Mary has requested that the daily message be given each day to the world. It is read nightly at the prayer service from her Image Building in Clearwater, Florida, U.S.A. This is according to her request. All attempts will be made to publish this daily message to the world at 11 p.m. Eastern time, U.S.A. We acknowledge that the final authority regarding these messages rests with the Holy See of Rome.

January 31, 2000 - Feast of St. John Bosco

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.

Messenger: Include Our Lady of the Holy Spirit Center in 6:20 prayers.

Messenger: Our Lord asks all that can to come to The Virgin Mary Building in Clearwater, Florida, on February 5th, to please be present for the opening of the Rosary Factory.

January 31, 2000 - First Message
Given January 30, 2000

Messenger: Tonight when I prayed at Our Lady of the Holy Spirit Center, I could see the gold sky outside. This happened last week when I prayed there, too. Ever since January 22, 2000, this has happened for me. I can see it from inside the building. It is nothing compared to the intensity of that first night, but it is a golden lighted sky with a red hue. This was during the prayers January 30, 2000.

Tonight I came home and I found the following in my fax machine from the head of the handmaids, Emily, in Florida, and the head servant, Joe. On separate notes they wrote to me of the sky over the Image Building. The sky was lighted at Our Lady of the Holy Spirit Center and I even took my friend over there to show it to him later that evening. The sky was lighted in Florida during the 6:20 prayers there. I felt strongly how Mary wanted the youth gathered on Sunday.

Emily writes to me:

January 30, 2000

Sweet Rita! I give my heart to Jesus and Mary with you in love.

Yea! I love you! Tonight was so wonderful! It was our Junior Shepherds of Christ night, and right when the kids were praying from the prayer manual, over top of the building was brilliant white, and this white only surrounded the building. It lit up the whole place and Mary was so bright -- colors and all -- so beautiful, and all around us was such darkness! It was breath-taking! We were in awe! It was so neat! I'm just filled with such excitement!

Oh Rita... the beauty of the night, the experience, was so fitting for the beautiful message!

It just fills your heart to the brim!

The intensity of all of this is such rapture!

I can only think of dancing to the songs from Jesus to express the emotion.

I love you so, Emily.

---

From Joe:

January 30, 2000

Dear Rita, I give my heart to Jesus and Mary with you in love! Tonight's message was so beautiful. We had a miraculous display of light over Mary during the litanies. The sky was all dark and cloudy, and a big glow of light started at the top of the sky over the Image Building like a dome of light, with the entire horizon still like a dark rim all round us. The sky was so white and bright and misty over us and Mary glowed white and rainbow-colored. This was during the children's rosary with our little core group of KIDS.

Love, Joe

January 31, 2000 - Second Message

SING HAIL MARY, GENTLE WOMAN

Mary speaks: I call you, my children, to pray the rosary.

God the Father speaks: I love you, I want this devotion given to Mary.

Pray the rosary.

Pray the Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary for all the blasphemies against Mary as your Mother, so that you will make reparation to her Immaculate Heart.

I want you to love and honor Mary.

I am the Father.

Act of consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary
(from the Shepherds of Christ Prayer Manual)

"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."

A Little People’s Rosary
The Glorious Mysteries

Luke 4:18

The spirit of the Lord is on me,
for he has anointed me
to bring the good news to the afflicted.
He has sent me
   to proclaim liberty to captives,
sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,

The First Glorious Mystery
The Resurrection

1. Jesus came to set the captives free.
2. We are here to learn to love.
3. Our whole life is a journey to learn to love more like Jesus
4. Mary was conceived without sin.
5. Jesus is God.
6. Mary and Jesus are our models to teach us about love.
7. Mary's heart and Jesus' Heart are sinless.
8. Jesus died so that we could share His life.
9. They buried Jesus' body in a tomb.
10. On the third day, Jesus came forth victorious from the tomb.

The Second Glorious Mystery
The Ascension

1. Jesus came to the earth.
2. Jesus died, He rose from the dead, He ascended into heaven.
3. Jesus wants me to help continue the work He began here.
4. I stand with the Apostles and watch Jesus ascend.
5. I ask Jesus how I can help spread the good news.
6. I ask Jesus to help me to love God more.
7. Jesus, help me to be an apostle of Your Sacred Heart.
8. Jesus, help me to grow in knowing the gift you give to me in the Eucharist.
9. Jesus, help me to love my neighbors.
10. Jesus, help me to be humble.

The Third Glorious Mystery
The Descent of the Holy Spirit on Mary and the Apostles

1. Mary is the Mother of God.
2. Mary is the spouse of the Holy Spirit.
3. The Holy Spirit works with Mary.
4. The Holy Spirit descended on the Apostles and Mary.
5. Parted tongues of fire appeared over their heads.
6. The Holy Spirit filled their hearts to be on fire with love of God.
7. Let us pray to the Holy Spirit for this fire, for love of God in our hearts.
8. Let us give our hearts to Mary.
9. The Holy Spirit works in Mary's Immaculate Heart.
10. Dear Holy Spirit, we love you.

The Fourth Glorious Mystery
The Assumption

1. Mary is Mother of God.
2. Mary deserves such dignity to be shown her.
3. Mary is our Mother.
4. Mary deserves honor as Mother of God and as our Mother.
5. Mary loves us so much.
6. We are her little children.
7. Mary was taken into heaven body and soul.
8. Mary wants us to model our lives after hers.
9. Mary is pure.
10. Mary is filled with wisdom.

The Fifth Glorious Mystery
The Coronation

1. The Father wants us to pray through Mary's intercession.
2. Praying through Mary's intercession means we ask Mary to ask God for help for us.
3. Mary deserves our honor.
4. Mary was picked by the Father.
5. The Father wants us to love Him as His little children.
6. The Father wants us to love Mary as her little children.
7. We should pray the Hail Mary with love, asking Mary's help.
8. We must pray the Our Father with love, asking the Father's help.
9. The rosary is the prayer of the children of the Father and of Mary.
10. The Father wants Mary to be recognized by all her children.

HAIL MARY - SAY THIS PRAYER WITH LOVE

January 31, 2000

Witness Letter - Sheila L.

Shepherds of Christ - it's hard to express in words what you know in your heart regarding the tremendous effect Shepherds of Christ has had on one's life. Where does one begin? As I look back on my life with Shepherds of Christ the miracles begin to visualize in my mind. I see myself back in the fall of 1994, when Rita first asked me to come to the Tuesday Shepherds of Christ meetings and bring my family. I was shy and not brave enough to step out, but gradually Jesus began to work in me and I have stepped out more and more and have become bolder and bolder as a soldier for Christ.

God was definitely preparing me all of my life for my involvement with the Shepherds of Christ. I can see how God has fulfilled many of my prayers, hopes and dreams through the Shepherds of Christ Movement. I remember as a child being able to go to Mass every day and I loved it. Little did I know that this love would blossom into a deeper love and understanding of the tremendous power of the Mass. I have learned to live my whole day and night no matter what I'm doing as a prayer, lifting it all up to the Father, with and through the Son and in the Holy Spirit, in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass going on ALL over the world to help with the salvation of souls!!! WOW!!! Shepherds of Christ has immensely affected my prayer life, especially offering up my life for those souls on the edge of death. Before Shepherds of Christ, I didn't know how we could share in a major way to help save souls.

I remember when I got older, I always wished that I could talk to Jesus for just one hour so He could help me through my trials. Here again God has fulfilled another prayer beyond my wildest dreams through my learning to spend one hour with Jesus before the tabernacle, especially after receiving Him in Holy Communion. Yes, it is there that Jesus has helped me through many, many trials and just filled me with His LOVE.

Again God fulfills my prayers and hopes and dreams beyond all telling with God's Blue Books and Rosaries from the Hearts of Jesus and Mary. They have been my daily weapons in the fight against Satan. Whenever confronted with daily battles, a message from God's Blue Book always comes to mind, especially my favorite, February 17, 1994:

Jesus speaks: Store up your moments as part of eternity. Every moment here is part of your pass to My kingdom. How are you living this moment? Is it used to give service to Me and preach My gospel? Are you making all your moments count towards your eternity? Each moment is but a breath and it is gone. Did you use the moment I gave you to do My work? This time is not yours. I can snatch your moments away in one breath. It matters, My children, only as you choose to serve Me and spread My love!

That is so powerful!!! It takes your breath away. And then there is the Rosary Book, Rosaries from the Hearts of Jesus and Mary. I can't describe in words my love for these rosaries. I can only quote again from one of my favorite and powerful rosaries, July 11, 1995:

Jesus speaks: Know that, as you go through each day, as you suffer all through the day with different trials, different obstacles that are put in your path, I am with you as you struggle... I allow you to suffer many sufferings, for you are being strengthened... I am sending you into the world as My special apostles of love.

These two books are always there to guide, comfort and lift me up. I can see more and more the peace, unity and oneness that God is wanting for all of us.

Lastly, Shepherds of Christ has fostered a bond of love between myself and my husband, Steve, that words can't express. We have come to realize the power of praying as a couple and being able to go to Mass in the morning together. I can see more and more the close connection between our spousal union in marriage and my spousal union with Jesus, the Bridegroom of my soul. We have been very blessed with our two children who are also involved with Shepherds of Christ, Emily as a handmaid and Nick as Junior Shepherds of Christ Coordinator.

God is so good and has blessed us with one of the greatest gifts that He could give us -- The Shepherds of Christ Movement!!!

Question for married couples and others in intimate relationships:

Q: What can I do to help us be more united?