Sunday, August 27, 2017

9/10/17 Through 9/16/17

9/10/17 Through 9/16/17

Sunday
Somehow I share the guilt of sin
For those I fail to call within
My love must cast a wider net
And have no sinner I forget

Give me the courage to repent
Of sins I own and then be sent
To lead the others on the way
That they might turn to light of day

Monday
Who were the withered ones that day
Unable to discern the Way
Incapable of doing good
When in their midst, the Savior stood?

A withered hand His word can heal
Not withered heart with evil zeal
One hard as stone and steeped in sin
Can only change from deep within

At first they have to recognize
That they have followed useless lies
Repent and turn away from sin
Then ask the Lord to dwell within

Tuesday
He chose His closest ones to share
His daily life and every care
The twelve, in time, became to be
His faithful home community

So often one in trial depends
Upon support from faithful friends
To help him through his darkest time
And from the depth, to new height climb

Wednesday
May I be a blessed one
And not a man of woes
May I always see the Son
And follow where He goes

Each morning He awakens me
To listen to  His word
That I may help some others see
And make His message heard

But one must change more than the rest
And he must plainly see
The only way to pass the test
Is simply changing me.

Once raised with Christ the man of love
No place for sordid sin
I must press on for that above
And find my life in Him

Thursday
In the Garden, through a tree
The serpent gained his sway on me
That sin of old that looked so sweet
So bitter in its cruel defeat

Then once again that serpent's bite
Attacked the ones in desert flight
Ungrateful in their sin of pride
The bitten ones grew sick and died

But on a pole was serpent raised
To save all who upon it gazed
This but a mere prefigured sign
Of our salvation, love divine

He too has conquered through a tree
But not with pride, but love for me
And when I gaze upon His cross
I count all else as none but loss

Friday
Spotless woman beauty bright
Share with me your holy light
Grant for me your Son to see

Daily joining in affliction
Growing strong in my conviction
Of the Father's love for me

Mother's love in ceasless giving
Favor all on earth here living
Mother of God's only Son

Let me share within your sorrow
Once again upon the morrow
Virgin pure and spotless one

Saturday
Build a house with no foundation
Find yourself in desolation
When the storms of life shall come
And turn the mansion to a slum

Honor Him who gives you all
And He'll protect you from a fall
Give Him all that He is due
And He will set His seal on you

Act upon His word of truth
Show good example to the youth
Be docile members of the flock
Dig deep and bui;ld your house on rock





Sunday, August 20, 2017

9/3/17 Through 9/9/17

9/3/17 Through 9/9/17

Sunday
So often I will shun the cross
And simple pleasures seek
Forgetting life comes from the loss
Of all I try to keep

Monday
When Love and Truth within our midst
Present to us they're often missed
We've grown so calloused, old, and gray
We fail to hear what Love would say

Could one so common really bring
The blessings of a sacred king?
"Away with Him", we often say
We have no need to change our way

But, Oh how foolish we can be
When Love and Truth we fail to see
We cast aside the precious stone
And choose to live for self alone

Tuesday
What gave His words that special power
That hungry souls would just devour?
Where got He such authority
That at His sight the demons flee?

No one like Him has spoke before
His word will pierce down to the core
In all the land He's spoken of
Because His words are truth and love

Wednesday
A refuge, a deserted place
Someplace to stop, refill with grace
We need some time alone with Him
To fill our cup unto the brim

He welcomes us at every chance
To fill our hearts and love enhance
In spite of how we fall away
He's there to greet us every day.

Thursday
An emptiness for God to fill
An instrument to do His will
This body that is known as mine
Must now, unto His will, incline

For I have seen abundant grace
And cannot now, my Savior face
Without submitting to His will
And giving emptiness to fill

Friday
This day was born the second Eve
The one immaculate conceived
The one whose humble willing yes
Would then all generations bless

The lowly one now lifted high
By her affirmative reply
Will hear the prayers of us below
And graces from her Son bestow

Saturday
Into the rotting stench below
Would blessed Peter Claver go
With food and medicine to heal
To spread the word in selfless zeal

The lowly slave his chosen charge
To serve as Christ and thus enlarge
Their hearts to see a brighter day
When freedom true, would come their way

Sunday, August 13, 2017

8/27/17 Through 9/2/17

8/27/17 Through 9/2/17

Sunday
Unsearchable the ways of God
No man can understand
But only watch and then applaud
The works of mighty hand

For who has been His counselor
Or given anything
His way is quite irregular
Directing everything

Though we cannot anticipate
One moment to the next
He calls us to participate
And let our faith be flexed

Monday
Oh Lord how little I can see
Of all that has surrounded me
How blind to glory present here
How steeped in selfish greed and fear

So hard I've worked for things I own
But have I yet your Spirit known?
I've worked for things that rust away
A fool that worked for paltry pay

But can I change and then somehow
Find wisdom, love, and beauty now
If I could but my heart attune
Your grace would come and rescue soon

Tuesday
What happened to my firm resolve?
Was that my faith that just dissolved?
Is there more care for man's respect,
That One who made me I reject?

My weakness is my greatest shame
For I know well Your Holy Name
And yet I fail to share the prize
For how I look to sinful eyes

Wednesday
So many times I hate to say
I turn from You throughout the day
To satisfy my appetites
For fleeting thrills or sweet delights

So base and beggarly my eyes
Enticed by such a slim disguise
How will I ever conquer sin
When I'm so weak and limp within?

So weak and yet too proud to show
The splendor of the One I know
Afraid of disapproval by
Some other faithless wimpy guy

I beg assistance for each day
That from these sins I'd turn away
And firmly fix my eyes on You 
The One whose love is strong and true

Thursday
I wish to stay awake but find
That sleep invades this feeble mind
I want to do as Jesus bids
But find it hard to raise these lids

Some time I need for peaceful rest
If I expect to be my best
For He will grant my every need
And give me finest wheat as feed

Friday
Indecency of every kind
Pollutes the soul and fills the mind
Of those who care not for His grace
But every fleeting pleasure chase

This way for you it must not be
Instead, your way be purity
Send lust and passion far away
Let love and honor rule the day

Saturday
This talent I must cultivate
And raise upon the vine
My duty not to abdicate
And lose this gift of mine

Return a harvest full and rich
The best from what I own
An offering of talent which
In me, has Master sown.






Sunday, August 6, 2017

8/20/17 Through 8/26/17

8/20/17 Through 8/26/17

Sunday
Your reign extends to all the earth
To even those of foreign birth
To all with faith You grant the grace
To persevere and see Your face

For Love is blind to what we see
Those differences of you and me
And Love sees but a willing heart
So from that soul will not depart

Monday
We choose our riches everyday
We choose our path through life this way
What oft appears to ask too much
Is where we find His healing touch

The laddle which we measure out
Will tell quite clear what we're about
And show the world what we believe
That giving is how we receive

Tuesday
I will be with you along all the way
I will supply all you need for the day
Trust in My love and be filled with its power
Even when facing your neediest hour

Mother of Light be a model for me
Let me reflect all the glory you see
Help me, like you, to magnify Him
Shining His light for the dark and the dim

Pondering all of the things He has done
Finishing always, the work He's begun
Patiently waiting for His perfect time
Finding a message with each little rhyme

Wednesday
My ways so far away from you
My heart concerned with things I do
With no desire for sacrifice
So far I stray from Paradise

Thursday
What happened there beneath that tree
That made Nathaniel clearly see,
That Jesus was the Christ and King,
Messiah, Lord of everything?

Had he been praying for a sign
To give him surety of mind?
What e're it was made him secure
That Jesus was God's Son for sure.

Friday
Wherever you go I will go
The only steadfast love I know
Love once bonded, never broken
When the truth is freely spoken

All my sin now please absolve
And grant to me that firm resolve
That faced with sin I clearly see
And steadfast Love might come to me.

Saturday
To glean within the Master's field
Protected by His mighty shield
The humble and the lowly see
The Master sets a feast for thee

Not by merit well she knows
The kindness that the Master shows
In bounty now her needs are met
For humble ones He'll not forget.