Angelic Companion, Mine

My Angel,
Beholding the face of God,
Guardian by my side,
Attendant friend and guide,
With me from my happy conception,
And faithful companion to my earthly end,
May we,
Who journeyed this pilgrimage
In one another’s presence,
Laugh together in heaven.

A Supplication to our Guardian Angel

A Supplication to our Guardian Angel

“See that you despise not one of these little ones: for I say to you, that their Angels
in heaven always see the face of My Father.”–Matt, xviii. 10

 

Sweet Angel of mercy!
By Heaven’s decree
Benignly appointed
To watch over me!
Without thy protection,
So constant and nigh,
I could not well live;
I should tremble to die.All thanks for thy love,
Dear companion and friend!
Oh may it continue
With me to the end!
Oh cease not to keep me,
Blessed guide of my youth,
In the ways of religion
And virtue and truth.Support me in weakness,
My spirit inflame;
Defend me in danger,
Secure me from shame,
That safe from temptation,
Or sudden surprise,
I may mount the straight path
That ascends to the skies.
When Satan his snares
For my ruin shall lay,
Be thou, gentle comrade,
My comfort and stay;
And in every event
That may happen to me,
Make all my desires
With thine to agree.

When I wander in error,
My footsteps recall,
Remove from my path
What might cause me to fall.
Preserve me from sin;
And in all that I do,
May God and His glory
Be ever in view.

O thou who didst witness
My earliest breath,
Be with me, I pray,
In the hour of death;
Console me in sadness,
Refresh me in pain,
And teach me how best
I may mercy obtain.

That, cleansed by confession
Complete and sincere,
From every defilement
Afflicting me here,
All glowing with love,
I may gladly depart.
With faith on my lips,
And with hope in my heart.

Nor then do thou leave me,
Angelical friend!
But at the tribunal
Of Judgment attend;
And cease not to plead
For my soul, till, forgiven,
Thou bear it aloft
To the Palace of Heaven.

“O Angel of God, whom God hath appointed to be my guardian,
enlighten and protect, direct and govern me.”

(Indulgence of one hundred days each time.
Plenary once a month if said daily)

 

Let Me

Let 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

In Praise

Praise like cascading waters, like rushing rivers,
Praise like flying birds, and flight of eagles.
Praise like thundering herds cross vast expanse.
Praise written cross skies in clouds and drifting mists.
Praise with the quaking aspen. Praise golden and blissful.

Praise to the heavens, to the highest heavens.
Heartfelt and hallowed, on angels’ wings and from the mouths of babes.
Hush; listen in silence.
Creation, on tip toe, peering beyond Time to Eternity.
Time poised on the brink of the Eternal, awaiting Your Word.

Praise from the heart, one poor and yearning heart.
Come, O Immortal. Come!

©2010 Joann Nelander

The Vision to Zachary / Catholic Spiritual Direction

“Fear not, Zachary, for thy prayer is heard, and thy wife Elizabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. And thou shalt have joy and gladness, and many shall rejoice in his birth, for he shall be great before the Lord. . . . And he shall convert many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. And he shall go before Him in the spirit and power of Elias, that he may turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the incredulous to the wisdom of the just, to prepare for the Lord a perfect people.” Luke 1:13-17

ZacharyDetailFromLievensVisitation-sm1. The story is the first distinct shadow of the great event that is to come. It is cast first upon the Temple, upon the most sacred spot of the Temple, at the most sacred time, while “all the multitude was praying without at the hour of incense,” on the most sacred person, the priest Zachary, whose lot it then was “to offer incense, going into the Temple of the Lord,” and after the most sacred manner, for “there appeared to him an Angel of the Lord, standing on the right side of the altar of incense.” Zachary saw “the Angel, was troubled, and fear fell upon him”; Mary later saw the Angel and “was troubled”; he before the Angel spoke, she after; which helps us to see the difference in their fear.

READ MORE: via Spiritualdirection.com | Catholic Spiritual Direction | The Vision to Zachary Catholic Spiritual Direction.

Prayer of the Day

Watch thou, dear Lord, with those who wake, or watch, or weep tonight and give thine angels charge over those who sleep.  Tend thy sick ones, Lord Christ, Rest thy weary ones, Bless thy dying ones. Soothe thy suffering ones. Pity thine afflicted ones. Shield thy joyous ones. And all, for thy love’s sake. Amen.