7/14/24 Through 7/20/24

 7/14/24 Through 7/20/24

Sunday

Although a plain and simple man,

The word of God a diff''rence can

Establish in the word he speaks

Epiphany for one who seeks.

Just doing as our Lord commands

To be His tongue, His feet, His hands

His body here on Earth we find

And cure the lame, the sick, the blind.

With nothing but the Kingdom news

We see the saint and sinner choose

To turn away from empty show

And come our Blessed Lord to know.

In Him we're chosen to believe

And all the Spirit's gifts receive.

Accomplishing His will each day

And hanging in there come what may.

No need for baggage, wealth, or fame

Just preach His Blessed Holy Name

Attentive to just where He leads

And you will see how well He feeds.

Obedient and docile find

Forgiveness opens heart and mind.

With just a willing soul like you

Our Lord can make this world anew.

Monday

Make offerings of humble praise.

The man of righteousness obeys.

Our sacrifices naught He needs

But blesses one His word that heeds.

He hears no plea from wicked men

That try to buy Him off again.

He tells them "Hear the orphan's plea".

Bring justice where it ought to be.

Don't think He came to bring you peace,

For struggle here will never cease.

Division, He will make quite clear

'Twixt those who "do" and those who "hear".

He sees right through the hollow gift,

And none that offers such will lift.

But one who offers humble praise

He shall to highest heaven raise.

Tuesday

Woe to you who have so much

And yet refuse to Godly touch.

You cling to all the gold you saw

But then will find no more that straw.

What mighty deeds you just ignore

And fail to King of kings adore.

Wake up and look around to find

The love of God in flesh defined.

The wicked towns of ancient times

Were filled with evil, heinous, crimes.

But if they'd seen what you have seen

Repentant souls they would have been.

Far worse for you who have it all

And still refuse his loving call

The privileged and wealthy woke

Will find you hold no more than smoke.

Wednesday

The childlike in wonder see

What's hidden for majority.

In total trust they hear the word,

The truth the wise have deemed absurd.

They see with clarity of mind

How love and truth are both entwined.

In everything God asks of man

And all within His mighty plan.

So make me one like that to be

A simple man with eyes to see,

A heart that's well-prepared for Thee

One rooted in reality.

Thursday

Come who labor, come those weary,

Come and find His burden light.

Come when all is dark and dreary,

Yoke to Him to win the fight.

One of awesome might and power

Chose a humble babe to be.

Come to grace and mercy shower,

Come to set the captive free.

He the Savior, He Messiah,

He the truth and not a fraud.

He the King, but made pariah,

He most truly Son of God.

Never one so self-abasing,

Never one so tried and true.

Only One that Cross embracing,

One salvation's avenue.

Take this yoke upon your shoulder,

Find the burden sweet and light.

Well it fits the young and older,

Find the future warm and bright.

Friday

He cares for what the body needs

And hears the poor and sick who pleads.

His works are good in every way

No matter how they seem that day.

He turns all suffering to good

So we must trust Him as we should

His view is far beyond the eye

But suffering, we question why.

Though when we see the good it's done.

The victory through tears it won,

We beg for more to be like Him

And so the victor's crown to win.

Saturday

Retreat unto the hidden place

And there absorb abundant grace.

Forgive, be healed, and find your peace

For love from God shall never cease.

The world steals our time away

So man quite often fails to pray.

Without His grace and peace of soul

We can't fulfill our given role.

We need the time in quiet still

To learn the Father's perfect will.

For there we find tranquility

By being all we're called to be.

He works through humble, poor, and weak

That ever closer always seek.

The ones who act on all they hear

In spite of weakness, doubt, or fear.

Don't let the world suck away

Your quiet peace and time to pray.

Reserve that time and persevere

For Christ our Lord is always near.

7/7/24 Through 7/13/24

 7/7/24 Through 7/13/24

Sunday

That they might know You speak to me,

I pray my soul might ever be

A one that's humble, weak, and graced,

All trust and care within You placed.

One with no grandeur, pomp, or state

But one to always celebrate

How God provides our every need

And expectations all exceed.

The weak are strong, the last are first,

The little infant gently nursed.

All trust is placed in God alone

And those in desert drink from stone.

Monday

Lure me on, then fill my heart

And never let Your love depart

Let me be a smitten one

To ne'er turn back from that begun.

A simple touch to heal the soul

A tassel drop to make me whole

A hand reached out in humble plea,

Oh, Lord be merciful to me.

Arise, He calls to little ones

For in His presence evil runs.

So, fill your time with Him revealed

And let your maladies be healed.

Tuesday

There's One and only One for me,

The God of gods who made us free.

All other gods of man's desire

Are destined for eternal fire.

I pray to be one strong and true

One totally in love with You.

One willing to endure the pains

That lead to everlasting gains.

A one to see beyond the shell

And boldly all the Gospel tell.

That all may see the brilliant light

And step away from darkest night.

I pray for strength in time of need

To proudly scatter precious seed,

And water with a gentle flood,

If necessary, with my blood.

I know I'm weak and cowardly,

But if Your Spirit dwells in me,

He uses humble, weak, and flawed

To lead the pagans back to God.

A laborer, I want to be

To gather harvest rich for Thee,

To bring the sheaves rejoicing in

And so, a crown of glory win.

Wednesday

Proclaim the Kingdom here and now

Before the One and only, bow.

The Timeless enters time today,

He hears and answers when we pray.

Don't try to make Him form to you

He's pure and good, and all that's true.

The key is that we turn His way

Abandoning what turns astray.

Our happiness is Him alone

His death, for man, did all atone.

So model what the King would do

And find your resurrection too.

Forgiven, freed, and made anew

This life of love was meant for you.

The gift of self we give away

Brings happiness for which we pray.

Thursday

How well beloved by God is man

Since ever was that time began

In pride, we turn away from Him

But find alone, we cannot swim.

You stoop each time to rescue man

And so, the dark abyss to span.

Yet still we fail Your love to see

And turn again away from Thee.

Oh, shield us from Your blazing flame

And call the poor and weak by name

To turn and see what lies above

If we embrace Your cross of love.

Friday

What can we show to save our souls,

What in our triumph, God extols?

The works of man how great they be

Are but a trifle unto Thee.

The fortunes earned and houses built

Are but a harbinger of guilt

The toys amassed in pleasure sought

No peace or joy have ever bought.

How long before we see the light,

For His the power and the might.

Return with humble words and see

The Lord be merciful to thee.

Saturday

Oh holy fear, let God arise

In darkness open wide my eyes

For woe is me when You  I see

Oh God, be merciful to me.

So cleanse my lips and purge my soul

Obedience my greatest goal

Then send me where Your will desires

To you alone my heart aspires.

6/30/24 Through 7/6/24

 6/30/24 Through 7/6/24

Sunday

We're made for life and not for death

By God alone we take each breath

He came that we might have it full

And turn away from evil's pull.

Arise He calls and live again

Let not the darkness ever reign

The Lord of life has come to Earth

To bring His people second birth.

Monday

Oh, you who never think of God

And then to wickedness give nod

You say one thing, another do

And cast His ways in back of you.

All discipline for you despised

The truth in all your words disguised

You hurry on in evil ways

And never turn your lustful gaze.

Because you trample down the weak

And crush the ones that daylight seek

The axe that felled the mighty trees

Will leave you naked on your knees.

Not one escapes, to all it comes

For evil men that day becomes

A day most dreaded, filled with fear

When He, the Crucified draws near.

So, turn around before that day

Be humble and begin to pray

Admit your wrong and make it right

To thus avoid the endless night.

Tuesday

Prepare to meet your God today.

Would now look good as your last day?

If not, you need to turn around

And let the proper path be found.

But those with Jesus in the boat

Regardless if they stay afloat

Have none to fear from wind and sea

When they've been walking close to He.

Don't wait for storms to come your way

To call on Him to light your way

The light you gain when seas are low

Must be your faith when storm winds blow.

Don't waste the time before the storm

And fail to evil ways reform

For those He meets without the key

Of faith will find an angry sea.

Wednesday

"My Lord, and my God" are the words of his fame,

And after that point was proclaiming His name

Probing hands with his fingers and side with his hand

He offered himself to His every command.

The Lord of all lords, and the King of all kings

A faith to the faithless, and doubters He brings.

If they are but open and ready to hear

Encounters as such will cast out every fear.

But action must come, or encounter shall wane.

Without moving forward, there's nothing to gain.

His will is for action to spread far and wide

Christ is arisen!  It can't be denied!

Thursday

We must repent to save our land

And follow well the Lord's command

So blest this land for many years

But evil grows and judgment nears.

Our independence, meant for good

Our flag, for righteousness, once stood.

The rights for all we so pursued

But now the weakest ones exclude.

The lifting of downtrodden men

A goal among the founders when

Our nation was in infancy

But not in what it's come to be.

Today, in plenty, greed abounds

And still the call for "freedom" sounds

But "freedom" to partake of sin

And never let correction in.

So proud, we think that now we can

Invent a truth for every man

Refusing thus to bend the knee

Regardless of reality.

Such nation cannot long endure

A reckoning shall come for sure

If we don't turn and toe the line

We'll surely face a wrath Divine.

Friday

Listen now or never hear

The voice of God is sounding near

But if we hearken not we find

His speaking not so oft inclined.

The more we turn a deafened ear

The less we're likely e'er to hear.

We tune Him out and fail to see

The food He offers there for thee.

And so, amid a banquet feast

The starving soul becomes the fleeced.

The Devil laughs for all we see

Is sacrifice and misery.

But rich and juicy food is found

By those who hear the whispered sound

And act upon the Master's voice

To make His way their daily choice.

Acquired taste we soon shall gain 

And see beyond the temporal pain.

The Master's voice we come to know

And see the Devil's empty show.

Let not the famine come your way

But listen well and then obey

The more we hearken to His will

The more our lives, with joy shall fill.

Saturday

Down the mountain juice shall flow

The wine of Him that all should know

Abundant gifts He gives to all

Who hear and answer well His call.

The house in ruins, He repairs

A banquet feast our Lord prepares

For those in hope, that persevere

And every word of His revere.

Thinking of Dad on His Birthday

Thinking of Dad on His Birthday

(Thomas Hennessey 6/8/1915 - 12/22/1965 RIP)

I had a dad for nine short years 

That ended in a night of tears.

Twas on December twenty-two

He left to start his life anew.

I've always wished I knew him more,

But he was weakened in the war.

Disease and sickness took its toll

And many years of life they stole.

He taught me much in little time

And so, I pen this little rhyme

To show how much I miss that man

And try that empty void to span.

I wish I had another nine

To learn from him, and so align

My heart with his that loved the Lord

And lure of evil ways ignored.

But in my foolishness, I bit

And wandered in the thick of it.

Until the light again I saw

And conscience pricks began to gnaw.

The prayers of him, and mother too

For all their children, were not few

They opened doors for me to see

A glimpse into eternity.

I pray my children also see

That they are loved eternally

And shun the snares of evil pride

To always with our Lord abide.

6/23/24 Through 6/29/24

 6/23/24 Through 6/29/24

Sunday

Just who do wind and sea obey,

But Him who over all holds sway?

He calms the sea with just a word

The heaving waves the winds have stirred.

So far beyond what man has known

The power that our Lord has shown.

In all the knowledge man has gained

The sea, by man, has not been tamed.

Monday

Fearfully and wonderfully made

Born to do what God Himself has bade

Too little that a servant you should be

But light so bright for all on Earth to see.

What e'er that men suppose this man to be

Far greater is the One, the Son of Thee.

The former may not even lace untie

Of He who comes at last from God on high.

The One must grow, the other fall

All hearing ears receive the call

Repent and learn to love all men

Then be restored to life again.

Tuesday

The parent's work is never done

To form a daughter, form a son

To teach in ever subtler ways

The word of God throughout your days.

The way is steep and narrow too

And those who find the way are few

Though difficult the way is found

It's no excuse to turn around.

It leads to life, but many turn

And never perseverance learn.

They walk the broad and easy way

Without a thought for "finals" day.

The Golden Rule must be your guide

For all the law has that inside.

We teach and train but never cease

To point the way to lasting peace.

Wednesday

A treasure buried in plain sight

The word of God that teaches right

The pages left unturned, unread

The souls of those around, unfed.

Without the word, the soul will starve

But daily reading it, we carve

A furrow where the grace can flow

And lead us to our Savior know.

Then nourished well, the thirsty seed

That on the word of God shall feed

Will bloom and grow to bear much fruit

And satisfy the soul's pursuit.

But left unturned, unread as most

With all the straw of which they boast

The wealthy with no need for You 

Find thorn and thistle all they grew.

When fire's kindled it's too late

For then is sealed eternal fate.

Unquenching flame for barren yield,

But joy and peace for fruited field.

Thursday

This is the time each man must act

It's not a tip, but simple fact.

The words of Jesus point the way

That we must follow every day.

They're not just things to think about

Or pithy platitudes to spout

But ways that must be made our own

If everlasting peace be known.

Our sites too often aim too low

Avoiding work to make us grow

But Jesus gives a higher call

To be the great by being small.

Who wants to hear that sacrifice

Is what we need to pay the price?

But laziness is shifting sand

That won't withstand the storm's demand.

So we must ACT with firm resolve

To rightly this conundrum solve

It's not enough to hear the knock,

But we must ACT to build on Rock.

Friday

Sin is the blindness that reaches all men

Constrained as a captive in slavery again.

Not learning at all from the ways of the past

Without His protection, there's nothing to last.

History is clear that when evil's in bloom

There comes fast approaching, a time of great doom.

But man can be rescued from ruin and gloom

If there in his heart, for the King he makes room.

If humbly we ask that the Lord make us clean

Repentant of sin that our health will demean

He's faithful and true to restore what we lost

His mercy and love we can never exhaust.

Saturday

A single day, two saints are dead

One crucified, one lost his head

A shock to shake the faithful few

But through their blood, the faithful grew

With leaders lost most armies fail

The troops, in chaos, soon derail.

But something here is not the same

For those who call on Jesus' name.

The blood of martyrs waters seed

And love unbounded, love will breed.

The worst that man can do matures

And sinner to the Savior lures.

Don't worry when the time arrives,

On total gift, the Giver thrives.

All grace He gives in time of need

That you might water well the seed. 

T

6/16/24 Through 6/22/24

 6/16/24 Through 6/22/24

Sunday

A tender shoot from branches high

He plants to teach and edify

To grow into a cedar strong

As shelter for a winged throng.

As scattered seed in furrow lies

Beneath a loamy rich disguise,

No sight or sound the farmer hears

And yet somehow, new life appears.

Just why it happens, no one knows

Except the One who makes what grows.

In such as these the Lord provides

And such as these a mystery hides.

Monday

Your heritage is not for sale

In terms of wealth, all riches pale.

Your heritage from God alone

No other on the earth can own.

This gift alone is not for sale

But juxtaposed another tale.

A tale to turn the other cheek

And love for enemies to seek.

The difference is clear to see

The first involves integrity

The other, all that we acquire

To freely give at His desire.

Tuesday

The Father's love is like the rain

It brings to all alike the gain

It waters fields of weeds or wheat

So blessing bitter and the sweet.

So, we must also love this way

And learn, for enemies, to pray

To bless the ones who curse and swear

And demonstrate this love so rare.

Wednesday

I want to want no form of praise

But time and time again I raise

My voice above to be so heard

And so the praise of man be stirred.

So humble that I wish to be

One thought of with integrity

Enjoying accolades I hear

To such a holy one appear.

How foolish are these thoughts of mine

For all I have is truly Thine

And none I own or e'er possess

Has come from me, but how You bless.

So, good it is to raise the voice

And in Your many gifts rejoice,

But help me always give what's due

For all I have has come from You.

Thursday

Lead us not into temptation

Save our wicked sinful nation

Change our hearts to choose the good

Help us act the way we should.

Your name be held in greatest awe

From every victory we saw.

Your Kingdom comes to Earth below

When all Your children, Jesus know.

Elijah saw a sinful nation

Called them to make reparation

Still, they chose the quick and fleeting

Now our nation, such repeating.

Help us choose Your daily bread

And on Your every word be fed.

Let us not repeat the ways

That led to exile many days.

Your Kingdom is within our reach

If we but follow what You teach.

If we forgive and love like Thee

Your Kingdom here on Earth can be.

Friday

The store of treasure set aside

By Jesus for His Holy Bride

So far exceeds the all of Earth

As when a child comes to birth.

The world explodes in brilliant light

The womb no longer holds us tight.

The air surrounds, the sound is clear,

Initially, we're filled with fear.

But soon we feel a mother's hand

The welcoming that God had planned

Now treasures held on Earth below

All melt away like Springtime snow.

Saturday

How sad it is to fall away,

To turn from God and fail to pray

When oh, so much He freely gives

And oh, so much His love forgives.

I know in weakness oft I fail

And into selfish traps, I sail.

Concerned for more than just today

And turning from the narrow way.

But oh, how richly You provide

To faithful who with You abide.

Through every hardship You sustain,

Through every loss, You lead to gain.

Lord, in my failings, turn my ear

To hear Your whispered voice quite clear,

That I may trust in You alone

And find my selfish ways outgrown.