Lifted up,
You hang above the world.
Your outstretched arms
Measure the breath of Your Love.
How great the distance between us,
Yet, greater still,
Your unquenchable thirst for me.
I am a child, a lowly one,
Troubling you, yet, and always.
I tug at the hem of Your garment,
While You tug at my heart.
Lord of my hopes,
Lord of my longing,
Lord of my sorrows,
Lord of my weeping,
Ruler of all Time and Space,
You draw me to an Eternity in Your Embrace.
Jesus, Son of God,
Human and divine,
Reign at the core of my being.
In Eucharist,
You supply all.
You are cause and sustenance.
My Lord, my Lover, my holy Meal,
Giver of Gifts,
I place my all at Your service.
As rays of the Sun,
Shining and emitted for Your glory,
Unite my heart with Your Church.
Send forth Your Spirit,
Purifying as purgative flame,
The Church Militant and Suffering.
You, Savior, Victor, King,
Regard and guard “the least of these”,
Going forth from Your Most Sacred Heart.
© 2016 Joann Nelander
Writing in Gold
I’m here,
Once again,
I’m here.
Awake to You.
Before dawn wakes,
I anticipate,
Opening the door of my heart,
Like a flower,
Invited by the light
Of a thousand yesterday’s.
We have a history,
And though my memory fades,
You cherish our moments.
Even the mundane,
You write in letters of Gold,
Recording them,
Transforming them.
I’m here, again,
Awake to You,
You, Who have been watching,
Guarding,
Writing,
In Gold,
Gold,
Precious Gold.
In the Gold of Ophir,
You write.
You tell,
My story,
My life,
In refined Gold,
You inscribe,
In Your Book of Life.
My heart,
On Your Most Sacred Heart.
© 2017 Joann Nelander
How Blessed
How blessed am I?
How happy?
Knowing Your love,
Sets me at Your feet,
Where I place the sins of my life.
How blessed am I?
How happy?
Knowing Your forgiveness
Raises me to Your Most Sacred Breast,
Where the Fire of Your Great Love
Blazes up to consume me.
Here I choose to remain,
Through the hours of this day.
Watch me,
That I may watch.
Pray, comfort me,
That I may thereby
Live to console
Your Holy Heart.
© 2017 Joann Nelander
Refuge of Sinners
I sit in the sunshine of Your New Day.
Forgiveness has washed over me.
At Your Word,
Mercy has rained upon Your Beloved.
Hear now, You say to me:
You are safe, My little one.
You have chosen to hide yourself
In the Wound of My Sacred Heart.
The world about is cold and unholy,
Yet you are surrounded by angels of Light.
Warm and welcoming is the Living Flesh
That is your constant refuge.
I enfold you,
As you have made My Body,
Your Food, your Heart,
Your own.
Copyright 2014 Joann Nelander
Lifted up,
You hang above the world.
Your outstretched arms
Measure the breath of Your Love.
How great the distance between us,
Yet, greater still,
Your unquenchable thirst for me.
I am a child, a lowly one,
Troubling you, yet, and always.
I tug at the hem of Your garment,
While You tug at my heart.
Lord of my hopes,
Lord of my longing,
Lord of my sorrows,
Lord of my weeping,
Ruler of all Time and Space,
You draw me to an Eternity in Your Embrace.
Be Holy! 