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November 16, 2007

    

                Let us pause to call to mind our sins.

                        Lord have mercy
                        Christ have mercy
                        Lord have mercy

                Father source of all that is good
                        help us to have eternal salvation
                        help us to serve You
                        We love You God the Father
                        hear us we pray —
                        We love You so much.

                Today's Reading Wisdom 13: 1-9

   

Wisdom 13: 1-9

Yes, naturally stupid are all who are unaware of God,
and who, from good things seen, have not been able to discover Him—who—is,
or, by studying the works, have not recognised the Artificer.
Fire, however, or wind, or the swift air,
the sphere of the stars, impetuous water, heaven’s lamps,
are what they have held to be the gods who govern the world.

If, charmed by their beauty, they have taken these for gods,
let them know how much the Master of these excels them,
ince he was the very source of beauty that created them.
And if they have been impressed by their power and energy,
let them deduce from these how much mightier is he that has formed them,
since through the grandeur and beauty of the creatures
we may, by analogy, contemplate their Author.

Small blame, however, attaches to them,
for perhaps they go astray
only in their search for God and their eagerness to find him;
familiar with his works, they investigate them
and fall victim to appearances, seeing so much beauty.
But even so, they have no excuse:
if they are capable of acquiring enough knowledge
to be able to investigate the world,
how have they been so slow to find its Master?

 

Zachariah 14: 5, 7

You shall flee by the valley of my mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach to Azel; yes, you shall flee, just like you fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Yahweh my God will come, and all the holy ones with you.
 

It will be a unique day which is known to Yahweh; not day, and not night; but it will come to pass, that at evening time there will be light.
 

 

Psalm 72: 7

In his days uprightness shall flourish,
    and peace in plenty till the moon is no more.

 

Psalm 19: 1-2, 3-5

The heavens declare the glory of God,

the vault of heaven proclaims his handiwork,
day discourses of it to day,
night to night hands on the knowledge.

No utterance at all, no speech,
not a sound to be heard,
but from the entire earth the design stands out,
this message reaches the whole world.
High above, he pitched a tent for the sun,

who comes forth from his pavilion like a bridegroom,
delights like a champion in the course to be run.
 

   

Luke 17: 26-37

    'As it was in Noah's day, so will it also be in the days of the Son of man. People were eating and drinking, marrying wives and husbands, right up to the day Noah went into the ark, and the Flood came and destroyed them all. It will be the same as it was in Lot's day: people were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building, but the day Lot left Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and it destroyed them all. It will be the same when the day comes for the Son of man to be revealed.

    ‘When that Day comes, no one on the housetop, with his possessions in the house, must come down to collect them, nor must anyone in the fields turn back. Remember Lot’s wife. Anyone who tries to preserve his life will lose it; and anyone who loses it will keep it safe. I tell you, on that night, when two are in one bed, one will be taken, the other left; when two women are grinding corn together, one will be taken, the other left.’ The disciples spoke up and asked, ‘Where, Lord?’ He said, ‘Where the body is, there too will the vultures gather.’

   

                    The Wisdom of God is not accepted much
                by the people —

                    If it were people would see the glory of the
                Creator.

                    People can worship creation and
                ignore the Creator.

                    We must see the hand of God in
                the things of creation in the world.

                    We cannot focus on creatures and
                leave the Creator out —

                    We get lost in the imperfection
                of creatures —

                    God reminds us in this scripture
                of the disobedience before Noah —
                We must live our lives as God
                wants — He is the Creator and Master —

                Jesus is with us now —

                He is truly present in the Blessed Sacrament
                I live in deep unity with Him
                    now —

                    I don't have my own agenda
                    I am promoting His Kingdom —
                    I am deeply connected to God
                        here in this world —
                    If I focus on creatures and what
                        they are doing and leave out
                        God I have a big problem

                I want to be cleansed of my
                    sins so I will offer a
                    more pure sacrifice

                We praise You God
                You are all powerful
                You are mighty
                Holy Spirit we love You —

                Oh Father I offer myself united
                    to the sacrifice of Jesus at
                    Mass, through the power
                    of the Holy Spirit, Oh God,
                    I offer myself with all the
                    angels and saints
                    for my holiness
                    for the priests, the Church and the world —

                The Mass is the sacrifice of Calvary
                    sacramentally made present —
                    I pray at Mass: God the Father — I give myself
                    united so deeply to Jesus in
                    the Holy Spirit in this Mass and
                    all the Masses being celebrated
                    all day around the world —

                My life I unite as an offering, Father
                    to the sacrifice of Jesus in the Holy
                    Spirit with all the angels and saints
                I offer this at this Mass and all the Masses
                    being offered all day around the
                    world —

                Every breath I take is an offering today —
                    united to the Masses going on
                    around the world —
                    I am so deeply one with the angels and
                    saints — through the intercession
                    of Mary, my Mother —
                    I am one with Jesus, my Savior —
                        so one in praying for the priests,
                        the Church and the world.

                    I give my heart to the Hearts of Jesus
                        and Mary so I offer a more
                        pure sacrifice according to
                        the Father's will in love —

                Think of how it would be if the people
                    in the Nursing Homes did this prayer —
 

 

   

 

                    Little cards (in size) for all others

 

 

                Morning offering for school children

     

    

                These cards are available.

   

Morning Offering (for Shepherds of Christ Members)

My dear Father, I offer You this day all my prayers, works, joys and sufferings, my every breath, my every heartbeat, my every thought, all my actions, in union with Jesus in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world, in the Holy Spirit. I pray the Holy Spirit is with me every second today, enlightening me to do the will of the Father and filling me with the fire of God's love.

I ask Jesus and Mary to be one in me in all that I do and I unite with all the angels and saints and souls in purgatory to pray continually to the Father for these intercessions, in this prayer, for this day.

For myself, I pray for grace-abundant grace, to know and love God more and more and to follow the will of the Father. I pray to the Holy Spirit to transform me in the heart of Mary to be more and more like Jesus. I pray that I can forever dwell in the Hearts of Jesus and Mary. I pray for conversion of all those I hold dear who need conversion. I pray for each member of my family that they will be filled with Your abundant grace to grow in their knowledge and love of God.

I pray for all my friends that they will receive abundant grace to carry out the great plan of the Father, that they will grow forever closer to Jesus' Heart through Mary's heart, that we will all be led by the Holy Spirit to do His work, that we will, together, carry out the plan of the Father as He intends us to, to spread the love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Mary's heart to this world.

Jesus, I pray for myself so the Holy Spirit descends upon me and opens my heart to Your love so I will grow more and more deeply in union with You. I pray that I do not worry what other people think but try always to please the Father and do His will. I pray that I may help lead many to Your burning love.

I pray for the following people in particular that they will be filled with the Spirit and grow deeply in their union with You, that they will receive abundant graces to know, love and serve You more. (Include special friends by name...)

I pray for priests the world over, for the success of the Priestly Newsletter, the Chapters and for the finances needed for the Newsletter. I pray for the circulation of the Blue Book messages, rosary meditations and tapes. I pray for all those involved in the publication of these messages.

I pray that You will shower Your abundant graces onto the priests reading the Newsletter the people reading and hearing the Blue Book messages and Rosary Meditations and all of Fr. Carter's publications.

We pray for the intentions we hold deep within our hearts, for our families and friends, for those requesting our prayers. We pray for children the world over and for the souls in purgatory. We ask God to shower His abundant grace on us and the members of our Shepherds of Christ chapter so that we may grow more and more in our knowledge and love of God.

We consecrate ourselves to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary. We pray for Father Carter, for Father Smith, for Rita Ring, and for John Weickert, for all leaders and helpers in the Shepherds of Christ Movement, for Shepherds of Christ Ministries, and Our Lady of Light Ministry. We pray for all those who are working in these ministries.

We bind ourselves and our children and our friends to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. We place the precious blood of Jesus on ourselves, and all we touch, so that we will be protected from the evil one. We pray to St. Michael to cast the devil into hell.

We love You, God, we love You, we love You. We beg that we may receive the grace to love You more and more deeply. We adore You, we praise You, our beloved Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

end of morning offering

   

                This is from the Newsletter 2001 —

                    Fr. Carter told me to publish
                        after His death

  

Excerpt from the Priestly Newsletter 2001 Issue 1

  

I Lay Down My Life for My Sheep

I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep. The hired man, since he is not the shepherd and the sheep do not belong to him, abandons the sheep as soon as he sees a wolf coming, and runs away, and then the wolf attacks and scatters the sheep; he runs away because he is only a hired man and has no concern for the sheep. I am the good shepherd; I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for my sheep. (Jn 10:11-15)¹

Yes, the Good Shepherd laid down His life for us. And it is in this that we must lay down our lives daily in the Morning Offering, offering all we do as a sacrifice united to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and great grace will be released for souls. We can identify with Him in this that we offer everything we do in trying to please Him and serve Him as a sacrifice united to the Mass. The more we tell others to pray the Morning Offering, the more people will lay down their lives for souls and the more grace will be released for the troubled hearts.

Jesus’ Heart is pure and holy, our hearts are tainted.

Mary’s Heart is pure and sinless. The more we unite our offering with Their pure and holy Hearts, the more pure our offering and the greatest grace will be released for the troubled souls.

Souls, it is souls He came to save. Do we want to identify with our beloved Savior? Then we must not miss an opportunity to lay down our lives as a sacrifice for His precious souls.

Oh, how His Heart burned with love for the souls when He mounted the cross, covered with Blood and gave Himself as a sacrifice for souls.

Yes, the Good Shepherd laid down His life for His flock and we as His faithful shepherds must lay down our lives for His flock today.

There are millions of elderly that cry out daily, "Oh, God why am I here today?" In giving them a small card as simple as the ones that follow, they can offer their lives for souls which can help bring down great grace for the souls of this earth.

 

Say daily God, I give you my life in union with the Mass as an offering for the souls, the Church and the priests Help us!

      

Your life is so important for souls,  you can help bring down great grace.

      

Morning Offering My dear Father, I offer you this day all my prayers, works, joys, and sufferings in union with Jesus in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world, in the Holy Spirit.  I unite with our Mother Mary, all the angels and saints, and all the souls in purgatory to pray to the Father for myself, for each member of my family, for my friends, for all people throughout the world, for all the souls in purgatory, and for all other intentions of the sacred Heart. I love You, Jesus, and I give You my heart. I love you, Mary, and I give you my heart. Amen.

---

Offering Our Lives to God

Written May 29, 2000:

When we come to Mass we make an offering of ourselves, all our sorrows, wounds, joys, our complete selves. We see our lives and we put ourselves in Mary’s Heart, ask to make the offering in greatest purity. In His Heart we offer the sacrifice IN HIM and WITH HIM.

We become one with Him as deeply as possible. We dwell in His most perfect Heart offering sacrifice to God for our sins and the sins of men. Our whole being is very active in the Mass as we realize more the power of this Sacrifice most worthily offered. We want to give ourselves as completely as possible, our past, all of ourselves, now become so one in the moment of sacrifice as we become one in Him pleading and begging to our God for purification, for help, for love of Him and all others. We give thanksgiving, worship and honor to Him, our whole being given as a sacrifice on the altar IN His pure and holy Heart. Being in the Immaculate Heart of our Mother, we offer sacrifice for the Church and the world.

We offer every precious moment of our lives, united to the Masses around the world, being one in Jesus. Every moment is a moment of sacrifice united to God. This is what we do in the Morning Offering.

The pages of the book of our lives are being written. These moments of our lives are so dear to God, for we offer our lives as a sacrifice for souls.

Are we spending the precious moments of our lives offering sacrifice to God for His honor and glory and giving our lives as a sacrifice for souls?

Write a short page every day or the following day, similar to an examination of conscience, seeing the good (so much good we accomplish we overlook, so many precious moments of joy we forget) and the times we were troubled.

The devil tries to keep us focused on the problems. We are His shepherds, helping to shepherd His flock, there is so much good we can accomplish every day. We should write a short page every day, date it, read over it when we are troubled, keep it in a book, see how many joyful moments we have every day. Give them to God as a bouquet of flowers placed at His feet on that last day, the pages of the life of our book. We will want all pages to be done in love, all for the honor and glory of God.

Through Him, With Him and In Him

We should pray the prayer from Jesus before His bitter passion.

I pray not only for these but also for those who through their teaching will come to believe in me. May they all be one, just as, Father, you are in me and I am in you, so that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe it was you who sent me. I have given them the glory you gave to me, that they may be one as we are one. With me in them and you in me, may they be so perfected in unity that the world will recognise that it was you who sent me and that you have loved them as you have loved me.

Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, so that they may always see my glory which you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. Father, Upright One, the world has not known you, but I have known you, and these have known that you have sent me. I have made your name known to them and will continue to make it known, so that the love with which you loved me may be in them, and so that I may be in them. (Jn 17: 20-26)

Jesus’ Heart is on fire for love of us.

God the Father loves us so much, give Him the moments of our lives as a sacrifice.

Peace, Love, Oneness – One Body In Him.

Our prayers are answered. We must pray from the depth of our hearts. Giving ourselves in consecration to Jesus, consecrating our hearts to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

Offer sacrifice.

Put the flowers as gifts beneath the throne of God.

Plead and beg for souls.

Offer sacrifice. Be united as a body.

And the bell tolls.

Do you hear the bells toll?

The moments of our lives we cannot live again.

We are here to love and honor God and to serve Him, to prepare ourselves for the life hereafter and to help others get there.

He is the Son of God.

He showed us how to be children of the Father.

He laid down His life for His flock.

He is the Good Shepherd.

We lay down our lives in our Morning Offering.

We lay down our lives and unite to the perfect Sacrifice of the Savior.

The moments go by with such swiftness and now here is the day, the kids are grown, the grandchildren have come, and we still say, "TOMORROW I will be about my union with God."

There are so many precious moments that could have been united as a sacrifice for special grace for ourselves and others.

When He was here on earth, He merited grace by His life and death.

We need to tap into this grace our Divine Savior came to earth to gain for us.

We must tap into this sacrifice.

The moments of our lives tick away. There are millions of souls in nursing homes that could be offering up their lives for souls. We have to unite ourselves and reach them, all the souls that will hear us and unite to this Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. He is the Head, we are the members of His body, the Church. We must be united in the Mass, praying every moment together, being one in Him in this Holy Sacrifice so that great grace will be released.

All our most difficult trials, when we endure them with love, can help to bring down great grace.

The moment is now.

The bell is tolling.

I can only live in this moment.

I must unite it to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, praying for souls.

Every moment, whether of joy or suffering, can be a moment of grace being released for our needs, for the salvation of souls, to make reparation to God, to honor and love Him and obey Him.

OUR LIVES ARE INDEED PRECIOUS, every moment, a moment that our Father gave us as a child of God for His honor and glory.

Alleluia – God, help us unite as a body.

Alleluia – God, help us to see ourselves all one as the family of the Father with Mary our loving Mother.

How will the page of our book look for the Father? Whether we write or not, we lived it as He willed or we lived it against His will.

Were our moments, moments to give Him honor and glory, to help promote the kingdom, to help save souls and lead others to God? Did the moments help us have a higher place in heaven? Did we mature more in our love relationship with God?

 

end of excerpt from the newsletter 2001

    

                    Christ hung on the cross and He
                willingly gave Himself so we
                could be with Him in heaven
                if we do God's will —
                Salvation

  

  

                Christ is the New Adam
                The One obedient to the Father

                 We can unite every breath in our
                    lives to the Mass, the sacrifice
                    of Calvary sacramentally
                    made present — through the hands
                    of God's precious priests —
                    all over the world.

                    Envision Christ on the cross and
                see Him hanging on the cross vividly.
                We see the image of Jesus in the Resurrection
                in the stained glass windows we are reminded of the
                Pascal mystery of death/resurrection.

 

 

   

                Christ suffered and died -- He obeyed
                the Father  —
                Christ took on a human body
                Christ is God-made-Man
                Christ is the most perfect sacrifice
                    offered to the Father
                    Jesus died on the cross
                and today the Sacrifice of Calvary
                    it is sacramentally made
                    present at the Mass —
                We unite to this most pure and perfect
                    sacrifice.

                This sacrifice was most pleasing to
                    the Father.

                Christ offered His life to the Father
                    to appease Him for the sins of men.

                Jesus laid down His life for our sins —
                    in self-less surrender Jesus died
                    so we could share in His
                    life - abundantly —
                    Jesus did this for our sins so
                    we might go to heaven some day.

                Man sinned
                Jesus paid the price for our sins!!
                    Jesus, the Son of God — God-made-Man
                    paid the price for our sins
                    His Passion reconciled men to God —

                Apostles Creed —

 

The Apostles Creed

I believe in God the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell; the third day he arose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven; sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the living and the dead. * I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.

 

                Christ was locked in the tomb 3 days —
                Christ rose from the dead
                We can hope to rise again at the end
                    of the world.
                Because Jesus rose — we can
                    have the new life of grace

 

1 Corinthians 15: 20-58

    In fact, however, Christ has been raised from the dead, as the first–fruits of all who have fallen asleep. As it was by one man that death came, so through one man has come the resurrection of the dead. Just as all die in Adam, so in Christ all will be brought to life; but all of them in their proper order: Christ the first–fruits, and next, at his coming, those who belong to him. After that will come the end, when he will hand over the kingdom to God the Father, having abolished every principality, every ruling force and power. For he is to be king until he has made his enemies his footstool, and the last of the enemies to be done away with is death, for he has put all things under his feet. But when it is said everything is subjected, this obviously cannot include the One who subjected everything to him. When everything has been subjected to him, then the Son himself will be subjected to the One who has subjected everything to him, so that God may be all in all.

    Otherwise, what are people up to who have themselves baptised on behalf of the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, what is the point of being baptised on their behalf? And what about us? Why should we endanger ourselves every hour of our lives? I swear by the pride that I take in you, in Christ Jesus our Lord, that I face death every day. If I fought wild animals at Ephesus in a purely human perspective, what had I to gain by it? If the dead are not going to be raised, then Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we shall be dead.
So do not let anyone lead you astray, 'Bad company corrupts good ways. Wake up from your stupor as you should and leave sin alone; some of you have no understanding of God; I tell you this to instil some shame in you.

Someone may ask: How are dead people raised, and what sort of body do they have when they come? How foolish! What you sow must die before it is given new life; and what you sow is not the body that is to be, but only a bare grain, of wheat I dare say, or some other kind; it is God who gives it the sort of body that he has chosen for it, and for each kind of seed its own kind of body.

    Not all flesh is the same flesh: there is human flesh; animals have another kind of flesh, birds another and fish yet another. Then there are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies; the heavenly have a splendour of their own, and the earthly a different splendour. The sun has its own splendour, the moon another splendour, and the stars yet another splendour; and the stars differ among themselves in splendour. It is the same too with the resurrection of the dead: what is sown is perishable, but what is raised is imperishable; what is sown is contemptible but what is raised is glorious; what is sown is weak, but what is raised is powerful; what is sown is a natural body, and what is raised is a spiritual body. 

    If there is a natural body, there is a spiritual body too. So the first man, Adam, as scripture says, became a living soul; and the last Adam has become a life–giving spirit. But first came the natural body, not the spiritual one; that came only afterwards. The first man, being made of earth, is earthly by nature; the second man is from heaven. The earthly man is the pattern for earthly people, the heavenly man for heavenly ones. And as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so we shall bear the likeness of the heavenly one.

    What I am saying, brothers, is that mere human nature cannot inherit the kingdom of God: what is perishable cannot inherit what is imperishable. Now I am going to tell you a mystery: we are not all going to fall asleep, but we are all going to be changed, instantly, in the twinkling of an eye, when the last trumpet sounds. The trumpet is going to sound, and then the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed, because this perishable nature of ours must put on imperishability, this mortal nature must put on immortality.

And after this perishable nature has put on imperishability and this mortal nature has put on immortality, then will the words of scripture come true: Death is swallowed up in victory. Death, where is your victory? Death, where is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin comes from the Law. Thank God, then, for giving us the victory through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

    So, my dear brothers, keep firm and immovable, always abounding in energy for the Lord’s work, being sure that in the Lord none of your labours is wasted.

      

                Christ's resurrected body had glorified
                    wounds

                We knew it was Christ and He
                    had really risen.
                His scars — glorified — remind us
                    how He suffered for our sins —
                How He died for us.
                When He appeared glorified —
                    He showed Mary and the Apostles
                    the reality of the resurrection.

    

John 6: 40

It is my Father's will
that whoever sees the Son
   and believes in him
should have eternal life,
and that I should raise that person up
   on the last day.

    

John 6: 52-59

Then the Jews started arguing among themselves, ‘How can this man give us his flesh to eat?’ Jesus replied to them:

   In all truth I tell you,
   if you do not eat
      the flesh of the Son of man
   and drink his blood,
   you have no life in you.
   Anyone who does eat my flesh
      and drink my blood
   has eternal life,
   and I shall raise that person up
      on the last day.
   For my flesh is real food
      and my blood is real drink.
   Whoever eats my flesh
      and drinks my blood
    lives in me
    and I live in that person.
    As the living Father sent me
    and I draw life from the Father,
    so whoever eats me
       will also draw life from me.
    This is the bread
       which has come down from heaven;
     it is not like the bread our ancestors ate:
     they are dead,
     but anyone who eats this bread
        will live for ever.

   This is what he taught at Capernaum in the synagogue.

   

                Sing song:  Bread of Life

                The souls of the just will rise

                40 days after the Resurrection
                    is the Ascension

Luke 24: 50-53

Then 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.

                    We unite to the Mass — the
                Sacrifice of Calvary sacramentally
                    made present —
                God is with us today —
                The Mass being celebrated through
                    the hands of His precious priests —   

                Song:  A Priest Is a Gift from God

 

Acts 1: 1-11

In my earlier work, Theophilus, I dealt with everything Jesus had done and taught from the beginning until the day he gave his instructions to the apostles he had chosen through the Holy Spirit, and was taken up to heaven. He had shown himself alive to them after his Passion by many demonstrations: for forty days he had continued to appear to them and tell them about the kingdom of God. While at table with them, he had told them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for what the Father had promised. ‘It is’, he had said, ‘what you have heard me speak about: John baptised with water but, not many days from now, you are going to be baptised with the Holy Spirit.’

Now having met together, they asked him, ‘Lord, has the time come for you to restore the kingdom to Israel?’ He replied, ‘It is not for you to know times or dates that the Father has decided by his own authority, but you will receive the power of the Holy Spirit which will come on you, and then you will be my witnesses not only in Jerusalem but throughout Judaea and Samaria, and indeed to earth’s remotest end.’
     As he said this he was lifted up while they looked on, and a cloud took him from their sight. They were still staring into the sky as he went, when suddenly two men in white were standing beside them, and they said, ‘Why are you Galileans standing here looking into the sky? This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven will come back in the same way as you have seen him go to heaven.’

 

Hebrews 9: 24-28

It is not as though Christ had entered a man–made sanctuary which was merely a model of the real one; he entered heaven itself, so that he now appears in the presence of God on our behalf. And he does not have to offer himself again and again, as the high priest goes into the sanctuary year after year with the blood that is not his own, or else he would have had to suffer over and over again since the world began. As it is, he has made his appearance once and for all, at the end of the last age, to do away with sin by sacrificing himself. Since human beings die only once, after which comes judgement, so Christ too, having offered himself only once to bear the sin of many, will manifest himself a second time, sin being no more, to those who are waiting for him, to bring them salvation.

 

Hebrews 10: 19-23

We have then, brothers, complete confidence through the blood of Jesus in entering the sanctuary, by a new way which he has opened for us, a living opening through the curtain, that is to say, his flesh. And we have the high priest over all the sanctuary of God. So as we go in, let us be sincere in heart and filled with faith, our hearts sprinkled and free from any trace of bad conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us keep firm in the hope we profess, because the one who made the promise is trustworthy.

 

Luke 24: 46-53

and he said to them, ‘So it is written that the Christ would suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that, in his name, repentance for the forgiveness of sins would be preached to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses to this. 

    ‘And now I am sending upon you what the Father has promised. Stay in the city, then, until you are clothed with the power from on high.’

Then 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.

 

Matthew 28: 20

and teach them to observe all the commands I gave you. And look, I am with you always; yes, to the end of time.’

 

Ezekiel 37: 1-14

The hand of Yahweh was on me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of Yahweh, and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones. He caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, behold, they were very dry. He said to me, Son of man, can these bones live? I answered, Lord Yahweh, you know. Again he said to me, Prophesy over these bones, and tell them, you dry bones, hear the word of Yahweh. Thus says the Lord Yahweh to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live. I will lay sinews on you, and will bring up flesh on you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live; and you shall know that I am Yahweh. So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and, behold, an earthquake; and the bones came together, bone to its bone. I saw, and, behold, there were sinews on them, and flesh came up, and skin covered them above; but there was no breath in them. Then said he to me, Prophesy to the wind, prophesy, son of man, and tell the wind, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Come from the four winds, breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live. So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up on their feet, an exceeding great army.

    Then he said to me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are clean cut off. So, prophesy. Say to them, "The Lord Yahweh says this: I am now going to open your graves; I shall raise you from your graves, my people, and lead you back to the soil of Israel. And you will know that I am Yahweh, when I open your graves and raise you from your graves, my people, and put my spirit in you, and you revive, and I resettle you on your own soil. Then you will know that I, Yahweh, have spoken and done this–declares the Lord Yahweh." ’

  

Romans 8: 22-27

We are well aware that the whole creation, until this time, has been groaning in labour pains. And not only that: we too, who have the first–fruits of the Spirit, even we are groaning inside ourselves, waiting with eagerness for our bodies to be set free. In hope, we already have salvation; in hope, not visibly present, or we should not be hoping—nobody goes on hoping for something which is already visible. But having this hope for what we cannot yet see, we are able to wait for it with persevering confidence. 

    And as well as this, the Spirit too comes to help us in our weakness, for, when we do not know how to pray properly, then the Spirit personally makes our petitions for us in groans that cannot be put into words; and he who can see into all hearts knows what the Spirit means because the prayers that the Spirit makes for God’s holy people are always in accordance with the mind of God.

   

Acts 2: 1-11

When 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. 

    Now there were devout men living in Jerusalem from every nation under heaven, and at this sound they all assembled, and each one was bewildered to hear these men speaking his own language. They were amazed and astonished. ‘Surely,’ they said, ‘all these men speaking are Galileans? How does it happen that each of us hears them in his own native language? Parthians, Medes and Elamites; people from Mesopotamia, Judaea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya round Cyrene; residents of Rome— Jews and proselytes alike—Cretans and Arabs, we hear them preaching in our own language about the marvels of God.’
 

Romans 8: 8-17

and those who live by their natural inclinations can never be pleasing to God. You, however, live not by your natural inclinations, but by the Spirit, since the Spirit of God has made a home in you. Indeed, anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But when Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin but the spirit is alive because you have been justified; and if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead has made his home in you, then he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will give life to your own mortal bodies through his Spirit living in you. 

    So then, my brothers, we have no obligation to human nature to be dominated by it. If you do live in that way, you are doomed to die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the habits originating in the body, you will have life.

All who are guided by the Spirit of God are sons of God; for what you received was not the spirit of slavery to bring you back into fear; you received the Spirit of adoption, enabling us to cry out, ‘Abba, Father!’ The Spirit himself joins with our spirit to bear witness that we are children of God. And if we are children, then we are heirs, heirs of God and joint–heirs with Christ, provided that we share his suffering, so as to share his glory.

     

John 20: 19-23

In the evening of that same day, the first day of the week, the doors were closed in the room where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews. Jesus came and stood among them. He said to them, ‘Peace be with you,’ and, after saying this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples were filled with joy at seeing the Lord, and he said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. 

    ‘As the Father sent me, 
    so am I sending you.’ 

After saying this he breathed on them and said: 

    Receive the Holy Spirit. 
    If you forgive anyone’s sins, 
    they are forgiven; 
    if you retain anyone’s sins, 
    they are retained.

    

                Song:  Glory, Glory, Glory Lord

                Thanksgiving

                    Thanking God for These Gifts
                    God You feed us with Your Body and Blood

                Father —
                    You free us from our suffering
                    Help us to see with Your eyes —
                        Your vision
                    Help us Father to know Your
                        gifts —
                    These gifts given to us in Your
                        death and resurrection —
                        and ascension into heaven
                        are gifts indeed

                Your gift in your holy priesthood
                A Priest is a gift from God
 

   

                I give thanks to You, Oh Lord, with
                    all my heart —
                I love You so much —
                Oh God hear me
                Oh God answer me

                For I cry day and night how thankful
                    I am for Your Church and Your
                    priests

                Oh God how thankful I am for
                    Your life given to me —
                Oh God bless us and forgive
                    our ingratitude
                Give honor and glory to God
                Thank God for His gifts

     

Luke 17: 11-19

Now it happened that on the way to Jerusalem he was travelling in the borderlands of Samaria and Galilee. As he entered one of the villages, ten men suffering from a virulent skin–disease came to meet him. They stood some way off and called to him, ‘Jesus! Master! Take pity on us.’ When he saw them he said, ‘Go and show yourselves to the priests.’ Now as they were going away they were cleansed. Finding himself cured, one of them turned back praising God at the top of his voice and threw himself prostrate at the feet of Jesus and thanked him. The man was a Samaritan. This led Jesus to say, ‘Were not all ten made clean? The other nine, where are they? It seems that no one has come back to give praise to God, except this foreigner.’ And he said to the man, ‘Stand up and go on your way. Your faith has saved you.’

    

                We celebrate thanksgiving, God
                    gives us life —
                    God gives us food —
                    God gives us each other —

                Eucharist means — thanksgiving
                Every Mass is a thanksgiving
                We thank God at Mass for Jesus —
                    for life itself —
                    None of us asked to be born —
                    God created us —
                    God gave us as a gift to the
                        world —
                    The gift of us given to our
                        parents —

                We can focus on the negative - things
                    that make us unhappy —
                    or we can thank God for His gifts

                Every day telling God thanks
                Thanksgiving is to say Thanks
                Every day for us who go to
                    daily Mass —
                Who know the Morning Offering
                    should be a day to say
                    thanks

                We live to say thanks —
               
                We thank God for the Mass
                    being celebrated around
                    the world

                Say Thanks for the Church
                Say Thanks for the priests
                Say the Morning Offering —

                    Praying for vision of the Father
                    God gives us life
                    God brings babies in the world
                    We die,
                    but our soul goes on —
                    We are here to be united to God
                    We are here to love and serve God

                I remember when I had a bad
                    wreck and my body hurt so bad
                    I couldn't move, but my
                    thinking, my love, my spiritual
                    faculties were the same —

                I see God allows the body to die,
                    but our soul goes somewhere —
                    if we go to heaven we have the
                    fullness of life —
                My love goes on in my soul
                How I advanced in the spiritual
                    life goes on
                I am one with those in heaven —
                The angels and saints — those in
                    heaven are one with us
                    in the Mass —

                One with me in my life —
                    interceding with me for
                    the priests, the Church and the
                    world and
                    this mission

                Help us to be one with the angels and
                    saints — in our lives —
                We are not alone —

    

^{Matthew 28: 20}

                            ^{... And look, I am with you always; yes, to the end of time.'}

    

                Jesus is truly present in the
                    Blessed Sacrament —
                    no less present than He walked
                    the earth —
                This is what we are to thank God
                    for —
                    the priest
                    the Church
                    the Eucharist
                    the other sacraments
                    God's grace

                Thank You Jesus for all You
                    did to save us

                Jesus You died and rose
                Jesus thank You for this
                Glory to God in the highest
                Glory to God in the highest

                Thank you for heaven where
                    there will be no more
                    sadness, no more tears —

                I am one with those in heaven —
                I am one with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit —
                I am one with Mary and she intercedes
                    for me and likewise, the saints and
                    angels are united in our prayer

    

Excerpt from Newsletter 2001 - Issue 1
   

Relationship with Members of the Church

e) Relationship with Members of the Church

There is but one true Church of Christ. Yet this one Church has three different states of existence. There is the pilgrim Church, the Church of this world, composed of members who have received the grace of Christ and strive for its development. They have not yet obtained the goal of their efforts, as have the members of the heavenly Church, who enjoy God in eternal happiness. The Church suffering is an intermediate state of existence necessary for those who had not achieved the required purification as members of the pilgrim Church. Although there are these three phases of the Church’s existence, there is a profound union existing between all the members. All these members possess the same basic life of grace in Christ, and this common life establishes the most intimate bonds of love. In our preceding chapter, we discussed the pilgrim Church. Let us now consider the Church suffering and the heavenly Church.

The members of the Church suffering are those who have departed from this life in an incomplete state of Christian development. Their development is incomplete in the sense that grace has not fully taken possession of them, and, as a result, they are yet closed in upon themselves to a greater or lesser degree. They as yet cannot open themselves out in complete love to the Triune God in the beatific vision. They must undergo a further purification, a purification which could have been achieved upon earth with merit. Now the purification must be achieved with no merit attached. The pain of this purification is mixed with the certain expectation of achieving the vision of God. We can hasten the advent of this vision for this people by the offering of prayers and other good works. Scripture itself refers to our action on behalf of those in purgatory in Chapter 12 of the Second Book of Maccabees beginning with verse 38.

The members of the heavenly Church are those in whom the life of grace has taken full possession and has reached its completion in the life of glory. Faith now is unnecessary, as the light of glory gives the human intellect a new strength and capacity for seeing God face-to-face. While the Christian was a wayfarer, he received the imprint of the indwelling Trinity as he shared in God’s own life. Now in heaven that grace-life and possession of God reaches its completion—the absolute completion is not achieved, however, until the resurrection of the body. The divine persons give Themselves to the beatified in a profound union far surpassing that of the indwelling of the Trinity experienced here below.

This life of heaven is still the Christ-life, for just as we possess a share in Trinitarian life here below as mediated by Christ, and exercise this grace-life as structured by Him, so also in heaven is the mediation of Christ present. In the words of Rahner, "One always sees the Father through Jesus. Just as immediately as this, for the directness of the vision of God is not a denial of the mediatorship of Christ as man."¹⁴ And not only does the humanity of Christ unite the blessed to God, but also, in some way, to the whole of creation. This is merely a completion of what is begun here below, namely, the union with Christ in His humanity establishing the Christian in a special relationship with God, with other men, and with the whole of creation. We have a glimpse, therefore, of the fullness of life which members of the heavenly Church possess.

The heavenly Church, as St. Thomas says, is the true Church.¹⁵ The Church of this earth and the Church of purgatory are, each in its own way, reaching out in loving hope for the heavenly Jerusalem. Vatican II puts it very simply: "The Church, to which we are called in Christ Jesus, and in which we acquire sanctity through the grace of God, will attain her full perfection only in the glory of heaven."¹⁶

The members of the heavenly Church can help us in living our life of grace until we too share its fullness with them. Their power of intercession on our behalf is but another ramification of the communal aspect of Christianity. We are meant to help others grow in Christ. We, in turn, are intended by God to receive aid from others—yes, from members of the heavenly Church, as well as from those with whom we dwell here below.

Not only can we be aided by the saints’ intercession, but the example of the canonized saints can also be of great value to us. They have concretely proved that full holiness is possible. Such an inspiration is of real worth when we are tempted to think that Christian sanctity in its higher degrees is impossible of attainment. Moreover, the canonized saints, in their diversity, teach us that there are many authentic versions of Christian holiness. They can be innovators in showing us that there are numerous possibilities in assimilating the mystery of Christ, although the basic assimilation remains the same for all Christians of all times. In the opinion of Rahner this is one of the chief roles the canonized saints exert in the life of the Church.¹⁷

 

---

NOTES:

16. Second Vatican Council, Constitution on the Church, No. 48.
17. Cf. Karl Rahner, Op. cit., pp. 100-101.

end of excerpt from Newsletter 2001 - Issue 1  
    (orginally from his book Response In Christ written in 1967)

    

                So we pray

 

The Our Father

Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. * Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. Amen.

    

                We pray so deeply

                    For the Kingdom and Power
                        and the Glory are Yours
                        Now and Forever. Amen.

                Lamb of God, who takes away
                    the sins of the world
                    have mercy on us.

                Lamb of God, who takes
                    away the sins of the
                    world have mercy on us.

                Lamb of God, who takes
                    away the sins of the
                    world —
                    grant us peace

                God I love You so much

                Song: I Love You Jesus

                Song:  Little Child

   

1 Chronicles 29: 10-12

Hence, in the presence of the whole assembly David blessed Yahweh. David said: 
    ‘May you be blessed, Yahweh, God of Israel our ancestor, for ever and for ever! Yours, Yahweh, is the greatness, the power, the splendour, length of days and glory, everything in heaven and on earth is yours. Yours is the sovereignty, Yahweh; you are exalted, supreme over all. Wealth and riches come from you, you are ruler of all, in your hand lie strength and power, and you bestow greatness and might on whomsoever you please.

     

                Give thanks to the Lord for
                    He is good —
                God is all loving —
                God is all good
                God acts lovingly
                God gave us His Mother

  

John 19: 25-27

Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala. Seeing his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing near her, Jesus said to his mother, ‘Woman, this is your son.’ Then to the disciple he said, ‘This is your mother.’ And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.

 

  

                Oh God - help us to grow
                    constantly in the hope of
                        eternal glory

  

Revelation 5: 12

loudly chanting:

    Worthy is the Lamb that was sacrificed
    to receive power, riches, wisdom,
    strength, honour, glory and blessing.

   

Revelation 1:6

…and made us a Kingdom of Priests to serve his God and Father; to him, then, be glory and power for ever and ever. Amen.

 

Luke 23: 35-43 

The people stayed there watching. As for the leaders, they jeered at him with the words, ‘He saved others, let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.’ The soldiers mocked him too, coming up to him, offering him vinegar, and saying, ‘If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.’ Above him there was an inscription: ‘This is the King of the Jews’.

One of the criminals hanging there abused him: ‘Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us as well.’ But the other spoke up and rebuked him. ‘Have you no fear of God at all?’ he said. ‘You got the same sentence as he did, but in our case we deserved it: we are paying for what we did. But this man has done nothing wrong.’ Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ He answered him, ‘In truth I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.’

 

                Song:  God's Love

                Song:  A Song from Jesus

   

 

Prayer for Union with Jesus

    Come to me, Lord, and possess my soul. Come into my heart and permeate my soul. Help me to sit in silence with You and let You work in my heart.

    I am Yours to possess. I am Yours to use. I want to be selfless and only exist in You. Help me to spoon out all that is me and be an empty vessel ready to be filled by You. Help me to die to myself and live only for You. Use me as You will. Let me never draw my attention back to myself. I only want to operate as You do, dwelling within me.

    I am Yours, Lord. I want to have my life in You. I want to do the will of the Father. Give me the strength to put aside the world and let You operate my very being. Help me to act as You desire. Strengthen me against the distractions of the devil to take me from Your work.

    When I worry, I have taken my focus off of You and placed it on myself. Help me not to give in to the promptings of others to change what in my heart You are making very clear to me. I worship You, I adore You and I love You. Come and dwell in me now.

   

A Prayer before the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass

    Let me be a holy sacrifice and unite with God in the sacrament of His greatest love.

    I want to be one in Him in this act of love, where He gives Himself to me and I give myself as a sacrifice to Him. Let me be a holy sacrifice as I become one with Him in this my act of greatest love to Him.

    Let me unite with Him more, that I may more deeply love Him. May I help make reparation to His adorable Heart and the heart of His Mother, Mary. With greatest love, I offer myself to You and pray that You will accept my sacrifice of greatest love. I give myself to You and unite in Your gift of Yourself to me. Come and possess my soul.

    Cleanse me, strengthen me, heal me. Dear Holy Spirit act in the heart of Mary to make me more and more like Jesus.

    Father, I offer this my sacrifice, myself united to Jesus in the Holy Spirit to You. Help me to love God more deeply in this act of my greatest love.

    Give me the grace to grow in my knowledge, love and service of You and for this to be my greatest participation in the Mass. Give me the greatest graces to love You so deeply in this Mass, You who are so worthy of my love.

 

 

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