Lent is about Love,
Recognizing our lack and need.
Lent is about Spring,
Becoming fertile ground for Christ’s seed.
Lent is about Life,
Allowing the sprout to be freed.
Lent is about creation,
Imaging Christ in love and deed.
©2013 Joann Nelander
I live to love you more, O Lord.
Until now, O King,
I labored long for little.
I trusted to myself,
And drew life
From diminishing waters.
Famine and draught
Were upon the land,
For Sin had dried the well of plenty.
My nights were beset with worry,
And the day exhausted my meager stores.
I drew my energy
From the food of swine,
Never in short supply,
For the world, the flesh and the devil
Fed upon me,
And left, as my swill, their refuse.
Never satisfied, I cried.
My avarice outstripped my pride.
Only my growing greed kept stride.
Clouds descended
As night became my guide,
For hope is a thing of prayer,
And my prayer ceased
As from the Sun, I’d hide.
Death, the abode of Sin,
Fought to claim its prize,
And I, all but entered in,
Save for a memory,
Gleaned, as I remembered simpler times,
And leaned upon prayers said for me.
How now to thank
That faith-filled lot,
Who pled for me,
And spoke of He
Who bled to free.
I live anew,
Tears, my livery,
Shed in wanting You.
Feasting in abundant banquet,
My bread, Your Body, my Kingly Core,
Now and forever, in Eternity, O, Lord,
I live to love You more.
Copyright 2012 Joann Nelander
All rights reserved
Empty the tomb,
The wrappings set aside.
No Body to be found,
Faith in triumph shouts.
It is Easter dawn.
Joy spills or’ heaven’s ledge
As sun rises to high heaven.
Hope blankets earth’s face.
Love penetrates its depth.
A people, newborn,
Called forth to be light.
Witnesses stand forth,
Wrapped about in wedding garb,
They go forth to meet the Groom.
Sonrise in High Heaven!
© 2014 Joann Nelander
O, Magnificent One,
O, Magnanimous One,
O, Adorable One,
In the splendor of Your Godhead,
You stoop to lift me.
As Father, You gently raise me,
To plant Your kiss.
You span the distance between us.
Your overcome the flesh, the world and Evil, itself,
In the humility of the Cross.
You paid the price of my son-ship.
Knowing Yourself from eternity,
Eternally begetting the Son.
You planned to make humanity holy
By the Spirit of Jesus, Your Only Son.
O, Magnificent One,
O, Magnanimous One,
O, Adorable One,
As You breathe forth Your Spirit,
I gasp and hold fast that Sacred Breath.
All that I need,
All that is good,
You bring to me in this Eucharist.
Help me to desire,
All that You want to give me.
Open my eyes,
To see myself as You see me,
And long for You all the more.
I abandon myself to You,
That You may make me holy,
And do everything for me,
By Your limitless grace.
© 2017 Joann Nelander
With the rising of each sun,
I seek the Sun of Justice,
That coming up over hill or horizon,
He might climb the sky,
Shattering my limits, my lacks,
And poor persuasions.
O, Conqueror of Death,
And King of New Day,
Let nothing deter
Your mounting my sky.
As nothing could chain You in the Tomb,
Or dissuade Your Rising,
To pick up Life,
And surrmount High Heaven,
Here, at my beginning,
Call me forth.
With the Force of the Commingled,
And Communal Love,
That begot Thee,
For I choose Thee,
Thou, Who gave my soul substance without Matter,
Spirit without Space,
Dependant, only on Thee,
My Champion.
Love begot Thee.
Loves conceives in His Knowing,
And Love,
Takes wing,
To welcome me,
One God,
Thee, My Three,
Now regarding me.
O, Sun of Justice,
Arise, and in me , ever be.
© 2017 Joann Nelander
Be Holy! 