Showing posts with label poem. Show all posts
Showing posts with label poem. Show all posts

12/26/2016

Our Gift to HIM+ !




What shall I give HIM+, 
poor as I am ? 

If I were a shepherd, 
I would bring HIM+ a lamb. 

If I were a sinner, 
I would bring HIM+ my sins;

 HE+ promises to cleanse me
 without, within.

A Babe ? No, a Decision
with Divine Precision

At Time Appointed
By Our FATHER WHO art in Heaven.

HE+ brings us His+ Life;
We bring HIM+ ours.

We lay  down our strife, 
our pride, our mean-ness;

HE+ fills us with peace, 
and loving meekness.

What CAN  I give HIM+ ?
What is my part ?

My empty Self ... ? ?
O, Come, LORD JESUS,
fill  THEE+ my  heart  !

Adapted from a  poem by C. Rossetti 
 

3/20/2016

His+ First TRIUMPHAL ENTRANCE into Jerusalem ... But NOT His+ LAST !

SEE: Time-Line for the HOLY WEEK , Passover, PASCHA, Passion of CHRIST below the post.


The TRIUMPHAL ENTRY of CHRIST

The crowd went wild for they had seen the dead arise before their eyes, summoned by a Voice+ it knew.

The Grave obeyed THAT Voice+ , too, of HIM+ Who+ carries keys of Hades' grave which none stop still when HE+ arises in great TRIUMPH to do His+ FATHER'S Will.

Roaring sounds on hills abound. Shouting Pilgrims rushing, greeting this King+ Who+ raised their dead instead of stealing health and wealth like earth-bound rulers wrestle life from grapes and grain and subjects, freely.

Demanding naught, HE+ wept and taught the hurting to embrace the Life HE+ gave to spare their souls of death's lying. Behold, HE+ said, I have the keys to Hell's iron gate; death's own sting is waning, dying.

Facing combat at the Cross, enshrouded firm in FATHER'S Will, HE+ settled the score but took the loss; Divine Blood dropping before scourge or nail embedded HIM+ in Battle.

HOSANNA!

SAVE NOW !

Joyous, dancing, waving Crowds proclaimed with glee; the SON of David riding slowly on the un-ridden colt towards death to open Hades' gate, never done before or after-- so HE+ received these momentary lauds with tears ... instead of laughter.

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem ... HE+ faced your gates with wrenching tears , seeing sorrow marking time to devour  the sons of Jerusalem who willed to kill the Prophets and now turning from His+ Coming.

Rejoice, rejoice O Bethany ! On this day, GOD came to Thee! They received their dead alive because HE+ came to revive His+ friend in time to see His+ own demise and RESURRECTION Power !

AGAIN and again and again and again...


+  +  +

The TIMELINE  of Holy Week




REMEMBER:  All events were intricately tied to the Jewish Passover Holy Days, as JESUS CHRIST was the UN-blemished Passover LAMB+, the LAMB+ of GOD.


1. Lazarus Saturday ~ The Raising of Lazarus of Bethany who had been dead 4 days, from the tomb.

2.The LORD'S Day ( i.e., Sunday ) ~ His+ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem ~ Following a great feast hosted by the family of Lazarus, a multitude from Bethany accompanied JESUS on His+ way in to Jerusalem. They were met by a multitude coming UP FROM Jerusalem, to greet the SON+ of DAVID. 

HE+ was going into Jerusalem to CLEANSE the TEMPLE.


3. Monday ~ The Second Cleansing of the Temple -- The merchants and money-changers were waxing profitably due to the influx of Passover Pilgrims coming into Jerusalem at this time. THIS OCCURRED IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY... but the church proper generally separates the two events.

4. Tuesday -- The Last Supper, the betrayal, and the drops of blood sweat in the Garden of Gesthemane, followed by the illegal night "trial" of The LORD.

5. Wednesday --- The Scourging,
the parade of the Cross-carrying through Jerusalem to Golgotha, the dreadful crucifixion at the 3rd Hour (  9 a.m.), the time of the morning sacrifice in the Temple.

The darkened sky from noon, the 6th Hour, until the 9th Hour ( 3 p.m.) when it was FINISHED and HE+ committed His+ spirit into the hands of The FATHER... at the time of the Evening Sacrifice in the Temple ... at which time the veil of the Temple was torn from TOP to the bottom.

Joseph of Arimathea laid His+ Body in the new Tomb.

First NIGHT in the heart of the earth.


6. Thursday --- High Holy Day. The HIGH Sabbath.

First DAY in the heart of the earth.

Second NIGHT in the heart of the earth.

7. Friday --- Day of Preparation for the regular Sabbath Day. The women went to buy spices to anoint His+ Body.

Second full DAY in the Heart of the earth.

Third full NIGHT in the Heart of the earth.

The "3 nights" in the heart of the earth were completed.



8. Saturday --- Regular Sabbath Day. The women rested.

The third full DAY in the heart of the earth
 was completed at 3 p.m. Saturday,
at the same hour
that HE+ died on the Cross
on Wednesday.

Having spent 3 full days and 3 full nights in the heart of the earth, as HE+ told us in Scriptures that HE+ would do,  from 3 p.m. Wednesday to 3 p.m. Saturday, His+ Resurrection had to occur at 3 p.m. Saturday.

However --- the FIRST WITNESSES, the women, did not SEE HIM+ until very early, before dawn, on The LORD'S day ( i.e., Sunday). That is when HE+ was revealed to them.

+  +  +

Having said all this, we remember that the Christian church services are commemorative, that is, we join together to REMEMBER these events.

Thus, we join with other Christians on Good Friday to commemorate His+ death and on Sunday to celebrate the REMEMBRANCE of His+ Glorious Resurrection.

Although there is no need to negate the truth of the timeline, there is also no need to cause more division in the Christian camp.  




1/14/2016

LEFT BEHIND...


RACHEL'S TOMB
in old Bethlehem
Rachel... still weeping for her children
because they are not.
 LEFT BEHIND...




From Cradle to Cross

HE+ suffered loss in lowest garb allowed,


HE+ wrapped HIMSELF+

in Swaddling Clothes

and then, in human Shroud.

.

From rented manger
to borrowed Tomb

HE+ had not where
His+ Head to lay.


HE+ owned no Colt nor Room,

it seems,

though Temple tax ,

exacted,

paid. 


Fleeing sword 'ere HE+ could walk,

Egypt hid the Royal BABE+

from death by HIS+ own nation

at His+ birth

with Wise Men's laud and adoration.


Glory LEFT BEHIND, 

not grasped,

for us HE+ emptied Himself+

for FATHER'S Will

and by Obedience 


forged a path for us to trod BEHIND HIM+ still. 


By imitation of HIS+ loss

we accept the limitations

HE+ sets upon our brow

that we might come before Our FATHER,

embracing HIS+ Salvation

now.

 
Meditation Poem by Sr. Judith Hannah + ,
Order of the GOOD SHEPHERD+
Year of Our LORD,
1.14.2016 

12/17/2013

HE+ Didn't Come Here to Lose !

Photo courtesy of  www. teddy-talk.com


Advent Meditation #7


What can I give HIM+, 

poor as I am ? 

If I were a shepherd, 

I would give HIM+ a lamb. 

~

But rich or poor, 

I will do my part

Because HE+ loves me.... 

I will give HIM+ my heart. 

~ ~ ~ Poem by Christina Rossetti,
adapted by Sr. Judith Hannah  + + +



Meditation ~ ~ ~

O Victorious SAVIOR !  O THOU+ Who+ looketh upon our lives, knowing the end from the beginning, help us to focus our hearts upon THEE+.  

Help us to realize how very poor we are and that we are in need of everything... everything to make us acceptable unto GOD. 

 We thank THEE+ for cleansing us by Thy+ Blood.+  We bless THEE+ for illuminating us with Thy+ HOLY SPIRIT. We praise THEE+ for not letting us go.

Thanks be to THEE+ and to Our Heavenly FATHER for making a way for us to go through this sin-sick world and  come safely HOME to THEE+.  

Help us to live as though we know  that  JESUS CHRIST our LORD didn't come here to lose ! Not even one hair on our heads did HE+ lose!  

Glory to The FATHER, 
to The SON+, and 
to The BLESSED 
HOLY SPIRIT. 

12/16/2011

My Hand, Cemented...



My hand, cemented...
fingers fixed
upon those goals
of my desire.
.
Grasping hand
unyieldingly
ignored YOUR+ call
… and coming Fire.
.
Determinedly
YOU+ pried them loose
until my willful
strength was through.
.
Emptiness
of hand and heart…
my sole* remains
… except for YOU+.
.
Sick I grew,
distressed anew
… no purpose, goal, nor person.
Weak body could not
stand the stress
of no human purpose
to profess.
.
Bleakly, no-one needing me,
skills vanished like hot air.

. Strength fled, fever raged;
mind, a blank; I did not care.
No work upon my shoulder
… except my solitary prayer.
.
No goal in life
… except to do
my daily discipline
with YOU+.
.
Directionless, interest gone
unadorned, life raw and bare.
.
Bones ached, emotions numbed.
Joy? Not my portion, this I rue.
Only in one place Joy glowed
… in quietness with YOU+.
.
Thank YOU+, LORD,
for freeing me
From built-in values, clamorings...
For prying loose my concrete grip,
Death-bringing goals
that would strip
my time and thought from YOU+.
.
My aims and goals
YOU+ withheld
…"AKA" my future woes...
.
Earth-bound illusions
replaced by YOU+...
  Heaven’s treasure flows
through entwining Fingers,
all Divine+
into this hand of clay,
called “mine.”

*sole = only
"AKA"= Also Known As
or Otherwise known as...
.
.
.  .  .  .  .
.
.
.
By Sister Judith Hannah  + + +
~ from my heart to yours...

12/04/2011

Come, Stand by ME+...


Stand by ME+
...when dignity is stripped;
they took My+ clothing, as well.
Come, stand by ME+.

Stand by ME+
...when rejection faces you;
family, friends, and followers
forsook ME+
when I+ needed them most, too.
Come, stand by ME+.

Stand by ME+
...when your good acts
are misunderstood;
they said My+ acts of mercy
were acts of be'elzebub.
Come, stand by ME+.

Stand by ME+
...when lying spirits defame you;
they dogged My+ path incessantly
... and still do...
Come, stand by ME+


Stand by ME+
...when excluded, though you love;
they hid their faces from ME+, too,
as I+ died to cover their sins.
Come, stand by ME+.

Stand by ME+
...when death strikes;
Death struck My+ Body
but soon found out it struck
its own death-blow, not Mine+ !
Come, stand by ME+.

Stand by ME+
...through every earthly trial;
I+ will not hide Myself+ from thee.
Come, stand by ME+.

Stand by ME+
It's then you'll find
the only way to minister
to My+ hurt
is
when you come
...and stand...
by ME+.

+  +  +
by Sister Judith Hannah,
who is learning to come
and stand
by HIM+.

1/31/2010

A REFLECTION OF CHRIST JESUS...


Christian marriages, as we all know, are to reflect to the world CHRIST and HIS+ BRIDE, the church. So often, however, they reflect a battle of Selves.
.

Far from reflecting CHRIST JESUS, the marriage partners do well if they can spend one day together without arguing. Oftentimes, one ... or both... partners live lives of deep and bitter dispair.
.
How, then, would CHRIST

have us to behave

if we are caught*
in such a situation?

.

Yes, "caught" is the correct word here because people change. Oftentimes a couple will start out thinking they are equally yoked, as per Scripture. One may be more spiritually-minded than his partner, but that is often overlooked by the couple in love and sadly, by their church elders and parents.
.

Yet, even if the marriage partners are VERY equally yoked, people go through changes. If the marriage partners change together, in the same direction, then the marriage will stay intact. But if they don't change in unison, then the enemy wreaks havoc in their midst... unless one of the partners chooses to go deeper with CHRIST JESUS.
.

HE+ is the only way

for a dis-jointed marriage

to correct itself.

.



The Cross is set in stone and dirt,

The uprights made of coarse, hewn wood.

Established there, upon our hurt,

It is the Way HE+ trod.




The Cross is set within my heart;

The uprights hold my soul.

It is established for my good,

Now I call it home.


+


O LORD JESUS CHRIST,


With my whole heart I cry unto THEE+. I pour out my troubles before THEE+, O THOU+ Who+ knewest great affliction and sorrow. When my spirit is over-whelmed within me, I will look only to THEE+ Who+ alone can see in the darkness. Even though no-one cares for my soul, I will say THOU+ art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living. O Rock of Ages, I will hide myself in THEE+until these troubles be overpast. Keep me as the apple of Thine+ eye.

.

O Gracious ONE+ Who+ will not let me go... I yield my life, my love, and my broken dreams unto THEE+, knowing I can entrust them all into Thy+ keeping. Correct the vision I have of myself and why I am in this marriage union. Conform me and my marriage into what THOU+ wouldst have it to be... to bring glory unto THEE+ ...and to reflect Who+ THOU+ art unto this dead and dying world.

.

In Thy+ Holy Name, O LORD CHRIST, I pray, and in the name of Thy Holy FATHER, and Thy HOLY SPIRIT, I worship and praise Thy+ Holy Goodness to me and to all the sons of men.

.

+ + +

.