Mary Sullivan

Our hearts are always with them; our hearts are never far.
Our hearts can’t ever leave them; no matter where they are.
No need to even wonder, no need to question why.
For the simple truth is that our love for them can’t die.

Every step we make in life, and even our next move,
Is often just a step toward what we think is love and truth.
We all can be mistaken, in what we think is true,
There is not one among us who can’t be tricked in what we do.

Feelings often change, like the daily weather.
Feelings can lead us toward some things which do not make us better.
For feelings can be fickle and lead us all astray.
Feelings can deceive each one of us, at any time of day.
To let our feelings rule our lives, sometimes we all are faulted.
Sad to say, in life today, feelings are exalted.

May those we love, find a path, find another way.
Help them, Lord, to seek the truth, which leads to the light of day.
They think it’s crazy doctrine, or a bunch of rules we give,
Lord, help them see it’s You Who came to teach us how to live.

You came to bring us true love, extend to each one mercy.
You came to show us truth, to settle controversy.
We are Your humble creatures.  You are our Creator.
You O Lord love us most. But You are no dictator.

May loved ones stop to listen, stop to hear what You say,
Then when the storms come in their lives, they won’t be swept away.
Protect and defend them, Lord.  The demons, now please slay.
Be to loved ones, humble strength, which helps them through each day.

Guide us to embrace Your love.  Send us a new leaven,
To raise our minds to truth this day; our souls one day heaven.

“We must pray without tiring.  For the salvation of mankind does not depend
on material success… But on Jesus alone.”
(Saint Francis Xavier)

To pray is to enter a battle, a fight.
We must be ready to fight for the light.
It doesn’t come easy, it’s toil and sweat.
It’s letting go of things over which,
we would rather fret.

No sooner do we sit down to pray,
But a thousand distractions soon come our way.
There are errands to run,
work not yet done;
And for heaven’s sake,
there is money to make.
There are things to do, and people to see,
Lord, why can’t we be
like the Cure of Ars, who said: “I look at Him, and He looks at me.”

Prayer takes effort, and there is no doubt,
It is work to keep going in prayer,
More delightful to pout,
About all our worries and our distress,
And all of the problems,
with which we’re beset.

We can start thinking God isn’t there,
Or He doesn’t care,
Because right away,
He didn’t answer our prayer.
At least not in a way,
we think we can bear.

And then there are days when our prayers feel like gloom.
Like we are praying at Christ’s empty tomb.
With words that seem lifeless, hope burns and crashes.
Our prayers can seem like dry dust and ashes.
Or a desolate December when all growth has ceased;
Through frigid prayers, we pray for warmth and peace.
Our prayers can seem so empty and bare.
Yet about all of this, so much our Lord cares.

Perhaps our Lord takes frigid prayers, and with Godly art,
Warms them with His Sacred Heart.
Perhaps He takes our prayers,
So dusty, empty and bare,
Fills them with love, as God can do,
Shines them up to look like new.
What if He is simply content,
With fortitude and good intent?

What if there is a lost soul out there,
Somewhere, in need of prayer,
And God uses our prayer to show that lost soul how much He cares,
Just how much he is loved,
from above.

And it helps to remember and to see,
that soul could be
Not just one of our own loved ones,
But someone else’s daughter or someone else’s son.
Touched by God in a holy way,
Because we simply stopped our busy day
To pray.

And maybe, just maybe our Lord in His mercy,
Will have someone pray for our loved one today.
And that prayer will reach them, in a pure way.
Get their attention.  Shake them awake.
Help loved ones walk through faith’s narrow gate.

We are one body, with Christ as the head.
Through our prayers, Christ can raise to life souls which were dead.
And we won’t know details, or the end of the story,
Until we reach our final glory.

May we pray, and never tire,
May our prayers ignite, inspire
Pure, loving hearts, as God desires.
When the battle for prayer becomes December,
barren and cold.  It helps to remember
in the end our dry December prayers can save a soul.
Our December prayers can bring
To a soul new life in Him,
a new flower, a new spring.
May we persevere in prayer today.
Dear Lord, grant us the grace to pray.

“Let nothing disturb you,
Let nothing frighten you,
All things are passing.
God never changes.
Patience obtains all.
He who has God lacks nothing.
For God alone suffices.”

 (St. Teresa of Avila)

Dear Lord, we pray that we may never be afraid or be disturbed.
May we find our true peace in You and never be perturbed.
Earthly things will pass away.  But not the things above.
What remains in the end are faith and hope and love.

Let us put our mind on things that will never disappear.
Let faith and hope and love be what gets us through the year.
So many things are changing.  But to this we lay acclaim:
You Lord never change.  You always stay the same.

Let us now cling to our Lord.  We lack nothing with our God.
He will suffice for all our needs on this rough road we trod.
May we grow in patience, as on You, Lord, we wait.
May we grow in virtue as we run towards heaven’s holy, narrow gate.

Our loved ones have wandered.  Do not abandon them, dear Lord,
Make haste to go now after them.  May it be You Who they adore.
Be the friend who brings them comfort.  Help them not to be afraid.
Show to them Your love and the reason they were made.

Help them see You never change.  You never pass away.
Your steady arms will lift and carry them throughout the day.
Grant to all the needed grace to heed this true and sound advice:
With You, Lord, we lack nothing.  You and Your love suffice.

“Simon peter, do you love me?” “yes Lord,” came the reply.

Jesus told Peter “Feed my lambs.”    (John 21:15-19)

Lord Jesus, surely in my life, You I have betrayed.

For I have not lived perfect faith, for all my life-long days.

I ask you now dear Jesus, that Your perfect will I keep.

In my every thought and action, be I awake or be asleep.

Lord, may I feed Your lambs.  To Your sheep may I tend.

Grant me the grace to care for those who You my way, might send.

Show me now dear Jesus, with truth, my mind inspire,

Set my heart aflame for You, set my heart afire.

I stretch out my arms to You, as Yours were stretched on the cross.

Help me to do Your holy will, to give, not count the cost.

Lead me in Your perfect will.   With You, I am not alone.

Lead me along the Holy path which will one day take me home.

Be the path now full of branches, over which I trip, become entwined.

Be the path so full of thorns which pierce my heart, confound my mind.

Lead me home, Lord Jesus.  I trust You to know the way

To eternal glory.   Lead me, Lord, to do Your will today.

Let us not trust each Spirit; but put each Spirit to the test.|
To see which ones belong to God, which ones by God are blessed.
False prophets come.  And they go into the world with revel.
They have no Spirit of the Lord, but the spirit of the devil.

The Spirit which denies that Christ has come, and for us has died,
Is the spirit of the evil one, the spirit which has lied.
God’s Spirit is the one, which proclaims that Christ is Lord,
That all of His commandments, should be followed and adored.

If we can keep Christ’s commands, do what pleases Him,
We will receive what we ask.  True love will not grow dim,
God is pleased, when in His son, we truly believe,
when we love each soul in truth, when we love, and not deceive.

If we can but remain in God, God will in us remain.|
Through our trials and our troubles, and all of our pain.
Lord, give to us discernment, to know wrong from right.
May we live Your command to love, as for truth we fight.

Loved ones have lost their compass, lost their moral way;
So many lured away from You, by evil led astray,
Help loved ones to see Your truth, love each of Your commands,
Give to them true wisdom, in this confusing land.

Help those we love show others, a love that’s good and pure.
Lord Jesus, may You be the One, they follow and adore.

(Based on 1 John 3:22-24)