Shepherds of Christ Daily Writing          

June 24, 2015 - Feast of St. John the Baptist

June 25th Holy Spirit Novena
Scripture selection is 
Day 7 Period I.

The Novena Rosary Mysteries 
for June 25th
are
Joyful.

 

Pray for special intentions.

 

Pray for Dan & Melanie, Jimmy,
Fr. Joe, Sonny & family, Blue Book 15,

We need funds to print Blue Book 15.

Please pray for funds & grace.

   

                   

New Cycle B - Guiding Light Homily Book
We need help in mailing Fr. Joe's
Homily Book to priests.

     

  

Given June 23, 2015

R. Dear Jesus, I offer You all I do today.

Soon the dark night will pass and the light of day like a person opening up the store for a new day, the dark of night will peel away and the morning light will come.

Jesus You are always there - at every moment, with me, to be with me in the day - I am not alone.
Today is the day You have made and when I go to bed tonight I can never live this day again.

The opportunities You bring, to do Your work today, are before me.
Help me to serve You and to let You operate me to do Your holy work.

Come Lord, fill me now with Your life in me.
Holy Spirit sanctify me, dwell in me, enlighten me, help me to be docile to Your touch, Please bless the work of my hands today.

Fear is a big way the devil tries to block what God wants us to do this day.
We can fear all kinds of things.
We can fear health, we can fear acceptance, we can fear we will be made fun of, we can fear nobody will hear us,
we can fear we are too tired or we can fear we are too fat or thin, we can fear that we won't have what we need, we can fear others will not accept us, we can fear...

Isn't that the way the media works to try to get us to give in.

Jesus, I give You myself to use for Your day today operating in me, I want to serve You, Come and dwell in me now.

Come Holy Spirit help me to be an empty vessel ready to be filled.

Mary, my mother, walk by my side.

Mary, my Mother, I come to dwell in your Immaculate Heart - take me to the Heart of Jesus.

Come to me Lord and possess my soul.

I offer everything I do all day united to the Mass.
I offer all my prayers, works, joys and sufferings to You Lord, united to the Mass for the building of the Kingdom of God, for the priest, the Church and the world.
I offer my day for my private intentions, I offer my day for my family and the Shepherds of Christ members and needs.

Come to me Lord and possess my soul.

Sing: Come Holy Ghost

Sing: Come to me Lord and Possess my Soul

I love you God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - come dwell in me now.

I adore You, I worship You, I love You, I thank You, God. Amen.

I surrender God in love to do Your will today.
Help me to love.
Dear Heavenly Father help me to see through your eyes.


 

Guardian Angel

"Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom God's love commits me here, ever this day be at my side, to light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen."

 

 

Birth of John the Baptist

Isaiah 49: 1-6

Coasts and islands, listen to me,
pay attention, distant peoples.
Yahweh called me when I was in the womb,
before my birth
    he had pronounced my name. 
He made my mouth like a sharp sword, 
he hid me in the shadow of his hand. 
He made me into a sharpened arrow 
and concealed me in his quiver. 
He said to me, ‘Israel, you are my servant, 
through whom I shall manifest my glory.’ 
But I said, ‘My toil has been futile, 
I have exhausted myself for nothing, 
    to no purpose.’ 
Yet all the while 
    my cause was with Yahweh 
and my reward with my God. 
And now Yahweh has spoken, 
who formed me in the womb 
    to be his servant, 
to bring Jacob back to him 
and to re–unite Israel to him;
—I shall be honoured in Yahweh’s eyes, 
and my God has been my strength.— 
He said, ‘It is not enough for you 
    to be my servant, 
to restore the tribes of Jacob 
    and bring back the survivors of Israel; 
I shall make you a light to the nations 
so that my salvation may reach 
    the remotest parts of earth.    

 

Psalm 139: 1-3, 13-15

Yahweh, you examine me and know me, 
you know when I sit, when I rise, 
you understand my thoughts from afar. 
You watch when I walk or lie down, 
you know every detail of my conduct. 

You created my inmost self,
knit me together in my mother's womb.
For so many marvels I thank you;
a wonder am I, and all your works are wonders.

You knew me through and through,
my being held no secrets from you,
when I was being formed in secret,
textured in the depths of the earth.

   

Acts 13: 22-26

he deposed him and raised up David to be king, whom he attested in these words, "I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart, who will perform my entire will." To keep his promise, God has raised up for Israel one of David’s descendants, Jesus, as Saviour, whose coming was heralded by John when he proclaimed a baptism of repentance for the whole people of Israel. Before John ended his course he said, "I am not the one you imagine me to be; there is someone coming after me whose sandal I am not fit to undo." 

    ‘My brothers, sons of Abraham’s race, and all you godfearers, this message of salvation is meant for you.

   

Luke 1: 57-66, 80

The time came for Elizabeth to have her child, and she gave birth to a son; and when her neighbours and relations heard that the Lord had lavished on her his faithful love, they shared her joy.

Now it happened that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; they were going to call him Zechariah after his father, but his mother spoke up. ‘No,’ she said, ‘he is to be called John.’ They said to her, ‘But no one in your family has that name,’ and made signs to his father to find out what he wanted him called. The father asked for a writing–tablet and wrote, ‘His name is John.’ And they were all astonished. At that instant his power of speech returned and he spoke and praised God. All their neighbours were filled with awe and the whole affair was talked about throughout the hill country of Judaea. All those who heard of it treasured it in their hearts. ‘What will this child turn out to be?’ they wondered. And indeed the hand of the Lord was with him.

Meanwhile the child grew up and his spirit grew strong. And he lived in the desert until the day he appeared openly to Israel.

 

June 24, 2007

INTRODUCTION: We are mostly familiar with John the Baptist from the readings during Advent, as John was the prophet who immediately preceded Jesus and foretold his coming.  His birthday is June 24, which usually falls on a weekday. It is considered an important feast, so important in fact that when it falls on Sunday, it takes precedence over the Sunday readings.  For those who like to follow the readings in the red Worship book, they are 1038 (eve) or 1039 (day).  If you are curious why the feast of his birth is today, consider this. When the archangel Gabriel appeared to Mary, the archangel told her that her cousin Elizabeth was already in her sixth month.  The church figured that John’s birth had to have been six months before the birth of Jesus.  So, Christmas is six months away.

    The liturgy usually puts the feast days of saints on the day they died and entered into eternal life.  Only three birthdays are celebrated: John the Baptist, Mary the mother of Jesus and Jesus himself.  This is because their birth is considered especially holy since they were born free from any sin. 

    [at 4:00] (Vigil) (Jer 1:4-10; Luke 1: 5-17)

    Our first reading is from Jeremiah, a prophet who lived 600 years before Christ.  The reading describes the role of a prophet as was John the Baptist. It is a fitting description of John.

    The gospel is the annunciation to John’s father, the old priest Zechariah, that he and his elderly wife would have a child, a special child who would prepare God’s people for the coming of the Messiah.

    [at 8:00 and 10:00] (Isa 49: 1-6; Luke 1: 57-66, 80)

    In today’s first reading, the prophet Second Isaiah, who lived about 500 years before Christ, speaks of some mysterious person who was identified simply as God's servant.  This poem and three others in Isaiah’s writings are known as Servant Songs.  The early Church found these songs described Jesus in a most uncanny way.  They are usually read during Holy Week.  Today, however, the liturgy applies this second of the Servant Songs to John the Baptist because it states: “the Lord called me from birth, from my mother’s womb he gave me my name.”  

    When the archangel Gabriel had appeared to John’s father Zachariah nine months earlier, he told him his wife Elizabeth would have a son and he was to be named John.  Zachariah and Elizabeth were an older couple and Zachariah didn’t believe the angel.  Not smart!  He lost the ability to speak because of his lack of faith.  (It’s like the angel would not allow him to speak out his doubts but to keep his lack of faith to himself.)  We hear in the gospel how Zachariah’s ability to speak returned once John was born.

HOMILY: Since I gave a long introduction, I do not have a very long sermon. Or as Henry VIII said to his third wife, “I will not keep you long.”   One of Aesop’s most famous fables is the story of the ant and the grasshopper. 

    The story goes like this:

    In a field one summer’s day a Grasshopper was hopping about, chirping and singing to its heart’s content.  An Ant passed by, bearing along with great toil a kernel of corn he was taking to the nest.  “Why not come and chat with me,” said the Grasshopper, “instead of toiling and moiling in that way?”  “I am helping to lay up food for the winter,” said the Ant, “and recommend you to do the same.”  “Why bother about winter?” said the Grasshopper; we have got plenty of food at present.”  But the Ant went on its way and continued its toil.  When the winter came the Grasshopper had no food and found itself dying of hunger, while it saw the ants distributing every day corn and grain from the stores they had collected in the summer.  Then the Grasshopper knew: “It is best to prepare for the days of necessity.” 

    Solid, practical, down to earth wisdom from 2500 years ago!  It’s still true.  If we do not learn this lesson when life is good, we’ll regretfully learn it when it’s too late.  This goes for education, investing, health and all kinds of important areas of life.  John the Baptist’s role in life was to insist on the need to prepare.  He called people to repent and prepare for the coming of God’s kingdom.  His message is as important today as it ever was.  There is a kind of new age theology that follows the attitude of the Grasshopper.  It says don’t worry.  We’re all going to heaven.  We’ll all be happy in the end.  God wants all people to be saved, as St. Paul tells us, but there are abundant passages in every part of the Scriptures that warn us that salvation is not a given.  There are things that are necessary for salvation and things that will prevent our salvation.  The gentle, loving Jesus, who revealed to us so clearly the love of God, warned us: “The door to heaven is narrow.  Work hard to get in, because many will try to enter and will not be able.”  (Luke 13,23)  Jesus, too, like John the Baptist called us to repentance and conversion of heart.  I think the most important lesson we can learn from this feast of John the Baptist is to prepare.  The fact you are here today is one good sign that you understand the need to prepare.  If you want some more specific ideas, the insert in today’s bulletin about love of God might give you a few good ideas on how to prepare better.  Amen.

 

 

 

For the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes and Lent

$10.00 plus shipping

Blue Book 14

One of the following DVD

Picture of Our Lady of Clearwater  4X 6

Prayer Brochure

 

 

 

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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 Genuine

4 for $20 plus postage of $5.95 

 

These books can be given to:

1) All Priests

       2) Good for Music Ministers
       3) Good for DRE's
       4) Good for Deacons
       5) Good for Principals of Schools
       6) Good for Teachers
       7) Good for Mom and Dads

     


 

                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 15 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

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Original Image Rosary

8mm glass beads
in a matching gift box

$40 plus shipping

 


 

In Spanish with the Imprimatur

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Tell My People                    $5.00
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Dan called and gave the report to me, when I hung up I saw this rainbow and took a picture for him.


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