7/10/22 Through 7/16/22

 7/10/22 Through 7/16/22

Sunday

Not if far-off lands away

Or far across the sea

Is His command and perfect way

Intended just for me.

Within the reach, before the eyes.

As close as you to me.

Not hidden in some cheap disguise,

But there for all to see.

To do, is that which still remains.

The hardest part you see,

for only if my will contains

The action am I free.

My neighbor surely I must know

Is anyone in need.

I come across the way I go

And love by word and deed.

The chance arrives in every day

To stop or just pass by

To follow in the Master's way

And help the other guy.

A neighbor sure I want to be,

But can I spare the time

To help another one to see

The way this hill to climb?

Monday

Let love my motivation be

And sacrifice at home in me

The widow's mite dropped in as love

And trust in providence above.

No more self-loving acts of greed

Or sacrifice to ego feed

But acts of love in every case

Will strengthened by accepted grace.

So weak am I but strong art Thee

Attend, I beg, my humble plea.

So make me like a saint of Thine,

Let love through all the darkness shine.

Tuesday

When the day of judgment comes

And truth for all is known

Pride to purest love succumbs

And all our sins we own.

His patient love has waited long

And signs from heaven sent

Inviting to His fold belong,

But ye would not repent.

Sodom and Gommorah met

A swift and just decree

But if repentance you forget,

There's more that waits for thee.

So turn this time, delay no more

And as was Lot, be saved

And then the King of kings adore,

Be nevermore enslaved.

Wednesday

One childlike in trust and hope

Will find the peace for which we grope.

The Father be revealed to those

Obedient, who goodness chose.

But they that choose another way

Will seek, but never thirst allay.

For He reveals to little ones

The way to be the Father's sons.

Thursday

Lily of the Mohawks pray

That all would come to Christ this day.

That those so steeped in worldly cares

Would find the One their burden shares.

That they would find in Holy Bread

The source by which the soul is fed.

Abiding in His presence there

A joy and rest beyond compare.

Then learn to trust His every word

And turn their back on others heard.

For peace prevails when we obey

And follow in the Master's way.

Friday

Without wisdom, we falter

And fall into sin.

Then forsaking the altar, 

Our pride will creep in.

When entitlement minded

With gratitude lost

Then to wisdom, we're blinded

A terrible cost.

So remain with the humble

And trust in the One.

Watch the obstacles tumble

When faced by the Son.

Trust in God and God alone

One forever true

Recognize when clearly shown

Love of Him for you.

Saturday

Oh Lord, how easily we're fooled,

By passion and by pride, we're ruled.

The flesh we feed and world obey

And rarely ever stop to pray.

When filled with noise we cannot hear

By silence only, we draw near.

Give pause to us throughout the din

To rest a while and enter in.

To enter in the world of love

And peek our head, the clouds above.

To find the beautiful and true

And draw us ever near to You.

7/3/22 Through 7/9/22

 /3/22 Through 7/9/22

Sunday

The lambs among the wolves are sent

To bear a goodly news.

To call the masses to repent

And challenge common views.

Their bodies bear the marks of Christ

Some visible, some not.

The marks of love so highly priced,

Yet by the Master taught.

Their many trials lead to rest,

A comfort calm and sure.

A meal at love's abundant breast,

A joy to long endure.

Monday

As in youth the bride responds

And loving touch increases bonds

Our Lord desires unity

At every opportunity.

Bond of love so deeply rooted,

Selfish motives gone and muted.

Sacrifices freely given,

Earthly craving deeply riven.

True love requires good for all

And that, our nation, be it's call.

So each must live for common good

By acting as they know they should.

Tuesday

In many ways the flesh appeals

And thus before the idol kneels.

We look to creatures man has made

And thus Who made us all evade.

Humility, that special gift

That helps us through the rubble sift

To see with ever clearer eyes

The error in our pride's disguise.

For if we fail to look within

We overlook a life of sin

And in self-righteousness we lose

The truest peace the heart pursues.

Wednesday

In riches and in great success

To pride we tend to acquiesce.

We fail to see our blessings clear

And think that we made them appear.

Some part our actions surely played,

But all our talents He has made.

It's all a gift from God above,

Our job's to use it all in love.

When pride and selfishness creep in

The downward spiralings begin.

Destruction is the fruit of pride

And lust for wealth is wealth denied.

So plow a new and humble field

Remove the rocks and find it healed.

Let sacrifices harrow fine

And bend you will to His align.

For this will bear abundant fruit

The goal of every heart's pursuit.

For time and time again it's shown

That God is God, and God alone.

Thursday

So many times we've turned away

From Him who fed us on our way.

Exchanging gold for grass and straw

Forgetting all his works we saw.

But overwhelming pity stirred

Does not destroy His wayward herd.

But cleanses in a healing bath

To save them from His righteous wrath.

Friday

Among the wolves the Lamb is slain

With brutal torture, horrid pain.

But persevering to the end

On Love alone did He depend.

So many things we think we need

But One alone is that indeed.

When all is gone and none remain

There's One alone to heal our pain.

Saturday

With nothing hid, and all exposed

One day, at last, the book be closed.

With all revealed His day will come

And shine the light on everyone.

Then all will see what sin has done

And see we crucified the Son.

The horror of our sins concealed

And love of God for man revealed.

Fear not the wickedness of man

But fear the justice of His plan.

Where all is known in clearest light

And gone the darkness of the night.

So listen for the whisper sound

Proclaim the word of God you've found.

And when He asks, "Whom shall I send?"

Be not afraid your all to spend.

6/26/22 Through 7/2/22

 6/26/22 Through 7/2/22

Sunday

This morning here I plow again

The soil of my heart.

I turn my gaze from other men

And inwardly I start

To see the ways I've turned from Him

And to the mortal flesh.

The light I've covered, making dim,

And zeal I must refresh.

So easy to be satisfied

And take the wider road

Then in a downward spiral glide

And trample seed once sowed.

The days are full, and time is now

To resolutely turn

To Christ the King, and then avow

For Thee, I truly yearn.

Monday

The King, no place to lay His head

Yet has within what prophets said.

A peaceful, calm, and trusting way

That is His strength in every day.

Without the world, He still survives

And on the food of God He thrives.

Obedience the strength He shows

To conquer all the world's woes.

Tuesday

Listen well to prophecy

Let it penetrate and see

How much He loves and cares for thee,

And why, corrective, He will be.

Angry water, wind so high

Fear for all that we may die,

Rebuked for how we've turned away

Forgetful of our Master's way.

Trusting while in stormy seas,

Seeking daily on our knees

Amidst the storm will bring us calm

And be our helpful, healing balm.

Wednesday

It's pillars were gone, it should have collapsed,

But two thousand years and more have elapsed

And still on the earth, she proclaims with a zeal

The message of love and His sacrifice real.

Aided each day by the Mother and Son

Who both at the Cross, our victory won.

His all that He gave us, in bread and in wine

Is that which will save us, far more than a sign.

Each day awaits a trial new

Another test for folks like you

But faithful meet it all head-on

And so the Church will carry on.

Thursday

Speak when ere you hear His voice

A simple yes, let be your choice.

Follow promptings given you

Be not surprised what He will do.

Those that bear the stretcher find

He answers them as well in kind.

Sin removed and joints made strong,

We once again, to Him belong.

Friday

A famine worse than any known,

No crop to yield from seed that's sown.

No lamp to light the traveller's way,

No whisper sound to point the way.

It scares me more than lack of food

To think the One my heart's pursued

Would speak not for my daily bread

And thus my spirit go unfed.

I long for every morsel sweet

My sustenance, my bread and meat.

Without Your word I can't survive,

Your loving voice keeps me alive.

Bring not this famine to our land,

But change the hearts that evil planned.

Renew the minds of those grown cold,

And gather strays within Your fold.

Saturday

A vision of heaven think clearly we see

Yet best we imagine is happy with glee.

The day sure is coming, in fact, it is near

When life in the now, is life without fear.

The wine of this vineyard, a new skin requires

Or lost be they both, and smashed our desires.

A new way of thinking, of self as the least.

A way of forgiveness to conquer the beast.

So join with another and strengthen the two

Implore from the Lord all His graces for you.

Taste of the sweetness of love from the Vine.

See all He has promised and know it is thine.

6/19/22 To 6/25/22

 6/19/22 To 6/25/22

Sunday 

The Solemnity of Corpus Christi

(Can be sung to the tune of Stabat Mater)

In the bread a special giving

Sacrifice for all the living

Humble greatness to behold.

Far beyond the senses take us

Into living bread now make us

With the martyrs all of old.

On the tongue, a wafer melting

With a cord of love all belting

Drawing all as one in Thee.

Sweetness in the mouth remaining

In that bit of bread containing

Christ Himself who feedeth me.

Many though that are receiving

Do so, but are not perceiving

Jesus here as humble bread.

Turn them to the truly living

Let them see His flesh He's giving,

Then in truth be richly fed.

Many times my soul delighted

By this Sacrament that righted

How I see His love for me.

Passion trial now reminds us

 In what sinful state He finds us,

Longing ever to be free.

Bursting forth in blood and water

Giving all, our blessed Potter

To the clay His hands have made.

Filling pots beyond their measure

With His love a priceless treasure

To His table sinners bade.

Take this treasure to the masses

Let them see how love surpasses

All the world has to give.

In humility then steep us

Let Your Sacrament now keep us

In Your house with You to live.

Monday

So many times the thought at first,

Is, what will others think?

Within the world our thought immersed,

A stupefying drink.

The thought should be for God alone

No gods that we have made.

Would He who made us all condone,

And find His laws obeyed?

So easy just to go along

And god for me to be.

Then with my wooden beam belong

To those who cannot see.

Keep me always close to Thee

And let me not astray.

\Remove the wooden beam for me

To clearly see the way.

Tuesday

Lay your cares before the Lord

And trust His love will you afford

A way to bear your every trial

And make your suffering worthwhile.

The saints of old have done this well

And of His many blessings tell.

The road be narrow, long, and rough

But He provides with just enough.

Rarely early, never late

He leads His sheep unto the gate.

The humble that on Him rely

The saints of old exemplify.

Wednesday

Trim and teach the trees to grow

Speak aloud so all will know

How best to follow in His way

And bring to all the light of day.

Well cared for trees will bear much fruit

And nourish others in pursuit

Of peace and joy that comes to those

In whom the law of love now glows.

Thursday

A call to go prepare the way

Was given John back in his day.

The call was made within the womb

And he was faithful to his tomb.

Anointed for this special task

And he responded to the ask.

A simple life and meager food

But with the Spirit, one imbued.

The truth he would not water down

And those that listened to him found

Their hearts renewed and souls made clean

Then clear the will of God was seen.

But still, they must respond in kind

And way to follow Him best find

For many varied gifts, he gives

But simple yet the student lives.

Unfettered by the sins of greed,

But trusting God for every need.

His lamp be used to guide the way,

Although confused, they still obey.

Friday

A holocaust awaits if we

Continue down this road.

Refusing in the light to see

The gifts that he bestowed.

A Sacred Heart in love afire

He offers to us all.

A Heart to meet the soul's desire

By answering His call.

Saturday

A heart ablaze with love like His

The flaming heart of Mary is.

Entwined so closely to the Lord

With overflowing love outpoured.

What heart was ere so close to Him

As when her womb contained within

Creator of the stars at night

And source of everlasting light?

A Mother pure and undefiled

Brought forth in flesh, the Holy Child.

Her tender breast His source of food,

And there her heart with love imbued.