Mary Sullivan

If any man would come after me,
Let him deny himself,
And take up his cross daily
And follow me. (Luke 9:23)

As we seek, to ourselves, now die,
Don’t leave us Lord.  Hear our cry!
Be with us.  Beside us stay,
As we lift this cross today.

May what we suffer, be the Way,
Our burden borne, the price we pay,
A stepping-stone to heaven’s glory,
A gift to You, a pure love story.

Our hearts grieve, with so much pain.
Yet joy seeps in, then grows and reigns.
From grief, our hearts become unchained,
Our crosses can become our gain.

Grief is fertile ground for flowers,
which bloom full in warming springtime hours.
In agony, and grief we mourn.
Then glory from our grief is borne.

For this cross, today we’re destined.
Let’s lift our crosses, drop our questions.
Carry them for love of You,
As loyal soldiers ought to do.

Sweet Jesus, help our loved ones too.
To lift their cross, for love of You.
Seek Your truth, find Your Way.
Help them pick up their cross each day.

May sin in loved ones be destroyed.
Through this cross, loved ones find joy.
May their wounds begin to mend,
Win heaven’s glory, in the end.

May we, our own selves deny,
in all we say and all we do.
May we lift our crosses high,
And henceforth seek to follow You.

“Consider it all joy, my brothers, and sisters, when you encounter various trials, for you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.”

LORD, when we encounter trials,
As joy may this be counted.
When trials come our way, LORD.
By Your grace be they surmounted.

Alone, we can do nothing.
This we know to be true.
But with You we find glory,
In all we say and think and do.

So let us cling to You, LORD.
To truth and faith may we adhere.
Grant us all true wisdom,
Grant us grace to persevere.

And grant to all our loved ones.
The grace to cling to You.
To turn to You in trials,
In all they say and think and do.

A leper came to Him and kneeling down begged Him and said:

“If You wish, You can make me clean.”

Moved with pity, He stretched out His hand,

Touched the leper and said to him,

“I do will it.  Be made clean.”

The leprosy left him immediately

And He was made clean.

(Mark 1:40-45)

Lord Jesus, we have loved ones, deep in the throes of sin.

They’ve rejected the Gospel or given it some senseless spin.

We surrender our lives to You.  We trust You with our every need.

We give to You all that we have.  To You we now plead,

Have pity on our loved ones.  Stretch toward them Your healing hand.

Fill loved loves with Your wisdom.  Your truth let them understand.

Go now to our loved ones Lord.  Help them upon You lean.

Jesus, if You will it, You can make our loved ones clean.

Lord, You spoke the words “Ephphatha!”
To open the deaf man’s ears.
Ephphatha means “be opened.”
With these words the man could hear.

As You opened the deaf man’s ears,
Let our ears be opened too.
That we may listen to Your words.
That we may, with clarity, hear You.

And open too our loved ones’ ears.
Clear them of all debris.
Speak to them the word “Ephphatha!”
That truth they hear and see.

Open our loved ones’ ears, Lord.
We beg of You this day.
Open all our ears Lord.
Let us receive the words you say.

 (Based on Mark 7:31-37)