Mary Sullivan

“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, 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, grant to us true love, a love that will prevail.
A love which lasts forever; a love which 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 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)

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 gate there is narrow 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.

Lord, mighty and majestic,
In splendor are You robed,
Your throne stands fixed and firm,
as it was, from old.

Your love is always steadfast,
for all of us to see.
We trust in You our dear Lord,
Trust all Your decrees.

You’re the Alpha and Omega,
You are full of mercy, Lord.
You are the final Victor.
Your Spirit is our sword.

You’re our freedom from all sin,
to which we have succumbed.
You are the One who is,
Who was, and Who is yet to come.

Dear Jesus, it’s to You we turn.
To You we humbly speak,
For we’ve been taught, it is the lost,
You came to save and seek.

Our loved ones are now lost,
so far off have they roamed.
Won’t you seek and save them Lord?
And bring each one home?

Grant the gift of grace to loved ones,
Grant them all the grace they need,
To turn and listen to Your voice,
May it be Your voice they heed.

May their hearts grow, to love Your words,
for Your Words may they long.
Help each one to seek the truth,
henceforth to Truth belong.

Have mercy on us Jesus,
As to You we now cling.
Save our loved ones, Master.
Dear true and royal King.
(Based on Psalm 93; Rev. 1:5-8, John 18:33)

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.  In Him, we are not destroyed.
In Him, there is glory.   In Him, there is true joy.

For the One who raised our Lord, will one day raise us too,
And place us 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 we reach our final end—let us fight the good fight.

“The World is Thy Ship, and not Thy Home.” (St. Therese)

This world is the ship which we travel,
To the gate of our heavenly home.
The world is a voyage of stormy seas,
Rogue waves cresting with foam.

Heaven’s the home we are made for.
In heaven, there is no fear,
In heaven there is no crying.
The Lord will wipe away all our tears.

If we’re feeling not quite at home here,
A little like we don’t belong,
It helps to remember and know dear,
This world is our ship, not our home.

May we open our eyes to Your truth, Lord.
The world is vain glory and show.
It’s heaven that we are made for,
And You, Lord, we are made to know.

Wherever we go and we wander,
Wherever it is that we roam,
May our hearts be yearning for heaven,
As we sail towards our heavenly home.