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Given February 23, 2017

Mark 9: 14-29

As they were rejoining the disciples they saw a large crowd round them and some scribes arguing with them. At once, when they saw him, the whole crowd were struck with amazement and ran to greet him. And he asked them, 'What are you arguing about with them?' A man answered him from the crowd, 'Master, I have brought my son to you; there is a spirit of dumbness in him, and when it takes hold of him it throws him to the ground, and he foams at the mouth and grinds his teeth and goes rigid. And I asked your disciples to drive it out and they were unable to.' In reply he said to them, 'Faithless generation, how much longer must I be among you? How much longer must I put up with you? Bring him to me.' They brought the boy to him, and at once the spirit of dumbness threw the boy into convulsions, and he fell to the ground and lay writhing there, foaming at the mouth. Jesus asked the father, 'How long has this been happening to him?' 'From childhood,' he said, 'and it has often thrown him into fire and into water, in order to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have pity on us and help us.' 'If you can?' retorted Jesus. 'Everything is possible for one who has faith.' At once the father of the boy cried out, 'I have faith. Help my lack of faith!' And when Jesus saw that a crowd was gathering, he rebuked the unclean spirit. 'Deaf and dumb spirit,' he said, 'I command you: come out of him and never enter him again.' Then it threw the boy into violent convulsions and came out shouting, and the boy lay there so like a corpse that most of them said, 'He is dead.' But Jesus took him by the hand and helped him up, and he was able to stand. When he had gone indoors, his disciples asked him when they were by themselves, 'Why were we unable to drive it out?' He answered, 'This is the kind that can be driven out only by prayer.'

R. Dear heavenly Father,

You are light and life
and love.

                    We were created in Your
                image and likeness to be
                with You eternally in heaven
                living in unity and love –

                 I give my life to You and
                ask You to help me
                be all You want me
                to be –

                    Not jealous or envious
                or prideful or slothful
                but to live in You –
                in union with Jesus
                in the Holy Spirit
                with Mary at my side –

                I thank You Father for Your
                    unique plan for me –
                    I am grateful for what
                    You have given me to do
                    this work –

I know everything is a
gift from You –

                Let me never fill my
                    heart with anything
                    but Your love and
                    give me light in my
                    heart always
                    as You possess my soul.

                Give me healing for any
                    build up in my heart
                    from my past life.

Amen

Today's Readings

Sirach 5: 1-8

Do not put your confidence in your money
    or say, ‘With this I am self–sufficient.’
Do not be led by your appetites and energy
    to follow the passions of your heart.
And do not say, ‘Who has authority over me?’
    for the Lord will certainly give you your deserts.
Do not say, ‘I have sinned, but what harm has befallen me?’
    for the Lord’s forbearance is long.
Do not be so sure of forgiveness
    that you add sin to sin.
And do not say, ‘His compassion is great,
    he will forgive me my many sins’;
for with him are both mercy and retribution,
    and his anger does not pass from sinners.
Do not delay your return to the Lord,
    do not put it off day after day;
for suddenly the Lord’s wrath will blaze out,
    and on the day of punishment you will be utterly destroyed.
Do not set your heart on ill–gotten gains,
    they will be of no use to you on the day of disaster.



Psalm 1: 1-6

How blessed is anyone who rejects the advice of the wicked
and does not take a stand in the path that sinners tread,
nor a seat in company with cynics,
but who delights in the law of Yahweh
and murmurs his law day and night.

Such a one is like a tree planted near streams;
it bears fruit in season
and its leaves never wither,
and every project succeeds.
How different the wicked, how different!

Just like chaff blown around by the wind
the wicked will not stand firm at the Judgement
nor sinners in the gathering of the upright.
For Yahweh watches over the path of the upright,
but the path of the wicked is doomed.



Mark 9: 41-50

‘If anyone gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ, then in truth I tell you, he will most certainly not lose his reward.

‘But anyone who is the downfall of one of these little ones who have faith, would be better thrown into the sea with a great millstone hung round his neck. And if your hand should be your downfall, cut it off; it is better for you to enter into life crippled, than to have two hands and go to hell, into the fire that can never be put out. And if your foot should be your downfall, cut it off; it is better for you to enter into life lame, than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. And if your eye should be your downfall, tear it out; it is better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell where their worm will never die nor their fire be put out. For everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is a good thing, but if salt has become insipid, how can you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves and be at peace with one another.’

                R. Life is very short and we must turn our hearts
                    to loving one another and helping to be united –
                    praying for our country and God has called
                    us in the Shepherds of Christ to pray for the
                    priests, the Church and the world.

                God has a purpose for our life – God wants us
                    to learn to work together to bring order
                    and justice and love.

We should be brothers in Christ. Able to
trust one another. The devil is division –

                God has given us the commandments to live by.
                    God wants us to give to build a better world.
                    God wants us to follow His Laws.

                We have a purpose here, but we also have to grow
                    in our hearts to be more and more hearts
                    like Jesus.

A man went on a trip for eternity and
he prepared nothing for the trip.

How foolish for that man!!

                    God wants us to live to help build the Kingdom of
                God and to prepare ourselves to be ready to
                live with Him in eternity.

                    God wants us to have order in our
                lives. We are to grow in love of God
                and love of our brothers as ourselves.
                We are not to live in fear of relationships
                from past fears and abuse so we just
                survive so we don't get hurt and don't
                trust and don't love.

                    God wants us to live His will in love.
                God wants us to grow to be more perfect
                as our heavenly Father is perfect.

                    A person's life can be limited by their
                own way they look at things. They can
                be envious of others life - long and
                treat others as enemies and never let
                anyone in or trust anyone.

                    Learning to thank God for what we are
                and asking God to help us grow to be
                what He wants us to be will stop this
                negative limitation of ourselves that stops
                growth and love and acceptance of the
                person God wants us to be.

                    Seeing our calling by God and living
                that to the full as God wants. God wants
                a man to see his vocation in life and
                live it. Being envious of others when
                God has called us to do our job is
                not living as God intends of us.

                    We are to see ourselves with the talents
                and limitations we have and give our
                lives and our hearts to God. To help
                build community where God has placed
                us – to think about others and learn
                to love others – because God wants this.

                    If we see ourselves as envious of
                others, not as good as others, proving
                we are okay – we are spending our whole
                life coming from the wrong place –

                    God has called us to a vocation – to see
                the gifts He gave us and be the best we can
                be – saying "yes" to that vocation as
                Mary did.

                    Mary loved God's will. Mary lived
                to do God's plan. Mary knew her place
                under God. Mary loved others and we
                see her visiting and helping her cousin
                Elizabeth.

                    We see Jesus and how He worked
                with the Apostles so they would carry
                out His work through the ages. Jesus came
                and showed us how He worked in love
                with others – How He prepared them
                to carry out the work when He was
                gone. Jesus was showing in His life
                how He was "a man for others"!
                But Jesus prayed to the Father – We see
                the Holy Spirit over His head at the baptism
                in the Jordon, we hear the
                voice of God the Father. We know
                that Mary conceived the child Jesus
                through the power of the Holy Spirit.
                Mary shows us her eternal Motherhood –
                Mary is the Spiritual Mother –
                We see relationship –

The Son of God took flesh and we
see the Holy Family –

                We know the relationship in the Trinity
                We see Christ's relationships on earth –
                Jesus shows us – He wants love –
                    love of God – love of our brothers
                        as ourselves

                    There are those who are teachers and those
                who are to learn. There are people that are
                young growing up now that need these
                messages about the Love of God and the
                Eucharist and baptism and prayer.

                    God has given us many possibilities,
                but our limitations teach us things
                some time about what God wants with
                us now. We should not be envious what
                others have and we don't have –
                we should spend our time doing what
                God wants with us now. The gifts
                we have God has given to us. We must
                admit the gifts God has given us and
                use them to promote His Kingdom and
                do what He wants us to do with them
                in loving Him and others.

We know Mary said

Luke 1: 46-55

My soul proclaims
    the greatness of the Lord
and my spirit rejoices
    in God my Saviour;
because he has looked upon
    the humiliation of his servant.
Yes, from now onwards
    all generations will call me blessed,
for the Almighty
    has done great things for me.
Holy is his name,
and his faithful love extends age after age
    to those who fear him.
He has used the power of his arm,
he has routed the arrogant of heart.
He has pulled down princes
    from their thrones
        and raised high the lowly.
He has filled the starving with good things,
    sent the rich away empty.
He has come to the help
    of Israel his servant,
        mindful of his faithful love
—according to the promise
    he made to our ancestors—
of his mercy to Abraham
    and to his descendants for ever.

Priestly Newsletter Book II - September/October 1997

Scriptural Reflections

In all this Mary offers an example. Selfishness was totally foreign to her. She did not belong to herself. She belonged to God. She was not closed in upon herself. She was completely open to God. When God spoke, she listened. When God pointed the way, she followed. She realized that life is not a process a person masters by carefully mapping out one's own self-conceived plans of conquest, but a mystery to be gradually experienced by being open to God's personal and loving guidance.

Selfishness, then, did not close Mary off from God's call. Neither did fear. God asked her to assume a tremendous responsibility. He asked her to be the Mother of Jesus. Mary did not engage in a process of false humility and say that such a great role was above her. She did not say that she did not have the proper qualifications for this awesome mission. Briefly, she did not waste time looking at herself, making pleas that she was not worthy, telling the angel he had better go look for someone else. No, Mary did not look at herself. Her gaze was absorbed in God. She fully realized that whatever God asked of her, His grace would accomplish. She fully realized that although she herself had to cooperate, this work was much more God's than hers.

Mary's words, then, truly sum up what is the authentic Christian response at any point of life, in any kind of situation: "I am the handmaid of the Lord," said Mary, "let what you have said be done to me".

                R. We are here to serve God and live
                as He wants us to do. Not be stubborn
                and jealous and prideful and angry
                and waste the precious life, the
                precious gifts God has given us –

                    Our Father has given us many,
                many gifts – every day – we are to
                thank Him for His gifts given to us –

Look at the 10 lepers –

                Is this love to take God's gifts and
                    not be loving and use them –
                    and please Him.

These gifts were given to help others
too –

                When God gives us gifts then
                    He expects us to use them –
                    not sit around in envy
                    and self-pity –

God gave them, it wasn't our doing
when He gives us talents.

Use Your Talents

October 3, 1993 Chicago Marian Conference 11:30a.m.

Jesus: I am your Savior, Son of the Living God. I come to you that you might have life, not as the world gives you life, but My life which is life eternal. I carved you from My special carving and made you little less than an angel. I love you and cherish all the moments when you, My special child, come to sit with Me. I wait here and I hope you will choose to come, but I never force you. Your will is totally free and I give it to you because of My love and the will of the Father. I inform you in numerous ways. You do not have to guess and wonder. Come be with Me in this silence and all you need to know will be told to you. Your life is unfolding as a beautiful rose. Each petal falls and you plant My odors about as I so desire. I make your life full and sure as you trust in Me. No need for worrying, My little flower. My ways give you freedom if you listen to your heart. I am a personal God and you know Me as giving you fullness and life. You know there is some magnetism to Me and the way you crave to be part of Me. This is the work of the one, true God Who created you with a thirst that can only be quenched by Me. All roads that lead to Me give you fullness, worth, peace and joy, not as the world thinks, but as you yourself know true peace and joy. When I really touch you, you do not remain the same. I shed My Blood for you that you will have the life only I can give. What friend in this world would die for you? You, My child, were worth My dying for. I came that you will have life eternal and the gift I give is My Precious Blood for your sins. Come to Me in trouble and when you are bowed down. Come to Me in joy. Come to Me every day that you live and I will give you all you need. Seek to know Me more and more. Knowledge of Me, being with Me, are the only way to perfect peace. They lead to eternal life.

I have a divine plan for you. I created you with special gifts and talents to be used to do My work. They are not for your own self-promotion. You, My child, are nothing except as I created you. Why try to promote yourself? It is none of your own doing. I gave you the talents you are using. You had nothing to do with it. These talents were given to you to do My work. To use these talents to make yourself feel better than your brother is indeed a sin. You must realize they are loaned to you to work for Me. As you give someone a car, or loan them a place to stay, I loan you your talents to use to work for Me. If you do not work for Me and use them to make yourself better than your brother, you are offending Me. Likewise, if I give you talents and you do not use them because you think you are not as good as your brother, you are not being thankful to Me for My gifts to you. You are not using My gifts and that offends Me greatly. Each person was created by Me to do My work. Each person has all he needs to do My work. To be envious of others is fruitless. They have their job. You have yours. You are not supposed to do their work. That is why you were not given their talents.

Do your own work. Don't be envious of your brothers. Don't hide your talents. You did not earn them. I gave you your talents. You must sing because I will it. Others must do as I will them to do. It displeases Me to give you a gift and watch you hide it and make light of it. I give the gift. You must use all your gifts. They were given to you to do My work. Your brother has his gifts. Be grateful for your brother and he should be for you. You are all chosen by Me for a special mission. You know what to do. It feels right. I plant little seeds in your heart and all you do that is for you in the end feels right. You are not to be doing your brother's work or he yours. Talk to Me that you might know just what your work is and do it.

Do not hide your talents. Praise your God Who gave you these talents. Embrace and use them. This is not pride. This is My plan. I love you. I give to each of you, My precious children, as a mother who buys special Christmas gifts for each child. To buy gifts all the same for all your children is not to respect their specialness, their individuality.

Oh, I love you, little ones, so much. Please come to Me. I am so good and I wait to be with you and share My love with you. Come now. This is your top priority. All else will work when you come to Me first. I love you. You are My chosen children. Come and be filled and I make your loads light and I fill you with the Spirit of Salvation.

All roads that lead to Me are the right roads. Praise Me for I am good and I love you, little dear ones

end of October 3, 1993

                R. We must see ourselves in relation
                    to others and work in those
                    relationships God wants in our
                    lives.

                Why would a person be afraid of the
                    boss or jealous and angry
                    at a person they are to respect
                    and work with under God in order –

                Why would a person let their inferior
                    feelings paralyze them when
                    God calls them to do their job
                    in prudence and temperance
                    and justice and fortitude!

                Accept yourself in your calling
                    as God wants you to be
                    in relationship with others.

Relationships prepare us for an
eternity of loving in heaven –

                The Father created us uniquely to live
                    our life with others and serve
                    Him and others –

What matters is what God thinks of us.

                Why be afraid and ashamed and
                    act guilty for living
                    the life God wants us to live –

                God, Our heavenly Father, calls us
                    to serve with the unique gifts
                    He gives us – loving and serving
                    Him and others.

                    Don't be prideful. God made us
                to work in love and help each other
                to grow – God put us in families
                to work together and to grow –

We are to be what God wants us
to be –

God is love and in Him is no
darkness –

                God commanded us to love –
                    to love God, our neighbor and see
                    ourselves as the unique creation of
                    God to love others as ourselves –
                    God created us for a purpose –
                    We will answer to God.

^{^{Given

October 29, 2016}}

                R. Please spread blessed holy water
                (You can also mix Jesus and Mary water
                with your blessed Holy Water if you have it.)
                in your yard, around your house,
                in the state you live in.

And ask God to bless your state
Ask God to bless the United States

Pray all prayers through the intercession of
Our Lady of CLEAR – WATER.

Ask the Lady of CLEAR - WATER
to help with the blessed water.

Mary has appeared to me for 22 years,
in Ohio and Florida.

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 $6.95

These books can be given to:

1) All Priests

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       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 17 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.

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