Friday, December 19, 2008

Thanksgiving after Vailankanni trip

I've just returned, with my father from a pilgrimage to the shrine of Our Lady of Health, Vailankanni, Tamil Nadu. With deep gratitude, I thank Mary, Blessed Mother from my heart, for Her intercession for me, for my safety during the trip; and for living a holy life. The past couple of days have been a blessing, and I'm deeply grateful that I could spend them with a prayerful and penitential heart. Despite all the noise and bustle, these were excellent days for reflection due to the long hours away from the daily grind. I thank my Guardian Angel for his protection, and the Holy Spirit for His inspiration and courage, and the gifts He bestowed on me to make this trip spiritually enriching. I am awestruck to know how our Blessed Lord allows himself to be a little infant. He is present as an infant in the apparitions at Vailankanni, drinking milk offered by the poor boy. I thank Him for His great Sacrifice for the expiation of my sins. I thank the Eternal Father for His great love in sending us His Son to die for us. Glory be His name. I thank our Blessed Mother for her fiat, her "Yes" to God's will in Her life.

Saturday, December 13, 2008

Hail King of Glory

Here's a poem of thanksgiving to Jesus I wrote during the Christmas of 2008:

The Holy King of all creation,
Leaving the halls of unspeakable glory,
With a heart of unspeakable goodness,
Comes to be born among us.

The High King, great and glorious,
What shall I play for Him?
The angels sing and glorify Him,
They blow trumpets in His royal courts.

He comes bringing great treasure.
A treasure that is not diminished by sharing.
The treasure of His golden heart.
The Master, humble and meek.

What sweetness awaits those who buy
From Him the unspeakable treasures,
The riches He has to offer,
Worth exchanging everything I possess.

Jesus is the King of Love,
For He sacrificed all for me.
How great my joy to sing,
To thank and praise Him unceasingly.

You, Lord are my greatest encourager.
Your words gladden my heart.
With pure unbounded joy,
A blessing in time of drought.

You that bled and died for me,
Who shed Your last drop of blood,
A most pure and holy blood
A price like no other.

For me, a sinner with bleak future,
Crushed by the sorrow I deserve for my sin.
You paid my price in full, my Saviour!
And rescued me from the jaws of death.

For the wages of sin is death,
But You, Innocent, suffered for me.
Can I not bear Your standard, my King!
Can I not fight the good fight today!

Hail King of glory exalted above,
Praised and blessed who gave me Your Mother,
To be Mother for me and for all,
Hail King of immeasurable greatness!