12/17/23 Through 12/23/23

 12/17/23 Through 12/23/23

Sunday

Food in hunger, drink in thirst

Light in darkness on us burst.

Parched and weary, watered well

Lost in prison, freed from cell.

Brokenhearted healed at last

Poverty of lowly past.

Tidings glad proclaimed to poor

Vindication day for sure.

Lowly looked upon as blessed

High exalted o'er the rest.

Well-remembered promise kept

Mercy on the ones who wept.

Crying voice in wilderness

Water used to cleanse and bless

Though not worthy to untie

Sandals of the One on high.

He is coming, now is here

John His prophet standing near.

Seek and you shall find Him soon

One from purest Love that's hewn.

Monday

Protector and provider named

Loyal Joseph, faithful famed

One who heard and thus obeyed

Whose faithful trust would never fade.

Dear Joseph, make my heart like yours

A one the Holy Child adores

A one to sacrifice my will,

And learn to love Him better still.

A man of patience, honor bound

Who perfect love and beauty found

Whose manhood brightly lights the way

Without a word to ever say.

Tuesday

Men of strength in sacrifice

Passing by what things entice

Gain their strength in self-control

To carry out their special role.

Demons lead to vain distraction,

Angels to decisive action.

Freeing those bound up in chains

To now pursue the higher gains.

Grace for sure the greatest measure

Of their strength and inner treasure,

The grace accepted and embraced

In every earthly trial faced.

Grace that's always freely given

From His open hand, not riven.

All must learn to see the good

Then freely choose it as they should.

Wednesday

Ask for a sign as deep as the sea

High as the mountains, or high as can be.

If God is the giver of all that is good

And made by His hand, both the meadow and wood.

The stars of the sky and the worlds far away

All speak of His glory and holding of sway.

The tiniest things like the atom or cell

The Lord has designed and knows them so well.

Every turning of time, every memory made

Every shining of sun, or cool of the shade

Every darkness and light, every heat and the chill

Exist by the Word of the almighty will.

There's naught in your mind can conceive what He's done

And yet not all minds of the mortals are won.

The sin of our pride is a baffling thing

for it uplifts the creature instead of the King.

Oh, give me a heart like the Mother of God,

One pure and one docile with no trace of fraud.

A gift of such value that none can afford

But that is the sign that I seek from You Lord.

Thursday

What joy that day on earth was found

When Mary, with the Lord, came round.

To greet the barren one with child

Declaring, free the long-exiled.

When heard, the voice of Virgin sound

The babe within the womb did bound

And leap for joy as ne'er before

To King of kings within adore.

So too, if we could recognize

The King of kings before our eyes

Within the ones we see each day

And learn to love, and teach, and pray.

He wants to occupy each soul

To heal the sick and make them whole

But we, like Mary, must obey

And say, "Not mine, but Lord Your way."

Friday

One set apart for holiness

One sent to cure, and heal, and bless.

One answering the cries of poor

One sent to lowly ones assure.

What greatness in the soul proclaims

And how His love, the heart enflames

To offer all I have to He

Who shows such love for lowly me.

I do not know why I am saved

And many others left depraved

No earning of this love sublime

That pulls me from the filth and slime.

But only joy can fill my heart

When grace as such He does impart

And somehow opens eyes to see

How far away I've strayed from He.

Saturday

Prepare the way in me oh Lord

And grant what I cannot afford

The grace to see and recognize

The treasure here before my eyes.

The grace You granted sinful men

To call them time and time again

And then, at last, to send Your Son

Who on the Cross our vict'ry won.

Refining fire and fuller's lye

Our sinful hearts to purify

Remove the dross and clear the stain,

By love is every evil slain.