Shepherds of Christ Daily Writing

October 15, 2023

October 16th Holy Spirit Novena Scripture selection is Day 8 Period II.

The Novena Rosary Mysteries  for October 16th are Luminous.

Happy Birthday Carol R.

Please pray for Fr. Carter's Homily Book.

Pray for Bob, Chuck & other intentions.
 

Dear Father united to Jesus in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, the Sacrifice of Calvary sacramentally made present, celebrated around the world, in the Holy Spirit. We offer up all we do united to the Mass. We unite in one mind and one heart as members of the mystical body of Christ, with Christ our head in the pure and holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary, through the powerful intercession of Mary with all the angels and saints and souls in purgatory, and we beg for the saving grace, for our country, the United States. Please help us. We further pray for unity to always do the will of God in love. We spread the Blood of Jesus on the leaders and people of the United States and cast the devil into hell. We consecrate our country to the Sacred Heart and Immaculate Heart and all our dioceses, and beg for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit. God help us. We pray for our families, the priests, the Church and the world. In the Name of Jesus please hear us, we pray. We pray for our president and leaders. We pray that we are united as one nation under God to work together in love as God wants.   

            

October 15, 2023

        From the Priestly Newsletter - July/ August 1997

This Friend Jesus

Here are words from St. Claude de la Columbiere, one of the great apostles of devotion to the Heart of Christ. Speaking to Jesus, Claude says:

You share my burdens
You take them upon yourself.
You listen to me fondly when I tell you my troubles.
You never fail to lighten them.
I find You at all times and in all places.
You never leave me.
I will always find You wherever I go.
Old age or misfortune will not cause You to abandon me.
You will never be closer to me than
When all seems to go against me.
No matter how miserable I may be,
You will never cease to be my friend.
You tolerate my faults with admirable patience.
You are always ready to come to me, if I so desire it.
Jesus, may I die praising you!
May I die loving you!
May I die for the love of you.12

        12. St. Claude de la Columbiere, as published by Apostleship of Prayer, Detroit Province of the Society of Jesus.

To Be God-like. “God created man in the image of himself, in the image of God he created him, male and female he created them.” (Gen 1:27)

We have a great and noble vocation. We are called to be God-like. We are called to reflect God. We are called to realize  our true destiny by being aware that it is a God-like destiny. One can betray one’s destiny. A person can defile the divine image in which one has been made. A person can hideously blemish the divine likeness which is one’s glory. When one lies and cheats, or commits adultery, or callously turns away from the hungry and the sick, when one hedonistically pursues pleasure, when one tortures and murders-when a person does these things, one betrays one’s destiny, rejects one’s great privilege and responsibility to act in a God-like fashion.

 

Through Him, With Him and In Him

From Fr. Carter's new Homily Book the year he died.

January 12, 2000

Today’s gospel from John’s Gospel speaks some beautiful words to us about Jesus’ gift of Himself to us in the Holy Eucharist. The Eucharist is such a great school of love. Jesus comes to us out of God’s miracle of love, through the miracle of transubstantiation, bread and wine is changed into the Body and Blood of Jesus. This is a wonderful miracle so that even though He ascended into heaven he is still…in what the Church refers to as His real presence, in the Eucharist. Jesus remains with us: Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity, today, in His real presence in the Eucharist.

Yes, the Eucharist is a great school of love. In the Eucharist, Jesus teaches us the lengths inwhich love can go. Jesus showed us His love, by His fruitful dying on the cross, by His glorious Resurrection, by remaining with us in the Eucharist. And so the Eucharist teaches us… love… always love, love of God, love your neighbor, love for each other as ourselves. The Eucharist teaches us…how the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus cries out for our love, and Jesus wants so much, so much to be loved.

But the Eucharist in its school of love tells us how he overwhelming loves us…Jesus gives himself to us in the Eucharist. He loved those who, loved and accepted Him and those who rejected Him, despite all Jesus did for them and all His love for them.

 

October 14, 2023

Sorrowful Mysteries

The Agony in the Garden

1. Matthew 26: 36-46

Then Jesus came with them to a plot of land called Gethsemane; and he said to his disciples, 'Stay here while I go over there to pray.' He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee with him. And he began to feel sadness and anguish. Then he said to them, 'My soul is sorrowful to the point of death. Wait here and stay awake with me.' And going on a little further he fell on his face and prayed. 'My Father,' he said, 'if it is possible, let this cup pass me by. Nevertheless, let it be as you, not I, would have it.' He came back to the disciples and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, 'So you had not the strength to stay awake with me for one hour? Stay awake, and pray not to be put to the test. The spirit is willing enough, but human nature is weak.' Again, a second time, he went away and prayed: 'My Father,' he said, 'if this cup cannot pass by, but I must drink it, your will be done!' And he came back again and found them sleeping, their eyes were so heavy. Leaving them there, he went away again and prayed for the third time, repeating the same words. Then he came back to the disciples and said to them, 'You can sleep on now and have your rest. Look, the hour has come when the Son of man is to be betrayed into the hands of sinners. Get up! Let us go! Look, my betrayer is not far away.'

2.     Your attitude must be that of Christ.
        Though he was in the form of God,
             he did not deem equality with God
             something to be grasped at.
         Rather, he emptied himself
             and took the form of a slave,
             being born in the likeness of men.
 
         He was known to be of human estate,
             and it was thus that he humbled
             himself,
             obediently accepting even death,
             death on a cross!
                                            —Phil 2:5-8

3. Jesus sweat blood in the
    Garden.
4. Think of what Eve did in
    the Garden.
    Sin entered the world.
5. Jesus saw every sin that
    men would commit.
6. Jesus was willing to suffer
    for our sins.
7. Eve said “yes” to Satan.
    Jesus obeyed God’s will.
8. Jesus said “Thy will be
    done.” Jesus, despite His
    suffering, said “yes”.
9. An angel appeared to Jesus!
10. When we are weak, we
    are strong in God.

 

The Scourging at the Pillar

1. Luke 23: 15-19, 22

...As you can see, the man has done nothing that deserves death, so I shall have him flogged and then let him go.' But as one man they howled, 'Away with him! Give us Barabbas!' (This man had been thrown into prison because of a riot in the city and murder.)

And for the third time he spoke to them, 'But what harm has this man done? I have found no case against him that deserves death, so I shall have him flogged and then let him go.'

2. Gifts from God.
    People see the God inside
    by our love and devotion,
    our sacrifice - to obey God’s
    will, lovingly.
3. Jesus sacrificed for love of
    souls. Jesus endured the
    bitter passion.
4. God is love.
    God gives us so much.
    We should have gratitude
    for God's gifts, and
    thanksgiving for God’s love
    and generosity.

    The devil is hate, he works
    for division, tearing apart,
    anger, disorder, pride, and
    jealousy.
    Jesus paid the price for our
    sins.
5. They whipped Jesus. They
    tore His flesh.

6. We can be instruments of
    love for Jesus.
    God gives us supernatural
    faith, hope and love in
    Baptism.
    God dwells in the graced
    baptized soul.

7. We live the Christ-life.
    In Baptism He elevates
    our knowing and loving
    capacity.
    Faith gives us the vision
    of God.
    Hope, we desire eternal
    salvation for ourselves
    and others.
    Love gives for the good
    of the other.

8. Fr. Carter said: people
    who love live in the
    moment, they aren’t
    crippled by hatred,
    unforgiveness of the past.

    We must see things
    according to the vision
    of the Father.
    That is why we act to
    help build the Kingdom
    of God.

    Jesus taught us how to
    love. We follow Jesus.
    Jesus showed us how He
    endured the bitter passion
    for love of us. Love gives.

    We treat others as Jesus
    wants of us.
    People were created and
    redeemed by God’s love.
    We are not selfishly caved-in
    using them in pride, anger
    and jealousy for our evil
    inside of us.
    We love others as we
    should.

9. Love works for unity,
    harmony, building up as
    God wants.
    Love works for the
    functioning of the whole.
    Jesus showed us, He
    loved us when they
    whipped Him at the pillar.
10. Love is trusting.
    Trust grows, Fr. Carter says
    in proportion to how a
    person loves.
    As one realizes God’s love
    more and more they give
    love to God and others as
    they should.
    God is the source of love!!

 

The Crowning with Thorns

1. Matthew 27: 27-31

Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus with them into the Praetorium and collected the whole cohort round him. And they stripped him and put a scarlet cloak round him, and having twisted some thorns into a crown they put this on his head and placed a reed in his right hand. To make fun of him they knelt to him saying, ‘Hail, king of the Jews!’ And they spat on him and took the reed and struck him on the head with it. And when they had finished making fun of him, they took off the cloak and dressed him in his own clothes and led him away to crucifixion.

2. Jesus’ head was crowned
    with thorns for men’s pride,
    sins in the mind, eyes, and
    hearing.
3. They pounded Jesus’
    crowned head.
    Sin is refusal to love.

4. Love is affirming.
    Love encourages. Love
    helps others know God.
    Love is not afraid to love
    too much, according to
    God’s will.
    Love is a motivating force
    in how we live. Vibrancy
    in our lives comes from
    God’s love in us.

5. Meditate on Jesus' sufferings
    for love of us.
6. Love is now.
    We were created by God
    to love.
    These mean men mocked
    Jesus and spit on Jesus.

7. Love tries to make up, when
    one has offended their brother.

8. Hebrews 10:11-17

Every priest stands at his duties every day, offering over and over again the same sacrifices which are quite incapable of taking away sins. He, on the other hand, has offered one single sacrifice for sins, and then taken his seat for ever, at the right hand of God, where he is now waiting till his enemies are made his footstool. By virtue of that one single offering, he has achieved the eternal perfection of all who are sanctified. The Holy Spirit attests this to us, for after saying: No, this is the covenant I will make with them, when those days have come. the Lord says: In their minds I will plant my Laws writing them on their hearts, and I shall never more call their sins to mind, or their offences.

9. Sing: A Priest is a Gift from God

10. Without the priest we
    wouldn’t have the Eucharist.

 

Jesus carried the Cross

1. Every person is created by
    God and they are beautiful.
    Jesus is Savior and
    Redeemer.

2. Luke 23:26-31

As they were leading him away they seized on a man, Simon from Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, and made him shoulder the cross and carry it behind Jesus. Large numbers of people followed him, and women too, who mourned and lamented for him. But Jesus turned to them and said, ‘Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep rather for yourselves and for your children. For look, the days are surely coming when people will say, "Blessed are those who are barren, the wombs that have never borne children, the breasts that have never suckled!" Then they will begin to say to the mountains, "Fall on us!"; to the hills, "Cover us!" For if this is what is done to green wood, what will be done when the wood is dry?'

3. Jesus carried the cross
    for our sins.
    If you hate yourself and
    others and you are mad
    you hurt yourself. Jesus
    suffered for our sins.
4. The more someone sins
    the more they hate, not
    love.

5. God is Creator,
    We are creatures.

    Jesus loves us so much.
    Jesus is the Bridegroom
    of our soul.

6. God wants deep interior
    oneness with Him.
    God wants us to love Him.

7. Hate comes from Satan.
    Satan wants:
    Disobedience
    Disorder
    Punishing others in meanness.

    God is love.

8. Blessed are the peacemakers,
    for they shall be children of
    God.

    Blessed are they who suffer
    persecution for justice sake,
    for theirs is the Kingdom of
    heaven.      Matthew 5: 9-10

    You are the salt of the earth
    and the light of the world.

9. Jesus fell 3 times and He kept
    getting up.
10. Dear God give us the grace
    we need most, to be holy.
    Do we discern the spirits? Do
    we get up when we fall and
    say we are sorry?
    Do we follow Jesus?

 

The Crucifixion

1. Mark 15: 24-38

Then they crucified him, and shared out his clothing, casting lots to decide what each should get. It was the third hour when they crucified him. The inscription giving the charge against him read, ‘The King of the Jews’. And they crucified two bandits with him, one on his right and one on his left.

The passers–by jeered at him; they shook their heads and said, ‘Aha! So you would destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three days! Then save yourself; come down from the cross!’ The chief priests and the scribes mocked him among themselves in the same way with the words, ‘He saved others, he cannot save himself. Let the Christ, the king of Israel, come down from the cross now, for us to see it and believe.’ Even those who were crucified with him taunted him.

When the sixth hour came there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, ‘Eloi, eloi, lama sabachthani?’ which means, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’ When some of those who stood by heard this, they said, ‘Listen, he is calling on Elijah.’ Someone ran and soaked a sponge in vinegar and, putting it on a reed, gave it to him to drink saying, ‘Wait! And see if Elijah will come to take him down.’ But Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last. And the veil of the Sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom.  

2. Shepherds of Christ Priestly Newsletter 2000 Issue 3     

The Father's Will for Us - Our Source of Peace