Cacophonous and Thunderous, O World of Mine Rending and Reaping with your Screeching and Shrieking, Tending to the Flocks of your Dead souls. Having sacrificed and Saved O God of Mine, By descending and Ascending to tend the Flocks of Your Blessed souls. What are we to do with The newly dying, Lying dormant between Prayerless tombs and Pleas for help? Help us open their ears, Eternal One, To the sound of Your mystical silence, For the final hour comes! Icon of the Apocalypse

Drifting can be floating free, at ease, falling asleep, And dreamy, too. Drifting can be wandering afar, listless, and confused. It can also be stubborn. I pray and I wish to be the former. I fear and I know I am the latter. When I want to be lifted up, I fix my eyes to the heart. When I want to be pulled down, I let my eyes run wild. I hate that. Let not the winds of the world Toss me about like leaves Drifting and blowing Like scattered thoughts and sinful whims. Send the H

You are the Alpha and the Omega. I trust you are behind me I trust you are ahead of me. It's this middle thing We call life That I don't trust so much - At least half of it anyway. To my right I see the angels and the saints Interceding and protecting Praying and encouraging. To my left I see the demons and the detractors Interrupting and attacking Sneering and antagonizing. This path makes me tired. I hurt all over. And why not? It did the same to You. The Via Dolorosa They

Society screams And people demand. I search for words And nothing is heard. But why try? There was a Word Filled with light. Given in flesh and Lived in love. But ended by blood? Complainers complain And pursuers pursue. I search for the Body And nothing is found. But an empty tomb? There was a Body Filled with light. Given a new life Ascended in love. But alone again? Demons emerge And doubters scheme. I search for help And nothing is seen. But I have to believe? There was a

Are you lost? Do you doubt? Do not despair. God has a plan for you! Today, we celebrate the Feast of Ss. Peter and Paul who demonstrate...

I try to understand How it is That You are So near to me? I want to know why? I want to know how? But why do I want to know? Is it so that I can understand it? Is it so I can explain it to others? You fill me. You surround me. You are above me. You raise me up. You keep me grounded. You use my hands to bless. ...to anoint. ...to absolve. ...to commune. ...to immerse. You use my mouth to taste Your sacrifice. ...my eyes to see Your presence. ...my ears to hear Your heavenly ho

You fill me With Divine Love You surround me With Divine Fire You sustain me With Divine Waters You lead me With Divine Light I am not worthy of this Yet Here you are Never letting go Always reminding me I am in the world, But not of the world. I love you With every ounce of my being. Save me from myself and Sanctify me. An 18th c. icon of Pentecost from a private collection via Wikimedia Commons.

It is getting late and My head hangs low. It is darker now and My tears begin to flow. It is desperate all round so My hands grasp Because they know. The divine language of love, Played on a rope Made of silence. With humility and love, I implore you. Give me shelter, So I may pray through the nights. "O Mistress, Empress and Lady, Defend all who are in danger and misfortune Or weak from many sins, And who stand before your holy Icon Praying with tears, humility, repentance,

With head bowed, Back bent, and tired feet, I crawl to you on hands and knees. With eyes swollen, Parched mouth, and Prayer rope in hand, I whisper the words, One more time. Your enemies are boundless O Christ, Yet, you offer An inexhaustible cup that Never runs dry? Forgive me, a sinner. You gave yourself Mary Most Holy, As the birth giver of God. And now you provide A refuge to me? "Rejoice, for the angelic powers and the human race rejoice because of you! Rejoice, for your

Mary, Most Holy, and Mother of my God. My model, My refuge, and My love. I seek, and With humility, I ask To approach your Life-Giving Spring? With all my heart, I pray... Revive, Restore, and Renew me. "O Lady graced by God, you reward me by letting gush forth, beyond reason, the ever-flowing waters of your grace from your perpetual Spring. I entreat you, who bore the Logos, in a manner beyond comprehension, to refresh me in your grace that I may cry out, 'Hail redemptive wa