Mary Sullivan

 Jesus Himself was teaching.  From every village people had come,
From Judea and from Galilee.  Some came from Jerusalem.
On a stretcher, men had brought in, a man paralyzed.
To bring him before the Lord, they would improvise.

There seemed no way to bring him in.  The crowd’s size was so great.
They made their way up to the roof, not wanting to wait.
He was lowered through the roof and placed in front of Christ.
The Christ who came to die for us, for us sacrifice His life.

When Jesus saw their faith, He told the man, forgiven were his sins.
The Pharisees had never heard, to such a thing akin.
The Pharisees erupted.  They may have become livid.
“Who is this who blasphemes? Who but God can sins forgive?”

Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he put to them a task.
“Which is easier” was the question, which to them He asked.
Is it easier to say that sins have been forgiven?  With them, Christ had this little talk.
He inquired if perhaps it might be easier to just say “rise up and walk.”

But that the Son of Man can sins forgive, that all now might see and know,
He told the man paralyzed, rise, pick up your mat, and home you can go.
The man no longer paralyzed, then did exactly that,
He rose and went home, after he’d picked up his mat.

With astonishment, all were completely seized.
And they gave glory unto God.  His healing helps us to believe.
Jesus, so many loved ones cannot see You in their midst.
And there are other loved ones now swayed You don’t exist.

In spirit they are paralyzed as they lay on unbelieving mats.
We cannot get them into church.  They think they’ve had enough of that.
They cannot comprehend Your ways or understand Your love.
They don’t see Your blessed plans for them, from heaven above.

We bring them to You Jesus; through the roof, we lower them to You.
We ask You to touch their hearts, heal hearts through and through,
Show to them Your love that’s deeper than the deepest ocean.
Help them, Lord, to trust in You, with humbled devotion.

The faith of the man paralyzed, is not really known.
But of those who brought him to You, their faith was clearly shown.
Faith of loved ones may be lacking.  This we do not deny.
Look upon our faith, Lord.  To ourselves we seek to die.

Use the grace of our faith, use all our sacrifices,
To forgive our loved ones’ sins, to wipe out all their vices.
Help them rise above their sins, seek good in all they do.
Help them to pick up their mats, seek first now to serve You.

Help them find the way to You, no matter where they’ve roamed.
Though their hearts be crippled, help them walk toward their eternal home.
Help them now, sweet Jesus.  The hour is running late.
Go to them now, dear Jesus.  Make haste, dear Lord, make haste.

(Based on Mark 2:1-12)

As written in Isaiah;
Heralding the Messiah,
A message came from John,
the son of Zachariah:

“Prepare the way of the Lord,”
make a path that’s straight,
That the Lord may enter hearts,
And we, enter heaven’s gate.

Dear Jesus may we make a way,
In our hearts for You.
May we make a straight path.
Enter our hearts anew.

Fill the emptiness within.
Bring low, mountains of pride.
May we prepare, a way for You.
In us, may You abide.

Dear Jesus, smooth the rough ways
Which have left our loved ones shaken.
Make straight the crooked, winding roads,
Loved ones so oft have taken.

Open up their eyes to see
They too, must make a way,
For You to enter in their hearts,
As You come on Christmas day.

May we repent of all our sins;
Hope for heavenly rewards.
With John, may we too cry out:
“Prepare the way of the Lord.”

Jesus passed, followed by

two men, who were blind.

The blind men just kept following,

Not wanting to be left behind.

They asked Jesus, might He not

Have pity, on their sorrow.

As Jesus, the house, entered,

The blind men sought to follow.

The blind men just kept following,

They didn’t want to leave.

The blind men answered: “Yes Lord”

When Christ asked: “Do you believe”?

Jesus touched their eyes,

Then spoke, God’s only Son,

Anointed words of healing:

“According to your faith, may it be done.”

Like the men who followed Jesus,

we are in such a bind.

We know that we can’t see all things,

Sometimes we walk blind.

Lord, we seek to follow You.

With grace from up above,

Bring healing to us all.

Heal us and those we love.

Lord, restore to loved ones,

Faith lost in days of youth.

Touch the hearts of those we love.

Open eyes to truth.

We believe that You can heal,

This we know and we confess.

Lord Jesus, bless our loved ones

With a faith, they’ll hold precious.

Jesus, hear our prayers today,

Our prayers today receive.

We come today dear Jesus,

Heads bowed, on bended knees.

Dear Jesus, we believe in You.

Lord, heal all unbelief.

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 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 trudge 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 pray for grace on 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)

 “Our hearts are restless until they rest in Thee.”
(Saint Augustine)

Dear Lord, there’s so much pressure
So much to do, we fear,
Our busyness can leave us stressed,
As Christmas day draws near.

Help us through the madness,
Of Fridays they call black.
May rest in You defend us from,
the enemy’s attack.

May we focus more on You
Not what is coming next.
Help us simplify our days.
In You, may we find rest.

May we put aside the angst,
the things we need to do.
May we take the time we need
To simply rest in You.

May we ponder Your perfect will,
In these upcoming days.
Man sees, not as You see.
Your ways are not our ways.

Help us, dearest Father,
To at last truly see,
Our restless hearts will have no peace
Until they rest in Thee.

Grant this grace, sweet Jesus,
This grace from above
To all our sons and daughters.
To all of those we love.