My All in All

Lord, be the Alpha and Omega
Of my moments this day.
Be the beginning and end
Of my every thought,
Inclination and desire,
The motus primo primi
Of my every action.

I offer you each breath I draw,
Every heart beat.
I expose to Your Merciful Heart my every sin,
Failure and fault.

I lay my complaints at your feet
And nail my concupiscence
To Your Cross.
You, Lord, are my Heart,
And my Healing,
You are purest Mercy.
Be my All in All.

Joann Nelander

Mother of our re-creation, Chosen One,
Queen Mother of Our Savior and Salvation,
Through You The Father has restored
Life, and beauty to Creation.

The poison of Adam’s Fall
Has now an antidote and more.
Your humility lifts Eve to her feet,
And sets her wailing heart at peace,
For her children have a Remedy.

The punishment of Death decreed,
Which we suffer in this life,
And at its end,
Because of Father Adam’s Sin,
That Death is now a Door.

God made us like Himself,
So we, too, have a choice.
We may enter the waters of Baptism
As Christ entered the waters of Mary’s womb,
Clothing Himself in human form,
And the waters of the Jordan,
Preparing a way for our resurrection.

Jesus despised not our wretchedness,
But invested Himself in our plight,
By taking flesh as a mantle,
Worn into battle for the fight.

At the beginning of His earthly life,
Jesus entered the water of humanity
In the womb of Mary.
At the beginning of His earthly ministry,
Christ’s purifying presence
Entered the Sea of Man and Sin
In the waters of the Jordan.

Jesus, Son of Mary, the New Eve,
Blessed the Jordan waters.
By entering our pollution,
The Sinless Savior made it a symbol
Of the endless stream,
That washes sin away
And joins us to Himself.

Christ has offered us
His Life and Resurrection
In bidding us, ‘Come to the Water.’
This Water is for all the Children of Eve
Both womb, and tomb.

All Creation rejoices at our Restoration.
In Baptism’s holy bath,
We are saved and re-created,
The First Fruit of the glory
Of the Virgin’s First Born Son,

Our new Mother receives us from our dying
As she did the Body of her Son at the Cross.
Mother Mary is rewarded for her sorrow
And crowned for her hope.

By Joann Nelander

Father, I thank you for this day,
This holy day.
As I rise from sleep,
May my soul arise,
Leaving sin
To seek Your face.

As I wash in preparation
For new and holy day,
I recall my Baptism
And the cleansing River of Life
That flowed from the side
Of my Redeemer.

As I clothe my body,
I remember
The dignity of Christ,
And the Name, Hashem,
By which I Am calls me.

I am clothed in the robes of a priest
To sacrifice with Jesus in my day.
The words of a prophet
Live on my lips
Ready to give an account
Of my hope and joy.

The Kings of Kings
Proclaims me a king,
And by the power of His throne in heaven,
He rules in my life,
And the lives my life touches
Through all generations.

Through my prayer of faith,
Covered in humility,
As the Blood of Christ,
Angels minister to the people of God,
Bringing peace, protection,
Strength and provision,
As I proclaim My “Amen”
To His Will, and His prayer,
“Father, forgive them.”

Go before me, Lord.
Walk with me, Lord.
Be my rearguard,
Precious Savior, Warrior King!
You, Who live in me,
Suffer in my flesh,
That which is to be
In this hour on Your Cross.

You are “more than a conqueror”
As You bring about
Your kingdom in this day.
O, Love sublime,
My life is Thine.

By Joann Nelander