Pray and reflect with Father Joseph Veneroso’s poems and prayers, and inspiring photos from around the world.
By Joseph R. Veneroso, M.M. Our going forth in mission is notTo form, much less build, a church.Rather, our coming together in faithIs to inspire, enable and encourageOne another to go back out into the world,Stepping through the door of each chapel,Shrine, cathedral or basilica toReflect the light of love enkindled therein To share the flame of truth so that peopleWeary of the cold indifference of a societyHostile to the plight of the poor, and waryOf our best intentions, might recognizeIn offers of forgiveness, mercy and peaceA joy beyond the reach of human laborAnd feel inexplicably drawn to come warmThemselves in prayer and community Come, wash in the waters of God’s graceAnd do not let your past or even presentPrevent you from gently dying to old waysAnd habits no longer wanted, needed orIgnored but rather transformed in ChristMay all your wounds become for othersOverflowing fonts of spiritual healing andThe source and summit of our communion. For Christ did not come to earth to beConf ined in tabernacles of gold butTo make his eternal dwelling placeAmong us, that he might ever walk with usAlong life’s Way, turning our exileInto a prayerful pilgrimage of hopeReconsecrating our reborn worldFrom broken shrine into heaven’s…
By Joseph R. Veneroso, M.M. Not from on high, looking down onSome restless, nameless crowdBut rather standing on level groundWhere all are equal, no one higherNor lower than the next,Jesus, neither richer nor poorerThan every woman and every man,Flings like two-edged swords his wordsTo comfort the afflicted andAfflict the comfortable. Turning the world upside down or ratherTurning an upside-down world arightHe names the cursed poor blessedAnd the blessed rich accursedAt once shattering the apathyOf the well-to-do and filling with hopeThe despondent dreams of the destitute.Likewise, he warns us now overfedThat days of hunger will surely comeAnd all who now yearn to eat their fillWill have their longing satisfied. Laughter to tears, tears to joyLuke hammers home the Gospel truthThat whether we have much or go withoutOur situation will always changeBy the waves of time and circumstanceThat we must rely no longer on our wealthStatus, privilege, station or lack thereofBut rather solely on the One who aloneForever remains savior to all, andRecognize in everyone we meetThat there but for the grace of God go I.
By Joseph R. Veneroso, M.M. Open wide the doors of graceLet every saint and sinner in.Welcome every tribe and raceTo help each person seek the faceOf God who ever dwells therein. Open wide the doors of faithTo all who wander in the darkWhere guided by a heavenly sparkThey may find courage for the fightThat conquers even death’s dread night. Open wide the doors of peaceWhere violence and war prevailThough mercy and forgiveness failMay all thoughts of vengeance ceaseGod’s reign on earth at last to hail.Open wide the doors of truthFree all those bound by clever lies:The aged, the grown, the child, the youthAnd may true freedom be the prizeFull human life to realize. Open wide the doors of hope,Come all burdened with despair.Fear not to light a candle whereDarkness deepens all the moreWalk bravely through the open door!
By Joseph R. Veneroso, M.M. On a city street of asphalt and concretewhere last winter’s ice cracks a stubborn sidewalk,a defiant dandelion takes root and proudlyPuts forth its floral sunburst. A young couple prays test results will confirmIf this time the Lord will at last bless them with new lifeEven as a world away another couple awaits wordAn orphaned child will soon make them a family. With each interminable hour and passing dayPrisoners and hostages alike long for newsTheir detainment is at an end and theirLong-awaited deliverance is at hand. With aching joints and weakened legs and a heartBroken by loss of too many loved ones over the yearsAn elder reverently plants a delicate saplingunder whose shade future generations will rest. War-weary relatives bid a reluctant farewellAs their young flee certain death for refugeIn a land that once welcomed such as they,Trusting in a God known for liberation. Hope thus infuses every moment of every dayWith a vision of a far, far better worldTransforming the most mundane into a holy shrineCompelling us to take off our shoes and worship.
By Joseph R. Veneroso, M.M. Far, far worse than wandering alone abroadA stranger in an alien nationIs returning to a place you once called homeRecognizing words but no longer their meaningSeeing unfamiliar faces on friends and familyThen realizing, to your shock, it was not theyBut you who have changed. Oh you can try your best to put on an actPretending to be the person you once wereBut in secret desperately seekingSomewhere, anywhere, someone, anyoneTo welcome and accept you as you are nowExperiences, memories, broken dreamsUnrealized expectations and all. Habit beckons you to church, where in years gone byYou sat and knelt and blessed yourself hopingThe words you heard and sang and spoke were trueStanding again in the Communion line as of oldMysteriously drawn to gaze up at the One lifted highSuddenly filled at once with shock, surprise andAmazement to realize the person on the cross is you. At length you reach the source and summit of our faithAnd extend your hands, palm-side upTo receive whom you are called to become.The priest raises the consecrated bread, announcing“The Body of Christ” and in that brief momentLooking at the Host you proclaim “Amen” and realizeThe priest is all along looking straight at you….
By Joseph R. Veneroso, M.M. You, who delivered us when we were still enslavedBy sin and selfishness, do not abandon usNow in our time of despair nor turn your faceFrom our pitiful plight when all else failsAnd faithless friends flee,But come to us again in our hour of need. Not from among mighty empires, nations or peoplesDid you choose one worthy to bear your truthBut from among the impoverished and oppressed —The nobodies of the world — you lifted up MosesAs liberator and lawgiver to forge a royal raceBy revealing your divine and liberating Name. Yet now as then it is that very freedom we find mostFrightening and so fashion for ourselves new idolsNot of gold but greed and power and fameAnd willingly rebind ourselves with chainsNot of iron but rather deceptively pleasant potionsTo soothe our conscience and wounded pride. This time not up Sinai’s soaring slope but onCalvary’s consecrated crest you bid usTake the shoes from off our feetFor the very Earth on which we stand is holy groundAnd nothing must ever come between usAnd this first sacrament revealing exactly who I AM.