How sweet and awful is the place

Don't waste your life Lecrae

tell the world

It is written

Peter O'Brien  


It Is Written
"You shall worship the Lord, Your God, and Him alone
shall you serve." Luke 4:8
Father,
Scribe
On my soul
Your Word --
The alphabet for my words.
Lift
The grey heavy blanket
Hiding my soul, then
I will light the long candle --
The ever-burning flame of praise.
Not in whispers, but 
With a praise large and sturdy
Will this tireless traveler
Join with Your angels in worship -
"Holy, holy, holy, lord God."
Let not my praise be taxidermal, one
That appears alive and real, but
Is cold and stiff,
Wooden inside.
Father,
I pray:
That my worship
Spread beyond my soul's house,
Go into the world and
Serve as Your servant --
The Great Christian paradox:
In slavery to You, I am free.

Rest

           Rest

There is on this earth
A marvelous Tree.
Its root, O mystery!
Is in Heaven...

In its shade
Never could anything
      cause pain.
One can rest there
Without fearing the storm.

Love is the name
Of this ineffable Tree,
And its delectable fruit
Is called Abandonment.

Even in this life this fruit
Gives me happiness.
My soul delights
In its divine fragrance.

When I touch this fruit,
It seems a treasure.
Putting it to my mouth,
It is sweeter still.

It gives me in this world
An ocean of peace.
In this deep peace
I rest forever.....

by St. Therese of Lisieux

Secularism

by Peter O'Brien  (found on Awestruck)

SECULARISM
"Serve the Lord with awe, and rejoice before Him with trembling,
Bow down in homage, lest He become angry and you perish from
The Way." Psalm 2:11
Father,
Secularism?
The world's clam shell
Slammed tight
Around a suffocating world.
Secularism?
Homage to "Man,
Not as Your Craft, Your Mirror, Father, 
But the world's height,
The castle's tenant, the dream's center.
Secularism?
Homage to "Science,"
Not as the eye to see Your Canvas, Father,
But the only eye, for all else is
The tyrany of superstition and projection..
Secularism?
Homage to the "I,"
Not as part of Your "we," Father, 
But the only wreath worthy of wear, the crown,
The "I" who walks with pomp through the crowd.
Secularism?
Homage to "Non-Belief,"
Not as a spark for search, Father, 
But the only "adult" realm,
The land without crutch,
But one of militancy.
Secularism?
Homage to "Reason,'
Not as Your gift, Father, 
But the only ship,
The "smart" ship for the journey, for
Faith is a paper boat.
Secularism?
Homage to "Consuming,"
Not as share, Father, 
But the only engine of joy --
Buy, buy, buy,
Must have, must have, must have.
Secularism?
Homage to "Success,"
Not as fulfilling Your gifts, Father, 
But the ONLY river road to self-esteem,
Even if wide-wasting and confining.
Father,
Unshell our world,
Open it with young eyes
To the dignity of homage,
Not to man. nor science,
Nor "I," nor non-belief,
Nor consuming, nor success,
For they lead to ashes, but
To You Father, who leads us
To Freedom --Jesus, the Gentle Emancipator.

Farewell

by Peter O'Brien

FAREWELL "...Every one of you who does not renounce his possession,
can not be my disciple." Luke 14:33
Father,
Farewell
To my old ways, my old days,
To yesterday's yearn and itch, now
I walk as a pupil to the Joy-Maker -- Jesus.
Farewell
To those memories,
Forged in sin's fire,
Burning down all stairways to You, now
I walk as a pupil to the Cheer-Maker -- Jesus.
Farewell
To those spells,
Caging and chaining my soul, now
I walk as a pupil to the Smile-Maker -- Jesus.
Father,
Jesus, the Key-Maker,
Unlocked the home of grace
Through the blooded iron of the Cross,
Let me be rich with it, so to be
Your Son's apprentice.

alive

AWAKE my soul

whom shall I fear