You have carried me on Your shoulder.
I am that wound that pained You greatly.
Carry me into my future.
As You carried Your Cross.
I know I hurt;
I can feel it myself.
Now in heaven, You are free from pain,
Except for that, which You suffer,
In the mystery of Your Church on earth,
Except for that, which You suffer in me,
For love of me, for love of Your Cross.
I am the cross You lovingly still bear.
© 2011 Joann Nelander
All rights reserved
I watched a friend at prayer.
From the moment her eyes
Met Yours on the Cross,
She was enraptured.What is it that passes between like souls?
The gulf between You, God,
And Your creature is unfathomable,
Yet, Your love spans the distance and dissimilarity
With the intimacy of a mother
Suckling her infant,
All giving, all gift and all grace.I watched my friend at prayer.
The world about her changed.
A holy space surrounded her,
As angels hurried to and fro,
Now bowing, now prostrate, now adoring.All prayer unites,
As earth receives its Savior-God,
As Man exercises dominion,
Freed from Sin and chains.Angels in swift flight,
Aloft on mission-wings ,
Now ascending,
Now descending.Peace on earth
To men of good will,
As Time and Eternity kiss,
Love knowing no distance.I watched my friend at prayer,
As her prayer became my prayer,
You drawing all to Yourself.
Draw me now,
And all will in turn
Run after the odor of Your ointments.©2011 Joann Nelander
O, my Jesus, In gentle and humble repose upon the altar, Wrap Your arms about me. My body yearns for Your embrace. Only Your Humanity can unlock The treasure trove of grace, You hold in store for me, A repentant sinner, Grace, You purchased for me By Your coming to Man as Man, In Your weakness and poverty and might. You called Yourself,"Son of Man", And by Your obedience, Suffering and Death upon the Cross, Showed us True Love. All Holy, All Human, All Love, All God, Son and Servant of God, Benefit and Benefactor of Man, Apply the fruit of Your Saving Death To my humanity, To the glory of God, And the continuous deification Of my poor, desirous body and soul. Conceive in me thoughts, words and deeds, Which bring to fulfillment our Father's plan For my life and eternity, So, that purged of all Sin and concupiscence, I might shine with radiant joy, Hidden and secure in Your Heart, As does Your Virgin Mother, Mary. "Be it done to me according to Your Word." Amen. Copyright 2011 Joann Nelander All rights reserved
Upon the cross,
Your blood flowed
from Crown to Foot,
in streams upon Your Body,
so that there was not one space
that was not touched by Your Blood.
Your Body, the Church,
covered in Your Blood;
saved throughout Time
and for all Time
unto Eternity,
covered by Your Blood.
by Joann Nelander
Holy Hope, I see before me the path of Jesus.
It trails into my future, while it’s clarity fades as it leaves this present moment.
I am like Bartimeus along this way.
I call out for my Savior.
At my plea angels hurry to my side with the balm to heal my blindness.
I see the Christ with me, before me, beside me, beneath me as hallowed ground, above me as Sun’s light and warmth.
In Hope I never walk alone.
Companions of my life, hand in hand,
Faith and Love abide with me.
My life follows in His steps to that place prepared for me.
Here on this Earth, I, too, know the Cross.
And in this Day, I, too, experience the Paradise of His Presence.Joann Nelander
Be Holy! 