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Morning Reflections
Fifth Sunday of Lent | March 17, 2024 This gospel reflection is based on John 12:20-33.
Leaving Soon
Deacon Andy Cirmo
Men from places so far away Have come to seek and find They wonder as we do about him Of what sort of man is his kind
Yet Jesua speaks now of wheat Of how it dies to bring life What meaning for us is this Our fear for him brings strife
This speaking of death disturbs As we do not want this to hear Oh, could he be telling us now That his fate is coming near
How does loss become gain We know not and fear to follow As we strive to always serve him What will come we will allow
Yet even he is troubled today As he speaks sadly of leaving For what purpose we all wonder And can’t keep from our grieving
He foretells of a time to come When he will join Father as One When his life with us here will end And we’ll know when it’s begun
As a thunderous voice calls us Our faces wrinkle in fear Jesua speaks of ending and judgment Could it be that his time is near
Oh that we be lifted up with him On that day soon to come To be together forever in paradise Finally to be with him the One
Dear Jesus be with us Leave not us left behind We long to be with you forever With the Father and Spirit of love We pray that we may be with you In your heavenly home That in this lonely place from you We no longer have to roam
Third Sunday of Lent | March 3, 2024 This gospel reflection is based on John 2:13-25.
By What Authority
Deacon Andy Cirmo
We had been to the Temple often Yet this day was not alike the others I remember this event so clearly In my mind and heart as do my brothers
Often we had been to God’s house To worship and to humbly pray As Jesua taught and all did listen And as they would again today
We followed behind him as he went in Watching and listening as we would As Jesua paused, listened, then entered Staying as close yet distant as we could
As the crowd now followed him in Yet now we heard the cries of men As he entered the outer court For it was he who caused all the din
Hiding ourselves as he yelled out “Not in my Fathers’ house” To the changers and merchants inside Surely this melee the guards would arouse
Priests called out challenging his authority As we hid ourselves in the outer hall Yelling about the temple and three days Loudly his Father’s name he would call
Rebuild the temple in three days! How can any man do such things? It’s shocking that no one touched him I wonder in fear what the future brings
We followed him closer after this Taking courage from his holy strength As people came to hear him and see Many to be healed went to great length
We didn’t understand what he said On that fateful and changing day Yet now we believe he has revealed The truth of his life and his way
For what has been written Has now been fulfilled today That his Father’s House is his Body In life and Death and Resurrection Raised again on the third day
Dear Jesus, help me to really hear Help me to clearly see Your truth and your guiding light Not letting anything get in the way As I follow and witness to you I know that you are the fulfillment Of all of God’s love for us Help me to always trust in your love Not letting anything get in the way
Second Sunday of Lent | February 25, 2024 This gospel reflection is based on Mark 9:2-10.
Changed
Deacon Andy Cirmo
We climbed behind Jesua Beyond our fear on a path so high Scaling the many rocks and crags Leading steadily up toward the sky
High over rocks and edging cliffs Until we no longer felt our feet Bodies aching from the climb Up, away from the desert heat
He asked us to come and follow I know not the reason why Yet we move behind as he climbs Up and up toward the cloudy sky
Finally rested and cooled by the cloud We behold a sight not to be seen And hide our eyes from the glow What message could this all mean
Just now the holy prophets appear Oh, this is where I want to stay As Jesua now shines like the sun Falling in humble fear we look away
For the holy voice we now hear Is one not meant for our ears It is one which clarifies it all Abating our growing fears
Now the world I must tell of this Of this moment of Jesua’s glory It’s revelation has changed us all It’s truthful reality now beyond a story
Yet now he tells us he needs silence About this amazing time and place And who we have heard and we’ve seen But how? Now that we’ve seen his face
Dear Jesus, Help me climb my life’s mountain That I too may be transformed By your loving, strengthening grace That I may return to my life humbled Healed and enlightened by your love That now transformed I may live my life Extolling your glory in my humble place
Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time | February 11, 2024 This gospel reflection is based on Mark 1:40-45.
Heal Me Lord
Deacon Andy Cirmo
It had been three years Of pain and separation and fear My affliction has consumed me As I cowered in dread and fear
My life now is with the dying As time and affliction destroy me All my senses are dull and I thirst As now I can no longer even see
I could only recall the feeling The warmth and touch of a hand Reaching out to connect and hold To say without words “I understand”
My wounds grow worse every day As this curse devours my being All senses are dulled by the pain Relief is now beyond my seeing
In despair I crawl like an animal To the mouth of my dark cave Where some food I hope is there Is my life is not worthy to save?
I praying to God for healing Then that he would take me And end this tormenting life Of watching death consume me
Day after day praying over the moans Of those with me in this dying place Where people throw food and water Across a large expanse of space
Yet now comes this man Who comes near without fear To this place of death and despair Yet boldly he alone comes near
Coming where no one dares He looks with pity upon my heart Our hear him come and feel only love And pull back to remain apart
Yet He says now some simple words “Be Made Clean” I hear As the cloths fall from my hands Seeing again I tremble in fear
For I can now see my healed hands And feel my arms and legs again Oh joy as I touch my healed face I can even now stand again
He has saved me, this prophet By his power I have been healed My ears are whole as I hear My eyes opened as I see and feel
Oh God my heart soars today By Your power I am clean And I want to tell the world With the Son of David I have been
Yet he tells me not to reveal Other than to the priests But I can not myself restrain From telling the great and the least
I am filled with unbounded joy And cannot this thing withhold He has healed me who was lost I was broken yet now am whole
Dear Jesus great healer of souls Cure my heart from things that bind Release me from my heavy burdens For with love you have healed us all
Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time | February 4, 2024 This gospel reflection is based on Mark 1:29-39.
I've Heard, Now I Speak
Deacon Andy Cirmo
A crowd has begun to gather As they have all heard from others This Jesua, the One from Nazareth Who has taught at our synagogue Is at the house of the two brothers
For to us, from the Word he spoke With authority like none other Of our teachings and beyond Of truth and power and goodness Which in the air seemed to hover
His words soared, filling our hearts As he stood here among us all And spoke truly brother to brother But with teaching like holy fire Of the rise and of the fall
In Simon’s just now house a miracle He has brought health to a mother Who was slowly passing away Now with energy she serves us And with her love does all now cover
Joyfully, after so long, I speak again For I too have been healed of fear I will now cry out his name For all to hear of his power For Jesua, Son of David, is here
Many have come to see and hear This teacher, this prophet, who will heal Bringing their loved ones in need To be cured with only his Word And this Man’s holy power to feel
Oh how I wish I could stay with him He has left us, just how we do not know With marvel, we return to our homes As Simon and Andrew now search Desiring to go where he will go
Dear Jesus, I so do believe That you are the One, the Son And in your healing power From you may I never roam I see and hear your word For now I know it is your hour That in you I find my true home
Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time | January 28, 2024 This gospel reflection is based on Mark 1:21-28.
Who Is This?
Deacon Andy Cirmo
Life in Capernaum changed The day that Jesua came We had heard of his power But never any of his words Now we’ll never be the same
As he entered all looked on To see this teacher and hear And as he took his seat All awaited for him to speak With expectant joy, and hidden tear
With his voice piercing our hearts He spoke from the scroll With a sacred tone never heard In ways of knowledge and will And touched our very soul
Even the one afflicted was there And he cried out in piercing shout With a voice of many inside “Why are you here Jesua” “Are you here to drive us out”
As with one voice they cried aloud And with foul intention to shout “I know who you are!” “You. The Holy One of God” “Have you come to cast us out?”
All breath seemed to leave the room As Jesus lifted hand as if to guide “Quiet! Come out of him” “By what authority?” we all thought As the man quietly sat and cried
What marvel is this we thought By what power does this man heal What wonder have we all just seen None such power in all Israel Words cannot explain how we feel
He who comes from God to save Could this Jesua be the One For Whom we have awaited so long We’ve long cried out to the Father to send Has the Son of David finally come
Dear Jesus speak to me I long for your voice to hear I too have much to give up And cry out for your love Heal me, free me from fear
Third Sunday in Ordinary Time | January 21, 2024 This gospel reflection is based on Mark 1:14-20.
Who Is This I Follow
Deacon Andy Cirmo
We had fished all night And at daybreak returned With a good catch for one day Tired and hungry we worked To receive what we earned
Tired and hungry we were When this Jesua came near Saying: ”Come follow me” “Fishers of Men” What is this which we hear
We had heard of this Holy man This teacher we did not know This preacher, or prophet From and to where Would this lead us to go
But something inside Which I never before did feel Told me this was so right To listen to this call That this call was truly real
And what of house and boat What of family and friend To where and for how long How will we now provide How will all this end?
Yet Simon and I are ready For this man could be the One But why us and why now As he says: “Come and see” A new journey has begun
Confused we ask ourselves To where and for how long? How will we live and provide”? So many questions and yet My brother and I rise and walk along
This call is like no other We feel compelled and go We feel pulled by his word We sense a longing to hear Yet leave all behind to do so
Yet not concerned for our own We worry not for ones we love As somehow we know They will be safe and secure Their care will be from above
Yet still why us we wonder Why here and why now And why so urgent a call But still we will follow Returning we know not when or how
For his words sing in our ears Like rich honey to hear Filling us with hope and joy As our hearts seem to burn Longing for more without fear
Yes, we brothers will follow For something wonderful has begun The sweet power of his words To be in his holy presence This Jesua, he may be the One
Is he the long awaited The Son of David, and Man Of whom prophets foretold Of whom teachers have taught Who will lead us to the promised land
Dear Jesus, help me to follow Leaving all earthly things behind To listen and hear what is true To see the fulfillment of promise And to live totally in you
Second Sunday in Ordinary Time | January 14, 2024 This gospel reflection is based on John 1:35-42.
We Will Follow
Deacon Andy Cirmo
For years we have longed We have read much and prayed And even now follow this Baptist Is he the One we seek And we wonder much today
We have left our older brothers to fish So that we could listen to this man He calls us to repent at the river As many come to see and hear Is this John the One of I am?
Yet now this John humbles himself And points to a Nazorean Who has come This man has Himself come to the river And has gone to its depths to arise John says he's not worthy of this One
John calls him the Lamb of God Of this meaning we do not know And so humbling himself before him We are called somehow to follow With this man we must now go
At a distance behind we now follow To where we do not know But somehow this Man knows us To where and how we know not Yet with him we feel we must go
Calling us to his side he asks “Brothers, for what do you seek?” By his face we sensed he knew That he knew we would follow At his voice our knees felt weak
“Rabbi where are you staying” “Come and See," he'd simply say And there we listened to him for hours Marveling at his gentle wisdom And at all the truth he had to say
At his words our hearts did soar Is he the One we’ve waited for Is he the One who John foretold Is he the One from the Father For at his bold words our hearts soar
I leave young John to tell my older brother He says here with Jesua is where he will be Simon must know, I must bring him here As I run to the shore to call him out My brother runs forth at my call to see
Leave your nets, hooks and rope behind “I have found the Messiah” I call As Simon now rushes along with me Jesua awaits us at his holy place As peace comes across Jesua’s face
Jesua speaks as if he knew us all before As he talks, oh the things we hear Our hearts are lifted up with joy As he speaks of his Father and love We leave all behind without fear
Where and how to go we know not It is right to be here with him we know Our hearts burn as his voice fills us We know not to where and how long But with him we must always follow
Jesua has named my brother “Petra” A rock upon which he will build as so Of this I am not surprised to hear As his strength of will is well known And along with him we will surely go
Dear Jesus, To where and for how long I know not Yet that thought has past and I am here I long to hear every word from you From here to where I do not know
But I follow in trust and love without fear