6/14/20 Through 6/20/20

6/14/20 Through 6/20/20

Sunday

True body and true blood,

My soul and spirit flood.

Transport by grace to sacred space

Let faith within me bud.

Far more than eye can see,

Within the host is Thee.

A light has shone, before unknown,

Our faith alone is key.

So few can see the mercy there,

The love of God, beyond compare.

That from the bread, the soul is fed.

No mercy did He spare.

Lord, help my unbelief

From error, grant relief.

Let love enfold, and me behold

Your sorrow and Your grief.

Monday

In peace, the evil is destroyed.

With love, the peace is then enjoyed.

Resisting not the plots of man,

But loving more when ere we can.

For love has conquered every sin,

And ushered loving-kindness in.

So how the pagans, Christians know,

Is how they love each other so.

In suffering is love fulfilled

When doing as the Father willed.

By earthly view, a stumbling block,

Pure madness to a scattered flock.

The Shepherd's way has proven though,

The way for chosen hearts to go.

For dying to the self will lead,

To verdant pastures where they feed.

Tuesday

So little love is shown

Where self has overgrown,

Where patience flies away,

Destroying what we say.

With little things annoyed,

And peacefulness destroyed,

Repent and find anew

The path that's meant for you.

A splinter weighs you down.

One laugh would make you frown.

A thorn you share, but near despair.

Impatience your renown.

Wednesday

The will of God my chore to know

And graces use, that from Him, flow.

For from His heart the waters spring

That give us strength for anything.

The rays of light that from Him shine

Are rays of mercy, love divine.

That strengthen weak and feeble minds,

In sufferings of varied kinds.

I search to know His Spirit well

And then, to others, gladly tell

Of how He cares for simple ones,

And treats them as adopted sons.

So we must seek His face to know

The way that each should boldly go,

And humbly seek His holy will 

To be our food and daily fill.

Thursday

There before us, hidden well 

Within the story scriptures tell,

A message deep and so profound

That God, by man, could there be found.

The One we deign so far away

Comes close to men, if they but pray.

He cares about their every need

And grants them finest wheat as feed.

His offer to the least of men

Is be their rock and fortress when

The storms of life destroy their peace,

And threats of evil men increase.

The Father's love is oh, so grand!

But few take time to understand,

To stop and let His word be found

Amidst a tiny whisper sound.

The dead be raised and waters split,

By those obedient to it.

Each day He comes and safely leads 

The one, with finest wheat, He feeds.

So stop each day and ponder well

These stories that the scriptures tell.

And there you'll find, that love so grand,

If you but let your heart expand.

Friday

Oh, heart of love, oh Sacred Heart,

To me, Your boundless love impart.

No other heart could so endure

Our sin's atrocious, burning cure.

Enfold me in that love Divine

And change this sinful heart of mine.

Let mercy, as a river flow,

And love for all, within me grow.

Oh holy lance, that pierced His side,

Become for me a faithful guide.

To find the love and mercy there,

And turn my back on bleak despair.

No words describe such burning love,

The flaming brand, of God above.

Revealed in horror, thieves between,

Yet three days hence, alive was seen.

Saturday

Oh heart so pure, beyond all gold,

Grant me the grace to Thee behold.

To marvel at your boundless yes,

And find some way, to love, express.

Such purity unknown to me,

But somehow still, I'm drawn to thee.

So hard for sin to understand

How vast the gifts that God has planned.

But you above all creatures blest

Respond to grace, and host the Guest.

The Maker of the sea and sky,

The humble Son of God Most High.

Through all grace, to man, will flow.

That we might come, our God, to know.

And someday with new eyes made pure,

See beauty that our sins obscure.

6/7/20 Through 6/13/20

6/7/20 Through 6/13/20

Sunday

Oneness meaning much to You

Reflecting, One in Three is true

The family is a model of

His trinitary gift of love.

A total gift of love to show

Just how far, they each would go

To bring about the common good

As every holy family should.

Monday

From God, the source, all blessings come.

No mind can grasp, nor wisdom plumb 

The depth of love, nor wealth of grace

That earthly riches can't replace.

Regardless, how the world sees

The virtues that the Lord, will please

Are those that Jesus lived each day,

And bid us follow in His way.

For if we do, a light will shine

And when our ways, with His align,

His blessing find, anew outpoured,

And in this way, our God adored.

Tuesday

A little more You ask of each

By giving more, You deign to teach

That trust is what we need to grow,

Then watch as all the blessings flow.

Running out, or running over,

Love of God is that which drove her.

Giving when the store was low

Allowed her weakened faith to grow.

Wednesday

My Jesus, Lord, I trust in You.

Be all I am and all I do.

Let me join each day with You,

And find each day Your love anew.

So far below Your lofty state

Each morn I come and grace await.

A thirsty ground awaiting dew,

A humble soul, awaiting You.

Inspire Lord, and change somehow

My heart of stone and grace allow

To tenderize and drive away

All befouling up this clay.

Make my soul attentive to 

Its every gift and grace from You,

And squander not a single one

Till time for me, at last, is done.

Thursday

A gift of love, encouragement

And willingness to then be sent.

Each leader needs a brother who

Will give him strength to follow through.

A man to give a strong, Amen.

A man of courage there, and when,

The persecution comes his way

Will waiver not, and never stray.

Friday

For purity and holy trust

Abandon all the thoughts of lust.

Begin to see with eyes anew

The gift the body is for you.

A gift of total self to give,

A way of love to learn and live.

A joy beyond all pleasure known,

To give oneself to one alone.

The way our maker planned of old.

The two made one, in bonds of gold.

And as the Trinity is three,

From love, new life springs forth from thee.

What joy to share the Father's love

And join with all the saints above

To give like Jesus, totally,

And let the Spirit set us free.

Saturday

Lord, over me, Your cloak be thrown

Your will and grace, to me, be known.

No turning back I want for me,

The plow and ox, I offer Thee.

My yes is meant immutably,

For only truth has set me free.

No more I need than yes or no,

If You just light the way to go.

The Virgin, brightest star above,

Her yes, the greatest word of love.

And grace to all, through Her  is poured

Where Christ be evermore adored.

I want my yes to be like Her's,

A yes no matter what occurs.

The plow and ox be gone for me

My all in all, be only Thee.

5/31/20 Through 6/6/20

5/31/20 Through 6/6/20

Sunday

Holy Spirit, Love Divine,

Enter in this heart of mine.

Take my lips and make them sing, 

Praise unto the Godhead bring.

Prophesy through humble ones,

Make the orphaned, blessed sons.

Bounty of the gifts we seek,

Be the strength of all the weak.

Make the simple servant wise,

Grant them sight, to see the prize.

Courage give the coward now,

Make the feeble bold somehow.

Come ignite the fire in me,

Shine Your light that I may see.

Make of me Your temple blest,

Within my heart take up Your rest.

Monday

Blood and water from His side,

The final gift of Passiontide.

Death and life in both of these,

His final gift, these sacred keys.

The blood His sacrifice for sin,

The lamb must die to enter in.

The perfect and unblemished Lamb,

The  Son of God, the great I AM.

From Adam's opened side arose

A race of man that freely chose

To walk their way apart from love,

And separate from God above.

New life, though from the water springs,

And to the desert land it brings

The light of love to heal mankind

And give new sight to all the blind.

Tuesday

Each sin is but a grace refused

A gift of virtue left unused.

Where sin abounds the grace is more,

For sin is but an empty store.

The wisdom thought so clever there

Produces but an empty snare.

For truth is substance plainly seen,

And falsehood but a trap that's clean.

The grace abounds to do the good

And use it, every person should.

But many graces left unused,

And sin again somehow excused.

Lord, keenly make my heart aware

Of when Your grace is offered there,

And help me choose forevermore

Your grace, above an empty store.

Wednesday

Have we not also been misled?

Have we not had our passions fed,

By ways of flesh that cloud the mind

And make the truth so hard to find?

The key is where the Savior walked

In how He lived, and how He talked.

A unity that's found in few

But one, I pray, is found in you.

A willingness to suffer well

And by a steadfast faith to tell

The promise of what lies ahead,

Is that on which our faith is fed.

A will to suffer, come what may.

In hopes that love unbound would sway

A callous heart to turn around,

So love and truth could then be found.

Thursday

His love the very source of life

Reflected by the man and wife.

Self-giving union there begets

New life a mother ne'er forgets.

For love, all that exists was made.

To love, each one on earth is bade.

For love, the highest call, it's said

Is that which raises from the dead.

Friday

The word confounds the earthly wise,

Yet opens wide the humble eyes.

We clearly see in pages there

His mercy and His loving care.

A lamp unto the feet of man,

A window to Your holy plan.

A comfort in my darkest hour,

A view of Your resplendent pow'r.

How little Jesus, still I know.

So far exceeding, do You go.

Beyond my simple intellect,

In blinding rays of light bedecked.

One simple ray just grant to me

And light the way to set me free

From darkness and my sinful way

Then lead me to the light of day.

Saturday

A dryness in prosperity

Might help the wealthy man to see

Just where the key to comfort lies,

And what a faithful spirit buys.

A peace the world cannot give

A trusting, humble way to live.

In generosity is known

The wealth, the widow's mite has shown.

5/24/20 Through 5/30/20

5/24/20 Through 5/30/20

Sunday

What does His ascension mean

To those of us today,

Except that we are now between

Two worlds quite far away?

A world above in light arrayed

Or one that's far below.

A place where love and truth outweighed

What earthly things bestow.

Monday

Not satisfied with status quo,

Dear Lord, I want to grow and grow.

To see each sacrifice I make

As just another step I take.

Along this narrow path, I tread

With rock or thorn each way I head,

But leading to a summit high

Where love and light will fill the sky.

Your Holy Spirit, well I need.

To strength imbue, and will to feed.

To press on to that promised land

And live as Father's love has planned.

Tuesday

May I too like Paul one day

With clearest conscience, children say,

I bear no guilt for what you do,

For what I've given you is true.

I've done my best to show the way

I've taught you all, how well to pray.

I've introduced my Lord to you,

Now, where you go is up to you.

Sure enough, that day will come

To reckon each and every one.

Then all will see that final day,

The errors of their sinful way.

For sin, I too will bear much shame,

But only mercy, will I claim.

For only mercy can redeem

That love so pure, and love supreme.

Wednesday

I wish to leave with no regrets

And see the fruit my love begets.

To know without a trace of shame,

I did my best to share the flame.

To share the flame of heav'n come down,

To help the gift of faith be found.

To make an impact, lasting here

On all the ones, I hold so dear.

Thursday

Bear witness in your times of trial

Praise and thank our Lord awhile.

For in the trial, faith becomes,

And fear and challenge overcomes.

No witness in an easy life,

But witness shines amid the strife.

As water hot, brings forth the tea,

So trial shows the faith of thee.

So be prepared and not amazed

For every pot by heat is glazed.

True colors shine amid the fire,

And steadfast faith will all admire.

Friday

Before a charcoal fire there

Received the chance to thrice declare.

I love You, Lord,  You know I do!

Grant me the grace, to follow You.

That rocky shore beside the sea,

The Christ was reconciled with me.

My sins forgiven, washed away,

His mercy like an ocean wave.

Three heart-shaped stones upon the shore,

Commemorate His love and more.

One fallen far, yet lifted up

To share with love, His bitter cup.

Saturday
In prison or in freedom speak,
Great strength is found among the weak
Who do His will despite what may
Be consequences of the day.

What matters, is the Father's will,
That we be faithful ever still.
For this, we've seen with clarity,
His will is what is best for me.

So suffer well when ere it comes.
A cross, have all the holy ones,
To shoulder every day, it's true,
And imitate His love for you.

5/17/20 Through 5/23/20

5/17/20 Through 5/23/20

Sunday

The Father, recognize in Me

And then with clarity you'll see.

I do His will to bring you where

You come to see His loving care.

The Advocate I'll send to you 

To help recall the things I do

To call to mind the many ways

He cares for you, and lead your praise.

Be always ready to reply

When asked if you have faith, and why.

To tell your story short and sweet

That they, in you, the Lord would meet.

Monday

Lord, if you find some faith in me,

Then come and stay awhile

Refuse not hospitality,

Nor think it any trial.

For love in me was born anew

When forth Your Spirit came

That breath of life and morning dew

A zeal and holy flame.

I count it joy to serve some way,

And share in what You do.

How else can simple ones repay

Such love that came from You?

Tuesday

So what must I do to be saved,

What trial or path must be braved?

These words echo through, everything that we do

If His love, on our hearts, is engraved.

Encountering love has its way

Of destroying our rules of the day.

In an instant we see, just how wrong we can be,

And the errors of our foolish way.

Just how could we all be so blind?

What folly before filled the mind?

When pride is the king, like a bird we will sing,

At the bugs and the worms that we find.

But that's not the food that we need,

And that's not the way we should feed.

For the greatest and least, should all come to the feast,

And dine at a Banquet indeed!

Wednesday

You worship a One yet unknown,

In spite of the seeds I have sown.

Wake up and see now, that this God is somehow

The One and the true God alone.

You've known it since you were a youth

That all goodness depends on the truth.

So why give your time to a word with no rhyme,

But follow me now to the proof.

Don't simply ignore and just say,

"I'll listen on some other day."

For the Son has been sent, and He called to repent!

The time's not afar, but today!

Thursday

If we only knew

The glory of the King

And had a faith that grew

To light of glory bring.

No more the words a riddle,

or distant land above.

No more a place to fiddle,

But place to learn to love.

Each syllable a morsel sweet,

Or bitter pill to take.

Each word a way to glory meet,

Or to our sin, awake.

So ponder well each word you read,

And sift it very well.

Come each day and richly feed,

And then to others tell.

Say not, my wisdom hasn't grown,

For true that well may be.

But to the simple I have shown

What wisdom cannot see.

Be docile and give time to hear

My wisdom every morn.

With discipline a soul draws near, 

And there is love reborn.

Friday

I ask for each a faith that's strong

For generations on and on.

That each may find the joy that comes

From raising pure and holy ones.

No greater joy can fill the heart

Than sharing with our God a part

Of shaping an immortal soul

To reach at last, the final goal.

A life eternal, bathed in love

The fruit and bountied produce of

A humble life and docile heart

That everyday takes up their part.

Saturday

Do I know the Spirit well?

Can those around, a difference tell?

Do I reflect the Father's love,

Or draw their thoughts to One above?

Help me Lord to change my mind

To one where love, is there enshrined.

Where I will think of others first,

And find my love of self reversed.