10/27/24 Through 11/2/24

 10/27/24 Through 11/2/24

Sunday

So, do we really want to see,

Or is our blindness found to be

Convenient reason for our sin

And that which keeps us far from Him?

Blindness of spirit is common today

The blind are the ones refusing to say

They know what is right and will choose what is true,

Their blindness is chosen to mask what they do.

But blind as we are, one day we will see

Quite clear what the cause of our blindedness be.

When choosing the darkness the light is obscured

But turning to light our blindness is cured.

Monday

An Apostolic faith we claim

Twelve ordinary men who came

To follow Christ and spread His word

Till every soul on Earth has heard.

These men of low and humble state

When Spirit-filled become ones great

Who offered as their Savior did

And never from His light they hid.

They spread His message far and wide

And for their faith in Jesus died

Not one when faced with death would sway

And that's the Catholic faith today.

Tuesday

Husbands love your wives and find

A mystery of the highest kind

That when the two in flesh are one

They then in truth reflect the Son

Who gave His all to save His Bride

Rejecting every hint of pride

In humble service scourged and crowned

True Love upon the Cross was found.

And there upon the Cross must be

The man to love his wife and see

By showing love, submission gained

And every blessing so obtained.

Wednesday

Submission to authority

Is how we learn the best to see

It's how we come to understand

And how we live as God has planned.

Some choose their way apart from Him

To follow on their every whim

They call themselves "good people" though

They have no clue which way to go.

They give appearance of the good

But follow not the way they should

They work for glory of their own

Instead of praising Christ alone

And such as these in final days

When all they have is selfish praise

Will find the narrow gate is closed

To whom the Father's will opposed.

So, turn to Him as Mary did

In love to all the angel bid

His will exceeds in every case

The empty show the others chase.

Thursday

Oh Jesus keep me standing firm

Your ways of love and kindness learn

Unmoved by evil's constant blows

With faith Your mighty shield that shows.

With truth the guard to save my soul

And playing well my given role

By doing all You ask of me

To so Your strength and glory see

In readiness to move the way

Your voice would lead me come what may

With lips confessing You as Lord

Your Spirit as my trusted sword.

Friday

On our journey to the Father

May we with the scripture bother.

His sacred word our guiding light

Our pathway through the dark of night

So far beyond the mind of man

Lies that within the Father's plan

There where every wrong is righted

Every act of love requited.

Saturday

Chastised a little and greatly blest

Afflicted on Earth now passes the test

Proved in the furnace as gold in the fire

Melting away every base desire.

Now comes the time for their shining as light

As sparks in the stubble in darkness of night

Those who have trusted will Truth understand

In the presence of God as the Father has planned.

With Him as their Shepherd and nothing in want

They walk past the wicked who threaten and taunt

No fear shall accost all the days of their lives

In the land where all goodness and holiness thrives.

Christ comes for the sinners to heal and to save

His life for the sinner, on Calvary gave.

He said He would rise, and it's so that He did

No longer the way to the Garden is hid.

In giving of self we obtain what is all

He's lifted the curse we obtained at the Fall

Resurrection no less for the faithful He gives

For Goodness thought dead, forever now lives.

10/20/24 Through 10/26/24

 10/20/24 Through 10/26/24

Sunday

Once again we hear the call

The call to give a total ALL

Not one of convenience meant just for show

But one of commitment to prove what we know

No less than ALL we have we need

For All is needed to succeed

The Cross He accepted for love of us ALL

He saw beyond death to the fix of the Fall

No good is what we have below

At death, to all, we must let go

Possessions are useless, they rust and decay

Unless used in service of showing The Way.

Monday

How dead we were yet brought to life

When sin and wickedness were rife

By flesh controlled, a child of wrath

Traveling down the "easy" path.

But He who's rich in mercy cared

And so, the way of life He shared

That we might live a life made new,

With truth and good, what we pursue.

No longer swayed by earthly wealth

In love and mercy's perfect health

As poor in spirit, so we move

But wealthy ones, at last, we prove.

Tuesday

Good servants be ready and waiting you see

For Christ comes when none are expecting to be

Those called to eternity, ready or not

Working hard for the Kingdom, or lazily caught.

What shame for the lazy, cast out in the dark,

Their chance lies behind, and the future is stark.

Their labor is shown by the fruit they produce

With no possible alibi, case, or excuse.

But good He will bring to the Heavenly feast

All those faithful and true, the great and the least.

He'll wait on the faithful in raiment of light

No longer be death or the dark of the night.

Wednesday

All that God gives us comes from His love

Each trial in patience, a gift from above.

No malady, sickness, darkness, or pain

Is allowed to befall us except for our gain.

If we see with the eyes of our Lord we will find

How many the ways that our hearts have been blind

How small is our faith and how little we've seen

When the truth is how great His loving has been.

In our duties to Him, it's quite often we stray

We think it's but little we fail to obey.

But then when we see what He asks and we do

In shame then He shows us, how little are you.

When He is the Master and we are the slave

We see all the riches, in love, that He gave.

We see all He wants is for naught but our good

So, all in that vein, be accepting we should.

Recognizing as gift every trial we face

We see that it's truly His love we embrace

Care giver or taker, for both we can be

Each trial is love, and it's clear now I see 

Thursday

What man on Earth could ever see

The height and length and breadth of Thee?

For You who have no end might say,

"What you can see should light your way."

You call us simply to obey

To follow on the lighted way

It's faith and trust You wish to see

For light is that which makes us free.

The light and dark this world share.

In shades of gray, most unaware

That clear division comes at last

With sinful into darkness cast.

Friday

Determined  in His holy will,

In unity of life, we fill

Our days with purity and light,

With wisdom for the holy fight.

So, persevere in unity

Be gentle with humility

With patient love your bond of peace

Will strengthen so to never cease.

Saturday

A nation of children both foolish and weak

The wicked they search for, and folly they seek.

They mask it as freedom and rights of the strong

But simply the truth is, they're horribly wrong.

Driven always by wind that blows up the waves

They look on as evil, the Truth that man saves.

Those infants, unable to see that it's love

That motivates all of His words from above.

He gives us Apostles and Prophets and more

With pastors and teachers to show us the score.

At the end of the game it nothing to ALL

So, let's open our ears and answer the call!

10/13/24 Through 10/19/24

 10/13/24 Through 10/19/24

Sunday

Yes, Wisdom far exceeds them all

Before her gold and silver fall.

As none but sand upon the ground,

Are riches when true Wisdom's found.

Good health and beauty seem as naught

When wisdom of the ages taught.

Her splendor lights the darkest room

With light the dark cannot consume.

Yet there with wisdom comes all good

The fact not often understood

That beauty, riches, wealth, and fame

We find when first, we wisdom claim.

Monday

How great the sin our age has known

The wickedness we fail to own

Though much we see we fail to turn

And so, you see, we choose to burn.

The sacrifice that love entails

Compared to joy it brings, it pales.

Yet still we sin to have our way

Unmindful of the price we pay.

To mend a broken bone there's pain,

But on the other side there's gain

Ignoring that which needs repair

Though easy now, it brings despair.

The Ninevites of Jonah's time

Were wise enough to see their crime

To fast and mend their evil ways

With focus on the final days.

And here we are, so smart today.

We try to mold the truth our way

We close our eyes to love's concern

And once again we choose to burn.

Today there's something more that's known,

The love that Jesus Christ has shown

And how the gift of self can be

The key to life eternally.

Don't be a fool and close your eyes

But be repentant, humble, wise

And follow Christ who shows the way

To peace and love in endless day.

Tuesday

So few that know just what's inside

So few can penetrate the pride

To see the filth and murky mire

Of all our evil, base, desire.

We'd rather follow worthless rules

And prove ourselves as stupid fools

For when the outside looks so clean,

The inside proves a different scene.

The inside's clean where love abides

And then you're clean whatever sides.

Not one that hides the other's ills,

But both that do what Father wills.

Wednesday

Flesh crucified brings joy to man

The way no selfish hatred can

For all we try to gain is lost

When love for one another's tossed.

Hatred, rivalry, and greed

To only war and factions lead.

Defilement and fury reign

Where all we want is selfish gain.

But love and peace shall rule the day

When things are turned the other way

For patient kindness never wanes

Wherever love for Jesus reigns

Thursday

When prophets came and faith would bud

You plotted how to shed their blood.

It's not enough you turned away

But others too, you tried to sway.

When evil masquerades as good

And takes the place where righteous stood

So many souls are led astray

By promise of an "easy" way.

But woe to you who act this way

And lead My people far away

With blood of prophets on your head

You make a poor eternal bed.

Friday

The harvest is rich, but the laborers few

Are you listening well for His calling on you?

So, ask of the Master more labor to send

To heal all the sick, and the broken to mend.

To carry the word without money or sack

Always moving ahead, and never aback.

Say to the masses, "The Kingdom's at hand."

So, listen and follow His every command.

Saturday

Lord, who am I, one soft and weak?

What right have I of all to speak?

So little suffering endured

But one who begs for life assured.

Much love I need for fellow man

To walk the road that faith began

To look at every soul in view

And see a work of art from You.

The martyrs show what saints must be

Ones totally in love with Thee.

To even love the evil throng.

Forgiving every sinful wrong.

So far away that seems from me

I shrink from every pain, You see

I search for comfort, peace, and rest

And pray somehow, I pass the test.

My hope in mercy only lies

For naught are worth my feeble tries

No value in the things I do

To earn my way to life with You.

But yes, a simple kindness counts

Each act of love, to heaven mounts.

No little one is left alone,

The Little Way can lead me home.

10/6/24 Through 10/12/24

10/6/24 Through 10/12/24

Sunday

Not good for man to be alone

He made another bone from bone

A rib He took from near the heart

To complementary life impart.

"At last", he said, "My perfect bride

A helpmate always at my side

One equal now in dignity

Providing what was lacking me."

So, joined together, two as one,

The race of man was thus begun.

And so by giving all we own

Life-giving love of God is shown

What God has joined, don't tear apart

And so, from perfect love depart

But learn to ever give yet more

And find love has an endless store.

Monday

Lord, help me be a neighbor good

A one who acts the way he should

A one who cares for others' needs,

A one who scatters many seeds.

So, be my strength in all I do

And help me be a one like You

Who never tires of doing good

And shoulders well his share of wood.

Tuesday

The better part is with our Lord

Absorbing all the love out-poured.

Undaunted by our daily cares

But mindful of our Lord's affairs.

There's time enough to mind the chores

But listening receives our stores

Completing quickly all we need

If we but to His word take heed.

So, set the time aside each day

In quiet stillness there to pray

Then listen as He speaks to you

And all He asks, go out and do.

You'll find these moments fuel the day

And give the strength for come what may.

So, guard your moments at His feet

And nay let busyness defeat.

Wednesday

In daily bread I seek Your love

I seek all blessings from above

Your mercy for my many sins

Is where eternal life begins.

My every suffering I've earned

Yet still Your ways I haven't learned

I satisfy my base desire

Instead of climbing ever higher.

Forgive, forgive, Oh please forgive

I want eternally to live

I hold no grudges here on Earth

And pray you offer second birth.

No longer let the tempter in

My soul be ever free from sin

In perfect love, as one with You

One loving, faithful, kind, and true.

Thursday

Are you so stupid not to see

What Christ our Lord has done for thee?

Have works of law been ever known

To bring the love that Christ has shown?

That Spirit whom He freely gives

Who comforts and who sin forgives

Comes not from empty works of law,

But faith on which we all must draw.

There's none we do could ever earn

The grace we get to teach and learn

To prophesy, work mighty deeds

And help to grow the tiny seeds.

The law is dead, but faith is life

The grace to conquer every strife

The healing for your every ill

And anchor to the Father's will.

Friday

Some things for me are hard to see

How sparrows and our hair can be

Concerns for One so high above,

But He's the One we call Pure Love

His finger guides our every day,

The smallest details on the way

Just trust in Him and He'll provide

What e'er we need to be His Bride.

Saturday

Blessing and obedience,

Together hand in hand 

The way of great expedience

His blessings to expand.

We too, receive great blessings when

We listen and obey

Too often though, like most of men

We choose another way.

 

Miscellaneous stuff from my phone

8/16/24 

Oh how I wish that today was tomorrow

Spare me the grief and spare me the sorrow

Not looking forward to what I must do

I trust that my courage and strength come from You

 

Morning has come on the day that I dread

How I wish I could cower and stay in my bed

But I know I must do what I promised I would

For today is the day I get fastened to wood

 

Things that are hard bring a fear to the mind

But if we persevere it's quite often we find

That fear is but useless, it's faith that we need

As far as we thought, we can now far exceed

8/20/24

Lord, you created man in need

And so I am in need indeed

In need of cleansing from all sin

In need of finding peace within. 

In need of answering your call

In need of trusting you with all

In need of learning how to give

In sacrificial ways to live. 

5/17/24

I want a unity of soul
To make the family a whole 
For soon this world is passing by
And judgment day is drawing nigh 

No second chances after death 
So all before their final breath
Must choose to follow on the way
Of Jesus now and learn to pray

The way is narrow, rough, and steep
But if His word we daily keep
He'll bring us on that final day
The peace and joy we wish today

5/17/24

Let not the faithful learning cease

But evermore the quest increase

To know our Lord in varied ways

And seek Him more throughout our days. 

Let Eucharist be daily sought

And sin confessed before forgot. 

So pride may not a foothold gain

And lead to everlasting pain

5/9/24

Let not my family go astray

Nor follow in the worldly way

And turn their heads away from God 

Then into selfish valleys trod 

Let children be abundant there

And faithful in their family prayer 

Let God be glorified each day

And little ones well taught to pray.

9/29/24 Through 10/5/24

 9/29/24 Through 10/5/24

Sunday

Remove whatever leads astray

But all that's good may with us stay

Don't cast aside who speaks of Me

In ways to set the captive free.

I use my poor and weakest sons

To shame the rich and haughty ones

That way they all will clearly see

In truth, their wisdom comes from Me.

Monday

One by one the disasters fell

But not a sin could Satan tell

For Job had placed his trust above

Believing all was done for love.

How great our faith is called to be

To suffer all calamity

And know somehow it's all for good

Like when He suffered on the wood.

Such strength I wish to gain someday

That I could handle come what may

With faith to trust it's all for good

And shoulder well my share of wood.

The least is called the greatest one

For in humility is won

The prize of favor in His sight

Where least is raised to greatest height.

Tuesday

Resolute determination

As He traveled through the nation

Undeterred by those in fearing

Though the Cross was ever nearing.

On the way the rude rejected

He was not what they expected

Sons of Thunder wanted lightning

Jesus stayed their hands enlightening.

Mercy is what He desires

Sin forgiven stokes the fires

All-consuming love is burning

Sinners to His love are turning

Those in desperation sharing

All their suffering comparing

Never true the measure known

Until the pain becomes our own.

Wednesday

The humble one knows well his place

For all he has, has come from grace.

His every action leads to love

With focus on his home above.

How easy men submit to pride

And focus all on what's inside

They lose the wonder, awe, and fear

That humble find is always near.

A blindness covers all that's good

With bitterness of wormywood

Erudition feeds their pride

But awe and wonder never spied.

A dim and always sad disgrace

When none but foolishness we chase

And angel help is cast aside

With all that's good and true denied.

So, listen for the angel's voice

Let that inform your every choice

This one He gives to be your guide

And save you from the fall of pride.

Thursday

How true that my Redeemer lives

How true that all I need He gives

The sandals ne'er did wear away

And well He fed us on our way.

Our every need the Lord provides

Our every step the Spirit guides.

One day these eyes shall see His face

One day these arms pure Love embrace.

Friday

How foolish is the pride of man

For nay a man on Earth that can

In any way create a thing

Or any way a sunrise bring.

The all we see is but a gift

And even that we cannot sift.

The all has come from God above

And all as gift of purest love.

How vain the thought, we're in control

For none His place has ever stole

None choose the day on which they're born

Or gifts He does with each adorn.

Our task is but to use them well

And others of His goodness tell

To quell the ranks of foolish pride

And always in His grace abide.

Saturday

Blest are the eyes that see what you see

How demons will flee at the mention of Me.

Behold, what I give is not power alone

But the gift of the Father, whose will is made known.

As so many before wished to see what you see

But time wasn't ripe for the sending of Me.

Now fullness of time has occurred at the last

And little now see what was hidden in past.

His love ever faithful, His love ever kind

A suffering servant the people will find

One who gives all for the good of another,

The Son of our God, Our King and our Brother

9/22/24 Through 9/28/24

 9/22/24 Through 9/28/24

Sunday

The passion is coming, but after, I rise

He says it quite plain, but I think it not wise.

Without understanding, afraid to learn more

We walk and we wonder, but fail to explore.

The first will be last.  It's so easy to say,

But doing as such is a much harder way.

The war we regret has its start from within

As in pride, we all clutch to our personal sin.

We argue as if we're the greatest of all

When clearly the problem's our love is so small.

The child much better who hears and obeys

And trusts in the Father whenever he prays.

A passion is coming for each of us here

Some die by the sword, some die by the spear

A passion precedes any glory for all

No matter the great and no matter the small.

The passion of patience, my way of the cross

My way to the bounty through each little loss.

It's one by one that the grapes become wine

Each crushed in the press as they're picked from the vine.

Monday

The light is given that it shine

And shine it be the work of thine

Conceal it not, but raise it high

To light the way for passersby.

All hidden here below shall be

Exposed one day for all to see

No secret that will not be known

And wealth on Earth, be useless shown.

The ones that have, shall more receive

But those whom Earthly wealth deceive

Will lose the all that they possessed

And see the poor as richly blest.

Don't be a fool of Earthly fame

But one who shares His Holy Name

And lights the way for all to see

What's true in all reality.

Tuesday

Mother and brother and sister to Me

Are those who will act on My every plea.

The docile, obedient, generous kind

Whose will with the Father is always aligned.

A stream He directs anywhere that He wills

A container for grace that He constantly fills

For obedient slaves that are honored to serve

The highest of places the King will reserve.

Wednesday

Your word has been so good to me

A guiding light, a lamp to see.

It shows me where my heart is wrong

And why, with You, I should belong.

It shows my search for wealth and fame

An ignorant and foolish game

For gold and silver never sate

But on Your word I sit and wait.

One word from You will all surpass

The gold and silver...  withered grass.

The world's honor, wealth, and fame

A passing flow'r in Heaven's game.

Through You alone is wisdom gained

To Earthly pleasures, fools are chained.

So, help me see You're all I need

And nourish in my heart Your seed.

Thursday

Our refuge Lord in every age

The source of wisdom for the sage

We come from clay and turn to dust

Your word alone is one to trust.

Much like the flow'r or grass afield

To Thee alone, we all must yield.

Our breath of life is like a breeze,

Why should You care for such as these?

It's in your image men were made

And so, to love their Maker bade

But freedom means a will to choose

And so, the way to life we lose.

But Jesus Christ was sent to save

With power o'er the cross and grave.

If we but trust in Him for grace,

He'll lead us to our heav'nly place.

Friday

For every purpose, there's a time.

For every word, there comes a rhyme.

A time for birth, a time for death

A time to breathe our final breath.

A time to laugh, with men rejoice

A time to speak in somber voice.

A time for love and time for hate

A time that men, in fear, await.

That time when time itself shall cease

Eternal suffering, or peace

Then time no more can change our way

And light becomes eternal day

A precious thing this time on Earth

No way to know how much it's worth

Until it's gone, no more to be

And then we face eternity

It's dark or light, no more the gray

But here on Earth we choose which way.

All joy and happiness are found

Where truth and love for all abound.

Saturday

Like every man afraid of death

That time we draw our final breath

We see as futile all we own

When passing to the great unknown.

So many grasp before they go

For worthless pleasures here below

Yet some with courage suffer well

They draw on faith to save from Hell

When Jesus spoke of suffering

Disciples feared to further bring

The conversation with Him then

For they were Earthly-minded men

Christ wanted them to hear and know

The greatest love He came to show

Involved much suffering and pain

But led to everlasting gain

I pray for grace and courage now

To see beyond this life somehow

Accepting all that comes to me

As stepping stones to set me free.