| Shepherds of Christ Daily Writing |
 |
| Shepherds of Christ Daily Writing |
|
February 29, 2016
|
March 1st Holy Spirit Novena |
The Novena Rosary
Mysteries |
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 postageCall 1-888-211-3041 for Doris
New Homily Book - Cycle C
Available $10.00 plus postage
Given February 20, 2016
R. Dear God,
We pray for our country now and for the decision
of voters to put a man in position of leadership
that will do Your will and further the spreading
of Your Kingdom on earth.
Readings Today
Deuteronomy 26: 16-19
‘Yahweh your God commands you today to observe these laws and customs; you must keep and observe them with all your heart and with all your soul.
‘Today you have obtained this declaration from Yahweh: that he will be your God, but only if you follow his ways, keep his statutes, his commandments, his customs, and listen to his voice. And today Yahweh has obtained this declaration from you: that you will be his own people—as he has said—but only if you keep all his commandments; then for praise and renown and honour, he will raise you higher than every other nation he has made, and you will be a people consecrated to Yahweh, as he has promised.’
How blessed are those whose way is blameless,
who walk in the Law of Yahweh
Blessed are those who observe his instructions,
who seek him with all their hearts,You lay down your precepts
to be carefully kept.
May my ways be steady
in doing your will.I thank you with a sincere heart
for teaching me your upright judgements.
I shall do your will;
do not ever abandon me wholly.
Matthew 5: 43-48
‘You have heard how it was said, You will love your neighbour and hate your enemy. But I say this to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you; so that you may be children of your Father in heaven, for he causes his sun to rise on the bad as well as the good, and sends down rain to fall on the upright and the wicked alike. For if you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Do not even the tax collectors do as much? And if you save your greetings for your brothers, are you doing anything exceptional? Do not even the gentiles do as much? You must therefore be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.’
R. We pray for our families, that they will be
protected and secure and that men throughout
the world will turn to obedience to the heavenly
Father.
Dear God, please help us, help us to spread
the prayer chapters. Help Fr. Joe. Help all
receiving his books, help the priest and the people in
the Catholic Church this Sunday to be strong in their
faith and to pray for our country and children
and grandchildren.
July 31, 1994
Words of Jesus to Members of
Shepherds of Christ Associates:"My beloved priest-companion, I intend to use the priestly newsletter, Shepherds of Christ, and the movement, Shepherds of Christ Associates, in a powerful way for the renewal of My Church and the world.
"I will use the newsletter and the chapters of Shepherds of Christ Associates as a powerful instrument for spreading devotion to My Heart and My Mother's Heart.
"I am calling many to become members of Shepherds of Christ Associates. To all of them I will give great blessings. I will use them as instruments to help bring about the triumph of the Immaculate Heart and the reign of My Sacred Heart. I will give great graces to the members of Shepherds of Christ Associates. I will call them to be deeply united to My Heart and to Mary's Heart as I lead them ever closer to My Father in the Holy Spirit."
- Message from Jesus to Father Edward J. Carter, S.J., Founder, as given on July 31, 1994,
feast of Saint Ignatius Loyola, Founder of the Society of Jesus (The Jesuits)
R. Dear God help us to spread these prayer chapters
praying for the priests, the Church and the world.
James 1: 19-20
Remember this, my dear brothers: everyone should be quick to listen but slow to speak and slow to human anger; God's saving justice is never served by human anger;
R. God calls us to grow in our faith. To be
mature in our lives. To be people who
love and care for others.
We are to die to the ways not likened to Christ
and to put on Christ. To live the life of
resurrection – living IN CHRIST. Living
the Christ-life. To put on a new life in Christ.
We need to not give into the fallen human
nature of anger and jealousy, of envy and
pride, of slothfulness and lust and
gluttony – we are to be mature in growing
in the Christ-life. Our actions are to be
virtuous actions with the goal of pleasing
our heavenly Father.
We don't want to be like the prodigal
son who squandered the Father's fortune and
left home – giving into the wounded human
nature, living undisciplined lives, seeking
pleasures just to be amused and not living
mature Christian lives while we are on
earth – doing the work the Father has called
us to in maturity and love and humility
and greater faith.
The will – we are to seek a disciplined will –
where we obey the heavenly Father – not be
a rival to the Father's will and live opposing
the Father's will.
The will – we have a free will to choose what the
Father wants us to do or we can oppose the
Father's will – like the son who squandered
the Father's fortune – we can take the gifts God
the Father has given to us and disobey His will
for us.
Losing energy to do what the Father calls us
to do – comes from giving into the wounded
human nature. Love and growing in our
relationship with God helps us to be alive
in our heart – to live in faith, hope and
love, to be humble and temperate and just
and have courage and prudence. We need
God's grace to live in love. We need the Holy Spirit
to help strengthen our wills to be as God
wants us to be.
We need a goal – the heavenly one – to realize
we are children of God the Father and we are
not to be squandering His gifts to us for our
own will. Eve wanted to be equal to God –
Eve disobeyed the Father's will – Eve was given
so many gifts and she gave into the temptation
of satan and disobeyed the Father's will.
We need the Holy Spirit –
This is such a tremendous prayer we pray in the
prayers Jesus gave Fr. Carter.
From the Prayer Manual
Holy Spirit Prayer
Come, Holy Spirit, almighty Sanctifier, God of love, who filled the Virgin Mary with grace, who wonderfully changed the hearts of the apostles, who endowed all Your martyrs with miraculous courage, come and sanctify us. Enlighten our minds, strengthen our wills, purify our consciences, rectify our judgment, set our hearts on fire, and preserve us from the misfortunes of resisting Your inspirations. Amen.
Ephesians 4: 32
Be generous to one another, sympathetic, forgiving each other as readily as God forgave you in Christ.
Given February 19, 2016
R. Our God is an Awesome God
Colossians 3: 12-17
As the chosen of God, then, the holy people whom he loves, you are to be clothed in heartfelt compassion, in generosity and humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with one another; forgive each other if one of you has a complaint against another. The Lord has forgiven you; now you must do the same. Over all these clothes, put on love, the perfect bond. And may the peace of Christ reign in your hearts, because it is for this that you were called together in one body. Always be thankful.
Let the Word of Christ, in all its richness, find a home with you. Teach each other, and advise each other, in all wisdom. With gratitude in your hearts sing psalms and hymns and inspired songs to God; and whatever you say or do, let it be in the name of the Lord Jesus, in thanksgiving to God the Father through him.
R. We pray for God's mercy –
Dear God you are kind to me, God –
make me to be happy and have a clean heart.
Dear God be merciful we have sinned.
Matthew 6: 7-15
How to pray. The Lord’s Prayer
‘In your prayers do not babble as the gentiles do, for they think that by using many words they will make themselves heard. Do not be like them; your Father knows what you need before you ask him. So you should pray like this:
Our Father in heaven,
may your name be held holy,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we have forgiven those
who are in debt to us.
And do not put us to the test,
but save us from the Evil One.‘Yes, if you forgive others their failings, your heavenly Father will forgive you yours; but if you do not forgive others, your Father will not forgive your failings either.
R. Story – a preacher was telling his congregation
of evils of smoking and alcohol
R. He preached for 15 minutes
Then he checked the worms –
The worm was dead in alcohol and smoke and
chocolate and alive in the Garden soil –
The preacher said – what does this mean
a lady said – if you drink and smoke and eat
chocolate – you won't get worms.
When you hold onto anger and not forgiving
you are like drinking poison –
Anger is like that –
Anger eats yourself up inside –
It makes chemicals like a small burning
fire inside –
The worse thing is to carry anger inside
thinking about it, it isn't healthy
psychologically, it isn't healthy
spiritually –
Jesus taught us the Our Father and at
the end told us about forgiveness –
Who do we need to forgive –
others who snubbed us, was unkind,
did something to us –
But most of all we must forgive ourselves –
we all do terrible things, but that
doesn't make us a terrible person –
we need to admit the sin we did.
Forgive God – we shouldn't try to make God
accept our will, but do His will –
Why do we think God should do what
we want –
The Prodigal Son.
Our whole life is to be lived in realizing
our relationship with God. God is our Father, Lent
is a time to focus on our love of God, our love
for the Heavenly Father.
We are here like little children trying to please
our heavenly Father. We do not want to waiver like
the Son who left the Father and spent his money
and opposed the Father's plan. Our whole life
should be lived trying to do the Heavenly Father's
will and not our will opposed to God.
Our life can be compared to the Prodigal
Son and us realizing how the Father wants
all His children to come to Him and love
Him and serve Him according to His Plan –
Luke 15: 11-31
The lost son (the ‘prodigal’) and the dutiful son
Then he said, ‘There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, "Father, let me have the share of the estate that will come to me," So the father divided the property between them. A few days later, the younger son got together everything he had and left for a distant country where he squandered his money on a life of debauchery.
When he had spent it all, that country experienced a severe famine, and now he began to feel the pinch; so he hired himself out to one of the local inhabitants who put him on his farm to feed the pigs. And he would willingly have filled himself with the husks the pigs were eating but no one would let him have them. Then he came to his senses and said, "How many of my father’s hired men have all the food they want and more, and here am I dying of hunger! I will leave this place and go to my father and say: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as one of your hired men." So he left the place and went back to his father.
‘While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with pity. He ran to the boy, clasped him in his arms and kissed him. Then his son said, : "Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son." But the father said to his servants, "Quick! Bring out the best robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the calf we have been fattening and kill it; we will celebrate by having a feast, because this son of mine was dead and has come back to life; he was lost and is found." And they began to celebrate.
‘Now the elder son was out in the fields, and on his way back, as he drew near the house, he could hear music and dancing. Calling one of the servants he asked what it was all about. The servant told him, "Your brother has come, and your father has killed the calf we had been fattening because he has got him back safe and sound." He was angry then and refused to go in, and His father came out and began to urge him to come in; but he retorted to his father, "All these years I have slaved for you and never once disobeyed any orders of yours, yet you never offered me so much as a kid for me to celebrate with my friends. But, for this son of yours, when he comes back after swallowing up your property – he and his loose women – you kill the calf we have been fattening.
‘The father said, "My son, you are with me always and all I have is yours. But it was only right we should celebrate and rejoice, because your brother here was dead and has come to life; he was lost and is found.’
R.
We go to our Father's house we hope
eternally. God gives us gifts to use for His
Plan.
We need to work on our relationship with God,
loving God and being humble. We need to go to the
heavenly Father and tell Him we have sinned and are
sorry for our sins. We need to repent for our sins.
We know the Father's mercy and forgiveness when we
come with a contrite heart.
God calls us
– look at Jonah the prophet – he was
afraid and ungrateful and ran away from God's
calling – God didn't let him get away.
Dear God, please forgive us, we thank You for
Your kindness and mercy, help us to do
Your will today – help us to love and serve You
God –
Sing: Jesus Remember Me when you come into your Kingdom
Sing: Prayer of St. Francis
Sing: Pardon Your People
end of excerpt
February 20, 2016 continues
R. We are called to love God and love our neighbor as
ourselves. In Lent we should work on this.
We are bound to love our neighbor in our
thoughts, words and actions – like we love
ourselves.
Fear does not mean that it takes high priority
over everything - even love in our life.
1 John 4: 17-21
Love comes to its perfection in us when we can face the Day of Judgement fearlessly, because even in this world we have become as he is. In love there is no room for fear, but perfect love drives out fear, because fear implies punishment and no one who is afraid has come to perfection in love. Let us love, then, because he first loved us. Anyone who says 'I love God' and hates his brother, is a liar, since whoever does not love the brother whom he can see cannot love God whom he has not seen. Indeed this is the commandment we have received from him, that whoever loves God, must also love his brother.
R. What is your motive for your actions?
Really ask yourself, are your actions rooted
in the eternal goal of the heavenly Father?
What is your motive of your actions?
Is your energy gone because your thoughts
are consumed in fear and self-pity –
like being locked in a box –
R. What are we saving ourselves for?
God made us special.
God made us – that is special.
I remember a sign, "God made you and He
doesn't make junk!"
We have a job to do –
To grow up in the spiritual life –
To do the work of God the Father –
To live the Christ-life –
To be alive – IN CHRIST
...I have been crucified with Christ and yet I am alive; yet it is no longer I, but Christ living in me.
R. Like Fr. Joe said, admit your sins and tell
God you are sorry –
We must forgive ourselves –
We can do terrible things, but that
doesn't make us terrible persons –
Grow to be made holy – Dear God strengthen
our wills, purify our consciences,
set our hearts on fire with the fire of God's love.
Dear Holy Spirit Come into our hearts –
The proper motive → LOVE
→ To be Kind
→ To be Good
→ To be mature Christians
→ To live the Christ-life
→ To live life in the Holy Spirit
→ To live Mary at our side!
Psalm 123: 2-3
Just as the eyes of slaves are on their masters' hand,
or the eyes of a slave-girl on the hand of her mistress,
so our eyes are on Yahweh our God,
for him to take pity on us.
Have pity on us, Yahweh, have pity,
for we have had our full share of scorn,
R. God is our Savior
Song: A Song from Jesus
R.
God is holy –
To be God-like is to be holy!
Our final judgment will depend on how
we lived in our hearts – did we
love?
What we do to others - we do to Jesus!
And the King will answer, "In truth I tell you, in so far as you did this to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to me."
Then the King will say to those on his right hand, "Come, you whom my Father has blessed, take as your heritage the kingdom prepared for you since the foundation of the world.
R. We don't tell Jesus what to do.
Fr. Joe said on the 4th Sunday of Ordinary Time
From Trust and Transform p. 36
HOMILY - . . . Gradually, as people, especially some of the Jewish leaders, really started to understand his message, opposition to him grew until he as put to death. Perhaps Luke is teaching us that we can’t take Jesus on our terms but on his terms; we can’t make Jesus into who we would like him to be. We must accept him on the basis of who he wants us to be. Perhaps Luke is also showing us that Jesus was not a politician who tried to cater to people’s wants; he was a prophet who would be faithful to the mission God sent him on, no matter what the consequences were.
R.
Fr. Joe says we must do what God wants
us to do – not expect God to do what
we want Him to do –
Jesus was faithful to His mission God sent
Him on, no matter what the
consequences were!
We need to go to the Lord, always, but especially
when we are in need.
God delivers the just from their afflictions.
Jesus tells us how to pray –
not to rattle-on –
Jesus wants sincerity and attention on
God – love from our heart for God
when we pray – love for our
neighbor –
How can we lift our heart to God in
prayer with an angry heart –
what a paradox –
Psalm 4: 2
Children of men, how long will you be heavy of heart,
why love what is vain and chase after illusions?
R. Listen to the story of Jonah
The people of Nineveh repented and God
helped them.
Are we too hard-in-heart to repent and
don't listen to God's call to us to
love – Are we like the people of
Nineveh that repented?
Jesus shows us His love for us by His
suffering.
Song: A Song from Jesus
Psalm 25: 6, 3, 22
GOODNESS and faithful love have been yours for ever,
Yahweh, do not forget them.CALLING to you, none shall ever be put to shame,
but shame is theirs who groundlessly break faith.Ransom Israel, O God,
from all its troubles.
R. Jonah was running away from God's calling –
Jesus is the Greatest Prophet –
Jesus shows us His life given for us –
Now we have the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass –
Love, Love, Love –
We are so important to Jesus –
Think of the Prodigal Son –
God has given us such gifts –
In baptism we receive a sharing in
His life!
God commands us to love God and love our
neighbor as ourselves –
these are our daily duties –
to deal with our hearts –
to be hearts of love –
to be hearts that are "men for others"
not selfish, with selfish motives –
Do we want to tell God what we want
or do we live God's plan –
Every person has a way they see things because
of their past, their lives –
We can't judge things with our distorted vision –
We are to live a new life –
We are to put on Christ –
We are to see through the Father's eyes –
We are to be children of the light –
This takes grace –
This takes living the Christ-life –
This is being a "new creation" in Him.
This takes bending the stubborn heart
and will –
melting the frozen - warming the chill –
Novena to the Infant of Prague
O Jesus, who said, "Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened to you," through the intercession of Mary, Your most holy Mother, I knock, I seek, I ask that my prayer be granted.
O Jesus, who said, "All that you ask of the Father in My Name He will grant you," through the intercession of Mary, Your most holy Mother, I humbly and urgently ask Your Father in Your Name that my prayer be granted.O Jesus, who said, "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My word shall not pass," through the intercession of Mary, Your most holy Mother, I feel confident that my prayer will be granted.
R. We must keep God's law –
We must repent, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, the
prophets tell us if we repent – we
will live well in God –
We can't ignore the truth –
We cannot harbor anger and hatred –
It will eat us up inside Fr. Joe says.
We must seek forgiveness for our
wrongs, from God and others –
our whole life is about relationships.
The test of holiness is in forgiving ourselves,
our brothers praying for grace to be
forgiven and in forgiving others –
Anger is like a smoldering fire inside of
us – Fr. Joe says.
Psalm 19: 8
The precepts of Yahweh are honest,
joy for the heart;
the commandment of Yahweh is pure,
light for the eyes.
R.
We are told to observe God's law with
all our heart and all our soul.
We have a covenant with God –
to love! to love! to love!
R.
God tells us today in the Gospel to love
our enemies.
22 Years Ago
You Love Always
March 18, 1994 7:15 a.m.
At All Saints, After CommunionR. Dear Jesus, how holy is my soul? I do not see it as you desire. Do I judge my brothers? Do I compare myself to them and tell myself that I am right and they are wrong? Why do I judge at all? My job is to love, to love You with all my heart. My job is to preach Your gospel, to emit Your love from my very being!
When I am caught up in being wronged by my brother, how can Your love radiate to anyone? I am a clogged vessel and the love You want to give to those around me is trapped behind my anger.
Oh Lord, open my heart to Your ways. How easy for Satan to talk in my head and tell me how I should be feeling when I have a job to do. This job is more serious than any worldly job. This job is to spread Your love to a world that is hurting. When I am a clogged vessel, all those around me suffer from the loss of love they would receive if my heart were open and love were flowing out to them.
Oh, how Satan is so crafty as to steal our hearts away and fill them with such impurities, thoughts of anger at our brothers! How easily I comply. This is the self in me. Have I been wronged? Have I been threatened? Will someone think badly of me? Lord, help me to be selfless, to live only for love of You and to know You truly love me, to want not to answer any accusations of others, to remain silent when attacked unless You prompt me to speak.
Control my tongue as the doorway from my heart. Control my heart. Keep it full of Your love and free of all impurities. I want a heart that is free of hate and anger. I have a job to do, Lord, and it is to spread Your love. This job is a top priority. I receive all my love and support from You, Lord. Is that not enough or am I not thinking of how immense is the love of God?
Jesus: Come to Me, all who are weary and heavily burdened and I give you rest. I fill you with such love. I am God. I am love. Why focus on your suffering brothers? Because they are suffering from the evil of this world. You need not suffer if you turn to Me. I have all you need. I never abandon you or leave you. I am by your side. I, Jesus, walk with you where you go, and with such love. The love of God is all-encompassing. When I am by your side, why do you fret because of your ailing brothers? Pray for them. Some are in total darkness. How will My light shine from you if you are clogged with any anger or hatred? You must remain fixed only in love--love of God, love of one another!
Put your anger aside and look to My suffering face. I loved you all to My death. I did not count the cost. I did not number your sins. I loved you. I forgave you. I loved you unconditionally. I gave My all for you. Can you not do this for your brothers? I suffered for the sins of men and I was silent. I speak of My love. I do not speak of your sins. Who of you are sinless? If you expect Me to forgive you, can you not forgive your brothers when they have wronged you?
I am the light that shines through you to the dark world. I want to shine from your hearts. To have the least taint of hate and anger blocks My light from your souls. Clean out your hearts every minute. Let the hate and anger go! Do not let it fester and grow in your hearts. Keep your hearts pure only in the love of God. When your brother wrongs you, forgive him instantly. Do not let Satan talk in your head. Do not let self come to the front lines. Be ready to withstand the attack. Remain selfless and unattached.
I live in you and you live in Me. You are immersed in a vat of My love. My might shines from your being. Your brothers are suffering. Love them, watch them in their suffering and see them as My precious ones in need of My love. They are hurting so. Will you not tend to their bleeding wounds? Or will you scoff at them and go on your way?
This world is suffering. The only cure is the love of God. You have the opportunity to spread My love or act like the world. How can I love My sick ones if you act as they do? Did I argue on the way to Calvary? Did I answer their accusations and say, "Oh, I didn't do that?" I was silent! Can you not remain silent when you are accused? Can you not turn to Me and pick up your cross and see My suffering face?
I suffer for how they are hurting you. But to strike back in anger is not the way of love. This is not My way. My way is to love. I loved those who whipped Me. I loved those who crowned My head with thorns. I loved those who spit at Me and yelled obscenities at Me. I loved you all in all your sins! I loved you to My death! I showed you the way to love. I showed you the way to forgive. I showed you the way.
Why do you look to the ways of the suffering? If they scoff at and persecute you and yell any slander against you, focus on the love of your Father in heaven Who gave His only Son for love of you! The way of God is the way of love. Any taint of anger, of hatred, of getting even, of being wronged and making yourself right, is the way of the evil one.
My ways are steadfast and direct. I operate from love. Stay rooted firmly in the love of God. See Me suffering, beaten, bloodied, crowned, slapped, kicked, slandered--and every vile thing yelled at Me. See Me, see Me and then see Me dying on the cross in sweet surrender, arms outstretched, hanging by nails, head hanging--all out of great and ardent love for you!
I showed you how to love. Can you not forgive your suffering brothers? Can you not love? I loved to My death. Can you not let go of such little things coming from them who are hurting? You are My soldiers in this cold war. Your weapons are your hearts filled with the ardent, on-fire love of Jesus. Your hearts are powerful. God has all the power. Love finds the way. The only way to warm a cold heart is through the warmth of love, true love, unconditional love, that I give to you. Love always. I loved you to My death. Will you love My hurting ones for Me? Can I use you to light the dark world? I call this day. Will you answer?
The way to Me is the Way of the Cross. Do you see your life as the way to Me? Each day is a day on the way to the end which is heaven, hell or purgatory. Do you see yourself as making it for this life or for everlasting life? Oh, if only children were taught to see their lives in their entirety, from beginning to end, only to go to another place. If only children were taught to see that this is a "layover", not the end in itself!
Look at your life. You are on your way to somewhere else. This is a journey to get you to another place. If you are traveling, you do not camp out on the train, or try to make your vehicle an end in itself. You are in transit to another life. You have not arrived. You have not come to your destiny.
I am the Way. I am the Truth. I am the Life. To have eternal life you must model yourself after the Master. I loved you to My death. I love you this much this day. I gave My life for you. Do you not believe that to turn to Me is to give you all you need?
Follow Me. I show you the Way. You need to be led to the kingdom that waits for you. If you follow other leaders, they take you from the correct way. Only one way leads to My kingdom. It is the way I showed you. It is the way I show you this day. Would you go to a tour guide who knows the way or to one who is guessing?
Your brothers are following paths that lead to destruction. I show you the way to the kingdom of heaven. Why would you follow an amateur who knows not the way? You pay the price for your foolishness. My way is the Way of the Cross. If you try to find another way more to your liking, you get off course. The way to My kingdom is led by Me. I am with you this day in the Eucharist and in the tabernacle. Will you come and sit with Me in silence and listen when I give you your directions or will you go to a bad guide and try to find a short cut?
There is no short cut to My kingdom. My way is the only way. Pick up your cross and follow Me. Do not try to put your crosses down. Accept what I send you as coming from Him Who loves you. It is in this acceptance that you grow in your relationship with Me. My hand is in everything you experience.
See Me clothed in a white tunic, My love radiating from My being. See My hand outstretched as I walk before you and say, "Sweet one, this is the way to My kingdom. I bring you such love along the way. You will suffer, but My love will see you through. Come and follow as I lead. I walk before you backwards, right in front of you. Do you not see Me? Keep your eyes on Me, sweet one. I love you so. I will never lead you off the right road. I lead you with such love and peace. You will not know all My love here, sweet one, but when we get to My kingdom, what a reward for following Me! My house has many mansions. I have a place prepared just for you. I ardently love you. I am your Jesus, Son of the Living God. I come, you follow. We will live in My kingdom soon."
9:45 a.m.
Jesus: Unless a grain of wheat dies, it does not produce fruit. Such dying must be cultivated by obedience and your covenant with God, rooted in love and forgiveness. Die to yourself and live in My love, child. Child, I love you. Do you know now?
R. Jesus, I believe. Jesus, I believe. Jesus, I believe. I believe in you.
Jesus: You know that what I tell you is truth. Do not even think. I will bring them to you. You remain set in your place. Pray all day. Be busy about My work. I need you to do My work for Me.
end of excerpt
R.
We must look at our own sinfulness
and quit blaming others. We have sinned!
Say 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.
Psalm 26: 11-12
In innocence I will go on my way;
ransom me, take pity on me.
I take my stand on the right path;
I will bless you, Yahweh, in the assemblies.
Daniel 9: 4-10
I pleaded with Yahweh my God and made this confession:
'O my Lord, God great and to be feared, you keep the covenant and show faithful love towards those who love you and who observe your commandments: we have sinned, we have done wrong, we have acted wickedly, we have betrayed your commandments and rulings and turned away from them. We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our chief men, our ancestors and all people of the country. Saving justice, Lord, is yours; we have only the look of shame we wear today, we, the people of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the whole of Israel, near and far away, in every country to which you have dispersed us because of the treachery we have committed against you. To us, our kings, our chief men and our ancestors, belongs the look of shame, O Yahweh, since we have sinned against you. And it is for the Lord our God to have mercy and to pardon, since we have betrayed him, and have not listened to the voice of Yahweh our God nor followed the laws he has given us through his servants the prophets.
Luke 6: 36-39
'Be compassionate just as your Father is compassionate. Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and there will be gifts for you: a full measure, pressed down, shaken together, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap; because the standard you use will be the standard used for you.'
He also told them a parable, ‘Can one blind person guide another? Surely both will fall into a pit?
R.
To grow in virtue, we must be truthful
and admit our faults, our sins
Or my foe will boast, "I have overpowered him,"
and my enemy have the joy of seeing me stumble.
As for me, I trust in your faithful love, Yahweh.
Let my heart delight in your saving help,
let me sing to Yahweh for his generosity to me,
let me sing to the name of Yahweh the Most High!
R.
We are to pray for clean hearts
We are to pray to be truthful.
From the Holy Spirit Novena
Little Prayers to the Holy Spirit
Dear Holy Spirit, help us not to be ignorant or indifferent or weak, help us to be strong with the love of God.
Dear Holy Spirit, please pray for our needs for us.
Dear Holy Spirit, help us to respect God and to avoid sin. Help us to live in the Father's will.
Dear Holy Spirit, help us to keep Your commandments and to respect authority. Help us to love all things as You will us to love them. Help us to want to pray and always serve God with the greatest love. Help us to know the truth. Help us to have the gift of faith, hope, and love. Help us to know what is right and what is wrong.
R.
We know Jesus had to go to die in
Jerusalem before He rose from
the dead –
We too have to die to our bad habits and
repent of our sins – if we want the life
of resurrection – to put on Christ!
Matthew 20: 28
just as the Son of man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.'
Psalm 139: 23-24
God, examine me and know my heart,
test me and know my concerns.
Make sue that I am not on my way to ruin,
and guide me on the road of eternity.
R.
To be a leader before other men – a man
must seek holiness. How does a man
lead – if he is a leader – and he fails
to grow in the ways of the holy Christian
life. How is a man in his heart? How
does his heart look like Jesus' Heart –
Song: Give Me Your Heart Oh Jesus
R. How does he act in relationships with
God and others and himself?
How has he forgiven and asked for
forgiveness and live in the truth?
A leader is to be one to follow –
who is most like Christ in how
he relates and loves and
lives virtuously in justice and
temperance, in fortitude and
prudence –
a man like Jesus in His life!
We see in the scriptures the envy of Saul
for David –
we see how envy destroys a man's
happiness –
We see in the story of Jesus He was
rejected by His bothers, but He
was faithful to the mission the Father
gave Him.
So too with Joseph in the Old Testament –
we see his brothers rejected him and
he was faithful to his mission to God.
God can bring good out of evil.
1 John 4: 10
Love consists in this:
it is not we who loved God,
but God loved us and sent his Son
to expiate our sins.
Psalm 145: 8-9
Het
Yahweh is tenderness and pity,
slow to anger, full of faithful love.Tet
Yahweh is generous to all,
his tenderness embraces all his creatures.
R.
The devil works in boredom. In the story of the
Prodigal Son, the prodigal son goes out and squanders
his Father's gift to him and we see in
our lives the Father gives us gifts to be
used and then we are to go home to be
with Him for eternity.
The devil wants to stir the pot, be anxious,
have combat going on –
Jesus is meek and gentle in heart –
We are not to live in chaos and commotion
the devil wants – starting
combat to have excitement –
The devil wants to take down the house –
A person with an undisciplined will,
can start fights when the needed event
God wants is to be peace and love
and faithfulness –
The devil works tempting a person in seeking
attention and wanting drama –
Who is first – God is first – not
men seeking attention and drama
when they are bored because they are
listening to satan's temptation with
a weak will –
We pray in the Holy Spirit Novena prayer
"strengthen our will"
Strengthen our will to do what God
wants us to do – faithful to the
calling God gives us – like Fr. Joe
said Jesus did in the homily on
the 4th Sunday in Ordinary Time –
St. Thomas says a man of weak will
will go toward evil –
We must pray the prayer
"strengthen our wills,
purify our consciences,
rectify our judgment,
set our hearts on fire,
and preserve us from the
misfortunes of resisting Your
inspirations. Amen."
February 9, 2016
Dear Friends,
I give my heart to Jesus and Mary with you in love.
If you read Fr. Joe's book like I did on the 13th you can see how awesome it is.
It helps me understand what is happening in the writings during the liturgical year.
It is so very good, it makes me so eager to live the liturgy in my life,
live in the liturgical year.Well we have sent over 13,000 of Fr. Joe's new cycle books since the beginning of November to priests and hierarchy
all over the world.It can enrich so many lives with the weekly sermon rooted in the Word, the Eucharist,
the liturgy,
the Mass,Baptism, love and unity.
When a priest uses the book weekly he focuses on the Bread of Life to feed the people.
Say a priest says 4 or 5 Masses weekly
Think of how many souls could be reached with the people attending Mass.Fr. Joe speaks of love and being a member of the body of Christ, living in relationships
all in the context of the scripture.We see salvation history and its ups and downs -
we see our calling from God
and we see our part in salvation history.God calls - we respond.
The body of Christ can help the world to raise up to greater perfection.
What are you doing to help this coming election in the United States.
This book of Fr. Joe's can help so many people every week.
We have sent over 13,000 books out to priests and hierarchy to every priest in your state.
We have sent the books to so many priests in the United States and all Bishops.
Can't you help us.
We also send a Prayer Brochure with the Shepherds of Christ prayers praying for the priests, the Church and the world.
We pray in adoration 8 days a month with usually 6 Masses for you, your family and the priests the Church and the world.
We pray in 24 hour adoration before the Exposed Blessed Eucharist in China for all this and for you.
The China mortgage is due tomorrow
and we are struggling because of giving so much money to the Ministries.
Can anyone help us with a donation.
Also we are printing another 20,000 of Fr. Joe's books
going to all the priests in the United States.This can enormously help for this coming election.
A weekly Priestly Newsletter used about the scriptures and everything at Sunday Mass.
Please we need your help.
If you want to know what to do to help the world and especially all active priests in the United States please help us with a donation.
We need your help today.
Thanks for your prayers and help in advance.God Bless you and love you.
Rita Robinson Ring
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 $5.00Books 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 Genuine4 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
Copyright © 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.
