Oh Lamb of God, Who take away the sins of the world, come and act on my soul most intimately. I surrender myself, as I ask for the grace to let go, to just be as I exist in You and You act most intimately on my soul. You are the Initiator. I am the soul waiting Your favors as You act in me. I love You. I adore You. I worship You. Come and possess my soul with Your Divine Grace, as I experience You most intimately.

Schedule for December 20, 2003

December 19, 2003

Messenger:      Come Lord Jesus —

                            Come oh God and fill our hearts with love

                         I long for the peace and comfort that only You can give.

                         Oh Savior outpour Your grace upon the world,

                            Shower us with Your grace —

                         Give us light to see —

                         Open our eyes —

                         Come Lord Jesus — Come

December 19, 2003 message continues

Messenger:     I long for the Eucharist —

                        I long to go to Mass —

                        To hear the Word spoken —

                        To see the miracle taking place —

                        To receive my Divine God —

                        Oh God of love, let me experience your gifts

                            at the Mass —

                        I love to be so deeply wrapped in the

                            embrace of God's love.

                        I love to know the Father, Son and Holy Spirit so

                            intimately —

                        I long to have that deep awareness 

                            of God's presence within me

                            at Mass.

                        Oh God lift the veil so I may see

                            more clearly and experience

                            Your favors.

                        So sacred to me is the Mass.

                        Oh God I long to be holy, to

                            know You, to be embraced

                            by You.

                        Let my heart swoon for love of You

                            Oh God I love you so deeply —

                            Your love quiets my weary soul —

                            Your touch is the desire of my

                                 heart —

                        The sun shines on the beautiful bay

                            and we see the beauty of the

                            waters.

                        God open my eyes to know You

                            most intimately —

                        Open my heart to love You more

                            deeply —

                        Oh God I want to be able to focus

                            on You, despite distractions

                            and problems, to be able to be with you

                            in silence and find peace and love in

                            these precious moments.

                        Oh God, Oh God, I love you —

                            Please care for all of my needs —

                            Oh God, I give my all to You.

                            And I see the beauty of another day —

                        And I thank God for the vision to see

                        the brightness of the sun and softness

                        of the water and I ask God to give

                        me spiritual vision to see Him

                        more clearly, to experience His love

                        so deeply — to be able to give myself

                        to Him more and more and surrender to

                        do His will in all I do.

                        Oh God, Oh God, I love you —

                        I write a sonnet of this love to You —

                        I give You myself —

                        All my desires —

                        I surrender to You —

                        My King and My All —

                        With all my love

                        Your servant, 

                        I have been chosen by You to do this work —

                        This is an honor —

                        I am in the army of the Lord —

                        My job is to serve the King —

                        I am His faithful cohort —

                        I am in the army of the King —

                        Amen.

                        Sing:

                                Oh God, My God, I love You.

                                 My God, My God, I love You.

                        Amen.

                        Impart to me grace to know You

                            more deeply —

                        Impart to me knowledge of You,

                            my Divine God —

                        I long to know You —

                        I long to serve You —

                        Come to me, My Messiah —

                        Come —

                Readings from Today's Mass

Judges 13: 2-7, 24-25

    There was a man of Zorah of the tribe of Dan, called Manoah. His wife was barren; she had borne no children. The Angel of Yahweh appeared to this woman and said to her, ‘You are barren and have had no child, but you are going to conceive and give birth to a son. From now on, take great care. Drink no wine or fermented liquor, and eat nothing unclean. For you are going to conceive and give birth to a son. No razor is to touch his head, for the boy is to be God’s nazirite from his mother’s womb; and he will start rescuing Israel from the power of the Philistines.’ The woman then went and told her husband, ‘A man of God has just come to me, who looked like the Angel of God, so majestic was he. I did not ask him where he came from, and he did not tell me his name. But he said to me, "You are going to conceive and will give birth to a son. From now on, drink no wine or fermented liquor, and eat nothing unclean. For the boy is to be God’s nazirite from his mother’s womb to his dying day." ’

The woman gave birth to a son and called him Samson. The child grew, and Yahweh blessed him; and the spirit of Yahweh began to stir him in the Camp of Dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol.

   

Psalm 71: 3-6, 16-17

R. Fill me with your praise
    and I will sing your glory!

Be a sheltering rock for me, 
always accessible; 
you have determined to save me, 
for you are my rock, my fortress. 
My God, rescue me from the clutches of the wicked, 
from the grasp of the rogue and the ruthless. 

For you are my hope, Lord, 
my trust, Yahweh, since boyhood. 
On you I have relied since my birth, 
since my mother’s womb you have been my portion, 
the constant theme of my praise.

I will come in the power of Yahweh 
to tell of your justice, yours alone. 
God, you have taught me from boyhood, 
and I am still proclaiming your marvels.

Luke 1: 5-25

In the days of King Herod of Judaea there lived a priest called Zechariah who belonged to the Abijah section of the priesthood, and he had a wife, Elizabeth by name, who was a descendant of Aaron. Both were upright in the sight of God and impeccably carried out all the commandments and observances of the Lord. But they were childless: Elizabeth was barren and they were both advanced in years. 

    Now it happened that it was the turn of his section to serve, and he was exercising his priestly office before God when it fell to him by lot, as the priestly custom was, to enter the Lord’s sanctuary and burn incense there. And at the hour of incense all the people were outside, praying. 

    Then there appeared to him the angel of the Lord, standing on the right of the altar of incense. The sight disturbed Zechariah and he was overcome with fear. But the angel said to him, ‘Zechariah, do not be afraid, for your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth is to bear you a son and you shall name him John. He will be your joy and delight and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord; he must drink no wine, no strong drink; even from his mother’s womb he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, and he will bring back many of the Israelites to the Lord their God. With the spirit and power of Elijah, he will go before him to reconcile fathers to their children and the disobedient to the good sense of the upright, preparing for the Lord a people fit for him.’ Zechariah said to the angel, ‘How can I know this? I am an old man and my wife is getting on in years.’ The angel replied, ‘I am Gabriel, who stand in God’s presence, and I have been sent to speak to you and bring you this good news. Look! Since you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time, you will be silenced and have no power of speech until this has happened.’ Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah and were surprised that he stayed in the sanctuary so long. When he came out he could not speak to them, and they realised that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. But he could only make signs to them and remained dumb. 

    When his time of service came to an end he returned home. Some time later his wife Elizabeth conceived and for five months she kept to herself, saying, ‘The Lord has done this for me, now that it has pleased him to take away the humiliation I suffered in public.’

Please remember us in your will.

Shepherds of Christ Ministries
P.O. Box 193
Morrow, Ohio 45152-0193

Telephone: (toll free) 1-888-211-3041 or (513) 932-4451
FAX: (513) 932-6791