Shepherds of Christ Daily Writing        

December 13, 2015

December 14th Holy Spirit Novena
Scripture selection is 
Day 8 Period II.

The Novena Rosary Mysteries 
for December 14th
are
Joyful.

 

December 13th
begins at 12 noon.
Please tune in!

  

Pray for special intentions.
  

Pray for Dan & Melanie, Jimmy,
Fr. Joe, Mary, Blue Book 16.

Please pray for funds & grace.

    

 

 

Give the gift that Counts.

Blow Out Sale for Reprinting of Blue Book 1, 2 & 3

While Supplies Last

Blue Book 1   -  $4 each plus postage
Blue Book 2   -  $4 each plus postage
Blue Book 3   -  $3 each plus postage

Call 1-888-211-3041 for Doris

 

                  

New Homily Book - Cycle C
Available $10.00 plus postage

 
 

      

December 17th is the anniversary of  Mary's apparition in Clearwater 19 years ago.
 
Come to the 6:20 Prayer service December 17th.

There will be a procession.

 

 

                December 13, 2015
 

 


 

                R. Every body is buzzing around with
                so much to do for Christmas and
                we need to keep the focus on Jesus and
                the need to prepare ourselves, to
                prepare our hearts for His coming
                more and more in our little
                bed of love in our hearts.

                    When we study the greatest
                commandment we know that God's
                message is not that hard to decipher,
                God calls us to love of God and love
                of one another.

                    A person can get caught up
                in their job or just habits
                where they think that they should
                be in the rat race of life and
                keep going faster and faster
                for all they have to do – stepping
                on others as they go –
                life is not all about business
                and getting ahead –

                Life is short and we need to
                prepare for we know not the day
                nor the hour when God could
                call us from this life –
                We need to be prepared, to live
                to do things the way Jesus
                wants us to do them.

                    The devil wants to press on us to
                not trust others, to think others
                should live to make us happy –
                God calls us in a certain vocation
                to give to the building of His Kingdom,
                to have relationship with God
                in love and relationship with
                others.

                    Love means we don't see ourselves
                in a false truth. We know we can
                make mistakes and hurt others
                and we must make amends and
                change our ways. Life is about
                changing to be more in the image
                and likeness of God.

                    In the Garden Eve took from
                the forbidden tree.

                    In the Garden Jesus sweat blood.

                    Jesus tells us
 

John 15: 1-8

I am the true vine,
and my Father is the vinedresser.
Every branch in me that bears no fruit
he cuts away,
and every branch that does bear fruit
     he prunes
to make it bear even more.
You are clean already,
by means of the word
     that I have spoken to you.
Remain in me, as I in you.
As a branch cannot bear fruit all by itself,
unless it remains part of the vine,
neither can you unless you remain in me.
I am the vine,
you are the branches.
Whoever remains in me, with me in him,
bears fruit in plenty;
for cut off from me you can do nothing.
Anyone who does not remain in me
is thrown away like a branch
—and withers;
these branches are collected
     and thrown on the fire
and are burnt.
If you remain in me
and my words remain in you,
you may ask for whatever you please
and you will get it.
It is to the glory of my Father
      that you should bear much fruit
and be my disciples.

  

                R. We see Jesus died on a tree.

                We use beautiful fur trees at Christmas
                    and put them in our homes
                    and put lights on them –
                    People decorate their houses
                    with lights –
                    We think of Jesus, the Light of
                        the world –

                    We give gifts to tell people we love
                them. Under the tree we used to have
                a crib and the statues of Bethlehem,
                it was in the center under our
                tree – then the gifts were behind
                that.

                    Christmas is about giving.
                We prepare during Advent
                thinking about the message of
                repentance. We are reconciled
                by the Blood of the Lamb –
                God calls us to relationship –
                We see how much God loves us –

 

John 3: 16

For this is how God loved the world:
he gave his only Son,
so that everyone who believes in him 
    may not perish
but may have eternal life.

 

                R. God the Father gave Jesus to us –

                Jesus took flesh and came into the
                    world - to walk amongst us –

                Love is about giving –

                We see giving in how Jesus
                    gave us Himself.

                Jesus gave Himself on the cross –

                The Mass is the sacrifice of Calvary
                    sacramentally made present –

                Jesus gives us Himself in the
                    Eucharist –

                God gives us Himself –

                God gives us a sharing in His
                    life in baptism –

                God gives us the virtues of faith, hope
                    and love.

                God elevates our knowing and loving
                    capacity in baptism –

                Love is giving –

                Love is going out to others –

                Love is following in the footsteps
                    of Jesus and living to be
                    more in His image and
                    likeness –

                    We are here to show God we want
                to love Him and obey Him by
                doing His will –

                    Only having God as our goal
                 gives us real happiness.

                    All over the world there are
                lights for Christmas.

                    We must pray today and the
                days until Christmas especially
                giving ourselves in love
                united to the Mass – that the
                Blood of Jesus is spread on
                the world – Consecrate Hearts as
                far as we are able, cast the devil
                into hell and beg for an outpouring
                of the Holy Spirit upon the earth –
                Pray for men to love –
                Pray for men to see the light of
                    loving God and others –

                Pray that the evil doesn't
                    hurt people now –

                This is a time to be so united
                    to the birth of the
                    Christ-child and beg
                    God for grace for the world –

                    We are starting a new liturgical
                year. Pray for the members of the
                mystical body of Christ to see
                the light and to see how powerful
                our prayers united can be.

 

December 7, 1996 First Saturday -
Revelations on the Light

Isaiah 30: 19-26:

Yes, people of Zion living in Jerusalem,
you will weep no more.
He will be gracious to you when your cry for help rings out;
as soon as he hears it, he will answer you.
When the Lord has given you the bread of suffering
and the water of distress,
he who is your teacher will hide no longer,
and you will see your teacher with your own eyes.
Your ears will hear these words behind you,
'This is the way, keep to it,' whether you turn to right or left.
You will hold unclean the silverplating of your idols
and goldplating of your images.
You will throw them away like the polluted things they are,
shouting after them, 'Good riddance!'
He will send rain for the seed you sow in the ground,
and the bread that the ground provides will be rich and nourishing.
That day, your cattle will graze in wide pastures.
Oxen and donkeys that work the land
will eat for fodder wild sorrel,
spread by the shovel-load and fork-load.
On every lofty mountain, on every high hill
there will be streams and water-courses, on the day of the great slaughter
when the strongholds fall.
Then moonlight will be bright as sunlight
and sunlight itself be seven times brighter
-like the light of seven days in one-
on the day Yahweh dresses his people's wound
and heals the scars of the blows they have received."

Isaiah 40:1-8:

'Console my people, console them,'
says your God.
'Speak to the heart of Jerusalem
and cry to her
that her period of service is ended,
that her guilt has been atoned for,
that, from the hand of Yahweh, she has received
double punishment for all her sins.'
A voice cries, 'Prepare in the desert
a way for Yahweh.
Make a straight highway for our God
across the wastelands.
Let every valley be filled in,
every mountain and hill be levelled,
every cliff become a plateau,
every escarpment a plain;
then the glory of Yahweh will be revealed
and all humanity will see it together,
for the mouth of Yahweh has spoken.'
A voice said, 'Cry aloud!' and I said, 'What shall I cry?'
-'All humanity is grass
and all its beauty like the wild flower's.
The grass withers, the flower fades
when the breath of Yahweh blows on them.
(The grass is surely the people.)
The grass withers, the flower fades,
but the word of our God remains for ever.'

Song: A Voice Cries Out in the Wilderness

Adam and Eve are given great gifts and insights into God. They sin, the light of knowing God is dimmed because of their sin. They do not know God as they did before the sin.

Christ comes, He is the Light of the World. He dies, He gives Himself. He shares His life with us through sanctifying grace.

Through Baptism we receive this sharing in His divine life. The more He shares His life, the more we are saturated with His life, the more we know Him. He reveals Himself to us--we see the light.

The Kingdom of God is at hand. It is all here: the Mass, the Eucharist, God giving Himself.

To partake more in His life we must give ourselves to Him.

Mary appears to Bernadette. She tells her she is the "Immaculate Conception." We are sinners, but through Mary, the pure and sinless one, we can unite deeply in Him.

We are in darkness in varying degrees. The more we are saturated with His life, the more we see.

The reign of God is at hand. Since He came to the earth, everything is in place to see the light.

God is giving to us great graces to see the light now. He is lifting the veil.

There will be the era of peace.

Isaiah 30:26:
"Then moonlight will be bright as sunlight
and sunlight itself be seven times brighter
-like the light of seven days in one-..."

We see the darkness. As at night, we do not see the colorful leaves, they are there, we do not see them.

In the morning light, we see the glory of the beautiful day, the colorful leaves.

As the light steals across the sky, we see more and more. As the sun gradually comes up, we see more clearly the beauty of the leaves.

At first, our vision is not so clear because the light does not show in its deepest intensity. As the sun comes up we see more and more vividly until finally we see clearly the beauty of the colorful leaves.
 

Isaiah 30:26:
"Then moonlight will be bright as sunlight
and sunlight itself be seven times brighter
-like the light of seven days in one-..."

In a message to Fr. Carter on July 31, 1994, Jesus has promised us: "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."

As stated above, the more we are saturated with his life, the more we are one in Him, the more clearly we see. It is in this union, in the depth of His Heart, that we receive such life, that we know Him with great clarity, that we are given this vision of God.

It is not with "eyes" that we see, but the illumination is in the knowing power that He gives to us. He reveals insights into the divine mysteries. We share most intimately with Him when we are one with Him in the Mass and after Communion. These are treasured moments in which He gives us a special sharing to know Him, our Divine Lover.

We see clearly when our hearts are hearts of love. We see vividly when our hearts are filled with love and peace. We were created to love, to love God and love each other.

Adam and Eve sinned. They lost the great gift given to them. The light of knowing God was dimmed because of their sin.

Christ comes into the world. He is the Word. He is the light of the world. He comes to save man from his sin. He comes in the womb of the Virgin Mary. Mary is the pure and sinless one. Jesus comes to pay the price for the sin of Adam and for our sins. We are all tainted by this sin of our first father and mother. Mary is the Immaculate and pure one, the highest human person. Divinity unites with humanity in the womb of Mary. They are one. Jesus is carried within the body of His mother. Such unity from the beginning, for His life is formed within her body. Is it surprising to us, then, if Christ comes within the womb of the Virgin Mary, that we too must go through Mary to unite to Him? Where is the pride in the hearts of men that think they do not have to go through their Mother Mary? If Christ comes in the womb of Mary to pay the price for man's sins, and we are tainted by the sin, in order to unite to the Almighty God who is all holy, we must go through the pure and sinless one.

Adam and Eve sinned. The Father sends His Son into the world to pay the price for man's sins. Jesus is the New Adam; Mary is the New Eve. Man continues to sin, greatly displeasing God. The Father allows Mary to appear to Bernadette at Lourdes as the Immaculate Conception, as having been conceived without original sin. The Father then allows Mary to appear to the children of Fatima as the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

We are sinners, we cannot unite closely to Him unless we go through Mary.

Mary is the pure and sinless one. We can unite deeply to Him. We are in darkness in varying degrees. The more we are saturated with His life, the more we see.

The reign of God is at hand. He came to the earth, He died, He rose on the third day. He gave to the Apostles the power to change bread and wine into His Body and Blood. He gave to them the power to forgive sins. He established His Church pouring forth from His pierced side. We do not see the great gifts that He has given to us. He is giving to us great insights into these gifts. God is giving to us great graces to see the light now. He is lifting the veil.

There will be an era of peace and all will see with such light as Isaiah speaks of in chapter 30, verse 26:

"Then moonlight will be bright as sunlight
and sunlight itself be seven times brighter
-like the light of seven days in one-..."

Man sinned. Jesus came to redeem us. Man is still so sinful. Mary appears at Fatima. She tells us that we are offending God, that we must make reparation to her heart and the heart of her Son.

She gives us the peace plan for the world. She tells us that the Sacred Heart of Jesus will reign and her Immaculate Heart will triumph but we must do what she says. The Church has approved Fatima. The devil has blocked the message. How can we disobey our Mother? How can we ignore her? Mary appeared at Fatima and was ignored. Mary appeared to me almost daily for 14 months--she does not appear as she once did. Jesus has told me that He will handle these messages, that He is in charge, that the plan of the Father will unfold despite any person's willfulness.

In August 1996, Mary spoke in the rosary: she said she could not hold back the hand of her Son any longer. On the 5th of this month, instead of Mary appearing as she had in the past, Jesus appeared alive on the crucifix with His mouth moving for twenty minutes. We are not listening to Mary or to Jesus. Man has sinned. Jesus came to redeem us. Mary tells us what we must do. Men are disobedient. They disobeyed their Mother. They do not do what she told them what they must do at Fatima. When hearts are consecrated to Jesus and Mary they become holy hearts, deeply one with God. The reign of the Sacred Heart is at hand for He has given to us abundant grace that we are seeing with such clarity this vision of God. He has imparted to us understanding into His divine mysteries.

The more we focus on what Jesus and Mary have told us, the more we will have peace. He is angered by the willfulness of man. He will get their attention. We are spreading the good news when we spread the consecration.

We must heed the words of our Mother. She will not go away because of willful men. We have angered God more by ignoring her. There is only one way: it is the plan that Mary has given to us at Fatima. He is lifting the veil for those whose hearts are consecrated to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary.

Many in the Shepherds of Christ Movement are fervently loving Him. In the Shepherds of Christ Movement, as the apostles spread the consecration to the Church, the family, and the school, the fire of His love will cover the earth and it will be lighted with this love coming from the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The Sacred Heart of Jesus will reign and the Immaculate Heart of Mary will triumph.

We, in the Shepherds of Christ Movement, are spreading the fire of His love across the earth through the consecration.

The hearts of men will turn from their sick and desolate ways to hearts gentle as a little lamb. There will be one flock and one Shepherd and His staff will rule over all. Hearts consecrated to Their Hearts will lead the light across the earth. This light will be a light of intense brightness, brighter and hotter than any light from a flame. It will be the fire of God's love. The Spirit will move in all hearts consecrated to His Heart, and we will know how fire truly spreads, for the love of God is a fire, it is vibrant, it is encompassing, it is smoldering, burning deep within and speedily spreading on the outside. No fires on this earth can ever describe the burning embers that burn from the Sacred Heart of Jesus. No fire burns like the fires coming from His Heart and hearts filled with the love from the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

On October 13, 1917 Our Lady gave to Lucia and 70,000 spellbound people, a great vision: the sun spun in the sky, casting off great lights. This happened three times in about 12 minutes. As quoted from Our Lady of Fatima's Peace Plan from Heaven:

It seemed that the whole world was on fire with the sun spinning at a greater speed each time. Then a gasp of terror rose from the crowd for the sun seemed to tear itself from the heavens and come crashing down upon the horrified multitudes...just when it seemed that the ball of fire would fall upon and destroy them, the miracle ceased, and the sun resumed its normal place in the sky, shining forth as peacefully as ever.

Mary gave this tremendous sign at Fatima and people did not listen. The events that followed were as she had predicted since we disobeyed her. There was a brutal war, WWII. Mary appeared to me (Rita Ring) almost daily - very few have listened. She told me over and over again of the souls going to hell. She told me in August she could not hold back the hand of her Son anymore. Adam and Eve sinned. God, the Father, sent His Son. Man continues to sin--the Father sends Mary but she is ignored!

On July 2, 1996, my son, Joseph, was taking pictures of all of the Shepherds of Christ members at Tom Arlinghaus' farm. He took one picture of each person. Jesus told me to tell him to take two pictures of Fr. Carter. The first picture was a normal picture. The second picture was of Fr. Carter covered with a pillar of light.

In front of a statue of Our Sorrowful Mother, Mary was alive in the statue.

Jesus: "Peace will abound when nations, churches, families, and individuals are consecrated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The Shepherds of Christ Movement...is a pillar of light in the darkness."

R. We must encourage all to consecrate their hearts to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the Sacred Heart of Jesus and to join the Shepherds of Christ chapters, and the Apostles of the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus Movement, to pray for our Church and our world.

Jesus: This is My Movement for renewal of the Church and the world, based in consecration, joining your every act to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, praying the rosary, and making reparation to Our Hearts, especially on first Fridays and first Saturday. It is through your prayers and sacrifices many souls will be saved. Grace will flow from those whose hearts are consecrated to Our Hearts and the fire of My love will light up this darkened world.

R. Many are living in darkness because they are not obeying Our Lady. The people will see the light when they obey her and consecrate their hearts to her heart and the Heart of Jesus.

To have this intense union with Jesus, with God, we must give ourselves to Our Lady. It is there in the intimacy with Him that we are saturated with His life and that He reveals to us great lights, great insights into His divine mysteries. Yes, indeed, the light will steal across the earth and the hearts of men will be hearts filled with His love. They will know their God with great light imparted to them by the Holy Spirit given to them because of the deep union that they have with Jesus. The reign of the Sacred Heart is at hand. He is giving to us these great lights at this time for He has lifted the veil and we see many things and the light steals across the sky and we see with clear vision.

Isaiah 30: 26:
"Then moonlight will be bright as sunlight
and sunlight itself be seven times brighter
-like the light of seven days in one-..."

Isaiah 30: 25:
"On every lofty mountain, on every high hill
there will be streams and water-courses, on the day of the great slaughter
when the strongholds fall."

Truly His Heart is the fountain of divine life. It flows through the Church, through the hands of His holy priests. When priests are consecrated to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary and celebrating the Mass, and administering the sacraments, an immense amount of His grace will be outpoured on the earth.

A people in darkness have seen a great light. Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, the Light of the World!

Our Father...thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. We will all love as the Father intends, for now He looks to the earth and He sees it covered with darkness. As hearts are consecrated to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary, the earth will be covered with His light.

Revelation 12:1-12:

Now 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 labor, crying aloud in the pangs of childbirth. Then a second sign appeared in the sky: there was a huge red dragon with seven heads and ten horns, and each of the seven heads crowned with a coronet. Its tail swept a third of the stars from the sky and hurled them to the ground, and the dragon stopped in front of the woman as she was at the point of giving birth, so that he could eat the child as soon as it was born. The woman was delivered of a boy, the Son who was to rule all the nations with an iron scepter, and the child was taken straight up to God and to his throne, while the woman escaped into the desert, where God had prepared a place for her to be looked after for twelve hundred and sixty days.

And now war broke out in heaven, when Michael with his angels attacked the dragon. The dragon fought back with his angels, but they were defeated and driven out of heaven. The great dragon, the primeval serpent, known as the devil or Satan, who had led all the world astray, was hurled down to the earth and his angels were hurled down with him. Then I heard a voice shout from heaven, 'Salvation and power and empire for ever have been won by our God, and all authority for his Christ, now that the accuser, who accused our brothers day and night before our God, has been brought down. They have triumphed over him by the blood of the lamb and by the word to which they bore witness, because even in the face of death they did not cling to life. So let the heavens rejoice and all who live there; but for you, earth and sea, disaster is coming-because the devil has gone down to you in a rage, knowing that he has little time left.'

We are in her spiritual womb (heart). She is pregnant, bringing forth her children of light. As we go to her heart, she crushes the head of the serpent. Some of the brightest stars that will light up the earth are in the Shepherds of Christ Movement. We are the children of light. We are being sent forth as she brings us forth her children of light to stamp out the darkness. We must give ourselves to Mary.

       end of message

    

                Sing: Silent Night –

                R. We should be aware of others around us.

                We are to live to give love –

                When we get caught up in our world
                    and forget our hearts we
                    are not living like Jesus –

                Jesus shows us His Sacred Heart –

                    We are here to have relationships –
                to give and take, to care about others,
                to have an interchange – to do God's
                will –

  

Matthew 22: 36-40

'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.'

 

                R. Let my lips speak the truth –
                    I control what I give through
                        my speech –

                    Giving speech that is loving
                        and truthful is important –
                        not wearing a mask –
                        holding back what God wants
                        us to give with a generous
                        heart for control is unloving –

                    Seeing dominance for
                        dominance sake is
                        prideful, selfish –

                    God has called us as members of the
                mystical body to be aware of others
                that are suffering and it hurts the
                whole body.

                    We are commissioned in baptism
                to go out and spread the Good News.
                The news God has given us in
                Shepherds of Christ about prayer and
                love and the Mass – is so, so good –
                giving – going out – sharing –
                living to build the Kingdom of God is
                God's will for us. God gave us the
                Shepherds of Christ to spread this message –
                to go out in prayer and work in
                love to give this to others –

                    This is a precious gift God has
                entrusted to us – Wow – we are
                honored by His gift to us –

                    This is an opportunity to give
                love in heart and deed spreading
                this message of Jesus and Mary to this
                troubled world –

                    God will not be outdone in
                generosity –

                    What we give is nothing
                compared to what we get back.

                    When I want to receive, I must
                first give. Be loving to others –
                God showed us He first loved us – 

John 3: 16

For this is how God loved the world:
he gave his only Son,
so that everyone who believes in him 
    may not perish
but may have eternal life.

  

                R. God calls us to be a servant –

                Jesus shows us how He came and
                    He gave and He gave and He
                    was a servant –

                To be likened to Christ we must
                    be a servant.

                We are aware of others around us –
                    helping where needed, cleaning
                    up, listening, loving,
                    spending time with those
                    God wants us to touch –
                    spreading this word God
                    has given to us for the
                    love of God –
                    What we do to others we do
                        to Jesus –

                We will see ourselves and
                God will ask us how we loved –

                We have been called to give where God
                    has asked us to give –
                    This is love –

   

The definition of love used by Father Carter is as follows.

Love is the gift of self to promote the true good of those loved. He states the reception of love is the receiving of the gift of the other, so my good will be promoted. 

  

 

SIX    The Christian and Sin 

  1. 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 

As we sin and fail to love God, we close in upon ourselves. We prevent a further growth in openness to transcendence, to God and to His grace. We block off the source of our only real self-development and fulfillment. To the extent that we close in upon ourselves in sin, to that extent we feel the misery of sin. This misery of spiritual "self-enclosedness" is a faint participation in the essential pain of hell. The damned are eternally and completely closed in upon themselves, completely deprived of God and other personal relationships. This, then, is hell the damned really experiencing no one but themselves. Hell is God's ratification of the choice which the unrepentant serious sinner has himself made. This choice is one of radical self-isolation. 

Sin is primarily a refusal to love God, a refusal to be loved by Him, to be guided by Him. In sinning, man seeks for a false fulfillment, and therefore actually becomes impoverished. The great St. Augustine puts it this way: "For when the soul loves its own power, it slips from the common whole to its own particular part. Had it followed God as its ruler in the universal creature, it could have been most excellently governed by His laws. But in that apostatizing pride, which is called 'the beginning of sin', it sought for something more that the whole; and while it struggled to govern by its own laws, it was thrust into caring for a part, since there is nothing more than the whole; and so by desiring something more, it becomes less. . .”2 

Yes, sin is an act disruptive of one's relationship with God. But sin has other dimensions also. It is a refusal to love other men as we should. For the Christian, sin is an offense against the covenant life of the People of God. In some way the sinfulness of the individual Christian makes itself felt in the corporate body which is the Church. The Christian, in sinning, is failing to love the corporate good of the People of God. He is failing to contribute his share to the progressive maturation in Christ of the total Christian community. The Christian in his sin becomes a burden to the People of God.  

Sin also is an obvious refusal to love others in those instances when one directly harms others through his transgression. So many sins come under this category: theft, all forms of uncharity, social injustice, scandal, detraction. Furthermore, not only does one man often sin against another, but he frequently leads another into sin. In God's plan man is supposed to help his neighbor achieve his temporal and eternal happiness, but how often, even among Christians, the opposite is true. Not to make a positive contribution to the true growth of others is failure enough, but to be a positive hindrance is a far greater evil. 

1. P. Schoonenberg, Man and Sin (Notre Dame, Indiana: Fides, 1965), p. 8.
2. St. Augustine, The Trinity, Bk. 12, Ch. 14 (Washington: Fathers of the Church, 1963), p. 356.
 

                R. God has called us to give in
                    communication. Holding back
                    and not giving needed information
                    for our hoarding, power and control
                    can hurt the whole process –

                    Keeping in touch, communication,
                when we love – we contribute to
                the love in the world –

                    The Shepherds of Christ is about love –
                    The Shepherds of Christ is about the heart –

                We are in charge of our hearts –
                    How we love –
                    How we go out –

                When we offer our whole day
                    united to the Mass – our
                    hearts are focused in
                    unity –

                    Unity to the Sacrifice of
                Calvary sacramentally made present and
                God outpouring His grace on the
                whole world –

                    Unity, Unity, Unity –

                    When we give – we receive –
                    our giving helps us –

                    It is God's will we give of
                        ourselves –
                        Look how Jesus gave –

                    Love is about giving –
                    Christmas is about giving –

                    I grow when I am loving –
                        grow more and more in the
                        image of God –

                God has given to us and we are
                    to share our gifts and
                    talents to make the world
                    a better place –

                This is justice –

                Justice and peace will kiss.

                We cannot hoard what
                    we have been asked by
                    God to give –
                    We are like a clogged pipe –
                    in the pipeline –

                How selfish is that?

                    We are to be one body in the Mystical
                body –

                The message of June 26, 1995,
                    says until the messages
                    of His love are spread in
                    the Church – the bloodshed
                    will continue.

                Participation is love –

                Jesus shows us love –

                He didn't sit back and
                    hoard materials like
                    a clogged pipe to
                    hurt others –

                We give ourselves and the
                    more we give, the more we get back.
                    Men have given to us –
                    God has given to us –
                    We have been given the Church –
                    We have been given to –

                In justice
                    we are to give back
                    to build up the Kingdom of God –

                Justice and Peace will Kiss

                Why would we sit back and
                    put ourselves on a pedestal
                    and sit on a pity-pot
                    for what has not been
                    done for us – This
                    isn't Christ-like.

                Life is for living –
                Life is for giving –

                We have so many days to
                    learn to love –

                We have so many days to give
                    as God calls us to give –

                God calls us to love –

                We will be judged on how we
                    grew in the image and
                    likeness of God –

                We are to control ourselves –
                    self-discipline –
                    control of one's total being
                    Fr. Carter says!

                This control is necessary to avoid sin,
                    Fr. Carter says –

                And he calls sin being unloving –

                Fr. Carter says:

                    "Christian discipline looks to
                    the proper living of the Christian
                    life in the present and
                    future, whereas penance
                    looks to the sinful past.
                    Penance therefore, is a
                    virtue which includes
                    a sorrow for sin, a
                    purpose of amendment,
                    and a desire to make
                    atonement or satisfaction
                    for sin. As with the
                    entire Christian life, penance is
                    primarily, although not exclusively,
                    an interior attitude"

    Penance, or satisfaction for sin, is an essential part of the life of the Church and the individual Christian because both are called upon to continue Christ's redemptive Incarnation. One aspect of Christ's redemptive work consisted in making satisfaction for sin. This aspect of Christ's life should always be part of the Church's existence and that of the individual Christian. Furthermore, certain members of the Church are called to give special attention to the prolongation of Christ making satisfaction for sin. In this category are those who are called to a form of religious life primarily dedicated to making reparation for sin.

    The Christian in a special manner makes satisfaction for sin in the accomplishment of the sacramental penance imposed in confession. But he is also expected to do more than this, and the opportunities are readily available, for the inevitable hardships and difficulties of life can take on the value of penance. It all depends on my attitude. I can go about my day in a spirit of love, and this is all important. But other attitudes can be present, and should be to some extent at least. One of these attitudes or dimensions of my Christian perspective should be that of penance, or of making satisfaction for my own sins and those of others.

    We should first of all seize the more obvious opportunities of doing penance. To accept properly the inevitable crosses which God permits can be an excellent form of penance. Another excellent form of penance is to bear with the pain, effort and difficulty which we all experience to some extent in fulfilling our life's work.

    It is evident that there can be a considerable degree of penance in my life simply through the proper living of the human situation. But to be aware fully of the fact that I am in part a sinner, and that I should be aware of my responsibility to make satisfaction for sin, it seems that from time to time I have to perform additional acts of penance. The performance of such acts of supererogation have found a constant place in the history of Christian spirituality. As long as this manner of penance is performed with Christian prudence, there is no reason for saying that such a practice is no longer relevant.    (From Response in Christ)
 

 

 

                Song: Why Do We Hurt the Ones We Love

                Song: I Am a God of Justice

                Song: Live This Day

 

                 

 

April 5, 2001

   

 

   

  

 

  

 

 

 

 

 


Commitment Prayer

    "I want to be an Apostle of
        the Sacred Heart for the
        Shepherds of Christ Movement.

    I thank God for His gifts to me
       and I want to serve and love
       God in this Movement.

    God help me to do Your will
        always and help me to spread
        this message and these prayers
        to the world. Help me to spread
        Your peace.

    Help me to be an instrument of
        love.

    Outpour your grace to me for
        this vocation in the Shepherds
        of Christ Movement."

                                                               October 13, 2003

 

   

 

                Given December 12, 2015

                Sing: Veni Sanctus Spiritu
 

    From 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.

 

                R. To be in the right place with God –

 

Excerpt from Response to God's Love by Fr. Edward Carter, S.J.

    ... In reference to Christianity, God himself is the ultimate mystery. Radically, God is completely other and transcendent, hidden from man in his inner life, unless he chooses to reveal himself. Let us briefly look at this inner life of God.

    The Father, in a perfect act of self-expression, in a perfect act of knowing, generates his son. The Son, the Word, is, then, the immanent expression of God's fullness, the reflection of the Father. Likewise, from all eternity, the Father and the Son bring forth the Holy Spirit in a perfect act of loving.

    At the destined moment in human history, God's self-expression, the Word, immersed himself into man's world. God's inner self-expression now had also become God's outer self-expression. Consequently, the mystery of God becomes the mystery of Christ. In Christ, God tells us about himself, about his inner life, about his plan of creation and redemption. He tells us how Father, Son, and Holy Spirit desire to dwell within us in the most intimate fashion, how they wish to share with us their own life through grace. All this he has accomplished and does accomplish through Christ.   
end of excerpt

  

        From the Priestly Newsletter Book III by Fr. Edward Carter, S.J.

The Holy Spirit And Mary

The late Archbishop Luis M. Martinez of Mexico strikingly speaks of the ongoing cooperation of Mary with the Holy Spirit regarding the reproduction of Jesus within us: "Christian life is the reproduction of Jesus in souls…

"Now, how will this mystical reproduction be brought about in souls? In the same way in which Jesus was brought into the world, for God gives a wonderful mark of unity to all His works. Divine acts have a wealth of variety because they are the work of omnipotence; nevertheless, a most perfect unity always shines forth from them because they are the fruit of wisdom; and this divine contrast of unity and variety stamps the works of God with sublime and unutterable beauty.

"In His miraculous birth, Jesus was the fruit of heaven and earth…The Holy Spirit conveyed the divine fruitfulness of the Father to Mary, and the virginal soil brought forth in an ineffable manner our most loving Savior, the divine Seed, as the prophets called Him…

"That is the way He is reproduced in souls. He is always the fruit of heaven and earth.

"Two artisans must concur in the work that is at once God’s masterpiece and humanity’s supreme product: the Holy Spirit and the most holy Virgin Mary. Two sanctifiers are necessary to souls, the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, for they are the only ones who can reproduce Christ.

"Undoubtedly, the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary sanctify us in different ways. The first is the Sanctifier by essence; because He is God, who is infinite sanctity; because He is the personal Love that completes, so to speak, the sanctity of God, consummating His life and His unity, and it belongs to Him to communicate to souls the mystery of that sanctity. The Virgin Mary, for her part, is the co-operator, the indispensable instrument in and by God’s design. From Mary’s maternal relation to the human body of Christ is derived her relation to His Mystical Body which is being formed through all the centuries until the end of time, when it will be lifted up to the heavens, beautiful, splendid, complete, and glorious.

"These two, then, the Holy Spirit and Mary, are the indispensable artificers of Jesus, the indispensable sanctifiers of souls. Any saint in heaven can co-operate in the sanctification of a soul, but his co-operation is not necessary, not profound, not constant: while the co-operation of these two artisans of Jesus of whom we have just been speaking is so necessary that without it souls are not sanctified (and this by the actual design of Providence), and so intimate that it reaches to the very depths of our soul. For the Holy Spirit pours charity into our heart, makes a habitation of our soul, and directs our spiritual life by means of His gifts. The Virgin Mary has the efficacious influence of Mediatrix in the most profound and delicate operations of grace in our souls. And, finally, the action of the Holy Spirit and the co-operation of the most holy Virgin Mary are constant; without them, not one single character of Jesus would be traced on our souls, no virtue grow, no gift be developed, no grace increased, no bond of union with God be strengthened in the rich flowering of the spiritual life.

"Such is the place that the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary have in the order of sanctification. Therefore, Christian piety should put these two artisans of Christ in their true place, making devotion to them something necessary, profound, and constant." 18

18. Archbishop Luis M. Martinez, The Sanctifier, op. cit. pp. 5-7.

 

2 Corinthians 3: 18

And all of us, with our unveiled faces like mirrors reflecting the  glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the image that we reflect in brighter and  brighter glory; this is the working of the Lord who is the Spirit. 

   

                R. So do we not see ourselves preparing
                for our spiritual birth in Advent –
                    Jesus came our Savior –
                    We need a Savior –

                The liturgical year begins with Advent –
                    Excitement, hope, preparation –
                    union with God –
                    thoughts of the Incarnate God –

                Should it not be a time of embracing
                    our spiritual transformation
                    in being more and more in
                    the image of God –

                As the liturgical year begins are
                    we not excited for another year
                    in the Church year to advance in
                    the spiritual life –

                For as Jesus says in the spiritual
                    life we don't stand still –
                    we either grow in the spiritual
                    life or we go backwards –
                    WE DON'T STAY THE SAME.

                How have you grown in the spiritual
                    life in the past year –

                A new birth –

                Jesus -- God the baby –
                    Wow –

                Isn't the baby a beauty to
                    ponder – a miracle –

                Ponder a God – baby –
                Ponder the Child Jesus –

                Ponder the Son of God a baby born
                    in a stable on Christmas morn –

                New, fresh, perfect beautiful

                As we get older our bodies deteriorate
                    to let us see we were meant to
                    move on –

                Our hearts are pining the courts
                    of the Lord –

                Our earthly vision though aging
                    is far greater focused
                    on our heavenly vision –

                The eyes of the soul reaches for the courts
                    of the Lord and life in eternity –

                Wash my soul Lord of debris that
                    keeps me from this great truth –
                    God is so good –
                    God is my Master –
                    Life in Him is my goal –

                Babies grow and we were meant
                    to grow in the spiritual
                    life –
                    to grow and advance in
                        the Christ-life

                Open your eyes Jerusalem, your
                    Savior has come –
                    not in earthly might –
                    in robes of gold and
                    with a trumpet blast –

                Oh Jerusalem He comes quietly in
                    the stable – His bed a bed of
                    straw and the heart to warm
                    Him the breath of the beasts.

                Do not men today see the connection
                    and message –
                    there was not room in the Inn –
                    Men today are too busy for
                    listening to the message of Clearwater –

                A message of God given December 17, 1996,
                    19 years ago –  

                How can they be too busy to not
                    honor this date and place
                    for God the Father sent Mary
                    our Mother to us in Florida

  

                R. Mary came and she came and she
                    came 5 days after the
                    Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe –
                    looking like Our Lady of Guadalupe –
 

  

                R. Men are too busy for their silly
                    things –

                What you love – you will
                    give attention to –
                    You will spend time
                        recognizing this gift,
                        and you will be
                        richly blessed

                Holy Spirit come and enlighten
                    the minds of the faithful

 

All 5ths - Our Lady of Clearwater Florida


July 5, 2000


September 5, 2000


October 5, 2000


November 5, 2000


December 5, 2000


January 5, 2001


February 5, 2001


March 5, 2001


April 5, 2001


May 5, 2001


June 5, 2001


July 5, 2001


August 5, 2001


September 5, 2001


October 5, 2001


November 5, 2001


December 5, 2001


January 5, 2002


February 5, 2002


March 5, 2002


April 5, 2002


May 5, 2002


June 5, 2002


July 5, 2002


September 5, 2002


October 5, 2002


November 5, 2002


January 5, 2003


February 5, 2003


March 5, 2003


April 5, 2003


May 5, 2003


July 5, 2003


August 5, 2003


September 5, 2003


October 5, 2003 


November 5, 2003

December 5, 2003


January 5, 2004


                         February 5, 2004


March 5, 2004

 

  

 

 

Give the gift that keeps giving.

6 different Blue Books for $30.00 including postage 

       


$
6.00


$5.00


$4.00


$2.00


$2.00


$3.00


$3.00


$3.00


$3.00


$3.00


$3.00


$3.00


$3.00


$3.00


$3.00

 
 $5.00                        $5.00

Books available in limited supply for this sale.

 

The more you use the Blue Books and
    become one with Jesus – more
    intimate with Jesus –
    the more your lives are a blessing and
    everything you do in life can help
    to bring down great grace for the world
    because of your being so
    one with Jesus.

 

Guiding Light Homily Book Series

Fr. Joe’s Books


Cycle A –
Steadfast to the Son


Cycle B –
Focusing on the Word


Cycle C

Feed My Soul

 
Cycle A
 
Inspired to be Genuine

4 for $20 plus postage of $5.95 

 

These books can be given to:

1) All Priests

       2) Good for Music Ministers
       3) Good for DRE's
       4) Good for Deacons
       5) Good for Principals of Schools
       6) Good for Teachers
       7) Good for Mom and Dads

     


 

                Given March 21, 2014

                R. Pray for These Things

                1) Pray for the Pope & hierarchy to help us start prayer chapters.
                2) Pray for Dan, Sally Jo, Richard, Carol, Margaret, Sue,
                    Jack, Jean, Amanda, Matthew, Special intentions.
               
3) Pray for the priests, the Church and the world!
                4) Pray for the spread of prayer chapters,
                    also for the spread of priests doing prayer chapters.
                5) Pray for the spread of Blue Books.
                6) People going to Florida and China.
                7) Vocations to all 7 categories.
                8) Pray for spread of Consecration and Rosary.
                9) Pray for pope helping us.
               10) Pray for Jeff - sales & health. Pray for Nick.
               11) Blue Book 16 and cover and all involved.
                    For our Publisher and all involved
               12) All intentions on my list, Jerry's list.
               13) Priests getting Fr. Joe's book.
               14) Pray for Fr. Joe's new book, cover & funds for printing & postage.
               15) Donors and members and their families.
               16) Healing of the Family tree.
               17) Dan & Melanie, Catherine & mom, Gary, Mary Jo,
                    Jim & statues, Fr. Ken, Monsignor, Kerry, Tom & wife.
               18) All who asked us to pray for them.
               19) All we promised to pray for.
               20) Rita, John, Doris, Sheila, Jerry, Regina, Sanja,
                    Betty, Sophie, Lisa, Eileen, Fr. Mike, Louie, Laverne,
                    2 Dons, Mary Ellen, Fr. Joe, all priests helping us,
                    Ed, Jimmy, Steve, a special couple
, Rosie & all involved.
               21) 2 babies and moms.
               22) Funds and insurance.
               23) Jerry's garage.
               24) In thanksgiving for gifts, graces, & blessings received.
               25) Spread the Blood of Jesus on all of us here.
               26) Consecrate all hearts.
               27) Cast the devil out of all of us here and all in Movement.

 

 

 The Wedding Rosary 

Crystal Image Rosary

$40 plus shipping

 

Original Image Rosary

8mm glass beads
in a matching gift box

$40 plus shipping

 

  

Give the gift that counts.

                Give to your priests Fr. Carter's Books plus postage.

Tell My People                    $5.00
Response to God's Love    $8.00
Response in Christ              $8.00

      

 

Old Mass Books with the Imprimatur 
$2.00 plus postage


 

New Mass Book with Imprimatur   
$8.00 plus postage


 

New Parents & Children's Book with the Imprimatur
$8.00 plus postage


 

Fr. Joe's Cycle A – Steadfast to the Sun – Starts in Advent
$5.00 plus postage

Give the gift that keeps on giving!

Give to your priest.


Fr. Carter's Priestly Newsletters Book II
$6.00 plus postage

     

Get a canvas print of Mary's image
with a sliver of glass and a little
bottle of Jesus and Mary water.
The glass will be fixed behind the
back of the picture.
$200.00 plus postage

 


Shepherds of Christ Ministries  
P.O. Box 627  China, Indiana 47250

Telephone: (toll free) 1-888-211-3041 or (812) 273-8405  
FAX: (812) 273-3182

Main Shepherds of Christ Page


SofC LogoCopyright © 2014 Shepherds of Christ.
Rights for non–commercial reproduction granted:
May be copied in its entirety, but neither re–typed nor edited.
Translations are welcome but they must be reviewed for moral and 
theological accuracy by a source approved by Shepherds of Christ Ministries 
before any distribution takes place. Please contact us for more information.