Fire that Lasts

Early on the morning of the Feast of the Presentation of Mary, Mary Daly, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and friend, was presented by the angels to Mary, our Blessed Mother, who presents her to her Son who turns all tears to joy.

Mom prayed for immense joy for all.

Recently, when Jon asked Mom for her favorite prayer, she prayed this:

A Prayer

Thou who art Love, this prayer I bring Thee, Live
Thy Love through me.
For I am nothing, yet I fain would give
Infinity.
So from my littleness, lift Thou me up
Into Thine own Immensity.  The cup
Of my small heart fill with Thy plenitude,
Thou limitless!  I seek from Thee no further good.

Ask for no other gift.  Not power, Lord,
I would not dare
That Thou shoudst to me of Thy might accord,
Strive not to share
Thy wisdom, save as both shall come to me
By way of Love.  All else I leave to Thee,
Pressing my claim to this one grace alone
That, in my life, Thy Love may grow to be mine own.

And that I know not what I ask, I know.
I cannot drink
Thy cup, nor be baptized, as Thou, with woe.
Trembling I shrink
Back from my own request, would be like Thee,
Yet grudge to pay the cost, for, fearfully,
Mine eyes behold a cross, and Love thereon.
Cannot the prize at some less sacrifice be won?

But, if not, once again, O Lord, I pray,
Love Thou through me.
With Thy strength undergird my weakness, stay
My heart, and be
Thyself incarnate in this human soul
That finds in Thee its Source, its Way, its Goal
And wills against its willfulness to be
A channel for Thyself alone.  Lord, love through me.

Written by Marian MacGown