Mary Sullivan

The Babe wrapped in swaddling, so soundly He slept

While Mary and Joseph, in their arms kept,

Our hope for the future, the peace for our lives,

The love that’s enduring, the joy from on high.

This gift to each one.  At last we could see

That Truth had come to set us all free.

 

This Christmas may not be a perfect rose-bed.

There are struggles and painful battles ahead.

Was that not how it was for the Infant that night,

Who came to teach us what’s wrong and what’s right?

 

If we feel less merry, than all of the rest.

If we’re feeling down, not feeling our best.

If we feel life has lost, a bit of its zest,

This Christmas can still be a Christmas that’s blessed.

 

We can feel the Infant’s warm love shining bright.

We can keep that warmth in our hearts and in sight.

We can ponder the silence of that first Christmas night.

We can cast off all fear, all worries and fright.

 

This Christmas our souls can align with His will.

We can take time to be quiet and still.

Our minds can be peaceful and freed from distress.

We can give Him our cares, discard all duress.

 

We can trust as Christ trusted, with Him as our guest.

As He rested with Mary, in God’s arms we can rest.

When the day is near over, and the lights have grown dim,

We can make time to be still with Him.

 

When we look to the Infant, with grace from above.

The Babe in the manger still brings us His love.

Zechariah and Elizabeth, both righteous in God’s eyes,

Observed the commandments, were advanced in years, and wise.

Through all their days of marriage, for a child they had longed.

But Elizabeth was barren.  Not one child had she borne.

 

Inside the sanctuary, incense there was to burn.

Zechariah saw an angel.  Something great he was to learn.

The angel said of fear, he ought to have none.

His prayer had been heard by God.  His wife would bear a son.

 

His son would be great.  So said the angel’s voice.

His son was to be named John. At his birth, many would rejoice.

Because of him, many hearts, for the Lord would yearn.

Through him many souls, to the Lord would turn.

He would drink no strong drink.  Nor would he drink of wine.

All these things would be fulfilled, in their proper time.

 

Lord, help us honor Your commands, let us make haste to pray.

Your time may not be our time.   We trust Your timing today.

Our loved ones belong to You.  In Your time they will flower,

Until then, we persevere.  We pray through each passing hour.

 

We wait, like Zechariah. Our patience is a must.

Your time is not our time, Lord.  In You, we place our trust.

Zechariah waited prayerfully for the birth of His Son.

We pray for a new birth in Christ for each of our loved ones.

 

 

 

 

Now is the time to awake from our sleep.

Our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.

The day is at hand, advanced is the night.

Let us throw off dark works, don armors of light.

 

For the flesh, we must now make no provision.

Instead try to see with the Lord’s holy vision.

Let us throw off all lust, and all promiscuity.

Discard rivalry and jealousy, in Him find our security.

 

Stay awake!  Keep watch! As in Noah’s days.

The Lord will return like a flood, mighty and raised.

Dear Father, awaken our loved ones sedate,

From the slumber they’re in, before it’s too late.

 

By the Holy Spirit, may they be filled with Your gifts,

Of joy and of peace, to mend all their rifts.

Wake loved ones from slumber, Give their souls a shake

Call to them now Lord: “O sleeper awake!”

(Rom. 13:11-14; Matt. 24:37-44)

The angel Gabriel, by God to Mary, he was sent.

Mary’s town was Nazareth so to Nazareth he went.

Mary was a mild woman, one of little fame.

She was betrothed to a man, and Joseph was his name.

 

In Nazareth, in this small home, this very humble place,

The angel told Mary that she was full of grace.

For Mary was a lowly woman, it was God whom she adored.

The Lord was with Mary. And Mary with the Lord.

 

Mary by the angel’s words, was really troubled greatly.

One might suspect perhaps she even feared for her safety.

She stopped to ponder just what kind of greeting this might be.

But Mary was told by the angel, not to be afraid, for in reality,

 

God was very pleased with Mary, for to God, Mary had been bound.

By her humble obedience, Mary had God’s favor found.

The angel said she’d bear a Son.  This was the angel’s claim

He would be Son of the Most High.  Jesus would be his name.

 

He would rule over Jacob’s house.  The angel helped Mary see,

He would have the throne of David, and great would He be.

The child would be Holy, the Son of God utmost.

And Mary would be overshadowed by the Holy Ghost.

 

The angel then told Mary, something else quite new;

her cousin Elizabeth, in old age, was with child too.

Elizabeth once barren, was now in the sixth month,

for her who’d never borne a child, no child even once.

 

For our God can overcome all things, for God there is no obstacle.

For our good and loving God “nothing is impossible.”

Mary, to all of this, in honor of the God whom she adored

Proclaimed to the angel: “…I am the handmaid of the Lord.”

 

Dear Father up in heaven, may we say “yes” to You.

In a new way this Advent, all sin may we eschew.

May we follow Mother Mary, so humble and so pure,

May we put You first in all things, be the One Whom we adore.

 

Father, we pray for daughters.  And we pray for sons.

May they say “Yes” to You.  May it be Your race they run.

May they hear the voice of angels.  To sin become resistant.

May they seek Christ this Christmas.  May all find Him as an Infant.

 

May we follow the light of Christ, in all we say and do.

May we prepare a special place, in our hearts for You.

Earth has no sorrow, which heaven cannot heal (Saint Thomas More)

 

The wounds may go down deep, the sorrow be unreal;

We pray for healing of our loved ones; as on our knees we kneel.

It all may be astounding, seem so crazy and surreal,

Yet it helps to remember, lest we lose our Christmas hope and zeal,

Earth has never met a sorrow, which heaven cannot heal.