Jesus, you love me so much that you took all of your love for me and the world and you put it on the cross. It took your sweat, your blood and your tears. Your pain was so intense. Your love cost you everything.
Now, you are asking me to take all of my love and join you on the cross. I’m afraid. I am not strong enough. Do I love you enough to follow you to the cross? Do I love others enough to sweat, bleed and cry for them? Can I tolerate this intense pain?
Help me to say “Yes”, Lord. Take my hand and lift me up onto the cross beside You. Help me to give all of myself, everything, for love.
Amen.
A beautiful reflection with which to face the day ahead...thank you Anne.
ReplyDeleteIf you ever can find one (at Adoration perhaps...I often see them in Chapels) there is a small pamphlet of Alphonsus Ligouri...a compilation of his messages to parents about raising children for Christ...it is awesome...although a bit daunting spiritually speaking for he stresses GREATLY OUR ACCOUNTABILITY for the young souls in our care. Very worthwhile reading if you can find it...mine is missing, but if it turns up I'll send it to you:) (I think I loaned it out to a friend)
Anne,
ReplyDeleteBoth Alphonsus Ligouri's as well as your own prayer are just beautiful.
Thank you for sharing this.
Thank you for sharing this with us.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful prayer of submission!! Thanks for sharing and posting! :) ♥x♥x
ReplyDeleteBless you, Anne. This prayer is beautiful! A prayer of abandonment to the Divine Will, my favorite kind. I hope you don't mind if I pray this with you. I need all the help I can get. Though my heart understands this need for crucifixion, my fallen nature doesn't always agree:)
ReplyDeleteThe prayer of another "great" (St. Augustine) always seems to me to fit when I'm confronted with the Gospel demand of Love you write about here. I'll paraphrase since I don't have the exact wording: 'Give what you command, Lord; then command what You will'. How important it is, I think, when we faced with this radical call to Love and discipleship, to deeply and profoundly know and acknowledge that we are utterly and completely (of our own ability and strength) to even begin to answer this call or to bring anything effective 'to the table', despite what might be our great love and desire. If the Lord does not guard the city, the watchmen watch in vain. Thank you, Anne, for reminding us of our true calling and destiny!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful prayer, Anne. Thank you so much for posting this.
ReplyDeleteI find myself needing to say this type of prayer so often when my own stubborn will wants to take over. Submission can be so hard sometimes.
ReplyDeleteI wholeheartedly seek to dwell in His presence every moment of every day.
ReplyDeleteI know that without Him, I am nothing.
If ever I presume to attempt life on my own, I pray the Lord awakens me to the folly of my action.
I know that I desperately need to surrender to Him who loves me.
With my mind, I know that it is the right thing, but with my heart I am pulled in the other direction.