11/1/20 Through 11/7/20

 11/1/20 Through 11/7/20

Sunday

Within Your eye Lord, who am I

That You should mind for me?

What answer why, Your Son should die

For sinners on the Tree?

The land of love, so far above

Our everyday routine.

The members of our home thereof,

By blood have been made clean.

Anew are born, the ones that mourn,

and blest the peaceful one,

But those who scorn, You sternly warn,

Beware of crooked fun.

For You have raised and highly praised

The humble, meek, and poor,

And left amazed, in flames that blazed,

The confident and sure.

Monday

All souls that leave in trust of Him

Will face the judgment for their sin.

That moment they will then decide

To choose the Lord, or choose their pride

We think the choice will be a breeze,

But choosing love ahead of ease

Is what we face here every day,

And often choose the darker way.

Attachments must be put aside

And love be ever amplified

To clearly hear the Master's voice,

And make that everlasting choice.

No sin too large, or fault too great

To seal our everlasting fate

If mercy we would simply plead,

And let the voice of Jesus lead.

Tuesday

Flesh became, the uncreated.

Love and care shown unabated.

How such Love could for the masses,

Come as man, the mind surpasses.

Yet as One both poor and weak,

So to every man could speak.

Not too fast, and not too slowly,

But to all, both rich and lowly.

Think of how He cares for you,

That such an act of love would do.

Inviting to His banquet feast,

The fringes and those thought as least.

Wednesday

The way to find yourself a saint,

Is do His will without complaint.

No arguing or bickering,

But trusting God in everything.

Then you may shine amid the dim,

And focus other eyes on Him.

That all may see it's not in vain

We run this race for Heaven's gain.

Poured out with nothing left to give,

We find the cross our way to live.

For sacrifice, to love, is key,

As all will someday come to see.

So now prepare to see that day,

Don't travel further on the way,

Lest unprepared, you face the King,

With nothing for an offering.

Thursday

Although there's billions here below,

Our God will intimately know

The inner heart, and soul's desire

To draw unto His cleansing fire.

Rejoicing comes in great supply

If only we would humbly try

To turn away from selfish sin,

And let the Lord of love come in.

A sheep returned is cause for joy,

No more the strictest law employ.

Repentance means a change has come.

One far from home returns a son.

Friday

Have I, as steward, squandered that

Which holiness provides,

And found myself one rich and fat

Where sinfulness resides?

The time is now for change to come,

No longer fooled by sin.

To sound aloud the signal drum,

And then new life begin.

For when the final day arrives

And we must give account,

The fruit of many sinful lives, 

To nothing will amount.

Then stirred by fear and panic of

Our rightful, just, reward,

We turn, at last, away from Love,

And to the ones deplored.

It needn't be that way you see,

If we just start to choose,

The way of light instead of night,

And wickedness, refuse.

So start today, and use each gift

As He would have it be.

Become one known for honest thrift,

A faithful devotee.

Saturday

One master only can we serve,

Though hard we try as I observe

To walk the fence and waiver not,

But find deceit is all we've got.

For true must mean in every way

Each act of ours throughout the day,

In light or dark must be the same,

Or all our acts are but for shame.

John Paul and Brittany

 

JP & Brittany

My son, this journey you begin

Is meant to keep you far from sin.

The Lord created man and wife,

That both may find eternal life.

 

You take upon your shoulders broad,

An obligation straight from God,

To lead your wife and children too

Unto the Christ that died for you.

 

The road be narrow, hard, and long,

But every step, where you belong.

Turn not aside for want of rest,

This journey is a lifelong test.

 

A test to see if you endure.

A test to see your love is pure.

Take courage when the trials come,

It’s just a test, your love to plumb.

 

This beauty here, your love espoused,

Within her heart is wisdom housed.

So cherish what she has to say,

And give respect in every way.

 

A helpmate God has given you,

But not for duties to eschew.

Be leader in your clan, of praise,

Put God as first, in all your ways.

 

Each day may prayer be offered for

This one, forever love, you swore.

Your word be more than purest gold

For this fine beauty you behold.

 

Upon the cross your gaze be set,

The bloody scourges, and the sweat,

The crown of thorns and pierced side,

His hands and feet, His face beside.

 

Such love, your bride, you’re meant to show

That any length you’d freely go

To bring her to that land above,

That land of true unbounded love.

 

So raise your glass and promise me

This duty now you clearly see,

To lead your bride to heaven’s gate

And never let your love abate.

10/25/20 Through10/31/20

 10/25/20 Through10/31/20

Sunday

Every problem, love's the answer

Every law, by love, fulfilled.

Selfishness, the evil cancer,

Sin fermented and distilled.

Come and see what love can offer

Learn to give without reserve.

Be no doubting, heathen, scoffer.

Muster up required nerve.

Share what gifts that love has given,

Give without the cost in mind.

Find your faults and sins forgiven,

When the depth of love is mined.

Inexhaustible the measure

Of the love of One Divine.

Find that rich fulfilling treasure

Flowing from the Sacred Vine.

Monday

Here before a captive hostage,

Ought this woman not be free?

Ought the cord of sin and bondage

Not be severed and set free?

Bent and twisted, every sinner,

All in chains that weigh us down.

Turn Your eyes to this beginner,

In Your mercy, let me drown.

What a gift this present moment,

Here alone with none but Thee.

God Himself my private docent

Teaching how to be set free.

Tuesday

My job, to do His holy will

And lead upon the way,

To faith in Christ, our God instill,

And never go astray.

In love for others blaze the trail,

And bring my pride along.

To strengthen weak, and help the frail

To see where they belong.

To give of self as Jesus did

When nailed upon the tree

With total gift to others bid,

Please come and follow me.

Wednesday

All teaching held in place by Him

The final stone, defining rim.

The dome supported high above

By Him whose strength is none but love.

Without the cross, no strength is there,

His teaching just the standard fare

That comes and goes among the days,

And leads in many varied ways.

But love before, for man, unknown

Upon the Holy Cross was shown,

And Love defeated sin and death

When He gave forth His final breath.

Once set in place, the Stone now stands

As Christ embraced the Father's plans,

And made the cross our symbol of

Our Savior, and our key to love.

Thursday

We think the Devil's strength is known.

Not so, when only weakness shown.

We fail to use God's strength to see

How weak and paltry that is he.

God's strength for us is always there

So we must never, in despair,

Refuse confession of our sin,

And let Old Stinky slither in.

I know I'm weak, but He is strong.

I've sung that mystery in song,

But I must choose His way to go

And learn to Satan's lies forego.

Friday

What difference can the world tell 

In this one on the carousel?

Can they perceive a contrast there,

from all the others at the fair?

How has the Word affected me?

To others, is it plain to see,

A change has taken place within,

This one no longer cares for sin?

Or have I hidden in the crowd,

Afraid to speak of Him out loud,

Just blending with the others there

With nothing different to compare?

That's not the way it's meant to be.

The captive's destined to be free.

To share and spread the Word around

Till freedom for all men is found.

So let this work the Lord began

Create a new and different man.

A man of love who's not ashamed

To be that Crazy Christian named.

Saturday

The honors of the world are naught

To take the lowest place we're taught.

Exalted, will the humble be,

When dining with One such as Thee.

For pride is false, and humble true.

The truly greatest One is You

The One who lowly man became

To take away our sinful shame.

The Uncreated, flesh assumed

When condemnation o'er men loomed

Then on the cross, He died, but rose,

To save the sinner that He chose.

10/18/20 Through 10/24/20

 10/18/20 Through 10/24/20

Sunday

More than words, but truly power

Let this be my holy hour.

Contemplating Love Divine,

Shine Your light within my mind.

Unlike the tricks in Garden played,

Now on the cross, His love displayed.

No need to doubt a love like this,

No way, such love, can we dismiss.

All given for His love of me,

All given that I be set free,

From chains of selfishness that call,

Dissuading me from giving all.

His everything was given me.

Not taxed, but given, clear and free.

So too, should I, Though weak and small,

Give to the Lord, my all in all.

Monday

So rich in how the world sees,

But can this life on earth now please,

If all I see is earthly gain,

And all the ways of love disdain?

To share my wealth among the poor

Will all my future days secure,

A place where love is wealth indeed,

And how the wealthy ones succeed.

Tuesday

The face is now a dreadful thing

How could you dare, uncovered bring

A deadly nose or mouth before

Those here at church to God adore?

The villain now, the face exposed.

On others, dreaded breath imposed.

How dare you breathe unhindered here,

When germs are oh, so very near?

Not even church, a resting place,

Unwelcome, your uncovered face.

Called out and shamed before the crowd,

Not back without a mask allowed.

Such criminals, we cannot bear,

Yet welcome those who do not share

Respect for life as yet unborn,

And have them from the womb be torn.

I want the peace we're looking for,

But covered nose and mouth abhor.

The only way I'll peaceful be

Is when my air is cool and free.

Wednesday

To draw your water joyfully

I come again this morn.

To do Your will both loyally,

And also sinner, warn.

The day will be unknown to thee.

Surprised, be one and all.

Integrity the only key

To answer well the call.

The fool is one who knows Your will

Yet still will not obey.

They'd rather play, and wait until

They're sure You're on Your way.

That day will come so quickly and

There may be not the time

To fill the hand of Love's demand,

And make up for the crime.

Be diligent, and ready now.

Put off the change no more.

Obey and never sloth allow,

Again, His word, ignore.

Thursday

Kneeling here before the Father

By whom every family named,

Let me be the one to bother

Praising all His bounty famed.

May your strength be of the Spirit.

May Christ Jesus dwell within.

May your heart be always nearest,

Grounded, rooted, deep with Him.

Then in love, be strong and know it,

What the saint now comprehends,

Height and depth, and breadth that show it,

How God's fullness never ends.

More than mortal mind imagines

He will grant the faithful ones,

When at last, His ardent love wins,

Man now made adopted sons.

Friday

Be one now worthy of the call

In all your ways, His love recall.

Be one preserving unity

Through meekness and humility.

Friday Evening Adoration

My Jesus, here before I kneel

Your love and grace, I keenly feel.

True presence in the form of bread,

True food on which I'm daily fed.

Saturday

Lord make me love Your every word

Above the din of life, be heard.

In early morn 'fore break of day,

Come speak to me, here as I pray.

Your word be life and food for me,

The fertilizer that I need

To bear the fruit that You desire,

And not be cast into the fire.

10/11/20 Through 10/16/20

 10/11/20 Through 10/16/20

Sunday

So rich a feast prepared for me,

But as so many, did I see?

I had excuses every day,

For why I could not stop and pray.

A banquet there before me lay

Prepared afresh and new each day,

But cares of life would fill the mind,

And peace I sought, could never find.

One day a challenge came, you see,

Was Sunday quite enough for me, 

And did my heart of hearts believe

That Jesus Christ, I did receive?

The question there before me stood.

Excuses still, to find I could,

But only would I understand

If daily bread, for me, was planned.

I found within a little while

The bread could calm, and then beguile.

A word or two I'd hear each day,

To guide me on His narrow way.

I came at first, to just be fed,

But found at Mass, a banquet spread.

A feast of rich and juicy food,

Not wasted time, as many viewed.

So daily now, I come to feast,

And tame what's left of me as beast. 

This meal of true and living bread

Is how I live, and how I'm fed.

Monday

Three words to rule my every day

Three words to guide me on my way.

A simple way to freedom win,

Avoiding all the traps of sin.

Though many look for harder ways,

This simple rule will solve the maze.

Eternal life will come to these

Whose humble way, the Lord will please.

At judgment time the southern Queen

And Ninevites will then convene,

Condemning as they simply say,

"You failed to listen and obey."

Tuesday

The law within me be fulfilled

The word of God, through me distilled.

Where purified of all deceit

I find a life of love complete.

Cleanse me as I'm meant to be,

From inside out, so then I see

That love must rule in every way,

And guide the things I do today.

Wednesday

To crucify the flesh can be

The greatest act of love for me.

For when the flesh is crucified,

The Lord will then, His will confide.

Humility will pave the way

And change the logic of today,

To show that sacrifice is key

If we would all be one with Thee.

The tithe of mint and rue is good,

But more than that, the faithful should

Give up all selfish pride and sin,

To here on earth, new life begin.

Thursday

Doomed by woes, the Father knows

My weak and sinful soul.

So steeped in sin, how can I win?

What pow'r can make me whole?

It seems to me, the Godhead Three

Should clear and start again,

For what to me, I plainly see,

Is blindness ever when...

I look inside and find the tide

As clean and fresh as spring.

Then hear Him speak, and see how weak,

My soul, a filthy thing.

But Love somehow did humbly bow,

And die to save my soul.

To free the vile and reconcile,

To heal and make me whole.

So once again I thank Him then,

And praise His Holy Name.

Once touched and graced, my sins erased.

I'll never be the same!

Friday

Praise for fingers and for toeses,

For the earses and the noses.

Praise for soft and chubby cheeks,

For peek-a-boos, and hide-and-seeks.

So far above me,

Is the One who can see,

Who created the eye

That we use for I Spy.

The feet and the hands

That obey His commands

Are the ones who can see

Far beyond what is me.

The nails on the toes

And the hairs in the nose,

Have a purpose to fill

In accord with His will.

The design is all there,

From the feet to the hair,

From the shin to the chin

It's beyond all compare.

So praise the designer

Give glory to God

There's nothing more finer

Exalted or awed.

As bees go on buzzing 

And hummingbirds fly

I think what I wuzzing

Before and I cry.

Unaware of the greatness 

Of God that is He

Whose love and whose goodness

Has made you and me.

Saturday

Make me one to suffer well,

To choose the harder way and tell,

Of how his love has conquered all,

As One so great became so small.

One humbled in such cruel way,

Through meekness never met decay,

But rose on high that all should know,

The narrow way, the way to go.

Grant me the courage and the will

To face temptation, and then still,

Resist the urge of flesh to cave,

And choose the pow'r of love to save.

9191980

Romance has never been one of my strong points. Mary and I carried on a long-range relationship while I lived in Nashville, and she lived in Cincinnati. When I was transferred to Birmingham I told her that we needed to break off the relationship because the distance was too far, and we needed to get on with our lives. She called me the next night and said that I could break up with her, but she wasn't going to break up with me. I was speechless, but I figured that time and distance would eventually change her mind. Instead, it was my mind that got changed. (a pattern that's been repeated many times over the years since) When I finally proposed to Mary I had been drinking, and I called her collect from a phone booth in Birmingham Alabama at 2:30 in the morning. The date was September 19, 1980, thus the title. This is the story of that night: 

 On nine one nine one nine eight oh, 

Seems like a long long time ago. 

9191980

A young man searching for his mate

Took off with friends to find a date. 

 

To markets where the meat is found, 

He and his friends were traveling ‘round. 

 And in his drinking here and there 

Saw pretty girls with shining hair. 

 Their shapely figures clad for lust 

With necklines plunged revealing bust. 

 The stock is good his buddies said. 

Who’ll be the first to get one bed?  

They talked and mingled in the crowd 

Of alcohol and music loud. 

With smiling faces all around, 

The one night stands were lost and found. 

Amid the glitter blurred and bright, 

The young man looked upon the sight. 

Though dance and laughter did abound, 

An emptiness was all around. 

An emptiness as cold as stone, 

And suddenly he’s all alone. 

 Despite his vision blurred by drink, 

The Spirit prompted him to think  

Of one he loved though far away, 

Who held his heart in deepest sway. 

 Last call was heard, the crowd dispersed, 

The fast lane life, it now seemed cursed. 

While driving home he found a phone. 

Out in a parking lot alone. 

 He stumbled in and fumbled for, 

A dime or two and maybe more. 

Just change enough to call collect, 

He knew he’d have to be direct.  

And ask the one who held his heart, 

To see if married life she’d start. 

 With he as husband she as wife 

The two would have a happy life. 

  “It’s two AM!” he heard her say, 

Why are you up this time of day? 

 “I need to know before I sleep, 

 If home with me you’d like to keep?” 

“Before this night I was unsure, 

But now I know our love is pure.” 

Far better than the market brand, 

Of kiss and tell, and one night stands. 

 I may be drunk, but clear I see, 

The Lord created you for me. 

 God rescued me that fateful night, 

And showed me that our love was right. 

 Now life for eight is what it meant, 

I thank you for your sweet consent.  

How hard it is to see the light, 

When blinded by our selfish might. 

Where pleasure, lust, and greed abound, 

No sacrificial love is found. 

The glitter and the fast lane life,

Leads to divorce and endless strife. 

When all the focus is on me, 

Our eyes are blinded, we can’t see.  

True love, desire of every heart, 

Comes from respecting every part. 

Our bodies are the temple of, 

The One who made us for this love.  

How fortunate for you and me, 

The Lord, He gave us eyes to see. 

To recognize through all the din, 

The way to make this life begin. 

Walk hand in hand and side by side, 

With Jesus as our trusted guide. 

Now many years have long since past, 

Still loving her my heart beats fast.

10/4/20 Through 10/10/20

 10/4/20 Through 10/10/20

Sunday

The vineyard here I tend for You

Its health depends on what I do.

The fruit it bears belongs to Thee,

But there's a portion kept for me.

You gave me good and healthy vines

How well I tend them now defines

The harvest that we two will share,

And if my labor's worth its fare.

I wish to grant You all that's due

And trust, the lease You will renew.

For only in Your will, I find

My happiness and Your's enshrined.

Monday

One word alone to you I preached,

In hope that all, by faith, be reached.

Believe no other, come what may,

The truth is in these words I say.

For straight alone from Christ, I speak.

No honor from these men, I seek.

For why should I be slave to one

Except God's own begotten Son?

The law remains, but far above,

Demands of Christ, demands of love.

By treating all as neighbor here,

The clearly saving words we hear.

Tuesday

Extreme in their love, were both Mary and Paul

Who sought to know God, and give Him their all.

No duty could sway from the chance to be heard

The sound of His voice, and His every word.

For there, in His Word lies our key for the day

So we clamor to hear what He has for today.

Be guided and led on the path to His home,

Let nothing deter you, and don't go alone.

Wednesday

In wealthy times teach me to pray.

In more than rhymes, hear what I say.

I'm here to listen and obey,

The reason why I wake to pray.

No other time with you alone.

No other time to call my own.

Where You and I will sit and talk,

And You will teach me how to walk.

In sorrow's time be here with me.

In spite of sorrow, let me see

How love has steered its way again,

And sorrow benefits me then.

In times of poor and simple ways,

Be my Companion through those days.

Help me to know, You're all I need,

And thus abandon all my greed.

In all the times, let me be fed

Each day with Heaven's daily bread.

And turn to You in early morn

To find each day, my faith reborn.

Thursday

Persistent in my daily prayer,

I find disguised, a gem in there.

A pearl that merits all I own.

A love, to me, before unknown.

Unfortunate, I rarely see

How love is slowly changing me,

And molding me to seek His will

Where happiness will be my fill.

Persistently, I wake to say,

"Lord, teach me something new today."

And like so many times before,

I see the sin I must deplore.

Repent!  Repent!  Repent, and see,

How far your soul has strayed from Me,

And how I wish to gather in

My children lost, and steeped in sin.

Just ask and I will give to you 

A soul as fresh as morning dew,

And guide your steps along the way,

If you're persistent when you pray.

Friday

Faith and trust, oh Lord, I need

Your sacred word of love to heed. 

That never may I turn away

From light of truth and go astray.

No other sign I need from You.

One look at all the good You do,

Convincing that our God is near,

And casting out the bane of fear.

My God, be merciful to me.

My weakness clear, I know You see.

So strengthen me to long endure,

And of salvation, me assure.

Saturday

Blest who hear, blest who obey.

How simple the old, but expedient way.

The mother and the brother be

The ones who hear and follow Me.

The law the way the child goes

Before the way of love he knows.

When faith is working, law can flee,

For Christ is He who guideth thee.

9/27/20 Through 10/3/20

 9/27/20 Through 10/3/20

Sunday

How small, but special in His eyes

He favors humble more than wise.

The man that turns from sinful ways

O'er one with prideful heart that prays.

We only fool our sinful minds

When self-examination finds

Our service with our lips alone,

But fail to for, the sin atone.

So help me Lord to run to Thee

And find in that humility

Your mercy and Your grace abound,

And truth and goodness there are found.

Monday

A blessing to have lost it all

And seen myself as one so small

Who understands his nothingness,

And you are Lord of our success.

How prideful that we tend to be

Forgetting that all came from Thee.

The ego flares and we forget,

That all we have is in Your debt.

I'm grateful Lord that You have shown

There's nothing here that I should own,

But be a steward here and use

All gifts for good as You would choose.

Tuesday

Angels light of love divine,

Hear this simple plea of mine,

And bear this mortal's fond request

Unto the Savior's welcome breast.

Be my shield in Satan's hour,

Wield from God, your awesome power.

Grant the sight of things unseen,

Purify and make me clean.

Bring His word to ready ears

Strengthen me and calm my fears.

May I come, like you, to praise

My God for everlasting days.

Wednesday

Your ways so far above my own

Designs of Yours, to man, unknown.

Our love is pale compared to Yours

Which daily, apathy endures.

The ones I love, I wish could know

The blessings of the seed You sow.

If they would only there receive

In fertile ground, and then believe.

The plant would bud and flower first,

And then upon the branch would burst

The rich and juicy fruit of love

Intended by our God above.

Thursday

Cut deep into the rock of time

The thought of trust in words of Thine

For never will my heart astray

From Him who draws me on this way.

For many years I've seen each time

His way exceeds this plan of mine.

Through suffering His love reveals

The truth that ease and sloth conceals.

We look at what we've suffered for 

And see there what we value more.

For everything of worth has cost

We measure by the things we lost.

Friday

A guard throughout my day and night

A guard in times of fear and fright.

A messenger to speak the word,

And let me know my prayer is heard.

Protection from the evil ways,

My guide throughout the darkest days,

Who calls, "Don't let your heart be fooled!",

But by the Holy One, be ruled.

Repair what damage I have done

Be my path to God the Son.

Grant me discipline and grace

In hope that I may see His face.

Saturday

How blind I was, but now see

Beyond, and far in front of me.

The ways of God I'll never know,

But trust and find it ever so.

He hides from haughty, learned, proud;

Reveals to humble, meek, and bowed.

All things, in Him, have come to be;

So plain as day, but wise can't see.

A simple phrase when pondered well

Reveals much more than words can tell.

Within the dark, a crack is made

For truth and light to then invade.

Don't fill the crack, but open wide;

Allow the light of truth inside.

Rejoice in all He gives to thee;

Though blind today, one day you'll see.

9/20/20 Through 9/26/20

 9/20/20 Through 9/26/20

Sunday

Thank you, Lord, so many ways

For blessings granted all my days.

For parents kind and loving, strong

Who gave their best and suffered long.

For siblings too, the first of friends,

And every gift the Father sends.

A loving wife to care for me,

And every blessing sent from Thee.

A progeny that loves the Lord

And work that helps me to afford

To raise them well and share a bit

With those I know, less fortunate.

Monday

To walk with Him through every day

And hear His guidance on the way.

To clearly recognize when heard, 

And learn to act upon His word,

Is what Apostles learned to do 

As they passed on the word to you.

Be grateful now for what was done

As they wrote down about the Son,

The stories that we read today

To learn about His loving way.

They gave their lives so we could know

The Shepherd, and which way to go.

Tuesday

To hear and act upon the Word

Will make the humble cries be heard.

No complex formula to know,

Just listen for His voice and go.

Wednesday

As Pio went about his day

The wounds of Christ were on display

In willingness to suffer long

That many sinners turn from wrong.

So too, our lives were meant to be

A sign for those in dark to see,

That draws the sinner to repent,

And then to listen and be sent.

Help me to grow in love and see

The path that God marks out for me.

In courage, then myself to bring

To just embrace my suffering.

Thursday

All things in life are vanity,

But oh, how slow, our eyes to see.

The gaping hole we long to fill 

Requires trust and Godly skill.

The only One to satisfy

We'd find if we would self deny,

And cast our gaze eternally

Upon the blessed Trinity.

For there in Him, we find our home

No more to wander or to roam,

But fullness in the light of grace.

A calm and peaceful dwelling place.

Friday

How vain and empty seems it all

When selfishness and pride befall.

For in the self no love endures,

And all indulgence never cures.

The only way for love to stay,

Is suffer well and give away.

The gifts received were meant to share,

And show the brethren how we care.

Fear not of ever running low.

By giving well we come to know

What's shared is multiplied in time

By He who shifts the paradigm.

Saturday

How fleeting here, this life of mine,

But that's the Savior's grand design.

To focus me on what's beyond,

And let me see what love has spawned.

A life eternal, there to know,

In peace and harmony to grow

Forever closer to the light,

Abandoning the dark of night.

So let me leave behind my sin,

And to His presence, enter in.

While here below, we too can find

The bread on which the angels dined.

9/13/20 Through 9/19120

 9/13/20 Through 9/19120

Sunday
So much relies on how you love
Forgiving as our God above

Releasing anger, wrath, and pain,

With peace and harmony to gain.

You've seen what Christ has done for you,

So also must, you brothers do.

To love enough to suffer well

And seeds of discontent dispel.

For only when the heart is clean

Is love in all its fullness seen.

Then, Christlike, every man become

With sin and self, thus overcome.

Monday

The greatest sign of love, the cross.

The greatest gift of love, His loss.

A sign confounding to the wise,

Yet understood by children's eyes.

When contemplated, simple see

The essence of reality.

The erudite, for all he knows,

Cannot convey the love it shows.

A sign for masses 'round the globe

A light that in each heart will probe

To depths unknown by mortal man

Since 'fore the day when time began.

That horrid cross, that sign of sin,

That blessed cross, our ticket in,

Where charity holds greatest sway,

Where love and mercy rule the day.

Tuesday

For lack of love the mother cries

For callous hearts, tears flood their eyes.

The mother sees what love is lost,

How terrible, what sin has cost.

Her tears can soften hardened ground,

And help repentance then be found.

Forgiveness for our ways of sin,

And mercy where revenge had been.

A turning from the self within

Exposing the results of sin.

Bearing yet another thorn

Mending that which evil's torn.

Let your tears upon me flow

Let your depth of love, me know.

Make my heart with yours accord

Make your Son my King, and Lord.

Wednesday

Love divine, all loves excelling

Far above our earthly minds.

Hesitance and fear dispelling

Close to Thee, a cord that binds.

Selflessness and pure compassion

Signs of Your unfailing love.

Drained of life, a face that's ashen,

Emptied here yet filled above.

Grant this frail and weakly sinner

Grace to take that final stride.

Let me join that bountied dinner,

There with You my trusted guide.

Lead me onward into glory

Face to face with purest light

Be the hero of my story,

Put an end to darkest night.

Thursday

Father, by great love forgiven

Tears to flow as heart will mend.

From my life, be evil driven,

From corruption, me defend.

Like the woman with the ointment,

Costly gifts may I provide.

Sin my greatest disappointment,

Each a worthless folly tried.

Only love can fill the empty,

Only love can satisfy.

Love forgives, and now defends thee,

Grace dispensed to fortify.

What a God, so kind and giving,

What a gift, to know His Son!

Praise Him for my sins forgiving,

Praise Him for His vict'ry won!

Friday

What is the point, unless we rise?

Was Christ our King a man of lies?

No point in all His suffering,

If not to endless life to bring.

If evidence is needed see

The many witnesses of He

That saw the One they crucified,

And even probed His hands and side.

Saturday

For once a seed, a seed I sow,

That many here on earth would know

The King and Master Sower there

Whose love is far beyond compare.

A harvest rich I pray He grant

From every single seed I plant.

None scorched for lack of deeper root,

Each one a seed that bears much fruit.

None plucked up by the birds of prey,

Or choked by thorns along the way,

But each in soft and fertile ground,

From each a bountied harvest found.