Mary Sullivan

A father had two sons, and not wanting to wait,

The younger son asked for his share of his father’s estate.

This son gathered his belongings, as if in liberation,

set off to a hill country to live a life of dissipation.

His entire share was squandered on a carefree spending spree,

There was nothing left. He’d spent everything, you see.

But then it seems the son had run out of any luck.

He found himself in dire need.  A famine now had struck.

The son had grown so hungry.  For him there was no bread.

He longed to eat from the pods by which the pigs were fed.

His father’s workers were well-fed, thought this son, the younger,

He himself was dying, dying now from hunger,

He planned to find his father, to him say something true:

Father, I have sinned against heaven… against you…

The desperate son by this point had no more pretenses.

He set out to his father’s house; he had come to his senses.

The son got up and back to his father he went.

He would return quite humbled.  He went home to repent.

The son was a long way off, when his father’s eyes caught sight,

Of his son returning home. The father ran with all his might.

He ran to his younger son, whom he had so dearly missed,

With compassion he embraced his son and gave his child a kiss.

Then the father sought to celebrate, his son who far-off wandered.

This son who left with his share, and his share then squandered.

He would slaughter the fat calf, for a great celebration.

The finest robe must be brought out—there was such jubilation!

The finest ring for his finger! Sandals upon his feet!

The father would celebrate with a fine and joyful feast.

This son of mine was dead, and has come to life again;

This son of mine once lost is found.  To this we say Amen!

Dear Father up in heaven, we have daughters and have sons,

Who left home, left the truth, fled faith on the run;

We await their coming home to faith, to truth, to You.

It seems that sometimes praying is all that we can do.

Father help them now to yearn, for Christ’s most Sacred Host.

Help them to love the Gospel, to love the Holy Ghost.

Won’t You Father take from them their troubles of the day,

Let the fallen life they live collapse and then give way.

Let them know how we await with love for their return.

Send grace upon their wounded hearts, may Your love they not spurn.

Shower them with wisdom, may they pine for You and truth.

Give them true repentance for their wayward sinful youth.

Humbled, call them back to You, to them may You run.

May You soon be running to all our daughters and our sons.

No matter what they’ve squandered, no matter where they’ve roamed.

May our prodigals come back to You, may You welcome each one home.

We are made loveless by our possessions

–Saint Elizabeth of Hungary

Jesus, Lord of Mercy,

In heaven up above,

Show to us the best way,

to give to others, love.

Help us let go of all the things

Which only weigh us down.

Help us focus more on You,

And Your eternal crown.

So much stuff we have collected,

With such stuff we are bedecked.

Our stuff is like an albatross,

Hung around our necks.

Let us detach from possessions,

From anger and resentment.

Help us detach from any block

to knowing Your contentment.

Loved ones led to evil;

Help us to forgive.

So that in peace, and in hope,

In Your love we may live.

Jesus, help our sons and daughters,

detach from their possessions

May You be their source of peace,

The answer to their questions.

Help them detach from unforgiveness,

From all the hurts, and things they do,

Which block them from Your will.

Which stop them from loving You.

Free them to seek Your holy will

To find the righteous way,

Jesus, help our lost loved ones

Trust in You today.

Many will come in His name,

Saying “The time has come,” “I am He.”

Don’t follow them, but look

For signs in the sky and sea.

In the sun there will be signs.

And in the stars and moon,

That let us know that the Lord,

Will be returning soon.

The sea will roar, with big waves,

Reaching up quite high.

Upon a cloud the Son of Man

Will return from the sky.

He will come in glory.

And He will come in power

He will come in majesty

At this decisive hour.

Should that day come upon us,

May we stand erect,

raise heads to our Master,

as His faithful elect.

Grant this grace to loved ones,

May they hear the Master’s voice,

Return to Him, find His will,

That all of heaven may rejoice.

Before the Lord returns in glory,

Before that mighty day arrives.

May our sons and daughters turn to Christ,

For Christ, lay down their lives.

“Love is patient, love is kind.
It is not jealous, it is not pompous,
It is not inflated, it is not rude,
it does not seek its own interests,
it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury,
it does not rejoice over wrongdoing
but rejoices with the truth.
It bears all things, believes all things,
hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never fails.”

(1 Cor. 12)

Lord, we pray Thee grant to us a love pleasant and kind.

A love that brings us truth and joy and also peace of mind.

Take from us jealous feelings. In truth may we abide.

Free us from all selfishness.  Free us from pompous pride.

We pray that over injuries, we may never ruminate or brood.

Help us control our tempers, and be mild, never rude.

Grant us the grace to hear Your loving Words, to answer Your loving call.

Grant us the grace to speak the truth with love and peace to all.

May we have the grace to bear all troubles, to bear all unpleasant things,

Grant us grace to soar in faith; give to us holy wings,

That we may fly above our troubles, as we face so many trials.

That we may lend to another a loving hand or share a gentle smile.

Love bears all things; so, grant us grace that all things we may bear.

Love hopes all things; grant us the grace to hope and always care.

May it be Your love that our open hearts readily receive.

May it be Your truths to which we cling; Your truths which we believe.

May we keep within our hearts, in a way that’s ever-pure

a true love that lasts through time, that always will endure.

Faith, hope and love will remain—all given from above

But the greatest gift will always be Your precious gift of love.

Dear Jesus grant to us true love, a love that will prevail.

A love which lasts forever; a love that never fails.

Give now to each one of us, a pure and holy love.

Give to us the true love, that comes only from above.

Dear Jesus, walk now with us; beside us always stay.

Call us back to You, may we no more be led astray.

May loved ones now live in truth, from truth no more depart.

May all at last find true love in Your Sacred Heart.

We may be perplexed.  But to despair, we are not driven.

We can be but thankful for all we have been given.

Persecution comes our way. Yet we are not abandoned.

By the One who loves us so—our Defender and Companion.

Our trials we endure.   We conquer by God’s power.

Struck down we may find ourselves. But from there we flower.

In Him there’s no destruction.  Ane we are not destroyed.

In Him, there’s only glory.   In Him, there is true joy.

Just as our Lord rose from the dead, one day we will rise too.

Be placed in His presence.  All things will be made new.

Let us persevere for Him. Let us now soldier on.

Let us fight the fight before us.  His armor, let us don.

Until that day of glory, when all is truth and light.

Until our final end arrives—let us fight the good fight.