Tag Archives: Prayer

The Blood and the Blood

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The Blood and the Blood and the Blood!
O, Holy Blood,
Terrible and torrential,
Rain down rivers of Mercy,
To ravage the Defiler,
And assuage the anger of God.

Wash blasphemy from the tongue of Man,
And flood the souls of Men
With grace, pure, lovely, and above nature,
To inundate the depths of humanity,
And carry the Sons and Daughters of God,
High on baptismal waters
To crest in waves of praise,
And break on heavenly shores,
There to adore the Most adorable,
To love the Most Lovable,
And to glorify the Most Glorious Blood of Jesus, Savior.

© 2016 Joann Nelander

Darkly Here

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Though I perceive myself without You,
I could not reach for You, as I do,
But for You.
Therefore You are with me,
In my waiting,
In my hoping,
In my believing.

Never alone in my great wanting,
Satisfied in my enduring,
Tomorrow felt in my longing,
Smiling with every tear.
I am of high and holy cheer,
Believing You are near,
Certain You are darkly here.

©2016 Joann Nelander.

 


			

	
	



				
					

	

		
Benediction


				

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I reach for You in the night,

On my bed, desiring.

Knowing You present in the darkness,

Watching, loving, desiring me.


As I look to You,

My desire grows,

Believing I can attain You,

You, Who are beyond me of myself,

An impossibility on my own,

Yet I invite and hope, believing.


Presuming not the power of myself,

But wholly choosing You,

My Honored Guest, my Holy Quest

I beg Your residence eternal and supreme.


Prepare me for the Day

Of Your Perfect and Perpetual Presence,

When faith and hope are fed and satisfied

At the Banquet of Abundance.


Rejoicing and hungry no more,

Possessed and possessing You,

The end of my prayer,

Forever new ,

Forever beginning ,

Forever Day,

In the Eternal Now,

Then to live Life and Love,

Forever Knowing.


© 2016 Joann Nelander

			

	
	



				
					

	

		
The Cross and the Furnace,


				

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I want to spend my day loving You

And embracing life as You send It to me.

Nothing comes but by Your Will,.


Not that I haven’t thwarted Your Will.

I have!

I know I have,

But even as this moment

Bears the imprint of the hammer,

That struck the nails impaling You on Your Cross,

The Cross remained Yours,

And Your All Holy, All Chosen Will,

All of Your choosing

From the beginning of Time.


You are above Sin,

Above my sin and error,

The New Adam,

Obedient to the Father,

A Trinity of Union,

In Love.


By the Will of God ,

And the hand of man,

All infraction of the Divine Will

Was nailed to Your Holy Cross.

In You, I die to Sin,

And rise to live Your Dying

In my day.


In You,

Given for Men

Given for me,

I live God’s permissive Will,

Fashioned for me,

In the purifying furnace

Of His Perfect Will.


In this new day,

I choose the Cross and the Furnace,

I choose You,

Who are forging a union of hearts,

Perfect Love loving Man,

Desiring the perfection of every man,

Loving and perfecting me.


(C) 2016 Joann Nelander

			

	
	



				
					

	

		
What of Me?


				

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I am old and getting older.

My frame is frail and fire flickering.

My body speaks of leaving,

But what of me?


The body is all I have known.

My soul and spirit have been quite at home

What we have known of living

Has come by the body’s telling.


When I go hence,

And dust reclaims this house,

I will look to You,

For it was You who lit my flame.


The body didn’t give me life,

Nor shall its demise

Claim my life.

You are the font of my being.


Those who seek to love the world,

And those who choose the self apart from God,

Finally find they worship a needy god,

Who has not the power to meet their needs.


Before my parting,

My course will be marked,

Drawn by my choices and loves.

In death, may I further pursue my Love.


You are familiar to me in a homey way.

We have lived together all these years,

And I will recognize Your Voice

When You call me home.


No fear, no sudden fury,

Shall stop my pilgrim stride,

Or bend my will,

Long bent on You.


What of me?

Without You,

I would not know myself.

Call to me and I will come


©2016 Joann Nelander

			

	
	



				
					

	

		
My Garden Grows


				

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I will sit here,

Speaking my heart to You.

Look on me as in a garden

Tending these flowers of love.


I water them,

Sometimes with tears,

Sometimes with sweat,

And always with the water

That flows from my Baptism.


Water my garden from above.

Make my flowers grow,

And as I tend them,

Please send your angels to plant seeds

For our eternal tomorrows,

Far off, My Love,

But soon, eternally, Now.


(C)2016 Joann Nelander