Joann Nelander Studio

Child of the Cross

Posted by Be Holy on March 24, 2013

Posted in: Uncategorized. Tagged: Catholic Church, christianity, Cross, crucifixion, Crucifixion of Jesus, God, Jesu, Jesus Christ, Lord, Mary, Religion & Spirituality, savior. Leave a comment

Mother Mary,
Witness of the Passion,
Suffering witness,
Living the Passion,
As your Jesus
Hung on the Cross.

Pray, Mary.
Pray, My Mother,
Pray for me,
Who am so scattered,
Distracted and disengaged.

Pray every moment
Of my life here on earth,
That I be prepared for suffering,
That I be prepared for eternity.
That I find my Life
In the dying of Your Son,
My Lord.

Hold my hand, O Mother,
Every moment of everyday.
Pray for my yesterdays,
My today, and tomorrows.
Guide my feet to follow
In His steps.

As forbidden fruit
Appeals in its many disguises,
And occasions of evil spring-up,
Pull me out of harm’s way.
Steer me true, O Mother,

As my heart yearns for eternity
Let my glory be
As that of Jesus,
The Cross, the Crucifixion,
And the Dying.

May I live now,
Dying to Sin.
Witnessing at your side,
As Jesus beholds you.
He pronounces me your child.

I am a child
Of the Cross of Christ,
Which came to be
To ransom men.
I behold you, Mother Mary,
And you meet your Son in me.

Reign of God

Posted by Be Holy on March 23, 2013

Posted in: Uncategorized. Tagged: christianity, Church, God, Irresistible grace, Jesu, Jesus Christ, Lord, religion and spirituality. 2 Comments

Jesus, in Whom all came to be,
Be praised and adored.

You Who spoke forth Light and Life,
Command me as Lord.

Holy God, All Mighty,
Answer with efficacious grace.

Speak in the depths of my being,
To bring forth a new creation.

May all men turn to You,
And Your Church give witness

.You Who are all worthy,
May Your reign be honored in all the earth.

Passion

Posted by Be Holy on March 22, 2013

Posted in: Uncategorized. Tagged: abandonment, blood, Cross, Jesus, nails, pain, passion. Leave a comment

Bloody sweat,
Pillar and scourge,
Bloody body,
Crown of thorn,
Bloody head,
Bloody face,
Hammer and nails,
Cross,
Bloody hands
Bloody feet,
Pain upon pain,
Thirst and abandonment,
Death and sword,
Broken heart,
Pierced heart,
Blood and Water,
All that Blood,
Washing me.

©2013 Joann Nelander
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Thirsty For You- In Response to Pope Francis’ Exhortation

Posted by Be Holy on March 20, 2013

Posted in: Uncategorized. Tagged: Catholic, christianity, Easter, exhortation, God, Jesu, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Lent, poem, poetry, prayer, proclamation, Religion & Spirituality, springtime, Thirst. Leave a comment

Jesus,
Everyday, everyday, everyday,
Fall upon my tongue
As dew upon the obedient grass,
Which yields to Your Wind,
To be proclaimed anew.

Holy One,
Forever, forever, forever,
Go forth from my mouth,
As spring rains
To water the parched earth,
Thirsty for You.

I Was Irish Once

Posted by Be Holy on March 16, 2013

Posted in: Uncategorized. Tagged: Celtic, Ethnicity, Ireland, Irish, Irish American, Music of Ireland, New York City, Saint Patrick's Day. Leave a comment

I was Irish once:

I was Irish for brief moments,
As they danced on makeshift stage.
Three sisters donned in green and white,
With ribbons in curled hair.

I was Irish for brief moments,
As locks bounced to rhythms tapped,
By jigging, flying feet,
Flitting blithely through the air.

I was Irish for brief moments,
Of merriment sublime,
Happy, joyful leaping,
Knees high, and lifted, kicking.

I was Irish for brief moments
Minstrels played their magic tunes,
And young girls moved in rocking fashion
Erin’s reveries impassioned.

I was Irish for brief moments.
Sweetly skirted colleens,
Poised on pointed toes.
Sent hearts a-skipping, happy legs a-lifting,

I was Irish for brief moments,
As fairies with green ribbons
In coiffed and flaming hair,
Spun a golden space in memory’s place.

I was Irish for brief moments,
And see again in dreaming,
Gladsome spinning, hopping, prancing,
Three sisters on stage dancing.

Yes, I was Irish once.

Your Presence

Posted by Be Holy on March 15, 2013

Posted in: Uncategorized. Tagged: angelic beings, creation, gladness, glory, God's Presence, Love, Tears, weeping. Leave a comment

Your presence is all around me,
And Your glory shines forth
From even the smallest of Your creation.

If I were to feel Your effects all day long
I would live in tears,
Rejoicing with tearful gladness,
And weeping, conscious of my desert.

So I avert my gaze from these flowers of love
That I may carry on
Keeping my feet anchored on earth,
Though my soul would have me take flight
And keep company with the angels.

My spirit strains upward
As over and above all
I reach for You in humility of heart,
Worn out by Your mercies,
Never tiring in Your consolation.

Come Holy Spirit!
Make Your home in me
With customary gentleness.

Forever in Your Love

Posted by Be Holy on March 12, 2013

Posted in: Uncategorized. Tagged: baptism, Catholic, Christian, christianity, Cross, God, HolySpirit, Jesu, Joann Nelander, new man, poem, poetry, prayer, Religion & Spirituality, waters of baptism. Leave a comment

You are the sun
At the center of the Cross.
I have polluted the waters of my baptism,
And come again
To the foot of Your Cross.

As my prayer rises
From the dust of my fall,
Into the heaven,
Which is with You,
Stretch out Your arms eternally,
To embrace me yet again,

Bring me to Your Heart,
At the crossing
Of heaven and earth
To be transformed
By You,
And in You,
And through You,
Becoming new man,
A holy man.

Silenced for three days on earth,
That heart of Yours,
Beating now eternally,
Lives in me,
Who will live now
Forever in Your love.

I’m Doing the Best I Can

Posted by Be Holy on March 11, 2013

Posted in: Uncategorized. Tagged: God, God's love, health, HolySpirit, Jesu, Joann Nelander, peace, poem, poetry, rest. Leave a comment

I’m Doing the Best I Can Do

I say it so often,
“I am doing the best I can do.”
My heart breaks,
For I desire to do all for You,
Yet, I am full of myself,
And You seem silent.

I am still of the earth
And aspire to heaven.
I am so common,
Yet You call me “Beloved”,
And “Child of God”.

My end draws near,
As it does for all men.
Many count their days endless,
And take no account.
What of my end?
Do I please You,
Who number my days,
And promise endless life?

Abandonment draws me
To Your Heart.
Do everything for me,
And in peace
I shall rest in You,
Endless Love of countless days,
Receive me.

Holy Praise

Posted by Be Holy on March 10, 2013

Posted in: Uncategorized. Tagged: alleluia, Catholic, Christian, holy, poem, poetry, praise, prayer, thanksgiving. Leave a comment

Holy hands
Lifted in prayer,
Holy hearts
Wed to the Lord,
Alleluias raised,
As in thankfulness,
We sing Your praise.

Hide Me, Lord

Posted by Be Holy on March 10, 2013

Hide me, Lord
On the mountain
Of Your Love.
Place me in the cleft
Of the Rock.
Play for me
The music of silence.
Shelter me
From the storm and noise
Of the world.