Praise in All Things

Let us praise the Lord our God!
Let us sing joyful songs and praise him!
Praise him with wonder for his love,
praise him in all circumstances!

When your friends are close, rejoice and give praise,
for by them God shows his love.
When they are distant, rejoice and give praise,
for in our solitude God is there.

When you are loved, rejoice and give praise,
for God is a giver of beautiful gifts.
When you are despised, rejoice and give praise,
for you follow the footsteps of your Savior.

When you are at peace, rejoice and give praise,
the Holy Spirit dwells in your heart.
When you are troubled in soul, rejoice and give praise,
it is in times of trial that God carries us.

When you are protected, rejoice and give praise,
for God's love has preserved you.
When you are tempted, rejoice and give praise,
His power is made perfect in weakness.

When you are joyful, rejoice and give praise,
the Lord has touched you with his boundless joy.
When you are suffering, rejoice and give praise,
for He has let you share His cross.

When you are consoled, rejoice and give praise,
the Lord shares His Spirit with you.
When you are desolate, rejoice and give praise,
for He urges you in growth towards Him.

In all things, my brethren, let us praise the Lord!
Let us sing the praise of our mighty God!
For all things he has ordered for our good,
his actions are all just and praiseworthy!

There is a King

What is a king with no crown,
or one who has no throne?

What is a king with no scepter in his hands,
with royal cloth upon his back?

What king has no palace,
or armies to follow him to war?

What king has no treasure stored,
and fanfare for his arrival?

There is a King who had no crown but thorns,
his throne a wooden cross.

There is a King who's hands
held nails instead of scepter.

There is a King who's royal cloth
were scourge marks on his back.

There is a King who was thrown from his city,
who had no army, for his followers abandoned him.

There is a King who had no treasure.
What he did have was divided.

There is a king who's fanfare
was the jeering of his executioners.

This King died a death unfit for any king.
Yet since he died he won his kingdom.

Prayer of the Penitent

Lord, behold one before you deserving of death,

a wretched, sinful man.

No right have I to stand before you,

I, who have transgressed your laws.

Behold, oh Lord, I stand before you guilty.

My hands are stained with blood,

blood guilt lies upon my soul.

I have no defense, for the charges against me are true.

No recompense could I offer for my misdeeds.

There is no earthly sum great enough for my sins.

They have drowned me in a sea of agony,

and choked me in black despair.

I weep when I consider what I have done,

how your once faithful servant has failed you.

Truly for my deeds I deserve death

and you, my King, would be just in condemning me.

Yet my deeds will not end in tears or death,

my debt has already been paid, and God forgives.

He forgoes his great and just wrath for his name's sake,

for the sake of his Son who paid my debt.

Because of your sacrifice I find hope in despair.

I cast myself before you, that you might take me back.

Instill in me a spirit of resolve and love,

that I might serve you with loyal heart and soul.

May my tears oh God turn me to you.

In my despair and sorrow may I reach out in hope to your love.

I fall before you a sinner, seeking your forgiveness.

Let me once again sing joyfully in your service.

Swords Around the Cross

Come marshall now, my brothers!

Gather swords around the cross,

where we shall count as dearest gain,

what the world would count as loss!

For dark indeed's the hour,

when Christ's let sound his horn.

Warriors of Love, haste to his side!

For this purpose we were born!

Armies of hate have gathered,

and hold the world enslaved.

Led by generals none could hope to face,

dark, fey and depraved!

The world sends these baying wolves,

loosed on the cross like wraiths.

Yet these none could never best,

We shall conquer by faith!

For though our time appeareth night,

I say to you, tis dawn!

For our King rose from death to lead,

in fight gainst demon spawn!

Join now this crusade of virtue

to protect the weak and least,

to counter the lies of this savage world,

that tells us man's a beast.

And though we fall, my brothers,

and make the last sacrifice,

What seems as loss is victory,

for the Lord sustains our life!

Now unsheathe thy arms, my brothers!

Fear not thy death or loss!

Sing the song of joyous battle!

Charge now, for God and Cross!

The Flame Within

Burning, Burning, Burning,
Ah, this flame is burning!
Bright it burns within my heart,
zeal and courage it does impart.
So intense it causes pain.
To live is Christ, to die is gain.
Ah, how this flame is burning!

Blazing, brightly blazing.
God how my soul is blazing!
Such love is too much to contain.
My joyful cries I cannot restrain.
More bright than king in gold attire
does burn my spirit with your fire.
God, how can I stand this blazing?

Consuming, so consuming.
God, this flame's my soul consuming!
Burns away all sin and vice,
devouring me like a sacrifice.
Oh flame that dwells within my core,
consume me til there's nothing more,
but you, oh flame of love, consuming!

Transforming, all transforming.
Christ, in your fire I'm transforming!
Like an offering that is burnt away,
may I burn a little more each day,
and offered share this burning love,
that appeared like fire tongues and Spirit dove.
May I share my soul's transforming!

Let Go

from a time in prayer

Let go of everything but me.
Cling only to my Spirit.

Let go of fear, of all anxious worry.
My Spirit will fill you with courage and trust.
Let go of hatred, all resentful grudges.
My Spirit will fill you with love and forgiveness.
Let go of pride, foolish self attachment.
My Spirit will fill you with humility and sacrifice.
Let go of doubt and lingering uncertainty.
My Spirit will fill you with lasting faith.
Let go of tears and sorrows remembered.
My Spirit will fill you with unbridled joy.
Let go of timidity with it's hesitant steps.
My Spirit will fill you with zeal and passion.

Only by letting go will you find,
in emptying will you fill,
in giving you will receive,
in dying you shall live.

Behold, when you forget yourself you will remember me,
and I shall not forget you.
I will fill you with my Spirit.
Your weakness is no match for my strength.
Turn over all to me and I will cast out all that hinders you,
all that has caused you to weep bitter tears of anguish.

Yet I warn you, nothing must be kept back.
If you fully desire my Spirit, then you must fully give all that you are.
But I tell you, do not be afraid.
For when you fully give yourself,
fully empty, fully lose,
you will become, fully, the person you were meant to be.

Prepare For Battle

My brethren, steel thyselves against temptation
I say unto you, the battle is before us.
Truly our doom is at hand.
Therefore, gird on helm and breastplate, sword and shield.
Prepare yourself for battle long and arduous.

Indeed, our enemy is at hand.
A tireless general who never sleeps, never tires,
with legions like him at his command.
Their thirst for blood cannot be quenched, cannot be slaked.
They will not rest until we fall.

Therefore oh lovers of truth and beauty,
those of you who defy the armies of hate,
shore up your defenses, make firm thy walls.
For the time is upon us when they shall be tested in the fires of war,
for the enemy marches upon us. He is at our gates.

Prepare your defenses with fiery hearts,
for not all hope is lost, nor are we forsaken.
Our commander will not desert us, but will lead us to victory.
In him let us put our faith.
Before him the craven hordes of the enemy fly,
at the sound of his horn they quake with fear.

Woe to them who call not to our King,
who in pride or foolishness follow him not in the coming battle.
Surely they will fall like sheep to wolves.
The faint hearted will not endure this time of trial,
but will wither like ash before the onslaught.

But those who trust our King with zeal and courage,
they will surely be victorious, he will lead them.
In the coming battles and trials he will triumph,
Leading his followers out of darkness to a new dawn.
He will plant his banner of victory on the field of battle.

Hands

In hands lie powers great and true,
to help or hurt, to make things new.
In hands the power to give or take,
to love, to harm, create or break.
Spread wealth to others, gather to you.

It was hands that rained the blows,
on pure man's back and tore his clothes.
Hands on the end of arms spread wide,
when on a cross in love he died.
With open hands his love he showed.

And when he rose again on high,
returning homeward to the sky,
a mission he gave to be his hands,
to heal and serve in all the lands.
His powers in our own hands lie.

To our human hands power he gives
for good or evil, while we live.
Within each man does dwell the choice,
on how his hands will speak their voice,
using them to condemn or to forgive.

Hands we can open in embrace,
hands wipe the tears from saddened face.
Hands given to another in act of love,
that takes the form of purest dove,
and shows to us his special grace.

Tis hands that raise the gifts on high,
where blood and body hidden lie.
Hands are laid upon the head,
recall the spirit from the dead,
and bring new life like morning sky.

Yet our hands can bring also pain,
power to destroy the crop and scatter grain.
With hands we can be agents of hate,
destroying good others create.
Hand are given to the evil and insane.

Decide then how your hands will be used,
for at life's end we do not draw, but only win or lose.
Victory's determined in part by hands.
Were they used to love or meet selfish demands?
Your hands will tell your life's story, so choose.

Adoring

during Eucharistic Adoration

Behold our God, disguised as bread.
Tis Christ our Lord, who once was dead,
Whose heart was pierced, who suffered, died,
with crown of thorns upon his head.

Creator of both earth and storm,
abides with us in hidden form.
For love's sake he remains with us,
oh let our hearts to his conform.

In this hour he whispers "watch with me"
and in this time, Lord, help us see,
what appears as piece of lowly bread
in truth our God in majesty.

What appears as simple grain
endured with love our bitter pain.
He loved us utmost to the end,
and showered us with grace like rain.

In this hour he offers rest,
respite from fears, life's trying test.
Come give him both your fears and joys,
come lay your head upon his breast.

Oh dearest friends let us adore,
the King of Heaven evermore.
Sit with him and adoring watch,
his love shall pierce us to the core.