Protect Them

After Jesus had spoken these words, he looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all people, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do. So now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had in your presence before the world existed.

“I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything you have given me is from you; for the words that you gave to me I have given to them, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. I am asking on their behalf; I am not asking on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those whom you gave me, because they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine; and I have been glorified in them. And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one.” John 17:1-11 

Protect Them

This mother rises to face the sun
her children and grandchildren's faces
arises in her mind with the morning light
and she lifts them by name to Creator.

This mother speaks prayers by the hours
in labor and in rest, morning and night
love demands we carry one another
love demands we live for the little ones.

This mother rises with new hope 
the scars and scare might fade away
the new planting and expressed love
might filter through the morning .

This mother rises singing with the birds
a new song lifting the prayers on high
again we raise our faces to brother sun
we are loved, held and well known.