November 9, 2007

Arise with Christ

Another day of life,

amid blessings and strife;

wres’ling my weakness

facing down fears

dragging through darkness;

though cast to the ground,

through Christ I arise.

Selfish dreams vanish

like mist in the wind;

timeclocks tick by

putting past hurts behind.

In suff’ring and death,

though friend betray friend,

with Christ we arise.

Fierce forces surround us;

dread demons descend,

trying to deceive us

and bring hope to an end.

But while God Himself

may seem “far away,”

yet we trust and we pray―

and we rise once again!

“Come rise now in me,

sweet Spirit of Christ!

Rise anew in my soul―

Take full control;

and bring us all home

to Thy Paradise! Amen.”

Br. Philip Maria Allen, CFR

Most Blessed Sacrament Friary, Newark, NJ

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