Tag Archives: Virgin

Candles on Altars

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Candles

All men are candles,

Burning on some altar.

Some disappear into nothingness,

Before worldly idols,

Unable to sustain their spark

Beyond the veil,

Into eternity.

Others light the heavens

As they are consumed

On the altar of Love,

Merging imperceptibly,

Creature with Creator.

When my wax is spent,

I pray I am not distracted

By my sin.

When I melt

Into the arms of God,

May it be that Love,

That lit my flame,

Outshines my imperfections

In holy consummation.

Burn candle, all alight

Warming with mercy rays the night,

To Penetrate hearts of friend and foe,

To soothe and mend wounds,

Dispelling darkness

With the Uncreated Light

That set creation into being.

Now and forever,

I cast myself

Into the flame,

The furnace of His Sacred Heart.

Passing through pierced side,

One with the Virgin,

Holy angels and expurgated saints of ole,

Melted in union,

I am formed anew in Christ,

With the Father and Spirit,

Candle, altar and Salvation might.

© 2014 Joann NelanderEnhanced by Zemanta

Advent Prayer in Waiting

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Advent is upon my soul.
Divine gift of season,
I listen for the cry of a First Born Son,
Begotten before Time begun,
And enfleshed in the Virgin’s womb.

I come to her,
Who is the Ark,
Your Mercy Seat.
Kneeling beside her,
In these pregnant moments,
I lay my head upon her lap.

Her wonderment, and awe,
In steadfast contemplation,
Inspire angels’ songs.

I hear their reverent voices
In my night.
Their chorus bids me come.
Come to the stable of simplicity.

Leave the noisy city for a deserted place,
The Wilderness, whose hidden way
Leads to the waiting manger,
Now, in expectant readiness,
For the Food, that will feed
The hungry world.

My Advent prayer,
Come, O Holy Infant!
Come to my straw

 

©2010 Joann Nelander

 

Advent Retreat – Msgr. John Esseff

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Click on image for an Advent Retreat Special20131202-055905.jpg
The Virgin is with Child.   Pass it on!

“The time of Advent that we begin again today returns us to the horizon of hope, a hope that does not disappoint because it is founded on the Word of God. A hope that does not disappoint, simply because the Lord never disappoints! He is faithful!” Pope Francis

Sunday Snippets–A Catholic Carnival

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It’s time once again for Sunday Snippets. We are Catholic bloggers sharing weekly our best posts with one another.  Join us to read and/or contribute. To participate, go to your blog and create a post titled Sunday Snippets–A Catholic Carnival. Make sure that the post links back to here, and leave a link to your  snippets post on our host, RAnn’s, site, This, That and the Other Thing.

 My posts:

Advent Retreat – Msgr. John Esseff

Life, Confession, and Hope for Infinite Love

Morning Gratitude

Higher than the Mountains- Newly published – Available on Amazon

Hour of Darkness

The Fourth Cup – Dr Scott Hahn

 

Speak the Perfect One in Me

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You spoke
And matter came to be.
Beauty and wisdom
Reigned over form,
And substance served
Your Thought.

You ruled the spheres and firmament
To create both void and fullness.
Your creation dawned in darkness,
And You let there be light.

First and last and all in between
Found a  place in Time.
You spoke forth Man
And, in my time, me.

You said,
"Be perfect
As I am perfect,"
And set free the human heart,
That it might know,
And love,
And serve Thee.
Yet will resisted service
And loved naught but itself.
"Tortuous and beyond remedy",
We hid from Thee.

In Time, You spoke, the Cure.
Announcing to the Virgin,
And by a Star
And angels herald,
Saving throughout creation,
Twisted hearts.
Jordan’s waters, purifying
By the Holy to make men holy,
Love made manifest
By descending Dove
Again You spoke,
"This is my Son."

Now, bowing will,
Longing in Your Christ,
Receive me as  son to Thee,
Anoint with Healing Balm,
Redeeming accursed Fall,
That perfect I, too,
May, please Thee, be.

When You speak
Life comes to be.
Speak now, the Perfect,
That I may perfect be
And, at long last, love Thee.

©2013 Joann Nelander

Consolation of Eve

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This painting is so consoling, I just have to share it again since Lent brings us closer to our Savior.  He comes to save Fallen Man, and with such a gentle hand.

“Virgin Mary Consoles Eve”


Crayon and pencil by Sr. Grace Remington, OCSO
Copyright 2005, Sisters of the Mississippi Abbey

Mother Eve, waiting long,
Your bones resting in the earth,
At Adam’s side,
From which you were taken,
Waiting, waiting for the Woman.

Sustained in weary life by a Promise.
Enduring the grave,
Counting the centuries,
Waiting for Good News.
The Virgin is with Child. Rejoice!

©2011 Joann Nelander All rights reserved