Psalm Of My Heart With

Other Prayers and Reflections

MJ ZORE

BROOKLINE NH

Psalm of My Heart And Other Poems

Dedicated to Our Lady of Mt. Carmel

This book of original poems and other reflec-

tions was put together in the Holy Face Studio

of artist Mary Zore in the summer of 2007

Original poetry and

Computer graphic illustrations

Under copyright by Mary Zore

Holy Face Studio Brookline, NH 03033

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Psalm of my Heart

2. To The Maker

3. Will You Be There?

4. A Refection on God’s Beauty

6. Thoughts of St. Augustine

7. To Our Lady of La Salette

8. Beyond These Horizons

10. A Rosaried River

11. Oremus

12. The Story of My Love

14. The Day of God’s truth

15. Spinning Sun Image

16. To The Holy Face

18. Meditation Teresa of Avila

19. Come! Creator God, Come!

20. Altars and Sacrifice

21. A Preparation for Winter

22. The Therese Window

24. Where Is The Mystery?

25. Pieces of Our Lives

26. Short Meditation by

John of The Cross

27. A Christmas Litany of Praise

To My Husband Rich

ard

Psalm of My heart

(a prayer for humility)

Bow down low,

O heart--

Before your God,

For here is His house

Mightier than the Sea of Stars

Reaching further

than the hand of time…

Into you,

Into your thoughts and deeds…

Bow down low,

O heart--

That He may receive you,

That He may lift you,

That He may feed you,

Clothe you, and teach you,

Bow down low,

O Heart FOR HERE IS

YOUR GOD!

The Mighty Creator

Who existed be-fore all

That saw you

before you were formed

That breathed His Life into you

And sustains life in you.

Here is your God!

The Mighty One,

All knowing,

All Just,

All Merciful…

Bow down low,

O heart--

FOR HERE

IS YOUR

GOD

To The Maker

Simple Graces

Linen and laces

Violets of Blue

Baptized with dew

And green rustling

leaves

Whispering, “Who?”

Who is my Maker?

The De-lineator

Of every line,

Of every trace—

The inventor of

My face—

The colorist of each

Unique being and

place.

Can it just be

chance?

This multifluous

Unknowably, infi-

nitely

Ever unexpectedly

new

World I see—

And what of the world

I don’t see?

(I believe it is there,

Even more beautiful)

O my soul, O creation

Bless the Lord and

Pray—

For His perfection

O let it be…

That Thou wouldst per-

fect

This little bit of earth,

My Lord, My God,

My Maker…. Amen.

2.

And Will You be There?

And will you be there?

When I am whited and lifted

A laundered sheet to fly

A lady of winded scents

And daily sacraments?

And will you be there?

When I am buoyed and

floated,

A gull finding wind for

ascent—

A woman of robed seas

And miraculous

spontaneities…

And will you be

there?

--To catch the fall

Of blown tall

shadow--

3.

And will you be there?

To hear the singing of

Stretched thin walls—

And will you be there?

To witness the hand-flick

Of born orange match

head

O please be there—

Eye and ear and touch,

For the singleness

Of such…

Looking back—

I wonder how I ever could have

Left Your side

To admire lesser things

--Which only mirror

A tiny bit of Your Beauty.

Your Beauty is

Resplendent,

As heavenly bodies luxuriantly spread

Across the dark blanket of night sky

A Beauty

As intimate

As the babe pressed

Against the Mother’s breast

A Beauty

Warm

As the welcomed sun after win-ter

A Beauty

Splendid

As snow crested peaks against

Crystal blue skies

A Beauty

Glamorous

As ice cloaked tree branches

Glistening like diamonds

A Beauty

Luxurious

As a silvery moon-lit garden

Than the scent of fresh mown hay

A Beauty…

Gay as yellow cowslips

Pushing up through black bogs

A Beauty

Sentimental as roses, red and dew-

Drenched

A Beauty

Aromatic

As incense around an altar

A Beauty

Amazing as a baby’s small fist

And soft as a child’s first kiss

A Beauty

Compassionate

Complete

And all embracing

As a wooden cross on

Calvary

The Beauty of my God

Contains

Surpasses

Annihilates

All Beauties

My Lord! My God!

My Everything!

5.

Reflection on God’s Beauty—

4.

5.

Thoughts from a sermon by

St. Augustine

---We cannot yet contemplate

The fact that he was begotten by the Father be-

fore the dawn, so let us hold onto the fact

That he was born of the Virgin in the night.

---We do not yet understand how His name en-dures before the the sun, so let us ac-

knowledge

His tabernacle placed in the

sun.

---Since we do not, as yet, gaze upon the Only Son

inseparably united with

His Father, let us remember

the Bridegroom

coming out of His bride-

chamber…

---Since we are not yet ready

For the banquet

Of our Father,

Let us acknowledge the manger

of our Lord Jesus Christ.

6.

To Out Lady of La Salette

In your beautiful peasants garb,

Wreathed with roses round—

White, for purity

Red, for martyrdom

Gold, for victory

You came, like a beggar,

Seated in a ball of light

Your head held in your hands,

Crying, you seem forsaken, alone,

“… like a momma

Beaten by her own children”

You have fled to the mountains.

You come to a place of stone.

Two inconsequential children are chosen

To share your sorrows,

And bear a message to us all:

You desire us to pray,

And to keep holy the Lord’s Day.

Not to swear, but instead to sacrifice and fast,

Is what you ask.

With rosaries we learn

(At Fatima, and Lourdes)

We can dry your tears.

Oh, you came in tears

Dear Lady of La Salette,

Seeking soft ground

So seeds of faith and hope can grow.

With hope we sing:

“…Those who sow in tears,

Will reap in reams…”

7.

BEYOND THESE HORIZONS

The sun is setting on the old

Ahead, beyond the fields,

Beyond distant city walls is

The secret knowing of your heart, Mary,

That soon you shall see

The Face of God!

And a beginning is nigh,

Already here,

The wind blows softly,

A soothing lullaby--

Mary hums along,

A favorite song

Of her own childhood:

“And He shall be called,

‘Emmanuel’, yes ‘Emmanuel’

Joseph is thoughtful.

He looks straight ahead.

Hoping to find the way.

To shelter, and warmth and welcome.

“No room”,

“Not now…”

“The stable is all I can give…”

“God’s will,

God’s will be done,” he says.

8.

He has given Himself to you,

--As a child.

Impossible? Impossible?

“With God, all things are possible”

ALL things, Mary--

You knew that more

Than all of us.

Mary, these words of hope

You received and kept

And pondered…these words

Sustained you through pain,

And trials, and

Helped you believe that

Water could become wine...

Mary, be my mentor in faith,

May the words that

You received be mine as well:

“All things are possible….”

Even the conversion of my heart…

even that…

New horizons, bright new days,

The road you are traveling leads

Beyond Bethlehem to

Jerusalem

And beyond Jerusalem to

Heaven !

9.

A Rosaried River

God— Your love for me

Is like a Rosaried River

I float in a little boat

And You blow—and off I go

Through the changing

mysteries.

Some hold me—

Like a summer garden

holds birds

And my heart sings happily,

“I am loved”

“I am loved”

“God loves me.”

Others, are like puzzles

That I must work the

answers to

And I may go

A long time feeling

Untouched by You—

Still others, Lord,

Are simple as death—

An unmooned night

When I am filled with

A sorrowful; fright

That I have been

abandoned by You.

Then comes the

Resurrection—

Darkness dispelled

by light,

Everything in cor-

rect order,

Everything by

Love, made right.

O blow, blow, blow me

Lord

Down Your Rosaried

River—

Then swallow,

swallow,

swallow

Me in Your

Heart’s

Sea.

10.

A Prayer Asking For Mary’s

Assistance To End Mankind’s

History of Sinfulness.

Oremus

(Let us pray)

Pure and spotless Virgin, pray for us,

that we may stop sinning, that we may sin no more, that we may persevere in

our intention of making up for the

great harm done by our sins.

Your intercession will win us the grace

of perfect friendship with God.

Therefore, we shall be able to praise you for being, after your Son Jesus,

the source of our salvation. Amen

From “Imitation of Mary”

Written by: Alexander De Rouville

Revised and Edited by: Matthew J. O’Connell

11.

1. Jesus Christ,

Son of God

Have mercy on me

a sinner

I saw you, alone and afraid.

So, I sought you with My

Heart

In My Hand was My

promise and

Many wounds I wore.

I used my sufferings

to pour

My ointment upon you.

Frankincense, I became,

A perfumed ointment I AM.

I bound up your

brokenness

And gave you to eat

and drink

From My banquet table.

All your tears I dried,

And then I led you apart,

Into a desert place

And there I whispered to

you

The story of My Love,

The story of My Love.

2. Jesus Christ

Son of God,

Have mercy on me

a sinner

A Good Samaritan,

I AM

For I found you amid

The carcasses of dead ones,

The victims of thieves.

Their weapons of lies

Had taken your soul,

Like a wandering sheep

Amid wolves you were.

I called to you there.

My voice was a whisper.

My song was soothing.

My words were

penetrating.

Into the wilderness

I led you.

I guarded your passing.

And there I told you--

The story of My Love

The story of My Love.

The Story of My Love

12.

3. Jesus Christ,

Son of God,

Have mercy on me

a sinner

As a Bridegroom,

I have wooed you

With My jewels. I enticed you,

As I stood at the

Entrance to your room.

My eyes shinning like stars

now,

As my arms enfold you--

In the silence I will wed you.

In this emptiness I will pu-

rify you.

Like gold that is melted,

Like silver that is made to

shine,

I will come to perfect you,

I will come to make you

mine.

And in the midst of

Seeming darkness

I will stoop to tell you—

The story of My Love

The story of My Love

13.

(A Prayer For The Spirit

of Truth)

The Day of God’s

Truth

Declare the Truth, O Lord.

Proclaim Your handi-work!

Show us our secret sins lord,

The hidden sorrows that wither us

From without and within.

Like a Sun

Transversing the sky

Enlighten each accord-ing to His deeds.

Then the seed of evil

will be exposed,

Will wither,

Will die.

Spring will be declared in our lands.

And our gardens will flourish.

New songs will be sung

of Your Might and

Your merciful Love.

Our Hearts will be humble

and contrite,

The sweet scent of contri-tion

Rising like incense before

Your Throne.

Eternal One,

Wise and wonderful be-yond comprehension,

Strike us with Your scepter of knowledge

That all nakedness by ex-posed,

And then clothe us

In the colors of Your bril-liant Light

That we might be

Dressed as the Princes and Princesses

Sons and Daughters of

The Eternal Father,

Our Sun.

14.

In this night we are

waiting and watching

For the hint of red

Upon the hills

I am longing for

Your New Day.

Let there be light!

Amen

A landscape of Love

Is the Lord’s Face

His eyes,

Caverns of Knowledge

Lakes of Acceptance

Taking you in

And

Washing you

In waters of compassion

Gentle,

Merciful

Pools of Tender Repose—

And the mouth of My Lord

Is the Bridge of Love’s Wisdom

Knowledge and Truth

Passing through

Like Living Waters

In a rushing stream

Clear, Refreshing

Powerfully Re-creating

Those that will bend to drink—

And the Forehead of my Savior

Holy Brow of Love

Anointed, sublime

To The Holy Face

16.

And the cheekbones

Of my God,

Are a chiseled beauty

Refined, Resplendent,

Kingly,

Holy contours of

Skin and bone,

Royal and Majestic

Holy Face of Jesus

Garden of God’s Love,

Word Enfleshed

I Adore Thee

I reverence Thee.

Consume me,

Ignite me. Captivate me

May I recognize and Love

Your Face

In all Faces.

AMEN

Seat of

Knowledge

Throne of

Understanding

Let nothing

trouble you.

All is fleeting.

God alone is

unchanging.

Patience obtains

Everything.

Who possesses

God wants

Nothing

God

Alone

Suffices

Teresa of Avila

18.

Come, Creator

God, Come! ( A prayer poem for the out-

pouring of

The Holy Spirit on Creation)

Chiseled into Charity

Are sentences of grace,

Incense of Purity and

Burning flames of

Faith—

Holy Spirit,

Come to us,

Hover with Your wings.

Overshadowing our

Hearts,

Heal us from within!

Create in us, O Lord,

A heavenly dew and

more,

Symphonic hymns

of praise

raise up

From our silent dis-

tant lands—

Orchestrate our melo-

dies!

Hold us in Your Hands!

Our hearts are

longing for

That awesome

hour

When God

Creator comes,

Riding on a stal-

lion great,

And Reigning

in the power

Of earth,

And Sea,

And every liv-ing, beating

heart—

Saturating ALL in

Light,

Removing ALL

that stains.

COME, CREA-

TOR GOD, COME!

“Come Holy Ghost

Creator Blest

And in our hearts

Take up Thy rest…”

19.

OF ALTARS AND SACRIFICE

And is your bread

Tossed out upon the

water?

Is your sacrifice

Held up upon the altars?

Empty handedness

Seems to be my affliction,

So, like a beggar I approach…

And ask

The Lord to accept my empty hand.

Christ then,

Becomes my refuge.

My hope resting in His promise

That His sacrifice will suffice

For my lack…

Perhaps we two will blend together!

The humiliation of my own

bareness

FUSING ME TO HIS SIDE

The branch into

the living vine

The Bridegroom

UNITING--

With His bride…

20.

In Preparation For

Winter

This gray day,

Why, even the sky’s face is

Covered with a quiet cloth

of gray non-color,

The autumn trees have flut-

tered their

Torn and battered leaf rem-

nants

Like tired flags of burnt red,

Surrendered now to

The early frosts of winter.

The weatherman said

“snow for the weekend.”

And so, inwardly I settle my

soul

And prepare, once more

For the colder months.

I resolve---

To continue to lift up my

heart

everyday in praise—

As if there is no such

thing as

Icy winds battering upon my doors and

windows.

I resolve---

To hold summer deep

within me,

Like a time –release

capsule

So that I may digest

slowly

The easier clime of

sun and beach

And summer garden

sweets—

And finally, I resolve---

To be God’s little pas-ture,

And give Him rest and repose.

To give Him drinks from my little pool,

And to anoint Him with sweet oil.

Yes,

I resolve—

To love my good neighbor, God

As He has always loved me.

21.

The Therese Window

Therese,

It was your ‘little way’

That seemed to

Let the light shine through

The haze of religiosity’s call for

“Perfection” for the most hopelessly imperfect--

Simplicity, you found,

Was the antidote that even fools can apply

To heal the little wounds of life.

I remember that you wrote

“The only beauty is ugliness”

So that even broken pots and

Scattered shards of irritations

Yes, all the unavoidable

Clanking beads of dissension, and

cranky companions

That can wear one down,

Are woven into mysterious

Symphonies fit for God’s ear

By patience and love,

Little Flower,

Your high window of faith and love,

Challenges me to review my

22.

Old complexities, and smile more—

And, for one so serious, this is not al-

ways so easy!

But when I see life through

My beautiful Therese Window--

I see the immeasurable expanse of

God’s Mercy Garden with

Long straight paths of hope and love

Strewn with rose petals, fragrant and unfading.

So Lord,

Whatever views the 'window of my today' holds,

May my Therese Window, help me

Find a path of light through any clouds.

24.

WHERE IS THE MYSTERY? (TO HIM WHO IS EVER FAITHFUL, EVER TRUE )

“Where is the mystery?”

In the storm’s release--

Stallions galloping above,

Dragons splashing in the deeps

When Prince and Princess meet here

He will rescue her from her foes

Lightening flash will be His lance

The wind, His charging steed!

And when the battle is all over

He will come to claim His bride,

And off on morning’s dappled dawn,

The two of them will ride…

The storm-- it is this moment

The bride—why, it is you!

The Bridegroom-- it is Christ--

The Ever Faithful, Ever True.

Out of the individual pieces

of our lives

(no matter how broken and torn)

God can weave a masterpiece--

We only have to give Him the pieces.

25,

“The Virgin, weighed

with the Word of God,

comes down the road:

if only you'll

shelter

her.”

St. John of the Cross

A Christmas Litany of Praise

For the Christ Child

This year’s Christmas reveals an An-gel in a misty vision standing before me and smiling, with open beckoning arms Offering me a prayer-- a Litany to share,— of praises for the Christ

Child.

Praise His little face so new--

so perfectly

Formed, so soft and smooth,

So shiny with a grace-filled joy,

So lovely, in the fire-glow

The Face of God we now be-

hold.

Praise His tiny fingers too,

Wreathed round Mary’s finger

in a tight hold—

as little infant’s do.

Perfectly new,

Yet old as the finger of God that

Wrote commandments into stone.

What do they write now?

Love, is carved there

On fingertips

In this flesh of fairest form.

Praise His tiny feet.

Lovely feet,

That John did not merit

to ‘unloose the

sandals of’, and yet Mary

kisses them now,

(For she anointed them

long before the Magda-

lene)

And counts the toes.

Oh, bless and praise

thee, Little One,

Child of straw and man-

ger,

Child wrapped tight in swaddling garb (Foreshadowing the sor-row of

shrouds and tombs.)

Bless Him. Praise Him.

Life has been revealed in HIM Afresh, anew,

Again.

27.

Artist: Mary Zore

HOLY FACE

STUDIO

265 Rt. 13 North

Brookline, NH