Daily Writing
| Shepherds of Christ Daily Writing |
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May 28, 2008
May 29th Holy Spirit Novena
Scripture selection is Day 7 Period II.The Novena Rosary Mysteries
for May 29th are Luminous.
Come to
Adoration in China
12:00 noon to 3:00pm
on Friday May 30 -
Let's adore and honor Jesus on
Feast of the Sacred Heart.
Rita is doing a
Rosary in China
on the Feast of the Sacred Heart
May 30 - at 6:20pm.
Please tune in or come to
China and pray with us!! Rita
is doing the
Retreat in Florida
June 2nd - 5th
with an afternoon session at 1:00pm
and the 6:20pm prayers every day.
Please help us with the Priestly
Mailing. Funds are needed.
May 28, 2008
Homily from Fr. Joe
All Saints
November 1, 2005
INTRODUCTION: Our first reading is from the book of Revelation (Rev. 7, 2-4. 9-14). The section just preceding today’s passage described the end of the world. The sun became dark and the moon became red as blood and there was a great earthquake all over the earth. People tried to hide from all these terrible things and they asked: “Who can survive?” Today’s reading answers the question: those who have followed Christ faithfully. And those who have followed Christ faithfully form a large crowd which no one could count. The number 144,000 is a symbolic number, symbolic of completion or perfection.
HOMILY: (Gospel: Matthew 5, 1-12a) Do you ever notice all the saints we have represented here at St. Boniface church? There is the Blessed Virgin altar and St. Joseph’s altar with their statues. There are statues of St. Anthony, St. Rita, St. Teresa (aka, the Little Flower), St. Patrick and St. John Vianney (in the back). Someone asked where is the statue of St. Boniface. It’s outside at the top of the front of the church. There are those in the stained glass windows: Sts. Martha and Mary, all the apostles, St. Boniface, St. Cecilia and St. Gregory the Great in the stained glass windows in the choir loft. There are thousands of others who are designated as “saints” in the Church. I have a book that lists 7000 “saints” and says a little bit about each one of them. Today’s first reading tells us about a crowd so large that no one could count them. Who could count how many people there were who have lived holy lives and gone to heaven throughout these past 2000 years? I would have a hard time counting all the wonderful people I have known as a priest whom I’m sure God has welcomed into his kingdom.
We can learn a lot from all these holy people. Among them were people who died young and those who died old, those who were married, those who were single and those who were religious or priests. There were people from every walk of life, wealthy people and poor people and people in-between. Even though they had so many differences among them, they had certain things in common. They believed in God’s love, they made loving God central in their own lives. Some even went so far as to suffer martyrdom rather than give up their commitment to God. They revered the Mass, the sacraments and the Scriptures. They loved others not just in an emotional sort of way but in a way so as to be of service and help to others. In today’s feast, the Church not only wants us to remember all these holy people, but the Church puts them before us as guides on our own way to God. And it gives us the comfort of knowing that our relatives and friends who have gone before us and who have died in God’s grace now enjoy the fullness of God’s life and God’s joy. Some of the saints, as we know, were not holy at all in their younger days, but they came to realize the error of their ways and turned their lives around, knowing God is always ready for us to turn back to him if we will.
God has called us all to a life of holiness. God has called us all to be saints. If we end up being pictured in some stained glass window in a church that might be nice, but what is really important is that we be among that great number in God’s heavenly kingdom. St. John tells us in today’s second reading (I Jn 3, 1-3) that in God’s love he has made us his children. We are not only called God’s children but that’s what we really are. We ask the Lord today to help us realize our dignity and our purpose to be God’s children for all eternity with God in heaven.
end of homily
God wants unity like the love more
and more of the Persons of the
Trinity. We were created in the
image and likeness of God —
God gives us the Church to help
us live this unity — God gives
us the sacraments the fountain
of His life.
God wants us to live in the
Father's Plan — He created us in
the image and likeness of God —
God wants us to obey the
commandments — Our life here
is to live in greater unity —
As members of the mystical body of Christ
in the Church - we are to grow in
greater oneness — more likened to the
Trinity — living holy lives — we
are to be fed with the Bread of Life —
the Word and the Eucharist —
Deuteronomy 8: 2-3
Remember the long road by which Yahweh your God led you for forty years in the desert, to humble you, to test you and know your inmost heart -- whether you would keep his commandments or not. He humbled you, he made you feel hunger, he fed you with manna which neither you nor your ancestors had ever known, to make you understand that human beings live not on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of Yahweh.
Jesus wants us to sing the Psalms —
sing the Glory and Praise Songs and
we are fed
The Bread of life helps heal the
wounded human nature. The more
we sing the Psalms, go to the
Eucharist, sing the scripture
we are fed —
God nourishes us with the
Bread of life.
Those wishing to go to heaven must
realize we are here to grow in greater
unity and love — be more one like
the Persons of the Trinity.
Jesus is the head of the Church —
In Clearwater Mary's image head was
destroyed and Jesus' image remained —
Mary appeared to lead us to Jesus. I see
Mary and Jesus together. God wants us
to consecrate our hearts to the New
Adam and the New Eve — to spread the
Consecration to these 2 Pure and Holy
Hearts of Love — If we do this
Mary said at Fatima we will
have this era of peace.
Fr. Carter said until a sufficient number
of people have consecrated their
hearts to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary we
won't have peace in the world.
Look at the fruits of the Spirit
"charity, joy, peace, patience,
kindness,
goodness, generosity,
gentleness, faithfulness,
modesty, self-control, chastity"
We sing in China — Feast of the
Sacred Heart — before the exposed
Eucharist —
We sing the Word of God —
We sing from the Glory and Praise
God wants praise
Jesus wants reparation to His Holy Heart
Mary appeared in Clearwater and
when her head was knocked off
everybody cried put it back —
Mary is there to lead us to Jesus
The incarnation goes on in Mary's Immaculate
Heart her spiritual womb as the
Holy Spirit forms us more and more
in the image and likeness of God
In baptism we receive this
special sharing in God's life —
Our knowing and loving capacity is
elevated. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit
dwell in the graced baptized soul —
We are to serve and love God and grow
in that likeness of God to one day
have the beatific vision, but it
is a reward.
This life Christ has given us is not a type of superstructure which is erected atop human existence. Although nature and grace are distinct, they do not lie side by side as separate entities. Rather, grace permeates nature. The Christian is one graced person. The Christian is one who has been raised up, caught up, into a deeper form of life in Christ Jesus. (from the Spirituality Handbook)
We are to deepen this love with the Persons
of the Trinity here below growing in
unity and love —
The devil wants division, bitterness,
hatred, anger — he can press on memories,
feelings — they are in us from childhood —
and we can project anger, hatred —
stored in us from the child of the
past on innocent others.
We are not perfect — we are
imperfect — we are here to learn
about perfection more likened to
God — loving — living — unity —
Oneness of the Trinity and through
baptism we are commissioned to
help deepen this oneness rooted IN God
in the world — in the Church — in
the family — in our nations — for the
sake of the children — to help souls
to get to heaven —
to have families of love
to have families of unity
to have families likened to the Holy Family
Mothers and Fathers of love
Children likened to Jesus
Jesus came as a baby
Babies are little they need to learn
physical things and spiritual
things
They are jealous — they need to learn
to share — It is a good thing babies are little
The love we have for Our Heavenly Father
is to be confident like little children,
wanting to love Him and obey Him and
living as Jesus taught us — living His
example — His Word —
Our delight is to live the will of the
Father — this is loving God —
We want to be transformed more
and more like Jesus —
Heaven is unity
Heaven is love
We are preparing to go to heaven —
not seeking dominance for ourselves and
vain glory for our honor and glory —
We live the Pascal Mystery of Death
Resurrection —
We live the mystery of God's love —
We love the Bread of life —
We love the Holy Spirit
We have devotion to the Holy Spirit
We let Him move in us so we
are living according to God's
will in love —
The Holy Spirit counsels us — Jesus takes us to the
bosom of the Father —
The Holy Spirit works the marvelous wonder
of forming us more and more
in the image of God in the
Immaculate Heart of Mary her Spiritual womb
Excerpt from March 12, 2001
Messenger: Father Carter wrote about the whole of
the spiritual life in the
Spirituality Handbook.
He wrote it as Jesus told him to.
Enclosed is the table of contents of the
20 page Newsletter.
We must consider our relationship
with the Father, Son, Holy Spirit,
the members of the Church,
and the world.
In the Newsletter he talked about the overview
of the Spiritual life, the life of grace through baptism,
our relationship with Jesus who is Mediator.
He wrote of our relationship with the Father, the
Holy Spirit and Mary. Then he told me (all this from
the table of contents of the newsletter) how we live out the
spiritual life in the Church. The Heart of the
Spiritual life is in the sacraments and the Eucharist.
Father says in his newsletter on priesthood
"Through the sacrament of Holy Orders, Jesus has
provided His Church with priests who play a major
role in the dispensing of this life which Jesus
has come to give and to give most abundantly."
Priesthood is key to the life of the Church.
Prayer is the key exercise of the spiritual life.
And I quote from Father's Newsletter about our relationship
with others.
"Growth in the Christ-life gives us an increased
awareness of our relationships with others.
That is to say, the true Christian is keenly aware
that, to a great degree, God intends each of us to
press on toward maturity in the spiritual life
through proper relationships with our fellow
human beings."
From Father's Newsletter on the Christian and the World I quote:
"God calls us to share His love for His creation.
Growth in Christ develops our awareness of this
truth. The Christian should have a deeper love for
the world than the non-believer."
Purification
Growth in the spiritual life entails an ongoing
and progressive purification.
Faith
From Father's Newsletter on the Vision of Faith I quote
"Through faith we share in God’s knowing activity
in a special way, and we are able to know God and
creation in relationship to God in a supernatural,
God-like fashion.
If we are to properly progress in the spiritual life,
we must allow this vision of faith to more and more
penetrate our activities."
Hope
The virtue of trust is extremely important for
growth in the spiritual life.
From Response to God's Love I quote
"Christian hope is a virtue that allows us to tend toward God
in Christ as our absolute fulfillment, our absolute future. Hope
allows us to trust that God will grant us the graces necessary to
achieve this goal."
Humility
Humility is a very important virtue given to us
for the spiritual journey.
One of the blocks to the spiritual life, Father said,
was lack of humility.
Strength in Weakness
We must realize our weakness and see our
strength is in Him.
Living in the Present Moment
I quote from Father
"I suggest that one of the most difficult acts
of self-discipline in the spiritual journey
is to concentrate on the present moment."
This is necessary Father says for growth in the spiritual life.
Surrender to God
We must surrender to God. We give ourselves more
and more to Jesus.
We are guided through the Church
Mind and Heart
We cannot become heartless and too much
focused in our minds.
The Mystical Life
The mystical life is the relative ultimate development
of the spiritual life itself.
Father talks about the Hearts of Jesus and Mary and
the life of Consecration.
Here is the copy of the Table of Contents on his twenty
page Newsletter.
May 28, 2008 continues
The Church is life
giving — the devil wants
people to abandon their
calling in the Church —
A person can be full of anger,
bitterness — the devil works in
memories, feelings of the past and
a person can project anger, bitterness etc. on the
Church — The person then isolates
from the Church because of their
anger — anger inside of
them from the past —
 |
 |
Consecration to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary
helps bring peace and love
When we are squeezed with
pressure — we can act from these
places of hidden anger — untrue
thoughts —
Satan presses in — lack of
peace, loss of sleep — hunger —
jealousy — lust — possessiveness —
He can bring up memories
of unmet needs, guilt, feelings
of abandonment, shame, betrayal,
rejection, someone from childhood
that was a scapegoat —
there are wounds —
there are memories
there are old feelings
It can be generations of pain in
an alcoholic home — generations
of anger — dysfunctions —
When a person begins to know
the comfort the Church brings — the
life given through the sacraments —
they may want the unity we can
only have in heaven — they are
always hungering for the completeness
of heaven —
We are here to learn to grow
in love and unity for heaven — if
we want to go to heaven — we are
working on love and unity —
The devil presses in trying to
get people to isolate — be
angry — hatred — selfish — give
into the wounded human nature —
The more we love — the more we
heal these wounds — the more we
are like Jesus — we are not like
the wounded human nature.
We are here to prepare ourselves
for heaven — This means surrendering
to God's Plan — trusting Him —
Being under His feet
Being under the authority of
the Church
Living by the Word
Living by the commandments —
Obedience to God
When we disobey God — we give
into our wounded human
nature
How deep is our past anger —
Satan can press easily on
one who gives in frequently
to lust and anger
How deep is our wounded
anger — how have I grown
in unity — forgiveness —
developed this habit — of
loving —
being more and more in the image of
God —
Jesus is all pure — Jesus is
God. We were created in the image and likeness
of God.
Man sinned. Man has taught other men
impure ways from their imperfection —
how deep are our habits that are bad
habits — not loving as we should —
We are here to learn love and unity and then
when we do what God wants — being more
likened to Him we can someday go
to heaven forever —
It is a reward — if we give into anger —
possessiveness, lust, unforgiveness,
isolation, hatred, bitterness — we are
not preparing ourselves for heaven.
The devil has tempted people to
disobey God's rule — he presses on old
memories, feelings — We are the same
person as a baby where did all these
disappointments, angers, unmet
needs go. Parents must teach children
to obey, to share, to love, to not
be selfish — Some parents are so wounded
they turn the home into survival for the
children rather than teaching them
love — in a dysfunctional home —
they can be taught dysfunction —
not love — bitterness, hatred,
envy, jealousy, anger, they can
be afraid — fear of abandonment
by parents working out unmet
needs — being bitter, cruel and
selfish
How full is your tank with love
The devil can press on memories of
adults and they act like wounded children
of the past — projecting old feelings
of abandonment, survival skills
learned in an unloving home on
others —
anger —
getting even
fighting for things —
rather than sharing
respecting each other's things —
being happy when someone gets a reward
a victory - has an accomplishment —
rather than envy, jealousy, coveting
The Ten Commandments
I am the Lord thy God; thou shalt not have strange gods before Me.
Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.
Remember thou keep holy the Sabbath day.
Honor thy father and thy mother.
Thou shalt not kill.
Thou shalt not commit adultery.
Thou shalt not steal.
Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife.
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's goods.
How can somebody kill a baby to have
"freedom" of what they want to do —
they have an agenda —
they abort a baby
How can somebody do this
What are we teaching our children about
truth —
A person coming with deep rooted anger —
looks for a place to share their
anger arrow —
The cycle of abuse in families is
from this — a person is full of anger —
they rage
they use passive-aggressive measures
control etc. —
to defuse anger
like a pressure cooker — it is okay for
a short period of time — then the
anger mounts again
Stages
(1) provoking — other person puts up with behavior
(2) provoking — other person puts up with behavior
ANGER BUILDS — Red HOT CLIMAX
promises in the honeymoon cycle —
promises never kept
ANGER BUILD AGAIN
constant provoking
CLIMAX
person with serious problem —
needs to release anger
Anger inside needs to be dealt with —
Not make another suffer while they
work out this terrible abuse —
constant
LIKE ALCOHOL
Alcoholic - drinks to reduce pain
is addicted
An alcoholic
rage-aholic
has co-dependent relationships
use force to get others stuck
having a job that needs to be done
is a manner of force for
their irate behavior
money is a big use of power
force
they use power — force
In the study of what God wants of us
God wants unity — peace — harmony
and love
Available for $750.00
Fatima/Clearwater Glass Statues available.Call or go to China
1-888-211-3041
6015 N. State Rd 62
China, IN 47250
or call Clearwater
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Clearwater, FL 337651-888-321-7671
1-727-725-9312
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