Mary Sullivan

The angel Gabriel, by God to Mary, had been 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, became 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 the angel told Mary, 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 forever more and 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.

“What do you have to fear?

Nothing.

Whom do you fear?

No one.

Why?

Because whoever has joined forces with God obtains three great privileges:

omnipotence without power,

intoxication without wine

and life without death.” (St. Francis of Assisi)

What are you fearing my child?  Of what are you afraid?

Do you know there is no reason to fear, that God will come to your aid?

Joined to the Lord, you are strong.  What joy are you looking for?

No wine on earth could ever match the intoxication of our Lord.

What are you fearing my child?  Are you fearing death or strife?

You joined forces with the Lord; through death you will find new life.

What are you fearing my child?  Of nothing should you now fear.

For the Lord with whom you’ve joined forces, stands beside you, is ever near.

What are you fearing my child?  Are you fearing for those who are lost?

Give all to God Who has given you all.  Stop not to count the cost.

Give to Him all of your sorrows, your worries and deepest grief.

Give to Him each of your torments.  And you will find sweet relief.

Have no fear my little one.  The Lord stands by your side,

Ready to bravely defend you.  If in Him, you simply abide.

Remain in the Lords’ mighty army.  Let it be Him alone you adore.

There is nothing and no one to fear, in the army of the Lord.

Do not abandon yourself to despair.  We are an Easter people, and hallelujah is our song.

Pope John Paul II

Christ is alive!  This truth we believe

His love we can now freely receive.

He has come with the promise of new life for each one.

Hallelujah’s the song which we sing and have sung.

Dear Father, we beg You for more of Your grace,

That in strength we persist, in running this race.

In Your mercy, grant loved ones, wisdom anew.

Give to them new life, found only in You.

Give to them strength; and give to them hope.

Give to them patience, and graces to cope.

A new joy and peace, grant each son and daughter.

Give to all fresh springs of living water.

Help us to flee, from all doubt, all despair.

Merciful Father, please hear and answer our Easter prayer.

Dear Lord, may we seek You
in the places You are found.
In the Scriptures may we seek You,
where Your Word and truth abound.

May we seek You in those places
Where You are in our midst.
In the source and summit of our lives,
The Most Holy Eucharist.

We cry out to You for mercy, Lord.
Knowing You are near.
You care for us and love us.
Of You we need not fear.

Your ways are not our ways, Lord.
Your thoughts are not our thoughts.
May we and all our loved ones know
Our wills have led to naught.

Heaven so high above the earth,
Your ways above ours too.
May we seek Your holy will,
In all we think and say and do.

Nailed upon the cross, badly beaten and blood-soaked.
He had no words of anger. Words of love alone He spoke.
Of those who had betrayed Him, jeered at, and mocked Him too—
Father, He said forgive them.  For they know not what they do.

With steadfast love for others, thieves on His right and left,
Hanging there beside Him, in pain and in distress.
Willing only good for souls, that repentant souls be freed,
He assured the good thief: This day in paradise, you will be with Me.

Relentless was the torture, when His eyes looked down and saw,
John, and His loving mother, the mother He adored.
He spoke to John: Behold your Mother.  To Mary: Behold Your Son.
His mother now our mother, that well this race we might run.

Questioning the Father, as He hung before the crowd:
…why hast Thou abandoned me? This, He cried out loud.
Jesus knew His crucifixion, was for Him a choice,
He wanted us to know, when abandoned—when we have no voice,

That He understands.  Abandonment He faced.
That we might in our own agony, cling to our cross in haste.
Jesus, with love for others, still serving others first,
While on that cross, He let us know that for souls: I thirst.

Jesus gave us truth, did only the Father’s will.
With knowledge that His work was done, His purpose fulfilled,
It is finished He said, as on the cross He hung.
His death deemed the path by which heaven would be won.

Surrendered to the Father, at His ending agony:
My Spirit I command, into the hands of Thee.
With that He breathed His last, His last and final breath.
And still today He thinks of us with love and tenderness.

Let us imitate our Savior, seek to serve others first.
When on the cross of life we hang, for souls may we thirst.
When we are abandoned, to our crosses may we cling.
Let us imitate our Savior, Jesus Christ, our Lord, and King.

From our misery in life, from our agony and fears,
From lament and sorrow, from this valley of tears,
There comes a resurrection, and a wellspring of hope,
Lifting the burden of the cross; making easy the yoke.

By our crosses we are strengthened.  Though by them, we are tried.
As furnace-tested iron, as gold tested by fire.
Our cross united to His cross; and lifted high anew.
A new day now dawns upon us.  Resurrected, we are too.

At Christ’s brutal crucifixion, as He breathed His final breath,
Love and truth were crucified.  Both, we put to death.
Christ’s triumph over death, leads us to hope and pray,
We too will triumph over death to a new life one day.

On hurting hearts there still descends, as if a gentle dove,
The last words which Jesus spoke to us—His words of Divine love.