Mary Sullivan

Roses are beautiful and daisies a thrill,
But just how surprising is the daffodil.
Bulbs buried through winter, deep in the ground,
How will they know to grow up and not down?

Under the snow, ice, and bitter frost,
They huddle below, where all hope seems lost.
Then even before the arrival of spring,
When the buds start to burst, and the birds start to sing,

Even before winter has stopped,
Surprising us all, up the daffodil pops.
Like sunshine, it’s painted a yellow that’s bold.
And yellow’s the color of hope we’ve been told.

It perseveres through the dark and cold nights,
Reminding us always to grow towards the light.
We may face darkness.  Hope may seem lost.
We may face feelings that freeze us like frost.

We may even feel that we cannot cope.
If we grow towards the light, we will find hope.
He is beside you.  He loves you and cares.
He doesn’t want you to give in to despair.

A new joy awaits, a new hope and so,
We can learn from the way daffodils grow.
Persevere through the cold, through the darkness of night,
Live always in hope. Grow towards the light.

And raising his eyes toward his disciples he said:
“Blessed are you who are poor,
for the kingdom of God is yours.
Blessed are you who are now hungry,
for you will be satisfied.
Blessed are you who are now weeping,
for you will laugh.
Blessed are you when people hate you,
and when they exclude and insult you,
and denounce your name as evil
on account of the Son of Man.
Rejoice and leap for joy on that day!
Behold, your reward will be great in heaven.

(Luke 5:17, 20-16)

Are you feeling poor my dear child? Deprived of what your heart longs for?
Rejoice in the Lord, for the Kingdom awaits, the Kingdom of God is yours.
Do you hunger now for righteousness? In righteousness do you abide?
Rejoice in the Lord, dear little one, for you will be satisfied.

Are you weeping dear beloved? Shedding tears on others’ behalf?
Rejoice in the Lord, my dear one. For one day you will laugh.
Are you excluded and insulted? For your faith in Christ, met with hate?
Rejoice and leap for joy.  Your reward in heaven is great!

May we fight for righteousness, rejoice when met with hatred,
May our hearts be broken by all things which break Your Heart, so sacred.
Suffering here for a little while. But the path of the Lord leads to laughter,
It’s the path to a joyful eternity, a joyful ever after.

Grant to loved ones’ the grace they need to fight for righteousness and to win.
Grant them all the grace they need to repent and to weep over sin.
Grant them the grace that for the faith, they’ll endure exclusion and insult.
Grant them the grace to persevere, though hated as a result.

May the path of the Lord be the path we all walk.  May the path of the Lord be our choice.
May the path of the Lord be the only path in which we forever rejoice.
Through the path of the Lord, we encounter pain; but pain does not end the story.
The path of the Lord is the only path to our one-day heavenly glory.

The Eucharist is the source and summit of the Christian life.
From it flows the unity which heals us of all strife.
Through the Holy Eucharist, which means in truth Thanksgiving,
God unites us on a holy path to pure and holy living.

Let us receive Him worthily.  Through confession, He forgives.
Let us be not defiled or commit a sacrilege.
One dresses in clean garments when one is at a wedding feast.
Our Lord deserves the best from us and not our very least.

In Most Holy Communion, we receive You loving Lord.
You give to us Your very self, dear God Who we adore.
And through this precious bit of bread that has been consecrated,
We become more like You in Whose image we are created.

Bring us to the Holy Eucharist, that with You we may have union.
Bring forth the repentance which leads to true Communion.
Let us examine consciences, know when You are offended.
Then wounded hearts will heal; by Your Sacred Host be mended.

May confession wash from our souls all grime and dirt and mud.
May peace be found with one another through Your Body, Soul and Blood.
Lord Jesus, we have loved ones who do not believe that You are there.
Find a way to show them, Lord, just how much You care.

Help them along the path of truth to find the way to You.
Bring them to confession and to pure living too.
We are made to unite, with You as our first common bond.
You call each loved one to Communion   Help each loved one to respond.

Send Your Holy Spirit Father to rest on all our souls.
May receiving Jesus worthily be the first of all our goals.
Give to us the wisdom to see the cause of our disunion:
Your body is badly bloodied by sacrilegious Communions.

There is no rest outside You Lord.  In You alone is peace.
Only through the Eucharist will our divisions cease.
Be our teacher, Jesus; instruct us on our way.
Through the Holy Eucharist, unite us in truth today.

A mighty God we serve—this much we know is true.
When Amalek waged war, God showed Moses what to do.
When Moses hands were raised in prayer, enemies had no chance.
But if his hands were lowered, the enemy advanced.

We faithful friends united form a prayer army each day.
Through our united prayers we keep the evil one at bay.
We think some things are pretty bad, but what we cannot see:
Without our constant praying—how much worse some things would be.

Our God is rich in mercy.  He feels the pain we feel.
Performing mighty miracles—when did Christ fail to heal?
He healed the paralytic whom friends lowered through the roof,
Jesus healed the lepers—of this there’s ample proof.

He healed the daughter of Jairus, whom all forsook as dead,
She came to life.  “Little girl, I say to you, get up” is what He said.
He healed the demon-possessed-daughter—who but Jesus could foresee,
This mom would beg mercy; and cry out: “Lord, help me.”

The disciples urged: “send her away.”  She had that Canaan label.
With faith, she preserved and said: “even… dogs eat from their Master’s table.”
Many pressing on Him, many voices getting loud,
with just her touch He healed the woman in the crowd.

He healed the blind. He healed the mute.   He healed the boy possessed.
Do we believe that somehow God for us would do less?
The truth is Christ healed everyone who came forth in faith to ask.
Not one soul did He miss, from the first until the last.

When we go before our Master, when on humbled knees we kneel,
Can we see we serve a God who answers prayer and longs to heal?
We can persevere, like the widow with the judge unjust.
The Lord hears our every prayer.  In Jesus, we can trust.

Every time we look at the Blessed Sacrament
Our place in heaven is raised forever.
(Saint Gertrude the Great)

Lord Jesus, may we seek You in this Sacrament of love.
Your Divinity is present there—Your Body, Soul and Blood.
May we visit You more often, share all that’s old and new.
As if You didn’t know, all we say and think and do.

May we pour out all our troubles, as our minds to You we raise.
And may we not forget to give to You, all glory, thanks and all praise.
Be our best companion.  Be our confidant.
Be our source of strength.  Protect us from all want.

Father, our sons and daughters, are lost and gone astray.
Send them Your Holy Spirit.  Lead them back to Christ this day.
Inspire them to seek Your Son, in this Sacrament Divine.
May they know, He waits for them, with a peace sublime.

May they find Christ truly present.  May they feel His arms of love,
Giving hope and comfort, kindness from up above.
O dear Holy Spirit blessed, we ask You now to bring
All of our sons and daughters, to bow before our King.

In this Sacrament most holy, this source of grace for our salvation,
Holy Spirit lead us all to our Lord, in Adoration.