Catholic Meditations

Jesus, Merciful Heart of Love Unending

O Jesus,
O Divine Mercy,
You are the deep ocean of love
that longs to reach out and touch
the core of each and every soul,
transforming it
in the fire of your love,
until purged from the stain
of sin and darkness,
it becomes a child of your light.

O Sacred Heart of love unending,
You are he who shares all our pain,
and grief,
and horror
and sorrow,
longing to heal us,
to hide us in that heart of purest love,
until we become transformed
by the touch of love divine.

O Jesus,
May we who love you
be your hands
to touch others with your love,
may we who love you
be your voice
speaking the words of love
that touch the heart,
may we who love you
be your tools to fan the fire of your love
in the world around us.

Amen.

Susan E. Stone, 2004

Immaculata

Immaculata,
O pure one,
shaped by the fires
of God's love,
and refined the flame of loving God,
Mother of our Lord,
You who always told God yes,
no matter what the cost,
no matter what the pain,
no matter how deep the sorrow,
pray for us.

You who love us like the children we are,
lost and confused,
remember us
in this sad and painful world
where the darkness roars
as if to swallow us all up
as if it could extinguish the light
that your Son gave us
like it tried that sad and glorious day
at Golgotha,
inticing with pleasure that leads to death,
enraging with anger that leads to blood,
and yet,
there you are,
calm and loving in the midst
of this storm,
calling us home.

Never was it known
that any who turned to your intercession
was left unaided.
I pray to you then
to intercede for us
now that the darkness looks so deep,
to give us the strength to be followers of your Son,
that we will hear his voice
and walk in his ways,
glad to follow no matter what the cost,
this day and always,
Amen.

Susan E. Stone, 2oo4

Lord,
There is darkness all around -
You are our light!

Lord,
the storm winds buffet us and roar -
You are our safe harbor!

Lord,
The enemy surrounds us -
You are our strong fortress!

No hands are safer than your hands,
no hands more loving,
no hands more willing to rescue.

When darkness seems so deep,
and pain so overwhelming,
and fear and frustration burn our hearts,
let us remember always
the reality of your presence,
the consistancy of your care,
the depths of your faithfulness,
the limitless ocean of your mercy,
and how much you long to welcome us home.


Susan E. Stone, 2004

O Lord,
St. Therese said once,
that you have no hands on here on earth
but our hands,
and yet today,
my hands seem so frail,
and feeble,
and unable to do.
Strengthen these hands
with your strength,
to make them hands of blessing,
hands of healing,
hands that build,
hands that love,
hands that sacrifice,
hands that pray.
In your hands, Lord,
let my hands do what you will,
today, and always,
Amen.

Susan E. Stone, 2004

Mary, Help of Christians

O Mary, Help of Christians,
You who are there
to hear our cries,
You who work so hard
to bring us home to your son,
covering us with your mantle
through the storms of life,
Immaculate,
pure,
yet willing to hear our cries.
we, who turn to you sinful, sorrowful,
in such need of help,
and are never turned away.
Thank you, Mother,
for always saying yes to God,
for being willing to love us,
for being willing to be there in our need,
for interceding for us with your son,
for being our mother.
Hail Mary, full of grace,
blessed are you among women,
blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.
Ave!

Susan E. Stone, 2004