Mary Sullivan

“Pray, pray a great deal and make sacrifices for sinners,
For many souls go to hell,
Because they have no one to pray and make sacrifices for them.”

(Our Lady of Fatima; August 19, 1917)

Dear child won’t you suffer, suffer for my Son?
Won’t you offer God your suffering, that salvation may be won?
Won’t you with our Lord, feel His pain, yet persevere by grace?
Won’t you journey through this trial, as you run heaven’s holy race?

My child, know you’re not alone, as this cross you bear in stride.
Heaven is right with you, praying by your side.
Won’t you my child feel His scourging, feel the crown upon His head?
Carry your cross, that souls find life, thou they now be in spirit dead?

Won’t you suffer my dear child?  Embrace sorrow when it comes?
Won’t you hang upon your cross in life, that salvation may be won?
I am with you now, my child.  I will stay by your side,
Won’t you embrace the painful crown, and not toss it aside?

Dear child, I need soldiers, to bear the thorned crown of my Son.
I need soldiers to fight bravely, of them will you be one?
I need sacrificing soldiers to heal this world so torn with strife.
Won’t you die to yourself, that others find, in my Son, new life?

As you make sacrifices in this earthly land of tears and sorrow.
Never-ending glory will await, in a heavenly tomorrow.

“God Leads Every Soul by a Separate Path.”  (St. John of the Cross)

Each soul is on a journey, Lord, a journey that’s guided by You.
There’s a different path for each soul to walk, a different road which each soul must pass through.
May we surrender dear Lord to the journey, the journey You destined we trod.
The journey which leads us home to You, which will take us one day back to God.

Our loved ones too have a journey.  Their journey is different from ours.
We wish they would seek to follow You, Lord, like the Magi followed the star.
We see them lost and gone astray on paths filled with evil and danger.
We think that it would all be solved if they’d just seek the Babe in the manger.

Grant us the grace to let them go, through their path of sorrow and pain.
Grant us the grace to watch them walk through life’s storms and torments and rain.
Grant us the grace to hope in You, to reject any bit of despair.
Grant us the grace to surrender them all, into Your loving and tender care.

Grant us the grace to trust in Your plans, of which we can’t possibly know.
Grant us the grace to know when to hold tight, and when we just need to let go.
Grant us the grace to bow our heads, call out to You through night and day.
Grant us the grace to understand when all we can do is pray.

Grant us the grace to live out our lives in a way that is pleasing to You.
You gave our loved ones to us, Lord.  We surrender them now to You.

“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 brings us 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, and never rude.

Grant us the grace to hear Your 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, to another, lend a loving hand, or share a gentle smile.

Love bears all things.  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 pure,

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

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

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

Dear Jesus, walk now with us.  Beside us, always stay.

Call us back to You, may we not 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.

(Based on 1 Cor: 12)

“In the Dark Night of the Soul, Bright Flows the River of God.” (Saint John of the Cross)

The day has grown so dim, dear Lord, our souls face darkness of night.
All around seems doom and gloom, with no hope or relief in sight.
We struggle to peer through the darkness.  We search for some semblance of light.
Dear Lord, have you abandoned us?  From darkness, we long to take flight.

It’s in darkness, Lord, that you teach us, to look for You, and to pray.
It’s in darkness, Lord, that we learn to reach for Your hand in the darkness of day.
It’s in darkness, Lord, that we turn to You to feed us Your spiritual food.
It’s in darkness, Lord, that our prideful souls, are humbled and firmly renewed.

It’s in darkness our ears once deaf to Your voice, develop a sharpened hearing.
It’s in darkness our souls learn trust, to set aside all of our fearing.
It’s in darkness that virtue begins to grow, on this unlit road which we trod.
It’s in darkness that bright rivers start to flow—that flows the bright rivers of God.

Our loved ones too are in darkened nights.  Guide them to reach for Your hand.
Show them how to use their ears, to hear and to heed Your commands.
Guide them to trust, to find in You a new peace and tranquility.
In the darkness, Lord, help them to find the truth of humility.

Then lead them, Lord, through the darkness, by bright flowing rivers of light.
Lead them, Lord, through the darkness.  Give them a burning desire for right.
Lead them, Lord, to dependence on You, to a love for Your merciful ways.
Lead them, Lord, through the darkness to a truth they’ll embrace all their days.

Lead them, Lord, through the darkness, to a longing for serving souls too.
Lead them, Lord, through the darkness.  Lead them Lord through the darkness to You.

Enter through the narrow gate,
 for the gate is wide and road broad that leads to destruction
And those enter through it are many.
How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life.
And those who find it are few.
(Matt.: 7:13-14)

Lord, lead us through the narrow gate,
Destruction’s gate is broad and wide.
So many on destruction’s path.
Be our Shepherd and our guide.

Clear out that destructive path,
Filled with confusing contradictions.
Detach us from greed and lust,
Enslavement and addictions.

Clear out those things which tempt us,
Fill us with every virtue.
Remove whatever promotes vice.
Help us seek to serve You.

Help us find the road to life.
The narrow gate with constrictions.
Dear Jesus, show us to this road,
Remove every road restriction.

We have so many loved ones,
Lost on destruction’s road,
Help them see the narrow gate,
May Your love be their goal.

Help them embrace Your loving laws.
Free them from dissent.
Help them find their way to You.
Help them to repent.

Help them find Your path of love.
Time is now running late.
Help them find the narrow way,
Through the narrow gate.