Shepherds of Christ Daily Writing        

August 23, 2015

August 24th Holy Spirit Novena
Scripture selection is 
Day 4 Period II.

The Novena Rosary Mysteries 
for August 24th
are
Joyful.

 

Pray for special intentions.
  

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

Please pray for funds & grace.

   

                  

Blue Book 15 Available
Introductory Price $5.00 plus postage

  

 

 

                August 23, 2015

                Jesus: Rebellion to God leads man away from
                    God –

                Serving loving God – leads him in
                    union with God –

                Now man has been given a free will
                    and the young are free in their
                    bodies, (usually), to pursue
                    many things –

                Some seek this . . .

                Others seek that . . .

                But the man of wisdom is the man
                    who keeps his eyes on the Lord –

                The vision one must seek is not a
                    worldly vision, but one that is
                    the vision of the Heavenly Father
                    held in a well cared heart.

                One man can put his back to God
                    and pursue a sorted path
                    for glory on the earth –

                The wise man has his eyes
                    on God and follows the
                    plan of the Heavenly Father.

                   When a child is in his teen
                age years and feeling he is becoming
                he may leave home and feel a
                freeing of pursuing his dream
                while he plans and prods, what
                he believes, will be his destiny
                of greatness among men.

                    But soon the bodies of men
                age and the man may see
                that they are not the same
                in their ability to function and
                get around, friends and family
                begin to die.

                    And one clearly sees that
                death is the eminent thing
                some day for their body, but
                to those who know the soul,
                who know their God, know
                like a loving Father, He watches
                from above and is waiting
                him to come to his real home
                in heaven after a long
                journey here below –

                    Oh men of faith live to please
                Him who gave you life. Your
                life here on earth is passing
                and your days will soon
                come to an end here below –

                    Keep your eyes on God for
                He loves you, He loves
                you, He loves you.
 
   

                Today's Readings

21st Sunday of Ordinary Time

Joshua 24: 1-2a, 15-17, 18b

    Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel together at Shechem; he then summoned all the elders of Israel, its leaders, judges and officials, and they presented themselves in God’s presence. Joshua then said to all the people:

   ‘Yahweh, the God of Israel, says this, “From time immemorial, your ancestors, Terah, father of Abraham and Nahor, lived beyond the River, and served other gods. But if serving Yahweh seems a bad thing to you, today you must make up your minds whom you do mean to serve, whether the gods whom your ancestors served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose country you are now living. As regards my family and me, we shall serve Yahweh.’ The people replied, ‘Far be it from us to desert Yahweh and to serve other gods! Yahweh our God was the one who brought us and our ancestors here from Egypt, from the place of slave–labour, who worked those great wonders before our eyes and who kept us safe all along the way we travelled and among all the peoples through whom we passed. We too shall serve Yahweh, for he is our God.’

   

Psalm 34: 2-3, 16-21

Bet       I will praise Yahweh from my heart;
            let the humble hear and rejoice.
Gimel   Proclaim with me the greatness of Yahweh,
            let us acclaim his name together.
Pe        But Yahweh’s face is set against those who do evil,
            to cut off the memory of them from the earth.
Zade    They cry in anguish and Yahweh hears,
            and rescues them from all their troubles.
Qoph   Yahweh is near to the broken–hearted,
            he helps those whose spirit is crushed.
Resh     Though hardships without number beset the upright,
            Yahweh brings rescue from them all.
Shin     Yahweh takes care of all their bones,
             not one of them will be broken.
Taw      But to the wicked evil brings death,
             those who hate the upright will pay the penalty.

  

Ephesians 5: 21-32

Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives should be subject to their husbands as to the Lord, since, as Christ is head of the Church and saves the whole body, so is a husband the head of his wife; and as the Church is subject to Christ, so should wives be to their husbands, in everything. Husbands should love their wives, just as Christ loved the Church and sacrificed himself for her to make her holy by washing her in cleansing water with a form of words, so that when he took the Church to himself she would be glorious, with no speck or wrinkle or anything like that, but holy and faultless. In the same way, husbands must love their wives as they love their own bodies; for a man to love his wife is for him to love himself. A man never hates his own body, but he feeds it and looks after it; and that is the way Christ treats the Church, because we are parts of his Body. This is why a man leaves his father and mother and becomes attached to his wife, and the two become one flesh. This mystery has great significance, but I am applying it to Christ and the Church.

    

John 6: 60-69

After hearing it, many of his followers said, ‘This is intolerable language. How could anyone accept it?’ Jesus was aware that his followers were complaining about it and said, ‘Does this disturb you? What if you should see the Son of man ascend to where he was before? 

 

    ‘It is the spirit that gives life, 
    the flesh has nothing to offer. 

    The words I have spoken to you are spirit 
    and they are life. 

 

‘But there are some of you who do not believe.’ For Jesus knew from the outset who did not believe and who was to betray him. He went on, ‘This is why I told you that no one could come to me except by the gift of the Father.’ After this, many of his disciples went away and accompanied him no more.

Peter’s profession of faith

Then Jesus said to the Twelve, ‘What about you, do you want to go away too?’ Simon Peter answered, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the message of eternal life, and we believe; we have come to know that you are the Holy One of God.’

 
 

21st Sunday of Ordinary Time

August 26, 2012

INTRODUCTION – (Joshua 24:1-2a, 15-17, 18b; Eph 5:21-32; John 6:60-69) A man was robbing a bank and as he stood at the teller’s window with a gun in his hands, his mask fell off. He quickly put it back on and turned to a man who was a bank customer and asked him, “Did you see my face?” The man said “yes, I saw you.” And so the robber shot him. Then he turned to a couple who were standing nearby and said to the wife, “Did you see my face?” The wife said “No, I didn’t see you. But my husband did!”

    I wonder if that husband might have been the type of person who would give his wife a jab in the ribs when the lector reads today’s second reading. Paul says “wives should be subordinate to their husbands.” God did not make either husband or wife to be a dictator of the other. When you hear this reading, keep in mind the first sentence where Paul says to both husbands and wives: “Be subordinate to one another” You might notice that Paul is just as demanding (and maybe even more so) of husbands in this passage than he is of wives. Marriage involves mutual love and respect.

    Shortly after God’s people arrived in the Promised Land, Joshua, who became their leader after Moses died, gathered the people together to renew their covenant with Yahweh. They enthusiastically chose to commit themselves to follow God faithfully. History tells us later generations did not remain so enthusiastically faithful. In contrast with this commitment of fidelity, we hear in today’s gospel that many of Jesus’ disciples chose not to follow him after his teaching on the Eucharist. All the apostles stayed with him.

HOMILY – I’m sure it is somewhat uncomfortable to go to Mass with a lot of scaffolding between you and the altar. So I’ll try not to make you suffer too long. Today we hear the conclusion of the sixth chapter of John’s gospel. It began with Jesus feeding a huge crowd of people with five loaves of bread and two fish. The chapter moved on to a discussion about Jesus being the bread of life, then to Jesus’ statement that we must eat his flesh and drink his blood if we wish to share in eternal life. We see in today’s gospel the reaction to Jesus’ teaching. People thought he was out of his mind and walked away from him. Jesus didn’t try to explain what he had said so clearly and emphatically. The fact that Jesus let the people leave, knowing that they understood him literally, is a strong proof to me that this is the way he wants us to understand him when he says, “this is my body – this is the chalice of my blood.”

    As the people were walking away, Jesus simply asked his apostles if they wanted to leave him too. Peter, who often puts his foot in his mouth, came across this time with the right answer: “To whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.”

    Sometimes it’s the only answer we can give to events in our lives. God’s ways are often hidden from us. God tells us he loves us, he will always be with us, but we don’t always experience that love or his presence. He tells us to love our enemies. To forgive those who have hurt us. To eat his body and drink his blood. Our faith challenges us to believe in what we cannot see or prove or perhaps not always feel or makes sense. In times of confusion or distress, we pray for help, we pray to understand. Our prayers seem to be unanswered. We seek counseling. Maybe it helps. But sometimes all we can end up doing is to say: “I believe. If Jesus said it, if Jesus said he loves us, he is with us, especially in the Eucharist, then I believe it because I believe in Jesus and he speaks the words of eternal life.” That my friends is what faith is, pure and simple.

    I promised I would not make you watch through the scaffolding too long, so I’ll conclude my homily with that message. Amen.

 

 

22 Years Ago

August 23, 1993 - Message from Jesus

On His Passion

Jesus: My dear child,

I was condemned to death, death on a cross. They gave Me a big cross and made Me carry it. They stood around and glared at Me. It weighed on My shoulder and I pulled at it until it finally moved. Every step was almost impossible as I dragged it, weighing so heavily on My shoulders.

My shoulder felt as if the bones inside would crack and the cross would fall through to the ground. I couldn’t drag it any more. I tried, I fell. I fell and its weight fell on Me. A guard hit Me with something sharp. It really hurt because he wanted Me to move, and fast! People were watching – on with the show! How dare I fall in the middle of the show! He hit Me again and the blow really stung Me. I got up because it hurt so badly. I tried to walk on.

My Mother was in the crowd. She looked at Me and her face looked red and hurt. Tears rolled down her cheeks like rain and as her eyes met Mine, I was hurt so by her sorrow! She was always by My side, silent and loving. She was My mother of love! She is always there next to you when you suffer.

I fell again and he (the guard) really hit Me. It (the cross) was so heavy that he and I together could barely move it. It seemed as I walked, heavier with the sins of the world heaped on it. My hands were bleeding. Blood ran from the wounds of My thorns and My head throbbed, seeming to make the wounds in My head bleed even more. Some of the Blood was dried, some of it running all over My Body. I had so many cuts and bruises – and people watched and laughed!

I am Jesus, Son of the Living God, and they laughed and mimicked Me! Oh, such hardened hearts! How vile can men’s heart become? The devil’s grip is paralyzing and crippling.

The walk was so long up a hill and over rocks – the cross had to be lifted over the rocks. My Body was bleeding so badly! My heart was pounding. I knew that the salvation of all men depended on My love. Therefore, I went through such agony.

I thought of My intense love for you – that many would go to heaven because of My suffering – and I continued to the top of the hill. At the top they laid Me on the cross and with a big hammer nailed My hands to it. It was the worst (suffering) yet. My hands were nailed with big nails and the big hammer. Oh, it was unbelievable! Then, as if that weren’t enough, with a big nail they nailed through both feet.

Then they lifted the cross and banged it into (a hole in) the ground. My shoulders ached from how I hung. My head bobbed and My neck ached and they laughed and said, "Now save Yourself." I hurt so much! I suffered this way for hours – which seemed like forever – and they glared at Me and laughed! My Mother watched in such agony.

For love of you, to My death I gave you My Body. My child, I shed My Blood and gave you My life that you might be with Me forever in heaven – not for a day, a month or a year, but forever with Me in heaven.

I am the true Bread come down from heaven. He who eats My Flesh will have life forever. For the drink I give you is My Blood and food you eat is My Body. Who would lay down his life for a friend? I did, for you. I love you this much, child. Forget about those who reject you. You have My life that I gave you and I give you life eternal.

I am the One true God. I am the Light of life. He who abides in Me will have life eternal, for the drink I give is My Blood and the food I give is My Body. Drink and eat and have everlasting life.

My child, that is all you need to know. Love one another and be good that you may enter into My Kingdom.

end of August 23, 1993

 

 

 

 

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$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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6 different Blue Books for $30.00 including postage 

       


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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 

 

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1) All Priests

       2) Good for Music Ministers
       3) Good for DRE's
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                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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