Tag Archives: Religion and Spirituality

What Have I?

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What have I,
That You have not given?
Can I count myself my own?
Clothed in flesh,
Before I knew the light,
I burst forth
From a borrowed womb.

Opening my eyes on life,
Mother love shown as my sun.
Before hunger could claim me,
My mouth was filled with sweetness,
Free flowing as a font.

Years brought knowledge,
But not answers.
My needs were met,
Far beyond survival’s mark,
So I presumed dominion,
Supposed myself a god.

In time it was Wisdom
That instructed,
As Providence constructed.
It was You
Who hung the heavens.
You commanded the Earth.
You birthed all powers that be,
Created Universe and Light.

Time and Tomorrow
Were born at Your Word,
As star and star dust
Danced to Your music.
I whirled in abandonment,
Irrational contentment.

You hold all in being,
As summit and treasure,
And by Love possessed,
What have I?
What have I?
I have it all!
I have, by that same Love,
You, My Love,
You.

©2012 Joann Nelander

 

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By Your Presence

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You, by Your Presence, O Lord,
Are Light to my darkness.
You are the kiss upon my brow,
The oil upon my head,
The arms of sweet embrace,
The banner over my heart.

You, All Love,
Bless this child of Your magnificent
And magnanimous Mercy.
Day by day.
I find You all about me.

Flowers and fields,
Spread before me
As a welcoming blanket.
Come rest awhile, You invite.
I come and I delight.

 

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My Shalom

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My Shalom, My Shalom,
Reigning over the waters,
Conquering the watery depths,
Making clear,
Revealing by discernment
Benefactor or malificence.

Quieted soul,
Ever vigil heart,
Desirous of My Holy Booty,
Gazing through the fiery flame
Serene against the tumult,
Drinking from the Chalice of My Blood,
Covenanted through my Sacred Cross,
Lifted high above the world
As I, Myself, pass as flaming brazier,
Between the broken pieces of your life.

My Shalom, My Shalom,
I call you
By My All Holy Name,
To dwell secure in Love.
Cost counted, chosen,
And placed in the balance.
Infinity pays the price
And tips the scale of Life to
Favor a son of God.

Copyright 2012. Joann Nelander

Cloud Clutter

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Grey the day with cloud and clutter,
Music’s muted melody obscured,
Discord in search of harmony,
Gives lie to the Promise of His Presence,
If Truth were only that which can be seen.
Faith, though,
Believes not vision, but God,
For God’s sake.
All powers of perception,
But a touch of His finger,
A curtain parted for a peek,
Hardly the measure
Of the Almighty’s might.
By Faith,
The eyes of the soul see,
And pierce the veil,
Rendering gain,
That gleaned in blindness,
So I  count the clouds joy,
For Faith keeps hope alive.
I am all believing,
And with conviction,
Clutched and cradled,
Felt with the fingers of my trust.
I live the Promise of His Presence.
© 2012 Joann Nelander

Jesus on the Sidelines – No Room in the Inn

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Quoting Benedict XVI:

“There are many today who claim that God should be left on the sidelines, and that religion and faith, while fine for individuals, should either be excluded from the public forum altogether or included only in the pursuit of limited pragmatic goals.”

(This worldview)  “presents itself as neutral, impartial and inclusive of everyone, in reality, like every ideology, secularism imposes a world-view.”

“Society will be shaped in a godless image, and debate and policy concerning the public good will be driven more by consequences than by principles grounded in truth”

The “world has grown weary of greed, exploitation and division, of the tedium of false idols and piecemeal responses, and the pain of false promises.”

Your baptism has made you a temple.  Make room in the inn of your heart- open the door this Christmas to an eternity with Christ Jesus

From the Proslogion by Saint Anselm, bishop Desire for the vision of God

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From the Proslogion by Saint Anselm, bishop Desire for the vision of God

Insignificant man, escape from your everyday business for a short while, hide for a moment from your restless thoughts. Break off from your cares and troubles and be less concerned about your tasks and labors. Make a little time for God and rest a while in him.

Enter into your mind’s inner chamber. Shut out everything but God and whatever helps you to seek him; and when you have shut the door, look for him. Speak now to God and say with your whole heart: I seek your face; your face, Lord, I desire.

Lord, my God, teach my heart where and how to seek you, where and how to find you. Lord, if you are not here where shall I look for you in your absence? Yet if you are everywhere, why do I not see you when you are present? But surely you dwell in “light inaccessible.” And where is light inaccessible? How shall I approach light inaccessible? Or who will lead me and bring me into it that I may see you there? And then, by what signs and under what forms shall I seek you? I have never seen you, Lord my God; I do not know your face.

Lord most high, what shall this exile do, so far from you? What shall your servant do, tormented by love of you and cast so far from your face? He yearns to see you, and your face is too far from him. He desires to approach you, and your dwelling is unapproachable. he longs to find you, and does not know your dwelling place. He strives to look for you, and does not know your face.

Lord, you are my God and you are my Lord, and I have never seen you. You have made me and remade me, and you have given me all the good things I possess and still I do not know you. I was made in order to see you, and I have not yet done that for which I was made.

Lord, how long will it be? How long, Lord, will you forget us? How long will you turn your face away from us? When will you look upon us and hear us? When will you enlighten our eyes and show us your face? When will you give yourself back to us?

Look upon us, Lord, hear us and enlighten us, show us your very self. Restore yourself to us that it may go well with us whose life is so evil without you. Take pity on our efforts and our striving toward you, for we have no strength apart form you.

Teach me to seek you, and when I seek you show yourself to me, for I cannot seek you unless you teach me, nor can I find you unless you show yourself to me. Let me seek you in desiring you and desire you in seeking you, find you in loving you.