I watched a friend at prayer.
From the moment her eyes
Met Yours on the Cross,
She was enraptured.What is it that passes between like souls?
The gulf between You, God,
And Your creature is unfathomable,
Yet, Your love spans the distance and dissimilarity
With the intimacy of a mother
Suckling her infant,
All giving, all gift and all grace.I watched my friend at prayer.
The world about her changed.
A holy space surrounded her,
As angels hurried to and fro,
Now bowing, now prostrate, now adoring.All prayer unites,
As earth receives its Savior-God,
As Man exercises dominion,
Freed from Sin and chains.Angels in swift flight,
Aloft on mission-wings ,
Now ascending,
Now descending.Peace on earth
To men of good will,
As Time and Eternity kiss,
Love knowing no distance.I watched my friend at prayer,
As her prayer became my prayer,
You drawing all to Yourself.
Draw me now,
And all will in turn
Run after the odor of Your ointments.©2011 Joann Nelander
Archive for Religion & Spirituality
I Watched a Friend at Prayer
Posted in Catholic, Christian, My Journal, Poetry, Prose & Prayer with tags christianity, cross, Freed, God, Prayer, Religion & Spirituality, Savior-God, sin on November 29, 2011 by JoannaIn this place, Love…
Posted in My Journal with tags cave, Child Jesus, christianity, Christmas, cobwebs, Jesus, manger, Mariano de Blas LC, Poverty, Religion & Spirituality, Straw on October 30, 2011 by Joanna
My house is richer, cleaner, prettier. But I prefer your cave, because here everything is made of love. Straw, cobwebs, poverty, all loving. I prefer your cave, I love your manger, I admire the cobwebs, I kiss the straw and the floor. I will stay here. In this place, for love of me, the Baby Jesus was born.
Written by Mariano de Blas LC | Source: Catholic.net
Awakening
Posted in My Journal with tags Christ, christianity, God, Immanuel, Presence of God, Religion & Spirituality, resurrection, vision on April 29, 2011 by JoannaMatt 28:20 I Am With You Always
I woke up with God today.
He was with me,
And I smiled.I am smiling still,
For in His Presence,
I seem to glow,
On the inside, of course.I hug Christ to me, all gratitude.
Being flighty like a bird,
Anxious to take to wing,
Precisely, because my spirit soars,
I count the grace of moment, a treasure,
and tuck it ‘neath my pinions.Once aloft on wings of love,
I may be distracted,
Attracted by His good creation,
Or attacked by jealous gods,
Envying His majesty,
And hating His Intimacy
With so lowly a creature.My God, thank You,
For this favor in Time,
That I may be refreshed,
And readied for Eternity,
Where I shall never
Lose sight of You.Steel me, O Immanuel.
Sharpen my vision,
To see You with me always,
In Your hidden Presence
Within my soul.©2011 Joann Nelander All rights reserved
Throw Away Life?
Posted in My Journal with tags christianity, Creator deity, God, Incarnation, Jesus, Prayer, prose & poetry, Religion & Spirituality on April 3, 2011 by JoannaHow sad is Man?
He values the rare,
Exults the extraordinary,
Crowns the celebrity.God, on the Other hand, proliferates.
He calls good all He creates,
Dignifies life by His Love,
And Humankind by His Incarnation.For want of goodness,
Man may usurp the place of God,
Seat himself
Upon that lofty throne.For the want of love
Man may throw life away,
Too small, too young, too needy
Too dependent to matter.How sad is Man upon his throne?
He beats his chest,
And declares his liberty;
Forgets his neighbor, chooses self.How sad is Man,
Unencumbered of diety,
His own god,
And lord of all he has stolen.Yet, God dignifies his defiant creature.
God respects the time of Man,
And give His Goodness
Sway over Holy Wrath.Out-side of Time.
There is only the Eternal.
In Time, mind and Man are matter-dependent,
Sustained in rhythms tuned by the Creator.When Time is rolled up
With the stars, like a scroll,
And fire devours all matter,
Where will the spark of Man exist?While living, Man chooses,
Until Death declares
All he has chosen final,
The Star of Hope extinguished.O Man, gladden the lot of Men.
Your eternity begins in the Heart of God.
You are rare.
You are extraordinary.Celebrate the Lord, Your God!
Copyright Joann Nelander ©2011 All rights reserved.
Empowered
Posted in My Journal with tags christianity, HaShem, Names of God in Judaism, Prayer, Religion & Spirituality on March 28, 2011 by JoannaIt is not my prayer.
It is our prayer.
I pray with the Church.
I am one among all,
All Yours,
All giving voice
To the Church Militant,Called by Your Name,
HaShem, the Name!Empowered by the Name,
HaShem, the Name.Copyright Joann Nelander © 2011 All rights reserved
No Empty Dream
Posted in My Journal with tags Christ, christianity, forgiveness, Religion & Spirituality, sin, theology on March 23, 2011 by JoannaLamenting, I quit my case.
Sorrowing, my complaints lie with me
In dust and ashes.
The plaintiff has become defendant.I rest the case I brought against You.
What have I proven?
That I never knew You?
That I never sought You?Counterfeits sufficed to fill my belly.
There was always another dream on the horizon.
Tomorrows pretended to satisfy my emptiness.
The chase was the gambit that became the game.Before You showed me mercy,
You showed me Me
Not the Me of mirrors, but the Me of my heart,
That shrunken pigmy of diminishing proportion.Among Men, there is no forgiveness like Yours.
If judged by Men, I would be meted punishment
By the self-righteously righteous,
While the unrighteous, would applaud my vice and welcome me at the hearth,
No forgiveness necessary, where sin is no sin.As gift, the clarity of Day, dawned suddenly,
You appeared with Light as Your garment,
In Your Light I was all Darkness,
Pretense dissipated as Your Sun rose.The world appeared not as a prize but as a wonder.
Nature didn’t dictate; it served.
The heart of mothers where turned back to their children.
And You reigned as King.I would have fainted away,
Had not the Good Thief stood by Your side.
He smiled my way,
Eyes twinkling at the memory of his meeting You upon Your Cross.
Assurances asked, assurances given.
Simple eternal words.Coming full circle, I rest upon Your arm,
You lift up my head and incline to comfort me.
Mercy smiles on my repentant heart,
And plans for me a future full of hope.You Who laid the foundation of the Earth,
Plot a course for me through the Wilderness of the world.
My pilgrimage from sin to saint
Leads through Two Hearts bound by a Mystery uniting Heaven and Earth.Birthed anew in Baptism,
Restored again in Reconciliation,
Your grace acts on me, Your grace acts in me.
All grace that waited upon my willing.My will is now that of a child.
I follow at Your side, learning Your ways.
Your Words are my food and my fullness.
Heaven is no longer an empty dream, but a Promise.
From You lips on the Cross, piercing my heart.“Father forgive them.
They know not what they do.”Copyright Joann Nelander © 2011 All rights reserved.
The Breech
Posted in My Journal with tags All rights reserved, poetry & prayer prose, Religion & Spirituality on March 16, 2011 by JoannaHow great is the distance between us?
Some would say
The span from East to West,
Or measure in miles the chasm
Stretching from Heaven to Hell.
Others count the centuries
Since Your earthly Presence
In hallowed flesh.There is no numbering
Eternity or Divinity.
You are closer than my breath.
Your Heart beats within my breast.
Day by day,
Nay, moment by moment,
I pick up Your rhythm.Traversing the breech,
You make me Your own.
Small, but beloved,
I repose in willful abandonment.
Grace-filled faith,
A movement,
Not a measure,
Soars to the heavens,
In flights of trust in You.Copyright Joann Nelander © 2011 All rights reserved
I Can Come to You
Posted in My Journal with tags God, Lust, Religion & Spirituality on March 11, 2011 by JoannaI can come to You in Spirit.
I can sit by Your side.
“Ask Me”, You say.
“Ask of Me”, You invite.“Come closer, when you are ready.
When you make up your mind.
I see, you are counting the cost.
That is wise, the thing to do.”“When you measure Me on your scales,
Remember, too, what I paid for you.
I would do it all, again…. just for you.
Measure that, too.”” ‘Not fair!’, you say.
“Let’s see,” say I.
“Is it Me, Who is unfair,
Or is it you?”“You weigh friends, that will have go,
If you have any hope of staying true.
Then, you, consider, forbidden loves,
Which, by the way, I call ‘lusts’,
Lust that leaves you bust,
Left with only dust.“You are right to consider,
For while, My Love is free,
It is relentless in it’s quest.
It will change and challenge you.”“False loves and lovers,
Fade in My Light.
Tinsel tells tawdry,
In the company of Gold.”I can come to You in Spirit.
I can sit by Your side.
“Ask Me”, You say.
“Ask of Me”, You invite.”I see You are the Treasure,
‘The Pearl of great price.’
No longer can I sit beside You.Please, may I enter into Your Heart?
Copyright © 2011 Joann Nelander All rights reserved
The Miracle of Days
Posted in Christian, Poetry, Prose & Prayer with tags christianity, earth, God, miracle, Religion & Spirituality on January 15, 2011 by JoannaNew day, the world awakens.
Blue Earth still hung
Among the stars,
Spinning and orbiting.
We rise once more,
Unfazed by planetary whirl.Sunshine at my window,
Here we go, again.
Out of the bed,
Onto a floor,
Solid ‘neath my feet,
Oh, what a grand illusion.Without qualm,
In phase with the heavens
The world of men
Slept in surrender
To the slumber
Of the night.Peace, born of Faith,
Anticipating the morn,
Believing dawn would again.
As done before.
Life, a celebration
Risking response.All creation rising,
What will you
In your doings?
Your mark, your glory!
Waste not a quark!
O, Miracle of Days!By Joann Nelander
Let Me
Posted in My Journal with tags christianity, Jesus, Lost, Prayer, prose & poetry, Religion & Spirituality on January 6, 2011 by JoannaLet me be the Star that guides.
Let me be the Voice crying in the wilderness.
Let me be the Brother that leads a brother.
Let me be the Mother bidding
“Do whatever He tells you.”Let me be tears upon Your feet,
Let me be anointing oil.
Let me be a cloak that hides your nakedness.
Let me be the prayer of the Blind Bartimaeus:
“Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me.”Let me pray with You in the garden
Let me draw a spiritual sword by Your Side.
Let me help you carry Your Cross.
Let me weep with You for the Fallen and the Lost,
Lamenting, “.. you would not be gathered.”Let me feel with Mother Mary
Let me cry out like the Magdalen.
Let me, like the Centurion, recognize You in Your Dying.
Let me sit beside the Angel at Your Tomb.
“He has risen, He is not here”
By Joann Nelander
I Live By the Will of God
Posted in My Journal, Poetry, Prose & Prayer, Prayer & Prose with tags christianity, Jesus, persistence, petition, Prayer, Religion & Spirituality on January 4, 2011 by JoannaToday, I live by Your Will.
Today, I live by Your Cross.
Today, I live by the grace of God.I call on all heaven
To pray for me,
As I am weak,
And prone to sin.With Isaiah, I promise God,
That I will not be silent,
I will cry out
For the sake of Jerusalem.You saints of God
I station you on my walls
And at the city gate.Do not cease
To petition the King,
For He is poised
To answer the persistent.By Joann Nelander
Gifts and the Giver
Posted in Catholic with tags christianity, God, Religion & Spirituality on December 29, 2010 by JoannaOpen every gift like a child.
It’s okay to squeal with delight.
Look into the eyes of the Giver
Long enough to see His Heart.
Remember to share.
Share your joy.
Share your sorrow.
Share God’s Joy.
Share God’s Sorrow.
When God aches
In the Poor and Suffering,
Give Him a hug.
Kiss away His Tears.
Share your blanket,
Give God great gifts.
Offer Him the air you breathe.
Offer Him the Sun and Moon.
Offer him the color of the sky.
Hold nothing back.
Let God see you cry.
Give Him your heart.
When it breaks,
Save all the pieces for Him.
God treasures
The smallest “thank you.”
In moments of confusion,
He knows they’re hard to give,
So He saves them
To wear as His necklace.
Bring God flowers.
He doesn’t mind
A weed or two.
God likes grooming you.
By Joann Nelander
The Lights of Advent Keep Vigil
Posted in Advent, Catholic, Christian, Poetry, Prose & Prayer with tags Advent, blessing, Candle, Christian, Praise, Prayer, Religion & Spirituality, Religion and Spirituality, thanksgiving, vigil on December 5, 2010 by Joanna
Via Wikipedia
Advent candles lit within my being,
Prayer like a torch,
Calling on the Spirit,
To light the lamp of vigil
And illuminate my soul.
Thanksgiving, a spot light,
Setting blessings all aglow,
While praise as a million votives
Ring Your manger in the night.Though my soul be steeped in sorrow,
For the sin that went before,
My tears You turn to shining crystal
As the sea before Your throne.O, Sun of Justice,
In Heaven you replace the shining stars.
Banish all darkness here below,
As once Your Star lit Earth’s long nightAlight all holiness,
As a rainbow green with Life,
Arches ’bout the celestial throne,
While incandescent angels
Sing with haloed headed saints.Because You come,
This earthy life’s Tomorrows
Are bedecked in Hope
As You knock at ready virgins’ door,The Promise ever before me,
You stand, an open door.
I, Bold Abandonment,
Before the throne of grace,Sainted souls gleaming like electrum
Flashing love’s arrows as lightning.
Advent becomes Christmas in my soul.By Joann Nelander
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