Mary has requested that the daily message be given each day to the world. It is read nightly at the prayer service from her Image Building in Clearwater, Florida, U.S.A. This is according to her request. All attempts will be made to publish this daily message to the world at 11p.m. Eastern time, U.S.A.     We acknowledge that the final authority regarding these messages rests with the Holy See of Rome.

August 24th Holy Spirit Novena Scripture selection is Day 4 Period I.

The Novena Rosary Mysteries for August 24th are the Mysteries of Light.

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

Coloring Book 6

Mysteries of Light

   

  

Baptism of Jesus

1. Matthew 3:13

Then Jesus appeared: he came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptised by John.

2. Matthew 3: 17

And suddenly there was a voice from heaven, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved; my favour rests on him.’

3. Jesus is the Light of the World. Jesus loves us so much.
    Jesus wants us to love Him and talk to Him.

4. In the picture we see Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

5. We hear the voice from heaven.

...‘This is my Son, the Beloved; my favour rests on him.’ 
                                                                                                                Matthew 3: 17

6.  There are Three Persons in one God.

7. This is the Trinity.

8. God the Father wants us to love Him, pray to Him 
    and obey Him.

9. We are children of God. God loves us so much.

10. God the Holy Spirit is a Person of the Trinity.
      The Holy Spirit wants us to pray to Him.

 

 

    

  

  

Marriage at Cana

1. Jesus worked miracles while on earth.

2. Jesus performed a miracle at the
    Marriage at Cana.

3. Jesus loves the youth.

4. Jesus wants the youth to pray.

5. Jesus gives us the Holy Scripture.

6. Jesus gives us the Holy Eucharist. 
    The Holy Eucharist is a sacrament.

7. There are 7 sacraments in the Church.

8. We can go to Confession. Confession is a sacrament.

9. There is the sacrament of Baptism.

10. There is the sacrament of marriage in the Church.

    

    

    

Kingdom of God

1. God wants us to help build His Kingdom.

2. All of us working together to do what God wants
    us to do will help build the Kingdom of God.

3. The Our Father is an important prayer to pray.

4. We should pray deeply to Our Father when we
    pray the prayer the Our Father and think about
    the words.

5. Jesus wants to be the center of our hearts.

6. Jesus wants us to pray to Him.
    Jesus wants us to talk to Him during the day.

7. Jesus shows us His Sacred Heart.

8. Jesus shows us His Heart because He loves us so
    much.

9. Jesus wants us to make Him the King of our homes.

10. Jesus wants us to put the image of the Sacred Heart
      and Immaculate Heart in our homes.

    

   

    

      

Transfiguration

1. Matthew 17: 1

Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain by themselves.  

2. Matthew 17: 2-3

There in their presence he was transfigured: his face shone like the sun and his clothes became as dazzling as light. And suddenly Moses and Elijah appeared to them; they were talking with him. 

3. Jesus showed Himself to the Apostles in the brightest light.

4. God wants us to be good and loving to one another.

5. We must ask ourselves everyday before bed
    if we hurt anyone and tell God we are sorry.

6. God wants us to love our family, our neighbors.

7. Sometimes we are not nice.

8. Jesus showed Himself in this great light to the Apostles.
    We pray to God for grace to be good and holy
    more like Jesus.

9. We have a soul, God wants us to be good.

10. God wants us to be good. God wants us to serve Him. 
      God wants us to be with Him for all eternity.
      God has a special place for us in heaven, but
        we must serve Him.

 

 

    

  

Last Supper

1. Jesus washed the feet of the Apostles at the Last Supper.

2. Jesus changed bread and wine into His Body
    and Blood at the Last Supper.

3. Luke 22: 19-20

    Then he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.’ He did the same with the cup after supper, and said, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood poured out for you.

4. John 6: 51

I am the living bread 
    which has come down from heaven. 
Anyone who eats this bread 
    will live for ever; 
and the bread that I shall give 
is my flesh, for the life of the world.’

5. Today, Jesus gives us Himself in the Holy Eucharist.

6. Jesus wants us to come to Him in Holy
    Communion.

7. Jesus loves us so much.

8. Jesus loves little children to go to Mass.

9. Jesus is truly present in the consecrated host —
    no less present than the day He walked
    the earth.

10. We can visit Jesus at Church. He remains with
        us this day in the Blessed Sacrament.

Mysteries of Light

Baptism of Jesus

1. Jesus was baptised by John in the Jordan.

2. God gives us the sacrament of Baptism.

3. In baptism we receive a special sharing in
    God's life.

4. God is Divine.

5. There are Three Persons in one God:
    Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

6. God the Father loves us so much.

7. In the baptism of Jesus we see the Holy Spirit over
    Jesus.

8. Water is used as a sign of purity, cleansing.

9. God is our Father and He loves us so much —

        John 3:16

For this is how God loved the world: 
he gave his only Son, 
so that everyone who believes in him 
    may not perish 
but may have eternal life.

10. At the baptism of Jesus, the heavens opened above
      Jesus — listen to the scripture —

        Matthew 3: 16-17

    And when Jesus had been baptised he at once came up from the water, and suddenly the heavens opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming down on him. And suddenly there was a voice from heaven, This is my Son, the Beloved; my favour rests on him.’

 

    

    

   

  

Marriage at Cana

1. Jesus and Mary went to a wedding at Cana.

2. While they were there they ran out of wine.

3. Mary told Jesus.

4. Jesus changed the water in the water jars
    into wine.

5. Jesus performed this miracle at the
    wedding at Cana.

6. Jesus performed other miracle while on
    earth.

7. Jesus healed a paralyzed man and raised
    a little girl from the dead.

8. Jesus is God, He is all powerful.

9. Jesus showed us these signs of His Power.

10. Today Jesus gives us the priest. The priest
      has the power to change bread and wine
      into the Body and Blood of Jesus at the
      Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

   

   

     

Kingdom of God

1. Jesus is the King of heaven and earth.

2. God wants people to make
    Jesus the King of their hearts.

3. God wants people to make Jesus the
    King of their homes.

4. Jesus shows us His Sacred Heart.

5. The Sacred Heart of Jesus is a symbol of His
    love for us.

6. We are on this earth to tell people about
    God's love for them.

7. When we do this we help spread the
    Kingdom of God.

8. We are working for this when we are on earth.

9. I love the feast of Christ the King in November,
    right before Advent.

10. We praise and worship Jesus as King of heaven
      and earth.

    

   

      

    

Transfiguration

1. Adam and Eve sinned in the garden of Eden.

2. Jesus and Mary are the new Adam and the new Eve.

3. Jesus took Peter, James and John up the mountain.

4. Jesus showed Himself to the Apostles
    in great light, He was so beautiful.

5. We are not perfect.

6. We are on earth to learn to be more
    perfected as Our Heavenly Father.

7. That means we are here on earth, so
    when people see us, they will
    see our good works and love our
    heavenly Father through our good works.

8. When we are in the state of grace, God
    lives in us in a special way.

9. We want the Light of Christ to shine from us.

10. We want our hearts to be pure.

 

      

   

    

Last Supper

1. Jesus was with the 12 Apostles at the
    Last Supper.

2. Judas, one of the 12, betrayed Jesus.

3. Many times our friends hurt us.

4. Many of our friends help us.

5. The Apostles, the other 11, helped Jesus.

6. When Jesus ascended into heaven He left
    the Apostles to carry out His work.

7. Jesus gives us the sacrament of the Holy
    Eucharist.

8. Jesus remains with us today in His
    Divinity and Humanity in the consecrated
    Host.

9. The Holy Eucharist is such a gift.

10. Sing the song — A Priest is a Gift From God

    

 
 

Mysteries of Light

Baptism of Jesus

1. Matthew 3: 13-16

Then Jesus appeared: he came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptised by John. John tried to dissuade him, with the words, ‘It is I who need baptism from you, and yet you come to me!’ But Jesus replied, ‘Leave it like this for the time being; it is fitting that we should, in this way, do all that uprightness demands.’ Then John gave in to him. 

    And when Jesus had been baptised he at once came up from the water, and suddenly the heavens opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming down on him.

2. Matthew 3: 17

And suddenly there was a voice from heaven, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved; my favour rests on him.’

3. Jesus gives us the sacrament of baptism.

4. Often little babies are baptized.

5. Baptism is an important sacrament, we
    receive a special sharing in God's life.

6. God outpours His grace on us.

7. See the Holy Spirit above Jesus.

8. Jesus is a Divine Person; He loves us so much.

9. Jesus began His public life at this time.

10. John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus.

 

    

    

   

Marriage at Cana

1. John 2: 1-2

On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee. The mother of Jesus was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited.

2. John 2: 3

And they ran out of wine, since the wine provided for the feast had all been used, and the mother  of Jesus said to him, ‘They have no wine.’

3. John 2: 5

His mother said to the servants, ‘Do whatever he tells you.’

4. Jesus changed water into wine.

5. We can pray to Mary and ask her to ask Jesus to
    help us.

6. Jesus loves His Mother.

7. I pray to Mary to help me, and ask Mary 
    to intercede to Jesus for me.

8. Jesus likes us to ask Mary to ask Him for help.

9. Mary always did the Father's will.

10. We must live to do God's will. We must
      pray to know what that is.

   

   

     

Kingdom of God

1. Jesus is the light of the world.

2. When we pray the rosary we see insights
    into the mysteries of the rosary.

3. We should ask the Holy Spirit to help us
    know truths about God when we pray.

4. Jesus wants us to spread the "good news"
    of His Kingdom.

5. Pray the words of the Our Father now and
    think of every word.

6. Jesus is the light of the world. Praying
    to the Holy Spirit will help us have
    light to understand.

7. God always answers our heartfelt
    prayer some way, we may not
    see it, but we know God is
    helping us even if we don't see.

8. Jesus loves the little children so much
    and He wants children to gather
    and pray together for the priests,
    the Church and the world.

9. Jesus wants us to put pictures of the
    Sacred Heart and Immaculate
    Heart in our homes.

10. Say the Promises of St. Margaret Mary.

    

   

     

    

Transfiguration

1. Matthew 17: 1

Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain by themselves.  

2. Matthew 17: 2

There in their presence he was transfigured: his face shone like the sun and his clothes became as dazzling as light. 

3. Matthew 17: 5

He was still speaking when suddenly a bright cloud covered them with shadow, and suddenly from the cloud there came a voice which said, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved; he enjoys my favour. Listen to him.’ 

4. Jesus is the Divine God.

5. Jesus is all good.

6. We are tainted because of Adam and Eve.

7. Sometimes we are not nice.

8. We can pray for grace to help us be like
    Jesus.

9. Mary is all pure.

10. Jesus wants us to give our hearts to the
        Sacred Heart of Jesus and the
        Immaculate Heart of Mary.

  

    

   

   

The Last Supper

1. Luke 22: 14-16

When the time came he took his place at table, and the apostles with him. And he said to them, ‘I have ardently longed to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; because, I tell you, I shall not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.’

2. Luke 22: 17-18

    Then, taking a cup, he gave thanks and said, ‘Take this and share it among you, because from now on, I tell you, I shall never again drink wine until the kingdom of God comes.’

3. Luke 22: 19-20

    Then he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.’ He did the same with the cup after supper, and said, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood poured out for you.

4. Jesus gives us the Mass.

5. The priest has the power to change bread
    and wine into the Body and Blood
    of Jesus.

6. Jesus remains with us this day in the
    consecrated host.

7. Jesus remains with us in our Churches
    in the tabernacle.

8. Jesus is the light of the world.

9. When we go to the Eucharist Jesus
    outpours his grace to us.

10. Jesus wants us to come and pray to
        Him before the tabernacle.
        I give my heart to Jesus and Mary
        with you in love.

Mysteries of Light

    Baptism of Jesus

        1. Matthew 3: 13

Then Jesus appeared: he came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptised by John.

        2. Matthew 3: 14

John tried to dissuade him, with the words, ‘It is I who need baptism from you, and yet you come to me!’

        3. Matthew 3: 15

But Jesus replied, ‘Leave it like this for the time being; it is fitting that we should, in this way, do all that uprightness demands.’ Then John gave in to him.

        4. Matthew 3: 16

And when Jesus had been baptised he at once came up from the water, and suddenly the heavens opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming down on him.

        5. Matthew 3: 17

And suddenly there was a voice from heaven, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved; my favour rests on him.’

        6. This began Jesus' public life.

        7. Jesus called His first disciples.

        8. Jesus ministered to the people.

        9. Jesus worked miracles.

      10. Jesus is the New Adam.

    

  

  

 Marriage at Cana

        1. John 2: 1

On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee. The mother of Jesus was there,

        2. John 2: 2

and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited.

        3. John 2: 3

And they ran out of wine, since the wine provided for the feast had all been used, and the mother of Jesus said to him, ‘They have no wine.’

        4. John 2: 4

Jesus said, ‘Woman, what do you want from me? My hour has not come yet.’

        5. John 2: 5

His mother said to the servants, ‘Do whatever he tells you.’

        6. Jesus turned the water into wine.

        7. We can ask Mary to intercede to God for us.

        8. This is a miracle of Jesus recorded in the Bible.

        9. Jesus healed a little boy.

      10. Jesus healed others.

   

   

  

 Kingdom of God

        1. Jesus is the King of the Kingdom.

        2. Jesus is the Son of God.

        3. The Father sent His Son into the world.

        4. Jesus is Savior.

        5. This is good news.

        6. We must tell the people the good news.

        7. Jesus loves us so much.

        8. Sing the Song from Jesus.
  

        9. God wants us in heaven with Him for all
                eternity.

      10. God wants us to promote His Kingdom.

   

   

     

 Transfiguration

        1. Jesus took Peter, James and John up a high
                mountain.

        2. Jesus was transfigured before them.

        3. His face shown as the sun.

        4. His garments were white like a light.

        5. Matthew 17: 5

He was still speaking when suddenly a bright cloud covered them with shadow, and suddenly from the cloud there came a voice which said, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved; he enjoys my favour. Listen to him.’

        6. Jesus wants us to be changed, to be more
                likened to Him.

        7. Our whole life is a journey to love God
                more and love each other.

        8. Jesus is gentle and kind.

        9. Jesus obeyed the will of the Father to
                His death on the cross.

       10. We must pray for grace to be loving,
                to be more like Jesus.

  

  

  

 Last Supper

        1. Jesus sat with the apostles at the last supper.

        2. Jesus took bread and wine and changed
                it into His Body and His Blood.

        3. This is called the last supper.

        4. Jesus also washed the feet of the apostles.

        5. At the last supper Judas was there.

        6. Judas betrayed Jesus.

        7. Jesus loved Judas.

        8. Jesus forgives our sins, we must be sorry
                and ask Him to forgive our sins.

        9. The priest hears our sins in confession,
                the priest can forgive mortal and
                venial sins.

       10. This is a power God gives to His priest.

Mysteries of Light

    Baptism of Jesus

        1. John baptized Jesus in the Jordan.

        2. Matthew 3: 16

And when Jesus had been baptised he at once came up from the water, and suddenly the heavens opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming down on him.

        3. Matthew 3: 17

And suddenly there was a voice from heaven, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved; my favour rests on him.’

        4. Jesus called the apostles.

        5. Jesus taught them so they would teach
                the people.

        6. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John wrote the
                Gospels.

        7. Jesus loved the apostles, they worked to spread
                the good news.

        8. We are commissioned in baptism to go out
                and spread the good news.

        9. The sacrament of baptism gives us a special
                sharing in God's life.

      10. We get a special gift to love and know
                more like God through baptism.

    

  

  

 Marriage at Cana

        1. Jesus worked a miracle at Cana.

        2. Mary was there.

        3. Mary has powerful intercession.

        4. Jesus changed water into wine.

        5. Jesus worked miracles on earth.

        6. Jesus taught us how to live.

        7. Jesus gives us the Word.

        8. Jesus gives us the Commandments.

        9. Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead.

      10. Jesus healed a leper, He healed others
                too and some men didn't believe Jesus.

   

   

  

 Kingdom of God

        1. Jesus is the Son of God.

        2. Jesus wants us to make Him the King
                and center of our hearts.

        3. Jesus wants us to make Him the King
                and center of our homes.

        4. God wants the people of the earth to obey Him.

        5. God expects us to live by the Scriptures.

        6. God expects us to obey the commandments.

        7. God wants us to love Him.

        8. God wants us to love each other.

        9. God wants us to be holy and be a light to all.

      10. God wants us to give a good example to
                others.

   

   

     

 Transfiguration

        1. Jesus took Peter, James and John up a high
                mountain.

        2. Jesus was transfigured before them.

        3. That means He was so white like light.

        4. His face shown white like light.

        5. Jesus was talking to Moses and Elijah.

        6. Then Jesus turned to how He was.

        7. They came down the mountain, but
                they never forgot what Jesus had
                shown them.

        8. We make mistakes, sometimes we
                sin.

        9. Jesus wants us to be sorry for our sins
                and go to confession often, when we
                can.

       10. We must pray for grace to be holy.
                We have a soul.

  

  

  

 Last Supper

        1. See the apostles and Jesus at the 
                table for the Last Supper.

        2. Jesus changed bread and wine into
                His Body and Blood.

        3. God gives the priest the power to do
                this today in the Mass

        4. This is a great gift God gives to 
                the priest.

        5. It is a great gift for us to go to Mass
                and receive Jesus.

        6. Jesus wants us to receive
                the Holy Eucharist when we can.

        7. Jesus loves us so much He remains
                with us today in the Holy Eucharist.

        8. Jesus is truly present in the Holy Eucharist.

        9. We need to pray for our priests, the
                Church and the world.

       10. Our Church is a special gift 
                God gives us.

   

Coloring Book 7

Mysteries of Light

    Baptism of Jesus

        1. John baptized Jesus in the Jordan.

        2. Matthew 3: 16

And when Jesus had been baptised he at once came up from the water, and suddenly the heavens opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming down on him.

        3. Matthew 3: 17

And suddenly there was a voice from heaven, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved; my favour rests on him.’

        4. There are Three Persons in One God.

        5. Jesus is the Son of God.

        6. God the Father sent His Son to the earth.

        7. Adam and Eve sinned in the garden of Eden

        8. Jesus is the New Adam.

        9. Mary is the New Eve.

      10. Jesus and Mary are our models to follow.

    

  

  

 Marriage at Cana

        1. Jesus worked miracles while on earth.

        2. Jesus changed water into wine at
                the wedding in Cana.

        3. Mary told Jesus they did not have wine.

        4. John 2: 4

Jesus said, ‘Woman, what do you want from me? My hour has not come yet.’

        5. John 2: 5

His mother said to the servants, ‘Do whatever he tells you.’

        6. Today Jesus gives us Himself in
                the Eucharist.

        7. The priest can change bread and 
                wine into the Body and Blood of
                Jesus at the Mass.

        8. Jesus gives us special gifts in our lives.

        9. When we see a new born baby we are
                awed by this gift.

      10. Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, He healed
                the paralytic and He performed other miracles.

   

   

  

 Kingdom of God

        1. Jesus fed five thousand.

        2. Today He gives us Himself in the Eucharist.

        3. God comes to us in the Eucharist.

        4. Little boys and girls usually celebrate
                their first Communion.

        5. That is a special day, Jesus comes
                to those receiving Communion in
                a special way.

        6. Jesus wants us to tell the world He
                is truly present in the Eucharist.

        7. A person can get so much grace when they
                go to the Eucharist.

        8. A person can get so much grace when
                they sit in front of the tabernacle.

        9. Grace is God's life.

      10. We want to be filled with God's life
                in us.

   

   

     

 Transfiguration

        1. Jesus took Peter, James and John up
                the mountain.

        2. Jesus was transfigured before them.

        3. When we go to Communion we receive
                Jesus the Son of God.

        4. Jesus dwells within us in a
                special way when we go to Communion.

        5. We should prepare ourselves to receive
                Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.

        6. The Persons of the Trinity love us so 
                much.

        7. We must tell the world that God
                loves us and tell them about the
                Persons of the Trinity.

        8. God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit
                want our personal love.

        9. We live out the Pascal mystery of
                death - resurrection.

       10. God wants us to love Him and love
                each other.

  

  

  

 Last Supper

        1. Look at Jesus with His apostles at
                the Last Supper.

        2. Jesus changed bread and wine into
                His Body and Blood.

        3. Jesus ascended into heaven and left
                the apostles.

        4. We must rely on His might.

        5. Jesus wants people to love Him.

        6. Jesus wants people to live in peace
                and harmony.

        7. Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist.

        8. We must thank God for the
                sacraments.

        9. We must pray for the priests,
                the Church and the world.

       10. Jesus is the light of the world.

Mysteries of Light Book 3

Mysteries of Light

October 26, 2002

    Baptism of Jesus

        (1)    God gives us the sun.

        (2)    God is 3 Persons in one God.

This is the opposite end of the building
where Mary appears in Clearwater, Florida.
  

        (3)    

Mark 1: 9-11

Jesus is baptised

It was at this time that Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptised in the Jordan by John. And at once, as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit, like a dove, descending on him. And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my Son, the Beloved; my favour rests on you.’

    

        (4)    God gives us light.

        (5)    God gives us the star studded night.

        (6)     

November 5, 2000

                  
                God gives us the image of Mary on the building

Mary by day July 5, 2000

by night July 5, 2000

  
        (7)    

Mark 1: 9-11

Jesus is baptised

It was at this time that Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptised in the Jordan by John. And at once, as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit, like a dove, descending on him. And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my Son, the Beloved; my favour rests on you.’

    

        (8)    Jesus is the Son of the Father.

        (9)    Jesus is the Savior of the World.

        (10)   

    Marriage at Cana

        (1)    There were water jars there.

        (2)    They were soon filled with the finest wine.

        (3)    God's grace inside of us can help us
                    be more beautiful.

        (4)    Mary said  ...‘Do whatever he tells you.’ John 2:5

(5)   Mary has powerful intercession.           (6)   I intercede through Mary at Mass.

        (7)   I am always aware of Mary my spiritual Mother.

        (8)   She is with me.

        (9)   She loves me more than any mother could.

        (10) 

John 19: 25-27

Jesus and his mother

Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala. Seeing his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing near her, Jesus said to his mother, ‘Woman, this is your son.’ Then to the disciple he said, ‘This is your mother.’ And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.

    Kingdom of God

        (1)   For the power and the glory are Yours
                    Our Divine God.

        (2)   We love Thee so much.

        (3)    

        (4)   

John 18: 36

Jesus replied, ‘Mine is not a kingdom of this world; if my kingdom were of this world, my men would have fought to prevent my being surrendered to the Jews. As it is, my kingdom does not belong here.’

        (5)    

Ephesians 3: 14-21

Paul’s prayer

This, then, is what I pray, kneeling before the Father, from whom every fatherhood, in heaven or on earth, takes its name. In the abundance of his glory may he, through his Spirit, enable you to grow firm in power with regard to your inner self, so that Christ may live in your hearts through faith, and then, planted in love and built on love, with all God’s holy people you will have the strength to grasp the breadth and the length, the height and the depth; so that, knowing the love of Christ, which is beyond knowledge, you may be filled with the utter fullness of God. 

    Glory be to him whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine; glory be to him from generation to generation in the Church and in Christ Jesus for ever and ever. Amen.
  

        (6)   

                Jesus is the King of the Kingdom.

        (7)            

                The Sacred Heart of Jesus will Reign 
                    in the Hearts of the men of the earth.
  

        (8)    The Immaculate Heart of Mary will triumph.

        (9)    

The 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.

        (10)   Say Glory Be very slow with much emotion.

Glory Be

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Transfiguration

        (1)    Christ is the Light of the World.

        (2)    Jesus goes to the mountain with the apostles.

        (3)    I saw Him transfigured. I heard the Father speak

                "This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased."

                The sound of this makes me cry, 
                I can hear the Father say this.

        (4)    The Father is speaking to us.

       (5)    Jesus in the Blue Books said over and over
                    "I am the Son of God"

        (6)   

  
        (7)    God could lift the veil and we would see so much.

        (8)    We cannot even imagine God's power.

        (9)    God gives us the gift of the Eucharist.

        (10)   God is with us.
                God is 3 Persons in one God.
                God wants us to deeply love all 3 Persons:
                    Father, Son and Holy Spirit. 
                God wants us to know Him most intimately.

    Last Supper
    

        (1)    Jesus instituted the Eucharist.

        (2)     Jesus wants to remain with us in the Eucharist.

        (3)    Jesus wants us to receive Him in the Eucharist.

        (4)    Jesus wants this intimate love.

        (5)    Jesus gives us His Body and His Blood.

        (6)    Jesus is the Light of the world.

        (7)    We can be filled with His life
                    when we go to the Eucharist.

        (8)    Jesus fills us with special grace when
                    we go before the tabernacle.

        (9)    Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist.

        (10) 

For this is how God loved the world: 
he gave his only Son, 
so that everyone who believes in him 
    may not perish 
but may have eternal life.  John 3:16

  

Mysteries of Light

October 27, 2002
   

Baptism of Jesus

        (1)    John the Baptist was chosen by God.

        (2)    God created us in His own image and likeness.  

        (3)    God wants us to act according to His will.

        (4)    John the Baptist lived to promote the Kingdom of God.    

        (5)   Matthew 3: 3   This was the man spoken of by the prophet Isaiah 
                                        when he said:

                     A voice of one that cries in the desert,
                    ‘Prepare a way for the Lord,
                    make his paths straight.’    
                                 

        (6)    God calls many of us to make
                    tremendous sacrifices to 
                    help promote His Kingdom.

  
        (7)     Every moment we are here we 
                    should live to do God's will.

        (8)     Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist.
  

        (9)                     John 3: 27, 30

                 John replied:

                   ‘No one can have anything
                   except what is given him from heaven.

                He must grow greater,
                I must grow less.
  

        (10)                    Jeremiah 1: 4-10   

The call of Jeremiah

The word of Yahweh came to me, saying:

 ‘Before I formed you in the womb
     I knew you;
  before you came to birth 
     I consecrated you; 
  I appointed you as prophet to the nations.’

  I then said, ‘Ah, ah, ah, Lord Yahweh;
you see, I do not know how to speak: I am only a child!’

  But Yahweh replied,
‘Do not say, "I am only a child,"
 for you must go to all to whom I send you
 and say whatever I command you.
 Do not be afraid of confronting them,
 for I am with you to rescue you,
 Yahweh declares.’

  Then Yahweh stretched out his hand and touched my mouth,
and Yahweh said to me:

  ‘There! I have put my words
      into your mouth.
    Look, today I have set you 
   over the nations and kingdoms,
   to uproot and to knock down,
   to destroy and to overthrow,
   to build and to plant.’

   

Luke 1: 5-17

The birth of John the Baptist foretold

In the days of King Herod of Judaea there lived a priest called Zechariah who belonged to the Abijah section of the priesthood, and he had a wife, Elizabeth by name, who was a descendant of Aaron. Both were upright in the sight of God and impeccably carried out all the commandments and observances of the Lord. But they were childless: Elizabeth was barren and they were both advanced in years.
    Now it happened that it was the turn of his section to serve, and he was exercising his priestly office before God when it fell to him by lot, as the priestly custom was, to enter the Lord’s sanctuary and burn incense there. And at the hour of incense all the people were outside, praying.  
     Then there appeared to him the angel of the Lord, standing on the right of the altar of incense. The sight disturbed Zechariah and he was overcome with fear. But the angel said to him, ‘Zechariah, do not be afraid, for your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth is to bear you a son and you shall name him John. He will be your joy and delight and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord; he must drink no wine, no strong drink; even from his mother’s womb he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, and he will bring back many of the Israelites to the Lord their God. With the spirit and power of Elijah, he will go before him to reconcile fathers to their children and the disobedient to the good sense of the upright, preparing for the Lord a people fit for him.’

     

  

   

  

Marriage at Cana

(1)                                                        John 2: 1-11

The wedding at Cana

On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee. The mother of Jesus was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited. And they ran out of wine, since the wine provided for the feast had all been used, and the mother of Jesus said to him, ‘They have no wine.’ Jesus said, ‘Woman, what do you want from me? My hour has not come yet.’ His mother said to the servants, ‘Do whatever he tells you.’ There were six stone water jars standing there, meant for the ablutions that are customary among the Jews: each could hold twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, ‘Fill the jars with water,’ and they filled them to the brim. Then he said to them, ‘Draw some out now and take it to the president of the feast.’ They did this; the president tasted the water, and it had turned into wine. Having no idea where it came from—though the servants who had drawn the water knew—the president of the feast called the bridegroom and said, ‘Everyone serves good wine first and the worse wine when the guests are well wined; but you have kept the best wine till now.’ This was the first of Jesus’ signs: it was at Cana in Galilee. He revealed his glory, and his disciples believed in him.

(2)    Jesus changed water to wine.

(3)    Ponder the Power of God in these mysteries.

(4)    Think of this miracle.

(5)    Think of the miracles of Jesus.

(6)   ‘This is my Son, the Beloved. Listen to him.’ Mark 9: 7

(7)    Hear the voice of the Father speak

(8)    Jesus is the Son of God.

(9)    God has all the power.

(10)   We can go to Mary and ask
            her to intercede for us 
            to God.
          She has powerful intercession.

     

  

  

  

The Kingdom of God

(1)    Jesus is the Lamb of God.

(2)    I heard the Father speak 
        on January 9, 1994

        "My gift to you is My Son. This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased."
  

(3)    On January 9, 1996, I saw
            Jesus transfigured.

Excerpt from December 22, 1998

Messenger:  On January 9, 1996, I went to pray. The snow was so bad the street was blocked to Holy Cross-Immaculata. I finally managed to find a place to park and trudged through the snow, panting with joy to be with Our Lord in the tabernacle there. When I arrived all I could do was kneel before the Sacred Heart statue and pour out myself to Him.

On January 9, 1996, I would see Jesus transfigured before me in the statue.

(4)    Jesus is the King.

(5)    Jesus wants the picture of 
            the Sacred Heart in all
            homes.

(6)                                    Deuteronomy 7: 6-11       

For you are a people consecrated to Yahweh your God; of all the peoples on earth, you have been chosen by Yahweh your God to be his own people.

God’s election and his favour

‘Yahweh set his heart on you and chose you not because you were the most numerous of all peoples—for indeed you were the smallest of all—but because he loved you and meant to keep the oath which he swore to your ancestors: that was why Yahweh brought you out with his mighty hand and redeemed you from the place of slave–labour, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. From this you can see that Yahweh your God is the true God, the faithful God who, though he is true to his covenant and his faithful love for a thousand generations as regards those who love him and keep his commandments, punishes in their own persons those that hate him. He destroys anyone who hates him, without delay; and it is in their own persons that he punishes them.Hence, you must keep and observe the commandments, laws and customs which I am laying down for you today.
  

(7)                                        John 19: 31-37

The pierced Christ

It was the Day of Preparation, and to avoid 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 saw 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. This is the evidence of one who saw it—true evidence, and he knows that what he says is true—and he gives it so that you may believe as well. Because all this happened to fulfil the words of scripture: 

   Not one bone of his will be broken; 

and again, in another place scripture says:

   They will look to the one
      whom they have pierced.

(8)                                        Luke 15: 3-7

So he told them this parable:

The lost sheep

‘Which one of you with a hundred sheep, if he lost one, would fail to leave the ninety–nine in the desert and go after the missing one till he found it? And when he found it, would he not joyfully take it on his shoulders and then, when he got home, call together his friends and neighbours, saying to them, "Rejoice with me, I have found my sheep that was lost." In the same way, I tell you, there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner repenting than over ninety–nine upright people who have no need of repentance.

   

(9)    God calls us to conversion.

(10)   God gives us the sacraments.
         Some of these sacraments are
           Baptism, Communion, and Penance

    

   

  

 

Transfiguration

(1)    I saw Jesus transfigured here
            several times January 1996.
 

Excerpt from December 22, 1998

Messenger:    On January 9, 1996, I went to pray. The snow was so bad the street was blocked to Holy Cross-Immaculata. I finally managed to find a place to park and trudged through the snow, panting with joy to be with Our Lord in the tabernacle there. When I arrived all I could do was kneel before the Sacred Heart statue and pour out myself to Him.

Please show a picture of the tabernacle and the Sacred Heart statue.

From my writings of January 9, 1996, I write:

"I was engulfed again in my love of God and cried so hard because I love Him so much. In this intimate act of giving myself totally to Him, my whole act was in emptying myself, wanting only to be lost in Him and united forever to Him in this most blissful moment. I turned myself over and was lost in Him, knowing His presence with me and knowing His deep love. The world stopped and I existed in Him, longing to forever stay there, so this moment would never end."

"I touched you, God and in this embrace I knew your unending love. I saw Your Body as if it was transfigured and glowing in light and I was lost in Thee."

This is how it began. I would see a great reflective light, as if from a mirror, on the eaves of the church in the front of Holy Cross-Immaculata and His Body was changed in the most brilliant light before my eyes. I cannot describe what I saw, nor have I ever seen it except in this vision and two that would follow the next two days. Jesus was transfigured before my eyes.

The date of January 9, 1996, when it first happened, was the same date January 9, 1994, when I genuflected before the crucifix and the altar at St. Gertrude's and the Father spoke; Blue Book II-page 18, January 9, 1994: "This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased."

On January 9, 1996, I would see Jesus transfigured before me in the statue.

end of excerpt from December 22, 1998

(2)     Excerpt from February 24, 2002

Messenger:     When we opened the Rosary Factory February 5, 2000
                            Jesus appeared transfigured in the Sacred Heart
                            Statue beneath Mary's image.

                                end of excerpt
  

(3)    Excerpt from February 28, 1999

Messenger: I was in St. Gertrude's Church and I was in the front of the church. I was looking at the crucifix, and I heard the Father speak: "My gift to you is My Son. This is My beloved Son in Whom I am well pleased."

    On the 20th of August, 1997, I was at St. Gertrude's and the Lord appeared transfigured on the cross. I heard the voice of the Father speak, "This is My beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased, listen to Him."

end of excerpt from February 28, 1999

   

(4)     Fr. Carter used this writing I wrote
            in his Newsletter.

Excerpt from Newsletter 1998 Issue 1

    Here are certain reflections from a spiritual journal. Notice how Father, Son, Holy Spirit, and Mary enter into the person’s experience:

    "Well, the night was black, as black as black could be and the cold pierced my bones. I felt its chill go through my entire body and I wanted to scream and it happened—He gave me an outpouring of His life in my soul and my darkness was truly turned to light, another light, not the light of the eyes, a light of knowing God, the joy of beholding His heavenly embrace, the great illumination of another mystery. Oh such sweet gifts He gives when, in an instant, I pray my rosary and the Holy Spirit fills my heart with lights and the mystery lights up and I know, I just know, and I experience a great insight into God.

    "This is the reason for this letter, for I laid on my bed and I wanted to cry and I was deeply afraid for the demons pressed in as rocks poking at me and hurting my precious skin. I laid in bed and I went into the womb of my Mother Mary and I asked for the Holy Spirit to flood me with His light and it came: death-resurrection, darkness-light, sorrow-joy, suffering and pain, but oh, the joy of His light, the joy of His glory. It is in the death there is the resurrection.

    "So, I walk the road to Calvary. I mount the cross and I die. I offer sacrifice and in the morning when the night is done I see the glory of the resurrection. I experience His joy in my heart.

    "So I went to bed and went into the womb of my Mother Mary and the Holy Spirit flooded me with light and I united deeply to my precious Jesus on the cross. I know Him and His love. I reminisced on all the places of deepest intimacy I had shared with Him and my heart burned. I wanted Him to be so close to me, and I loved Him so much. I cried out, ‘I love you, I love you, I love you.’ In that moment I knew Him. He had removed my bonds and set me free. I then knew Jesus as never before.

    "I felt my great love for God the Father. I have been experiencing my littleness as a child and knowing my Father, seeing myself very little and knowing my Father and wanting as a little child to please Him. Then tonight I realized more His Fatherly love. I saw myself depending on Him, needing Him, crying to Him, loving Him and then I realized His might and love coming to me.

    "So I knew in an instant. He gives you a light and you know. I experienced the Trinity. My heart was consumed. I was engulfed in the love of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. I stopped to be in the embrace, wanting it to never end, for in this embrace I felt peace, a peace I had not felt before, so different from the days that had proceeded this moment, the days of suffering and trial.

    "I mounted the cross. I felt the nails press deeply into my hands and feet. I felt the crown of thorns on my head. I said to Him, "Oh, why, my God, if you love me, do you make it so hard?

    "And then I pictured Jesus on the cross. I saw His mouth with blood running from the corner of it. I saw the body of one close to death. I saw His wounds, blistery and red, pouring out His precious blood. I saw the hollowness of His cheeks and the exhaustion of one ready to expire in death. I saw the anguishing Lord Who came to show us His way. His way is death and resurrection. His way is pain and glory. His way is the way to eternal life!"

end of excerpt from Newsletter 1998 Issue 1

    

(5)      

Matthew 17: 1-8

The transfiguration

Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There in their presence he was transfigured: his face shone like the sun and his clothes became as dazzling as light. And suddenly Moses and Elijah appeared to them; they were talking with him. Then Peter spoke to Jesus. ‘Lord,’ he said, ‘it is wonderful for us to be here; if you want me to, I will make three shelters here, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.’ He was still speaking when suddenly a bright cloud covered them with shadow, and suddenly from the cloud there came a voice which said, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved; he enjoys my favour. Listen to him.’ When they heard this, the disciples fell on their faces, overcome with fear. But Jesus came up and touched them, saying, ‘Stand up, do not be afraid.’ And when they raised their eyes they saw no one but Jesus.

   

(6)    Jesus is the Son of God.

(7)    Jesus is the Light of the World

(8)    

  

(9)    ‘This is my Son, the Beloved. Listen to him.’ Mark 9: 7

(10)   Jesus calls out
        "I am alive, I am alive, 
          I am alive. I love you.
          I love you. I love you."

Last Supper

(1)    Excerpt from Newsletter March/April 1997

         Thoughts on the Mass

Vatican II tells us: "At the Last Supper, on the night when He was betrayed, our Savior instituted the Eucharistic Sacrifice of His Body and Blood. He did this in order to perpetuate the sacrifice of the Cross throughout the centuries until He should come again, and so to entrust to His beloved spouse, the Church, a memorial of His death and resurrection: a sacrament of love, a sign of unity, a bond of charity, a Paschal banquet in which Christ is consumed, the mind is filled with grace, and a pledge of future glory is given to us.

    "The church, therefore, earnestly desires that Christ's faithful, when present at the mystery of faith, should not be there as strangers or silent spectators. On the contrary, through a proper appreciation of the rites and prayers they should participate knowingly, devoutly, and actively. They should be instructed by God's word and be refreshed at the table of the Lord's body; they should give thanks to God; by offering the Immaculate Victim, not only through the hands of the priest, but also with him, they should learn to offer themselves too. Through Christ the Mediator, they should be drawn day by day into ever closer union with each other, so that finally God may be all in all."⁴

Note:
4. Documents of Vatican II, Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, Nos. 47-48, America Press edition.

 

(2)    Excerpt from Newsletter March/April 1997

Here are thoughts from one woman's spiritual journal on the Mass:

    "The priest needs to feed the people with the love of God. When people come to the Mass and the sacraments, they are spiritually fed.

    "The world cries out to be fed. The Church is the body of Christ. Jesus has chosen each priest and anointed him as Christ alive in this world today. The greatest calling is to be called to be a holy priest by our Lord Himself. How dearly He loves His beloved priests and longs for their love. As He suffered so during His bitter Passion for the lack of love of some of His chosen priests betrothed to Him, He was comforted by His holy priests. Jesus truly loves His sacred priests.

    "Jesus must live in the priest. The priest's every action must be one with Jesus. He is a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

    "When a priest is filled with the love of Jesus, He will unite more deeply with Christ in the great sacrifice being offered to the Father. In the holy sacrifice of the Mass, the faithful will see Jesus through the priest offering sacrifice to the Father. We will lift our eyes and we will feel, at this great sacrifice, the presence of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We unite in offering sacrifice to the Father. We all unite as one and give ourselves in such oneness with Jesus, in such love to the Father, in the Holy Spirit. We die to all those things that are not of Him and join in this great miracle taking place. The Father looks down and He sees the sacrifice of His beautiful Son through the consecrated hands of His holy priests. Heaven unites to earth. Earth cries out in such jubilation at the great gift given from the Almighty God, and we unite as creatures giving ourselves as a sacrifice to our beloved Creator. Do we experience the presence of God as His power flows through the hands of a man, the priest who takes ordinary bread and wine and changes them into the Body and Blood of our Lord? Do we hear Jesus cry out, as He did at the last supper, with the intensity in His voice reflecting all knowledge of the upcoming events of His passion and death?

    "Do we hear the priest say the words of consecration with the emotion of Jesus, about to give His life for His beloved souls? And the earth stands still. There is, at that moment, the sacrifice of Calvary sacramentally made present through the hands of the priest. Oh, that God so loved this world to give His only Son as a sacrifice and that God wants us in this deep oneness with Him. I give You myself, my beautiful God, as You so willingly gave Yourself to me on Calvary. I want to die with You.

    "Love between two persons is mutual giving. It is interaction between two people. It is intimacy. It is dependent on how much we give. We receive intimacy, interaction, according to how much we put into it. God gives His all. We see Him hanging, covered with blood, crowned with thorns, hands and feet pierced. We see His precious heart, font of life and love and mercy, pierced. This is freedom. He shows us the way. We give ourselves. We sacrifice and beg to be made holy, beg to be like Him in this holy sacrifice. The most important aspect of our offering sacrifice is how we are in our heart. Are we one with Jesus, giving ourselves to our beloved Father Who is all worthy of our love? Who are we that God loves us creatures so much that He, Almighty God, becomes present, no less present than the day He walked this earth, through the hands of a man, and we take it so lightly. Think of Jesus calling out. Raise the Host high, beloved priests. This is the Son of God and you have been given the greatest honor on this earth.

    "God comes to us. He gives Himself to us. Let us see ourselves as one in Him. Let us unite. Let us look at ourselves, all creatures of our beloved God, God, all Holy, all Magnificent, Almighty, all Powerful, and see what He gives us. Let us see ourselves as His creatures and Him as the Creator, and look at ourselves and see how we, and all men, are offending our precious God. As we unite, we beg, beg, with this holy sacrifice of His Son, for mercy. We watch it flow from the Father, in the Holy Spirit, through the font of grace and mercy, the pierced Heart of Jesus, through the heart of Mary, by the hands of the priest, who is one with Jesus, to us. We are so joined in such oneness with the Hearts of Jesus and Mary. We have given ourselves to Them. It is here, united to Christ in such oneness, that my sacrifice is received by the loving hands of the Father. It is in this oneness that He pours out His grace. We unite through Him, with Him, and in Him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, and we beg for mercy as His creatures who have offended our beloved God. This is our gift to You, our beloved Father. As Vatican II says, in union with the priest, we offer the Son to the Father. We give Him the greatest thanks for this holy and living sacrifice. We unite with the whole Church. We ask to be nourished by His Body and Blood, to be filled with the Holy Spirit, and increasingly become one body in Him. We join with Mary and all the saints and constantly plead for help through this sacrifice. Through this sacrifice may we make peace with You and peace for the salvation of the whole world. We pray in love and faith for your pilgrim Church, for the Pope, our bishop and all bishops, all clergy and all people. We ask the Father to hear the prayers of His family and ask Him in mercy and love to unite all children the world over. We ask the Father to take all our brothers and sisters that have died, that were good, into heaven. And we pray that we will have the vision of Your glory, through Christ, Our Lord, and we pray through Him, with Him and in Him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit. All glory and honor is Yours, Almighty Father, forever and ever.

    "We pray to the Father, with all our hearts and all our love, the 'Our Father.' We say every word. We say with such love, 'Our Father,' we pray that Thy kingdom comes on earth as it is in heaven. We want this kingdom here, we are all brothers and sisters and God is our Father and we want all men doing His will. We ask to be fed both spiritually and physically every day. We beg to be free from evil and have peace. We ask Him to keep us free from sin and anxiety and hope for His coming. We pray that the kingdom and power and the glory are God's now and forever. We give to each other peace and we beg for forgiveness and mercy. We are sinful, but we want mercy. We stand. We should shout out to the Father, "Look how sinful we are!" We beg for mercy for our sins and those of all men.

    "I experience the action of the Holy Spirit in a special way from the Consecration of the Mass. It fills me with such anticipation to receive Jesus, and I want to be holy. From the Consecration, I give myself to the Father, united in the Holy Spirit, in a special way. Consecrated to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary, I experience God. I love the Mass so much. The rest of this book that follows are my experiences during Mass, after Communion, and other times. Many are experiences at Holy Cross-Immaculata Catholic Church in Cincinnati, Ohio. For four months straight I experienced special moments with my beloved Jesus there daily."⁵

Note:
5. Rita Ring, The Mass: A Journey Into His Heart, to be published by Shepherds of Christ Publications.

   

(3)   A Prayer before the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass

    Let me be a holy sacrifice and unite with God in the sacrament of His greatest love.

    I want to be one in Him in this act of love, where He gives Himself to me and I give myself as a sacrifice to Him. Let me be a holy sacrifice as I become one with Him in this my act of greatest love to Him.

    Let me unite with Him more, that I may more deeply love Him. May I help make reparation to His adorable Heart and the heart of His Mother, Mary. With greatest love, I offer myself to You and pray that You will accept my sacrifice of greatest love. I give myself to You and unite in Your gift of Yourself to me. Come and possess my soul.

    Cleanse me, strengthen me, heal me. Dear Holy Spirit act in the heart of Mary to make me more and more like Jesus.

    Father, I offer this my sacrifice, myself united to Jesus in the Holy Spirit to You. Help me to love God more deeply in this act of my greatest love.

    Give me the grace to grow in my knowledge, love and service of You and for this to be my greatest participation in the Mass. Give me the greatest graces to love You so deeply in this Mass, You who are so worthy of my love.

                                                                           -God's Blue Book, December 27, 1995

  

(4)    

   

(5)     Excerpt from Newsletter November/December 1996

    Pope John-Paul II gives us these inspiring words: "Be blessed above all things, Handmaid of the Lord, who obeyed the Divine Call in the fullest way! Be greeted, you who united yourself entirely with your Son's redemptive consecration! Mother of the Church! Enlighten the People of God on the way of faith, hope and charity! Help us to live with all the truth of the consecration of Christ for the entire human family in the contemporary world. By entrusting, O Mother, the world, all individuals and all peoples to you, we also entrust to you the very consecration of the world, putting it in your Maternal Heart.

    "O, Immaculate Heart! Help us to overcome the threat of evil, which so easily takes root in the hearts of men today and, with the incommensurable effects, already weighs upon our contemporary existence and seems to close the way toward the future.

    "Free us from hunger and war! From nuclear war, from incalculable self-destruction, from every kind of war, free us! From the sin against the life of man at its dawning, free us! From the hatred and debasement of the children of God, free us! From every kind of injustice, national and international, free us! From the ease treading down God's commandments, free us! From sins against the Holy Spirit, free us! Free us!

    Receive, O Mother of Christ, this cry charged with the sufferings of all mankind! Charged with the suffering of entire societies. Reveal yourself once again, in the story of the world, to be merciful! May this cry halt evil! May it transform consciences!
May the light of hope, reveal itself to all in your Immaculate Heart! Amen".¹⁴

Note:
14. Pope John-Paul II, Prayers and Devotions, edited by Bishop Peter Canisuis Johannes van Lierde, O.S.A., Viking, pp. 357-358.

(6)    Jesus called 12 Apostles            look how the Church grew.

(7)    Jesus gives us the Eucharist.

(8)    We can attend Mass together.

(9)    We can unite to the Mass
            celebrated around the
            world all day.

(10)   

 

Excerpt from Mass Book - January 2, 1997

"In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen."

"The grace of Our Lord, Jesus Christ, and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all."

God pours out His grace in this Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. It is the greatest gift when God gives Himself to us.

We share with God His life, given to us abundantly in the Mass.

He gives Himself to us and we give ourselves to Him. The great love affair between God and man: His Holy Mass.

The priest is another Christ to us. It is Christ present, through the priest, celebrating the Mass. We must see Christ in the priest, see Him celebrate the Mass, see His beautiful brown hair, His gentle face, see Him, our Savior. This Jesus Christ that came was born an infant and gave Himself to His death on the cross that we would share His life. See Him now in the Mass, giving Himself in the greatest gift of all. He gives us His divine love and His divine life.

Oh, we thank You for Your life. We know Jesus died and rose and gave us a sharing in His holy life. His life is now abundantly poured, as a fountain to us, especially in the Mass.

Then we hear His word. Let the word of God penetrate our being. Let us feel this Living Word of God. As a two-edged sword, it comes forth with such conviction and love and it penetrates the souls of the faithful with such love. It is food indeed, food for our soul.

He is the Good Shepherd. He speaks to us. He gives us all we want. "Yahweh is my shepherd, I lack nothing." (Ps. 23:1)

He gives us green pastures, and His water pours out and refreshes us. He outpours His grace as a fountain to feed us with His life.

He is a just God, good and kind, all loving, for He is Love. We want for nothing for He outpours His love and His life to us in the Mass. We feast on His Body and Blood and are fed with His Word. We become one in Him and He shares Himself with us.

It is through the Mass celebrated by the hands of a holy priest that we will experience the Mass the way Christ intends. These writings are insights which hopefully will help lead you to the spring of life-giving water, the fountain of love and life He outpours in the Mass.

There will be a new earth when men will see with the light of seven suns. They will know God. A people walking in darkness will see a great light. They will no longer be blind, they will be enlightened, they will love God with the greatest love in the Mass. They will feast on His Body and Blood and will be united as one body in His holy Church through His life given to us in the Eucharist.

We will drink copiously from the fountain of grace which He pours out in the Mass. We will be filled with His love, absorbed with the love of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and feasting on His divine life.

We see with the vision of God. We partake in such a union with God. We see with the light the Spirit gives to us. The priest celebrates the Mass and we know God with such an intense knowing in this union. We are saturated with His life flowing from the hands of His consecrated priest.

And I look at Him, the priest, and I see Jesus there. I see Him giving Himself to Me. I see the new and Holy City. I see with such clarity the great gift that God gives to us in the Mass!

We learn how to love in the Mass, for we unite to God. He gives us such an intimate sharing in His divine love that we carry His love out to the world. In this union we know His loving to an intense degree and we carry this love out to others. We share in an intense way in His divine act of loving. He, Who is love, gives Himself to us and we are absorbed in His love and we know intensely how God loves. We are filled with love for God and for each other, for, in the oneness He is loving through us. He gives us lights into His loving capacity and we know His loving power in an intensity we did not know before.

We then pray. We offer up our intentions for this Mass. It is now we who intercede to Him to outpour His grace on us and help us with these intentions.

We pray for this reign of peace when the Sacred Heart of Jesus will reign and the Immaculate Heart of Mary will triumph and men will fervently love and adore God with burning love. We pray for all souls and the Church and we beg for His help, His love, His grace.

We offer ourselves as a sacrifice. We offer the bread that will become the bread of life.

The priest mixes the water and the wine and we realize how His Divinity mixes with our humanity.

We offer the wine that will become our spiritual drink-His blood.

I give myself to Him and I beg to be cleansed of my sins with the washing of the hands.

"May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands for the praise and glory of His name, for our good and the good of all His Church."

We ask Him to accept the gifts we want to give Him, we give Him thanks, we lift up our hearts in thanks and praise and we sing out:

"Holy, Holy God, of power and might…" we sing Him praise and thank Him-oh, God we love Thee so much."

My heart is so filled with such awe. I cry because I love Him so much.

Every word in the Mass, I love. The priest consecrates the host and changes it into the Body and Blood of Christ.

Oh, it makes me cry for I am so struck with awe at what happens at the Consecration. I unite in the oneness with the priest, with Christ and with all present, with heaven and earth. I am one in that moment, united in the sacrifice of Christ giving Himself to the Father.

This is the moment when I unite in such oneness with Christ in the purity of Mary's heart. I give myself as a sacrifice. I offer myself to the Father.

The Father looks down and He sees us united to His Son's Sacrifice. It is in this oneness that His grace is outpoured on us, that we die to that which is not like Him and that the Holy Spirit works in the heart of Mary and fills us with His life.

I am in ecstasy as I realize more and more the great gift of love that God gives us in His holy Mass. I am taken to such heights, being wrapped in the presence of God. It is rapture, this Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

It is a great gift, experiencing this intense presence of the Almighty God: Through Him, With Him, and In Him.

We pray to the Father the prayer as Jesus taught us and beg, "thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven."

We pray: "For the Kingdom, the power and the glory are yours, now and forever."

We beg for peace in our hearts. We share this peace with one another. Then we beg of the Lamb of God. I want to get down to the ground and beg for His grace, mercy and forgiveness for our sins.

Please, God, I see us as a sinful people. I want the grace and mercy to flow abundantly.

He raises the Host and says: "This is the Lamb of God Who takes away the sins of the world, happy are those who are called to His supper."

We respond: "Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and I shall be healed."

I receive the Almighty God in Communion. All I want is Him. Oh, God, I want you, I adore you, I worship you, I love you.

Oh, for this moment when God gives Himself to me. Oh, God, words do not express this time-this intense presence of You within my being. Oh, sweet Savior, I love You!

You share Yourself so intimately with me. You imprint on my soul a knowing of Your Divine Being that is so intimate in this Communion when You give Yourself to me.

Oh, let our hearts be open to His grace that we may know this great gift more, that we will partake more fully in this greatest act of love with Divinity.

He shares Himself with us, the Almighty God, in such oneness. This is the greatest way to bind us with each other, to unite with each other in the Mass and Communion.

And so I sing the love of God, the love of His Mass. I beg you to pray for the grace that He can teach you in these writings about His most intimate love affair with man, the gift of Himself-the gift He gives us in the Mass.

The Holy Sacrifice, the sacrifice of Calvary, sacramentally-made-present in the Mass when He gives Himself to us with the greatest love!

And what does He ask in return? He asks that we love one another, that we give Him the glory, the thanksgiving, the adoration that is His due as the Almighty God.

He sends us forth with His blessing to share His most intimate love with all. We go forth as other Christs in the world. For He is alive this day and He lives in us and He gives His love to others through us. We act as channels of His life to one another.

The Mass is the richest source of His life. His life flows through the body, the Church, especially through the Sacraments and the Mass.

Oh Jesus, from the fountain of life that pours forth from Your pierced Heart, give us holy priests whose hearts are consecrated to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary to celebrate the Mass-that there is such oneness between the priest and Christ that His grace will flow copiously.

We thirst for the fountain of life pouring forth from the pierced Heart of Christ. It is His life we seek and find in the Church. It is His love we want and we experience the greatest love affair with God in the Mass.

These books on the Mass are accounts of my intimate love affair with our Almighty God. Many experiences were enlightenments I received in the Mass.

I strongly advise all to pray, to say the Holy Spirit Prayer, the Consecration Prayers, and the Prayer before the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, before Mass. (These prayers follow this message).

This book is the journey into the red room, the inner chamber of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, through the gateway, the pure and Immaculate Heart of His Mother.

It is in the Mass we give ourselves in such love to our Holy God. He gives Himself to us and we give ourselves to Him.

end of January 2, 1997
  

end of Mysteries of Light Book 3

August 23, 2003

Messenger:       We are soldiers for Christ all in a battle

                       line. I am a messenger from God. This is the

                       message we are in important times.

                           Tomorrow at 4:35 there will be a broadcast.

                       This is the second half of the August 19, 2003 message

                       never broadcast before. First part of the broadcast will

                       be played before the 6:20 prayers, the other

                       half will be after the 6:20 prayers.

                           Jesus told Father Carter to say the first

                       Mass in China, Indiana

                       August 26, 1997. Jesus told

                       him to do this. It was so

                       wonderful.

"MASS IN CHINA WITH FATHER CARTER"

Mary's Message
from the Rosary of August 27, 1996

Mary speaks:  I stood beneath the cross of my Son, and my Heart was in such pain for I saw Him before my eyes. I saw Him covered with blood. I saw Him die. My Heart, my children, my Heart to watch my Son, but my Heart, my Heart, how I suffered for my little children of the world that give in to this world and give up the love of my Son. O my little children of light, I give you this message. Carry this light into the darkness for your Mother Mary, for I stood beneath the cross and I cried. I cried for the little ones. I cried for the young ones, the ones that do not care and will lose their souls. How do I make you see for you will not listen to me? What can I do? I come. I appear. I beg. I plead. I give you these gifts from my Son, and you reject me. I do not deliver messages very often anymore for I have been ignored. The message is the same. You do not read the messages I have given to you. Please help me. Help the little children. I appear. I appear. I appear, and I am ignored. I stood beneath the cross, and I cried. I cried, and my Heart was in such anguish for my little children, for I am searching for them this day as I searched for the Child Jesus. Please, please help me. I cannot hold back the hand of my Son any longer. I am Mary, your Mother. I ask you to help my children. You are my children of light.

end of Mary's Message, August 27, 1996  

Here are pictures

from October 13, 2002 on Tom's Farm

and pictures of some of the apostles
that renewed their commitment

Tom's Farm

Excerpt from August 22, 2003

                                On October 13, 2003 there will be a

                            special Apostle Gathering. I am your

                            God, I call My Apostles in the Shepherds

                            of Christ to be Apostles, Servants

                            and Handmaids of My Sacred Heart.

                            This day will be a day to call you

                            My faithful ones and the new ones.

                                All must pray daily for vocations

                            to all seven categories.

     end of excerpt from August 22, 2003

October 13, 2003 - PLACE WILL BE ANNOUNCED

Excerpt from June 13, 2000

Oh Lord, we want to please you.

We want to love You and honor You and give You glory, we want to adore You.

We want the world to be majorly affected by our offering today.

Unite our hearts as one in Yours and Mary's Heart.

Dear Father, look down and see the sacrifice of Your Son as a most pleasing offering and please outpour your grace on us, our priests, the Church and the world.

We pray with all our hearts in the name of Jesus, in the Holy Spirit, through the powerful intercession of Mary, with all the angels and saints and the souls in purgatory.

We pray as a body united to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, we pray in Him. We give our hearts to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary, united in love for all the intentions of the Shepherds of Christ and for this day.

end of excerpt from June 13, 2000

Mary G.

 
How has being a member of Shepherds of Christ has changed my life?

When I was a baby, we lived next door to a convent and I had 12 years of Catholic education. I married and lived Cincinnati eventually. After my civil divorce, my three younger children and I moved back to Price Hill in Cincinnati where I grew up. This time brought me the Catholic Charismatic experience.

Dad died in '86, and I moved away to a small town. Though I tried, I thought no Catholic church or prayer group met my needs so I attended Protestant prayer meetings and services. I found ministers and prayer groups that deeply love the Lord Jesus, and I would still be in these circles except that I went back to Cincinnati to visit. I hadn't told my old friends that I was no longer a practicing Catholic so I joined them when they attended charismatic functions. At one of these I was given Blue Book I.

Actually, someone tried to give it to me and I wouldn't take it saying, I had too much to read , so it was given to the friend I was staying with. When we got home and she was out of the room, I opened the book so I could congratulate myself for not accepting it.

That's Jesus! Jesus is speaking in this book! I read almost the whole book that night, then I ate humble pie and phoned the lady who had pressed me to accept it. I received it in a few days.

Back home I read and reread it. Jesus was speaking loud and clear and I went to the nearest church and made a confession and resumed my long neglected practice of daily Mass. I also began to go to the Shepherds of Christ chapter meetings in Morrow, Ohio, where I heard the call for volunteers to come to the Virgin Mary Site in Clearwater, Florida.

How well I understand God's words, "Your thoughts are not My thoughts!".

Changing my thoughts and my ways comes more slowly than changing my address, which is now Clearwater, Florida.

Though retirement isn't at all what I thought it would be, I wouldn't trade places with anyone at all.

LEVELS OF COMMITMENT

There are seven levels of commitment in the Shepherds of Christ Movement.

1. There are Associates who gather and pray at least once monthly as a group and also help with donations to support the Shepherds of Christ priestly newsletter. They can be tremendously involved. They give as they feel they are able.

2. Apostles are members who have restricted their apostolic activity to the Shepherds of Christ. They literally act as a body of lay people who have given their lives in their present living situation to do all that they can to bring about the Reign of the Sacred Heart and the triumph of Mary's Immaculate Heart.

3. Prayer Apostles are often shut-ins, some are able to go to church and pray. They spend much of their lives praying for the Movement.

4. Apostles of the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus are those who spend at least two separate hours weekly before the Blessed Sacrament praying for the following:

1. For the spread of the devotion to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary culminating in the reign of the Sacred Heart and the triumph of the Immaculate Heart.

2. For the Pope.

3. For all bishops of the world.

4. For all priests.

5. For all sisters and brothers in the religious life.

6. For all members of the Shepherds of Christ Movement, and for the spread of this Movement to the world.

7. For all members of the Catholic Church.

8. For all members of the human family.

9. For all souls in purgatory.

5. Handmaids of the Good Shepherd are young and older women who have given their lives in community primarily to pray for the Shepherds of Christ Movement and intentions and to be special spouses of Jesus. Some have more duties than others. All have the primary duty of prayer and the desire to be a special spouse of our Lord. One of the functions of the handmaids is the involvement in praying for and helping to circulate the priestly newsletter. The handmaids are not members of a religious order.
     
     
     

6. Servants of the Good Shepherd are men who live in community with a lifestyle and purpose similar to that of the handmaids. The servants are not members of a religious order.
     
        

7. We wish to form a special congregation of priests who will realize their great oneness with Christ. They will be consecrated deeply to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary and support the Shepherds of Christ Movement as holy priests.

   Whatever one's level of commitment in the Shepherds of Christ Movement, all share in promoting the overall goal of the Movement. This goal is to help in the spiritual renewal of the Church and the world. All varied ministries of the Movement are directed toward this purpose. The spirituality which the Shepherds of Christ Movement presents to its members and to those outside the Movement through its various ministries is very basic. This spirituality is explicitly Trinitarian and Christocentric. Our spirituality helps others, especially priests, to develop a very deep union with Jesus, this Jesus Who leads us to the Father in the Holy Spirit with Mary at our side. Our spirituality is deeply Eucharistic. We stress very much participation in the Mass and prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. We also emphasize the extremely important role of prayer in the spiritual life. Devotion to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary, especially consecration to Their Hearts, is also a most important and central element. We are very much interested in helping to bring the Fatima message to completion, a message which has consecration to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary at its very core.

March 31, 2003

Messenger:         It is for God we live.

                            There are three Persons in one Divine God.

                            Yesterday I did the Blue Book reading at 4:30.

                            You can hear it on the radio at 4:37 p.m.

                            Our Lord wants us praying these prayers for the

                                priests, the Church and the world.

                                Fr. Carter S. J. taught at Xavier 31 years and

                                had a doctorate in theology.

                                After writing 33 Newsletters during his life

                                sending them to all the priests in the United States

                                he died December 18, 2000, the day after the 4th

                                anniversary of Mary's appearance on the

                                building.

                            Father Carter had a doctorate in theology

                                and authored 18 books on the spiritual life.

March 31, 2003 message continues

Messenger:         Here is one of the homilies he gave on living

                                in the moment in our Eucharistic

                                Center in China, Indiana.

March 31, 2003 message continues

Messenger:         Servants and handmaids pray hourly there before

                                the Blessed Sacrament for the priests, the

                                Church and the world.

                            We have 48 hours of adoration before

                                the exposed Eucharist on the 12th, 13th and

                                14th of each month praying for the priests,

                                the Church and the world.

                            On the 5th of each month we have a prayer

                                service at 6:20 and Mary turns rainbow

                                and gold and Jesus appears. Here are some

                                of the pictures when I went there on

                                January 5, 2003 and February 5, 2003.

January 5, 2003

February 5, 2003

Messenger:     The mailing we are sending to the 85,000 priests

                                now includes this.

Messenger:     This will be out by Easter, 

                                many Shepherds have worked hard

                                to get these prayers to the priests and

                                Mary's image.

                            Here is a letter from a Bishop we just received

                                                                                            March 6, 2003

Reverend and dear Director,

        Thank you very much for sending me a copy of "Shepherds of Christ-Spirituality 2 Newsletters" by Fr. Edward Carter S.J. along with the Prayer Manual for Shepherds of Christ Associates.

        I sincerely thank you for the wonderful and laudatory work you are doing to rekindle the dying embers in the hearts of priests torn asunder in this secularized world of to-day.

        I would like to start a chapter in the parish of "Sacred Heart of Jesus" in the city of _________ itself with at least ten members to begin with.

        Adjoining the church, we have a beautiful shrine with the picture of the garden of _________. The sisters of the congregation of the  _________ visit the chapel by turns and spend time in adoration. Local people also join them in silent prayer. The parish priest, Rev. Fr. ________, highly spiritual, is very much interested in this movement for prayer for priests, the Holy Father, the Church, Shepherds of Christ Associates and its Newsletter. He will be the contact person for Our Archdiocese. Both he and I joined together have translated the Prayer Manual in ____. We intend to start the chapter with at least 10 persons from the First Friday of April, myself offering the Holy Mass on that day.

        I am sending you a translation of the Prayer Manual in _____. Though you may not understand the language, I am proud to say it is a very ancient language, but still continuing to be a living one with a vast literature. May I request you to pray, bless and help this movement.

        I give here below the name and address of the contact person for our Archdiocese of _______________.

        _____________

        May I request you to contact him and send any material to him and to me.

        This is my 25th year of the Episcopal Jubilee and this will be a good event to start this movement in thanksgiving to the Sacred Heart of Jesus for all the favours he has showered on me.

        Thanking you,

                                            I remain,
                                            Yours devotedly in Christ,
                                           
                                            Archbishop of ________

Messenger:        This is what Mary said we must do at Fatima

                                for peace. 

                                "until a sufficient number of people 
                                make and live the consecration, we 
                                will not have peace in the world."

               1. Mark 1: 7

In the course of his preaching he said, ‘After me is coming someone who is more powerful than me, and I am not fit to kneel down and undo the strap of his sandals.

               2. Mark 1: 8

I have baptised you with water, but he will baptise you with the Holy Spirit.’

               3. Mark 1: 9

It was at this time that Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptised in the Jordan by John.

               4. Mark 1: 10

And at once, as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit, like a dove, descending on him.

               5. Mark 1: 11

And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my Son, the Beloved; my favour rests on you.’

               6. Messenger:  Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist.   

               7. Messenger:  Tremendous grace is outpoured when we
                                                pray before the Blessed Sacrament.

               8. Messenger:  Jesus is truly present in His Divinity and Humanity
                                                in the Eucharist.

               9. Messenger:  Jesus is the Light of the World.

             10. Messenger:  Jesus loves us so much.
   

               1.  Messenger:  Jesus performed miracles while on earth.

               2.   Messenger:  Jesus loves us so much.

                  3.  Messenger:  Jesus wants us to love Him.

               5.   Messenger:  God is all Powerful.

               6.   Messenger:  We must rely on His Might. 

               7.   Messenger:  We must surrender our lives to Him.

               8.   Messenger:  Mary did the will of the Father.

               9.   Messenger:  Pray through the intercession of Mary.

             10.   Messenger:  We are lights in the darkness.

               1. Messenger:  Jesus is the King of heaven and earth.

               2.  Excerpt of The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, by Louis J. Puhl, S.J. 

136. THE FOURTH DAY

        A MEDITATION ON TWO STANDARDS

The one of Christ, our supreme leader and lord,
the other of Lucifer, the deadly enemy of our
human nature

PRAYER.   The usual preparatory prayer.

window at a former Jesuit Seminary

137. FIRST PRELUDE.   This is the history. Here it will be that Christ calls and wants all beneath His standard, and Lucifer, on the other hand, wants all under his.

138. SECOND PRELUDE.   This is a mental representation of the place. It will be here to see a great plain, comprising the whole region about Jerusalem, where the sovereign Commander-in-Chief of all the good is Christ our Lord; and another plain about the region of Babylon, where the chief of the enemy is Lucifer.

139. THIRD PRELUDE.   This is to ask for what I desire. Here it will be to ask for a knowledge of the deceits of the rebel chief and help to guard myself against them; and also to ask for a knowledge of the true life exemplified in the sovereign and true Commander, and the grace to imitate Him.
   

FIRST PART

THE STANDARD OF SATAN

140. FIRST POINT.   Imagine you see the chief of all the enemy in the vast plain about Babylon, seated on a great throne of fire and smoke, his appearance inspiring horror and terror.

141. SECOND POINT.   Consider how he summons innumerable demons, and scatters them, some to one city and some to another, throughout the whole world, so that no province, no place, no state of life, no individual is overlooked.

142. THIRD POINT.   Consider the address he makes to them, how he goads them on to lay snares for men and bind them with chains. First they are to tempt them to covet riches (as Satan himself is accustomed to do in most cases) that they may the more easily attain the empty honors of this world, and then come to overweening pride.

   The first step, then, will be riches, the second honor, the third pride. From these three steps the evil one leads to all other vices.
   

SECOND PART

THE STANDARD OF CHRIST

143.   In a similar way, we are to picture to ourselves the sovereign and true Commander, Christ our Lord.

144. FIRST POINT.   Consider Christ our Lord, standing in a lowly place in a great plain about the region of Jerusalem, His appearance beautiful and attractive.

145. SECOND POINT.   Consider how the Lord of all the world chooses so many persons, apostles, disciples, etc., and sends them throughout the whole world to spread His sacred doctrine among all men, no matter what their state or condition.

146. THIRD POINT.   . . .   

end of excerpt of The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius
  

               3. Messenger:  Mary told me to reach the youth and tell them
                                                to pray the rosary and consecrate their hearts.

               4. Messenger:  Jesus wants us to pray the rosary.

               5. Messenger:  Jesus wants us to give our lives to Him.

               6. Messenger:  In Mass we offer ourselves united to the
                                                sacrifice of Jesus.

               7. Messenger:  The Mass is so powerful.

               8. Messenger:  The Power is in the Eucharist.

               9. Messenger:  God reveals insight into the Divine Mysteries in
                                                our soul when we come and pray before the
                                                tabernacle and go to communion if we ask for
                                                 this grace.

             10.  Excerpt from Newsletter 2001 - Issue 1

Relationship with Members of the Church

There is but one true Church of Christ. Yet this one Church has three different states of existence. There is the pilgrim Church, the Church of this world, composed of members who have received the grace of Christ and strive for its development. They have not yet obtained the goal of their efforts, as have the members of the heavenly Church, who enjoy God in eternal happiness. The Church suffering is an intermediate state of existence necessary for those who had not achieved the required purification as members of the pilgrim Church. Although there are these three phases of the Church’s existence, there is a profound union existing between all the members. All these members possess the same basic life of grace in Christ, and this common life establishes the most intimate bonds of love. In our preceding chapter, we discussed the pilgrim Church. Let us now consider the Church suffering and the heavenly Church.

The members of the Church suffering are those who have departed from this life in an incomplete state of Christian development. Their development is incomplete in the sense that grace has not fully taken possession of them, and, as a result, they are yet closed in upon themselves to a greater or lesser degree. They as yet cannot open themselves out in complete love to the Triune God in the beatific vision. They must undergo a further purification, a purification which could have been achieved upon earth with merit. Now the purification must be achieved with no merit attached. The pain of this purification is mixed with the certain expectation of achieving the vision of God. We can hasten the advent of this vision for this people by the offering of prayers and other good works. Scripture itself refers to our action on behalf of those in purgatory in Chapter 12 of the Second Book of Maccabees beginning with verse 38.

The members of the heavenly Church are those in whom the life of grace has taken full possession and has reached its completion in the life of glory. Faith now is unnecessary, as the light of glory gives the human intellect a new strength and capacity for seeing God face-to-face. While the Christian was a wayfarer, he received the imprint of the indwelling Trinity as he shared in God’s own life. Now in heaven that grace-life and possession of God reaches its completion—the absolute completion is not achieved, however, until the resurrection of the body. The divine persons give Themselves to the beatified in a profound union far surpassing that of the indwelling of the Trinity experienced here below.

This life of heaven is still the Christ-life, for just as we possess a share in Trinitarian life here below as mediated by Christ, and exercise this grace-life as structured by Him, so also in heaven is the mediation of Christ present. In the words of Rahner, "One always sees the Father through Jesus. Just as immediately as this, for the directness of the vision of God is not a denial of the mediatorship of Christ as man."¹⁴ And not only does the humanity of Christ unite the blessed to God, but also, in some way, to the whole of creation. This is merely a completion of what is begun here below, namely, the union with Christ in His humanity establishing the Christian in a special relationship with God, with other men, and with the whole of creation. We have a glimpse, therefore, of the fullness of life which members of the heavenly Church possess.

The heavenly Church, as St. Thomas says, is the true Church.¹⁵ The Church of this earth and the Church of purgatory are, each in its own way, reaching out in loving hope for the heavenly Jerusalem. Vatican II puts it very simply: "The Church, to which we are called in Christ Jesus, and in which we acquire sanctity through the grace of God, will attain her full perfection only in the glory of heaven."¹⁶

The members of the heavenly Church can help us in living our life of grace until we too share its fullness with them. Their power of intercession on our behalf is but another ramification of the communal aspect of Christianity. We are meant to help others grow in Christ. We, in turn, are intended by God to receive aid from others—yes, from members of the heavenly Church, as well as from those with whom we dwell here below.

Not only can we be aided by the saints’ intercession, but the example of the canonized saints can also be of great value to us. They have concretely proved that full holiness is possible. Such an inspiration is of real worth when we are tempted to think that Christian sanctity in its higher degrees is impossible of attainment. Moreover, the canonized saints, in their diversity, teach us that there are many authentic versions of Christian holiness. They can be innovators in showing us that there are numerous possibilities in assimilating the mystery of Christ, although the basic assimilation remains the same for all Christians of all times. In the opinion of Rahner this is one of the chief roles the canonized saints exert in the life of the Church.¹⁷

 

---

NOTES:

16. Second Vatican Council, Constitution on the Church, No. 48.
17. Cf. Karl Rahner, Op. cit., pp. 100-101.

end of excerpt from Newsletter 2001 - Issue 1  

               1.  Matthew 17: 1-8

    Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There in their presence he was transfigured: his face shone like the sun and his clothes became as dazzling as light. And suddenly Moses and Elijah appeared to them; they were talking with him. Then Peter spoke to Jesus. ‘Lord,’ he said, ‘it is wonderful for us to be here; if you want me to, I will make three shelters here, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.’ He was still speaking when suddenly a bright cloud covered them with shadow, and suddenly from the cloud there came a voice which said, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved; he enjoys my favour. Listen to him.’ When they heard this, the disciples fell on their faces, overcome with fear. But Jesus came up and touched them, saying, ‘Stand up, do not be afraid.’ And when they raised their eyes they saw no one but Jesus.

               2.   Messenger:  Fr. Carter wrote the book Response to God's Love 
                                                and it was published in '84. He used it as his text
                                                book all those years. He taught until his death in 2000.
                                                Here is a quote I love from Chapter 1 on the Trinity.

                        Excerpt from Response to God's Love

...In reference to Christianity, God himself is the ultimate mystery. Radically, God is completely other and transcendent, hidden from man in his inner life, unless he chooses to reveal himself. Let us briefly look at this inner life of God.

    The Father, in a perfect act of self-expression, in a perfect act of knowing, generates his son. The Son, the Word, is, then, the immanent expression of God's fullness, the reflection of the Father. Likewise, from all eternity, the Father and the Son bring forth the Holy Spirit in a perfect act of loving.

    At the destined moment in human history, God's self-expression, the Word, immersed himself into man's world. God's inner self-expression now had also become God's outer self-expression. Consequently, the mystery of God becomes the mystery of Christ. In Christ, God tells us about himself, about his inner life, about his plan of creation and redemption. He tells us how Father, Son, and Holy Spirit desire to dwell within us in the most intimate fashion, how they wish to share with us their own life through grace. All this he has accomplished and does accomplish through Christ. St. Paul tells us: "I became a minister of this Church through the commission God gave me to preach among you his word in its fullness, that mystery hidden from ages and generations past but now revealed to his holy ones. God has willed to make known to them the glory beyond price which this mystery brings to the Gentiles—the mystery of Christ in you, your hope of glory. This is the Christ we proclaim while we admonish all men and teach them in the full measure of wisdom, hoping to make every man complete in Christ" (Col 1:25-28).

               3.   God is light.

                  4.  1 John 1: 5

                      Messenger:   Jesus appeared to me here transfigured
                                                    January 96 (4 times).
  

Excerpt from December 22, 1998

Messenger:    On January 9, 1996, I went to pray. The snow was so bad the street was blocked to Holy Cross-Immaculata. I finally managed to find a place to park and trudged through the snow, panting with joy to be with Our Lord in the tabernacle there. When I arrived all I could do was kneel before the Sacred Heart statue and pour out myself to Him.

Please show a picture of the tabernacle and the Sacred Heart statue.

From my writings of January 9, 1996, I write:

"I was engulfed again in my love of God and cried so hard because I love Him so much. In this intimate act of giving myself totally to Him, my whole act was in emptying myself, wanting only to be lost in Him and united forever to Him in this most blissful moment. I turned myself over and was lost in Him, knowing His presence with me and knowing His deep love. The world stopped and I existed in Him, longing to forever stay there, so this moment would never end."

"I touched you, God and in this embrace I knew your unending love. I saw Your Body as if it was transfigured and glowing in light and I was lost in Thee."

This is how it began. I would see a great reflective light, as if from a mirror, on the eaves of the church in the front of Holy Cross-Immaculata and His Body was changed in the most brilliant light before my eyes. I cannot describe what I saw, nor have I ever seen it except in this vision and two that would follow the next two days. Jesus was transfigured before my eyes.

The date of January 9, 1996, when it first happened, was the same date January 9, 1994, when I genuflected before the crucifix and the altar at St. Gertrude's and the Father spoke; Blue Book II-page 18, January 9, 1994: "This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased."

On January 9, 1996, I would see Jesus transfigured before me in the statue.

end of excerpt from December 22, 1998
 

               6.  Jesus speaks:  My people I am the King of the Kingdom.

               7.  Jesus speaks:  I am the Light of the World. 

              10. 

                  1.  Messenger:  Jesus likes us to sing this song to Him.
  

                  2.  Jesus speaks:  I am the light of the world.

               4.  April 28, 2000

    So good is our God to give us this visible sign. My heart hungers and thirsts for Him in this great gift given.

    Today at the consecration of the Mass the priest consecrated the Host in a silver dish. My heart longs to see the beautiful white consecrated Host so much I could hardly stand it, I desired it so much. He lifted the dish and took out the beautiful consecrated Host and a see-through Host the same size appeared above the Host. I often see a small transparent halo surrounding the top of the Host. This appeared as such:

    I had such a burning in my heart to see the consecrated Host and I heard the words "are not our hearts burning within us."

    My heart ached with joy and wanting to be in this ecstatic state forever, but I was so aware of souls and the Sacrifice being offered, longing to be so one with Jesus as I dwell in Mary’s pure Heart, so that my heart would be so deeply united to Jesus’ in this Holy Sacrifice to the Father.

    I want so much in that moment of consecration. I want my sacrifice united to His so deeply so that grace will be outpoured for our needs. I beg and I cry for the souls in the world, all of us who so desperately need God’s grace and mercy.

    Oh, I want to offer such a Holy Sacrifice from the depth of my soul for grace and help from God. Oh, God, I am so sorry for our sins. Oh God, oh God, help us, I plead and I beg and I cry, I want it so much. I want all souls to love Him as I love Him and to unite in this Sacrifice as holy little children of the Father, pleading to God for help.

                  5.   A Prayer before the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass

    Let me be a holy sacrifice and unite with God in the sacrament of His greatest love.

    I want to be one in Him in this act of love, where He gives Himself to me and I give myself as a sacrifice to Him. Let me be a holy sacrifice as I become one with Him in this my act of greatest love to Him.

    Let me unite with Him more, that I may more deeply love Him. May I help make reparation to His adorable Heart and the heart of His Mother, Mary. With greatest love, I offer myself to You and pray that You will accept my sacrifice of greatest love. I give myself to You and unite in Your gift of Yourself to me. Come and possess my soul.

    Cleanse me, strengthen me, heal me. Dear Holy Spirit act in the heart of Mary to make me more and more like Jesus.

    Father, I offer this my sacrifice, myself united to Jesus in the Holy Spirit to You. Help me to love God more deeply in this act of my greatest love.

    Give me the grace to grow in my knowledge, love and service of You and for this to be my greatest participation in the Mass. Give me the greatest graces to love You so deeply in this Mass, You who are so worthy of my love.

                                                                           -God's Blue Book, December 27, 1995

                  6.  A Prayer for Intimacy with the Lamb the Bridegroom of the soul    

               9.  From Priestly Newsletter Book II, p. 248-249

             10.   

Psalm 85: 13

                                                Justice will walk before him, 
                                                treading out a path.

Messenger:          We must be positive.

                                Focusing on God and not the darkness —

                                Praying.

                                Putting all our trust in Him
  

                                Most Sacred Heart of Jesus I place my trust in You.

                                God loves us so much.

Luke 1: 52

He has pulled down princes 
    from their thrones 
        and raised high the lowly.

Isaiah 40: 5

then the glory of Yahweh will be revealed 
and all humanity will see it together, 
for the mouth of Yahweh has spoken.’

Isaiah 35: 4

and say to the faint–hearted, 
‘Be strong! Do not be afraid. 
Here is your God, 
vengeance is coming, 
divine retribution; 
he is coming to save you.’

Psalm 147: 20

For no other nation has he done this, 
no other has known his judgements.

Jesus speaks:        Oh My people, I love you so much.

                                Oh America land of plenty I love you.
  

Baruch 5: 5

Arise, Jerusalem, stand on the heights 
and turn your eyes to the east: 
see your children reassembled 
    from west and east 
at the Holy One’s command, 
    rejoicing because God has remembered.

Baruch 4: 36

Jerusalem, turn your eyes to the east, 
see the joy that is coming to you from God.

Psalm 98: 3

mindful of his faithful love and his constancy 
to the House of Israel. 

The whole wide world has seen 
the saving power of our God.

  

John 1: 14

The Word became flesh, 
he lived among us, 
and we saw his glory, 
the glory that he has from the Father 
    as only Son of the Father, 
full of grace and truth.

 

Matthew 2: 2

asking, ‘Where is the infant king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose and have come to do him homage.’

Epiphany January 5, 2003

John 8: 12

Jesus, the light of the world

When Jesus spoke to the people again, he said: 

    I am the light of the world; 
    anyone who follows me 
        will not be walking in the dark, 
    but will have the light of life.

John 1: 32, 34

And John declared, ‘I saw the Spirit come down on him like a dove from heaven and rest on him.

I have seen and I testify that he is the Chosen One of God.’

Messenger:          God we are sorry we have sinned.

Jesus speaks:        Oh My people I love you so much —

                                    I come to you dripping in Blood —

                                        hanging on the cross

Jesus speaks:        Oh Jerusalem — let your light shine —

                                    do not give into satan.

 Isaiah 60: 1-6

Arise, shine out, 
    for your light has come, 
and the glory of Yahweh has risen on you. 
Look! though night still covers the earth 
and darkness the peoples, 
on you Yahweh is rising 
and over you his glory can be seen. 
The nations will come to your light 
and kings to your dawning brightness. 
Lift up your eyes and look around: 
all are assembling 
    and coming towards you, 
your sons coming from far away 
and your daughters 
    being carried on the hip. 
At this sight you will grow radiant, 
your heart will throb and dilate, 
since the riches of the sea will flow to you, 
the wealth of the nations come to you; 
camels in throngs will fill your streets, 
the young camels of Midian and Ephah; 
everyone in Saba will come, 
bringing gold and incense 
and proclaiming Yahweh’s praises.

Isaiah 42: 1-4, 6-7

Here is my servant whom I uphold,
my chosen one
   in whom my soul delights.
I have sent my spirit upon him,
he will bring fair judgement to the nations.
He does not cry out or raise his voice,
his voice is not heard in the street;
he does not break the crushed reed
or snuff the faltering wick.
Faithfully he presents fair judgement;
he will not grow faint,
   he will not be crushed 
until he has established
   fair judgement on earth,
and the coasts and islands
   are waiting for his instruction.

I, Yahweh, have called you
   in saving justice,
I have grasped you by the hand
   and shaped you;
I have made you a covenant of the people
and light to the nations,
to open the eyes of the blind,
to free captives from prison,
and those who live in darkness
    from the dungeon.

1 John 5: 1-9

Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ
is a child of God,
and whoever loves the father
loves the son.
In this way we know
    that we love God's children,
when we love God
    and keep his commandments.
This is what the love of God is:
keeping his commandments.
Nor are his commandments
    burdensome,
because every child of God
overcomes the world.
And this is the victory
    that has overcome the world -
our faith.

The source of faith

Who can overcome the world
but the one who believes
    that Jesus is the Son of God?
He it is who came by water and blood,
Jesus Christ,
not with water alone
but with water and blood,
and it is the Spirit that bears witness,
for the Spirit is Truth.
So there are three witnesses,
the Spirit, water and blood;
and the three of them coincide.
If we accept
     the testimony of human witnesses,
God’s testimony is greater,
for this is God’s testimony
which he gave about his Son.

end of March 31, 2003

April 2, 2003

Jesus speaks:        My beloved ones, 

                                    I speak of purity and love. I see the whole

                                picture. I ask you to be saints. I have the

                                vision of God.

Messenger:                I have had visions when Jesus gives

                                me a message. I watch the person walk

                                into the vision when I do as He has asked

                                me to do. I know before the event the outcome.

                                Mary appeared to me during the entire prayer

                                service in the Sorrowful Mother chapel at

                                the Holy Spirit Center, the old seminary.

                                Jesus sent me there, Tuesday evening and

                                told me to pray for healing, Tuesday is

                                healing night.

                                    Mary also appeared there for a long time

                                after Mass on Thursday evening March 27, 2003.

                                She was so beautiful.

                                    At the end of the vision Mary appeared very

                                young and so beautiful, I cannot describe it.

                                    Yesterday Mary gave me a very tender

                                message how she cries for her children,

                                she wants them to come to Jesus, she loves

                                her children so very much.

                                    Here is a message I received from Jesus

                                yesterday for the servants, handmaids

                                and apostles of the Good Shepherd.

Message given April 1, 2003

Jesus speaks:                I love you so much My servants and

                                handmaids. I am proud of you, and

                                also My apostles who fervently serve Me.

April 2, 2003 message continues

Messenger:                 Here is a message I received from Jesus

                                today about 5:15 AM.

April 2, 2003 - 5:15 AM

Jesus speaks:         The ways of the human heart are never

                                hidden from Me.

                            For what good does it do to go to the

                                altar having gotten any energy

                                against your brother and

                                deceived him.

                            My ways are purity.

                            A man with unclean hands 

                                has the misdeeds first

                                in his heart.

                            My ways are unity and love —

                                My ways are oneness —

                            Do you think you are above and

                                step on the ants under you.

                                Then you have missed the story

                                of the cross.

                            I am the Divine God and I died

                                for you a mere human.

                            I watch, I know, no one

                                fools Me.

                            I do not want anyone to block

                                a plan I have put in

                                action for their own

                                selfish gain.

                            I know My plan, I put the

                                players in place, who are

                                you to judge that you are

                                above the players.

                            There is one way and it is purity of

                                action. When you lay your head down

                                the purity of your action or impurity

                                is not hidden from Me.

                            I died for your sins.

                            I sweat Blood.

                             I suffered blows to My Head

                                and My whole Body.

                             Now I give you Myself

                                as a Sacrifice.

                             What you do will go with

                                you.

                             You hide nothing from Me.

April 2, 2003 message continues

Jesus speaks:        My dear people,

                                    The flowers of spring have covered the

                                once barren branches of the trees

                                and the earth, the green grass blankets

                                the earth and the sound of the chirping

                                birds is heard.

                                    The devil does not sleep for he wants to take

                                souls forever to hell. He talks in people's head,

                                tempting them, wanting them to paralyze

                                themselves in his snare.

                                    The devil is evil. He wants your youth.

                                He wants to discredit the priests. He wants

                                you to fall into his web and he wants

                                you to suffer, finally he wants the

                                souls for hell.

                                    The devil tempts the young and old alike.

                                    My way is love.

                                    My way is purity.

                                (Jesus speaks of religious in the Catholic 
                                    Church taking a vow of celibacy.)

                                Religious should be pure, never

                                    flirtatious for selfish whims.

                                A Religious is one who deeply loves

                                    God and all souls, one who is

                                    warm, but not sexually seductive.

                                I have called My religious to a very

                                    special spousal union with Me.

                                They feel their calling to help souls

                                    very deeply.

                                I call you to bring forth fruit

                                    for the Kingdom.

                                Oh My Church is so precious to Me.

                                I love My Church.

                                I want My Church to be a place

                                    My people can come to

                                    find a deep love with Me.

                                Their souls are starving.

                                The children of My Church are

                                    hungering for the precious

                                    food they are given in

                                    My Church.

Priestly Newsletter 1997 July/August
 

        Saint Thomas Aquinas tells us: "Since it was the will of God's only-begotten Son that men should share in his divinity, he assumed our nature in order that by becoming man he might make men gods. Moreover, when he took our flesh he dedicated the whole of its substance to our salvation. He offered his body to God the Father on the altar of the cross as a sacrifice for our reconciliation. He shed his blood for our ransom and purification, so that we might be redeemed from our wretched state of bondage and cleansed from all sin. But to ensure that the memory of so great a gift would abide with us forever, he left his body as food and his blood as drink for the faithful to consume in the form of bread and wine.
        "O precious and wonderful banquet, that brings us salvation and contains all sweetness! Could anything be of more intrinsic value? Under the old law it was the flesh of calves and goats that was offered, but here Christ himself, the true God, is set before us as our food. What could be more wonderful than this? No other sacrament has greater healing power; through it sins are purged away, virtues are increased, and the soul is enriched with an abundance of every spiritual gift. It is offered in the Church for the living and the dead, so that what was instituted for the salvation of all may be for the benefit of all. Yet, in the end, no one can fully express the sweetness of this sacrament, in which spiritual delight is tasted at its very source, and in which we renew the memory of that surpassing love for us which Christ revealed in his passion.
        "It was to impress the vastness of this love more firmly upon the hearts of the faithful that our Lord instituted this sacrament at the Last Supper. As he was on the point of leaving the world to go to the Father, after celebrating the Passover with his disciples, he left it as a perpetual memorial of his passion. It was the fulfillment of ancient figures and the greatest of all his miracles, while for those who were to experience the sorrow of his departure, it was destined to be a unique and abiding consolation."⁴

NOTES: 

4. St. Thomas Aquinas, as in The Liturgy of the Hours, Catholic Book Publishing Co., Vol III, pp. 610-611.

                end of excerpt from Priestly Newsletter 1997 July/August

April 2, 2003 message continues

Jesus speaks:        My Church is a city set on a

                                    hill shining to the rest

                                    of the world.

                                My Church is My bride.

                                I am the way, the truth and the life.

                                My Church must stand a beacon

                                    light to My people.

                                My people come to be fed by Me.

                                My people come for love.

                                My people find love in My Church.

                                Oh it is for you I gave My life

                                    and died that you could

                                    experience everlasting life

                                    forever with Me in heaven.

                                Oh My beloved priests be busy

                                    about your holiness.

                                In your busy days stop always to

                                    spend an hour with Me before

                                    the Blessed Sacrament.

                                You are My beloved Spouse, My beloved priests.

                                I love you so much.

                                Many have committed themselves to

                                    other things that take them

                                    from any private union with Me.

                                I give you the power to turn bread and wine

                                    into My Body and Blood.

                                Oh My priests —

                                    I love you so very much.

                                    I love you, I love you,

                                    I love you.

                                I want you to come to Me.

                                I promise to those Churches who

                                    pray these prayers to turn

                                    their Churches into little

                                    cities of light.
  

April 2, 2003 message continues

Jesus speaks:        I promise to those priests

                                    who pray these prayers to

                                    receive special healing graces

                                    and graces to take them

                                    deeper into My Heart and

                                    Mary's Heart.

Apostles of the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus

  
My dear fellow Associate Members,

Jesus is calling special apostles to join a new division of the Shepherds of Christ Movement. Here is a message from Jesus given to Father Carter:

My beloved priest-companion, I am requesting that a new prayer movement be started under the direction of Shepherds of Christ Ministries. I am asking for volunteers who are willing to pray before the Blessed Sacrament for one hour, twice-weekly. Members of the Shepherds of Christ prayer chapters, as well as others, are to be invited to join this movement.

These apostles are to pray for the intentions I am giving you. For part of the hour they are to use the prayers of the Shepherds of Christ Associates Handbook. They may spend the rest of the hour as they so choose.

I will use this new prayer movement within My Shepherds of Christ Ministries in a powerful way to help in the renewal of My Church and the world. I will give great graces to those who join this movement. The name, Apostles of the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus, is to be given to this movement.

I am inviting My beloved Rita Ring to be coordinator for this activity.

I pour out the great love of My Sacred Heart to all. I am Jesus, Chief Shepherd of the flock.

    This is indeed a special calling for us to unite in one heart with His Eucharistic Heart and pray for the following intentions:

1. For the spread of the devotion to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary culminating in the reign of the Sacred Heart and the triumph of the Immaculate Heart.
2. For the Pope.
3. For all bishops of the world.
4. For all priests.
5. For all sisters and brothers in the religious life.
6. For all members of the Shepherds of Christ Movement, and for the spread of this movement to the world.
7. For all members of the Catholic Church.
8. For all members of the human family.
9. For all souls in purgatory.

Prayer for Union with Jesus

    Come to me, Lord, and possess my soul. Come into my heart and permeate my soul. Help me to sit in silence with You and let You work in my heart.

    I am Yours to possess. I am Yours to use. I want to be selfless and only exist in You. Help me to spoon out all that is me and be an empty vessel ready to be filled by You. Help me to die to myself and live only for You. Use me as You will. Let me never draw my attention back to myself. I only want to operate as You do, dwelling within me.

    I am Yours, Lord. I want to have my life in You. I want to do the will of the Father. Give me the strength to put aside the world and let You operate my very being. Help me to act as You desire. Strengthen me against the distractions of the devil to take me from Your work.

    When I worry, I have taken my focus off of You and placed it on myself. Help me not to give in to the promptings of others to change what in my heart You are making very clear to me. I worship You, I adore You and I love You. Come and dwell in me now.

-God's Blue Book, January 17, 1994

    A Prayer for Intimacy with the Lamb
the Bridegroom of the soul

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

A Prayer before the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass

    Let me be a holy sacrifice and unite with God in the sacrament of His greatest love.

    I want to be one in Him in this act of love, where He gives Himself to me and I give myself as a sacrifice to Him. Let me be a holy sacrifice as I become one with Him in this my act of greatest love to Him.

    Let me unite with Him more, that I may more deeply love Him. May I help make reparation to His adorable Heart and the heart of His Mother, Mary. With greatest love, I offer myself to You and pray that You will accept my sacrifice of greatest love. I give myself to You and unite in Your gift of Yourself to me. Come and possess my soul.

    Cleanse me, strengthen me, heal me. Dear Holy Spirit act in the heart of Mary to make me more and more like Jesus.

    Father, I offer this my sacrifice, myself united to Jesus in the Holy Spirit to You. Help me to love God more deeply in this act of my greatest love.

    Give me the grace to grow in my knowledge, love and service of You and for this to be my greatest participation in the Mass. Give me the greatest graces to love You so deeply in this Mass, You who are so worthy of my love.

                                                                           -God's Blue Book, December 27, 1995
    
 

                         I Want My Priests to Come Back

January 17, 1994 3:40 a.m.

Jesus: You know I am He Who lifts you up. In one second I can turn your feelings around and lift you up. Constantly pray to Me. You need Me through these times. Remember, I truly died for you on the cross. Remember, little one, I have chosen you to write to Me. Do you think I will ever abandon you? I am a God who truly loves His people. I love you with such ardent love. You must never doubt.

Look into My face and see My gentleness. I am the kindest of all hearts. I am He who knows how to love with such love. Become totally lost in My arms.

Do you think Satan will not taunt you? Put him behind you. You are being guarded by God and His heavenly court. Walk in My ways and the angels walk with you on your path. You are escorted on your way and you are never alone. You are guarded as a precious treasure that is being transported to another place.

You need to put all your cares in My hands. You are developing true trust when you let go and let Me take over. Keep trusting and silence the ugly prompting of Satan who wants you to worry about useless things. Quit worrying and pray and play with your children. I am telling you there is so much peace and grace gained by private prayer with them. I will tend to all the details of your life. Do not worry for one moment. Put your life in My hands. I am here, little one. Read this message and all of them over and over again.

You need to go to the Blue Book for your answers. Your answers are found there. I never leave your side. God is guarding you. Just continue to have a union with Me all through the day. All the prayer time alone with Me in one day is not enough. I want you in constant prayer.

Turn to Me and My Blue Book. This will help many priests to come back and sit before Me in private union with Me. When priests come back to the tabernacle, the flock will begin to be led back to His altar. Priests need to read these letters. They are the preachers. If they do not value their own relationship with Jesus, if they are being led away from Me with busyness, they will not preach the intimate love of Jesus. They are so busy, but it is like throwing out the baby with the bath water. I am the center and their relationship with Me is utmost.

The priests need these messages. They need to have an intimate, close union with Me. They should be preaching "time in front of the tabernacle." They should be preaching My intense love for My people and how I have so much to give. Some sermons are so complicated--yet nothing about union with Me in the Eucharist and in front of the tabernacle.

I want My priests to come back and pray before My tabernacle. I want them to read these messages and make Jesus the Center of their lives. When they are led back to Jesus, they will lead the flock home. Priests need adoration every day for at least an hour. I don't care how busy they are. None of it matters if they are not spending time in private prayer alone with Me. They need to come and get their supplies. They need to quit thinking they are doing it and turn back to turning their lives totally over to Me, to totally letting their burdens and busy lives off at the foot of My cross and letting Me lead the way.

There is not one priest who has so much to do that he cannot do private adoration daily. When the priest comes back to the power in the Eucharist and the tabernacle, the congregation will turn to God for their troubled hearts. Satan has led priests away from Jesus. They are so busy they cannot do all their work, but this must all take second place to praying silently before God and reading His words. These letters will help many priests to come back and be intimate with Jesus.

All the rituals, all the upkeep of the churches, all the little details, and the King of Glory sits alone! You have thrown out the baby with the bath water. You are missing the boat.

I want the priests to read this message. Where is the reverence after Communion and who has even heard it mentioned in the church? Private union with Jesus! What an honor! I have all you need. Come to Me and I will give you rest. I am all powerful. I have all the power. I am hyper--vigilant over your lives. I guard you. Quit trying to do it yourselves. Become selfless and let Me possess your souls.

Have the priests spread these messages. Read them in church. I want adoration of the Eucharist back. I want people to know I am God and I am coming to them in Holy Communion. I want the Blessed Sacrament exposed. I want My churches open. Union with Jesus, the love of Jesus, trust, faith, love for one another, love of God--I want all of these preached from the pulpit!

I am the Alpha and the Omega. I want My people to be led back to the center, which is Jesus. Pray for your priests. They are under attack. If Satan can wreck the family, the priests, the children, he has it made.

You are under attack, My beloved priests, and you, in your busyness, are being led away from your union with Jesus. Bring yourselves back to Me and let Me give you My love. I am indeed the bridegroom of your souls. I wait for My beloved ones at the altar. I long for private union with all My beloved ones.

Come to Me, all who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest. Come and be lifted up to heights you never dreamed possible. I am God. Put your lives in My hands. Let Me run your life. Quit running amok. You have lost your way and are running down the wrong road. Bring your lives back to Jesus in the tabernacle.

The world is getting farther from God every minute. Read the messages at prayer meetings. Spread them by word of mouth. The time you waste is valuable. These words are not meant to be saved. Spread them here by any means possible. I want them out, I tell you! If someone wants to read some messages, give them to them and let them read them at prayer meetings. There is no secret here. They are from Me and I want them out. I want you to speak. A lot of your discontent is in sitting around with all these messages and not spreading them. Tell your friends to speak. Speak My words here. You don't have to mention the source. Spread the messages. You are not what is important. The messages are. You will be exposed. Don't worry who knows, but don't spread your own story. Spread the messages. Like ripples on a pond, the love of God will be spread throughout the land. I have so much to give to My hurting ones. I am your God. I died for you out of deepest love. I have come in these messages to lead you back home.

Quit worrying of details. I am He Who runs the show. Pray for guidance every day. Spend one hour in front of the tabernacle. You cannot do in a million years what I can do in one moment. Quit relying on yourselves. You are only pushing buttons. When you are fixed in Me, the right door opens. When you go it alone, you have a hard road to walk. One hour in private adoration. Be silent or read the Blue Book. Your life will become uplifted by My teaching and you will sail a blue sky.

Spend time in silence and some in reading My words in front of Me. I am talking to you in these letters. What power, to read them in front of the tabernacle! You can't go it alone. You need My help. You need your supplies. But you must come and get them! You are following your tail around if you do it alone. I am He Who can do all this. When you realize My power in adoration, your lives will change. As long as you are too busy you will have a hard time. The soul craves this union with Me.

Lead the priests back to adoration and the people will follow. Our leaders have become too busy for adoration. This is the key, the key to unlock the doors to the world's problems. It is found in front of the tabernacle, at daily Mass and Communion. Do the priests ever preach any of this? You have forgotten your center, Jesus, in the Eucharist! All the power is found in Jesus. You have all that you need and you walk about and decorate My churches and clean every speck of dust and repair My pews and carpet My house and fix My organs but you walk about and miss the King of Glory who sits there all alone! Spread the messages on the tabernacle. I want them out!

        end of January 17, 1994

                         The Bridegroom Awaits

December 27, 1993 - 4:00a.m.

Jesus speaks: Dear child, the Son of Man waits and you sleep in the night. I wait for you and you sleep. You know I am waiting and you are dead in your bed. Awake, My little one, when I call. You must not give in to the desires of the body. I care for your needs. Your strength comes from Me. Jump from your bed, sound the trumpet and arise, for your Savior comes in the night to bring you a message for all His children. Ready yourself, for I do not like to wait. Get up and come, child. I am God.

I am He Who made the world, He Who makes the sun shine and the baby in the womb! You make Me wait while you sleep. Rise and run, for the Lord is at hand. God awaits you and beckons you to be attentive to your calling. Sound the trumpet! Arise in the night. I am He Who comes to you. You must harken to the call. Come pronto to My request and do not tarry. I wait and I wait and I eagerly want to talk to you.

I am Jesus, Son of the Living God. Oh, child, I want these messages to reach the ends of this earth. I deliver each with such love. Will you deliver My messages to all My loved ones? They eagerly need to hear My words of love. They need to know how I feel about each one of them. They need to know that I am God. I love each child uniquely and My love is the love of God. What can you get on this earth that can compare to the love of God? You have a message declaring My love for each of My children. They are My love letters to them. Please see that they receive this letter. This is your top priority. It is a love letter to My beloved ones.

I am your Savior. I am not a myth. I am alive and I come to you. I wait in the tabernacle every day as a prisoner. Waiting and waiting in the tabernacle and who comes to be with Me? I await you, My children, to come and realize that God is in the tabernacle. I am Jesus, the Son of God, and I wait for you every day. Come to Me in your busy day. Come to Mass. Make ready your hearts and receive Me in Communion. I am there awaiting you as a groom awaiting his bride. I want to be with you, united in Holy Communion. I am truly present there, but which of you come? I wait for each of you. I am God. I can love you each so intently you do not understand. Your brother does not make up your love to Me. I wait, you little ones. Will you come and receive your love this day?

Ready your hearts and keep them holy. God will enter there. Prepare the way for Me. Do not sin. Do not lie to yourselves and tell yourself that some sins are of no account. Every sin is wrong. I tell you what is right and wrong in your hearts. You know the Ten Commandments. Satan tells you "but in this case, you are exempt", "this is out of date, you are allowed here." No, little ones, sin is sin and your heart knows what is wrong! Keep it pure. The more you lie to yourself about evil, the more right it becomes. Oh, how sad to numb your beautiful heart and accept the things of this world that are evil as okay. Evil is evil and you must guard against any evil the world tells you is okay.

I am the way, the truth and the life. When you abide in My ways, you possess the light of life. Do not be pulled into the world and its evil ways. Ready yourself for My love. I am as a bridegroom awaiting his bride. So pure, so white, so untainted she appears, just for her loved one. Her ways are gentle and kind and she is a picture of holiness, dressed in a white gown. Dress your soul in a white gown for Me. Keep your soul clothed in a cloth of dignity, a white cloth untainted by any sin, pure as the bride who meets her groom. Our meeting is with such love.

You enter My church, you walk My aisle. Your bridegroom awaits you in Communion. I am the bridegroom of your hearts. I come with such love to enter your soul. I am He Who walks with you to be united in Communion. I am Jesus. I am your true Love. I wait for you, My child. Please clean yourself up for My arrival! Think of My coming the day before and eagerly await our union. This is the greatest event of your life, union with God. Anticipate it with such eagerness, as the wedding of our hearts. I await you, little ones. I am God. What could this world ever give you that can be likened to God's entering your soul?

I am God and I come to you in Communion. Do you wait for Me, the bridegroom of your soul? Do you wait as one who is going to one's own wedding? This event far surpasses any wedding. It is you who are missing the significance here. I am here every Mass waiting, just for you. Get dressed, purify yourself, see the priest, go to confession, guard your tongue as the opening to your soul. I enter therein and you receive God, my child. Do you not comprehend this a little?

Read My words here. They are as real as the eyes you use to read them. It is you who blind yourself to all I have to give you. You do not reach with the things of the soul. You look for explanations in bodily things. To see the soul and the things of God you must reach with the eyes of God. You must be opened by the faith I eagerly want to give you. Beg to be open to Me so I can give you all you need to know Me. This world is blurring your Godly vision. It is hard to see through the mask of evil it has created. Every day the mask becomes more dense.

I am here, little one. You must die to this world to see Me. You don't need more of the world. You need less of the world. As the world decreases, your knowledge of Me increases. Take the mask off your face. Make your hearts pure. Pray to the Holy Spirit for His gifts of wisdom, understanding, counsel, fear of God-all gifts that only He can give! Fill your hearts with the gifts of the Spirit. He will remove the blinders from your eyes and dwell in your soul. You will know a new life and I will become so much more alive to you. You, child, need the Spirit!

The way to God is through Jesus. You need the Spirit. You need the Father. You need all three. Pray to be made whole in the Holy Trinity. Pray for union with God. Pray for the things of the soul. When your soul is in order, all else falls into order. You needn't pray for things of the world. Pray to know Me more fully. Pray for unity with God. Pray for opening in your hearts. Pray for holiness. Pray for faith, hope, charity. Pray for knowledge of how to please God. These are the true treasures. All else is of no account. Don't recite prayers for worldly things. Pray for your union with God. This is what it is all about!

I am so eager to make Myself known to you. Our love affair awaits and it depends on you. I am here loving you. It is you who keep us apart. What could you find on this earth that could compare with a love affair with God, child? Your soul was created to know love and serve Me. It craves this union with Me. This appetite is stronger than any other you possess. You hold it back and make light of it because this world has taken God out. This world is messed up. I am God and you are a creature of God. You cannot take God from you or you remain only a creature. What dignity you sacrifice to remove God from yourself!

Prepare for the wedding of our souls. Your bridegroom awaits you. I am Jesus, Son of the one, true, God. I await your union with Me. Child, nothing you ever do on this earth can compare with Communion with God. If you do not behold this as something, you need to pray to know Me more. Go to the Spirit and beg Him for understanding and wisdom. Beg Him for all his gifts to enhance your knowledge of God. Beg the Spirit for His baptism. Let Him shower you with His life and you will become alive and on fire in your heart.

Your bridegroom awaits you. Prepare yourself for the wedding. Come, pure and white, and anticipate this union with eagerness. I love you so, My child. You will never find a speck on this earth that can compare with the love of God. Search, you feeble creature, for worldly satisfaction and you will never satisfy one little part of your soul. Your soul can only be satisfied by the love of God. It stalks your restless heart and is only satisfied in God. It craves God like an appetite except that it is much stronger. What is in your heart that is never satisfied by your worldly way? It is the soul that craves union with God. It constantly keeps you in a state of unrest, of searching, of seeking, of looking for more. The more is found in the Eucharist. It is the answer to the empty heart. It is the love you seek, but cannot find anywhere else. It is Jesus, child. It is your Bridegroom. Come and be in Communion with Him. He awaits you and bids you to come, pure in your heart, to the wedding-the wedding of your soul.

R. I felt as if there was so much I just did not understand and I was overwhelmed by the mystery of God. I opened the Blue Book to this:

Nov. 21, 1993:

Jesus speaks: Oh, what glories I have in store for you when you finally see it all, see all there is to Me! Little glimpses I will give you. These are special treats of My love, but you, in your earthly form, cannot even handle it. My power, My light, My fire would blow you off your feet and you would be out cold.

That is how I am at your side, with a power pack like this, and you worry about a power failure? Oh, how silly, when I am with you. Trust, trust. I am here.

          end of December 27, 1993

April 2, 2003 message continues

Jesus speaks:          Oh My priests, I long for your love.
  
    

THERE IS A MAN ON THE CROSS

God wants union with us. He wants fire. Many try to love God with a cold heart. They tell Him words that they think they should say that are loving.

When one loves, they do not need to be prompted to say words. From the depth of their being they cry out their words of love. It is a cry from within, from the fire within their chest, behind the words. The words are burning in their chest and must be released because of the fire behind them.

We are as blind men. We do not see the great gifts that God gives to us. It is as if we stand by the shore of the sea and throw little words at Jesus. We must not be afraid to jump into the water and be completely immersed in His love. He was consumed with such love for us. He gave Himself to His death on the cross.

There is a man on a cross and he tells us so many things. He does not have to speak. When we study Him on the cross, He speaks to us with His pierced hands, His head covered with blood, His body withered and beaten. He speaks to us of His undying love.

Oh, beloved Savior, I am blind. I am selfish. I do not see the great reservoir of love that you give to Me. I see the man dying on the cross. How do I see Him? Do I see a figure and think, oh, is it a pretty cross, would it look good in my living room? Do I see the cross and think, oh, I guess I should have one in my house, others will think I am holy then? Holy people do have a cross in their homes.

Do I see the body of a man, a live man? Do I see His labored breath? Do I see His chest move as His Heart beats within? Do I see the real skin of a man? Do I see the real blood He shed? Do I see the light that silhouettes His withered body? Do I see the Light of the World? Do I see the tender skin of an infant laid on bare wood in the manager and then the torn, lacerated, bloodied skin of this man?

This is love! There is a man on the cross. There is a child born to us today. He is the Light of the World. His light is shining in the darkness, but people do not see. They see the wood, but they view it for the beauty it will create in their newly decorated living rooms.

The cross is not a thing of the past, the cross is with us today. We carry it on our backs as He showed us we would, but we try to take it off and throw it away.

It is in the cross there is the resurrection. It is by meditating on the crucifix, we see His undying love. We must open up our eyes and see. Pray for vision to see clearly the man Who gave Himself for love of us, Our Divine Lord.

And how do we return His love?

Love is spontaneous, love is fire in our hearts, love is alive and emitted with force. God is love.

Do we realize that His last thoughts on the cross were for us. In this agony, as He hung on the cross, He was consumed with burning love for us. When He was scourged at the pillar, He was comforted by our acts of love that we give to Him today. Our burning love for Him was sweetness to His most Sacred Heart in the moments of His bitter Passion.

Love gives and wants to give its all. A person in love does not need to be prompted and told to love. Love wants to give.

Love is given spontaneously, it is not controlled. Love is tenderness pouring forth from the heart. Love is not concerned with commitment, love by itself is committed. It pours forth from the mouth of the lover because of the fire burning deep inside.

Let us study the battered body of Christ on the cross. As I study His pierced hands and feet, His head crowned with thorns, the blood pouring forth from His Heart, as I view the lacerations covering His body, I feel His word well up in my heart. He speaks to me in the depth of my soul and I hear Him say, "I love you. I love you. I love you, to My death on the cross."

He gives, He gives, He gives to us constantly. He gives and how is He treated by us? We take and we take and we take and we don't even say thanks. Thanks for our breath, our heartbeat, the beautiful sky, the sunlit day, the moon at night, the beautiful eyes of our friends. Oh, how many things He gives to us and how ungrateful we are!

How is your day? Is your glass half-empty or half-full?

How often my glass is half empty, as I am reminded by my spiritual director, Fr. Carter. How often I do not thank Our Divine Lord for His gifts!

When I am filled with love, I see more clearly. The secret is to know God's love. We must pray for the grace to know His love more and for the grace to love Him more.

There is a man on the cross. Do we see His undying love for us? He speaks no words. He shows us the crucifix. The words are alive in our hearts.

The Father created us to love and to be loved. God is love. He wants union with us. He gives Himself to us. This is love. There is union in proportion to how I give myself to Him.

Jesus gives and gives and gives and we treat Him "nonchalantly". He gives us love, but we must give ourselves to Him to have union with Him. He wants us to be one with Him.

We must relish the great gifts He gives to us - the greatest gift being the gift of Himself. We should anticipate the great gift of receiving Him in the Holy Eucharist with such eagerness in our hearts. The words I feel in my heart are expressed in the song, "I Love You, Jesus":

Oh Burning Heart, Oh Love divine, how sweet You are to me. I see the host, I know You're here to love and care for me. I know Your love a little now, so dear You are to me. Come give me life, abundant life, I thirst to be with Thee. I cannot say. There are not words to say what my heart feels. I love You so, I scarce can breathe when You come into me. I know Your love a little now, so dear You are to me. Come give me life, abundant life, I thirst to be with Thee. Your tender Heart, Oh how it beats for love of each this day. I want to give You all my love, surrender totally. I know Your love a little now, so dear You are to me. Come give me life, abundant life, I thirst to be with Thee.

When we awake at night, we must think of Him and how we will receive Him the next day. We long to go to Communion to receive Him. We love Jesus in the Eucharist so much. A King comes to us. He enters our body and unites with our soul. He is the King of the kingdom of heaven…He is our Lover, He is the Almighty God, a Divine Person, and He comes to us. He wants us to come to Him with such longing. He wants us to think of Him all day. He wants us to long for Him.

Ps. 63:1-8:

God, you are my God, I pine for you;
my heart thirsts for you,
my body longs for you,
as a land parched, dreary and waterless.
Thus I have gazed on you in the sanctuary,
seeing your power and your glory.
Better your faithful love than life itself;
my lips will praise you.
Thus I will bless you all my life,
in your name lift up my hands.
All my longings fulfilled as with fat and rich foods,
a song of joy on my lips and praise in my mouth.
On my bed when I think of you,
I muse on you in the watches of the night,
for you have always been my help;
in the shadow of your wings I rejoice;
my heart clings to you,
your right hand supports me.

The priest says in the Mass at the Offertory, "By the mystery of this water and wine may we come to share in the Divinity of Christ, Who humbled himself to share in our humanity." He gives Himself to us. He shares His Divinity with us. We are human creatures and He shares Himself with us. My heart burns when the priest puts the drop of water in the wine. This is, indeed, a great mystery that God remains with us today, truly present in His Divinity and humanity in the Holy Eucharist, that He gives Himself to us in Communion, and that He waits for us to come to the tabernacle and be with Him. He wants to outpour His divine love and His divine life to us.

We should swoon for our Lover the Almighty, Divine God, yet we go to Him with such cold hearts. He wants our burning love.

The song "I Love You, Jesus":

Oh Burning Heart, Oh Love divine, how sweet You are to me. I see the Host, I know You're here to love and care for me. I know Your love a little now, so dear You are to me. Come give me life, abundant life, I thirst to be with Thee. I cannot say. There are not words to say what my heart feels. I love You so, I scarce can breathe when You come into me. I know Your love a little now, so dear You are to me. Come give me life, abundant life, I thirst to be with Thee. Your tender Heart, Oh how it beats for love of each this day. I want to give You all my love, surrender totally. I know Your love a little now, so dear You are to me. Come give me life, abundant life, I thirst to be with Thee.

                          end of December 19, 1996

  Excerpt from the Priestly Newsletter 1999 Issue 5
  

I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd is one who 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 and runs away as soon as he sees a wolf coming, and then the wolf attacks and scatters the sheep; this is 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. (Jn 10:11-15¹)

Yes, the Good Shepherd has laid down His life for us, His flock. From His pierced side, the Church was born. At the heart of the Church’s life is the priesthood. The Church, to such a great degree, depends upon her ministerial priesthood. Indeed, priests have been given a great privilege and a great responsibility. Included in the priest’s accepting the responsibility connected with his role in the Church is his obligation to strive for ever greater holiness in Christ. As we can see by the writings which follow, there is a most intimate connection between the fruitfulness of the priest’s ministry and his personal holiness.

• Vatican II tells us: "Priestly holiness itself contributes very greatly to a fruitful fulfillment of the priestly ministry. True, the grace of God can complete the work of salvation even through unworthy ministers. Yet ordinarily God desires to manifest His wonders through those who have been made particularly docile to the impulse and guidance of the Holy Spirit...

"This most holy Synod desires to achieve its pastoral goals of renewal within the Church, of the spread of the gospel throughout the world, and of dialogue with the modern world. Therefore it fervently exhorts all priests to use the appropriate means endorsed by the Church as they ever strive for that greater sanctity which will make them increasingly useful instruments in the service of all of God’s People." ²

What Vatican II puts before seminarians regarding spiritual formation can also obviously be implemented by priests: "Spiritual formation should be closely linked with doctrinal and pastoral training. Especially with the help of the spiritual director, such formation should help seminarians learn to live in familiar and constant companionship with the Father, through Jesus Christ His Son, in the Holy Spirit. By sacred ordination they will be molded in the likeness of Christ the Priest. As friends they should be used to loyal association with Him through a profound identification of their whole lives with His. They should live His paschal mystery in such a way that they know how to initiate into it the people entrusted to them. They should be taught to look for Christ in many places: in faithful meditation on God’s word, in active communion with the most holy mysteries of the Church, especially in the Eucharist and the divine Office, in the bishop who sends them, and in the people to whom they are sent, especially the poor, the young, the sick, the sinful and the unbelieving. With the trust of a son, they should love and honor the Blessed Virgin Mary, who was given as a mother to His disciple by Christ Jesus as He hung dying on the cross." ³

• Pope John Paul II builds upon the teaching of Vatican II: "There can be no doubt that the exercise of the priestly ministry, especially in the celebration of the sacraments, receives its saving effects from the action of Christ himself who becomes present in the sacraments. But so as to emphasize the gratuitous nature of salvation which makes a person both ‘saved’ and a ‘savior’ -- always and only in Christ -- God’s plan has ordained that the efficacy of the exercise of the ministry is also conditioned by a greater or lesser human receptivity and participation. In particular, the greater or lesser degree of the holiness of the minister has a real effect on the proclamation of the word, the celebration of the sacraments and the leadership of the community in charity." ⁴

• The following words of Fr. M. Raymond, O.C.S.O., are closely connected with what has gone before. His words emphasize the great importance regarding personal holiness and one’s participation in the Mass: "Mass, insomuch as it is Christ’s offering, is not only always acceptable to God, but is of infinite value as well.

But, inasmuch as it is your offering and mine, and that of every other member of the Mystical Body ... we can limit the effectiveness of God’s great Act of Love; we finite beings can set bounds to the veritable flood of God-life made possible by the Infinite Son of the Infinite Father." ⁵

Yes, the effectiveness of each Mass, which makes the sacrifice of Calvary sacramentally present, depends in part on the holiness of the entire Church offering it with Christ to the Father in the Holy Spirit, including the holiness of the individual priest offering and the holiness of his participating congregation.

• Fr. Maurice de la Taille, S.J., formerly professor of theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University, and a universally recognized authority on the Mass, also points out the great importance of personal holiness in the Church relative to the effectiveness of the Eucharistic sacrifice: "It is, then, of the greatest importance that there should be in the Church many holy, many very holy persons. Devout people, men and women, who should be urged by every means to higher sanctity, so that through them the value of our Masses may be increased and the tireless voice of the Blood of Christ, crying from the earth, may ring with greater clearness and insistence in the ears of God. His Blood cries on the altars of the Church, but, since it cries through us, it follows that the warmer the heart, the purer the lips, the more clearly will its cry be heard at the Throne of God. Would you wish to know why for so many years after the first Pentecost the Gospel was so marvelously propagated, why there was so much sanctity amongst the Christian people; why such purity in heart and mind, such charity, the sum of all perfection? You will find the answer when you recall that in those times the Mother of God was still on earth giving her precious aid in all the Masses celebrated by the Church, and you will cease to wonder that never since has there been such expansion of Christianity, and such spiritual progress." ⁶

If all, then, have a responsibility to grow in holiness in order to render the Mass more efficacious, the priest has a special duty to do so. His goal must always be to grow in holiness -- to grow in union with Christ the Priest, this Christ Who leads us to the Father in the Holy Spirit with Mary at our side.

• As just stated, the life of holiness, the spiritual life, centers in one’s love-union with Christ. The fruitfulness of the priest’s ministry depends on his union with Jesus. St. John beautifully and powerfully states this truth:

John 15:1-5

I am the true vine,
and my Father is the vinedresser.
Every branch in me that bears no fruit
he cuts away,
and every branch that does bear fruit
    he prunes
to make it bear even more.
You are clean already,
by means of the word
    that I have spoken to you.
Remain in me, as I in you.
As a branch cannot bear fruit all by itself,
unless it remains part of the vine,
neither can you unless you remain in me.
I am the vine,
you are the branches.
Whoever remains in me, with me in him,
bears fruit in plenty;
for cut off from me you can do nothing.

• To grow in holiness, to advance in the spiritual life, requires a growth in surrender to Christ. Growth in holiness means allowing Jesus to possess us more and more. The more He possesses us, the more He can use us as instruments in the work of the kingdom. The more the Savior possesses us, the more fruitful our ministry. The summit of holiness for all Christians, and in a special way for the priest who is configured to Christ in a unique way through the sacrament of Holy Orders, is succinctly and movingly stated by St. Paul: "I have been crucified with Christ, and yet I am alive; yet it is no longer I, but Christ living in me. The life that I am now living, subject to the limitation of human nature, I am living in faith,

        NOTES:

1. Scripture quotations are taken from The New Jerusalem Bible, Doubleday.

2. The Documents of Vatican II, "Decree on the Ministry and Life of Priests", America Press Edition, No. 12.

3. The Documents of Vatican II, "Decree on Priestly Formation", No. 8.

4. Pope John Paul II, Apostolic Exhortation, I Will Give You Shepherds, St. Paul Books and Media, No. 25.

5. M. Raymond, O.C.S.O. This Is Love, Bruce, p. 106.

6. Maurice de la Taille, S. J., The Mystery of Faith, Book 2, "The Sacrifice of the Church", translated by Joseph Carroll and P. J. Dalton, Sheed and Ward, p. 240.

            End of excerpt from the Priestly Newsletter 1999 Issue 5

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