11/12/17 through 11/18/17

11/12/17 through 11/18/17

Sunday

The end of time is coming soon

Perhaps today at nine or noon

Have I prepared to meet the groom?

Have I let love within me bloom?

Did I take time to fill my flask?

For wisdom did I search or ask?

Have I besought her every morn?

Within my heart has love been born?

The oil to last throughout the night

And keep the flame still burning bright

Is found in many varied ways

We follow Him throughout our days

Each task of love that we perform

The time we take, a heart to warm

Provides the oil for our light

To meet the bridegroom in the night

Monday

Let not a scandal come from me

But let my faith be what they see

Strengthen me and fill my need

Nurture now, this mustard seed.

Tuesday

All I have is but a gift

No matter how I search or sift

No thing I've made or prize I've earned

But only nothingness I've learned

A worthless servant granted time

To serve this gracious King of mine

May I but hearken to His call

And freely give my all in all.

Wednesday

Of this leperous body cleanse me

From its selfishness defend me

Thou art King and Lord of all

You answer every humble call

Hear my plea to be made clean

Let not my sinfulness be seen

But wash away my awful guilt

In me Your temple be rebuilt

Thursday

Grant wisdom to this heart of mine

That I may ever choose

My will to that of Yours align

And never life to lose

The way of love, the depths You see

Go far beyond my mind

I need Your grace to set me free

That wisdom I could find

Friday

How could we miss the elephant

That stands within the room

And be a fool so confident

Yet headed straight for doom?

The Artist's hand is evident

In all the works we see

In every tiny element

Or in the mighty sea.

Let me not be that foolish one

Who passes every day

And never sees the Father's Son

In those along the way

Give me a heart to love the poor

And know that they deserve

To know Your love and care is sure

And grace without reserve

Inspire me to holiness

In all I say and do

Let me give up my coziness

To be much more like You

Saturday

Will faith be found upon this land

Will we obey the Lord's command,

And pray in this persistent way

To fill our needs for every day?

11/5/17 Through 11/11/17

11/5/17 Through 11/11/17

Sunday

The gospel comes with loving tone

Among the fields where it is sown

Like nursing mom with babe at breast

It brings the weary soul to rest

Beware of those who use the Word

Distorting what, from God, they've heard

To feed their greed and malintent

And comfort not, those in lament

The Word should bring humility

And work to set the captive free

The greatest one will serve the least

So both can then enjoy the feast

Monday

Who could ever know Your ways

Or guess what's held in store

Eternal life, more than repays

What we have waited for

Tuesday

A grace is given to every man

For working out God's holy plan

He calls each one to use their gift

And so. the body's, spirits lift

The harvest shines in ready state

The choicest wines and meat await

But many, earthly pleasures choose

And so, eternal joy, they lose

So use your gift to fill the house

Bring children, friends, and also spouse

Collect the lowly from the street

That all may there, the Master, greet

Wednesday

Renouncing all we gain the power

To fight the fight or build the tower

Possessing what we can't afford

Because our strength is from the Lord

How will I know I've given all

Requested by His loving call,

When I still have, I must confess

An awful lot that I possess?

Thursday

Within this temple, find a home

Make this ground a fertile loam

With holy water nourish these

That they become Your fruitful trees.

Friday

All are stewards of His gifts

But far, the steward, often drifts

And squanders what is given him

By following some foolish whim

The call is simple, follow Him

Disordered bonds, now quickly trim

For holiness, now pray and fast

Give alms and make your kindness last

Saturday

Two masters tug in different ways

One is followed, one betrayed

One will win and one will lose

Be careful of the way you choose.

10/29/17 Through 11/4/17

10/29/17 Through 11/4/17

Sunday

Now love of God and love of man

The perfect place within His plan

This test devised to trick the Son

Proved Him our God and Holy One

For love is more than words or rules

Love is what our passions fuels

To give oneself in total love

Reflects the love of God above

Monday

This heavy sin has bent my spine

Lord in my wretched state incline

And free me from this burden great

That once again I may stand straight

Tuesday

I offer You this mustard seed

In hopes that it will grow

Into the faith and trust I need

To never let You go

So tiny one can barely see

So easily destroyed

How can the faith survive in me

With selfishness employed?

So clear away the avarice

Give up the greed and more

No seed can grow in dirt like this

What am I waiting for?

Wednesday

Lord make me hunger but for You

Be present there in all I do

Make all desires pale when shown

In light of You, and You alone

Lord make me thirst for holiness

That all my sin would be confessed

So mercy I would daily find

And nevermore be seen so blind

Let me wear Your mighty seal

And join You where the thunders peal

Exclaiming there with holy men

Your glory, power, and might, Amen!

Thursday

Lord cleanse this sinful heart of mine

And to Your way, my will incline

Let the cleansing now begin

That sooner, I should favor win

I must be clean and pure of heart

To stand within Your work of art

Attachments, none however small

No hint or remnant of the fall

No shadows in this world of light

Of always day and never night

So let Your fire burn away

My sins, and bring about Your day

Friday

How could I lose eternity

For those who mocked and hated me?

My love is not as great as this,

But I have felt His loving kiss

The kiss, the word, the gentle call

The challenge to surrender all

I wish that all would come to know

The Lord, and let His favors grow

It's quite a far-off place to get

That I, would so, myself forget

And love the others more than me

But that would truly set me free

Saturday

He's writing straight with crooked lines

And so our Maker thus defines

His providence above all things

That peace, to those in trial brings

A Sabbath day, a story told

Of taking places by the bold

And then the haughty one is led

To where the lowly ones are fed

He works within the faults of men

To show His mercy once again

And those once lost who find their way

Make ever brighter endless day

10/22/17 Through 10/28/17

10/22/17 Through 10/28/17

Sunday

Every power on earth bestowed

Comes from above, from One who showed

His love in total sacrifice

To for our many sins suffice

So recognize what he has done

By sending us His only Son

And give the honor where it's due

To One who has great love for you

Monday

Presuming only in His love

We place our trust in God above

The barn we simply fill with things

But never happiness it brings

We seek the giver, not the gift

For He alone will spirits lift

No thing on earth can satisfy,

But more and more the fool will try

Tuesday

Here I am to do your will

And let my heart, Your graces fill

Too long I've tried this way of mine

And let my heart, the world entwine

With foolish goals my way is fraught

For by the flesh, my will's been taught

To choose the easy pleasure near

And not my Lord and God to fear

Oh help me cast that way aside

And bathe in precious cleansing tide

That I might stay awake and see

The Master's kind return to me

Wednesday

Slaves we are and slaves we will be

Both now and in eternity

We have the will to choose which kind,

The where with all to graces find

May we not be slaves of sin

And foster wickedness within

But show ourselves brought back alive

As ones, in righteousness, who strive

Those freed from sin will find their way

To listen well and then obey

And then upon surprise return

The Master's praises they will earn

Thursday

This frightening passage comes to me

As wake-up call that I may see

That I must face the fiery blaze

To clear away the sinful haze

The fire of love to purify

That I might live and never die

Oh spark that flame of love in me

And all my cherished family

Friday

The good I will is not within

But rather I am filled with sin

My flesh so weak and cowardly

That holy, I may never be

What pow'r can save this flesh of mine

That towards the evil way inclines?

The pow'r to turn my heart above

Is Jesus Christ, the man of love

Saturday

Lord help me answer to Your call

Please strengthen faith, don't let me fall

I want to much, a doer be

But oh, dear Lord, please strengthen me.

10/15/17 Through 10/21/17

10/15/17 Through 10/21/17

Sunday

Oh fearful gift of freedom

Received from God above

What loss if I indeed come

To reject Your gift of love

The wedding feast prepared

Of rich and juicy food

Our judgment be declared

If we ourselves exclude

So take my will and intellect

And make of me a slave

For fear I might somehow reject

The banquet that You gave

Monday

Something much greater than Solomon here

A humble, true voice to proclaim it quite clear

The people of Nineveh turned to repent

When hearing the Word that through Jonah was sent

The poor are the blessed who find on the way

That all that is needed, is hear and obey

His love is the treasure that satisfies hearts

And all other pleasure from love thus departs

Tuesday

To emptiness and darkness

Our foolishness has led

To find amid the starkness

A place where swine are fed

The Word we found ridiculous

To live for other's good

We'd rather be meticulous

Than be where Jesus stood

But He can change with blinking eye

The fate we've come to know

If we would but confessing try

And let our evil go

Wednesday

Luke, a man of mercy 

We honor on this day

For his insight and wisdom

Oh Lord we humbly pray

Samaritan and prodigal

Or beggar at the door,

Zacchaeus and forgiven thief

They all just wanted more

May we receive what they have found

Great mercy from the Lord

And then some day in white be gowned

Receiving love's reward.

Thursday

Justice and mercy, one scary one great

Both come from the One whom all did create

Justice demands of us love for all men

How often we fail at it time and again

But grace He will give us by trusting His word

No more will our vision of right be so blurred

In mercy our eyes will be opened to see

His love is for all, not just you or just me

Friday

Soon every secret will be known

Soon all true colors will be shown

Things whispered in darkness be shouted aloud

Each dark little secret now known to the crowd

Confessing in humility

Protects one from hypocracy

Beware of the leaven so easily found

And make of yourself a son of the crowned

Saturday

Here beneath the stars of night

I warm myself by firelight

And ponder what I've done for Thee

That You would have such love for me

The gift of life most precious thing

Bestowed by such a gracious King

To all mankind, that we should know

That our Creator loves us so

This fine mosaic You have made

With pieces all of different shade

Lead all to find their proper place

And fill each one with holy grace