Friday 23 September 2016

Prayers of Padre Pio



A Prayer to Jesus

by St. Pio of Pietrelcina

Oh my Jesus,
give me Your strength
when my weak nature rebels
against the distress and suffering of this life of exile, and enable me to accept everything with serenity and peace.
With my whole strength I cling to Your merits, Your sufferings, Your expiation, and Your tears, so that I may be able to cooperate with You in the work of salvation.
Give me strength to fly from sin, the only cause of Your agony, Your sweat of blood, and Your death.
Destroy in me all that displeases You
and fill my heart with the fire of Your holy love and all Your sufferings.
Clasp me tenderly, firmly, close to You
that I may never leave You alone in Your cruel Passion. I ask only for a place of rest in Your Heart. Amen.

To Jesus

by St. Pio of Pietrelcina



Lord, God of my heart,
You alone know and see all my troubles.
You alone are aware that all my distress
springs from my fear of losing You, of offending You, from my fear of not loving You as much as I should love and desire to love You.
If You, to whom everything is present
and who alone can see the future,
know that it is for Your greater glory
and for my salvation that I should remain
in this state, then let it be so.
I don’t want to escape from it.
Give me the strength to fight and to obtain the prize due to strong souls.

A Prayer

by St. Pio of Pietrelcina

May Jesus comfort you
in all your afflictions.
May He sustain you in dangers,
watch over you always with His grace,
and indicate the safe path that leads to eternal salvation.
And may He render you always dearer to His Divine Heart and always more worthy of Paradise. Amen.



Sunday 11 September 2016

THE HURLER




When he enters
Your home
Standing tall

On the edge
Of the kitchen
Floor

You do not feel
Your own smallness

His handshake
Is firm, warm
Honourable

And ever before
You know he is
A great hurler

You know you are
Graced by a presence
Greater than skill

Charism
Divine gift

Seated at your table
And you are grateful
For having invited

The stranger in

THEOTOKOS

GOD BEARER
(Prayer before an Icon)

Are you the one
Who looked at me
With disapproving eyes?

Or was it me myself
Whose shame deflected
My gaze quickly lest

I catch the glimpse
Of God’s compassion?

You saw me strive and struggle
You witnessed the moment
She had me on the plank

Thrusting the lance
Into the very gut of me
Conducting pain upwards

Through heart and body
My mind splintering

She said I needed
To be crucified
In order to progress

It seemed to delight
Her in some strange way
That I cannot share

Will not share!
Because I am still a child
Of truth

And there remains
Strong protest in me

You said it was grace
You said I would never
Be the same again

I know I am not
What I used to be
I am not former

I am older now
Much older
And your eyes
Seem kinder

(if yet a little sad)

Or is it me myself
Whose gaze lingers
Longer?

Long enough to see
Your own dear Son
Reflected there

That I might become
The One whom I behold

(Prayer Room Thurles September 5, 2016)

ADORATION (O Sacred Silence)




O Sacred Silence
O Silent Sacrament 

Jesus Silent in my Heart
Jesus Hidden in the Host

Behind the Tabernacle door
Totally Present Within

Completely Still

Leading me on
Taking me in

I come that I may be
Silent like You

And Present

My Heart wholly
Like Yours

Amen


Thursday 8 September 2016

A BIT OF A WOMAN



There's a bit of a woman
In you, she said.
I was admiring sheets
Hung out on the line
Blowing sunlit
In the breeze
Remembering
Them spread out
On the long grass
Of our childhood
Happily hiding
Beneath them
Infinite imaginings
Net curtains
Fluttering in an open
Window
And my soul tumbling
Wildcat for the gladness
Of Summer
That is on us
Now