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:        Hosea —
                                Remember the words to the song, Hosea
                                "Trees do bend though straight and tall"
                                Balance —
                                    Balance in everything —
                                    St. Ignatius in the Spiritual Exercises
                                        starts with the discernment of spirits.

                                In the Reign of the Sacred Heart men will
                                    live according to God's will.
                                How do we know God's will?
                                We pray to God, we pray to the Holy Spirit,
                                    we give ourselves purely to God,
                                    abandoning preconceived ideas and
                                    we let God work in our hearts
                                    to reveal His will to us.

                                If a person is dominated by pride,
                                If a person is jealous,
                                If a person is willful, disobeying
                                    their superiors —
                                Their actions after searching themselves
                                    are tainted —
                                They very may will not arrive at a correct
                                    decision inside of themselves what
                                    God's will is for them.

                                The more we let go of inordinate attachments,
                                    the more we give ourselves to the pure
                                    Hearts of Jesus and Mary —
                                    the more we will be accurate in
                                    doing God's will.

                                A person can be so set in doing what they
                                    want, trying to do a certain thing
                                    they tell themselves they are doing God's will
                                    and in fact it may not be God's will at all,
                                    just their will to do what they want.

                                A person was told by their superior to do a certain
                                    task. All the time they were at the task they
                                    were thinking of their own pre-given job,
                                    finally instead of doing as they were told,
                                    they found someone else and left the job
                                    given to them.

                                In their mind they were used to arguing with
                                    superiors to do what they wanted, they
                                    continually justified why what they wanted
                                    to do was right, finally they were so
                                    convinced of doing what they wanted they
                                    didn't even obey, they manipulated others
                                    to free themselves to do their own will.

                                A person being led by the devil to perform
                                    tasks compulsively against the will of
                                    those in authority — can become worse
                                    and worse in their willfulness.

                                The old forms of convents as when saints
                                    had superiors that directed them for a
                                    common purpose to promote God's Kingdom
                                    may look as if they will soon be
                                    extinct, but Our Lord has told me
                                    these sisters and brothers are a vital
                                    part of serving the Church in some
                                    special ministries and they need to be
                                    renewed.

                                In a world, as it is today, the devil has tried
                                    to weaken obedience. The devil tempts
                                    children to rise above their parents,
                                    the devil works through media and television
                                    to move people to think obedience to
                                    superiors, those over us, is not too
                                    important.

                                I love Saint Ignatius Spiritual Exercises
                                    and the discernment of spirits.

                                The devil is real
                                The devil is a prowling lion —
                                The devil works in people's mind trying to deceive as
                                    Jesus speaks of in the Blue Books.

                                What I have seen since I have been in the Movement,
                                    is how secret the devil is —
                                    — how cunning to deceive —
                                    how he works in the mind many times
                                    of those who isolate, when God
                                    has called a person to community
                                    life, the devil may tempt an
                                    individual to live a very private
                                    life concealing things from superiors
                                    and trying to convince themselves
                                    what they are doing is God's will and
                                    they should secretly do it above
                                    their superiors — this is not to say
                                    that everything done the superior's
                                    do not know about is wrong.
                                    What makes it wrong is when the
                                    individual uses an institution as a front to
                                    draw people to them and then hides this
                                    involvement with those they have connected
                                    with from the institution conducting an
                                    illicit operation on their own under the
                                    auspicious of the institution.

                                    In the Shepherds of Christ Fr. Carter
                                discerned ALL communication with priests,
                                bishops etc. Anyone who writes for Shepherds of Christ
                                were instructed they were to do so, only after he approved
                                all communication.

                                    Today I am the one messenger left. We
                                follow the rules Fr. Carter set down. John, the president
                                of Shepherds of Christ, always showed Fr. Carter
                                his letters, Father Carter always discerned them carefully.

                                    Today the main letters we write are
                                approved by me and then given to a Catholic
                                priest who discerns the letters. He is
                                knowledgeable of all the problems,
                                issues and plan of the Movement and is
                                contacted daily for conversation and help.

                                    Anyone else contacting priests and
                                bishops, seminarians for the Shepherds of Christ,
                                without being designated by John or Rita,
                                is doing so without authority.

                                    Father Carter believed the discerned materials
                                were to speak for the Movement.

                                     Because the purity of the Movement is so
                                important we have maintained this policy
                                and the information about the Movement is given
                                in the discerned writings and books of Fr. Carter
                                and, myself, Rita Ring.

                                    Purity of writing coming from the Shepherds of Christ
                                is of the greatest importance. All materials,
                                daily messages, live broadcasts are discerned
                                by a Catholic priest. Fr. Carter insisted on this.

                                    Any servant and handmaid operating in the
                                Movement, signing their name ______, handmaid
                                of the Good Shepherd, ______, servant of the Good
                                Shepherd, does so because of approval
                                from those in authority and all writings
                                must be directed and discerned from the
                                main leaders and discerned by a priest.

                                    Anyone doing otherwise is violating the
                                wishes of Fr. Carter and of Jesus.

                                    There are so many discerned materials.

                                    The message of the Shepherds of Christ is in these
                                discerned messages.

                                    No one is to write freely about the Shepherds of Christ.
                                We have people answering the phones and speaking
                                at the Centers who are constantly trained in the
                                ways of the Movement. We do not operate
                                "willy-nilly" our Movement and our
                                ministries are these —
                                    directed by Our Lord —
                                    overseen by a Catholic priest

MINISTRIES

1. PRIMARY MINISTRY - CIRCULATING PRIESTLY NEWSLETTERS TO PRIESTS ALL OVER THE WORLD IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH to promote priestly holiness.
2. PRAYER CHAPTERS praying for the priests and the renewal of the Church and the world.
3. School Rosary Program and Junior Shepherds of Christ Ministry.
4. Nursing Home Ministry.
5. Special retreats and adoration before the Blessed Sacrament.
6. Apostles of the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus.
7. Promoting the rosary to all, rosary meditations.
8. Prison Ministry to promote prayer and spiritual renewal.
9. Handmaids and Servants of the Good Shepherd.
10. Audio/Video Departments (priestly newsletters on tape).
11. Prayer books, newsletters, newsletter books, and other spiritual aids.

January 7, 2004 message continues

Messenger:                 Servants and handmaids and apostles are devoted
                                to the Shepherds of Christ Movement and limit their activities
                                to the activities of the Shepherds of Christ Movement.

                                    The discernment of spirits of St. Ignatius
                                are so important. The devil can tempt people in
                                prayer. The devil tempts people to be willful
                                over superiors, the devil tempts people to use
                                others without their authority.

                                    The devil is cunning, he works in secrecy,
                                he does not want his activities revealed, the
                                devil works in some in a noisy way, they
                                may be argumentative to do their own will
                                over authority.

                                    In the Reign of the Sacred Heart, people will
                                know God so deeply in their hearts and be able
                                to discern His will for them. The more people
                                are willful, selfish, jealous, prideful,
                                the more they will make a tainted judgment
                                of what God's will is for them.

                                    In order to have this great era of peace,
                                the Age of the Two Hearts, people must see
                                the light, they must let go of the attachments
                                that would make them make tainted decisions
                                about God's will for them.

                                    Ridding oneself of inordinate attachments
                                is the purpose of the retreats conducted in
                                China and these writings — to help lead the
                                soul into a most pure way of hearing inside
                                what God's will is for them.

                                    There will be tremendous harmony, unity,
                                holiness in the Reign of the Sacred Heart.

                                    We are praying for that purity for ourselves
                                and for the whole world.

                                    Mary appears, the pure and spotless virgin.
                                It is purity in the heart, purity of intention
                                that matters. On the outside we may not see the
                                willfulness and selfishness, but in the heart
                                these things are the motive force that
                                moves people to act.

                                    I write as God directs me in these writings
                                for the renewal of religious orders and the
                                purity of the hearts of His people. I write as
                                a messenger from God.

                                    God has given us the lives of the Saints to follow
                                but some fail to see who want to perform
                                willfully the deep elements of obedience to those
                                over them.

                                    Christ showed us obedience to His Father.

 

Excerpt from March 17, 1995 Rosary

Jesus: My love is burning and on fire for you. Do you see Me as I hang on the cross with My arms outstretched? I held on to nothing! I totally surrendered to the Will of the Father. I held nothing back. I gave My flesh and My blood. I was born in poverty in a stable and I died on the cross. I came to show you the way so that you might have life and have life to the full. Life is not life if it is not rooted in Me!

Jesus speaks:      

                                    I must tell you, that satan is noisy, he wants
                                disharmony, ...

                                    Think of the water rolling over the rocks
                                on a beautiful sunny day. There is the glistening
                                of the sun on the water, almost blinding, but
                                yet still pleasing to the eye — such precision —
                                such awesomeness, such beauty

                                    A violin has strings — it can be an
                                instrument of such beauty, but one whose
                                strings are loose cannot play a beautiful
                                tune, nor does one whose strings are too
                                tight —
                                    It is in the adjustment of strings, the type,
                                the fine tuning of a well trained violinist the
                                music is played with such beauty —

                                    Now I tell you of a man trying to tune
                                an instrument and over his shoulder is
                                the evil serpent doing all he can to make
                                havoc with the strings, coupled with a
                                prideful, selfish, hateful violinist —
                                    What will the sound of the music be?

                                If My Mother sat at the harp and plucked a
                                    song of love — how would it sound —
                                    her purity of heart, her love, her selflessness
                                    would be the arm that moved to play
                                    the tune —

                                Oh you look at the actions, you look at the
                                    wrapper, I look at the heart

                                What motivates a man to act —
                                    Does he truly do it for the honor of God and
                                        to promote the Kingdom?
                                    Does he do it for his own vain glory?
                                    Does he do it in secret over those over
                                        him?

                                Is he using materials that he has taken without
                                    authority?
                                Has he justified his actions?
                                Does he do it for affection?
                                Does he do it for wealth?
                                Does he do it for recognition?
                                Does he do it to be the leader over others?

                                I look into the heart —
                                I know your every intention —
                                The devil acts in secret —
                                The devil will work harder when his perverse
                                    actions are revealed —
                                The devil wants to continue pulling the wool
                                    over well intentioned people's minds —
                                    he is cunning, deceptive, he doesn't
                                    sleep, he wants to wear you down —
                                    he wants you to be willful, prideful —

                                I can do more with My Might than you
                                    can do in 1,000,000 years

                                Listen to the song Hosea
                                    Trees do bend though straight and tall —

                                Fr. Carter said —
                                    You are to do God's will —
                                    don't do too much of a thing —
                                    don't do too little —
                                    whatever God's will is for you.

Excerpt of The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, by Louis J. Puhl, S.J. pp. 141-146

  

313. RULES FOR DISCERNMENT OF SPIRITS
I

Rules for understanding to some extent the different movements produced in the soul and for recognizing those that are good to admit them, and those that are bad, to reject them. These rules are more suited to the first week
  

314.  I.  In the case of those who go from one mortal sin to another, the enemy is ordinarily accustomed to propose apparent pleasures. He fills their imagination with sensual delights and gratifications, the more readily to keep them in their vices and increase the number of their sins.

    With such persons the good spirit uses a method which is the reverse of the above. Making use of the light of reason, he will rouse the sting of conscience and fill them with remorse.

315.  2.  In the case of those who go on earnestly striving to cleanse their souls from sin and who seek to rise in the service of God our Lord to greater perfection, the method pursued is the opposite of that mentioned in the first rule.

    Then it is characteristic of the evil spirit to harass with anxiety, to afflict with sadness, to raise obstacles backed by fallacious reasonings that disturb the soul. Thus he seeks to prevent the soul from advancing.

    It is characteristic of the good spirit, however, to give courage and strength, consolations, tears, inspirations, and peace. This He does by making all easy, by removing all obstacles so that the soul goes forward in doing good.

316.  3.  SPIRITUAL CONSOLATION.  I call it consolation when an interior movement is aroused in the soul, by which it is inflamed with love of its Creator and Lord, and as a consequence, can love no creature on the face of the earth for its own sake, but only in the Creator of them all. It is likewise consolation when one sheds tears that move to the love of God, whether it be because of sorrow for sins, or because of the sufferings of Christ our Lord, or for any other reason that is immediately directed to the praise and service of God. Finally, I call consolation every increase of faith, hope, and love, and all interior joy that invites and attracts to what is heavenly and to the salvation of one's soul by filling it with peace and quiet in its Creator and Lord.

317.  4.  SPIRITUAL DESOLATION.  I call desolation what is entirely the opposite of what is described in the third rule, as darkness of soul, turmoil of spirit, inclination to what is low and earthly, restlessness rising from many disturbances and temptations which lead to want of faith, want of hope, want of love. The soul is wholly slothful, tepid, sad, and separated, as it were, from its Creator and Lord. For just as consolation is the opposite of desolation, so the thoughts that spring from consolation are the opposite of those that spring from desolation.

318.  5.  In time of desolation we should never make any change, but remain firm and constant in the resolution and decision which guided us the day before the desolation, or in the decision to which we adhered in the preceding consolation. For just as in consolation the good spirit guides and counsels us, so in desolation the evil spirit guides and counsels. Following his counsels we can never find the way to a right decision.

319.  6.  Though in desolation we must never change our former resolutions, it will be very advantageous to intensify our activity against the desolation. We can insist more upon prayer, upon meditation, and on much examination of ourselves. We can make an effort in a suitable way to do some penance.

320.  7.  When one is in desolation, he should be mindful that God has left him to his natural powers to resist the different agitations and temptations of the enemy in order to try him. He can resist with the help of God, which always remains, though he may not clearly perceive it. For though God has taken from him the abundance of fervor and overflowing love and the intensity of His favors, nevertheless, he has sufficient grace for eternal salvation.

321.  8.  When one is in desolation, he should strive to persevere in patience. This reacts against the vexations that have overtaken him. Let him consider, too, that consolation will soon return, and in the meantime, he must diligently use the means against desolation which have been given in the sixth rule.

322.  9.  The principal reasons why we suffer from desolation are three:

    The first is because we have been tepid and slothful or negligent in our exercises of piety, and so through our own fault spiritual consolation has been taken away from us.

    The second reason is because God wishes to try us, to see how much we are worth, and how much we will advance in His service and praise when left without the generous reward of consolations and signal favors.

    The third reason is because God wishes to give us a true knowledge and understanding of ourselves, so that we may have an intimate perception of the fact that it is not within our power to acquire and attain great devotion, intense love, tears, or any other spiritual consolation; but that all this is the gift and grace of God our Lord. God does not wish us to build on the property of another, to rise up in spirit in a certain pride and vainglory and attribute to ourselves the devotion and other effects of spiritual consolation.

323.  10.  When one enjoys consolation, let him consider how he will conduct himself during the time of ensuing desolation, and store up a supply of strength as defense against that day.

324.  11.  He who enjoys consolation should take care to humble himself and lower himself as much as possible. Let him recall how little he is able to do in time of desolation, when he is left without such grace or consolation.

    On the other hand, one who suffers desolation should remember that by making use of the sufficient grace offered him, he can do much to withstand all his enemies. Let him find his strength in his Creator and Lord.

325.  12.  The enemy conducts himself as a woman. He is a weakling before a show of strength, and a tyrant if he has his will. It is characteristic of a woman in a quarrel with a man to lose courage and take to flight if the man shows that he is determined and fearless. However, if the man loses courage and begins to flee, the anger, vindictiveness, and rage of the woman surge up and know no bounds. In the same way, the enemy becomes weak, loses courage, and turns to flight with his seductions as soon as one leading a spiritual life faces his temptations boldly, and does exactly the opposite of what he suggests. However, if one begins to be afraid and to lose courage in temptations, no wild animal on earth can be more fierce than the enemy of our human nature. He will carry out his perverse intentions with consummate malice.

326.  13.  Our enemy may also be compared in his manner of acting to a false lover. He seeks to remain hidden and does not want to be discovered. If such a lover speaks with evil intention to the daughter of a good father, or to the wife of a good husband, and seeks to seduce them, he wants his words and solicitations kept secret. He is greatly displeased if his evil suggestions and depraved intentions are revealed by the daughter to her father, or by the wife to her husband. Then he readily sees he will not succeed in what he has begun. In the same way, when the enemy of our human nature tempts a just soul with his wiles and seductions, he earnestly desires that they be received secretly and kept secret. But if one manifests them to a confessor, or to some other spiritual person who understands his deceits and malicious designs, the evil one is very much vexed. For he knows that he cannot succeed in his evil undertaking, once his evident deceits have been revealed.

327.  14.  The conduct of our enemy may also be compared to the tactics of a leader intent upon seizing and plundering a position he desires. A commander and leader of an army will encamp, explore the fortifications and defenses of the stronghold, and attack at the weakest point. In the same way, the enemy of our human nature investigates from every side all our virtues, theological, cardinal, and moral. Where he finds the defenses of eternal salvation weakest and most deficient, there he attacks and tries to take us by storm.

end of excerpt of The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius

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