for us. They kept faith with you, and they were more loyal friends to Fr. Paul than we were. We give thanks for their witness, and we pledge to witness to their faith as we share with others the faith of Fr. Paul. We will remember Javed, Hassan and Paul. We will tell their story of faith and courage. We will be true to their vision of a community of men and women who are free to worship God as God has called them. We will struggle in love to bring about the justice and reconciliation among our people for which they gave their lives."

As Martha paused, Joseph began to sing, "We shall overcome, we shall overcome, we shall overcome, someday. Deep in my heart, I do believe. We shall overcome someday." As they swayed and sang, Martha lifted her face up and started the next verse.

"Christians and Muslims together, Christians and Muslims together, Christians and Muslims together now. Deep in my heart, I do believe. We shall overcome someday."

Joseph heard during this verse a new voice, and he saw that Khalida Ali had pushed the scarf back from her raised face and joined the singing congregation.

Philip's deep voice started off the next verse. "The truth will make us free, the truth will make us free, the truth will make us free today. Deep in my heart, I do believe. We shall overcome someday."

Then Joseph's voice moved the song up a half step. "We are not afraid, we are not afraid, we are not afraid today. Deep in my heart, I do believe, we shall overcome someday."

Martha's eyes were wide and glistened with light and tears. Philip was sobbing now, and others were comforting him. Joseph felt the wave of emotion sweeping through the congregation. He moved the song up once more. "We shall overcome, we shall overcome, we shall overcome someday. Deep in my heart, I do believe, we shall overcome someday."

They stood humming and swaying, as if suddenly aware of what they had done. They had prayed for Muslims and Christians. They had worshipped the God of all peoples. They had pledged themselves to proclaim the good news that every one, who trusts in God, regardless of his or her religion, belongs to the witnessing community of faith.

Someday, Joseph thought to himself, someday we shall overcome. It might not be in his lifetime, yet the way forward was now clear. He had been chosen to be a witness. He looked at Martha, and she reached out her hand to him. Together they would be witnesses to the God of Christians and Muslims who had once again revealed the power of love through the life and death of a person of faith. Her grip was strong, and he drew strength from her.

Khalida Ali had come forward now, and he reached out to greet her with his other hand. "God is one," he said softly. "Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia! "