Today I Pick It Back Up

 

Readings 091526

Memorial Our Lady  of Sorrows

During this quiet stretch of the day,  

I confess my own hesitation,  

my laziness,  

my habit of setting down the very prayer  

that would steady my heart.

I pray the Chaplet of Our Lady of Sorrows in Lent,  

but the rest of the year I drift.  

I pick up that Seven Sorrows rosary,  

realize it’s not the one I meant to grab,  

and I put it right back down.  

And Lord, I don’t pick it up again.

But today…  

today I will.

Because Mary’s heart was pierced  

by seven swords,  

and each one carries a grace  

for the weary, the distracted,  

the ones who start and stop  

and start again.

Her sorrow in Simeon’s prophecy.  

Her sorrow in the flight to Egypt.  

Her sorrow in losing Jesus for three days.  

Her sorrow meeting Him on the road to Calvary.  

Her sorrow at the cross.  

Her sorrow holding Him in her arms.  

Her sorrow at His burial.

And still—she stayed.  

She stood.  

She loved.

So Lord, let me pick up this rosary today  

not out of guilt,  

but out of love.  

Let me walk with Mary  

through every sorrow she carried,  

and let her steady my steps  

as I carry my own.

And may that sword‑pierced heart  

teach mine to be faithful—  

even if all I can offer today  

is simply picking it back up.

Prayer

Mother of Sorrows,  

Steady my wandering heart.  

Let each sword 

that pierced your soul  

shape my love for Jesus 

more deeply.

Amen

Lift High the Cross

 

Readings 091426

Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross.

In my 65 years,

I’ve seen a lot of preaching.  

One television evangelist—

charismatic, bold—

who preached the message of the cross. 

But, the cross he preached was empty.

For Catholics, 

the cross is never empty.  

It is the body of Christ 

lifted high.

For God so loved the world

He gave His only Son.  

Not to condemn… 

but to save.  

To heal.  

To draw every heart 

back into the Father’s mercy.  

We adore you, O Christ, 

and we bless you. 

By you holy cross 

you have redeemed the world.

And because of this, 

the Father exalted Him—  

gave Him the Name above every name—  

so that at the Name of Jesus 

every knee bends,  

every tongue confesses,  

every heart remembers:  

Jesus Christ is Lord.

Lift your eyes to the crucifix.  

That is where eternal life begins—  

in believing the One 

who hung upon it.  

Prayer

We adore you, O Christ, 

and we bless you. 

By you holy cross 

you have redeemed the world.

Crucified Lord, 

Hold my heart close to Your mercy.  

Remind me of the price of my redemption.  

Keep me faithful beneath the Cross.  

Teach my soul to bend in adoration.  

Amen