Mothers were depressed —

                Daughters taught to be depressed —
                    woman of day — taught to be
                        over responsible for others —
                        can lose the focus of self —
                        can focus on others — not on oneself
                        Over responsible for others
                        Under responsible for self

                Some mothers would be the opposite

                What is your way —

                What did mother teach you —
                    was it depression?

                Angry at mother for being depressed —
                    blame mothers for not being more
                    positive —

                Look at mothers — many women sad —

                Care for others, can cause one to be
                    over responsible
                    holding on — letting go

                Mothers can try to be demanding — wanting
                    child to be like them —
                    child can have guilt for not obeying
                    mother and father

                Some women taught they need to put up
                    with things — they are angry about
                    this role — being a woman expected to put up
                    with men, others, wanting them to serve

                They could have been always looking for a
                    quiet resting place — their mom may
                    have taught them to be on duty —
                    not to rest —

                Being with God — praying — the tabernacle —
                    the Blue Books — keeps our service —
                    in the service of God's will —

                Not adults trying to have thought patterns —
                    frustrated from our own thoughts about
                    serving — because of the script we
                    learned to live with and are rebelling
                    against it —

                Being an actor — making choices according
                    to God's will — not enslaved to old
                    depressed tapes we play as adults
                    that drag us down and we rebel against

                Reporting for God's plan for us — in love —
                    soldiers in His army —
                    getting rid of patterned depressed
                    thoughts - we ourselves hate, but
                    we make ourselves slaves of —

                What is my role as a handmaid of the Lord —
                    a woman, God chose in His army —
                    am I active and alive - living in Him —
                    ready for work — am I a slave to
                    my thoughts and addictions

                    How did my mom suffer — how was
                        my grandma?

                I have been given this call by God to
                    be a handmaid in His army — in the
                    way the world is today — to fight
                    abortion — to be an actor for
                    Christ — to spread the Blue Books —
                    not give into the same style — be
                    guilty, living my vocation as God has called
                    me — being the servant and handmaid of the
                    Lord — Knowing God's love more and more
                    from the Blue Book and being empowered, in
                    Him —

                How many wasted days because of living in
                    the mind of the child of the past — the old
                    styles of depression — dragging the bottom
                    of the barrel when God tells us in the
                    Blue Book — the heart can be fill of His life —
                    His grace is as — We live in Him — we say,
                    yes, to our vocation —

                    Mary appeared in Clearwater for us to
                tell the people — we are not to be caught
                up in old traps of negativity, but be like
                Mary — seeing all her children — giving Mary's
                message — opening the door to the love and
                peace of the 2 Hearts — telling them
                about the Church — Jesus, who is truly
                present and with us — no less present then the day
                He walked the earth —

                    Where are you with your spiritual life —
                Joseph's brothers threw Joseph in the cistern —
                Joseph's heart was pure —

                Most of the Apostles died a martyrs death —
                Judas despaired — Judas betrayed Jesus —
                Peter was not perfect, but his heart was
                true — He was made the first pope —

                A woman can block her success because
                    she has the script — the mind slot —
                    men rule — women serve — then when
                    treated abusively or without love from
                    the man they serve — the bitterness comes
                    to the floor — it can be hidden anger, at
                    their own mom for teaching them to put
                    up with this — for making sure they learned
                    women serve and men rule — This is not
                    the case in all homes, nor was it, but
                    there are angry, bitter women who go to dysfunctional
                    programs who find they do a dance — a merry-
                    go-round called denial — and they are one of
                    the actors in the play — making it continue —
                    There was a song —
                        "I saw you across a crowded room"

                Many times, people in dysfunctional homes are
                    attracted to people they can interact with —
                    with unfinished business of their own —
                    Normal people with loving — giving and taking —
                    usually won't hang around

                    A person needs to work in their vocation
                to see God's will for them and do it — Be willing
                to change enslaved patterns of thinking —
                guilt, one may feel from childhood —
                God called us in baptism to spread the Good
                News — being caught in the wounded child
                of the past, unfinished business — disempowers
                us —

                Saturday I turned on TV
                    I heard — there are 11,000 dysfunctional
                    programs and how many people are there in
                    one program like
                    "Adult Children of Alcoholics"
                    "Alanon" etc.

                God put us here to be actors — to build His
                    Kingdom — to have thoughts of hope —
                    to grow in our image and likeness of God —
                    To lead others to know about the Good News —

                We are working on this —
                    being more perfected, as our heavenly Father
                        is perfect

                To go to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and
                    be formed more and more by the Holy Spirit in
                    the image and likeness of God —

                The incarnation goes on 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.

                The legalness of women aborting babies —
                    shows us our disrespect for life
                    as a Nation — life of a baby given
                    by God the Father with a purpose
                    for that child —
                    God gives life to that baby —
                    Who are we to kill it —

                Motherhood —

                Mary — Motherhood
    

                Respect for life —

                Jesus came a baby
   

                Fruit of the Womb — Jesus the Son of God

                Eve ate the forbidden fruit

                Cain killed his brother

                    Where is intimacy learned if not
                from our first teachers — Before we are even
                potty trained we have been taught many things
                love, rejection

                    Children of alcoholics and dysfunctional homes
                are taught dysfunction and we have a lifetime
                of learning to be more and more like Jesus and dying
                to these imperfect ways and rising in Him.
                Children of alcoholics because of the dysfunction
                can be taught, not to trust, not to feel,
                not to talk — they can feel it is not safe —
                they may have been forced to survive in
                that dysfunction so they develop
                survivor rules — which when one wants
                to interact with 'normal' people — they 'normal'
                people run away from their dysfunctional
                behavior —

                    The pamphlet — the Merry-go-Round
                called denial printed by alcoholic
                dysfunctional groups —
                    tells us, for example, alcoholism
                isn't an isolated disease — there are
                several players in the drama, the
                alcoholic, the enabler — that keeps it going,
                the provoker — another one —
                All can aid in keeping this dysfunctional
                merry-go-round going on through denial —
                the elephant in the living room — no
                body talks about — "the no talk rules"
                that keeps the person, alcoholic doing
                what he wants and nobody better
                tell him what do do —

                    Women are very sensitive to relationships —
                God made them male and female and men and
                women look and act differently —
                God wants us to work together to learn
                to love — to be one — to help build the
                Kingdom of God —

                The greatest commandment is

                In relationships there can be many
                co-dependent and dysfunctional ways —
                A minister, counselor, spiritual
                director is to help people grow
                to be in deeper relationships —
                Moms and dads are to help children —
                married couples help each other to
                    grow to be one in love,

                but some people are over-responsible
                    in helping others, not looking
                    at themselves —
                    Rescuers — they need a sick person
                        needing help —
                    And they are the one who helps the sick -
                    neglecting themselves.

                    Adult children may be called on when
                mom and dad are old, but parents must
                not seek inordinate affection from grown children —
                that is dysfunctional and stops
                children, now older, from being free —
                to fly — to live in their vocation and
                do the will of God

                    We learn about intimacy from
                our first teachers, our parents —
                If we have been baptized God gives
                us a sharing in His Divine life —
                God calls us to be empowered to
                go and do God's will for us in
                our vocation —

                    We are to cut the umbilical cord
                with our children — so they can be
                what God wants them to be

                    Sometimes little children want
                to protect mother and then become
                bitter about it and mother doesn't
                even need this — Mother should live
                like an adult — an actor — loving
                and giving as God has called her now
                in her older life past the rearing of the
                little children age —

                    Women can sacrifice too much
                of themselves and become bitter —
                We are to live as God wills us to
                live — giving and taking; holding on and
                letting go as needed —

                    People can argue with husbands,
                wives and others because they have
                given of themselves to others, others not even
                wanting it, sometines, and the giver becomes bitter —
                There is the command - resistance response
                where one resists at every command
                because of their emotional wounds
                and their desire to control — even when
                it is inappropriate — We can
                hurt ourselves and others over and
                over again because of our
                dysfunctional ways we think and
                have been trained and how we
                choose to think now.

                    Our Lady of Fatima said we
                are to convert —

                    One who continues in rigid self-
                defeating ways in which they create
                from patterned thinking can go deeper and
                deeper into isolation and thinking
                safety is found by keeping others
                at a distance.

                    We were created to love and have
                loving relationships with others —
                building unity - giving and taking,
                trusting and being trusted by
                others we love —

                    We were created for intimacy
                with God and oneness as a body
                united with others —

                    Heaven is this place of unity
                with the Trinity and others - we
                are here preparing for this —

                We are not finished until we
                    die —
                    how can people become so
                rigid? and
                    how can they live more The
                resurrected life — being
                pure and holy if they do not
                try to die to those ways
                passed down that are
                very dysfunctional and are
                self destructive — hurting
                ourselves, others and union
                with God?

                    We need to deal with issues
                that hurt us and intimacy with others —
                If one numbs themselves, how many
                years can be lost in real living —

                    I remember my child — after
                a while I gave her a bottle of juice
                at night — it was not good for her
                little teeth and I had to stop — She
                was not liking to go to bed without
                the juice — she cried — but when
                I knew it was hurting her teeth I
                had to stop — I let her cry — 2 nights
                and she never cried again for the juice after
                that — I had to do it — It was hurting
                her —

                    Many dysfunctional ways rob us
                of unity and love with others which —
                is why we were created — to prepare
                ourselves for unity — relationship
                in heaven

                    An elderly lady lived alone — she
                picked fights to keep people away —
                she wanted to be alone —

                    At an old age of 87 she had a
                stroke — we went to see her — she
                wanted us out of the room, but
                she looked to be dying —

                    I gave her a Guadalupe statue
                with glass my brother blessed —
                she is recovering very nicely and
                at 87 learning, we need each other —
                we are to interact and prepare ourselves
                for loving in heaven —

                    The greatest commandment says
                we need to love God and others —

                    People with pain can use alcohol,
                food, drugs, work, misery, abuse,
                sugar — mind altering substances —
                when they need to take the time they
                are on earth and quit hiding
                their faults but change them as
                our Lady said at Fatima —

                    The Blue Books teach us about
                the truth — the love of God — Jesus
                who is truly present in the Blessed
                Sacrament — Jesus told me for 6
                weeks to feed the hungry September/October 1991
                Then He gave me the Blue Books
                and 18 years later this writing to
                feed our hungry soul with the
                truth —
                to learn to love —

                Why hide — we are all from imperfect
                parents — Fr. Carter said — Rita everybody
                gets what they need to choose to go
                to heaven — That is what Fr. Carter said —

                    Jesus died — Jesus wore our
                wounds — the apostles, martyrs
                died for us —

                    People went before us telling us
                the truth —

                    Some people come crying — they can
                never get close — All the guys did the
                same thing — A woman had 5 men she
                married — she said they were all
                alike — after five such men — do you
                think she should look at herself in the
                5 relationships — what did she do —
                Oh - she said nothing wrong - I was
                always right — they were always wrong —
                God intends us to walk hand-in-hand
                Fr. Carter said —

                    We can push people away our
                whole lives not looking at the truth
                about how we build walls, start
                fights, hurt others and try to protect
                our old ways that hurt relationships
                and need to change

1 John 1: 8-10

If we say, ‘We have no sin,’
we are deceiving ourselves,
and truth has no place in us;
if we acknowledge our sins,
he is trustworthy and upright,
so that he will forgive our sins
and will cleanse us from all evil.
If we say, ‘We have never sinned,’
we make him a liar,
and his word has no place in us.

                    Who takes care of aging parents —
                Why do we not see God has a will for
                us — God has a vocation for us

                    We need to change

                How does the family work together —

                How does the play go on in our lives —
                Patterns — where people do destructive
                    patterns and refuse to even
                    look at what they do —

                We are to be responsible for our
                    actions

                As adults we are to be accountable
                    for our actions

                What is the pattern that occurs
                    over and over again — that
                    others can see, but the person
                    with the bad pattern refuses
                    to recognize — affecting others —
                    and hurting themselves and
                    others 

                In the alcoholic home the enabler
                    can silence others, make others
                    tip-toe around so the person
                    who is drinking, using, can
                    have a clear way to do their
                    thing —

                In communities of religious one in
                    charge is to recognize the authority
                    of superiors and to not allow
                    the bad behavior of those
                    opposing the rules under them

                An enabler — one trained as such
                    from childhood, previous relationships
                    can very easily — allow a
                    strong willed person — disobeying
                    the rules be in charge as
                    the person in charge ignores
                    those over them and supports
                    a person under them with a
                    strong will and that person demanding
                    their way —

                    Leaders are called by God to follow
                His footsteps and to enforce the
                purpose for why an institution
                exists and to enforce the rule
                of that institution —

                    One addicted to drugs, alcohol,
                abuse cannot demand their dysfunctional
                ways — they need to change and
                obey the rule

                    Jesus obeyed His Father's will to
                His death on the cross

                    Jesus loved those under Him —
                    Jesus taught the truth —
                    Jesus is the truth

                    At the time of Noah God flooded the earth
                because of the corruption —

                    Noah came from Seth
                    Bad habits can be taught to our children —
                    Dysfunctional living —
                    Rejection
                    Alcoholism can be a family disease —
                    People addicted to misery and anger
                    People building walls to keep people
                        away —

                How does the interaction of people
                    work 

                How is dysfunction acted out in the play —

                People act together to produce
                    dysfunction —

                How is anger acted out in the family,
                    in the community

                    Passive - Aggressive —

                        one provokes another to act out their anger
                        — it acts like a snow-ball — a deck of cards falling

                    Active Anger —

                        one actively demeans another for
                        the purpose of acting out their own anger

                We must look at the community, the
                    family to see

                    (1) How one manipulates
                            to get their way — blatant control —
                            when they are not the head

                    (2) How one enables — one who is
                            called a leader and
                            instead betrays their position
                            and opens up the door to disaster

                    (3) Another who uses force to get
                            their way — through needed
                            work to accomplish a goal of
                            family or community

                    (4) One person who effects everyone
                            because they are working
                            against the plan of the institution
                            or family

                    (5) Passive-Aggressive Anger acted out —
                            which is felt by all —
                            provoking —
                            hiding their behavior, but the
                            bitterness and cold heart is
                            what they bring to the family
                            institution — with aggravated
                            anger over the emotional needs
                            of their past inner child

                    (6) Anger that is acted out on others —
                            in adult settings, but is coming
                            in bitterness, from their wounded
                            past — old emotional wounds from
                            childhood, divorces etc.

                        Projection is used — where innocent
                            others are used to play the
                            role of the angry persons
                            wounded past

                Intimacy can only be achieved when people
                    are willing to look at their behavior
                    that needs changing, admit it to themselves
                    and want to change it —

                Staying away from others, hiding our anger
                    is like stuffing rubber bands
                    in a can —
                    when the cap is lifted - they come
                        tumbling out —
                    like hungry dogs in the basement —

                But the person put a cap on all that
                    bitter anger and past and sometimes
                    numbs themselves so no one will
                    know, but they give up living in
                    the here and now

                God intends us to live in our hearts of
                    love — using our reason and will
                    to do what God wants

                Capping a big can of anger —
                    some passed on from our ancestors
                    never works

                God wants us to live in love
                God wants us to be humble
                God wants us to tell the truth about our faults
                God wants us to die to our imperfect ways

                To surrender at Mass
                To go to confession
                To be cleaned and healed
                To forgive
                To be accountable for our
                    sins and to make reparation
                    for our sins
                To take responsibility for our
                    patterned ways that hurt
                    our relationship with God
                    and others

                We are here to be more and more
                    pure

                Sing: Holy Is His Name

                Say one is in charge
                    If they are an enabler they can clear the
                        way for others to get away with
                        their sorted ways and bend the rules —

                The person in charge has a responsibility
                    to Go — to the Church to do as God
                    desires

                Acting out old patterned dysfunctional
                    ways from the past can
                    make a place collapse or really hurt it

                Structure is important to God

                The pope is the vicar of the Church
                Jesus is the head —
                We are the members

                The Father and Mother are over the children

                The Vatican is the seat of the Catholic Church
                Cardinal are under the Holy Father, over us
                Bishops and Archbishops under Cardinals
                Priests under them
                Bishops and Archbishops in charge of
                    dioceses and archdioceses
                Priests are Pastors of our Parishes

                God works in structure

                The devil attacks structure
                    Eve wanted to be equal to God
                    Mary is the perfect disciple of Jesus

                Jesus came the New Adam

                Anxiety can heat up between people
                    Tension between men and women
                    Seeking dominance for dominance
                        sake

                Anger builds up —

                God wants us to pray 8 days a month
                    to make reparation for our sins —
                    the sins of the human race and
                    to pray for the priests, the Church and the world —

                We need to put God first in our lives
                We need to follow in His footprints
                We need to follow His Plan

                We do not live in a vacuum

                Anger of one in a family, anxiety is felt
                    in the community, family and can be
                    acted out by others because of how
                    one treats the other —

                People who had unhappiness at
                    Christmas, Thanksgiving, Divorces
                    and have anxiety can project
                    their anger, frustration on innocent
                    others —
                    until they pray and look at what is
                        their behavior that causes
                        discord with others
                    Hiding our place and projecting it
                        on an innocent other can
                        make this go on and on and get more
                        and more angry because we deprive
                        ourselves of special times and are
                        hurting others

                Being unloving, acting against God's will
                    makes us miserable

                We should seek to know the big clumsy
                    pieces of furniture that trip us up
                    in our dark room —
                    that we keep bumping into causing
                        havoc in our lives 

                God help me to live this day in Your truth —
                    To take responsibility for my failings
                    Holy Spirit help me to see through the
                        eyes of God
                    Help me to be an actor, not a reactor
                    Help me to love others and to not be afraid
                        to tell them I make mistakes
                    Help me to say I am sorry when I
                        hurt someone —
                    Help me to be compassionate and of
                        the heart

                Sing Song

                    Give Me Your Heart Oh Jesus

                Oh God —
                    You created us to be happy —
                    We are happy when we do Your will
                    We are happy when we do Your will and
                        love others —
                    Oh God help us to live as You desire —
                    Mother Mary help us to be likened to
                        You — the perfect handmaid of the Lord —

                    Oh God we want to make reparation
                        to You for our sins and the sins
                        of the human race —
                    Oh God - we praise and worship You
                    Oh God we thank You
                    Oh God
                        We give our hearts to Jesus and Mary
                            in love
     

 
       

December 3, 2006 

INTRODUCTION

The prophet, Jeremiah, lived during one of the most devastating times in the history of Israel.  He witnessed the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple by the Babylonians.  He saw many of his fellow citizens enslaved and taken into exile.  Yet his words reflect hope and not despair.  His hope is based not on human capabilities but on God's faithfulness to God’s promises.  Jeremiah recalls God’s promise to his people made over 400 years earlier, during the time of King David, that God would bring to the throne a successor to the King who would bring peace and security to Jerusalem.  We still wait for peace and security not only in Jerusalem but all over the world, but the promised one, a descendant of the House of David has begun his reign.  The gospel tells us one day he will come in great glory to establish the kingdom of God forever.   

HOMILY

Although our society has begun its preparations for the birth of Christ, even as they are hesitant to mention his birth, the Church begins its preparations today.  Our liturgy, however, wants us to know that we are not only preparing for a special celebration three weeks from now, but our readings put before us the bigger picture.  It’s not just the celebration of Jesus’ birth that we are to prepare for but also we must prepare for the day when he comes again to bring us into his kingdom.  Advent tells us Christ is coming, but it also asks us, are we ready to meet him?  If we’re not, his coming 2000 years ago will have little or no value for us.   

For some people his second coming will be a frightening time.  “People will die in fright in anticipation of what is coming upon the world...”  But if we are prepared, not just for Christmas, but for Christ, the Lord tells us “stand erect and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand.”  His coming will be for those who have followed him faithfully a day of victory and joy.   

Doesn’t it sound as if our Lord is speaking to us today when he tells us: “Be on guard lest your spirits become bloated with indulgence and drunkenness and worldly cares.”  We have to struggle against this happening to all of us during this time of the year.  I’m going to add a thought of my own to this list of things Jesus tells us to guard against.  Make sure to get enough rest.  When we are tired it’s hard to stay organized, focused, to keep our priorities straight and to pray.  And if we don’t pray and keep our priorities straight, Christmas will leave us feeling empty and relieved that it’s all over.   

The gospel’s suggestion for us today as we begin Advent is: “Be vigilant at all times and pray…”  Is there a better formula we can apply to this season to prepare for the celebration of Christ’s birth or the coming of Christ at the end of our lives or at the end of time.  I’m not going around like Scrooge saying “Bah, humbug!” to Christmas.  I like decorations and lights and parties and Christmas cards and gifts, but to prepare ourselves for what this season of the year is all about, nothing will do the job better than prayer and good works.   

You might pray the rosary or meditate on the Scripture readings for each day.  They are printed every week in the bulletin and you will find them also in the Catholic Update inserted in today’s bulletin.  We have Mass here every morning at 7:30 and Holy Hour twice a week.  We have a bible study, a Legion of Mary, a St. Vincent de Paul, the CAIN ministry and, of course, Bingo.  There’s no end of other good works anyone can find to do if they are interested.  This year we have the shortest Advent possible (only three weeks), so I hope we all make the most of it.   

And now is the time to do it.  No doubt you’ve heard this poem before, but it won’t hurt to repeat it.  It is entitled Today: 

I shall do much in the years to come, but what have I done today?

I shall give out gold in princely sum, but what did I give today?

I shall lift the heart and dry the tear,

I shall plant a hope in the place of fear,

I shall speak with words of love and cheer, but what have I done today?

I shall be so kind in the after while, but what have I been today?

I shall bring to each lonely life a smile, but what have I brought today?

I shall give to truth a grander birth,

And to steadfast faith a deeper worth,

I shall feed the hungering souls of earth, but whom have I fed today?  

end of Fr. Joe's homily

Give a statue with glass for Christmas
 

Fatima w/glass - 11	Pilgrim Virgin w/glass - 12	Pilgrim Virgin w/glass - 15
Fatima w/glass - 18	Pilgrim Virgin w/glass - 18	Pilgrim Virgin w/glass - 27

Fatima Statues - 24", 18", 15", 12" & 11"

11" - $150.00
12" - $160.00
15" - $200.00
18" - $250.00
24" - $450.00 
 

   
Our Lady of Mt. Carmel - 24" & 18"
 

 

          

Blue Book I

Blue Book II

Blue Book III

Blue Book IV

Blue Book V

Blue Book VI

          

           

$10.00 each plus shipping

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