Author Archives: Be Holy

Advent Waiting

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Advent is upon my soul.
Divine gift of season,
I listen for the cry of a First Born Son,
Begotten before Time begun,
And laid in the Virgin’s womb.

I come to her,
Who is the Ark,
Your Mercy Seat.
Kneeling beside her
In these pregnant moments,
I lay my head upon her lap.

Her wonderment and awe
In steadfast contemplation,
Inspire angels’ songs.

I hear their reverent voices
In my night.
Their chorus bids me come.
Come to the stable of simplicity.

Leave the noisy city for a deserted place,
The Wilderness whose hidden way
Leads to the waiting manger,
Now, in expectant readiness,
For the Food that will feed
The hungry world.

My Advent prayer,
Come, O Holy Infant!
Come to my straw!

Joann Nelander

Sweet Consolation

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Lord, Jesus,
Allow me to console You,
In the garden of Your sorrow.

You beheld Sin
And suffered in its beastial grip.
You saw all my sins,
And longed to suffer my death.

With the angels
I desire to minister unto You.
Your angels caress You in Your agony.
I long to hold and comfort You.


Resting on Your strong arm,
Held fast by my desire to wipe away your tears,
Your blood,
Your sweat,
I find You assuaging my anguish.

With ministering spirits
I desire to comfort You.
You are all love,
All attention,
Hope ever new
And sweet consolation.

Drawing us to You.
By gratuitous grace,
Showered upon our Race,
By Your Birth,
And Your Death on the Cross,
You reconcile the repentant sinner

O, Sun of Justice.
You bid the lost “Come”.
I come before You,
In the rags of a beggar,
Repentant and full of faith.

I love because You love
You awaken hope in me,
Hope that flies in the face of earthly reason
To seek realms of holiness and joy.

Come, Lord Jesus,
Vanquish our sinfulness.
Burying our fault in gratuitous forgiveness,
And gracious forgetfulness,
For You remember our sins no more.

O, what sweet consolation.
Alleluia.

Joann Nelander