Tag Archives: Christian

Where True Beauty Lies

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Forsaking the Land of Shadows, yet again,
And prostrate before You,
I enter with my candle,
Wick, barely alive,
Smoldering,
Awaiting the gentle breeze,
That will kindle my flame
To blaze forth, anew.

Praise rises in my soul,
As a lifetime of thanks given,
Recall to memory
The reason for my trust.

Can Faith be called blind,
When a thousand thousand yesterdays
Form the foundation of our friendship?

Now, I look upon You,
Upon the Altar of Adoration.
Beauty captures my attention.
The monstrance, a delight to my eye,
All aglow,
As it catches the early rays of morning.
Golden shafts stream from its center,
Whispering "Glory."

The pedestal,
Ornate with pomegranates, grapes and lilies,
Celebrate the gift of Your Creation.
Yet, You, in Your splendid Humility,
Reside in true beauty, Unadorned, and at rest,
Your work accomplished,
Awaiting only my disfigurement.

What will You with me?
Transfigure in longed for alchemy of Spirit.

By heartfelt confession and remorse,
At Your Word,
Spoken in Persona Christi,
I wash my robes clean
In the Blood of the Lamb.
You do not horde Your beauty,
But send it forth,
To renew all creation,
And, forgetting not the least,
Remember me.

Copyright 2012 Joann Nelander

115 Roman Catholic Bishops Speak Out / HHS Mandate

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H/T Thomas Peters

Here are the bishops who are Speaking Out Against Obama/HHS Mandate:

Items in bold mean the statement was read at all diocesan Masses or included in all parish bulletins on Sunday:

Cloud Clutter

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Grey the day with cloud and clutter,
Music’s muted melody obscured,
Discord in search of harmony,
Gives lie to the Promise of His Presence,
If Truth were only that which can be seen.
 

Faith, though,
Believes not vision, but God,
For God’s sake.
All powers of perception,
But a touch of His finger,
A curtain parted for a peek,
Hardly the measure
Of the Almighty’s might.
 

By Faith,
The eyes of the soul see,
And pierce the veil,
Rendering gain,
That gleaned in blindness,
So I  count the clouds joy,
For Faith keeps hope alive.
 

I am all believing,
And with conviction,
Clutched and cradled,
Felt with the fingers of my trust.
I live the Promise of His Presence.
 

© 2012 Joann Nelander

Wounded Soldier Down

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Wounded soldier down!
The very air crackles about him,
The moment is charged with alarm.
Fallen is Babylon.
Fallen, too, the Savior.
Man at war within himself,
His livery undeclared.

Wounded soldier down!
Two armies meet in one field of battle.
Only one shall rise again.
Victory is at hand.
Only one has paid the price.

Wounded soldier down!
Unseen forces join the fray.
The smell of fear draws the demonic.
Hell combats hope and the holy,
Raising doubts by telling lies.

Wounded soldier down!
Dragged by the heels,
Through the mire of memory.
Sin gnashes its teeth.
The enemy assails a child of God.

Wounded soldier down!
Prayer cries out before the throne of God.
There were days in which he’d prayed.
And there was selfless love.
Sprinkled as holy water.
Father forgive him,
Though he knew little of Me.

Wounded soldier down!
A moment of Truth
Before One God,
How will you now?
Choose your livery.
Be you a son to Me?
I won the battle long ago,
Fighting now for you alone.

Wounded soldier down!
Angelic encampments
Muster to the call.
Hell is engaged,
As son you choose to be.

Wounded soldier down!
Life leaves you on that plain.
Bereft of breath.
Like a child,
Lifted heavenward,
On wings of the holy,
To your Sabbath rest.

©2012 Joann Nelander

 



Forget Not

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As I walk in Your house,
May I never forget You are Master,
Lord of this domain.

May my thoughts
Spring as fruit upon the vine.
Sustain me, O my Beloved,
With the Bread of angels.

Hallowed Ground of my New Birth,
Give me Your heavenly Water,
That I may never thirst again.
Let it rise within me,
As an eternal spring,
And let it fall from heaven,
Like those “torrents
In the southern desert,”

Sheltered in Your arms,
Covered by the corner of Your mantle,
Fed by the Manna of Your Heavenly Body,
Who could forget to sing You songs of Love?

Copyright 2011 Joann Nelander

Wilderness of Sin

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Magdalene, O Magdalene,
With you in the wilderness of sin,
Together, we rejoice.
As sisters, embracing.

Dawn rose as the sun
Hope entered our lives with our Savior
Sinister evil fled at His Presence
In our souls.

Jesus, Son of God,
Son of Man,
Freed us of all gods,
Loosed all obsession.

Magdalene, O Magdalene
Cry out with me,
Emmanuel, God with us.

by Joann Nelander