From the book of the prophet Isaiah
45:1-13
The salvation of Israel through Cyrus
Thus says the Lord to his anointed, Cyrus,whose right hand I grasp,
Subduing nations before him,
and making kings run in his service,
Opening doors before him
and leaving the gates unbarred:
I will go before you
and level the mountains;
Bronze doors I will shatter,
and iron bars I will snap.
I will give you treasures out of the darkness,
and riches that have been hidden away,
That you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel,
who calls you by your name.
For the sake of Jacob, my servant,of Israel my chosen one,
I have called you by your name,
giving you a title, though you knew me not.
I am the Lord and there is no other,
there is no God besides me.
It is I who arm you, though you know me not,
so that toward the rising and the setting of the sun
men may know that there is none besides me.
I am the Lord, there is no other;
I form the light, and create the darkness,
I make well-being and create woe;
I, the Lord, do all these things.
Let justice descend, O heavens, like dew from above,like gentle rain let the skies drop it down.
Let the earth open and salvation bud forth;
let justice also spring up!
I, the Lord, have created this.
Woe to him who contends with his Maker;a potsherd among potsherds of the earth!
Dare the clay say to its modeler, “What are you doing?”
or, “What you are making has no hands”?
Woe to him who asks a father, “What are you begetting?”
or a woman, “What are you giving birth to?”
Thus says the Lord,the Holy One of Israel, his maker:
You question me about my children,
or prescribe the work of my hands for me!
It was I who made the earth
and created mankind upon it;
It was my hands that stretched out the heavens;
I gave the order to all their host.
It was I who stirred up one for the triumph of justice;
all his ways I make level.
He shall rebuild my city
and let my exiles go free
Without price or ransom,
says the Lord of hosts.
via divineoffice.org
Tag Archives: Jesus
Jesus , Savior in Repose
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
Prepare Ye!
Cover your eyes,
Lest you look on evil.
Stop your ears
Lest the fowl word assail.
The unthinkable
Has come to pass.
The forbidden
Have come to be.
The very air carries
The Tempter’s brood,
Sinister, in cloaked deceit.
Evil snakes in high places,
Surreptitious, in plans and plottings.
Look, and you will not see
The Perpetrator.
Sound the alarm,
But to meet mock outrage,
And the blind eye.
The pot once simmering
Has come to a boil,
No lid to contain,
No effort to constrain.
Prepare ye!
Prepare Ye!
With prayer,
And fasting,
Prepare ye!
From the Four Corners
Trumpet blasts,
Herald of battle,
A call to arms.
Arrows, tipped with prayer,
Fly heavenward,
Rising to hail the Almighty,
To bid bright Michael
To storm.
Let them descend as rain
To pierce the heart of Darkness
To rout the Foe
On the Terrible Day,
The Day of the Lord.
Mercy opens His Breast,
Revealing a Heart of Love.
Justice clothes the anawim
In plated armor.
Light from light
Fills the Earth
As Pentecost,
And Genesis meet.
A New Heaven
And New Earth to come,
As the King of All Nations
Arises in the East,
Prepared to mount His throne.
Prepare ye!
Prepare Ye!
With prayer,
And fasting,
Prepare ye!
©2012 Joann Nelander
All rights reserved
What’s in a Name?
As we enter the Jubilee of Mercy through the holy “door” of Mary let us take to heart the tender words that she spoke to her “Juanito” [her nickname for St. Juan Diego] during her visitations in 1531:
“Know and understand well . . . that I am the ever virgin Holy Mary, Mother of the True God for whom we live . . . I am your merciful mother, to you, and to all the inhabitants on this land and all the rest who love me, invoke and confide in me; [I listen] to their lamentations, and remedy all their miseries, afflictions and sorrows . . . Hear me and understand well . . . that nothing should frighten or grieve you. Let not your heart be disturbed. Do not fear that sickness, nor any other sickness or anguish. Am I not here, who is your Mother? Are you not under my protection? Am I not your health? Are you not happily within my fold? What else do you wish?”
I Love Waking Up
I love waking up
In the Heart of Jesus.
Before my eyes even open
I feel You all about me.
You are looking at Me
As Mary looked on You
In slumber serene.
I am stirring.
You are smiling Your "Good morning"
I see You are not alone
I blow my heartfelt kisses
To Your happy entourage.
Heavenly family, you, too,
Welcome me to New Day.
Yes, Sweet Jesus, I am ready.
You’ve watched over me in sleep;
Now, again, I pick up my cross.
Walk the hours of today,
As Light upon my way.
By Joann Nelander
Copyright 2012
Third Sunday of Advent (December 13th, 2015)
The season of Advent is unobserved and forgotten outside the Church. Christmas has become for many merely a pleasant diversion, a fantasia on wintry themes.
Be Holy! 