Mary Sullivan

“Go often my dear ones and place yourself at the feet of Jesus. He is our comfort,

Our way and our life.”

(Saint Francis Xavier Cabrini)

Lord, through trials which assail us,

Through this rough and coarse terrain,

May our thoughts turn to You always.

Guide us through this storm and pain.

Be the light upon our journey,

Be there at our every turn,

Till we are safely home in heaven,

For love of You, may our hearts burn.

Let us listen to Your Word.

May satan’s tactics find defeat.

May we ponder what we’ve heard,

May our place be at Your feet.

Be our safety, sweet Lord Jesus,

When strong winds begin to blow.

Touch our loved ones with Your blessings.

Every grace on them bestow.

Be to them their source of true love.

Melt their hearts grown hard like stone.

Be the life, they seek to follow.

Be the way that takes us home.

I remind you, My daughter,

That as often as you hear the clock strike the third hour,

Immerse yourself completely in my mercy,

Adoring and glorifying it;

Invoke its omnipotence for the whole world,

And particularly for poor sinners.

For at that moment, mercy was opened wide for every soul.

In this hour you can obtain everything for yourself and for others for the asking;

It was the hour of grace for the whole world—Mercy triumphed over justice.

(Divine Mercy in My Soul 1572; Jesus to Saint Faustina)

Lord, help us glorify Your mercy, at the hour three o’clock,

Even for a moment, at Your door of mercy, stand and knock.

In the ocean of Your mercy, may we plunge, through and through,

Take the time to close our eyes, whisper Jesus, I trust in You.

Lord, help us to remember, as the clock strikes three.

To stop and pray for loved ones, with trust, in humility.

Show our sons and daughters mercy. May in mercy they abide,

At this hour, the gate of mercy, for the soul, was opened wide.

Everything for which we ask, we can obtain, at this grace-filled hour,

For ourselves and for others, through Your mercy and Your power.

It’s at three o’clock, that mercy over justice, triumphs and prevails,

May we adore Your mercy, at the hour, mercy tips the scale.

Let us set all those cell alarms, to go off at three,

Let us stop to pray for sinners, that all the world may see,

The wonders of Your love and mercy, deeper than the deepest sea.

May all adore You and Your mercy, when the clock strikes three.

Jesus asked His disciples,

What did they have to say,

Of a man who had a hundred sheep,

And one went astray.

Won’t that man not go after

The stray at any cost?

Won’t he leave the ninety-nine,

To find the one that’s lost?

And if he finds the sheep that’s lost,

He rejoices more that day,

Than over the ninety-nine

That stayed and never strayed.

In the same way our Father,

When all is said and done,

Does not want to lose,

His precious little ones.

Dear Jesus, now go after

Our loved ones gone astray.

Go to where they’ve wandered,

Heal their wounds today.

Tell them of Your truths,

Let them hear what You have to say.

Dear Jesus, leave the ninety-nine,

Bring back loved ones who’ve strayed.

(Based on Matt.18:12-14)

“In the Dark Night of the Soul, Bright Flows the River of God.” (Saint John of the Cross)

The day has grown so dim, dear Lord, our souls face darkness of night.

All around seems doom and gloom, with no hope or relief in sight.

We struggle to peer through the darkness.  We search for some semblance of light.

Dear Lord, have you abandoned us?  From darkness, we long to take flight.

It’s in darkness, Lord, that you teach us, to look for You, and to pray.

It’s in darkness, Lord, that we learn to reach for Your hand in the darkness of day.

It’s in darkness, Lord, that we turn to You to feed us Your spiritual food.

It’s in darkness, Lord, that our prideful souls, are humbled and firmly renewed.

It’s in darkness our ears once deaf to Your voice, develop a sharpened hearing.

It’s in darkness our souls learn trust, to set aside all of our fearing.

It’s in darkness that virtue begins to grow, on this unlit road which we trod.

It’s in darkness that bright rivers start to flow—that flows the bright rivers of God.

Our loved ones too are in darkened nights.  Guide them to reach for Your hand.

Show them how to use their ears, to hear and to heed Your commands.

Guide them to trust, to find in You a new peace and tranquility.

In the darkness, Lord, help them to find the truth of humility.

Then lead them, Lord, through the darkness, by bright flowing rivers of light.

Lead them, Lord, through the darkness.  Give them a burning a desire for right.

Lead them, Lord, to dependence on You, to a love for Your merciful ways.

Lead them, Lord, through the darkness to a truth they’ll embrace all their days.

Lead them, Lord, through the darkness, to a longing for serving souls too.

Lead them, Lord, through the darkness.  Lead them Lord through the darkness to You.

Christ showed himself alive by many proofs; in so many different ways.

After He had suffered, He appeared during those forty days.

He would speak of God’s Kingdom.  Enjoined them in Jerusalem to stay,

To await the Father’s promise.  The Lord was going away.

John baptized with water.  The disciples were advised,

The Holy Spirit would come to them.  By Him they’d be baptized.

Would Israel’s Kingdom be restored?  Set right from long ago?

The answer to this question, was not for them to know.

The Father had fixed the times and seasons.  To them, this was proclaimed.

But power would come upon them, when the Holy Spirit came.

They would witness in Jerusalem, to places far and near.

To earth’s ends they would be witnesses.  The Lord had made this clear.

And just as He had said this, as they were looking on,

Christ was lifted up into a cloud. From their sight He was gone.

And as the Lord was going, while they were looking at the sky,

Two angels stood beside them.  They asked the disciples why

They were standing there looking at the sky?

This Jesus who has been taken up… into heaven, the angels would say,

Will return in the same way… And we still await this day. 

Dear Father, do make haste, send the Holy Spirit to our lives,

Send Him with His gifts and fruits.  May He soon arrive,

To help us live Your holy will, to speak Your Holy words.

May the Holy Spirit help us to tell others all that we have heard.

Send Your Holy Spirit to the hearts and minds of those we love.

May the Holy Spirit bring them truth and peace, with light from up above.

May He bring good gifts to them, a desire to repent.

May He bring peace and joy to them, free each loved one from dissent.

Come now Holy Spirit.  Guide each daughter and each son,

Back to finding life in Christ, that this battle may be won.

Come Holy Spirit, come now and take control,

Of our lives and of our hearts, and each one of our souls.

(Based on Acts 1:1-11)