Mary Sullivan

“The saints did not all begin well; but they all ended well.” (St. John Vianney)

One need not be a perfect soul, to one day be a saint.

Many saintly souls once had lives of little self-restraint.

Forgive us now, dear Lord, for the times when we were blind;

For the times when we offended You, left sanctity behind.

Put us on the narrow path, which leads to life abundant.

Keep our feet upon this path, our minds off sins redundant.

May all we say, and all we think, and all the things we do,

Be said and thought and done, in a way that pleases You.

Some of our sons and daughters, now march as if abducted,

Along a path of willful sin, where pure love is destructed.

In sync with fallen culture, its depraved, degrading drum,

Of sin they seem oblivious.  To sin, they now seem numb.

The enemy has launched on those we love a dangerous attack.

Lord, mine the demons from their souls.  Hold the demons back.

Send holy saints to help them, from every saintly region.

Send angels and archangels, send multitudes of angel Legions!

Make haste, send aid, dear loving Lord, to this earthly land of sorrow,

We beg Thee, Lord, do this today.  Wait not until tomorrow.

Make the devils powerless.  Their havoc, now dispel.

Dispatch the devils from this land.  Send them back to hell.

May we now, with those we love, lift our crosses with You,

To be victor in this battle, there are things we need to do.

May we don our Godly armor, bravely stand our royal ground.

In every word we speak henceforth, may truth alone be found.

Let no one steal the truth from us, thus leaving us debased.

May truth be buckled firmly, and secure around our waists.

May righteousness protect our hearts from every evil and all greed;

Righteousness is the breastplate, of which, we are in need.

With feet now, forever shod, in scriptures of peace,

May arguments, hostilities in our lives now cease.

May we live the faith.  May faith we humbly acclaim.

May our holy shield of faith, extinguish every evil flame.

May thinking of our final end, inspire penance and oblation.

The helmet which protects our minds, is truth of our salvation

May love of Thy Holy Word, be our heartfelt goal.

Thy Word is the sword, which plunged forth, can pierce the hardened soul.

O Lord, we are imperfect.  Yet we strive to lift this cross.

We beg You, Lord, for mercy.  Save loved ones on high waves tossed.

Receive our sacrifices.  We offer them without complaint.

One day, may we greet loved ones, in paradise, as fellow saints.

Amen+

“…the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32)

I have my truth.  You have Yours.

That’s what some people say.

By truth no more can we agree,

Truth has been quelled today.

As if we could create the truth;

As if truth we control,

As if we had the power

which truth to extol.

As we journey through our lives,

It helps us to know,

That much of what is said as truth,

Is just an empty show.

You will know the truth,

for in truth You will be,

Not enslaved, or bound by chains,

But by truth set free.

Truth is the way to guide us.

Truth is for us a leaven.

Lead us, Lord, to the truth,

Let truth take us to heaven.

“God is love.” (1 John 4:8)

If we could love like You love Lord,

With hearts that are divine,

If we could share Your sacred love,

From hearts which were sublime.

If we knew just the words to say,

When those we loved felt gloom.

If we could tend their hurting hearts,

And their hearts for You found room.

If we could love like You love Lord,

Then love would surely spread,

From You, through us to others,

In each act we did and word we said.

If we could love like You, dear Lord,

Then others on this day,

Would see mercy and forgiveness,

When they chanced to glance our way.

We are Your fallen creatures Lord.

But in You we believe.

May other hearts find the love

our hearts from You receive.

We ask You now sweet Jesus,

On loved ones to bestow,

The love and grace which over time,

We have come to know.

Use us to show our loved ones,

The love they do not see.

We are all in some way blind,

To love showered down by Thee.

Use us to bring to others,

When life’s trials fail to cease,

Some of Your great mercy,

And some of Your peace.

Let sacred love flow through us, Lord.

No more let hearts delay,

The search for truth and pure love,

Transform all our hearts today.

“Your soul is called to raise itself to God by the elevator of love and not climb the rough stairway of fear.”  (St. Therese of the Little Flower)

Lord, You ask for our trust, urge us not to be afraid.

No matter what comes at us in our nights or in our days.

With eyes fixed upon You, and on the things above,

You want to lift us up to You, through Your elevator of love.

But oh, how fear can grip us; events are filled with so much fright.

We detest the evil going on, as for truth and light we fight.

Take away our fears.  Climbing fear’s stairway is rough.

With fear, may we now be done.  Of fear we’ve had enough.

May we push love’s elevator button, shut fear outside the door.

Raise us through each loving story, till we hit the highest floor.

The floor that’s filled with grace, the floor where all are kind.

The floor where truth and peace abound in every heart and mind.

Lord, our loved ones too are climbing rough stairways of fear.

They have no peace within, know not that You are near.

Make haste, Lord, speak to their souls in another way,

On love’s elevator, raise them without delay.

Help them find the elevator, ease them through its door.

Show to them, how to reach the top and holy floor.

Give to them a love for truth, love for You, their One Creator.

Raise them up, Lord, to the truth in Your loving elevator.

Saint Therese, pray for us!