Mary Sullivan

Lord, Your sheep hear Your voice.  You said: “they follow me.”

Open up our eyes that at last we may see:

To follow You is to walk towards eternal life.

To walk the path of peace; the path that’s free from strife.

Your sheep cannot be taken out of Your loving hand.

Or dragged to some evil place.  This we understand.

The Father gave the sheep to You.  With the Father You are one.

You are the Good Shepherd.  Your sheep follow You, God’s Son.

May we all follow You as our Shepherd and our Lord.

May Your voice be the One we hear.  Your words, may we adore.

May we honor You in all we do; stay safe within Your hands.

May we be protected by You, in homes built on rock and not on sand.

You are the Good Shepherd.  You seek and save the lost.

Go now to all our loved ones.  Go now at any cost.

Take from them their stony hearts.  Fill their hearts with Your love.

Grant them repentance from all sin, with grace from above.

Go to them now Lord Jesus, no matter where they’ve roamed.

Bring our loved ones back to the Church.  Bring each loved one home.

Christ, You give us the glory, which the Father gave to Thee.

Open our eyes now, Lord, that Your glory we might see,

With the Father You are One. Make us one with You.

The Father loves You Jesus. And He loves us too.

This world can’t see the Father.  Yet, You are the Father’s light.

You make the Father known to us, that His love may burn bright.

We are the Father’s gift to You. Our children are Your gift,

Heal them Jesus by Your Word. Free them of every rift.

Lord Jesus, send the Father’s love, to the hearts of those we love.

May their hearts beat with love for You, with grace from above.

May we unite as one—unite as one with Thee.

United, may we stand in truth.   May truth now set us free.

(Based on John 17: 20-26)

“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,

If 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 which flows to us from 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 hearts today.

“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, Lord, for the times we acted as if 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 becomes 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 devils 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.  Let confusion be dispelled.

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 the 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 pondering our last end, inspire penance and oblation.

The helmet which protects our minds, is the 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 who, about on waves, are tossed.

Receive our sacrifices.  We offer them without complaint.

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

Amen+

Our steps now seem so shaky.
We need steps sure and firm.
Put a new song in our hearts.
For Your truth may we yearn.

Lord, we are afflicted.
Deliver us from all distress.
We turn to You as our sure help.
Increase our faithfulness.

Go to our loved ones now Lord.
They know not Your steady ways.
Help all embrace Your teachings.
Help us, dear Lord, today.

(Based on Psalm 40)