This story happened in our family twenty years ago, but lives on today as a lasting sign of just how powerful our God is. “Dad, may I just peek inside?” ten-year-old Luke Armstrong asked holding a cardboard box. “Wait until we get home,” his dad, Mark, answered. “We’re almost there. I don’t want a bunch […]
I wish you could have been at Bethlehem. You could have held Me and kept Me warm. And I would have smiled at you. You probably would not have wanted to hand Me back to My mother. I wish you could have been with us at Cana. My mother was there. I made some really […]
There is a sacred space So nurturing and warm There is a sacred space Where Breath gave you your form Within this sacred space Your heart beat strong and true Within this sacred space You ate, and swam, and grew Within this sacred space You sensed, and listen’d, and learned Within this sacred space You […]
Joseph journeyed all the way To Bethlehem and Christmas Day Beginning, as good things often do In prayer to He Who makes things new Zechariah turned to God in prayer To ask that God show him where To find the man who should be Wed to the Queen of Galilee Wonder! An angel in answer […]
Before The Paling Of The Stars Before The Paling Of The Stars Before the winter morn, Before the earliest cock crow, Jesus Christ was born: Born in a stable, Cradled in a manger, In the world his hands had made Born a stranger. Priest and king lay fast asleep In Jerusalem; Young and old lay […]
This title is from the first lines of a poem/prayer I first heard from my Mom as a little boy. This is more an invitation than an article for readers. Please speak your thoughts in comments below about how Mary, today, would teach us how to pray. Imagine if it were possible – Our Lady […]
They have the buildings, We, the handful, have the Faith. They have the media, We have The Light. They have the pulpits, We have The Word. They have heresy, We have The Truth. They have our money, We have our souls. They have themselves, We have The Lord. They have the offices, We have The […]
The World State Oh, how I love Humanity, With love so pure and pringlish, And how I hate the horrid French, Who never will be English! The International Idea, The largest and the clearest, Is welding all the nations now, Except the one that’s nearest. This compromise has long been known, This scheme of partial […]
The Logical Vegetarian “Why shouldn’t I have a purely vegetarian drink? Why shouldn’t I take vegetables in their highest form, so to speak? The modest vegetarians ought to stick to wine or beer, plain vegetable drinks, instead of filling their goblets with the blood of bulls and elephants, as all conventional meat-eaters do, I suppose”–Dalroy. […]
By The Sea Why does the sea moan evermore? Shut out from heaven it makes its moan, It frets against the boundary shore; All earth’s full rivers cannot fill The sea, that drinking thirsteth still. Sheer miracles of loveliness Lie hid in its unlooked-on bed: Anemones, salt, passionless, Blow flower-like; just enough alive To blow […]
Ecclesiastes There is one sin: to call a green leaf gray, Whereat the sun in heaven shuddereth. There is one blasphemy: for death to pray, For God alone knoweth the praise of death. There is one creed: ’’neath no world-terror’s wing Apples forget to grow on apple-trees. There is one thing is needful everything The […]
The Purpose of all Gifts If my God grants me a gift, I must use it. Not for my well being, But for His glory. That is the purpose of all gifts from God. To glorify Him, By raising up His Church, Through teaching, Through prayers, Through writing, Through healing, Through singing. In all of […]
Uphill Does the road wind up-hill all the way? Yes, to the very end. Will the day’s journey take the whole long day? From morn to night, my friend. But is there for the night a resting-place? A roof for when the slow dark hours begin. May not the darkness hide it from my face? […]
The Skeleton Chattering finch and water-fly Are not merrier than I; Here among the flowers I lie Laughing everlastingly. No; I may not tell the best; Surely, friends, I might have guessed Death was but the good King’s jest, It was hid so carefully. G.K. Chesterton
My Soul is on the Page When I read your verse I am awestruck. To see such words before me, Knowing that my soul is on the page. And You put it there. My God, my God, my wondrous God, I am slain with the knowledge of You Such warmth, From the fire of your […]
The World By day she woos me, soft, exceeding fair: But all night as the moon so changeth she; Loathsome and foul with hideous leprosy And subtle serpents gliding in her hair. By day she woos me to the outer air, Ripe fruits, sweet flowers, and full satiety: But through the night, a beast she […]
Confessional Now that I kneel at the throne, O Queen, Pity and pardon me. Much have I striven to sing the same, Brother of beast and tree; Yet when the stars catch me alone Never a linnet sings- And the blood of a man is a bitter voice And cries for foolish things. Not for […]
My God is King How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the one bringing good news, Announcing peace, bearing good news, announcing salvation, saying to Zion, “Your God is King!” ‘Neath a sapphire sky window to heaven John guided his Master smoothly up mountain, Peter kicked an ancient stone, Ascending the path zig-zagged. […]
I Am Pleased to be in Your Service If I am, why am I, God? What is my purpose? What deeds lie ahead of me on this road? Will they be wondrous or cowardly acts? Will they bring praise or condemnation? Could either serve Your purpose? Whatever You have in store, Whatever is Your will […]
May I cannot tell you how it was; But this I know: it came to pass Upon a bright and breezy day When May was young; ah, pleasant May! As yet the poppies were not born Between the blades of tender corn; The last eggs had not hatched as yet, Nor any bird forgone its […]
The Ballad of God-Makers A bird flew out at the break of day From the nest where it had curled, And ere the eve the bird had set Fear on the kings of the world. The first tree it lit upon Was green with leaves unshed; The second tree it lit upon Was red with […]
A Daughter of Eve A fool I was to sleep at noon, And wake when night is chilly Beneath the comfortless cold moon; A fool to pluck my rose too soon, A fool to snap my lily. My garden-plot I have not kept; Faded and all-forsaken, I weep as I have never wept: Oh it […]
Crushed Dragged to the cross, submissive. Broken by boards slung across his back. Violence in every aspect Inflicted by external forces. Holes pierced by nails driven with Violent swings of an iron mallet. Blood flows, precious blood, Which becomes wine. But only after the the grapes are picked, and Crushed. (Based on the Garden of […]
The Moment I See Your Face As the Psalmist said, Lord, how I long to see Your face. Yet I do so fearfully, Knowledge of my sinfulness, Would postpone this joy. Poor I am indeed, That I should think this, Your mercy is enshrined by the saved. Your forgiveness could never be questioned by the […]
