| Shepherds of Christ Daily Writing |
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| Shepherds of Christ Daily Writing |
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June 20, 2016
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June 21st Holy Spirit Novena |
The Novena Rosary
Mysteries |
Please pray for Cole.
Pray for special intentions.
Pray for Dan & Melanie, Mary W, Jimmy,
Fr. Joe, Mary, Catherine, Blue Book 17.
Please pray for funds & grace.
Pray for
Father's Day Mailing,
Fr. Joe's new book, a special
couple, Sanja's trip.
Give the gift that Counts.
Blow Out Sale for Reprinting of Blue Book 1, 2 & 3
While Supplies Last
Blue Book 1 - $4 each plus postage
Blue Book 2 - $4 each plus postage
Blue Book 3 - $3 each plus postageCall 1-888-211-3041 for Doris
Blue Book 16 is available.
June 20, 2016 - In the Month of the Sacred Heart
R. God wants us to be holy – God has
called us and given us baptism to
share in His life. God wants us
to grow to be more and more perfected
in Him. We were created in the
image and likeness of God. Our
life is to be lived to be a reflection
of that love of God that is in us.
Luke 1: 46-55
And Mary said:
My soul proclaims
the greatness of the Lord
and my spirit rejoices
in God my Saviour;
because he has looked upon
the humiliation of his servant.
Yes, from now onwards
all generations will call me blessed,
for the Almighty
has done great things for me.
Holy is his name,
and his faithful love extends age after age
to those who fear him.
He has used the power of his arm,
he has routed the arrogant of heart.
He has pulled down princes
from their thrones
and raised high the lowly.
He has filled the starving with good things,
sent the rich away empty.
He has come to the help
of Israel his servant,
mindful of his faithful love
—according to the promise
he made to our ancestors—
of his mercy to Abraham
and to his descendants for ever.
R. We have love of the Trinity. We
have a relationship with the Persons
of the Trinity – so we see ourselves
as a child of the Father – we love
Him as a little child and we want
to obey. We want the will of the Father
to be obeyed, as it says in the Our Father
"Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven."
Our love for Jesus is a personal
relationship with Jesus, the bridegroom
of our soul, an intimate relationship
that is on fire with love of Him (Blue Book II),
we recognize Him as our Savior (Song from Jesus).
We eat His Body, we drink His Blood –
We put on Christ, we walk in His
footsteps. We live the Pascal
Mystery of Death / Resurrection.
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
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.
R. The Holy Spirit is the fire of God's love –
He moves like a breath in us –
We surrender to God – we pray to be
virtuous, we pray for an increase
of faith, hope and love – theological
virtues and we pray for God to give
us grace to be virtuous in
prudence, temperance, fortitude,
and justice. These are the moral
virtues. We pray for humility.
The Holy Spirit is the Sanctifier – He gives
us gifts.
These gifts He gives helps us to be holy.
Here is a message Fr. Carter received from Jesus.
From Tell My People by Fr. Edward J. Carter, S.J.
Jesus: "My beloved friend, tell My people to pray daily to the Holy Spirit. They are to pray for an increase in His gifts. My people must realize that the Holy Spirit comes to transform them. The Spirit desires to transform you more and more according to My image. Those who are docile to His touch become increasingly shaped in My likeness. He performs this marvel within Mary's Immaculate Heart. The more one dwells in My Mother's Heart, the more active are the workings of the Spirit. The Spirit leads Mary to place you within My own Heart. In both Our Hearts, then, your transformation continues. The more you are formed after My own Heart, the more I lead you to the bosom of My Father. Tell My people all this. Tell them to pray daily for a greater appreciation of these wondrous gifts. I am Lord and Master. All who come to My Heart will be on fire to receive the gifts of the Spirit in ever greater measure! I love and bless My people!"
Reflection: The Holy Spirit is given to us to fashion us ever more according to the likeness of Jesus. And the more we are like Jesus, the more Jesus leads us to the Father. Do we, each day, pray to the Holy Spirit to be more open to His transforming influence? Do we strive each day to grow in union with Mary? The greater our union with our Mother, the spouse of the Holy Spirit, the greater is the transforming action of the Holy Spirit within us.
end of excerpt
R. We want Him to form us more
and more in the image of Jesus.
R. We must put ourselves in a
place where we can know what
God is telling us to do – His will
for us.
"Help me to sit in silence and let
you work in my heart."
It says in the Prayer for Union
Sit in silence
Let God work in our heart –
Docility
Tucked in a little pocket of
the Sacred Heart of Jesus –
Being ready to be transformed
in Him by the power of
the Holy Spirit –
Listening as the Holy Spirit moves
in our soul –
Being docile to the inspiration
of God in our hearts –
whispering words to help us
grow in greater holiness and
love – in the image of Jesus –
being obedient to the will of God –
learning the docility of the
child obeying the Father
through the guiding of the Holy Spirit –
We are filled with light coming
from the Holy Spirit.
We go to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, our
Spiritual Mother and the
Holy Spirit forms us more and more
in the image of Jesus. Mary hears
our call, she is the most perfect
Mother, she is so one with God:
Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Mary is full of
grace. Mary loves us more than any
earthly Mother could ever love us.
Mary intercedes to God for our
needs.
Mary helps us to be so
united to her Spouse the Holy Spirit, to
grow in union with God –
Mary helps us to be united with
her Divine Son, Jesus – Mary
takes us to His Sacred Heart –
The Holy Spirit is leading us – we are
wrapped in the embracing union of
Mary and God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit –
We see Mary's union with God the Father –
childlike, obedient, awesome.
Priestly Newsletter Book II - September/October 1997
In all this Mary offers an example. Selfishness was totally foreign to her. She did not belong to herself. She belonged to God. She was not closed in upon herself. She was completely open to God. When God spoke, she listened. When God pointed the way, she followed. She realized that life is not a process a person masters by carefully mapping out one's own self-conceived plans of conquest, but a mystery to be gradually experienced by being open to God's personal and loving guidance.
Selfishness, then, did not close Mary off from God's call. Neither did fear. God asked her to assume a tremendous responsibility. He asked her to be the Mother of Jesus. Mary did not engage in a process of false humility and say that such a great role was above her. She did not say that she did not have the proper qualifications for this awesome mission. Briefly, she did not waste time looking at herself, making pleas that she was not worthy, telling the angel he had better go look for someone else. No, Mary did not look at herself. Her gaze was absorbed in God. She fully realized that whatever God asked of her, His grace would accomplish. She fully realized that although she herself had to cooperate, this work was much more God's than hers.
Mary's words, then, truly sum up what is the authentic Christian response at any point of life, in any kind of situation: "I am the handmaid of the Lord," said Mary, "let what you have said be done to me".
R. We want these delicate touches of the
Holy Spirit as He guides us, moves in
us, breathes on us –
We are waiting the touch of the
Holy Spirit in our soul –
We pray for His gifts!
The evil spirit is disruptive and
dark, chaotic, selfish, hateful,
deceiving, secretive, manipulative,
in temptation if the soul gives
in, disharmonious, destructive.
The voice of the Holy Spirit is gentle,
moving like the wind, building up.
There is a divine breath that moves
the soul, that is docile to His touch,
upward, filling Him with light,
and love – making him more
and more pure as the Holy Spirit moves
in the soul and sanctifies – helping
the soul to have the mind of Christ –
When one loves another in human
love, one is open to the other –
there is trust –
there is relationship –
there is that wanting to not offend
the other
to right any wrong between them –
to grow in that trust and love
and confidence of their
relationship –
Because relationship in harmony
is what God intends –
God intends men to walk
hand in hand and to grow
in love and relationship
with one another –
Relationship among friends is in that
trust – to open oneself – more
and more –
to dare to be known and to
be truthful
and ready to change to grow
in greater perfection likened
to Jesus –
Relationships with others, rooted in God
helps us to be more and more
what God wants us to be.
Being in relationships deeply with
God helps our relationships
with others and
Being in relationships with others
according to God's will in
holy love – helps us to love
God more –
God shows Himself to us so we
will grow in this relationship
with Him –
We must see God in our brother –
We see the Creation of God and
we know more about God –
His magnificence, His love,
His light, His gifts to us –
Our eyes and hearts are open
to God – not closed and
listening to the darkness of satan.
We are like a child bright-eyed and
learning things for the first time –
the beauty of wonderment, of
discovery, of the excitement
of knowing and seeing things
not known.
God is always teaching us about
Himself in our lives –
He teaches us and unites with
our heart and soul in bitter
sorrow and suffering –
He unites with us in seeing
love and obedience in
others and gives us the gift
of tears, of joy, of an
intimacy and love in our hearts
we can't even explain –
Jesus says
"I am alive, I am alive, I am alive."
Yes, Jesus is alive –
We want to live in Him –
We must have the truth in us –
We must be open to God –
We can't hold deception and lies
about ourselves and how
we have offended God and
others –
We want pardon for our sins –
not to offend God with the
slightest sin –
Not to be divided, but to live harmoniously
with God and others –
to work in relationships –
all the relationships of our lives
forgiving those who offended
us
and asking for forgiveness of
all we have offended –
In Alcoholics Anonymous - they
found such success in the
12 steps.
THE TWELVE STEPS OF AA
Here are the steps we took, which are suggested as a program of recovery:
1. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol,
that our lives had become unmanageable.
2. Came to believe that a Power greater than
ourselves could restore us to sanity.
3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives
over to the care of God as we understood Him.
4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
5. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human
being the exact nature of our wrongs.
6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all
these defects of character.
7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed,
and became willing to make amends to them all.
9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible,
except when to do so would injure them or others.
10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we
were wrong promptly admitted it.
11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our
conscious contact with God as we understood Him,
praying only for knowledge of His will for us and
the power to carry that out.
12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps,
we tried to carry this message to alcoholics,
and to practice these principles in all our affairs.
R. But there was not healing until they
gave their love and what they
learned away –
There had to be where they wanted
to unselfishly help and love
others because of their own
inflection they had and needed
the help of others –
When one loves God - they surrender
to God to guide them –
they know their dependence
on others –
The devil tells people to isolate –
don't trust anyone –
keep closed with secrets –
show pride –
show your independence –
The man of holiness and love
knows his place –
He is recognizing more and more
every day his dependence
on God and others –
He knows he was not put
here to do it alone –
He is open and vulnerable
at least to a chosen few
he allows to see him
bare naked in his heart –
In this he sees himself more and
more as he truly is –
He isn't shut down because
he was hurt 50 years ago –
carrying a secret that keeps
him locked up and not
living –
This man must learn God
put us here and we trust
a chosen few, but we
aren't an island –
Our growth comes in relationship
with God and others
And we aren't perfect and
we need to be transformed from
these things that aren't like God.
Death / Resurrection - the Pascal Mystery –
We know our lives are suffering
and joy. When gold is tested in
the furnace it is seen in beauty.
Look at the pain, Jesus our Savior,
suffered for our sins.
Look at the purity of Jesus.
The child Jesus came into the world
through the power of the Holy Spirit.
We see the Power of the Holy Spirit at
Pentecost – they were transformed
from fear to fearlessness.
What is freedom?
Freedom is walking humbly
with God –
Freedom is not tied down
in darkness and inordinate
attachments.
Freedom is walking in the
truth of Jesus –
Freedom is in living in the
Father's will in love –
We grow in greater devotion and
surrender to the Holy Spirit. We are consistent
in allowing God to penetrate our heart
and soul. We don't wane in and out,
but we let God possess us, live in us,
work in us and we know God intends
us to not only work on our relationship
with Him, but work in justice and
prudence and temperance and fortitude
in our relationships with others.
We are living to be transformed in
our heart more and more like Jesus –
We surrender, we give ourselves in
love to the beloved, we trust the
Sacred Heart of Jesus, we abandon ourselves
to God's will for us – we don't want
anything, but God's will –
"Not my will be done, but Your will
heavenly Father."
The Holy Spirit is the constant Guest of our
soul – We seek this possession by God
in our hearts. We surrender our will
to God – We live everyday seeking His
will for us.
Exodus 14: 15 – 15:1
Yahweh then said to Moses, ‘Why cry out to me? Tell the Israelites to march on. Your part is to raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, so that the Israelites can walk through the sea on dry ground, while I, for my part, shall make the Egyptians so stubborn that they will follow them, and I shall win glory for myself at the expense of Pharaoh and all his army, chariots and horsemen. And when I have won glory for myself at the expense of Pharaoh and his chariots and horsemen, the Egyptians will know that I am Yahweh.’
Then the angel of God, who preceded the army of Israel, changed station and followed behind them. The pillar of cloud moved from their front and took position behind them. It came between the army of the Egyptians and the army of Israel. The cloud was dark, and the night passed without the one drawing any closer to the other the whole night long. Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and Yahweh drove the sea back with a strong easterly wind all night and made the sea into dry land. The waters were divided and the Israelites went on dry ground right through the sea, with walls of water to right and left of them. The Egyptians gave chase, and all Pharaoh’s horses, chariots and horsemen went into the sea after them. In the morning watch, Yahweh looked down on the army of the Egyptians from the pillar of fire and cloud and threw the Egyptian army into confusion. He so clogged their chariot wheels that they drove on only with difficulty, which made the Egyptians say, ‘Let us flee from Israel, for Yahweh is fighting on their side against the Egyptians!’ Then Yahweh said to Moses, ‘Stretch out your hand over the sea and let the waters flow back on the Egyptians and on their chariots and their horsemen.’ Moses stretched out his hand over the sea and, as day broke, the sea returned to its bed. The fleeing Egyptians ran straight into it, and Yahweh overthrew the Egyptians in the middle of the sea. The returning waters washed right over the chariots and horsemen of Pharaoh’s entire army, which had followed the Israelites into the sea; not a single one of them was left. The Israelites, however, had marched through the sea on dry ground, with walls of water to right and left of them. That day, Yahweh rescued Israel from the clutches of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the sea–shore. When Israel saw the mighty deed that Yahweh had performed against the Egyptians, the people revered Yahweh and put their faith in Yahweh and in Moses, his servant.
Song of victory
It was then that Moses and the Israelites sang this song in Yahweh’s honour:
I shall sing to Yahweh,
for he has covered himself in glory,
horse and rider
he has thrown into the sea.
Isaiah 54: 5-14
For your Creator is your husband,
Yahweh Sabaoth is his name,
the Holy One of Israel is your redeemer,
he is called God of the whole world.
Yes, Yahweh has called you back
like a forsaken, grief–stricken wife,
like the repudiated wife of his youth,
says your God.
I did forsake you for a brief moment,
but in great compassion
I shall take you back.
In a flood of anger, for a moment
I hid my face from you.
But in everlasting love
I have taken pity on you,
says Yahweh, your redeemer.
For me it will be as in the days of Noah
when I swore that Noah’s waters
should never flood the world again.
So now I swear never to be angry with you
and never to rebuke you again.
For the mountains may go away
and the hills may totter,
but my faithful love will never leave you,
my covenant of peace will never totter,
says Yahweh who takes pity on you.Unhappy creature, storm–tossed,
unpitied,
look, I shall lay your stones on agates
and your foundations on sapphires.
I shall make your battlements rubies,
your gateways firestone
and your entire wall precious stones.
All your children
will be taught by Yahweh
and great will be
your children’s prosperity.
In saving justice you will be made firm,
free from oppression:
you will have nothing to fear;
free from terror:
it will not approach you.
R. God calls us to come to the water.
You can lead a horse to water,
but you cannot make him drink –
Man has a free will
God is our Master –
Jesus is our Savior –
We need Jesus –
We are not independent –
God gives us gifts –
God gives us His Word –
God gives us the Sacraments
God gives us a sharing in His life
in baptism.
Only a fool puts himself before
God.
Only a fool sees himself as
independent and in power –
Even the stars shine before
the Lord –
Walk in the light lest you
stumble and fall in darkness –
Jesus is the Light of the World –
Give your heart to Jesus and Mary - that you
will be sheltered in these
Hearts of love –
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."
Psalm 19: 8-11
The precepts of Yahweh are honest,
joy for the heart;
the commandment of Yahweh is pure,
light for the eyes.The fear of Yahweh is pure,
lasting for ever;
the judgements of Yahweh are true,
upright, every one,more desirable than gold,
even than the finest gold;
his words are sweeter than honey,
that drips from the comb.Thus your servant is formed by them;
observing them brings great reward.
R. We long and thirst for the
courts of the Lord –
Our hearts were made for Thee.
Dear God help me to have a clean
heart –
Dear Holy Spirit come to me and renew
me, help me to grow as
the heavenly Father desires
me to grow –
Dear God You call me to obey
Your will –
Dear God You call me to a
humble and contrite
heart –
Romans 6: 3-11
You cannot have forgotten that all of us, when we were baptised into Christ Jesus, were baptised into his death. So by our baptism into his death we were buried with him, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the Father’s glorious power, we too should begin living a new life. If we have been joined to him by dying a death like his, so we shall be by a resurrection like his: realising that our former self was crucified with him, so that the self which belonged to sin should be destroyed and we should be freed from the slavery of sin. Someone who has died, of course, no longer has to answer for sin.
But we believe that, if we died with Christ, then we shall live with him too. We know that Christ has been raised from the dead and will never die again. Death has no power over him any more. For by dying, he is dead to sin once and for all, and now the life that he lives is life with God. In the same way, you must see yourselves as being dead to sin but alive for God in Christ Jesus.
R. This is the Day the Lord has made
rejoice in it and let your light shine.
Apostles Creed
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell; on the third day he arose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven; and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from there he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.
22 Years Ago
July 31, 1994
Words of Jesus to Members of
Shepherds of Christ Associates:"My beloved priest-companion, I intend to use the priestly newsletter, Shepherds of Christ, and the movement, Shepherds of Christ Associates, in a powerful way for the renewal of My Church and the world.
"I will use the newsletter and the chapters of Shepherds of Christ Associates as a powerful instrument for spreading devotion to My Heart and My Mother's Heart.
"I am calling many to become members of Shepherds of Christ Associates. To all of them I will give great blessings. I will use them as instruments to help bring about the triumph of the Immaculate Heart and the reign of My Sacred Heart. I will give great graces to the members of Shepherds of Christ Associates. I will call them to be deeply united to My Heart and to Mary's Heart as I lead them ever closer to My Father in the Holy Spirit."
- Message from Jesus to Father Edward J. Carter, S.J., Founder, as given on July 31, 1994,
feast of Saint Ignatius Loyola, Founder of the Society of Jesus (The Jesuits)
Excerpt from January 27, 1992
I Can Never Live The
Moments of This Day
Again
When I Go To Bed
Today is Gone Forever
I Must Choose to
Treasure
Each Moment Because
It Is The Only
Moment I Have And
It Only Lasts One Moment.
Song: Live This Day
Excerpt from the Pre Blue Book
January 1992
R. And I called
and He answered me,
He comforted my oh so
sad heart and hugged me
with the warmth of His love,
He heard my sad songs
and listened and answered
me. He gave me His strength to
wash my soul — He wiped
each tear away with His
love and bathed me in His blood and I
felt His warmth and comfort deep
in my cells as a burst of love
washed through my sad body.
He filled me with His
grace.
He restored my shattered heart —
His Spirit filled me. He breathed life into
my tattered soul and washed
me with the waters of comfort
and He said to me "Yes My child
beloved of My Father, You
are oh so precious and oh so
special to me and I am Divine.
I see your little bouncy girl,
your beauty and your innocence and
I watch your tears and sorrow and
I know the pain and trials of
your heart, I share in your
grief and I really love you,
turn to me and feel My presence and
comfort in your heart, I will
take care of you, My graces and
support are endless, I love
you, you are not alone. I am
here and I hold your hand, know
it My child, you are indeed
My precious child.
Cling to Me and be
not afraid, though you
go in raging waters, I am there with
you, My rod and my staff guide your way and
My light is there to illuminate your path
Oh ye, beloved of My Father, friend and lover
let the Holy Spirit embrace you. God loves
you, I am your God.
I listen to your cries and comfort you, I
turn not away, I love you, I know
you and I want to be with you at every
moment.
I made your tears as
a way
to release your sorrow and cleanse yourself
of your pain. I am in touch with you
and I walk with you at every turn of your
path — know Me — you are not alone, I am
here with you now, in this silence,
I speak to you, no
whisper, these are
My words to you, I am here in this
room and in your heart and I love you with
My love. My love is Divine Love. Feel My presence, warm
and close in your heart. I am your
God, I am alive. I
neither slumber or sleep. I know
your sadness deep in your heart.
I am He who comforts you and I say again,
be not afraid, I love your every cell and I
am forever within you — Cry out to
Me and I hear each cry and I free you
from your loneliness and pain. Don't
be afraid and lonely, I am here with you.
I love you.
end of excerpt
R. Open the Blue Book Anywhere and
Jesus will speak to you.
R. Order Blue Books
Give Blue Books to
those you love –
Help spread the
Blue Books
Jesus said:
John 15: 4-8
As a branch cannot bear fruit all by itself,
unless it remains part of the vine,
neither can you unless you remain in me.
I am the vine,
you are the branches.
Whoever remains in me, with me in him,
bears fruit in plenty;
for cut off from me you can do nothing.
R. So why would a person not seek
to be so deeply united to Jesus.
To oppose God's will, to serve satan
and walk in darkness, isolation
is opposed to the Greatest Commandment –
Jesus shows this unity in this scripture.
Life is not life if it is not rooted in Him –
Jesus is alive. The person walking in
darkness is not really thinking how
He is alive.
I heard Jesus say
"I'm alive, I'm alive, I'm alive and
I am treated like a dead object."
The vine and the branch scripture shows
us how He wants us to dwell in
Him and Him in us – Unity –
Life flowing through the body –
from God – God is the source
of life –
We read John 17
the scripture how Jesus
wants us one in Him.
Reference John 17
Jesus gives us His Body and Blood –
We receive His Body and Blood in
the Eucharist. We put on Christ –
Come to me Lord and Possess
my soul –
We surrender to God – God
moves in us – We wait on Him –
We live for Him –
God is infinite goodness –
The greater our faith – the
more we seek the gifts of the Holy Spirit –
We seek to love God for Himself –
We love Him!!
We want to see through the eyes
of God –
We want to love God because
we love Him!
We cannot even fathom the
love of God with our
human heart alone – we need
God's grace given to us –
to love on a supernatural level –
to know on a supernatural level –
We cannot even fathom relationship with
God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Our relationship
with God is rooted in love. We pray to be
possessed by the Holy Spirit – so the Holy Spirit will
fill us with the fire of God's love. We seek
this intimacy with the Holy Trinity –
relationship with God which we will
have ever greater in the beatific vision.
Loving as God wants us to love - gives
us eyes in our heart to see the love and
good that others have and to see them
in their reflection of God-like qualities.
We see love in friends that trust
and work together and have that security
to share themselves with the other,
but this openness must be just
that - openness –
Secrets can keep a person from being who
they need to be in relationships with God,
with others they need to be open with.
You cannot be open and closed in
relationships with God and others at
the same time.
Relationships grow and are based
on knowledge of the one relating to.
If a person is protecting a life-long
secret they will be guarded and not
free and open with the ones they need
to relate to.
We are here to live in the truth,
to grow in intimacy in our hearts
with God and with certain others
we need to relate to in an open
intimate relationship.
But the more we see through the eyes of
God, the more we are filled with love
from the Holy Spirit, the more we live in union
with Christ, the more we see things
as they really are.
God looks into the hearts of men.
Men can think they look into the hearts of other
men and may see with jealousy and envy and
pride and anger and see incorrectly
about the other person.
Seeing in the eyes of love – sees
more and more as God wants us to
see.
It can be tough love for parents
to have to discipline unruly children,
but it is their responsibility to do so
and if they do not that child may
continue down a path of darkness
and lose their soul. Parents have
responsibility under God to discipline
their children. Parents have a
responsibility to teach them about
responsibility for their actions.
To teach them to be accountable
to God for sins they commit when
they are offending God and hurting
others.
The parent or person in authority
does not have a powder-puff
job. They have a responsibility
under God to enforce God's rules and
laws and to hold those under them
accountable for their actions.
When rules are broken by willful
and unruly others seeking punishment
to implement their ways opposed
to rules and justice – then what
develops is unruliness and
injustice in greater and greater
measure – as it becomes a norm
to allow unruliness and
undisciplined ways because of
some force the rebellious person
uses as power over the structure.
To have growth in the spiritual life,
to have growth in families and communities,
there must be rules that foster what
is right and there must be justice.
There must be a system, a structure
where those under authority are
accountable for their actions and
receive correction with a willingness
to change for the good of others
and in obedience to the place
wanting to serve God first.
When people under authority
live rebelling against authority
and use some means of force to
keep their behavior as the rule –
The level that a family, community
can develop and grow is thwarted
like the withered fig tree.
Growth of any plant comes
from the proper environment –
A tree needs water and sunshine
to grow. Some care may be needed,
protection of diseases, bugs etc.
that may threaten its life and
kill the tree.
There are things trees need,
to grow. A person can't decide
to hide the light and feed the tree
hard liquor or allow bugs to
feast on the tree and expect it to
grow.
They are like tree rules – God
put with the plant to grow.
In a family, community there
must be love and truth for
this to grow. There must be trust
among the members. There must
be authority and accountability
and responsibility for one's actions.
There must be unity in living
according to the Father's Plan.
The Divine Plan of God is made
known to us. To have unity with
God and others, there cannot be rebellion
to the commandments of God.
Injustice in treatment of others
and the attitude that people
can do whatever they want –
without accountability and
responsibility.
A community and family have
a goal they live by – This goal
rooted in God helps them to grow.
Opposing God's will is conflict
that does not help people to
grow in their relationship with
God. It leads them away from God.
Life is in Him –
We were created to know, love
and serve God.
God in creating us wants us
to love Him and He wants to
love us. Eternal life is an eternity
of loving – It is beautiful –
God promises this to the man who
loves and serves the Lord.
Give the gift that keeps giving.
Blue Book 1 & 2 – $4.00 each plus postage
Blue Books 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7,
6A, B, C, 3 –
$3.00 each plus postage
Blue Books 4 & 5 –$2.00 each plus postage
Blue Books 14, 15 & 16 –$5.00 each plus postage
The more you use the Blue Books and
become one with Jesus – more
intimate with Jesus –
the more your lives are a blessing and
everything you do in life can help
to bring down great grace for the world
because of your being so
one with Jesus.
Guiding Light Homily Book Series
Fr. Joe’s Books
Cycle A –
Steadfast to the Son
Cycle B –
Focusing on the Word
Cycle C –
Feed My Soul
Cycle A –
Inspired to be Genuine4 for $20 plus postage of $6.95
These books can be given to:
1) All Priests
2) Good for Music Ministers
7) Good for Mom and Dads
3) Good for DRE's
4) Good for Deacons
5) Good for Principals of Schools
6) Good for Teachers
Given March 21, 2014
R. Pray for These Things
1) Pray for the Pope & hierarchy to help us start prayer chapters.
2) Pray for Dan, Sally Jo, Richard, Carol, Margaret, Sue,
Jack, Jean, Amanda, Matthew, Special intentions.
3) Pray for the priests, the Church and the world!
4) Pray for the spread of prayer chapters,
also for the spread of priests doing prayer chapters.
5) Pray for the spread of Blue Books.
6) People going to Florida and China.
7) Vocations to all 7 categories.
8) Pray for spread of Consecration and Rosary.
9) Pray for pope helping us.
10) Pray for Jeff - sales & health. Pray for Nick.
11) Blue Book 17 and cover and all involved.
For our Publisher and all involved
12) All intentions on my list, Jerry's list.
13) Priests getting Fr. Joe's book.
14) Pray for Fr. Joe's new book, cover & funds for printing & postage.
15) Donors and members and their families.
16) Healing of the Family tree.
17) Dan & Melanie, Catherine & mom, Gary, Mary Jo,
Jim & statues, Fr. Ken, Monsignor, Kerry, Tom & wife.
18) All who asked us to pray for them.
19) All we promised to pray for.
20) Rita, John, Doris, Sheila, Jerry, Regina, Sanja,
Betty, Sophie, Lisa, Eileen, Fr. Mike, Louie, Laverne,
2 Dons, Mary Ellen, Fr. Joe, all priests helping us,
Ed, Jimmy, Steve, a special couple, Rosie & all involved.
21) 2 babies and moms.
22) Funds and insurance.
23) Jerry's garage.
24) In thanksgiving for gifts, graces, & blessings received.
25) Spread the Blood of Jesus on all of us here.
26) Consecrate all hearts.
27) Cast the devil out of all of us here and all in Movement.
The Wedding Rosary
Crystal Image Rosary
$40 plus shipping
Original Image Rosary
8mm glass beads
in a matching gift box$40 plus shipping
Give the gift that counts.
Give to your priests Fr. Carter's Books plus postage.
Tell My People $5.00
Response to God's Love $8.00
Response in Christ $8.00
Old Mass Books with the Imprimatur
$2.00 plus postage
New Mass Book with Imprimatur
$8.00 plus postage
New Parents & Children's Book with the Imprimatur
$8.00 plus postage
Fr. Joe's Cycle A – Steadfast to the Sun – Starts in Advent
$5.00 plus postage
Give the gift that keeps on giving!
Give to your priest.
Fr. Carter's Priestly Newsletters Book II
$6.00 plus postage
Get a canvas print of Mary's image
with a sliver of glass and a little
bottle of Jesus and Mary water.
The glass will be fixed behind the
back of the picture.
$200.00 plus postage
Shepherds of Christ Ministries
P.O. Box 627 China, Indiana 47250
Telephone: (toll free) 1-888-211-3041 or (812) 273-8405
FAX: (812) 273-3182
Copyright © 2014 Shepherds of Christ.
Rights for non–commercial reproduction granted:
May be copied in its entirety, but neither re–typed nor edited.
Translations are welcome but they must be reviewed for moral and
theological accuracy by a source approved by Shepherds of Christ Ministries
before any distribution takes place. Please contact us for more information.
