Shepherds of Christ  
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June 20, 2011

June 21st Holy Spirit Novena
Scripture selection is Day 9 Period II.

The Novena Rosary Mysteries  
for June 21st are Sorrowful.

                  
 

Sidney Rosary
Tuesday night
June 21, 2011 - 6:20pm
please tune in!

 

Please pray for Jimmy.
 
Pray for everything to do with
Fr. Joe's Cycle B Book.

  

        

 

The Florida Book Store

 

 

 

                June 20, 2011

Today's 1st Reading

Genesis 12: 1-9

Yahweh said to Abram, ‘Leave your country, your kindred and your father’s house for a country which I shall show you; and I shall make you a great nation, I shall bless you and make your name famous; you are to be a blessing!

    I shall bless those who bless you, 
    and shall curse those who curse you, 
    and all clans on earth 
    will bless themselves by you.’ 

    So Abram went as Yahweh told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy–five years old when he left Haran. Abram took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had amassed and the people they had acquired in Haran. They set off for the land of Canaan, and arrived there.

    Abram passed through the country as far as the holy place at Shechem, the Oak of Moreh. The Canaanites were in the country at the time. Yahweh appeared to Abram and said, ‘I shall give this country to your progeny.’ And there, Abram built an altar to Yahweh who had appeared to him. From there he moved on to the mountainous district east of Bethel, where he pitched his tent, with Bethel to the west and Ai to the east. There he built an altar to Yahweh and invoked the name of Yahweh. Then Abram made his way stage by stage to the Negeb.

 

 

 Mysteries of Light

                Baptism of Jesus

                (1) Matthew 3: 13-17

Then Jesus appeared: he came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptised by John. John tried to dissuade him, with the words, ‘It is I who need baptism from you, and yet you come to me!’ But Jesus replied, ‘Leave it like this for the time being; it is fitting that we should, in this way, do all that uprightness demands.’ Then John gave in to him. 

    And when Jesus had been baptised he at once came up from the water, and suddenly the heavens opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming down on him. And suddenly there was a voice from heaven, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved; my favour rests on him.’

                (2) R. Jesus is the perfect Son.

                (3) Matthew 3: 17  ...‘This is my Son, the Beloved; my favour rests on him.’

                (4) R. Water — needed for life
                    the Jordon — straight through
                    the Sea of Galilee to the Dead Sea

                (5) Mark 1: 7-11

In the course of his preaching he said, ‘After me is coming someone who is more powerful than me, and I am not fit to kneel down and undo the strap of his sandals. I have baptised you with water, but he will baptise you with the Holy Spirit.’

Jesus is baptised

It was at this time that Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptised in the Jordan by John. And at once, as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit, like a dove, descending on him. And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my Son, the Beloved; my favour rests on you.’

                (6) John 1: 26-31

John answered them, ‘I baptise with water; but standing among you—unknown to you— is the one who is coming after me; and I am not fit to undo the strap of his sandal.’ This happened at Bethany, on the far side of the Jordan, where John was baptising. The next day, he saw Jesus coming towards him and said, ‘Look, there is the lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. It was of him that I said, "Behind me comes one who has passed ahead of me because he existed before me." I did not know him myself, and yet my purpose in coming to baptise with water was so that he might be revealed to Israel.’

                (7) R. Jesus commanded the wind to
                    calm in the Sea of Galilee —

                (8) R. Jesus saw Peter and Andrew
                    casting their net into the sea,
                    Jesus was walking by the Sea of
                    Galilee — Peter and Andrew
                    were fishermen —

                (9) R. Jesus called them to be "fishers of men"
                    He told them to follow Him — 

Matthew 4: 18-22

As he was walking by the Lake of Galilee he saw two brothers, Simon, who was called Peter, and his brother Andrew; they were making a cast into the lake with their net, for they were fishermen. And he said to them, ‘Come after me and I will make you fishers of people.’ And at once they left their nets and followed him. 

    Going on from there he saw another pair of brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John; they were in their boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. And at once, leaving the boat and their father, they followed him.

       

                    R. Jesus called His first disciples —
                    That was a big catch these men —

                (10) R. The River Jordon is the most
                    important River in Palestine —

                    

 

                The Miracle at Cana

                (1) John 2: 1-12

On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee. The mother of Jesus was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited. And they ran out of wine, since the wine provided for the feast had all been used, and the mother of Jesus said to him, ‘They have no wine.’ Jesus said, ‘Woman, what do you want from me? My hour has not come yet.’ His mother said to the servants, ‘Do whatever he tells you.’ There were six stone water jars standing there, meant for the ablutions that are customary among the Jews: each could hold twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, ‘Fill the jars with water,’ and they filled them to the brim. Then he said to them, ‘Draw some out now and take it to the president of the feast.’ They did this; the president tasted the water, and it had turned into wine. Having no idea where it came from—though the servants who had drawn the water knew—the president of the feast called the bridegroom and said, ‘Everyone serves good wine first and the worse wine when the guests are well wined; but you have kept the best wine till now.’

    This was the first of Jesus’ signs: it was at Cana in Galilee. He revealed his glory, and his disciples believed in him. After this he went down to Capernaum with his mother and his brothers and his disciples, but they stayed there only a few days.

 

                (2) R. Jesus performed His first public
                    miracle —
                    God is showing His power in
                        Jesus performing this miracle —

                (3) R. We see the miracles of Jesus then
                    in those He healed —
                    A leper made clean —
                    Healing the centurion's servant —

                (4) R. We see the Power of Jesus in the miracles —
                    Peter's mother-in-law healed of
                    the fever —

                (5) R. Jesus calming the storm at sea.
                    Jesus driving out the devil out
                        of the man —

                (6) R. Jesus healing the crippled, the
                    hemorrhage healed in the
                    woman —

                (7) R. Jarius' daughter raised


 

                (8) R. Jesus feeding 5 thousand
                    Jesus walking on the water
                    Jesus healed the blind, maimed,
                        lame, dumb.

                (9) R. Jesus healed the blind, cured the
                    sick, cast out devils —

                (10) R. Jesus healed lepers, cripples,
                    blind and
                    Jesus rose Lazarus from the dead —
                    Jesus rose from the dead Himself —
                    Jesus ascended into heaven

      

 

                Building the Kingdom of God

                (1) R. The Sermon on the Mount

Matthew 5: 1-3 

Seeing the crowds, he went onto the mountain. And when he was seated his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak. This is
what he taught them:

How blessed are the poor in spirit:
the kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
 

                (2) R. Jesus blessed the children

Mark 10: 14-16

but when Jesus saw this he was indignant and said to them, ‘Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. In truth I tell you, anyone who does not welcome the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.’ Then he embraced them, laid his hands on them and gave them his blessing.

     

                (3) Matthew 7: 12

'So always treat others as you would like them to treat you; that is the Law and the Prophets.

 

                (4) The Beatitudes

Matthew 5: 3-10

How blessed are the poor in spirit:
the kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
Blessed are the gentle:
they shall have the earth as inheritance.
Blessed are those who mourn:
they shall be comforted.
Blessed are those
   who hunger and thirst for uprightness:
they shall have their fill.
Blessed are the merciful:
they shall have mercy shown them.
Blessed are the pure in heart:
they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers:
they shall be recognised
   as children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted
   in the cause of uprightness:
the kingdom of Heaven is theirs.  

 

                (5) R. How many parables Jesus preached
                    involving nature, fig trees,
                    vineyard, vine and branch,
                    the mustard seed, the weed
                    seeds and the good seeds.

                (6) R. Building the Kingdom of God —
                    growth in religion!!
                    the natural law —
                    persevering in prayer —
                    prudence —
                    the truth —
                    Joy —
                    Faith
                    Helping to tell all about salvation
                    Love
                    Blessed for obeying God —
                    Being ready and tell all to be ready!
                    Repentance for sin —
                    Faithfulness — trusting God —
                    Being one —
                    Forgiveness —
                    The Commandments —

                    Living to know, love and serve
                    God with our whole heart,
                    our whole soul,
                    our whole being —

                (7) R. Jesus spoke to us in parables,
                    Jesus worked miracles
                    On the journey to Emmaus —
                    we see Jesus gives us
                    His Word and the
                    Eucharist for our
                    journey here —
                    so we can get to heaven and
                    live to build His Kingdom —
                    catch fish so others can
                    get to heaven —

                (8) Song: A Song from Jesus

                (9)

Prayer for Union with Jesus

Come to me, Lord, and possess my soul. Come into my heart and permeate my soul. Help me to sit in silence with You and let You work in my heart.

    I am Yours to possess. I am Yours to use. I want to be selfless and only exist in You. Help me to spoon out all that is me and be an empty vessel ready to be filled by You. Help me to die to myself and live only for You. Use me as You will. Let me never draw my attention back to myself. I only want to operate as You do, dwelling within me.

    I am Yours, Lord. I want to have my life in You. I want to do the will of the Father. Give me the strength to put aside the world and let You operate my very being. Help me to act as You desire. Strengthen me against the distractions of the devil to take me from Your work.

    When I worry, I have taken my focus off of You and placed it on myself. Help me not to give in to the promptings of others to change what in my heart You are making very clear to me. I worship You, I adore You and I love You. Come and dwell in me now.

-God's Blue Book, January 17, 1994

 

                (10)

A Prayer before the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass

    Let me be a holy sacrifice and unite with God in the sacrament of His greatest love.

    I want to be one in Him in this act of love, where He gives Himself to me and I give myself as a sacrifice to Him. Let me be a holy sacrifice as I become one with Him in this my act of greatest love to Him.

    Let me unite with Him more, that I may more deeply love Him. May I help make reparation to His adorable Heart and the heart of His Mother, Mary. With greatest love, I offer myself to You and pray that You will accept my sacrifice of greatest love. I give myself to You and unite in Your gift of Yourself to me. Come and possess my soul.

    Cleanse me, strengthen me, heal me. Dear Holy Spirit act in the heart of Mary to make me more and more like Jesus.

    Father, I offer this my sacrifice, myself united to Jesus in the Holy Spirit to You. Help me to love God more deeply in this act of my greatest love.

    Give me the grace to grow in my knowledge, love and service of You and for this to be my greatest participation in the Mass. Give me the greatest graces to love You so deeply in this Mass, You who are so worthy of my love.

-Mass Book, December 27, 1995

 

Act of consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
and the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

"Lord Jesus, Chief Shepherd of the flock, I consecrate myself to Your most Sacred Heart. From Your pierced Heart the Church was born, the Church You have called me, as a member of Shepherds of Christ Associates, to serve in a most special way. You reveal Your Heart as a symbol of Your love in all its aspects, including Your most special love for me, whom You have chosen as Your companion in this most important work. Help me to always love You in return. Help me to give myself entirely to You. Help me always to pour out my life in love of God and neighbor! Heart of Jesus, I place my trust in You!

"Dear Blessed Virgin Mary, I consecrate myself to your maternal and Immaculate Heart, this Heart which is symbol of your life of love. You are the Mother of my Savior. You are also my Mother. You love me with a most special love as a member of Shepherds of Christ Associates, a movement created by your Son as a powerful instrument for the renewal of the Church and the world. In a return of love, I give myself entirely to your motherly love and protection. You followed Jesus perfectly. You are His first and perfect disciple. Teach me to imitate you in the putting on of Christ. Be my motherly intercessor so that, through your Immaculate Heart, I may be guided to an ever closer union with the pierced Heart of Jesus, Chief Shepherd of the flock."

 

 

 

                The Transfiguration

                (1) Mark 9: 2-8

Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John and led them up a high mountain on their own by themselves. There in their presence he was transfigured: his clothes became brilliantly white, whiter than any earthly bleacher could make them. Elijah appeared to them with Moses; and they were talking to Jesus. Then Peter spoke to Jesus, ‘Rabbi,’ he said, ‘it is wonderful for us to be here; so let us make three shelters, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.’ He did not know what to say; they were so frightened. And a cloud came, covering them in shadow; and from the cloud there came a voice, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved. Listen to him.’ Then suddenly, when they looked round, they saw no one with them any more but only Jesus.

                (2) R. We know Jesus took Peter, James
                    and John up the mountain —
                    Jesus showed them Himself —

                (3) R. We see that manifestation of God
                    in this mystery —

                (4) R. We anticipate the beatific
                    vision —

                (5) R. We want to have a pure soul —
                    We live to build the Kingdom —

                (6) R. We don't want to offend God
                    by any sin —
                    we love Him —

                (7) R. The Apostles walked with
                    Jesus and He looked like
                    one of them —
                    then He took them up
                    Mt. Tabor and they knew
                    there was a lot more to Jesus — 

                (8) R. We go to Mass and we know the
                    gift more and more of the
                    Mass —
                    We must see beyond appearances

                (9) Matthew 17: 5

... ‘This is my Son, the Beloved; he enjoys my favour. Listen to him.’

                (10) R. We pray for faith to see beyond
                    appearances —

 

 

                The Institution of the Eucharist and the Last Supper

                (1) Luke 22: 19-20

Then he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.’ He did the same with the cup after supper, and said, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood poured out for you.

 

                (2) Sing: I Am the Bread of Life

                (3) Sing: I Love You Jesus

                (4) Sing: Your Presence Pervades My Soul

                (5) Sing: God's Love

 

                (6) R. These are the mysteries of light.

            

Picture of the Sacred Heart of Jesus I Love You

 April 13, 1994

 Words of Jesus. Read before the Tabernacle.

Jesus:  How, child, do I, Jesus, tell you I love you? You hold on to silly things when God is in your midst and is ardently loving you. I am Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I am writing to each precious child this day. I am on fire for love of you. I remain in the Eucharist to be with you with My ardent love. I did not want to leave My beloved ones at the Last Supper. I love you so, My dear and ardently loved children. I remain with you this day in the Blessed Sacrament, the same Jesus Who died a brutal death on the Cross.

    Do you know I am truly present there? Do you know that God waits every day for you in the tabernacle? Do you comprehend even a minute amount of My love? You will never know of how I love you on earth.

    I, Jesus, truly the Son of God, came to earth a man and suffered a brutal death for love of you. I love you so much! I remain with you this day. I long for your love. I want you to come and be with Me in front of the tabernacle. I wait, I yearn for you to come and whisper your love to Me. I am a person and I love you this day, with such an ardent on-fire love! No human could ever compare a speck to My love for you.

    I wait, little ones, in the tabernacle. I wait for you to come and receive Me in Communion. I want you to want Me so much you cannot wait to come and receive Me. I want to be the love, the center of your life!

    I am Jesus. I am the Son of God. I am writing to you this day. I want to possess your very soul and live in you. I have all you need, sweet ones. Oh, you are so blind! I long for your union with Me. I wrote the book of love. I instituted it, yet you go to the world for your love and do not even come to Me! Oh, I love you, little ones. Little ones, beloved of the Father, loved by the Holy Spirit, mothered by My very own mother! What more can I say? The rest is up to you!

    I give you your will with such love and I want your love freely given. I am God. What do you think you could ever need that I do not give you? I am the Savior of this world. I am Jesus, the Son of God. I am waiting for you. I am longing for you. I am yearning for you. I am God. I have all you ever will need!

    Surrender this life to Me. Pray My Prayer for Union with Me. I want to possess your soul and operate from your very being. I am Jesus. I am the Son of God. I am the Sacred Heart of Jesus. I am Who am. I died and rose on the third day.

    Harken to My call, harken to My pleading. Spend your days in love with Me. Nothing matters unless it is rooted in Me and rooted in My love. I am the Son of God. I am the Sacred Heart of Jesus. I love you with the tenderest love. I am waiting this day for just you, My beloved one. Come to Me for I am the tenderest of all hearts. I am the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

- God's Blue Book, Volume 2 April 13, 1994

               

                (7)

A Prayer for Intimacy with the Lamb, the Bridegroom of the Soul

     Oh Lamb of God, Who take away the sins of the world, come and act on my soul most intimately. I surrender myself, as I ask for the grace to let go, to just be as I exist in You and You act most intimately on my soul. You are the Initiator. I am the soul waiting Your favors as You act in me. I love You. I adore You. I worship You. Come and possess my soul with Your Divine Grace, as I experience You most intimately.

 

                (8)

Spiritual Communion

                        Dear Jesus — we want to make a spiritual
                        communion, we cannot receive You
                        now, but we want to know Your
                        presence deep in our heart —
                        deep in our soul — Oh God fill us
                        with Your presence that we can
                        just focus on You and Your love
                        for us now — Love deep in us —
                        Oneness with You —
                        Quiet surrender to be alone in
                        this moment with You in our heart
                        in deep love —
                        We love You so much our beloved
                        God —

 

                (9)

A Prayer before the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass

    Let me be a holy sacrifice and unite with God in the sacrament of His greatest love.

    I want to be one in Him in this act of love, where He gives Himself to me and I give myself as a sacrifice to Him. Let me be a holy sacrifice as I become one with Him in this my act of greatest love to Him.

    Let me unite with Him more, that I may more deeply love Him. May I help make reparation to His adorable Heart and the heart of His Mother, Mary. With greatest love, I offer myself to You and pray that You will accept my sacrifice of greatest love. I give myself to You and unite in Your gift of Yourself to me. Come and possess my soul.

    Cleanse me, strengthen me, heal me. Dear Holy Spirit act in the heart of Mary to make me more and more like Jesus.

    Father, I offer this my sacrifice, myself united to Jesus in the Holy Spirit to You. Help me to love God more deeply in this act of my greatest love.

    Give me the grace to grow in my knowledge, love and service of You and for this to be my greatest participation in the Mass. Give me the greatest graces to love You so deeply in this Mass, You who are so worthy of my love.

-Mass Book, December 27, 1995

                (10)

December 27, 1995

LET US LOVE THE TWO HEARTS OF JESUS AND MARY
IN THE RECEPTION OF THE HOLY EUCHARIST.

HE GAVE HIMSELF TO US ON THE CROSS. HE GIVES HIMSELF TO US IN THE EUCHARIST.

How great was the act of love, God gave to this world, when He gave Himself and died on the cross. He gives Himself to us this day in the Holy Eucharist.

The greatest commandment is that we must love God with our whole heart, our whole soul, and our whole being. This is a commandment. If we are to enter heaven, we must follow the commandments. They are commands given by God for us to follow.

The greatest act we can do on this earth is an act of loving God. The reason for our existence is to love God. In the sacrament of His greatest love, He gives Himself to us. This is an act of love on His part. We are called to respond by giving ourselves in love to Him.

This is the purpose of the Holy Eucharist: to unite in such oneness with our Holy, Loving God. Our all consuming passion should be that of loving God. How many go to the Eucharist with the sole purpose of giving great love to God? He wants us to love Him. He wants souls to tell Him how much they truly love Him. This is the most intimate act of love when Jesus gives Himself-Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity to man. If it is such an act of love, how are we receiving Him in Communion? We should beg God, in this most intimate union with Him, to help us to love Him with greatest love.

Jesus is a Person. He wants our love. The Holy Spirit wants such intimacy with us. Our Father wants us to love Him. In the Eucharist, we unite with God. In this intimate act of uniting with our beloved God, with Divinity, we must pour out our love to God. We must pour out our heart to the most adorable Heart of Jesus. Jesus is so unjustly treated by many of His beloved souls He loves so much. Let us help make reparation to the Almighty God by loving God with our whole heart, our whole soul, and our whole being in the sacrament of His greatest love. This is the Gift of Himself.

Think of how it is to love someone and give your all for that person, to pour out your heart to him or her and then be treated with coldness and neglect. It hurts our heart so much more when we deeply love someone to be rejected by that person. Jesus loves us with the deepest love. We cannot fully comprehend this love. Let us love Him with the deepest love. Let us love Mary and her Immaculate Heart. Let us love her as the Mother of God. Let us love her as the virgin who bore the Son of God. May we, in the reception of the Eucharist pour out our love to Him, to this adorable Heart. May we pour out our love to His Holy Mother.

Mary said at Fatima that Jesus wants His Heart venerated next to the heart of His Mother. Let us love these two Hearts as we receive the Sacrament of the Eucharist. Then we are so deeply united with God. We see Their two Hearts surrounded with thorns for the injustices against Their Hearts. Let us help make reparation daily as we receive Him in the Eucharist. This is a special time to help make reparation to Their wounded Hearts.

Let us remember how He poured His love out to us on the cross and how He pours out His love to us now when He gives us Himself in the Eucharist, the Eucharist which contains His Heart of burning love. His Heart was pierced with a lance. Her heart was invisibly pierced with a sword. As the wounds in Their Hearts are deep, so too is Their love so deep.

He does not want "surface love". He wants hearts filled with deep burning love.

end of December 27, 1995

 

 Today's Message June 20, 2011

                R. Jesus is the Light of the World —
                Jesus taught us so much — He came
                and He taught us about God —
                about the Father's Plan for us —
                Jesus is the Teacher —
                Jesus is still teaching us —
                Jesus is not dead
                Jesus is alive —
                Jesus is with us now!!

                We seek to see things through
                    the eyes of God — the Father's
                    Plan — clearer vision —

                Jesus is our Savior —

                Song: A Song from Jesus!!

                R. Jesus came to save us —

                Jesus came and dwelt amongst
                    us for our salvation —

                Jesus is a Divine Person with
                    two natures — human and
                    Divine —

                I am awe struck by the joyful
                    mysteries of the rosary —
                    awe struck that Jesus took
                    flesh and out of love came
                    to this earth — to walk
                    amongst us and be our
                    teacher —

                Man continues offending God on this
                    earth — even after this gift
                    to us — we must make
                    reparation to our God for
                    the sins of the human race —

                Oh God — I am so sorry for the
                    disobedience against You
                    our loving God — please God
                    forgive us —
                    Oh God have mercy on us this
                    sinful race
                    Help us in the Shepherds of Christ reach
                    more and more people with this
                    message, with devotion to the
                    Sacred Heart of Jesus, so
                    loving to men, who gave
                    Himself, who gives Himself
                    now —

                Like disobedient children, we
                    the human race, have offended
                    our God —

 

John 3: 16

For this is how God loved the world:
he gave his only Son,
so that everyone who believes in him 
    may not perish
but may have eternal life.

  

                R. God so loved the world —
                Jesus came —
                Jesus took on flesh —
                Jesus, the Son of God —
                Jesus worked miracles —
                Jesus taught us —

                Jesus was put to death and
                Jesus rose from the dead!!

                AWESOME!

                The Incarnation — a mystery —
                God loves us so much!!

                Jesus came and taught us Himself —
                    He taught us as He walked
                    the earth —
                    He taught us in His life,
                        death and resurrection —
                    He taught us with His
                        own voice —

                We hear the voice of God in
                    "This is My Beloved Son in
                    whom I am well pleased"

                The Father speaks for us —
                The Father tells us — this is My Son —
                    God-made-Man —

                The Baptism of Jesus —

                The Transfiguration — so wonderful
                    to meditate on —
                    Pope John Paul II gave us
                        these mysteries of Light —
                        I love them —
                        I love them —
                        I love them —

                I love the Rosary —
                Meditating on the life, death, and
                    resurrection of Jesus —

                His ascension into heaven —
                the Assumption of Mary
                the Coronation of Mary as Queen
                    of Heaven and earth —

                Exciting, meditating ourselves,
                    teaching our children, we
                    teach them all these things
                    about the world —

                Coloring Books of Rosary  

     

      

         

 

                R. Books on Rosary
   

       

            

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                  Song: The Rosary Song

  

 

                R. We have a free will to follow Christ —

                Or be like disobedient children and
                    follow satan — like Adam and Eve —

                Jesus became Man —

                We can be formed more and more
                    in going to the Immaculate
                    Heart of Mary through
                    the power of the Holy Spirit —

                Song: Jesus I Love You

                R. We were created in the image and
                    likeness of God —

 

Genesis 1: 26-27

     God said, ‘Let us make man in our own image, in the likeness of ourselves, and let them be masters of the fish of the sea, the birds of heaven, the cattle, all the wild animals and all the creatures that creep along the ground.’

    God created man in the image of himself,
    in the image of God he created him,
    male and female he created them.

   

                R. We see the barren women in the
                    Old Testament and we know that
                    God brought Isaac and
                    Samuel and John the
                    Baptist in the world at
                    the right time —

                These women all waited — they
                    were thought barren —

                The birth of the Messiah was
                    prophesized in the Old Testament —

                We knew the Messiah would
                    come —

                God kept His promise —

                This is the mystery of God's love
                    for us —

                We are to love God and love others
                    and have unity —

                Jesus is the Son of God —
                    one Person and 2 natures,
                    one divine, the other
                    human —

                Christ is God —
                This is a mystery —
                God's love is a mystery —
                This is truth!

                Song: A Song from Jesus

                Song: God's Love

 

 

1 John 1: 1-4

The Incarnate Word
and sharing with the Father and the Son

Something which has existed
   since the beginning,
which we have heard,
which we have seen with our own eyes,
which we have watched
and touched with our own hands,
the Word of life-
this is our theme.
That life was made visible;
we saw it and are giving our testimony,
declaring to you the eternal life,
which was present to the Father
and has been revealed to us.
We are declaring to you
what we have seen and heard,
so that you too may share our life.
Our life is shared with the Father
and with his Son Jesus Christ.
We are writing this to you
   so that our joy may be complete.

   

John 1: 1-18

In the beginning was the Word:
the Word was with God
and the Word was God.
He was with God in the beginning.
Through him all things came into being,
not one thing came into being
   except through him.
What has come into being in him was life,
life that was the light of men;
and light shines in darkness,
and darkness could not overpower it.

A man came, sent by God.
His name was John.
He came as a witness,
to bear witness to the light,
so that everyone might believe
   through him.
He was not the light,
he was to bear witness to the light.

The Word was the real light
that gives light to everyone;
he was coming into the world.
He was in the world
that had come into being through him,
and the world did not recognise him.
He came to his own
and his own people did not accept him.

But to those who did accept him
he gave power to become children of God,
to those who believed in his name
who were born not from human stock
or human desire
or human will
but from God himself.
The Word became flesh,
he lived among us,
and we saw his glory,
the glory that he has from the Father
   as only Son of the Father,
full of grace and truth.

John witnesses to him. He proclaims:
‘This is the one of whom I said:
He who comes after me
has passed ahead of me
because he existed before me.’

Indeed, from his fullness
    we have, all of us, received—
one gift replacing another,
for the Law was given through Moses,
grace and truth have come
   through Jesus Christ.
No one has ever seen God;
it is the only Son,
   who is close to the Father’s heart,
who has made him known.

 

Colossians 1: 15-23

Christ is the head of all creation

He is the image of the unseen God, 
the first–born of all creation, 
for in him were created all things 
in heaven and on earth: 
everything visible and everything invisible, 
thrones, ruling forces, sovereignties, powers—
all things were created through him and for him. 
He exists before all things 
and in him all things hold together, 
and he is the Head of the Body, 
that is, the Church. 

He is the Beginning, 
the first–born from the dead, 
so that he should be supreme in every way; 
because God wanted all fullness to be found in him 
and through him to reconcile all things to him, 
everything in heaven and everything on earth, 
by making peace through his death on the cross.

The Colossians have their share in salvation

You were once estranged and of hostile intent through your evil behaviour; now he has reconciled you, by his death and in that mortal body, to bring you before himself holy, faultless and irreproachable—as long as you persevere and stand firm on the solid base of the faith, never letting yourselves drift away from the hope promised by the gospel, which you have heard, which has been preached to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become the servant.

 

Response in Christ - Excerpt from Chapter 2, p. 18-19

    The Church, therefore, is the earthly continuation of Christ's redemptive Incarnation. This mission which the Church has, although a great responsibility, is also a great privilege. So it is for the individual Christian within the Church. Christ asks him to fulfill a unique role in the continued working out of salvation history. As we have previously stated, no one else can fulfill this unique role except the individual Christian. This is so because no human person in the history of mankind is exactly like another. Each Christian is a unique imitation of the Trinity. Through each Christian Christ wants to continue His redemptive Incarnation in a special way. Each member of the Church is called upon to offer Christ a new humanity through which Christ may express Himself to the world. In proportion as each Christian so offers and commits himself to Christ, the Church in her entirety more and more mirrors forth Christ to the world. This Christ, whom the Church portrays to the world, is the Christ who is prophet, king and priest.