OUR LADY, UNTIER OF KNOTS /  by Joe Castorino

Their perplexed brows are

knitted into knots

as they impatiently try to

conquer the unconquerable,

and so they slowly slide down,

down the slippery slope

of depression and despair

into the murky darkness

of melancholic misery;

but Our Lady touches their hearts,

and most lovingly leads them

along a path trustworthy and true,

through the White Way of Light,

and up the majestic mountain;

then as they drink the delicious

new wine of Divine Mercy,

their wrinkles of worry dissolve,

their souls serenely smile,

their hearts are made whole,

and, to their utter amazement,

they are absolutely and totally

born again.

THE VIRGIN MOON /  by Joe Castorino

The Virgin moon    

shines in splendor    

in the dark night,    

but in humility she    

recognizes that the true    

glory really belongs to her

Sun, whose Divine Mercy

rays of red and white

shine in dazzling brilliance        

through all eternity.

TO ST. JOHN PAUL I /  by Joe Castorino

You were the smiling pope,

And I remember that I liked that,

I was just starting college,

Making a fresh new start

To my young immature life,

You gave me hope,

Hope that my faith could be

More alive, more meaningful,

But after only 33 days,

You suddenly departed

For our Heavenly Homeland,

Yet your papacy was significant,

Like the ornate prologue to

A magnificent epic poem,

Your papacy prepared us

For the saintly Polish pope

Who would follow you

In your warm welcoming ways.

THE KISS IN THE DARK NIGHT /  by Joe Castorino

As I awaken in the

Dark Night,

The swirling, twirling

Tempest of menacing fear

Violently threatens to

Throttle me.

 

But brimming with

The Messiah’s magnificent mercy,

Our Lady appears and

Gazes at me with a

Sweet, serene smile

And sparkling aquamarine eyes;

Then, with her soft, rosy lips,

She wonderfully warms my cheek

With a pure, gentle, loving

Kiss.

 

Suddenly the surging

Tornado of terror

Silently ceases as

The Holy Spirit

Blows in the breeze

And soars through

My soul.

ABOVE THE CLOUDS /  by Joe Castorino

The depressing rain falls,

As the sky weeps sorrowfully,

And the heavy humidity

Horribly weighs me down,

For I am imprisoned in the

Dark gloom, with seemingly

No way out, and yet,

Sweet Madonnina d’Amore,

You smile upon me and are

Silently with me as I carry

My daily crosses, and so

You patiently remind me,

Over and over and over,

To fix my trusting gaze on

The Passion of your Sun,

For above the clouds

The sky is always blue, and

The weary world is warmed

By the Living Light of Love.

I AM ALWAYS WITH YOU /  by Joe Castorino

Almost all

Had abandoned

My sweet Son

As He hung on 

The cross,

But during His 

Sorrowful Passion,

I was with Him,

To the end.

Dearest one,

When you feel

Lost, hanging on

Your little crosses,

Have no fear,

For I am there,

I am always with you,

Always, always, 

To the end.

OUR LADY'S LASSO /  by Joe Castorino

I start the day with you,

Close by my side,

My hand caressing 

The pearl-white rosary

Like your soft gentle fingers,

But too soon I walk away

And foolishly forget you,

So you throw the beads of

Your holy lasso around me,

Lovingly, and oh so gently

Draw me back to your side,

To live the holy mysteries

Together, in awe and wonder.

THE TILMA /  by Joe Castorino

In the old mission church,

We, faithful pilgrims, are 

Packed together tightly

Much like votive candles,

Our weary wicks waiting

To be lit by Our Lady,

With the fire of the Spirit;

It wasn’t the real tilma,

Yet the good God has

No limits whatsoever, so

After mass, I approached,

Not expecting anything —

But when I touched her,

Love’s flame filled me,

And the Divine Mercy

Warmly embraced me.

AVE MARIA /  by Joe Castorino

She gently rocks me,    

back and forth,     

in her slender arms,    

since I’m a little babe    

who can’t find Jesus    

alone, without her;    

she lovingly caresses    

and warms me in the

cold dark night,     

and her smiling eyes    

twinkle in the Light;    

her soft rosy lips        

sweetly kiss me    

as she leads me    

faithfully and joyfully

to her merciful Son

in the manger,    

the Bread of Life.

LA MADONNINA D'AMORE /  by Joe Castorino

During the deep dark night,

I open the eyes of my soul,

and I see her before me,

glittering in glorious brilliance.

She smiles at me, softly, gently,

and reminds me that she rejoices

greatly when I meditate on the

Holy Passion of her sweet Son.

I listen to the magnificent music

of her most wonderful words,

and Light shines in the darkness,

burning away the folly of fear.

THE TRAFFIC SIGNAL /  by Joe Castorino

St. Augustine: “Patience is the companion of wisdom”

When we impetuously 

Want to speed through

The intersections of life

And just do what we want —

Not what God wants —

Then the red Light stops us,

So that we can recognize the danger;

Acting rashly, thoughtlessly,

Charging ahead of the Lord,

All of these cause nothing but trouble,

So the red Light gives us a little more time,

To ponder, to reflect, to pray,

So that when the Light turns green,

we can move and act

In God’s time, in God’s will.

OUR LADY'S ADVICE /  by Joe Castorino

Do whatever He tells you.

Surrender. Yes, surrender.

Totally. Completely. 

At this very moment.

And don’t worry --

Don’t worry at all!

If you stumble and fall,

I will be there to pick you up.

If you get hurt and cannot walk,

I will carry you in my arms.

He will always lead you,

In the light of His love.

Remember, He loves you.

And I love you, too.

O DEAREST LADY OF LOURDES /  by Joe Castorino

As I gently finger the beads of the rosary,

  I touch your warm soft hands,

I gaze into your merciful, majestic eyes,

  And I contemplate your loveliness;

Together our precious prayers mingle,

  And rise up like sweet incense,

Its scent perfumes the halls of Heaven,

  And delights the Lord of Light.

THE STAR OF BETHLEHEM /  by Joe Castorino

She is the Star of Bethlehem.

The compassionate Lady of Love,

The powerful Virgin of Victory,

The sweet Mother of the Messiah,

Silent and holy, calm and bright,

Her dazzling beauty shines 

In the dark night of unknowing,

And she points the way for the

Wise men and wise women

Of this world who wish to know

The Babe of Divine Mercy.

THE INCARNATION /  by Joe Castorino

Whispered sweetly,

Santa Maria’s “Yes”

Ripples and reverberates

Through the Halls of Heaven,

And the Spirit speeds through the

Atmosphere in a powerful pulse

Of gleaming, virginal white light

Into the humble House of Gold:

And, behold, The Divine Mercy is

Incarnate.

OUR LADY OF DIVINE MERCY /  by Joe Castorino

Trembling, I hid in your mantle, protected

  From the dark night of unknowing;

You guided me up the steep, perilous path,

  Towards the sparkling, starry heavens.

 

The demonic winds gusted, and with

  Frightful ferocity thunder shook the air;

Serpentine lightning darted in the sky, and

  Lava streams slithered down the slopes.

 

But then the Sun of God dazzlingly dawned,

  And He put an end to the dark night;

Beams of bright light, both red and white,

  Streamed soothingly into my soul.

 

Atop the summit, you took my hand,

  And together we flew into the Light;

We laughed like merry little children,

  Soaking in the sunshine of pure Mercy.

EXECUTION AND EXILE /  by Joe Castorino

We all deserve execution,

To be nailed on a cross of wood,

We all deserve exile in hell,

For only God is purely good;

He chose to take our place in death,

Bloodily stabbed into the tree,

He paid the price to rescue us,

For only He can set us free.

THANKSGIVING /  by Joe Castorino

When we’re thanks-living,

We choose for living,

We choose for giving,

Lovingly for-giving.

Thanksgiving,

What a wonderful

Gift from God,

It seems to me like

An inexhaustible 

Spiritual ocean of the

Dazzling, magnificent

Divine Mercy.

When we’re living,

In thanksgiving to God,

We’re living for giving,

Lovingly for-giving.