Live Henceforth in My Love Blessing full and overflowing Pour over me, Around me, And though and through. It is You, Who plans for me, Accomplishes this work, And I , For my part, Desire, And yield, My whole life, Loving You. ©2013 Joann Nelander
Suffer I can still endure the minutes, fix the time, and set the limits Where there was no pain but cold, slow pain. If I sought some hope to borrow from a hint of a tomorrow, It brought pain again, pain again, and pain. It caught me, held me, ruled me and eventually it schooled […]
Hymn to Matins–Sunday TODAY the Blessed Three in One Began the earth and skies; Today a Conqueror, God the Son, Did from the grave arise; We too will wake, and, in despite Of sloth and languor, all unite, As Psalmists bid, through the dim night, Waiting with wistful eyes. So may He hear, and heed […]
Miracle Fair Commonplace miracle: that so many commonplace miracles happen. An ordinary miracle: in the dead of night the barking of invisible dogs. One miracle out of many: a small, airy cloud yet it can block a large and heavy moon. Several miracles in one: an alder tree reflected in the water, and that it’s […]
Love’s Reach I reach for You With my life, All my life. It is not for naught, That You labored, Bore my sins. I reach for You With my thoughts. In the night, I contemplate Your Dying. Writhing in agony, Alone with hell’s phantoms, Blood called From Your flesh. More than a drop Spoke my […]
Reverses WHEN mirth is full and free, Some sudden gloom shall be; When haughty power mounts high, The Watcher’s axe is nigh. All growth has bound; when greatest found, It hastes to die. When the rich town, that long Has lain its huts among, Uprears its pageants vast, And vaunts—it shall not last! Bright tints […]
Going Home He came home. Said nothing. It was clear, though, that something had gone wrong. He lay down fully dressed. Pulled the blanket over his head. Tucked up his knees. He’s nearly forty, but not at the moment. He exists just as he did inside his mother’s womb, clad in seven walls of skin, […]
Sensitiveness Time was, I shrank from what was right, From fear of what was wrong; I would not brave the sacred fight, Because the foe was strong. But now I cast that finer sense And sorer shame aside; Such dread of sin was indolence, Such aim at heaven was pride. So, when my Saviour calls, […]
My Cry, Your Heart, My God Reaching for You in the Night, I marvel. What worlds my prayer spans! The darkness of Space and Ages Is penetrated by Your Light, Pierced by my cry of recognition. My will, like Longinian sword, Penetrates Your Heart, Tapping perpetual Springs. Hallowed walls of Flesh part To welcome me, […]
If I Had But an Hour with You If I had but an hour with You It would be as a dream come true To sit at your feet and gaze upon You ’Twould be joy beyond measure. But alas, it is not to be Not now whilst I am living. This joy, this joy […]
Here, Now and Forever Here You are beside me. Here You are within me. Here You share Your Being as Bread for my living. Here I am believing. Here I am becoming. Here I receive Your Spirit as Life for my soul. Here we dwell together. Here we dwell in loving. Here we give, completely, […]
The Gift of Perseverance ONCE, as I brooded o’er my guilty state, A fever seized me, duties to devise, To buy me interest in my Saviour’s eyes; Not that His love I would extenuate, But scourge and penance, masterful self-hate, Or gift of cost, served by an artifice To quell my restless thoughts and envious […]
One Gypsy Man The heat was so great that I sat down to rest And watched as mankind was put to the test A gypsy approached, barely able to walk He staggered and moaned, unable to talk. Filthy and starving and bronzed by the sun Scarred by the world and by the world shunned- Our eyes met […]
A Little on the Soul Periodically one has a soul. Nobody has it all the time and forever. Day after day, year after year can pass without it. Sometimes only in rapture and in fears of childhood it dwells within longer. Sometimes only in the astonishment, that we have become old. It rarely assists us […]
Whatever the Journey, Whatever the Road My hand is upon you, As you well know. I walk with you daily, In the sand and the snow. Together we are bound, For the journey you take. To serve My Father In this place. Days will come, When life will be hard. And others shall be As […]
Gifts The gifts He gave me, I thought were me. I was them, they were mine. I used them, enjoyed them, Ignored, and wasted them. Some I squandered. A gift that blossomed, It was my planting! A gift that bore fruit, It was my growing! No thought of giving them. No thought of sharing them […]
With You in Mind Still unfolding in Time, God built the Universe With you in mind. Matter abounds in precise measure, Yet only mind cares To count the treasure. The Nature of Reality Weighs only upon Man. Mind, immaterial, Counts on Science to understand. But mensuration once obtained Must be thought to think things through, […]
The Sign of the Cross Whenever across this sinful flesh of mine I draw the Holy Sign, All good thoughts stir within me, and renew Their slumbering strength divine; Till there springs up a courage high and true To suffer and to do. And who shall say, but hateful spirits around, For their brief hour […]
I’m Doing the Best I Can I say it so often, “I am doing the best I can do.” My heart breaks, For I desire to do all for You, Yet, I am full of myself, And You seem silent. I am still of the earth And aspire to heaven. I am so common, Yet […]
Rising Guilty, condemned, Innocent of all, Now with this cross I fall. Mother, Simon, Veronica gone, Now uphill I tread on . Cut, Torn, Stripped, nailed, Now forgiving I will not fail. Hold, Behold, Mother, son. Now, Father, Thy will be done. Kingdom, Glory, Cross, crown, Now to sleep I lay me down. Love lives, […]
