A Day in the Life: The Call of the Master

(I wrote this poem about five years ago)

I heard the voice of the Master calling

He said, “Come with me!

Come, and let me show you the way

That I have marked out for you.”

So, I arose and I followed Him.

The Master said, “Behold!”

And suddenly I saw before me

A vast crowd of people

Men, women and children

All of them sheep without a shepherd

The Master said, “These are My little ones.

I want someone to show them My love.

Will you be their Mother?

And forsaking all others,

Will you choose Me as your only Spouse?”

And I said to Him, “I will, my Lord.”

The Master said, “Now look again!”

And there appeared all the wealth in the world

Gold and silver, and precious jewels.

All the material goods that anyone

Could ask for or imagine.

The Master said, “It is true;

Many have chosen these things,

And seem in the view of the foolish to be happy.

I ask you: will you leave all this behind

And cling to Me as your true treasure?”

And I said to Him, “I will, my Lord.”

The Master said, “See, one more time!”

My name was written in lights across the sky,

All the people of this world knew me

Both power and fame were mine

And I was subject to no man

The Master said, “This is what could be,

If you choose to seek prestige and authority.

But I say to you: will you place your life

In the hands of My representative

And do all that she asks of you with joy?”

And I said to Him, “I will, my Lord.”

The Master said, “Then come!

Come, My beloved and My bride!

And to you I will give all that I have promised

And I myself will be your refuge and your strength.”

So I arose, and I followed Him.

Copyright 2016 Sr. Cecilia Ross

News and Events : St. Joseph Novena Day Nine

Here is the last installment of the St. Joseph Novena.  I hope you will draw closer to God by drawing closer to St. Joseph.

First visit is St. Joseph fidelity to grace.
    Joseph was God's man.  As the search for room went on, through grace he realized that this too was God's plan and who was he to murmur or to try to make it different.  He had done all that was humanly possible - God would take over now and though he suffered as he led her down the hill to an abandoned stable, yet there was joy in the suffering because of God's grace. ( meditate for one minute.)
     My God, I thank Thee for St. Joseph's fidelity to grace.  I ask through his intercession for fidelity to grace and for...(mention your request)

Second visit is St. Joseph's fidelity to the interior life.
     As Joseph led the way to the stable there were plenty of thoughts surging through his brain.  God had come to earth to save man and man would not receive Him.  Love rose up in the heart of Joseph to make up for the coldness of men. He came unto His own and His own received Him not. (meditate on minute.)
     My God I thank Thee for St. Joseph's fidelity to the interior life.  I ask through his intercession for fidelity to the interior life and for ...(mention your request)

Third visit is St. Joseph's love for Our blessed Lady
     The stable is found, the birthplace of the Son of God. Mary must be made as comfortable as circumstances allowed.  Joseph cleared a place for her and out of soft hay made a resting place for her. He hung his lantern on the wall and then took up his place at the door so that nothing might disturb Mary. Suddenly the faint cry of an Infant told Joseph the moment had come. Mary had given him his God Whose face he so longed to behold. (meditate one minute)
    My God I thank Thee for St. Joseph's love of Our Blessed Lady. May I love her as St. Joseph did so that I may love her with his love. I also ask for...(mention your request)

Fourth visit is St. Joseph's love of the Holy Child
    Joseph beheld Mary on her knees adoring the Divine Child before her. St. Joseph falls down in adoration of the Son of God - He has two worshipers which for all times would be the exemplars for all men in adoration of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Lost in contemplation are these two souls so dear to God. They would have remained thus if God had not demanded that they should be the ones to show mankind the Holy Child.  Footsteps - the shepherds arrive.  Joseph and Mary know their duty - they must share their joys with their neighbor; love of God and love of neighbor shall ever go hand in hand.  St. Joseph, pray for us that our hearts may be filled with the love of the Divine Child and with love for out neighbor. (meditate one minute)
     My God I thank Thee for St. Joseph's love for the HOly Child. May I love Him as St. Joseph did so that I may love Him with Joseph's love.  I also ask for ...(mention your request)

Add to the end of the novena:
May the most Just, the most high, and the most amiable will of God be in all things fulfilled , praised and exalted now and forever. Amen.

A Day in the Life: Still Among the Living

You may have noticed that I've been on a bit of a hiatus for a few weeks. Summer will do that to you. I used to have this idea that I would have more free time in the summer but that misconception has been thoroughly dismissed from my mind at this point.

The last several weeks have been quite eventful. June of course brought the SJA PigFest weekend, as well as a beautiful retreat given by Fr. Frank Pavone of the Priests for Life. We were blessed to have Father as our retreat master for six days of silent reflection and rest. Keeping silence for a week is not always easy, but is always rewarding.

Earlier this month I attended a high school youth conference along with another of our Sisters. Ignite Your Torch has been part of my summer for almost a decade now, first as a youth participant and then as a Sister group leader. This year was a little different because we weren't able to stay for the full conference, but it's still always good to see familiar faces.

I'm hoping to get back to regular posting from here on out. Know that you are always in my thoughts and prayers!

News and Events: St Joseph Novena Day Eight

First visit St. Joseph's Fidelity to Grace
     Joseph's best was poor in the eyes of the world, so he had to see others pass by, much better provided for than he could give.  But what he had provided, what he had prepared was done out of love for Jesus and Mary and out of that love came cooperation with grace. (meditate one minute).
     My God, I thank Thee for St. Joseph's fidelity to grace.  I ask through his intercession for fidelity to grace and for....(mention your request.)

Second visit St. Joseph's Fidelity to the Interior Life
     Quietly and slowly Mary and Joseph covered the miles that lay between them and Bethlehem; at times they prayed together; again they meditated silently on the great mystery that was in the their midst.  Joseph through Mary grew in grace and his interior life was enhanced by his protection of God's treasures - Joseph was God's man. ( meditate one minute)
     My God, I thank Thee for St. Joseph's fidelity to the interior life.  I ask through his intercession for fidelity to the interior life and for ...( mention your request).

Third visit St. Joseph's love for our Blessed Lady
     Mary's mind and heart were filled with adoration for the precious burden tabernacled in her womb.  One look at Mary and Joseph was convinced that she was indeed the Handmaid of the Lord. Her submission to Joseph, her cheerfulness in the midst of hardship endeared her more and more to the heart of Joseph ( meditate one minute)
     My God I thank Thee for St. Joseph's love of Our Blessed Lady.  May I love her as St. Joseph did so that I may love her with his love.  I also ask for ...(mention your request)

Fourth visit St. Joseph's love of the Holy Child
     The journey was hard but Joseph who knew God's will for him found it a joy to suffer for Him Whose face he should soon behold.  Joseph's mind and heart were filled with love and adoration for this Divine Child, Son of Mary, Joseph's joy was of that of which this world knows nothing. (meditate one minute)
     My God, I thank Thee for St. Joseph's love for the Holy Child.  May I love Him as St. Joseph did so that I may love Him with Joseph's love.  I also ask for ( mention your request)

It is time for day 7 of the St. Joseph Novena.  Eventually you'll get the whole 9 days.

First Visit St. Joseph's Fidelity to Grace
     The decision was made, the Holy Spirit of God rested on Joseph who was such a perfect responder to the grace of God.  He had to figure out like any other man the best road to take, who to make the road comfortable for Mary, how to provide for along the way, etc. (meditate for one minute).
     My God, I thank Thee for St. Joseph's fidelity to grace.  I ask through his intercession for fidelity to grace and for ( mention your request)

Second visit St. Joseph's Fidelity to the Interior Life.
     St. Joseph was a man of prayer; he kept his soul in good order in God's grace. In the Bible we read that he was a Just Man and a just man seeks only God's will.  Grace then poured into his soul and he treasured the graces given. ( meditate one minute)
     My God, I thank Thee for St. Joseph's fidelity to the interior life.  I ask through his intercession for fidelity to the interior life and for ( mention your request)

Third visit St. Joseph's Love for Our Blessed Lady
     In his preparation for the journey St. Joseph thought most of Mary and the Divine Child yet unborn.  It is easy to understand that Joseph being a carpenter, would know how to provide an easy way for Mary to ride to Bethlehem town.  What joy it was for him to provide for her who was his Spouse and God's Mother.  ( meditate one minute)
     My God, I thank Thee for St. Joseph's love of Our Blessed Lady.  May I lover her as St. Joseph did so that I may love her with his love.  I also ask for  (mention your request)

Fourth visit St. Joseph's Love of the Holy Child 
     In all his preparations for the journey St. Joseph never lost sight of the fact that it was during this journey that he would see the face of his God.  With Jesus in mind he prepared - Jesus was his distraction constantly and what a beautiful distraction, and what a holy one. (meditate one minute)
     My God, I thank Thee for St. Joseph's love for the Holy Child.  May I love Him as St. Joseph did so that I may love Him with Joseph"s love. I also ask for ( mention your request)