Tag Archives: Catholic
It’s time once again forHeart’s Desire
O, my Lord,
I enthrone You
In my heart.
Bowing before You,
I take refuge
In Your Mercy.
I clasp fast
The hand of the Virgin,
She, who bore my Savior,
Now, holds my entreaties
In her Immaculate Heart.
In Mary’s bosom,
The Fire of Your Love
Refashions my heart’s desire,
That it may reflect
The desires of Your Most Sacred Heart.
Here, I appeal to You,
In the melodic voice
Of the Mother’s purity.
Copyright 2013 Joann Nelander
All rights reserved
The plan of redemption through the Incarnation
From a treatise Against Heresies by Saint Irenaeus, bishop
The plan of redemption through the Incarnation
God is man’s glory. Man is the vessel which receives God’s action and all his wisdom and power.
Just as a doctor is judged in his care for the sick, so God is revealed in his conduct with men. That is Paul’s reason for saying: God has made the whole world prisoner of unbelief that he may have mercy on all. He was speaking of man, who was disobedient to God, and cast off from immortality, and then found mercy, receiving through the Son of God the adoption he brings.
If man, without being puffed up or boastful, has a right belief regarding created things and their divine Creator, who, having given them being, holds them all in his power, and if man perseveres in God’s love, and in obedience and gratitude to him, he will receive greater glory from him. It will be a glory which will grow ever brighter until he takes on the likeness of the one who died for him.
He it was who took on the likeness of sinful flesh, to condemn sin and rid the flesh of sin, as now condemned. He wanted to invite man to take on his likeness, appointing man an imitator of God, establishing man in a way of life in obedience to the Father that would lead to the vision of God, and endowing man with power to receive the Father. He is the Word of God who dwelt with man and became the Son of Man to open the way for man to receive God, for God to dwell with man, according to the will of the Father.
For this reason the Lord himself gave as the sign of our salvation, the one who was born of the Virgin, Emmanuel. It was the Lord himself who saved them, for of themselves they had no power to be saved. For this reason Paul speaks of the weakness of man, and says: I know that no good dwells in my flesh, meaning that the blessing of our salvation comes not from us but from God. Again, he says: I am a wretched man; who will free me from this body doomed to die? Then he speaks of a liberator, thanks to Jesus Christ our Lord.
Isaiah says the same: Hands that are feeble, grow strong! Knees that are weak, take courage! Hearts that are faint, grow strong! Fear not; see, our God is judgement and he will repay. He himself will come and save us. He means that we could not be saved of ourselves but only with God’s help.
Joann Nelander
lionessblog.com
Dr. Scott Hahn Speaks Candidly About Rekindling Excitement in Your Spiritual Life
H/T Patrick Madrid
The Jennifer Fllwiler Show presents Dr. Scott Hahn podcast
Hildegard von Bingen – Ave generosa -O Vis Aeternitatis – Ave Maria, O Auctrix Vite
Advent Prayer in Waiting
The moment of our Savior’s Birth draws near and joy is on the horizon. A poetic and prayerful meditation:
Advent is upon my soul.
Divine gift of season,
I listen for the cry of a First Born Son,
Begotten before Time begun,
And enfleshed 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
©2010 Joann Nelander
Be Holy! 