May 25, 2010

                Response to God's Love

                Jesus: I call you to respond to the love
                I have given you — You have been
                given unique talents by Me —
                You are to operate according to the
                will of the Father — You are unique
                with individual talents given by
                God to do My work — to use them selfishly
                for your own vain glory is wrong —
                You are to use your talents for the
                honor and glory of God —

                    It is about the heart — That the
                heart is likened to mine —

                Song: Give Me Your Heart Oh Jesus —

                Jesus: I call out from the depth of My
                Heart to purify your hearts — A
                heart that gives into more and more evil
                becomes more and more corrupted
                and more and more blinded — the
                vision of the corrupted heart is
                covered with volcanic ash — the
                vision is distorted more and more by the
                evil — distortion toward God — not seeing
                as God wants, but seeing with an
                uninformed conscience — the one with
                a corrupted heart does not see their
                brothers in love, but in greed, possession,
                anger — to use them for one's own
                power and glory —

                And more than the others they lie to
                themselves about their sins — if
                a spiritual director tries to change
                their evil on the family or community they
                become enraged and defend their debase
                actions trying to prove their ill deeds
                as right when in fact they were
                sinful and wrong — they may stoop
                to punish and provoke others for
                their own darkness within wishing
                to realize their own discomfort from
                their evil, for evil causes misery —

                    To be as you were created, with a
                heart likened to Mine, makes one
                happy — to succumb to evil makes
                one's heart bleed with misery — become
                hard and calloused in heart and hurt
                others because of the hatred and blackness
                in oneself —

                    The devil wants you to not deal with
                your child of the past — to not look at
                unhealed hurtful relationships —
                he baits you with pride "Oh I handled
                that" and then you punish yourself
                most of all with a hard, unyielding
                heart — you become more and more angry
                having deprived yourself of real
                intimacy with God and others now,
                and you in your darkness cry
                like a fish out of water — hurting
                others in your isolation, anger and
                darkness, gasping for breath —

                    When life is just a breath
                away, but the grip of darkness
                you have given into instead of
                forgiveness, love and unity and
                peace —

                    You have chosen, acted out and
                are stuck in blackness, unforgiveness,
                anger, hate, darkness, misery —
                distorted vision —

                    seeing not with the vision of
                God, which is faith, but with
                the dark, volcanic ash coming
                from the anger of your muddy heart —
                Cold with sin, pride and pompous,
                not soft, yielding, obedient to God
                and loving as God commands
                the hearts to be —

                Song: Give Me Your Heart Oh Jesus

                Song: Why Do We Hurt the Ones We Love

                Jesus: Oh but you want to slip into your
                patterned ways of darkness
                that are a rut to hell and sin —
                How black are the hearts?

                How light is one likened to Mine?

                R. I saw a picture of a little girl
                looking at a picture of themselves —
                The little picture looked like the baby
                on the picture had a scheme —

                    We have patterned ways of acting we
                learned as children, survival tactics
                and unless, as Fr. Mike says, we work
                with others in relationships we can
                have the maturity of a child
                If we all look at ourselves and
                see how we have acted in relationships,
                in loving, in obedience to God's
                will, in building His Kingdom —
                in praying to the Holy Spirit to help
                us see with the vision of the Father,
                in being pure, in acknowledging
                our faults, in repenting to God to
                help strengthen our relationship
                with God and in repairing
                relationships with others we have
                offended, say we are sorry, want
                unity — not war from past hurtful
                angry relationships —

                    For all eternity if we go to
                heaven we will have the beatific
                vision, be one with God: Father,
                Son and Holy Spirit —

                    We can't be divided here
                below, hateful, angry, possessive
                and think we are preparing ourselves
                for heaven —

                    God commands us to love —
                This is a challenge — to use our
                unique talents and give the
                gift God has given to us to the world —
                for His honor and glory

                    Having an angry calculating,
                jealous heart will not prepare
                us for heaven —

                    We must open ourselves to
                loving and forgiving — to building
                God's Kingdom, not satan's —

                Praying for peace, love and joy —
                Praying for vision to prepare
                    us for the beatific vision —

                Give God what He wants —
                He is the Creator
                He has the Plan
                He gave us our talents
                He wants us to spread His light

                Not be closed in on ourselves
                    with get even, angry
                    hearts —
                    when we are wounded by men and
                    have been so blessed by God to
                    do His work —

                Oh Holy Spirit I go to the heart
                    of Mary, most pure, my
                    spiritual Mother —
                    help me to be like Jesus —
                    mold me in the image
                    of Jesus —
                    with a heart of love

                Cast out the darkness of my heart —
                    I long to serve God and build
                        a city of God on this earth —
                        A city of light
                The Shepherds of Christ Movement

16 Years Ago

                When I never knew Fr. Carter I got

Ephesians 2: 19-20

                    Jesus taught the 12 Apostles, He chose —
                they were always with Him — They
                were eyewitnesses —

                    The hierarchy are the descendants
                of the Apostles — Jesus taught the
                first Apostles —

                    Listen to the 1st reading of
                May 24th — Peter

1 Peter 1: 3-9

Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who in his great mercy has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and into a heritage that can never be spoilt or soiled and never fade away. It is reserved in heaven for you who are being kept safe by God’s power through faith until the salvation which has been prepared is revealed at the final point of time.

This is a great joy to you, even though for a short time yet you must bear all sorts of trials; so that the worth of your faith, more valuable than gold, which is perishable even if it has been tested by fire, may be proved—to your praise and honour when Jesus Christ is revealed. You have not seen him, yet you love him; and still without seeing him you believe in him and so are already filled with a joy so glorious that it cannot be described; and you are sure of the goal of your faith, that is, the salvation of your souls.

                Readings Today

Psalm 98: 1-4

Mark 10: 28-31

                Christ left the Apostles to carry
                    out the work He began —

                Jesus chose Peter to be the pope —

Matthew 16: 18

So I now say to you: You are Peter and on this rock I will build my community. And the gates of the underworld can never overpower it.

                The bishops today are the Apostles'
                successors —

                Peter was the first pope —
                The Holy Father comes as a
                    successor of Peter —

                Christ is among us —

                Christ instructs us through
                    the hierarchy of the
                    Catholic Church —

                Christ founded the Church
                    upon the Apostles
                    and the Church is ruled by
                    the successors of the Apostles —
                    and teachers of the doctrine
                    of the Church —
                    passed on to us by the Apostles
                    and their successors —

                The Catholic Church is
                    one
                    holy
                    Catholic
                    and Apostolic

Mark 16: 15

And he said to them, ‘Go out to the whole world; proclaim the gospel to all creation.

 

Luke 10: 16 

    ‘Anyone who listens to you listens to me; anyone who rejects you rejects me, and those who reject me reject the one who sent me.’

 

John 20: 21-23

and he said to them again, 'Peace be with you.

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

After saying this he breathed on them and said:

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

                A bishop is successor of the Apostles.
                The pope is the successor of St. Peter.

                Jesus told Peter to
                    "Feed My lambs"
                    "Feed My sheep"

                Jesus told them before He
                    ascended into heaven

Matthew 28: 20

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

                Say the Apostles Creed —

                Do you believe it?

                It is a profession of our faith.

                Sing: Do You Really Love Me?

John 14: 15-16, 23b-26

If you love me
    you will keep my commandments.
I shall ask the Father,
and he will give you another Paraclete
to be with you for ever,

Anyone who loves me will keep my word,
and my Father will love him, 
and we shall come to him
and make a home in him.
Anyone who does not love me
    does not keep my words.
And the word that you hear
     is not my own:
it is the word of the Father who sent me.
I have said these things to you
while still with you;
but the Paraclete, the Holy Spirit,
whom the Father will send in my name,
will teach you everything
and remind you of all I have said to you.

John 16: 12-15

I still have many things to say to you
but they would be too much for you
    to bear now.
However, when the Spirit of truth comes
he will lead you to the complete truth,
since he will not be speaking
    of his own accord,
but will say only what he has been told;
and he will reveal to you
    the things to come.
He will glorify me,
since all he reveals to you
will be taken from what is mine.
Everything the Father has is mine;
that is why I said:
all he reveals to you
will be taken from what is mine.

                There was more we needed to learn —

                Jesus says:

                    I am the way, the truth
                and the life — If you love Me
                you will keep My Word —
                I am Jesus your Savior

                Sing: A Priest is a Gift from God —

1 Corinthians 11: 23-26

For the tradition I received from the Lord and also handed on to you is that on the night he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread, and after he had given thanks, he broke it, and he said, 'This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.' And in the same way, with the cup after supper, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Whenever you drink it, do this as a memorial of me.' Whenever you eat this bread, then, and drink this cup, you are proclaiming the Lord's death until he comes.

Glorious Mysteries

The Resurrection

                (1) John 10: 11-15

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

Yes, the Good Shepherd has laid down His life for His sheep. The Good Shepherd’s magnificent Heart, overflowing with love for the Father and all of us, was pierced so that the waters of our salvation might flow forth: “It was Preparation Day, and to prevent the bodies remaining on the cross during the sabbath—since that sabbath was a day of special solemnity—the Jews asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken away. Consequently the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with him and then of the other. When they came to Jesus, they found he was already dead, and so instead of breaking his legs one of the soldiers pierced his side with a lance; and immediately there came out blood and water.” (Jn 19:31-34).

Yes, the Church was born from the pierced side of the Good Shepherd. The Church today is existing in very critical times. The world is experiencing a great multitude of problems, some of these most critical ones. The Church herself, which is a God-given source of light to the world, is herself beset with numerous challenges and problems. One of these problems is the numerous types of divisions existent in the Church. These are hampering her ability to be a light to this troubled world.

We priests, through the sacrament of orders, have been brought into a very special union with Christ. The interests of Christ must, consequently, be the interests of the priest in a most special manner. Consequently, since Christ has a most passionate love for His Church, the priest must strive to imitate this love. The priest must have a deep desire to help heal the wounds of the Church. He must have a burning desire to help her be more what God destines her to be. We must help her become a brighter light to lead a troubled world back to God.

Editor's Corner

by Edward Carter, S.J.

One of the main themes of this issue of the newsletter is that of Church. In our editor’s column, we wish to add a few more ideas about the Church.

We must all strive to grow in a sense of corporateness. We have to always strive to stretch our vision and be aware that we are members of the universal Church, as, at the same time, we are members of a particular parish and diocese. We must think in terms of what is good for the entire Church, and through the Church of what is good for the entire human race. We must be selfless, working for the good of the whole. Even when we disagree, we do so not that we may appear to have the upper hand, but because we believe that to disagree here and now is necessary so that the truth may better emerge. St. Paul speaks to us about the sense of corporateness:

“If our life in Christ means anything to you, if love can persuade at all, or the Spirit that we have in common, or any tenderness and sympathy, then be united in your convictions and united in your love, with a common purpose and a common mind. That is the one thing which would make me completely happy. There must be no competition among you, no conceit, but everybody is to be self-effacing. Always consider the other person to be better than yourself, so that nobody thinks of his own interests first but everybody thinks of other people’s interests instead. In your minds you must be the same as Christ Jesus.” (Phil 2:1-5)

                (8) Philippians 2: 1-5

So if in Christ there is anything that will move you, any incentive in love, any fellowship in the Spirit, any warmth or sympathy—I appeal to you, make my joy complete by being of a single mind, one in love, one in heart and one in mind. Nothing is to be done out of jealousy or vanity; instead, out of humility of mind everyone should give preference to others, everyone pursuing not selfish interests but those of others. Make your own the mind of Christ Jesus: 

                (9) Sing: The Church is One Foundation

                (10) Apostles Creed

                The Ascension

The Church as Body of Christ is the earthly, visible continuation of the Incarnation. Christ is the Head of the Body, we are His members. Since the Church is the terrestrial manifestation of the mystery of Christ, her life is patterned after His. The various mysteries or events of Christ, especially the central ones of death and resurrection, are to be relived by the Church's members. Indeed, the image of the Church is a Christic one.
 

For the Church to be constituted in the image of Christ is both a great privilege and a great responsibility. The more the Church can project the image of Christ, the more she is capable of being an instrument of continued redemption. Jesus led a life of material simplicity. Is this characteristic sufficiently manifest in the life of the Church? Jesus came to minister, not to be served. Do we as members of the Church properly project to one another and to the world an attitude of loving service? Jesus manifested a special concern for the poor, the lowly, the helpless. Do we do likewise? Jesus hungered and thirsted for justice's sake. Do the many flagrant violations of justice in our own day really bother us? Jesus loved each individual and forgave His enemies. Do we love everybody and do we forgive? Jesus was ridiculed, rejected, spat upon, beaten, crowned with thorns, abandoned by His friends, lifted up on a cross. This was all a proof of how much He loved His Church and the world. How much are we willing to suffer for the Church and the world?
 

Vatican II speaks concerning the Church and its relationship with the world: "Though mankind today is struck with wonder at its own discoveries and its power, it often raises anxious questions about the current trend of the world, about the place and role of man in the universe, about the meaning of the universe, about the meaning of his individual and collective strivings, and about the ultimate destiny of reality and of humanity. Hence, giving witness and voice to the faith of the whole People of God gathered together by Christ, this Council can provide no more eloquent proof of its solidarity with the entire human family with which it is bound up, as well as its respect and love for that family, than by engaging with it in conversation about the various problems.
 

"The Council brings to mankind light kindled from the gospel, and puts at its disposal those saving resources which the Church herself, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, receives from her Founder. For the human person deserves to be preserved; human society deserves to be renewed. Hence the pivotal point of our total presentation will be man himself, whole and entire, body and soul, heart and conscience, mind and will.
 

There is an errant philosophy of individualism rampant in today's world that can certainly influence the contemporary Christian. This philosophy is patently false. It provides a type of individualism that is inimical to community because it teaches that one must look out for oneself regardless of the consequences to others. Do your own thing, in other words, whenever and wherever you please, and let the chips fall where they may. This type of individualism is obviously wrong and pernicious.
 

Here are words of Pope John Paul II to a group of seminarians: "As you know, I have just had a long working session with your bishops. It was a particularly important conversation, in the course of which we were able, we who are jointly in charge of all the churches, to face up to our responsibilities in order to assume them according to what pleases God. And now, it seems quite natural to continue this conversation, in a way, with those who are preparing to become collaborators of the episcopal order, and to be associated in this way, in the Person of Christ, with the preaching of the Gospel and the guidance of the People of God. You are still young, certainly, but already you divine a great many things. You understand that your gift must be complete and that, the further you go, the more you will discover the necessity of making it-if I may venture to say so-even more complete. It is at this level, therefore, that I will take up my position with you, taking into account, of course, the fact that a way such as yours takes time, and a long spiritual, intellectual and pastoral maturation, and that the mere desire to become a priest is not enough in itself to meet the requirements of the priesthood.


 

                The Descent of the Holy Spirit

"One of these requirements, the most fundamental one, is that you should be deeply rooted in Jesus Christ. I invite you to this with all my heart. If you could learn, through prayer and contemplation, to live, preach, love and suffer like Christ, it seems that the main lines of your mission would gradually take shape clearly, and that you would also feel a vital need to join men and bring them what they really need. In such a proceeding, there is already the soul of the apostolate, so that 'action' is indissolubly linked with 'being', and vice versa. Here it is not useful to pursue vain discussions, nor is it good to prefer one to the detriment of the other. The Church intends to form you in complete interior unity, in which the mission requires intimacy with God, and in which the latter calls for the former.
 

The People of God are just that, people, and this implies that they are subject to imperfections and sinfulness like the rest of the human race. The Church is a pilgrim Church, made up of people struggling to be good, but at times failing, sinning, neglecting to live the Gospel ideal as well as they ought. But a pilgrim Church must endure this darker side of human nature. The pilgrim Church is still on its way, having much of the journey yet to travel. The pilgrim Church is in need of constant conversion of heart as it keeps reaching out to assimilate the Gospel of Jesus in deeper faith, hope and love.

Despite the imperfections and sinfulness of the Church, we should always be striving to love more loyally this organization which is the Body of Christ. We are to love the Church, not with a blind loyalty which covers over her faults and blemishes and sinfulness, but with a loyalty that strives to help the Church become more what she should be. We are also to love the Church in a way which allows us not only to look at what is wrong with her, but which also permits us to see all that is right with her. We are to love the Church as a gift coming forth from the pierced Heart of Jesus. To fail to love this Church, then, is to fail to love this precious gift which Jesus has left us in the shedding of His blood. Christ and His Church are inseparably connected. To grow in love of Christ is to grow in love of His Church.

Vatican II clearly reminds us that the Church's life is centered in her liturgy: "...the liturgy is the summit toward which the activity of the church is directed; at the same time it is the fountain from which all her power flows. For the goal of apostolic works is that all who are made sons of God by faith and baptism should come together to praise God in the midst of His Church, to take part in her sacrifice, and to eat the Lord's supper.
 

                (8) Sing: Come Holy Ghost

                (9) Sing: Veni Sancti Spiritus

                (10) From the Lectionary

Acts 2: 1-11

                Read pages 145-148 - The Spirit is Present from the Priestly Newsletter Book I

                Assumption

                (1) Immaculate Heart of Mary pray for us.

Mary Our Mother

                (5)  Priestly Newsletter Book I by Edward J. Carter, S.J. - pp. 88-89

Mary and the Priest

The Directory of the Ministry and Life of Priests tells us: “There is an ‘essential rapport…between the Mother of Jesus and the priesthood of the ministry of the Son,’ stemming from the existing one between the divine maternity of Mary and the priesthood of Christ.

“In light of such a rapport, Marian spirituality is rooted in every priest. Priestly spirituality could not be considered complete if it were to fail to include the message of Christ’s words on the Cross, in which He conferred his Mother to the beloved disciple, and, through him, to all priests called to continue his work of redemption.

“Like John at the foot of the Cross, every priest has been entrusted, in a special way, with Mary as Mother (cf. Jn 19:26-27).

“Priests, who are among the favored disciples of Jesus, crucified and risen, should welcome Mary as their Mother in their own life, bestowing her with constant attention and prayer. The Blessed Virgin then becomes the Mother who leads them to Christ, who makes them sincerely love the Church, who intercedes for them and who guides them toward the Kingdom of heaven…

“But they are not devout sons if they do not know how to imitate the virtues of Mary. The priest will look to Mary to be a humble, obedient and chaste minister and to give testimony of charity in the total surrender to God and the Church”.²⁶

26. “Directory on the Ministry and Life of Priests,” No. 68, as in Inside the Vatican, special supplement, November, 1994, p.25.

 

                (6) Sing: A Priest is a Gift from God

“This indirect perception of God will become in heaven a direct face-to-face vision of God. The contemplation of God is the destiny of every Christian (City of God, 19.19). Here on earth wisdom expands into loving action. The Christian thereby acts out God’s love for all creatures, just as Christ in His actions manifested God’s love for them. The source of wisdom, the divine love poured into human hearts by the Spirit arouses in persons the acts of remembering, understanding, and loving God.

                (9) Priestly Newsletter Book I by Edward J. Carter, S.J. - Augustine and Trinitarian Spirituality continues - p. 85

“Thus Augustine saw the essential process of the spiritual life to be the re-formation of the image of the Trinity in the human person by the grace of Christ freely accepted. Transformed into children of God, human persons enter into union with him not merely as creatures with Creator but as friends. The Father offers this grace of friendship to all through Christ, the universal way.

                (10) Priestly Newsletter Book I by Edward J. Carter, S.J. - Augustine and Trinitarian Spirituality continues - p. 85-86

                Mary is Crowned Queen of Heaven and Earth

                (1) Revelation 11: 19—12: 2

Then the sanctuary of God in heaven opened, and the ark of the covenant could be seen inside it. Then came flashes of lightning, peals of thunder and an earthquake and violent hail.

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 labour, crying aloud in the pangs of childbirth.

                (2) Sing: Hail Holy Queen

                Sing: Why Do We Hurt the Ones We Love

                Sing: Live This Day

                Sing: Christ Be Our Light

Give a gift that lasts.