| Shepherds of Christ Daily Writing |
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October 24, 2023
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October
25th Holy Spirit Novena |
The Novena Rosary
Mysteries |
Please pray for Fr. Carter's Homily Book.
Pray for Bob, Chuck & other intentions.
Consecration Prayer for Peace
I consecrate Russia and the Ukraine to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
I further consecrate the priests, the Church and the world to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary.
I do this in the name of Jesus in as far as I am able, united to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, praying to the Father, in the Holy Spirit, with all the angels and saints and the souls in purgatory through the powerful intercession of Mary, Queen of Peace. Amen.
I further consecrate myself, all members of my family and ask the Holy Spirit to fill us. I spread the Blood of Jesus on all above, I cast the devil into hell away from all of us and consecrate all persons, in as far as I am able, to the Sacred Heart and Immaculate Heart.
Prayer for Grace for Election and our Country
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 24, 2023
R. We in the Church are
members of the body of
Christ with Christ the head
of the body.
We are so blessed to be
called by Him, to be
baptized and able to go to
Mass and Communion.
Are we grateful for this gift
we received, most of us
baptism at birth, because of
our parents or guardians.
The Church is a gift to this
world, a gift to us.
Jesus asked us 29 years
ago to pray these prayers
and spread the prayer
chapters for the priests, the
Church and the world.
We were commissioned in
Baptism to spread the Good
News.
We have been given such a
gift from God and a
commission.
We are called to do this,
have been given this gift.
Without the priest, we
would not have the
Eucharist.
Fr. Carter makes this clear
in his small book of homilies
given in China the last year
of his life.
This book should be printed
this week and then we will
send it out.
Through Him, With Him, In Him
R. Please pray this week for
this. As usual the prayers
are in the back from the
Prayer Manual.
This is a gift we can give,
praying for the priests, the
Church and the world in
love to others.
We were created to know,
love and serve God and
thereby attain our eternal
salvation.
Without the priest, we
wouldn’t have the Eucharist.July 31, 1994
Words of Jesus to Members of Shepherds of Christ Associates:
"My beloved priest-companion, I intend to use the priestly newsletter, Shepherds of Christ, and the movement, Shepherds of Christ Associates, in a powerful way for the renewal of My Church and the world.
"I will use the newsletter and the chapters of Shepherds of Christ Associates as a powerful instrument for spreading devotion to My Heart and My Mother's Heart.
"I am calling many to become members of Shepherds of Christ Associates. To all of them I will give great blessings. I will use them as instruments to help bring about the triumph of the Immaculate Heart and the reign of My Sacred Heart. I will give great graces to the members of Shepherds of Christ Associates. I will call them to be deeply united to My Heart and to Mary's Heart as I lead them ever closer to My Father in the Holy Spirit."
- Message from Jesus to Father Edward J. Carter, S.J., Founder, as given on July 31, 1994,
feast of Saint Ignatius Loyola, Founder of the Society of Jesus (The Jesuits)
R. Please help us do what
Jesus asked us to do in the
Shepherds of Christ.
This to me is the greatest
gift I can give to my
children and grandchildren
in helping more and more
our holy priests.
October 23, 2023
R. When we love, we act like a
channel of God’s love, God
operates in us, when we
allow Him to love through us.
God is the source of love.
We desire to love, we open
our hearts and ask God to
increase in us love, in our
graced, baptized soul.
God can increase His grace
of loving in our hearts.
Sing: Amazing Grace
We can be used by God to
help and give love and
comfort to others, as He
operates in us.
Desire, we desire to be
loving.
Love is giving for the good
of the other. Jesus taught
us about love.
Do we enjoy working with
others?
Do we believe in miracles?
Do we surrender to God’s
mighty help and surrender
to His Plan for our lives?
St. John the Baptist said:
He must increase, I must
decrease.
When we surrender to God,
giving our lives to Him, God
can use us to help change
the world.
What happens to a heart full
of pent-up anger one denies.
Anger is one of the 7 deadly
sins.
God commands us to love
Him and love our neighbor
as ourselves.
Love gives.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8Love is always patient and kind; love is never jealous; love is not boastful or conceited, it is never rude and never seeks its own advantage, it does not take offence or store up grievances. Love does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but finds its joy in the truth. It is always ready to make allowances, to trust, to hope and to endure whatever comes. Love never comes to an end...
God commands us to love:
1) God
2) Others
3) Ourselves
Then:
Our lives must be an act of
love.
Remember the parable of
the talents.
If we were created to love,
why would someone refuse
to love?
Remember what happened
to the man who buried his
one talent.
God certainly gives us the
talent to love, if He
commands us to love.
Fr. Carter said refusal to
love is sin.
In the Our Father it says...
“thy will be done on earth as
it is in heaven.”
If God commands us to
love, but we refuse to love,
we are disobeying this
commandment God gives
us to love.
Love is a commitment.
Love is now, because God
commanded us to love.
Fr. Carter tells us to live in
the moment.
If we refuse to love, how
can we live obeying God's
commandments. God
created us to know, love
and serve Him.
Love can be tough love.
Love is for the good of the
other.
It is not selfishly turned to
getting our way or refusing
change we need by forcing
or manipulating or abusing
others.
Reality is determined by
what God is.
God is absolute truth.
God is Divinely just.
A person that does not take
responsibility for their
actions (unless sick) is not
in contact with reality, their
reality is not based on Truth
and Justice.
Refusing to not take
responsibility for one's
actions is a block between
that person and reality,
self-deception, how can
such a person grow up?
The devil can contribute to
such behaviors of escape,
he tries to make right -
wrong and wrong - right.
It becomes fruitless
arguments they project on
others in an attempt to make
what is wrong - right and
right - wrong at the
expense of others for their
falsity
and refusal to live in the
truth or failure to take
responsibility for their
wrong actions, instead of
justifying them and arguing
to force them on others.
This pertains to adults - full
responsibility is adult
responsibility.
We are responsible for our
actions.
When we go to confession
we accept responsibility for
sin we committed and ask
for forgiveness.
Confession is one of the 7
sacraments.
We say "Bless me Father for
I have sinned..."Act of Contrition
"O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, and I detest all my sins, because I dread the loss of Heaven and the pains of Hell, but most of all because they offend Thee, my God, Who art all-good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace to confess my sins, to do penance and to amend my life. Amen."
We thank God for forgiving
our sins, and with a firm
purpose of amendment tell
God we do not want to sin
like that again.
We have sorrow for our sins
and want to help make up
for damage we have
caused, or hurt to others,
we offended, if we can.
We examine ourselves - for
anger, envy, pride, malice
directed to hurt others
because of anger inside of us.
Did I cheat at work, did I
ignore my responsibility on
my job?
Did I lie to those in authority
to cover up my wrong doing?
Did I deceive others in
authority over me for power
to do what I want, but is
against God's will?
Did I injure anyone on
purpose?
Did I steal or cheat or
encourage others to sin in
this way?
Have I made up for things I
stole?
Was I reverent to the
Blessed Sacrament?
Did I keep holy Sunday?
Did I disobey my legitimate
superiors, if children - parents?
Did I give full days work for
a full days pay?
Did I misrepresent the truth
because of my pride?
There are many more sins
to examine one's conscience.The 7 Deadly Sins
Pride, Greed, Lust, Anger,
Gluttony,
Envy, Slothfulness.
****************
Sins against the Theological
virtues1. Obstinacy to sin.
2. Refusal to repent of sin.
3. Envy at another's spiritual
growth.
Etc.
**************
We can be an accessory to
others sins.
In silence, in partaking, in
consent, in concealment, in
provoking, malice of intent
to start trouble, division,
defending sinful actions.
***************Galatians 5:19-21
When self–indulgence is at work the results are obvious: sexual vice, impurity, and sensuality, the worship of false gods and sorcery; antagonisms and rivalry, jealousy, bad temper and quarrels, disagreements, factions and malice, drunkenness, orgies and all such things. On the other hand the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, trustfulness, gentleness and self–control; no law can touch such things as these. All who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified self with all its passions and its desires.
***************
Holiness
Virtues
Humility
Generosity
Chastity
Diligence
Brotherly love
Temperance
Meekness - don't cause
combat
********
Theological Virtues
Faith, Hope, Love
********
Cardinal Virtues
Prudence, Justice,
Temperance, Fortitude
***********Gifts of the Holy Spirit
Wisdom, Understanding,
Counsel, Fortitude,
Knowledge, Piety, and
Fear of God.
Fruits of the Holy Spirit
Chastity, Joy, Peace,
Patience, Kindness,
Goodness, Generosity,
Gentleness, Faithfulness,
Modesty, and Self-control.Jesus: I am love. I love you
so much. I want to dwell in
your heart and operate in
love through you.
I am a God of miracles. You
must surrender so I can act
in you.
Do you lovingly conform to
the Father’s will.
Seek first to live by the
Father’s will.
Love brings unity.
Sin brings hurt and division.
Open your heart to love.
Surrender to God’s will.
I love you so much.
First to thine own self be
true.
Life is very short.
Your love brings unity.
Heaven is for lovers.
Prepare for your eternal
salvation.
Obey the Father's will in a
loving attitude. I will listen to
your heart-felt prayer.
I love you.
Pray for the grace you need
most.
Excerpt from Response in Christ by Fr. Edward J. Carter, S.J.
The Christian and Sin (excerpt)SIX
The Nature of Sin
What is the nature of sin? Contemporary theology emphasizes that sin is not primarily a violation of a law, but a disruption of personal relationships. Sin is a refusal to love. Serious sin is a radical refusal to love. Venial sin is a partial refusal to love.
The most obvious personal relationship that is affected by sin is that between God and the sinner. In sinning a man fails, to a lesser or greater degree, to accept God's loving gift of Himself. He fails also to respond with his own gift of love. In serious sin man refuses intimate friendship with God. In venial sin he dulls the ardor of that friendship. Man, in so far as he sins, maintains that he does not want his life to be directed by the loving hand of his heavenly Father. He wants to be a law for himself; he wants to be the one who decides what is good for himself and what is not. Schoonenberg observes: "Especially in the prophets sin is an aversion from and an unfaithfulness to Yahweh himself; hence it is placed in the heart rather than in the wrong deed. We see that aversion, that rebelliousness, that lack of faith which precede the act of transgressing the Law already in the story of the sin in paradise, where it is presented as the wish of possessing autonomously the knowledge of good and evil, of being independently the Law unto oneself. . .”1
1. P. Schoonenberg, Man and Sin (Notre Dame, Indiana: Fides, 1965), p. 8.
R. Fr. Carter
did his Examen
twice a day for ten minutes
each like other Jesuits.
October 10, 2023
Glorious Mysteries
The Resurrection
1. Jesus, the Good Shepherd,
died and rose on the 3rd day.2. Jesus said:
My sheep hear my voice
I know them,
And they follow me.
I give them eternal life,
and they shall not perish.
John 10
3. By Jesus laying down His
life, He has raised us up.
4. Jesus died to bring us life.
5. Jesus withstood the
horrendous suffering, to
bring us joy.
6. Jesus emptied Himself
for our sins.
7. We should give ourselves
in love for Him.
8. Jesus wants to be visible
to all through us.
9. We in the Church are the
body of Christ. Christ is the
head.
10. Yes, Jesus still walks the
earth, but in a manner
different from that of 2
thousand years ago.
Today He walks the earth
through His members.
He wants us to reach out to
others, today, as members
of His mystical body.
The Ascension
1. Luke 24:50-53Then he took them out as far as the outskirts of Bethany, and raising his hands he blessed them. Now as he blessed them, he withdrew from them and was carried up to heaven. They worshipped him and then went back to Jerusalem full of joy; and they were continually in the Temple praising God.
2. We learn from Jesus’ life.
Jesus is the way, the truth
and the life.
3. "He has put all things
under Christ’s feet and has
made him, thus exalted,
head of the Church, which
is his body, the fullness of
him who fills the universe in
all its parts."
Ephesians 1:22
4. The world belongs to Jesus.
5. The Christians should feel
at home in the world.
6. Man’s world is crippled by
many evils.
7. We are here to spread the
Good News.
We have been called by
God in baptism.
8. Matthew 22: 36-40
The greatest commandment of all
But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees they got together and, to put him to the test, one of them put a further question, ‘Master, which is the greatest commandment of the Law?’ Jesus said to him, ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second resembles it: You must love your neighbour as yourself. On these two commandments hang the whole Law, and the Prophets too.’
9. God is love. He calls us to
love.
10. People should see the
Christ that lives in us.
The Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles
1. Acts 2: 1-4When Pentecost day came round, they had all met together, when suddenly there came from heaven a sound as of a violent wind which filled the entire house in which they were sitting; and there appeared to them tongues as of fire; these separated and came to rest on the head of each of them. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak different languages as the Spirit gave them power to express themselves.
2. The Apostles were transformed
from fear to fearlessness.
3. The Holy Spirit came on them
in tongues of fire above their
heads.
4. The Holy Spirit makes us
more alive in Him.
5. We must open our hearts,
ask the Holy Spirit to
possess your soul.
6. If a window is closed the
air can’t get in.
We must open our hearts to
the Holy Spirit.
7. Dear Holy Spirit help us to
open to you.
Dear Holy Spirit come and
possess my soul.
8. Dear Holy Spirit infuse in
my intellect the gifts of
wisdom, and knowledge
and understanding.
9. Dear Holy Spirit help us
to lovingly conform to the
will of God.
10. Sing: Veni Sancte SpiritusFrom the Lectionary
Pentecost Sequence
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
And from your celestial home
Shed a ray of light divine!Come, Father of the poor!
Come, source of all our store!
Come, within our bosoms shine!You, of comforters the best;
You, the soul's most welcome guest;
Sweet refreshment here below;In our Labor, rest most sweet;
Grateful coolness in the heat;
Solace in the midst of woe.O most blessed Light divine,
Shine within these hearts of yours,
And our inmost being fill!Where you are not, man has naught,
Nothing good in deed or thought,
Nothing free from taint of ill!Heal our wounds, our strength renew;
On our dryness pour your dew;
Wash the stains of guilt away;Bend the stubborn heart and will;
Melt the frozen, warm the chill;
Guide the steps that go astray.On the faithful, who adore
And confess you, evermore
In your sev'nfold gift descend;Give them virtue's sure reward;
Give them your salvation, Lord;
Give them joys that never end. Amen.
Alleluia.
The Assumption
1. Mary was taken body and s
oul into heaven.
2. Sing: Immaculate Mary
3. Sing: Hail Mary Gentle Woman
4. Mary: I love you, my
precious child.
I am your spiritual Mother.
5. Mary: Come to my
Immaculate Heart, I will
place you in the Heart of
Jesus, my child He loves
you so much.
6. Most Sacred Heart of Jesus,
we place our trust in Thee.
7. Mary is the Queen of Peace.
8. Our true home is in heaven.
Consecrate our hearts to the
Hearts of Jesus and Mary,
the Hearts of greatest love.
9. Thank You God for giving
us Mary.
10. Life in the Holy Spirit
helps us be more human.
Mary is perfect handmaid of
the Lord.
The Queenship of Mary
1. Revelation 12:1-2Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman, robed with the sun, standing on the moon, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. She was pregnant, and in labour, crying aloud in the pangs of childbirth.
2.
3. Luke 1: 46-55And 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.4. Sing: Hail Holy Queen
5. Sing: See the Eyes That Look at Mary
6.
7. Mary Queen of Peace Pray
for us.8. Priestly Newsletter Book III - 2000 Issue 2
Mary and the Priest
The Directory of the Ministry and Life of Priests tells us: "There is an ‘essential rapport … between the Mother of Jesus and the priesthood of the ministry of the Son,’ stemming from the existing one between the divine maternity of Mary and the priesthood of Christ."In light of such a rapport, Marian spirituality is rooted in every priest. Priestly spirituality could not be considered complete if it were to fail to include the message of Christ’s words on the Cross, in which He conferred His Mother to the beloved disciple, and, through him, to all priests called to continue his work of redemption.
"Like John at the foot of the Cross, every priest has been entrusted, in a special way, with Mary as Mother (cf Jn 19:26-27).
"Priests, who are among the favored disciples of Jesus, crucified and risen, should welcome Mary as their Mother in their own life, bestowing her with constant attention and prayer. The Blessed Virgin then becomes the Mother who leads them to Christ, who makes them sincerely love the Church, who intercedes for them and guides them toward the Kingdom of heaven…
"But they are not devout sons if they do not know how to imitate the virtues of Mary. The priest will look to Mary to be a humble, obedient and chaste minister and to give testimony of charity in the total surrender to God and the Church."
99. Directory on the Ministry and Life of Priests, No. 68, as in Inside the Vatican, Special Supplement, November, 1994, p. 25.
9. Priestly Newsletter Book III - 2000 Issue 1The Father and Mary
Redemptor Hominis (Redeemer of Man) Pope John Paul II states: “The special characteristic of the motherly love that the Mother of God inserts in the mystery of the Redemption and the life of the Church finds expression in its exceptional closeness to man and all that happens to him. It is in this that the mystery of the Mother consists. The Church, which looks to her with altogether special love and hope, wishes to make this mystery her own in an ever deeper manner... “The Father’s eternal love, which has been manifested in the history of mankind through the Son whom the Father gave... comes close to each of us through this Mother and thus takes on tokens that are of more easy understanding and access by each person.” 3In his Encyclical,
3. Pope John Paul II, Encyclical Letter,
Redemptor Hominis, (Redeemer of
Man), United States
Catholic Conference, No. 22.
10. Priestly Newsletter Book II - September/October 1997
In all this Mary offers an example. Selfishness was totally foreign to her. She did not belong to herself. She belonged to God. She was not closed in upon herself. She was completely open to God. When God spoke, she listened. When God pointed the way, she followed. She realized that life is not a process a person masters by carefully mapping out one's own self-conceived plans of conquest, but a mystery to be gradually experienced by being open to God's personal and loving guidance.
Selfishness, then, did not close Mary off from God's call. Neither did fear. God asked her to assume a tremendous responsibility. He asked her to be the Mother of Jesus. Mary did not engage in a process of false humility and say that such a great role was above her. She did not say that she did not have the proper qualifications for this awesome mission. Briefly, she did not waste time looking at herself, making pleas that she was not worthy, telling the angel he had better go look for someone else. No, Mary did not look at herself. Her gaze was absorbed in God. She fully realized that whatever God asked of her, His grace would accomplish. She fully realized that although she herself had to cooperate, this work was much more God's than hers.
Mary's words, then, truly sum up what is the authentic Christian response at any point of life, in any kind of situation: "I am the handmaid of the Lord," said Mary, "let what you have said be done to me".
