Mary Sullivan

Lord, we know we ought not fear,

if it’s Your voice we seek to hear.

To You our fears, we seek to give,

In righteousness, we seek to live.

You call to us, no need to fear,

You whisper softly: I AM here,

You uphold us in this foreign land,

With Your mighty and victorious hand. (Isaiah 41:10)

With thankful hearts, fears will decrease,

and You will bring to us Your peace.  (Phil. 4:6-7)

Peace is what, with us You left.

that we’d not feel so bereft.

Peace, the gift will see us through,

You said: “My peace I give to you.” (John 14:27)

No fear in us, true love is here,

and “perfect love casts out all fear.”  (1 John 4:18)

We pray in peace through death’s shadows,

In this dark valley we have knelt,

We pray in peace until we find,

Our final blow at last is dealt.

Yet, no evil, do we fear,

for You our Lord, are ever-near.

In Your mercy, we abound;

in thy rod and staff, our comfort found.  (Psalm 23:4)

No worries for unknown tomorrows,

They may bring joys, they may bring sorrows.

It matters not what comes our way,

Today’s troubles are plenty, for one day.   (Matt. 6:34)

No matter the sorrow, or the things that pain us,

Our Lord will defend us, and He will sustain us. (Psalm 55:22)

On You, dear Lord, we cast off our fears.

Anxieties built through the years.

Take our fears, give us peace too.

Care for us all our lives through. (1 Pet. 5:6-7)

We say to those feeling fear, feeling blue.

“Be strong, fear not! Your God is with You.” (Isaiah 35:4)

Be strong, of good courage, God has every detail.

Your God goes before you.  You, He will not fail. (Deut. 31:6)

No fear of those who kill bodies, once bodies are gone,

our souls shall go forth, our souls shall live on.

We shall live in heaven, if in faith we persist,

Where there are no worries, where no fear exists.

Someone does want us trembling, with knocking knees.

It’s the enemy, the liar, the one who deceives.

At this very moment and at this very hour,

He’s prowling the earth seeking souls to devour.

With temptations, he’s causing sin to increase.

The thief is at work, to steal our peace.

Christ warned we’d have trouble, but the battle He’s won.

The world, and its troubles, He has overcome.

In coming days, and in coming years,

May we cast off our deepest fears.

With quiet minds, and souls quite still,

May we seek only to do the Lord’s will.

May we trust in the Lord, His peace we receive.

May we “take heart,” and “only believe.” (John 16: 33; Mark 5:36)

Dear Father up in heaven, You hear our prayers below,
May You with love and mercy, upon us all bestow,
Repentant tears of sorrow, tears to wash our guilt away;
Tears to free our burdened hearts, set captives free this day.

May each of our lost loved ones pray a true repentant prayer.
May this prayer be the path by which they escape Satan’s snare.
The lying thief lures us to sin, then says, as if he’s won,
Now aren’t you despicable? Look at what you’ve done!

Repentant hearts can heal the soul, on this conversion’s built.
“Repentant tears,” said Augustine, can wash away our guilt.
And freed from guilt we’re truly free, to love Him who gave His life.
We’re free at last to seek out Truth.  We’re free to follow Christ.

We’re free to be with the Lord, with Him be quiet and be still.
We’re free to follow the Lord’s path; we’re free to do His will.
Let us take repentant tears to Christ, that we be freed from all oppression,
Let’s find freedom through the sacraments.  Let’s all go to confession.

Lord Jesus, You Who for our sins did suffer, and did die.
We ourselves are feeling now, somewhat crucified,
We thought we gave our children faith—a pearl of great price,
They dropped this pearl, embraced the world, shunning our advice.

As if our love for them was useless, useless too the work we’d done,
In teaching them to know You, the Father’s only Son.
We know that with the faith, once we’ve served You for a while,
Tribulations come along, and so too many trials.

But it shocked us to see them turn, and leave their faith rejected.
We did not see this coming.  It was so unexpected.
By fire, gold is tested.  To this we do confess,
We are feeling tested, amidst this confusing mess.

We are feeling broken, feeling humiliated.
But is it not the humble, who in heaven are exalted and elated?
In patience, Lord, we cling to You.  You, we will not forsake.
But we are feeling bitten, attacked by the snake.

But could it be we’re seeing things, from some selfish steeple?
Why should this be a cross that’s meant only for other people?
And isn’t this way of thinking, when in truth we can abide,
A little bit of smugness, and a tad bit of pride?

Yes, we are feeling crushed, at times much disturbed.
We pray for grace in trouble, grace to stay unperturbed.
We accept what has befallen us, accept it with much sorrow.
Yet wait in hope for better days, and glorious tomorrows.

We beg Your loving mercy, Lord. Help us lest we fall.
Fear of the Lord and wisdom, we pray You grant us all.
Grant mercy to our loved ones; that their hearts be enlightened.
May Your belt of truth, around their waists, be fastened and be tightened.

Has anyone put hope in You, and been disappointed?
Have any been forsaken, who trusted You, the One Anointed?
You are our Protector Lord, in crippling debris and rubble.
Protect us Lord, and those we love.  Save us in this time of trouble.

(Based on Sirach 2:1-11)

Lord Jesus, may we bear as You have borne,
This cross seems so heavy and leaves us so forlorn.
May we, like You, Who for our salvation died,
Now lift high our crosses, from which so oft’ we’ve shied.

May our crosses draw us close to You and may they set us free.
May they take us through this life, and to eternity.
Grant to us the graces, today and every day,
To lift high our crosses as they come our way.

 Lord Jesus, we surrender all, in fervent prayer to You.
We trust whatever crosses come, You’ll help us bear them too.
Keep us close, dear and near, to Your Sacred Heart.
May we find our strength in You, and from You not depart.

May we find the victory crown, is what we one day win.
Arm us for this battle.  Free us from all sin.
We pray this not just for ourselves, dear and gracious Lord,
We pray for our loved ones, lost in much discord.

Give help to our loved ones, Lord, so that they go where You lead.
Nurture in them that perhaps small, yet faith-filled loving seed.
Help our loved ones to respond, to answer when You call.
As the world feeds its lies to them, do not let them fall,
Into believing as if true, what are just lies after all.
Help them to know Truth, and in Truth to stand tall.

Jesus, grant to loved ones, the grace to follow You.
That they may find a pure life, a hope-filled life brand new.
May our loved ones seek Your will in all they say and do.
Bring each loved one home.  Bring each one back to You.

We know that You are listening.  We know that You are there.
We know that You love us.  We know how much You care.
We will keep on praying; by grace fight off despair.
We beg You Lord, make haste to answer this, our hope-filled prayer.

“Who except God can give you peace?  Has the world ever been able to satisfy the human heart?”  (Saint Gerard Majella)

Dear Lord, give to us Your peace, that in peace we might pray.
Give to us the peace we need, to get us through the day.
So much is going on, dear Lord.  It seems too much to take.
But we can persevere in peace if all evil we forsake.

Only in Your will Lord, can peace be truly found.
For that is where, Your hope and joy, in love and truth abound.
We’ve looked in other places; and could not find peace there.
We’ve looked to extravagances; we have looked everywhere.

For peace within the heart simply can’t be bought.
It can’t be found in money made, as maybe we had thought.
It can’t be found in drugs or drinks.  We won’t find it in bars.
It can’t be found by buying new and fancy cars.

Peace won’t be found, when snippily, we cause controversy.
Peace is found, when we show, Divine-inspired mercy.
Peace is found when we seek out, others we can serve.
True peace comes from You, O Lord; our service You deserve.

Peace is Your blessing to us when it’s You that we adore.
When we simply follow You, peace steps through our front door.
Then stays with us throughout the night, through all our trials too.
You told us in the scriptures “My peace I give to you.”

Loved ones have gone seeking peace that only You can give.
They’ve looked in painful places, seeking how in peace to live.
The world has lured them far from peace, where Satan’s lies abide.
Help them embrace Your will in peace; from Your will may they not hide.

In Your mercy bring them peace dear Lord, do not from them depart,
Show them the path that leads to peace, place peace within their hearts.
Show now to each loved one, how best in peace and love to live.
In Your mercy give to them the peace, that only You can give.