C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\My Documents\My Web\template.htm

July 13, 2008

Adam and Eve had such gifts given
from God —

Adam and Eve sinned

Mary was a human being descended
from Adam and Eve —

                Mary was conceived without sin —
                Mary was preserved from the
                    stain of original sin.

                We the sons and daughters of
                    Adam and Eve have been
                    marked with original sin
                    from the moment of conception —

Genesis 9: 8-15

God spoke as follows to Noah and his sons, ‘I am now establishing my covenant with you and with your descendants to come, and with every living creature that was with you: birds, cattle and every wild animal with you; everything that came out of the ark, every living thing on earth. And I shall maintain my covenant with you: that never again shall all living things be destroyed by the waters of a flood, nor shall there ever again be a flood to devastate the earth.’

‘And this’, God said, ‘is the sign of the covenant which I now make between myself and you and every living creature with you for all ages to come: I now set my bow in the clouds and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. When I gather the clouds over the earth and the bow appears in the clouds, I shall recall the covenant between myself and you and every living creature, in a word all living things, and never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all living things.

1 Peter 3: 18-22

Christ himself died once and for all for sins, the upright for the sake of the guilty, to lead us to God. In the body he was put to death, in the spirit he was raised to life, and, in the spirit, he went to preach to the spirits in prison. They refused to believe long ago, while God patiently waited to receive them, in Noah’s time when the ark was being built. In it only a few, that is eight souls, were saved through water. It is the baptism corresponding to this water which saves you now—not the washing off of physical dirt but the pledge of a good conscience given to God through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has entered heaven and is at God’s right hand, with angels, ruling forces and powers subject to him.

Mark 1: 12-15

And at once the Spirit drove him into the desert and he remained there for forty days, and was put to the test by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and the angels looked after him.

After John had been arrested, Jesus went into Galilee. There he proclaimed the gospel from God saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is close at hand. Repent, and believe the gospel.’

                    The reading of Peter speaks to us of
                Christian baptism. The reading of
                Genesis includes a key concept of
                salvation history — that of covenant.
                Baptism initiates the Christian
                into the life of the new covenant,
                the covenant of Jesus Christ.

                    Covenant in terms of salvation
                history is a religious pact.
                Covenant establishes a life — relationship
                between God and his people. Covenant
                likewise unites its own members with
                new bonds of mutual love, while
                also instilling a deepened capacity
                for relating in love to all members
                of the human family.

                    The life of baptism, then,
                is the life of the new covenant and,
                since covenant implies community,
                we must realize that our covenant
                life calls us to a communitarian
                existence — to life within the Church.
                In various ways to help one another
                go to the Father in Christ and under
                the Spirit. We are meant to achieve our
                destinies, not as isolated individuals,
                but as members of community.

                    The life of baptism, as all life,
                is meant to grow toward maturity.
                We must want to be more dynamic
                Christians. We should not be
                mired down in a state of
                Christian mediocrity. To be Christian
                ideally means to be fully alive
                in Christ. To be Christian is to
                be fully enthusiastic about Christ.
                To be enthusiastic for Christ's cause.
                To live out our baptismal commitment
                with love for Christ and others,
                Enthusiasm to serve Him —
                Lights shining in this troubled world.

                One reason our life of baptism,
                our Christ-life, does not develop
                toward maturity as it should is
                that we fail to see properly that
                the Christian existence is a
                full-time vocation.

We are meant to be a Christian
all day, every day.

1 Corinthians 10: 31

Whatever you eat, then, or drink, and whatever else you do, do it all for the glory of God.

                Everything we do is to be elevated
                in this new existence of living
                our human life IN HIM.

                We put on Christ —
                in all our lives —
                our joy is to be baptized —
                our joy is to live out our Christ-life —
                With enthusiasm
                With love
                As CHRISTIANS

                The life of Jesus permeates
                our human nature through and
                    through!!

                We are elevated to a new level of existence
                according to which we exercise a
                deepened capacity to love God
                and neighbor. In Jesus, we have
                the capacity to be more deeply
                human, to be more vitally alive,
                to be able to experience with
                greater sensitivity the beauty,
                the grandeur and the awesomeness
                of human existence.

"See they are Christians
by their love"

                Consecration to the Hearts of Jesus
                and Mary help us to live out this
                Christ-life.
                Consecration to the Hearts of
                Jesus and Mary help us to live
                out our baptismal commitment.

                    We are full-time Christians!!
                The life of baptism, our Christ-life —
                is intended to touch all our
                really human activities, we can
                readily see why St. Paul can
                encourage us to do all for the
                glory of God.

                We are Christians in work and play,
                    in sorrow, in laughter
                    in tears
                    in this we know the touch of
                        God's love —
                    We know Him in rejection —

                In living out the Pascal Mystery
                    of death-resurrection —
                    we see how living as God intends
                        in sufferings we must
                        endure — God brings us
                        to greater life in Him —

                We live the Pascal Mystery —
                    Death/Resurrection
                    Suffering/Victory

                We know we live IN HIM —
                    in success and in failure —
                    these and other human
                    experiences should be the
                    expression of what it means
                    to be Christians within the
                    human condition.

ALL DAY, EVERY DAY we
live as Christians

                If we are not the Christian we
                    should be we are wasting
                    valuable time in being the
                    Christian we could be —

                Our days are to be lived becoming
                    what God desires us to be —
                    Every day must be a day to live
                    as a Christian for ourselves
                    and others —

                Not to waste the opportunity to
                    live out our Christian existence and
                    be as Christ wants us to be —

We can be a nuisance to ourselves
and others —

                Fr. Carter says
                    "Such a view is far from that
                    of God who envisions our days
                    as marvelous opportunities for
                    us to pursue the true, the
                    good and the beautiful."

                    Jesus shows us how to live
                the life of covenant, the life
                of baptism. The grace-life is
                the Christ-life.

                Jesus, by his teaching and example,
                    shows us, under the Holy Spirit's
                    guidance, the way to the Father.

John 14: 6

Jesus said:

I am the Way; I am Truth and Life...

                    Our life must be rooted in Jesus!
                Jesus loves us more than we love
                ourselves — Jesus is our Savior.
                Jesus is God —

Sing: A Song from Jesus

Jesus is our friend —

                Jesus looks upon us with great
                    expectation, expectation
                    can be fulfilled by our
                    "yes" —

We can be stubborn and hurt ourselves —

Say to Jesus

"Make me - do it"

We have a free will —

We can give our lives to Him or
hurt ourselves and others —

We have a free will!!

We will to love!

                We will to be obedient to God —
                    to live as He wills us to —
                    to live a Christian life —
                    to live according to the Father's
                        Plan

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

                We cannot live as God wills by
                    ourselves —
                    we must pray for His grace —
                    everything we do that is
                        good is because of
                        His grace - He gave us

We cannot live as He wants
without His help —

                    We must constantly pray to
                        live out our vocation
                        as Christians!

Eternity is forever

We are preparing ourselves for
eternity —

Purity is the robe we must
wear

Living as God wants us to live

                As we live each day in Christ we
                    have a precious opportunity
                    of shaping our eternities —
                    and helping others to shape
                    theirs

Matthew 22: 36-40

'Master, which is the greatest commandment of the Law?' Jesus said to him, 'You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second resembles it: You must love your neighbour as yourself. On these two commandments hang the whole Law, and the Prophets too.'

This is our great privilege —
this is our great responsibility —

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."

Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us.
God, the Father of heaven, have mercy on us.
God, the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God, the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.

Holy Mary, pray for us (repeat after each invocation).
Holy Mother of God,
Holy Virgin of virgins,
Mother of Christ,
Mother of the Church,
Mother of divine grace,
Mother most pure,
Mother most chaste,
Mother inviolate,
Mother undefiled,
Mother most amiable,
Mother most admirable,
Mother of good counsel,
Mother of our Creator,
Mother of our Savior,
Virgin most prudent,
Virgin most venerable,
Virgin most renowned,
Virgin most powerful,
Virgin most merciful,
Virgin most faithful,
Mirror of justice,
Seat of wisdom,
Cause of our joy,
Spiritual vessel,
Vessel of honor,
Singular vessel of devotion,
Mystical rose,
Tower of David,
Tower of ivory,
House of gold,
Ark of the Covenant,
Gate of heaven,
Morning star,
Health of the sick,
Refuge of sinners,
Comforter of the afflicted,
Help of Christians,
Queen of angels,
Queen of patriarchs,
Queen of prophets,
Queen of apostles,
Queen of martyrs,
Queen of confessors,
Queen of virgins,
Queen of all saints,
Queen conceived without original sin,
Queen assumed into heaven,
Queen of the most holy rosary,
Queen of families,
Queen of peace,

Lamb of God, who take away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who take away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Pray for us, O holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray: Grant, we beseech You, O Lord God, that we Your servants may enjoy perpetual health of mind and body and, by the glorious intercession of the blessed Mary, ever virgin, be delivered from present sorrow, and obtain eternal joy. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

We fly to your patronage, O holy Mother of God. Despise not our petitions in our necessities, but deliver us always from all dangers, O glorious and blessed Virgin. Amen.

Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.
God the Father of heaven, have mercy on us (repeat after each invocation).
God the Son, Redeemer of the world,
God the Holy Spirit,
Holy Trinity, one God,
Heart of Jesus, Son of the eternal Father,
Heart of Jesus, formed by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mother,
Heart of Jesus, substantially united to the Word of God,
Heart of Jesus, of infinite majesty,
Heart of Jesus, sacred temple of God,
Heart of Jesus, tabernacle of the Most High,
Heart of Jesus, house of God and gate of heaven,
Heart of Jesus, burning furnace of charity,
Heart of Jesus, abode of justice and love,
Heart of Jesus, full of goodness and love,
Heart of Jesus, abyss of all virtues,
Heart of Jesus, most worthy of all praise,
Heart of Jesus, king and center of all hearts,
Heart of Jesus, in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge,
Heart of Jesus, in whom dwells the fullness of divinity,
Heart of Jesus, in whom the Father is well pleased,
Heart of Jesus, of whose fullness we have all received,
Heart of Jesus, desire of the everlasting hills,
Heart of Jesus, patient and most merciful,
Heart of Jesus, enriching all who invoke You,
Heart of Jesus, fountain of life and holiness,
Heart of Jesus, propitiation for our sins,
Heart of Jesus, loaded down with opprobrium,
Heart of Jesus, bruised for our offenses,
Heart of Jesus, obedient even to death,
Heart of Jesus, pierced with a lance,
Heart of Jesus, source of all consolation,
Heart of Jesus, our life and reconciliation,
Heart of Jesus, victim of sin,
Heart of Jesus, salvation of those who hope in You,
Heart of Jesus, hope of those who die in You,
Heart of Jesus, delight of all the saints,
Lamb of God, Who take away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who take away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make our hearts like unto Yours.

Let us pray: O almighty and eternal God, look upon the Heart of Your dearly beloved Son and upon the praise and satisfaction He offers You in behalf of sinners and, being appeased, grant pardon to those who seek Your mercy, in the name of the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, Who lives and reigns with You, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, world without end. Amen.

Promises of Our Lord to those devoted to His Sacred Heart
(these should be read by the prayer leader):

(1) I will give them all the graces necessary in their state of life.

(2) I will establish peace in their homes.

(3) I will comfort them in all their afflictions.

(4) I will be their refuge during life and above all in death.

(5) I will bestow a large blessing on all their undertakings.

(6) Sinners shall find in My Heart the source and the infinite ocean of mercy.

(7) Tepid souls shall grow fervent.

(8) Fervent souls shall quickly mount to high perfection.

(9) I will bless every place where a picture of My Heart shall be set up and honored.

(10) I will give to priests the gift of touching the most hardened hearts.

(11) Those who promote this devotion shall have their names written in My Heart, never to be blotted out.

(12) I promise you in the excessive mercy of My Heart that My all-powerful love will grant to all those who communicate on the first Friday in nine consecutive months the grace of final penitence; they shall not die in My disgrace nor without receiving their sacraments; My divine Heart shall be their safe refuge in this last moment.