5/19/24 Through 5/25/24

 5/19/24 Through 5/25/24

Sunday

Life in the Spirit of Jesus my Lord

A gift that alone the poor can afford

For nothing can purchase this life-giving gift

And only the Spirit brings changes so swift.

Reminding us always what Jesus has said

His own precious body He gave us as bread

His Spirit will come at the time that we need 

With sevenfold gifts upon which we feed.

Wisdom and Knowledge, and Fear of the Lord

Are there and just waiting to thee be out-poured

Fortitude, Counsel, and Piety too

Will bring Understanding and comfort to you.

But know that your spirit is poor and quite weak

And then you'll receive the gifts that you seek

Avoiding the proud, the fat, and the sleek,

He comes to the humble, the poor and the meek.

Monday

Mother Mary always be

A source of comfort unto me

Incubate me in Your womb

Send the grace to make me bloom.

As for nine days prayer ensued

Watchful Mother there imbued

Faith and trust within the men

To whom the Spirit would descend.

Oh, Mother of the infant Church

Help me end this life-long search

Help me find humility

And always answer "Let it be."

Tuesday

No reason e'er I see for war

But what the flesh is grasping for

A greedy, lustful, sinful lot

Dissatisfied with what we've got.

A pride of person holding sway

O'er those more worthy on the way

Disordered love for things below

Instead of gifts that You bestow.

With patience and humility

Forbearance and the will to be

The least of those who walk on Earth

We bring about the second birth.

A birth into a world of peace

Where love and joy at once increase

Where childlike will come to know

That talk of war just has to go,

Wednesday

By failing to do what ought to be done

We distance ourselves from Father and Son

The good left undone, as much as the bad

Will draw us from Christ, and poison a lad.

We see and we hear in quietest ways

Above all the din, amid all the haze.

\He speaks to our heart and shows us a need

A sheep we can save, or lamb we can feed.

But busy we claim, we don't have the time

And what's left undone becomes now the crime.

The hand we reach out, the ear that we lend

Will never our God or our neighbor offend.

Thursday

When all is rotten, dry, and stale

Remember well the blinded scale.

How heavy weighed your gifts received

And to each one you tightly cleaved.

The poor with little on their plate

You gave no thought to need abate,

But yet pursued another toy

And never found the promised joy.

Such fools, like sheep, are herded well

And led by demons straight to Hell.

Their paltry pleasures firmly clenched

Where flames of torment never quenched.

Friday

Without a trace of doubtfulness

Let no mean no, and yes mean yes.

Especially as man and wife

Your yes was made to last for life.

Though many circumstances change

Solutions may seem out of range

But perseverance marks the soul

Who presses on to meet the goal.

Although the price may seem too high,

We find him firmly standing by

His vow to love and sacrifice

What e'er the need, what e're the price.

And she who toils every day

Through drudgery along the way

Fails not in tenderness bestowed

Upon the lot in her abode.

So, in this way the two display

The virtues that will light the way

For young to see and learn to give

And peacefully with others live.

Saturday

Let the children come to me

for childlike you all must be

To enter where the King shall reign

And find at last eternal gain.

So, pray with all your heart and more

To find the place you're looking for

And lead the sinner gone astray

To find his life within the Way.

5/12/24 Through 5/18/24

 5/12/24 Through 5/18/24

Sunday

What now?  He's risen, that we know.

What shall we do, where shall we go

He said to wait for power here

And then the mission shall be clear.

Few days from now the Spirit moves

And by His witnesses He proves

That Christ as King forever reigns

O'er all the universe contains.

So, look not up at clouds on high

He shall return here by and by.

But not until you spread the word

And all the men on earth have heard.

Today this seems too hard a task

But wait and pray then simply ask.

The Spirit shall abide in you

And guide the steps of all you do.

Monday

To those that love, the Spirit comes

And vibrant life on Earth becomes.

For when we see God's grand design

Our way must change, to there align.

We see the vict'ry in His way

And how He conquered every day

By trusting in the Father's love

And focusing on life above.

He showed in truth that man can be

As one within the Trinity

By giving all we have away

To let the Potter mold the clay.

Our Blessed Mother did each day,

"Let it be done," her words to say.

Complete and totally she gave

And through her gift came Christ to save.

Tuesday

Chosen by the Holy Spirit

One of twelve to lead and steer it

One to teach and well-proclaim

The glory found in Jesus' name.

One who there from the beginning

Witness to His rising winning

Freedom from the chains of sin

And life anew to live with Him.

Hear and answer when He's calling

No excuses, no more stalling.

Listen well and then obey

Then let the Spirit light your way.

Wednesday

Lord, consecrate us in the Truth

The rich or poor, the old or youth.

For lies abound in every sphere

That tempt to gloom, despair and fear.

But truth alone will light our way

If we but humbly act and pray,

And truth the Garden shall restore

With good and beauty evermore.

Thursday

The work of each is, find a way,

To make Him known in every day.

That all might know and seek the King

To peace and joy, and oneness bring.

Success within the world's eyes

Is but a weak and poor disguise

For what the Father has in store

With unity brings so much more.

Our selfish chases here below

Will ne'er such greatness ever know.

For what we do in Him shall last

When what alone, aside is cast.

So when that little bit is gone

That store of straw we trusted on

You've naught that in the end shall last

And into Selfishness, you're cast.

Don't take that broad and foolish way

But seek His will in every day

Then do His will, become as one,

And find the greatest vic'try won.

Friday

Arisen now disciples know

The worst that evil has may flow,

But Christ has conquered o'er the grave

And so, the faithful soul will save.

What e'er that comes, the Spirit guides

And every needed gift supplies.

The docile ones that do His will,

Their great desire He shall fulfill.

I pray I may not cower then

But face the evil firmly when

I'm faced with temporal loss and pain

And look but to eternal gain.

So many times I've failed before

But now I've come to know You more

And though I still be frail and weak,

Your Spirit's love and strength I seek.

Saturday

All the world could not contain

The books that try to Christ explain

So deep, so wide, so ever long

His praise an everlasting song.

Once encountered, understood

We see but Love upon the wood

The foolishness of that we preach

The humble and the wise will reach.

Yet pride refuses all He gives

Denying that again He lives

Though evidence is clear and plain

In ignorance, they still remain.

Be open and receive His word

Then others tell what you have heard

The news is good, there's room for all

Who wish to hearken to Love's call.

5/5/24 Through 5/11/24

 5/5/24 Through 5/11/24

Sunday

Love alone can bring us peace,

Love alone will never cease.

Loving self and neighbor too

Will bring us ever close to You.

Love is patient, love is kind,

Love's the greatest gift we find.

All the rest will pass away

But love eternally will stay.

In each heart and in each land

Love will answer His command.

Love unites and ne'er divides

Love our every need provides.

Love will calm a raging storm,

Love the coldest heart can warm.

Love the key to peace and joy,

Love the wisest wise employ.

Love makes rich, the poorest poor,

Love will life above secure.

Love, the sick and helpless need

Love the starving soul shall feed.

Love, our Teacher crucified

Rose on Easter glorified.

Heaven's where True Love shall reign,

Where none is loss and all is gain.

Monday

Remember He told you the hour shall come

When faith they attack and foe shall become.

Stand firm in the Lord, believe what He said

Take courage from Him who rose from the dead.

He sends you His Spirit to strengthen and gird

Recalling the words from the Savior you heard.

So, be not afraid when you testify well

For Jesus has conquered the powers of Hell.

Their power is but in the temporal time

But after they fall to the depths with the swine.

So, speak and behold that the Spirit will lead

Supplying the words that the hungry will feed.

Your death may be used in a mighty good way

To soften the hearts of the ones who astray.

Whatever the outcome, His offer remains,

Those doing His bidding have Heavenly gains.

Tuesday

Send the Spirit, Lord I pray

Give me strength for every day.

Be my Counselor and guide

Always ready at my side.

Be my comfort, be my will,

Be my animating fill.

Grant me courage, grant me strength,

Be my help to any length.

Let me sing when suffering,

Let my faith a healing bring.

Shake the bars and loose the chains,

Let me see what Heaven gains.

Grant me knowledge of Your ways,

Let my tongue with angels praise.

Wisdom reigns my daily plea,

Let Her not depart from me.

Help me understand what's good,

Help me pray the way I should.

Let me never part from Thee.

That, my greatest fear would be.

Wednesday

He gives to me the all that is

If I but add my all to His

Oh, help me to attachments break

And turn from satisfactions fake.

There's only One who's right and true

No other can compare to You.

All other gods are empty gourds

There's only One, The Lord of Lords.

Thursday

When we see the light our grief becomes joy.

His praises and glory, then we employ.

For darkness so conquered can never destroy

The life everlasting the saints will enjoy.

The body is raised in physical form

Though different it be from its earthly norm.

Perfected in glory, unstained by the sin,

The death and the rising of Christ let us in.

To union with Father, Spirit and Son

To vict'ry upon Mount Calvary won.

Where darkness forever, eternally banned

And life is how Jesus so graciously planned.

Friday

Do not be afraid, but speak of My name

Be confident always, showing no shame.

My word must be taught, proclaimed to them all

He speaks to us now, as spoken to Paul

The worst of the worst are deserving to know

They're loved and invited to Heaven to go.

But first there must be a one willing to go

And love for the poorest of poor to them show.

A calling He has for each in His flock

If we will but listen, and answer His knock.

The key is to act as He prompts you to do

It makes of us saints, so how about you?

Saturday

Ask the Father in My name

For this is part of why I came

To let you see the Father's love

And set your sights on that above.

The Father's will is my will too

We only want what's best for you.

We teach of ways beyond your mind

So happiness, at last you find.

4/28/24 Through 5/4/24

 4/28/24 Through 5/4/24

Sunday

How wicked man can grow to be

When love of Christ is gone from thee

When children taught to seek for gain

In selfishness and other's pain.

Revenge for wrongs the remedy

And nay the chance for clemency

A withered branch of death and sin

Is all we are apart from Him.

But even those so steeped in sin

Can new and loving life begin,

If they be grafted to the Vine

And follow well the will of Thine.

For there is peace and tranquil joy

When Christian teaching we employ.

When self is given up we show

How true the love of Christ we know.

Monday

Great wisdom is to love the Lord

This gift the poorest poor afford

For those who see and understand

Will join this apostolic band.

No man is God, no man is Lord

There's only One to be adored

Yet man can be His dwelling place,

Be filled with mercy, love, and grace.

Become a saint and follow Him

Not ways of evil, dark, and dim.

For one who's docile everyday

Will shelter gold within the clay.

Tuesday

In suffering the gold made pure,

The way is wrought with pain for sure

But over pain, the joy shall reign

And faithful servants, heaven gain.

The Father's will, the surest way

To find the path to trod today

For love will lead to sacrifice

But joy will come from His advice.

Wednesday

Lord, within my life's pursuit

Prune whatever bears no fruit

So, make my will align with Yours

And grant me grace that long endures.

Make this weakly heart of mine

Firmly grafted to Your Vine

Apart from You I wither, fade

Without the Vine, no progress made.

Thursday

It takes a meeting of the minds

For Christ has come for many kinds

The tent must be one wide and deep

With practices that all can keep.

The simple rules our Lord expressed

To love our God and neighbor best

Admit all men of favored will

And yet present a challenge still.

For love requires giving all

And listening for every call

So, when our will is one with His

We'll understand what Heaven is.

Friday

Many have seen, and many have heard

Many have also studied His word

Far fewer have known Him and seen eye to eye,

But those that once did, were ready to die.

We talk a good game, but when push comes to shove

We likely deny Him rejecting His love.

We listen and hear, but don't understand

Our minds He must open to let them expand.

The finite to the Infinite, "Oh Lord, I want to see."

With all I've given you so far, you still not knoweth Me?

The Father, Son, and Spirit, a triune Godhead be.

A unity beyond the mind, but that you see in Me.

Saturday

If you are hated for loving the Lord

Rejoice and be glad, for great the reward

The world doesn't know what they're missing in Him

Preferring the darkness, they live in the dim

A glimmer of light they may see once a while

But often the darkness again will beguile.

The pain of transition may govern the will,

But love and forgiveness we offer them still.

His work alone is the changing of hearts

But Christians must all be fulfilling their parts

Speaking the truth and illuming the night

In hope that someday they will move to the light.

Our Master much suffered, no less we expect

Now clean are the souls with blood He has swept.

Ascended once more to the Father above

He charges disciples to now spread the love.

All knowing that pain will belong to the chore

But seeing beyond to the joy evermore

He calls His disciples to follow His way

Searching always for those who have fallen away.

4/21/24 Through 4/27/24

 4/21/24 Through 4/27/24

Sunday

Good Shepherd save Your little ones

Your feeble daughters, sinful sons

Astray we go each time we sin

A foolish lot Your flock has been

Yet still, You cherish every soul

Desiring to make us whole

Your very precious life You give

So simple wayward sheep might live

Such love as this we've never seen

Enduring cross and passion keen

To save a lost and helpless lamb.

In truth, You are the Great I AM!

Monday

Astonished that He came to save

Both mighty and the humble knave

Distinctions made by earthly men

By Christ, the cart upset again.

The Gentile too, He calls to learn

And by the Spirit to discern

His call to turn away from sin

And be with Christ one welcomed in.

His gifts were meant for all mankind

The Jew and Gentile here will find

Their sins forgiven, spirits blest

When Christ our King, as Lord confessed.

Tuesday

Your voice I know, the always good

Directing as I always should

Attune my ears to bend Your way

And follow well what ere You say.

So many times Your blessings seen

But oh, how lazy I have been

The easy way I've often trod

And shunned the path of Mighty God

What foolishness I now can see

To ever turn away from Thee

In even ways that seem so small

For happiness is giving all.

A humble sheep within the flock

Who answers every time You knock

Then acts at once to do Your will

And let You well, my coffers fill.

Wednesday

Set aside a special way

Each with a task to do each day

A word will come to open ears

And bless the docile one who hears.

The Voice may take some time to hear

In quietness to Him draw near

Allow Him room within your heart

Then on your sacred journey start.

Each day afresh and new He speaks

A little more of you He seeks

Until the all you have is His

And there you'll find the all that is.

Thursday

On this feast, my patron's day

For zeal and wisdom here I pray

To spread the word per His command

And join the apostolic band

Within my world so small and tame

I wish to kindle there a flame

To warm the hearts of all I meet

That they might too the Savior greet.

Friday

A place prepared for only me

A place for all eternity

His love so far above my reach

But daily He will coach and teach.

He'll show me how the little ways

Of faith and trust should fill my days

And let me see no kindness turned

Within His plan is ever spurned.

As prophets spoke so long ago

And those who search the scripture know

The things that once appear mundane

A wealth of riches may contain.

When resurrection light is shown

All good and bad will then be known

And then in clearest light I'll see

What purest Love prepared for me.

Saturday

The Word arrives in varied ways

He speaks to us throughout our days

We must attune our ears to hear

And then we'll find Him very near.

The wicked stop their ears and say

There is no use for man to pray

The truth upsets their status quo

And change they have no wish to know.

But if we listen well we see

The Spirit's ever close to thee

The Father and the Son abide

Where humble love replaces pride.

Don't turn away from truth and good

But let His word become your food

Your eyes will then begin to see

How much, in truth, He cares for thee.

4/14/24 Through 4/20/24

 4/14/24 Through 4/20/24

Sunday

How ignorant the ways of sin

We all at times are found within

For whom it is that we ignore

Is He that offers so much more.

So much within the scripture would

Renew us if but understood

But oft His word, by man ignored

And freedom's truth left unexplored.

The prophets long ago foretold

That we would look and then behold

A face so marred and wracked with pain

To lead us to eternal gain.

It's only natural, you see

For man to pain and anguish flee,

But suffering can lead to love

With peace and joy from God above.

Repent of sin, endure the pain.

And so much more you have to gain,

Then learn to love in varied ways

And give to God your duty praise.

The scriptures hold the sacred key

To peace and joy, and setting free

The prisoner who's trapped in sin

For Light and Life are found within.

Ignore no more the sacred guide,

Cast off the chains of sinful pride

And hear anew the Word of God

To guide you on the path you trod.

So, sift and savor all that's true

And let His Word abide in you

For that which sinner just ignores

True happiness and joy restores.

Monday

Angelic glow upon his face

Filled with wisdom, poise, and grace

Not backing down when faced with death

But speaking truth with every breath

The martyr, Stephen made his way

From death to life that very day

Forgiving those, his life would take

To many more disciples make.

Tuesday

What a gift, this Holy Bread!

By this, a multitude is fed

Though broken and divided so

Yet undiminished grace we know

This tiny morsel feeds the soul

With life eternal we extol

An overflowing font of grace

That fear and doubt cannot efface.

Communion with Creator here

A creature yet, one held so dear

The Lord of Lords, the Great I AM

Became our precious Paschal Lamb.

Wednesday

His signs and wonders went with them

When scattered o'er the earth

And they became a budding stem

To bring about new birth

Though persecuted, young and old

Who heard the Gospel news

Repented sin to be enrolled

And Christ, as King to choose.

As sparks amid the stubble spread

No force could ere contain

The word of He who rose from dead

To now forever reign

Within the world, but not of such

His followers remain.

The ones who felt His gentle touch

And live in love's domain.

Thursday

The bread of life, to earth came down

His word was spread from town to town

By those who listen and obey

Who eat His flesh and light the way

His food which gives both life and light

A savored meal and sweet delight

To feed the masses great and small

And evermore His gift recall

This bread will feed the hungry mind

And all who seek will surely find

Their sustenance for every need

When daily on this Bread they feed.

Friday

From Heaven rains this Holy Bread

The morsel sweet by which we're fed

A feast within a desert land

So those in darkness understand

A Sacrifice that's true and real

A Victim slain to make our meal

Alike to manna found of old

This treasure far surpasses gold.

My daily food for many years

My strength and hope to conquer fears

My comfort when I needed rest

My always welcome loving Guest.

Oh, Flesh and Blood of Love Divine,

Come change this selfish heart of mine

May all I do be done in love

And mold my will to Thine above.

Saturday

How shall I make a return to the Lord?

What tribute or gift could I ever afford?

His blessings are many, the trials are few

And trials I learn may be good for me too.

His word is a treasure uncovered for me

A window beyond the earthly I see

A glimpse of the mysteries of heaven above

A door to the wonder of mercy and love.

Teachings are hard and distasteful at times

Trusting, though weak, I ascend through the climbs

And always I find there is truth in his word

Unlike all the voices of earthly I've heard