Mary Sullivan

Jesus entered Capernaum.  A centurion drew near.
His servant was paralyzed; of God, he had no fear.
Jesus said He’d cure the servant, didn’t hesitate.
To go cure this servant, He saw no need to wait.

“Lord, I am not worthy to have You enter under my roof.”
That the Lord could heal his servant, this soul needed no proof.
The centurion had faith.  This was not concealed.
“Only say the word, and my servant will be healed.”

Lord, our loved ones are in pain, in spirit paralyzed.
They are suffering sweet Jesus; some have been victimized.
We’ve tried to live by your words, the truths that You’ve revealed.
Just say the word, Lord Jesus, and our loved ones will be healed.
(Based on    Matt. 8:5-11)

Jesus was walking along the sea of Galilee,
When He saw two brothers, casting a net in the sea.
Andrew was the name, of one of the brothers,
And Simon, now called Peter, was the name of the other.

Jesus called to the two, while walking by the sea;
I will make you fishers of men, come after me.
At once they left their nets.  They didn’t hesitate,
Or worry it would make them, for a meeting late.

Jesus kept on walking by that Galilean sea.
He saw the brothers James and John, sons of Zebedee.
They were in a boat, mending their torn nets.
He called to them.  They didn’t stop to complain or fret.
Seeking to follow Jesus, out of the boat they went.
In following the Lord, they seemed quite intent.

Dear Jesus, may we follow like these fishermen devout.
May we drop what we are doing, when to us You call out.
May we hear Your voice above the din and rattling clatter.
May we have ears to listen and quickly drop what doesn’t matter.

May we drop what keeps us from You, and from Your holy will.
This may not be easy, but a long march uphill.
Yet through You we can do all things.  For You are omniscient.
If we can rest in Your will, Your grace will be sufficient.
In our weakness You are strong.  In Your will we are protected.
And it is by our weakness that Your power is perfected.

We ask grace for loved ones now immersed in so much strife.
They dropped nets that they were mending, to follow a disordered life.
Call to them now dear Jesus, as to the sons of Zebedee.
Grant them all the grace they need to seek and follow Thee.

Help them now to follow truth, discard all selfishness,
Transform them all from slaves of sin to slaves of righteousness.
May they grow in holiness.  With sin, may they grow bored.
May all seek Your holy will, our Maker and our Lord.

(Based on Mark 1:14-20)

Dear Father in Heaven, we lift to You our heartfelt prayers,
We know that You are listening, that You are waiting there,
To hear our strong and fervent cries, to answer impassioned pleas,
For our loved ones who seem lost and tossed by stormy seas.

It does seem, by stormy seas, away they have been swept.
We feel like Rachel who, for her children, wailed and sadly wept.
With hands holding sunken heads, we ponder how we’ll cope.
But by folding those same hands in prayer, in You we can find hope.

With that hope, we can begin to see beyond our wails ‘oft loud,
Hope lies hidden for our loved ones, as the sun hides behind the clouds.
We walk not by sight, nor by what our weary eyes can see.
We walk by faith, ever-believe, the best is yet to be.

Although our souls can seem steeped in the dark of night.
By faith, we carry on, by faith we struggle towards the light.
This evil cast upon our loved ones, and thus upon our families too.
We fight against, by Your grace, we fight for them, for truth, for You.

In Jesus’s name we beg for mercy, on loved ones lost and gone astray.
We pray for, and offer mercy, to those who wounded us on this, or some bygone day.
May each soul keep in clear sight, its last and final end.
May the Holy Spirit be with us, and on us His holy gifts descend.

May mercy transform each hardened heart; hearts seek Your holy call.
Have mercy on each one of us.  Dear Lord, have mercy on us all.