Pray the Rosary for the World

Please Pray for Fr. Joe & Bob, Sanja
     

Prayer for Grace for our Country

Dear Father united to Jesus in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, the Sacrifice of Calvary sacramentally made present, celebrated around the world, in the Holy Spirit. We offer up all we do united to the Mass. We unite in one mind and one heart as members of the mystical body of Christ, with Christ our head in the pure and holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary, through the powerful intercession of Mary with all the angels and saints and souls in purgatory, and we beg for the saving grace, for our country, the United States. Please help us. We further pray for unity to always do the will of God in love. We spread the Blood of Jesus on the leaders and people of the United States and cast the devil into hell. We consecrate our country to the Sacred Heart and Immaculate Heart and all our dioceses, and beg for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit. God help us. We pray for our families, the priests, the Church and the world. In the Name of Jesus please hear us, we pray. We pray for our president and leaders. We pray that we are united as one nation under God to work together in love as God wants.  

   August 28, 2021
 

From August 13, 2021

August 12, 2021

R. October 13, 1996 three months before Mary appeared in Clearwater, Jesus called the 13ths.

That will be 25 years October 13, 2021 that Jesus called the 13ths.

December 17, 1996 Mary appeared in Clearwater, that was 25 years ago, this year on December 17, 2021.
   

 

R. On August 13, 1917 Mary did not appear to the children because they had jailed the children.

Mary did come to the children August 19, 1917.

We will have a prayer service August 19, 2021. Please pray with us on the Shepherds of Christ radio.

Tomorrow August 13, 2021 we will pray at noon in China.

Please pray with us at noon tomorrow.

We have lots of things to pray for.

We will be printing Fr. Joe’s 14th book.
We are printing the Second Pre-Blue Book.
They are held up at the printer.

Please pray with us or stay united.

 

                August 13, 2021

                Jesus: I am the way, the truth and
                the life. Life is in Me. The
                Church, the world, the individual
                Christian is to grow in My
                image and likeness.

                    I give you the map to grow
                in My image and likeness. I
                came and taught you how to live
                a life of love.
 

Matthew 22: 34-40 

The greatest commandment of all

But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees they got together and, to put him to the test, one of them put a further question, ‘Master, which is the greatest commandment of the Law?’ Jesus said to him, ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second resembles it: You must love your neighbour as yourself.  On these two commandments hang the whole Law, and the Prophets too.’

 

28 Years Ago

Cling to Me

May 13, 1993 

Jesus: My dear child, if you stay close to Me, then I live in you and you live in Me. I am He Who created you and I love you with such an intensity that you will never know. My words are your truth. You must abide in My heart in all things. There is no room for doubt. My ways are steadfast, direct, and without error.

    You must stay rooted in Me to ward off the power of the evil one. His grip is paralyzing and crippling. His power is stronger every day.

    When you live in Me, I am in your heart and he has no power over Me. I am your God. I am your true lover. I want to protect you. I want to guard you from this force. Stay rooted firmly in Me and he will have no power.

    I am He Who comforts you. My hand is upon you. Hold tight to Me, My child. My eyes are fixed right on you. You are My most precious child. I love you as no other can. My arms are about you. My tenderness surrounds you. My love is in your heart. You go not alone. I walk with you.

    I share every aspect of your life with you. Cling to Me, feel My presence. It is warm and secure within your chest. There is no room for fear, for I cast out fear and bring you comfort and joy.  end of May 13, 1993
 

                Jesus: You were created to know, love
                and serve God and by these means
                inherit eternal life forever
                in heaven –

                    You are to praise and reverence and
                serve God and treat your neighbor
                with love and dignity – I showed
                you the way –

                    Your goal is eternal life –
                You are to use your things in
                this life for the attainment of
                this goal!

                    You should live your lives as
                God intended you to live, to
                attain this goal and treat others
                with love and respect.

                    You are to walk humbly and let
                go of inordinate attachments that
                lead you away from God.

                    You are to let go of selfishness
                and pray to live a holy life rooted in Me.

                    Confess your sins and be sorry,
                make a firm purpose of amendment –
                make recompense to those you
                have harmed – you know your
                sins - denying them takes you
                away from the right goal –
                Be sorry, Be humble, Be
                truthful – work on conversion
                as your Mother told you at
                Fatima.

                    Give your hearts to My Sacred Heart
                and My Mother's Immaculate Heart –
                pray the prayers I gave Fr. Carter
                and spread them.
 

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                Jesus: Spread the Holy Spirit Novena and
                    say it daily.
 

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                Jesus: Prepare your lives for My
                    Kingdom in heaven.
                 

Prayer of St Ignatius

Soul of Christ, sanctify me
Body of Christ, save me
Blood of Christ, inebriate me
Water from the side of Christ wash me
Passion of Christ, strengthen me
O good Jesus, hear me
Within Thy wounds hide me
Permit me not to be separated from Thee
From the wicked foe defend me
at the hour of my death call me
and bid me come to Thee
That with Thy saints I may praise Thee
For ever and ever. Amen.

 

Prayer from St. Ignatius

Lord, teach me to be generous.
Teach me to serve you as you deserve;   
To give and not to count the cost;
To fight and not to heed the wounds;
To toil and not to seek for rest;
To labor and not to ask for any reward,
Save that of knowing
                    that I am doing your will.
 

  

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

 

                Sing: Take Lord Receive

                Jesus: Satan is a roaring lion –
                    looking for someone to
                    devour.

                Pray the St. Michael Prayer.

                Pray the St. Michael Chaplet.

                I love you so much.

                I am with you –

                Spread this mission –
                    Shepherds of Christ

                I am Jesus
                    Chief Shepherd of the Flock.

                Sing: Glory Be

                I am your King –

                I am King of all the Earth –

                Sing Praise to God.

                Sing: Holy God We Praise Thy Name

                I am King of the Nations –

                The world belongs to Me –

                Make Music and Sing Praise to God.

                R. The Victory has been won –

                Dear God have mercy on us,
                    we are sinners.

                Oh God show us Your Light –
                    help our troubled world –
                    outpour Your grace
                    here in this prayer service,
                    we plead, oh God, hear
                    our prayers –

                Sing: Glory Be –

                Sing Song: Oh Lord I Am Not Worthy

                R. Oh God You are great indeed –
                    We love You so –
                    You are all powerful –
                    Oh God, we love You.

                Sing: Bread of Life

                    Oh Jesus Your Heart is so loving,
                give us blessings here, in the world,
                in the Church and the priest.
                Oh Jesus pour Your grace like
                a fountain –

                God help us we pray.

                Sing: Glory Be

 

                August 12, 2021

Sorrowful Mysteries

The Agony in the Garden

1. Jesus knew all that would happen to Him in His Divine knowing.

2. Jesus said "yes" to all this because He loves us.

3. Jesus said yes to this - He lived the heavenly Father’s will.

4. Jesus suffered so much in the Garden, He sweat blood.

5. An angel appeared to Jesus to comfort Him.

6. Think of how hard it is to wait when we know we will have to do something very hard.

7. The Apostles slept when Jesus wanted them to pray.

8. We can please Jesus so much when we come to the Blessed Sacrament in Adoration.

9. Jesus always did the Father’s will. Say "yes" to the Father’s will.

10. God is with us. Pray united when things are so hard.

 

Jesus was Scourged at the Pillar

1. The devil is relentless. If he knows we are vulnerable in sickness and trials, the devil may move in to take advantage.

2. In sickness we need to unite with Jesus so we can be very strong against satan.

    Jesus can strengthen us in very hard suffering. Identify with His suffering in His Passion.

3. Oh Jesus, You were whipped for my sins and the sins of the world, help us in our lives today to be strong and united to you.

4. Jesus: Amen. Amen I say to you. In the trials you suffer know I will be close to you.

5. Our lives can be an unknown as we grow older, but we all have unknown things that happen. We can reduce fear by staying united always to Jesus.

6. Jesus stood at the pillar and the men whipped Him and tore His flesh.

7. Jesus is God - He could have stopped this, but He loved the Father's will.

8. Jesus suffered this for our sins. When satan attacks, he is relentless, when we love Jesus more and more, we don’t want to offend Him and are sorry when we sin.

9. Jesus wants us to forgive and try to get along with our brothers, but we cannot go along with those who are sinning.

10. We must live and identify our lives with Jesus' life, death and resurrection.

 

The Crowning with Thorns

1. The men mocked Jesus, laughed and spit on the Son of God.

2. Satan is darkness and hate - he wants men to be filled with pride.

3. Satan wants men to be selfish and put themselves even before God.

4. Satan is a liar - he wants men to lie about their sins and live in lies about their sinful actions.

5. Jesus paid for our sins. God wants us eternally with Him in heaven.

6. God the Father so loved the world He sent His only begotten Son.

7. They crowned Jesus with a crown of thorns.

8. Jesus is the second Person of the Blessed Trinity, the Son of God.

9. They liked persecuting Jesus.

    The devil wants people to get ugly pleasure from sinning - then not admit their sins.

10. We cannot even understand how Jesus suffered and how great is His Divine love for us.

 

The Carrying of the Cross

1. Christ was given a heavy cross laden with all our sins.

    He was forced to carry the cross.

2. Jesus fell under the cross three times - it was so heavy, Jesus was so weak.

3. Oh Mary cried so hard watching her beloved Son.

4. When Jesus fell - they kicked Jesus.

5. Mary's eyes met Jesus' eyes.

6. Mary's face was so torn in sorrow.

7. Seeing her comforted Jesus, but it was such sorrow for Him to see her terrible sorrow.

8. Simon was forced to help Jesus carry the cross. We help in the work of redemption when we carry our crosses and offer them up for sinners.

9. Jesus is the Prince of Peace and yet imagine how Jesus suffered for us.

    Oh Jesus we are so sorry for our sins. Please forgive us, we are sorry, Jesus.

10. Jesus paid the price for our selfish, angry, prideful, jealous ways, because He loves us so much.

    Jesus, Jesus, We love you!!!!

 

The Crucifixion

    1. Jesus gave us the Mass, the sacrifice of Calvary sacramentally made present. We should offer up all we do,
        all day united to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass for grace.

2. Jesus, July 31,1994 gave Fr. Carter S.J. this message to pray for the priests, the Church and the world. 

July 31, 1994

Words of Jesus to Members of Shepherds of Christ Associates:

"My beloved priest-companion, I intend to use the priestly newsletter, Shepherds of Christ, and the movement, Shepherds of Christ Associates, in a powerful way for the renewal of My Church and the world.

"I will use the newsletter and the chapters of Shepherds of Christ Associates as a powerful instrument for spreading devotion to My Heart and My Mother's Heart.

"I am calling many to become members of Shepherds of Christ Associates. To all of them I will give great blessings. I will use them as instruments to help bring about the triumph of the Immaculate Heart and the reign of My Sacred Heart. I will give great graces to the members of Shepherds of Christ Associates. I will call them to be deeply united to My Heart and to Mary's Heart as I lead them ever closer to My Father in the Holy Spirit."

- Message from Jesus to Father Edward J. Carter, S.J., Founder, as given on July 31, 1994,
feast of Saint Ignatius Loyola, Founder of the Society of Jesus (The Jesuits)
 

3. God gives us the priest to celebrate Mass.

4. We unite in the Morning Offering, offering up all we do all day to the Father, 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, praying for grace for our lives, and the priests, the Church and the world.

5. Sing: A Song from Jesus

6. Sing: Give me your Heart oh Jesus

7. Prayer of St. Ignatius

Soul of Christ, sanctify me
Body of Christ, save me
Blood of Christ, inebriate me
Water from the side of Christ wash me
Passion of Christ, strengthen me
O good Jesus, hear me
Within Thy wounds hide me
Permit me not to be separated from Thee
From the wicked foe defend me
at the hour of my death call me
and bid me come to Thee
That with Thy saints I may praise Thee
For ever and ever. Amen.
 

8. Sing: Take Lord Receive

9. 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.

-Mass Book, December 27, 1995

10. Morning Offering

My dear Father, I offer You this day all my prayers, works, joys and sufferings, my every breath, my every heartbeat, my every thought, all my actions, in union with Jesus in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world, in the Holy Spirit. I pray the Holy Spirit is with me every second today, enlightening me to do the Will of the Father and filling me with the fire of God's love.

I ask Jesus and Mary to be one in me in all that I do and I unite with all the angels and saints and souls in purgatory to pray continually to the Father for these intercessions, in this prayer, for this day.

For myself, I pray for grace-abundant grace, to know and love God more and more and to follow the Will of the Father. I pray to the Holy Spirit to transform me in the heart of Mary to be more and more like Jesus. I pray that I can forever dwell in the Hearts of Jesus and Mary. I pray for conversion of all those I hold dear who need conversion. I pray for each member of my family that they will be filled with Your abundant grace to grow in their knowledge and love of God.

I pray for all my friends that they will receive abundant grace to carry out the great plan of the Father, that they will grow forever closer to Jesus' Heart through Mary's heart, that we will all be led by the Holy Spirit to do His work, that we will, together, carry out the plan of the Father as He intends us to, to spread the love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Mary's heart to this world.

Jesus, I pray for myself so the Holy Spirit descends upon me and opens my heart to Your love so I will grow more and more deeply in union with You. I pray that I do not worry what other people think but try always to please the Father and do His Will. I pray that I may help lead many to Your burning love.

I pray for the following people in particular that they will be filled with the Spirit and grow deeply in their union with You, that they will receive abundant graces to know, love and serve You more. (Include special friends by name...)

I pray for priests the world over, for the success of the Priestly Newsletter, the Chapters and for the finances needed for the Newsletter. I pray for the circulation of the Blue Book messages, rosary meditations and tapes. I pray for all those involved in the publication of these messages.

I pray that You will shower Your abundant graces onto the priests reading the Newsletter the people reading and hearing the Blue Book messages and rosary meditations and all of Fr. Carter's publications.

We pray for the intentions we hold deep within our hearts, for our families and friends, for those requesting our prayers. We pray for children the world over and for the souls in purgatory. We ask God to shower His abundant grace on us and the members of our Shepherds of Christ Chapter so that we may grow more and more in our knowledge and love of God.

We consecrate ourselves to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary. We pray for Father Carter, for Father Smith, for Rita Ring, and for John Weickert, for all leaders and helpers in the Shepherds of Christ Movement, for Shepherds of Christ Ministries, and Our Lady of Light Ministry. We pray for all those who are working in these ministries.

We bind ourselves and our children and our friends to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. We place the precious blood of Jesus on ourselves, and all we touch, so that we will be protected from the evil one. We pray to St. Michael to cast the devil into hell.

We love You, God, we love You, we love You. We beg that we may receive the grace to love You more and more deeply. We adore You, we praise You, our beloved Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

 

 

Morning Offering

My dear Father, I offer you this day all my prayers, works, joys, and sufferings in union with Jesus in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world, in the Holy Spirit.

I unite with our Mother, Mary, all the angels and saints, and all the souls in purgatory to pray to the Father for myself, for each member of my family, for my friends, for all people throughout the world, for all the souls in purgatory, and for all other intentions of the Sacred Heart.

I love You, Jesus, and I give You my heart. I love you, Mary, and I give you my heart. Amen.

Sing: The Rosary Song

 

                August 13, 2021

Glorious Mysteries

                The Resurrection

                1) The Apostles didn't understand when
                    Jesus talked about the resurrection.

                2) We do not know all there is to eternal
                    life.

                3) God promised to those who go to heaven
                    they will be full of life.

                4) Jesus is the way, the truth and
                    the life.

                5) Life is in Him.

                6) Satan wants souls for hell.

                7) Satan comes to destroy and
                    cause chaos and confusion.

                8) Satan is the Father of lies.

                9) Satan wants to lead the soul in
                    great darkness and lie
                    to stay in darkness.

                10) Jesus: I am the Light of the World.

 

                The Ascension

                1) The Apostles were sorry to see Jesus go.

                2) Jesus gives us the priest - the Church –
                    He remains truly present
                    with us in the Blessed Sacrament.

                3) Jesus loves us so much - He
                    gives us Himself in the
                    Holy Eucharist.

                4) Jesus gives us a sharing in
                    His life in baptism –
                    Life is in Jesus.

                5) God wants to forgive our sins
                    if we are sorry for them
                    and make a firm
                    purpose of amendment.
                    For mortal sin - we can be
                        forgiven in confession.

                6) "My sheep hear My voice.
                    I know them and they follow Me.
                    I give them eternal life
                        and they never perish."

                7) Jesus gave the last drop of His Blood,
                    the last beat of His Heart
                    for love of us.

                8) A Christian is to be dedicated
                    to Christ and His cause.

                9) Jesus taught us about mercy and
                    forgiveness and love,
                    understanding, comfort.

                10) We are to help in the work of
                    redemption by living our
                    lives indentified with Jesus.

 

                The Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles

                1) How can we refuse helping to spread this
                    Good News?

                2) 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.
 

                3) Jesus showed us how to live a
                    life of love. (Not just talk
                    about it!!)

                4) We are to be loving like Jesus --
                    it is our call by God –
                    to walk in love.
 

                5) The world belongs to Jesus –
                    Christ is the Savior –
                    Christ is Redeemer –
                    Christ is the King of Creation.

                6) Despite man – the world is
                    to grow in the image of Jesus.

                7) Jesus desires UNITY.
                    Jesus said John 17 –

John 17: 20-23

I pray not only for these
but also for those
who through their teaching
    will come to believe in me.
May they all be one,
just as, Father, you are in me
    and I am in you,
so that they also may be in us,
so that the world may believe
    it was you who sent me.
I have given them the glory
    you gave to me,
that they may be one as we are one.
With me in them and you in me,
may they be so perfected in unity
that the world will recognise
    that it was you who sent me
and that you have loved them
    as you have loved me.
 

                8) From the Lectionary

                        Pentecost Sequence

Come, Holy Spirit, come!
And from your celestial home
    Shed a ray of light divine!

Come, Father of the poor!
Come, source of all our store!
    Come, within our bosoms shine!

You, of comforters the best;
You, the soul's most welcome guest;
    Sweet refreshment here below;

In our Labor, rest most sweet;
Grateful coolness in the heat;
    Solace in the midst of woe.

O most blessed Light divine,
Shine within these hearts of yours,
    And our inmost being fill!

Where you are not, man has naught,
Nothing good in deed or thought,
    Nothing free from taint of ill!

Heal our wounds, our strength renew;
On our dryness pour your dew;
    Wash the stains of guilt away;

Bend the stubborn heart and will;
Melt the frozen, warm the chill;
    Guide the steps that go astray.

On the faithful, who adore
And confess you, evermore
    In your sev'nfold gift descend;

Give them virtue's sure reward;
Give them your salvation, Lord;
    Give them joys that never end. Amen.
Alleluia.
 

                9) The Holy Spirit works to
                    deepen the image of Jesus.

                10) The Church, the world, the
                    individual Christian are
                    to grow in the image
                    of Jesus.

 

 

                The Assumption

                1) Mary was taken into heaven
                    body and soul.

                2) We travel this path in the Hearts
                    of Jesus and Mary.

                3) From the Shepherds of Christ Prayer Manual

Act of consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Lord Jesus, Chief Shepherd of the flock, I consecrate myself to Your most Sacred Heart. From Your pierced Heart the Church was born, the Church You have called me, as a member of Shepherds of Christ Associates, to serve in a most special way. You reveal Your Heart as a symbol of Your love in all its aspects, including Your most special love for me, whom You have chosen as Your companion in this most important work. Help me to always love You in return. Help me to give myself entirely to You. Help me always to pour out my life in love of God and neighbor! Heart of Jesus, I place my trust in You!

                4) From the Shepherds of Christ Prayer Manual

Act of consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary

Dear Blessed Virgin Mary, I consecrate myself to your maternal and Immaculate Heart, this Heart which is symbol of your life of love. You are the Mother of my Savior. You are also my Mother. You love me with a most special love as a member of Shepherds of Christ Associates, a movement created by your Son as a powerful instrument for the renewal of the Church and the world. In a return of love, I give myself entirely to your motherly love and protection. You followed Jesus perfectly. You are His first and perfect disciple. Teach me to imitate you in the putting on of Christ. Be my motherly intercessor so that, through your Immaculate Heart, I may be guided to an ever closer union with the pierced Heart of Jesus, Chief Shepherd of the flock.

                5) Sing: Immaculate Mary

                6) From Tell My People by Fr. Edward J. Carter, S.J.

The Holy Spirit

Jesus: "My beloved friend, tell My people to pray daily to the Holy Spirit. They are to pray for an increase in His gifts. My people must realize that the Holy Spirit comes to transform them. The Spirit desires to transform you more and more according to My image. Those who are docile to His touch become increasingly shaped in My likeness. He performs this marvel within Mary's Immaculate Heart. The more one dwells in My Mother's Heart, the more active are the workings of the Spirit. The Spirit leads Mary to place you within My own Heart. In both Our Hearts, then, your transformation continues. The more you are formed after My own Heart, the more I lead you to the bosom of My Father. Tell My people all this. Tell them to pray daily for a greater appreciation of these wondrous gifts. I am Lord and Master. All who come to My Heart will be on fire to receive the gifts of the Spirit in ever greater measure! I love and bless My people!"

Reflection: The Holy Spirit is given to us to fashion us ever more according to the likeness of Jesus. And the more we are like Jesus, the more Jesus leads us to the Father. Do we, each day, pray to the Holy Spirit to be more open to His transforming influence? Do we strive each day to grow in union with Mary? The greater our union with our Mother, the spouse of the Holy Spirit, the greater is the transforming action of the Holy Spirit within us.

Prayer: Come, Holy Spirit, fill us with your gifts of wisdom, understanding, knowledge, counsel, fortitude, piety and fear of the Lord. As we dwell in the Heart of Mary, Your spouse, fashion us more and more according to the Heart of Jesus.
 

                7) Without God we can do nothing.

                8) Mary crushes the head of satan.

                9) Revelation 12: 1-2

Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman, robed with the sun, standing on the moon, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. She was pregnant, and in labour, crying aloud in the pangs of childbirth.

                10) 25 Years Ago - From August 13, 1996 Rosary

The Visitation

1. Mary: My dear children, on the 13th of this month I come to you to deliver this message. I have not given to you this message before. I am Mary, your Mother. I ask you to come to my spiritual womb, to take refuge from the terrors of the night. In my womb, I will hold you close to me and protect you from all the terrors in your life. Do not give into satan. Satan is a roaring lion, prowling this earth, attempting to catch you in his snare. You must not give into satan. You must give your heart to me and to the Heart of my Son. Please, my little children, come to me and I will care for you. I am your Mother. I am caring for you with the greatest motherly love. You do not know how I want to mother you and to love you. You are as little children, afraid and wounded. I will heal your wounds. I will comfort you in your fear. I am the Mother of greatest love and I love you, my little children. I will take you to the Heart of my Son, Jesus. This is a special message that I deliver for you this evening. May you hold this message in your heart, and may you come to my heart at every moment and find refuge from the terrors of the night.
 

R. This is the first time Dan Noe came to the prayer service.

 

                Mary is Crowned Queen of Heaven and Earth

                1) Sing: Hail Holy Queen

                2) Excerpts from The Spirituality of Fatima by Fr. Edward Carter, S.J.

                    1.

May 13, 1917 

    "Do not be afraid, I will do you no harm..... I am from Heaven.

    "I have come to ask you to come here for six months in succession, on the 13th day, at the same hour. Later on, I will tell you who I am and what I want

    "Are you willing to offer yourselves to God and bear all the sufferings He wills to send you, as an act of reparation for the sins by which He is offended, and in supplication for the conversion of sinners?

    "Pray the Rosary every day in order to obtain peace for the world, and the end of the war." ⁽⁸⁾

          2.

June 13, 1917

    "God wishes you to remain in the world for some time because He wants to use you to establish in the world the devotion to my Immaculate Heart. I promise salvation to those who embrace it, and their souls will be loved by God as flowers placed by myself to adorn His throne." ⁽¹⁰⁾

          3.

July 13, 1917

    "During her appearance in July, Our Lady, in answer to Lucia's plea, promised that in October she would work a great miracle so that all might believe and know who she was. Again, the Mother of God told the children to sacrifice themselves for sinners and to say many times, especially when making a sacrifice, this prayer: "O my Jesus, I offer this for love of Thee, for the conversion of poor sinners, and in reparation for all the sins committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary." ⁽¹¹⁾

    "During this same July apparition, Mary showed the three children a vision of Hell. She told them:

    "You have seen Hell, where the souls of poor sinners go. To save them, God wishes to establish, in the world, devotion to my Immaculate Heart. If people do what I tell you, many souls will be saved and there will be peace.

    "The war (World War I, then raging) is going to end. But if people do not stop offending God, another and worse one will begin in the reign of Pius XI. When you shall see a night illuminated by an unknown light [January 2, 1938], know that this is the great sign that God gives you that He is going to punish the world for its many crimes by means of war, hunger, and persecution of the Church and the Holy Father. ⁽¹²⁾

    "To prevent this, I shall come to ask for the consecration of Russia to my Immaculate Heart and the Communion of Reparation on the five first Saturdays. If my requests are granted, Russia will be converted and there will be peace. If not, she will scatter her errors throughout the world, provoking wars and persecutions of the Church. The good will be martyred, the Holy Father will have much to suffer, and various nations will be destroyed....

    "But in the end, my Immaculate Heart will triumph, the Holy Father will consecrate Russia to me, Russia will be converted, and a certain period of peace will be granted to the world." ⁽¹³⁾

          4.

August 19, 1917

    She told them she was greatly displeased by the action of the mayor. As a result, the miracle promised for October would not be as impressive as originally planned. ⁽¹⁵⁾

        5.

September 13, 1917

    More than 30,000 people were present in September, and saw a shower of mysterious white petals fall to within 10 feet of the ground before dissolving into the air. Many also saw the globe of light bearing the Lady come to rest atop the tree, and the branches bend as though someone were standing on them. Later, they saw the cloud depart into the east, from whence it had come.⁽¹⁶⁾

        6.

October 13, 1917

    I am the Lady of the Rosary. I have come to warn the faithful to amend their lives and to ask pardon for their sins. They must not offend Our Lord any more, for He is already too grievously offended by the sins of men. People must say the Rosary. Let them continue saying it every day.⁽¹⁷⁾

---

NOTES:

8. Frere Michael de la Trinite', The Whole Truth about Fatima 
    (Buffalo: Immaculate Heart Publications, 1989), pp.112-114.
9. For background material on Fatima, I am particularly indebted to 
    Our Lady of Fatima's Peace Plan from Heaven (Rockford: TAN 
    Books and Publishers, Inc., 1983). p.30.
10. Ibid., p.3.
11. Ibid., pp.3-4.
12. Ibid., pp.4-5.
13. Ibid., p.5.
14. Rev. Edward Carter, S.J., Mother at Our Side: Mary's Role in 
        the Spiritual Life (1993: Faith Publishing Co., Milford, Ohio), p.21.
15. Our Lady's Peace Plan, op cit., p.6.
16. Ibid., p.6.
17. Ibid., p.7.
 

Excerpt from the Spirituality of Fatima
by Fr. Edward Carter, S.J. 

October 13, 1917

    On October 13, 1917, there were more than 70,000 people gathered in the Cova da Iria in Fatima, Portugal. They had come to observe a miracle which had been foretold by the Blessed Virgin to three young visionaries: Lucia dos Santos, and her two cousins, Jacinta and Francisco Marto. (1) Shortly after noon, Our Lady appeared to the three visionaries:

    As the Lady was about to leave, she pointed to the sun. Lucy excitedly repeated the gesture, and the people looked into the sky. The rain had ceased, the clouds parted, and the sun shone forth, but not in its usual brilliance. Instead, it appeared like a silver disc, pale as the moon, at which all could gaze without straining their eyes. Suddenly, impelled by some mysterious force, the disc began to whirl in the sky, casting off great shafts of multicolored light. Red, green, blue, yellow, violet—the enormous rays shot across the sky at all angles, lighting up the entire countryside for many miles around, but particularly the upturned faces of those 70,000 spellbound people.

    After a few moments the wonder stopped, but resumed again a second and a third time—three times in all—within about 12 minutes. It seemed that the whole world was on fire, with the sun spinning at a greater speed each time.

    Then a gasp of terror rose from the crowd, for the sun seemed to tear itself from the heavens and come crashing down upon the horrified multitude.... Just when it seemed that the ball of fire would fall upon and destroy them, the miracle ceased, and the sun resumed its normal place in the sky, shining forth as peacefully as ever.

    When the people arose from the ground, cries of astonishment were heard on all sides. Their clothes, which had been soaking wet and muddy, now were clean and dry. Many of the sick and crippled had been cured of their afflictions. ⁽²⁾

NOTE:

2. For background material on Fatima, I am particularly indebted to Our Lady of Fatima's Peace Plan from Heaven (Rockford:TAN Books and Publishers, Inc., 1983). pp.7-8.
 

                3) Excerpts from The Spirituality of Fatima by Fr. Edward Carter, S.J.

    While the people in attendance were beholding the great Miracle of the Sun, the three young visionaries, and they alone, were privileged to see striking visions in the heavens:

    As Our Lady had promised, St. Joseph had come with the Holy Family and had blessed the world. Then, Our Lady appeared as the Mother of Sorrows, accompanied by her Divine Son, Who also blessed the world. Finally, Lucy had seen the Blessed Virgin, dressed in the brown robes of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, crowned as Queen of Heaven and Earth, holding a brown Scapular in her hand, with her infant Son upon her knee. However, in none of these visions had any of the figures spoken to the children. ⁽¹⁸⁾

    Besides the messages associated with the major Fatima apparitions, there were other revelations given by Our Lady. Before Jacinta died, she told of other messages given her (during her illness) by Mary:

    More souls go to Hell because of sins of the flesh than for any other reason.

    Certain fashions will be introduced that will offend Our Lord very much.

    Many marriages are not good; they do not please Our Lord and are not of God.

    Priests must be pure, very pure. They should not busy themselves with anything except what concerns the Church and souls. The disobedience of priests, to their superiors and to the Holy Father, is very displeasing to Our Lord.

    I can no longer restrain the hand of my Divine Son from striking the world with just punishments for its many crimes.

    If the government of a country leaves the Church in peace and gives liberty to our Holy Religion, it will be blessed by God.

    Tell everybody that God gives graces through the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Tell them to ask grace from her, and that the Heart of Jesus wishes to be venerated together with the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Ask them to plead for peace from the Immaculate Heart of Mary, for the Lord has confided the peace of the world to her. ⁽¹⁹⁾

---

NOTES:

18. Our Lady's Peace Plan, op cit., p.8.
19. Ibid., pp.9-10.

 

                4) From the Priestly Newsletter Book III by Fr. Edward Carter, S.J.

The Holy Spirit And Mary

The late Archbishop Luis M. Martinez of Mexico strikingly speaks of the ongoing cooperation of Mary with the Holy Spirit regarding the reproduction of Jesus within us: "Christian life is the reproduction of Jesus in souls…

"Now, how will this mystical reproduction be brought about in souls? In the same way in which Jesus was brought into the world, for God gives a wonderful mark of unity to all His works. Divine acts have a wealth of variety because they are the work of omnipotence; nevertheless, a most perfect unity always shines forth from them because they are the fruit of wisdom; and this divine contrast of unity and variety stamps the works of God with sublime and unutterable beauty.

"In His miraculous birth, Jesus was the fruit of heaven and earth…The Holy Spirit conveyed the divine fruitfulness of the Father to Mary, and the virginal soil brought forth in an ineffable manner our most loving Savior, the divine Seed, as the prophets called Him…

"That is the way He is reproduced in souls. He is always the fruit of heaven and earth.

"Two artisans must concur in the work that is at once God’s masterpiece and humanity’s supreme product: the Holy Spirit and the most holy Virgin Mary. Two sanctifiers are necessary to souls, the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, for they are the only ones who can reproduce Christ.

"Undoubtedly, the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary sanctify us in different ways. The first is the Sanctifier by essence; because He is God, who is infinite sanctity; because He is the personal Love that completes, so to speak, the sanctity of God, consummating His life and His unity, and it belongs to Him to communicate to souls the mystery of that sanctity. The Virgin Mary, for her part, is the co-operator, the indispensable instrument in and by God’s design. From Mary’s maternal relation to the human body of Christ is derived her relation to His Mystical Body which is being formed through all the centuries until the end of time, when it will be lifted up to the heavens, beautiful, splendid, complete, and glorious.

"These two, then, the Holy Spirit and Mary, are the indispensable artificers of Jesus, the indispensable sanctifiers of souls. Any saint in heaven can co-operate in the sanctification of a soul, but his co-operation is not necessary, not profound, not constant: while the co-operation of these two artisans of Jesus of whom we have just been speaking is so necessary that without it souls are not sanctified (and this by the actual design of Providence), and so intimate that it reaches to the very depths of our soul. For the Holy Spirit pours charity into our heart, makes a habitation of our soul, and directs our spiritual life by means of His gifts. The Virgin Mary has the efficacious influence of Mediatrix in the most profound and delicate operations of grace in our souls. And, finally, the action of the Holy Spirit and the co-operation of the most holy Virgin Mary are constant; without them, not one single character of Jesus would be traced on our souls, no virtue grow, no gift be developed, no grace increased, no bond of union with God be strengthened in the rich flowering of the spiritual life.

"Such is the place that the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary have in the order of sanctification. Therefore, Christian piety should put these two artisans of Christ in their true place, making devotion to them something necessary, profound, and constant." ¹⁸

18. Archbishop Luis M. Martinez, The Sanctifier, op. cit. pp. 5-7.
 

                5) Response to God's Love.

                6) Mary is Mother.
                    Mary is Model of the Church.
                    Mary is Spouse of Holy Spirit.

                7) Matthew 22: 36-40 

Master, which is the greatest commandment of the Law?’ Jesus said to him, ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second resembles it: You must love your neighbour as yourself.  On these two commandments hang the whole Law, and the Prophets too.’
 

                8) From Mother at Our Side by Fr. Edward J. Carter, S.J.

ten

Mother Of Our Christian Virtues

   Being mother of our Christ-life, Mary is also mother of our life of Christian virtues. Many of them are listed above, including the three most important ones—faith, hope, and love.

Faith

   Ideally, faith is the commitment of one's entire being to the truth of Jesus. We must live the truth of Jesus, not merely intellectually assent to it. We properly comprehend religious truth only when we live it, savor it, experience it to the depths of our being. How much more we understand the truth of Christ in its wisdom, power, and beauty when we not only believe this truth with our graced intellects, but also allow it to permeate and transform our entire existence. As a corollary, we see the danger of intellectually assenting to Christ's truth without attempting to live accordingly. Faith can grow weak and even die if there is a constant and serious division between what we believe and the manner in which we live.

   When we live according to faith, we are living according to a vision of God, humanity, and the rest of creation. Faith tells us things about God and creation we could either not otherwise know or know only with greater difficulty and with less certainty. A good example of the former is the doctrine of the Blessed Trinity. Reason can never arrive at this sublime truth. Only the intellect that has been elevated with the grace of faith can believe in the Triune God. If we are to progress in the spiritual life, we must allow this vision of faith to more and more influence our activities. Increasingly, we should become contemplatives in action. The more we allow Mary to lead us into such a way of life, the more our lives will have meaning for ourselves as well as for the betterment of the lives of people around us. As our mother, she happily guides us to the peace we can find as contemplatives in action.

   The vision of faith should inspire us to action according to our vocation, talents, opportunity, time, and energy. We should always strive to make the world more reflective of Christ's image. To the extent we do not, we are betraying the vision of faith.

   Mother Mary, deepen our faith. Help us to follow ever more closely the light of faith. And we pray, dear Mother, that you will lead us ever closer to your Son Who is Himself the source of faith's light.

Hope

   Christian hope is a virtue that allows us to desire God as the goal of our existence. Hope also allows us to trust that God will grant us the graces necessary to achieve this goal.

   The necessity of hope in our lives is obvious. Without a sustained desire for God we will not be able to live as we should. If God is not our goal, then our lives will be miserably shaped by something infinitely less, whether it be money, sex, social status, or anything else that can grip the human heart as an unauthentic end rather than as a legitimate means to God.

   Without God's grace we cannot initially attain supernatural life, we cannot maintain ourselves in it, and we cannot grow in it. At times God allows us to strikingly and intensely experience how helpless we are without Him. Such episodes in the spiritual life can be very painful, but they are also opportunities for great growth. We are meant to emerge from these experiences with an increase of trust in God. We realize how weak we are in ourselves, but how strong we are if we rely on God.

   One of Mary's functions as our spiritual mother is to help us grow in trust. In countless ways Mary shows us her maternal love. If we are to love her in return, if we are to allow her to increasingly possess us, we must trust her. 

   We should always remember: when we trust Mary, we are putting our trust in God; when we abandon ourselves to Mary, we are abandoning ourselves to God.

Love

   St. Paul tells us:

   If I speak in human and angelic tongues but do not have love, I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal. And if I have the gift of prophecy and comprehend all mysteries and all knowledge; if I have all faith so as to move mountains but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away everything I own, and if I hand my body over so that I may boast but do not have love, I gain nothing. (1 Cor. 13:1-3).

   The above words of Paul point out the great importance of the virtue of love. Love is the Christian virtue. Jesus Himself has summarized Christianity in terms of love; all the other virtues variously serve love's purpose.

   As Jesus walked this earth, His life was a life of love. He mightily loved His Father. With a deep and tender love He loved all members of the human race, and He would die an agonizing and horrible death for them. One of the members of this race He loved in an extraordinarily special way—His Mother Mary. And she was the one person created who could return that love in a perfect way. By following her example, we can also learn to love more perfectly.

   The poverty, the hiddenness, the disappointments, the weariness, the joy and the happiness, the pain and the agony—all that constituted the earthly life of Christ was experienced within the framework of love. Jesus loved in everything He did—tenderly, manfully, with understanding and sympathy. He loved with a complete devotedness and a deep, sincere concern for the individual. He loved with a passion for that which is true and good and beautiful. He loved with a complete conformity to His Father's will. He loved always and completely. He loved with a gift of Himself, always pouring Himself out, even to the extreme of death on the wood of a cross. This was the poignant beauty of Christ's life.

   Christ shows us His Heart as the symbol of this life of love. It is a symbol which calls for our love in return. The Heart of Christ, source of our own capacity to love, calls us to imitation. Christ, in revealing His Heart to us as symbol of His love, invites us to the closest discipleship as He leads us along the path of love.

   We can be tempted to reject this marvelous example of love which Jesus has left us. We can seek our own greatness and fulfillment in a manner which necessarily results in disappointment. We can strive after greatness in ways which God does not intend. These wayward wanderings, however, result in a feeling of dissatisfaction and frustration and we will eventually come to realize they have betrayed us because they are not rooted in Christ and His way of life—the way of true personal greatness.

   We grow as Christians as we grow in love. We exercise this love within the milieu of the human condition. This is the only framework we have for achieving our greatness, and, consequently, we must not shirk this human condition. Jesus did not shirk it, but rather accepted it and manifested His greatness within it, despite the pain and even agony that the human condition at times heaped upon Him. It is true that Jesus rejoiced during the course of His life because of the goodness, sincerity, and response of some of those with whom He dealt. For example, the love which Mary and Joseph showered upon Jesus gave Him great joy. During His life, however, Jesus often suffered because of the evil side of humans—their pettiness, cowardice, insensitivity, selfishness, egotism. In other words, Jesus suffered at the hands of others because they were not what they should have been. Nonetheless, these experiences did not thwart the greatness of Jesus. Jesus was always the tremendous lover, and He loved even at those times when it was very painful to do so.

   As Christ suffered because of others, we, too, as we try to love, suffer because of others. We may suffer because others do not always understand us—this can be true even of those who dearly love us. We may suffer because some do not appreciate what we do for them, sometimes at great personal cost, or because others reject us, or make us the objects of their meanness and selfishness. We may suffer because there are some who ignore us. At times we suffer so much that we are tempted to quit loving as we should and are tempted to withdraw from the pain of giving ourselves to an egotistic world. To surrender to such a temptation, however, is to forget what true Christian greatness really is—namely, a life of love for God and others, a love that does not shrink from the pain that results from loving in an imperfect world, a love that is meant to become greater regardless of the way others might treat us. Christian love, then, accepts both the pain and the joy of life and carries on under both conditions.

   We should ask Mary our mother, who takes such great pride in us when we love as we should, to lead us daily to the Heart of her Son. This Heart, burning furnace of charity, is the source we must draw from if we are to love and progress in love.

   Lead us, dear Mother, to this Heart of your Son. As we rest secure in the love of your Immaculate Heart, instill within us daily a growing desire to take on the likeness of the Heart of Jesus. Obtain for us, dearest Mother, the grace to make the Heart of Jesus the center of our existence. Living within this pierced Heart of Jesus, we will more and more be consumed with the desire to love God and neighbor. We will become increasingly aware that to truly live is to love.  end of excerpt
 

                9) From Mother at Our Side by Fr. Edward J. Carter, S.J. continued

ten

Mother Of Our Christian Virtues

Prudence

   Prudence is that virtue which helps us to make the proper decisions in the exercise of our Christian life. Prudence aids us in making correct choices so that we do God's will in all areas of Christian existence.

   Prudence is meant to influence every aspect of our participation in the mystery of Christ. It is always our guide as we strive to grow in the putting on of Christ.

   What state of life does God wish me to embrace? What kind of work does he desire of me within that vocation? Among the various ways of expressing love, how am I to love God and others at this particular time? Am I working too much or too little? Am I too dependent upon others or not dependent enough? Prudence helps answer these and other questions concerning the Christ-life.

   Some people think that prudence is merely an attitude of caution, an instinct that always leads us to take what seems to be the less dangerous path. True, prudence will lead us to choices of this nature—if God's will indicates this type of action—but prudence is also concerned with the bold and the daring, with taking risks, with magnanimous action. Again, the guiding principle is God's will. The prudent Christian will act boldly or daringly if, after taking the proper means to discern the divine will, she or he decides that God is indeed leading in such a direction.

   If we are to be truly prudent persons, we must be persons of prayer. We need the light of prayer to see what decisions are to be made, what actions are to be undertaken. We need the strength of prayer to act upon the given light.

   In her earthly journey, Mary was a most prayerful person and a most prudent one. Let us ask our mother to help us grow in the virtue of prudence. The Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary so bids us to call upon the prudent Virgin: "Virgin most prudent, pray for us."

Fortitude

   Christian fortitude, or courage, is that virtue which disposes us to face in mature fashion whatever difficulties we encounter in Christ's service. The necessity of this virtue is evident from our inner experience—we have a tendency to shrink from that which either poses difficulty or frightens us. Apparently, numerous Christians never develop as they should because they do not consistently confront that which is hard and difficult in a proper fashion.

   We should not think that courage is a virtue which we need only in times of extraordinary difficulty. As with all the Christian virtues, courage usually finds its expression within the prosaic framework of everydayness. The rather uneventful duties of our state of life day in and day out demands fortitude. All vocations face this challenge, and to evade the challenge is to hinder our growth in Christ.

   At times, of course, courage must be exercised concerning matters of great importance, such as the decision involving one's choice of state of life. This type of decision can demand the greatest fortitude in certain instances. Any committed Christian who seriously pursues the development of the spiritual life will, to some extent, experience interior trials of one kind or the other. Whatever form the difficulty may assume, however, the dedicated Christian realizes the need for fortitude.

   Mary did not live an easy life. In her greatness of grace, she exercised fortitude on a daily basis. At times she had to draw upon her virtue of courage in a special way. And at that terrible moment beneath the cross, her courage was tested to the utmost. What great sorrow then pierced her Heart! And what extraordinary courage and love it took for Mary to stand by her Son in His most awful moment. Even the greatest pietas of Michaelangelo and others fall short of capturing the awful reality of the scene and the courage it demanded of Mary.

   Mary, then, has with courage faced the difficult in extraordinary fashion. In all our difficulties let us fly to the protection of this dear, loving mother. She will help us grow in the realization that facing the difficult is an essential part of being a Christian. She will help us live these words of Jesus: "If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." (Lk. 9:23).

Justice

   The virtue of justice bids us to give others what is their due. We must respect the rights of others. For example, we must respect the life, good name, and the property of others because they have rights concerning these values. Regarding one's right to life, we have a very timely application of this—the rights of the unborn, and we should all do our part in working against the terrible injustice of abortion. The fatalities which the United States has suffered in all her wars is less than one half of the total number of deaths the unborn suffer in one year here in the United States through abortion. And, of course, abortions are being performed all over the world—not just in the United States.

   The world of work, professional service, and commerce also involve various applications of justice. The laborer must give an honest day's work and the employer is obligated to pay a just wage. The teacher must realize his or her duty to students by properly preparing classes and professional updating. The doctor must maintain proper medical knowledge in justice to his or her patients and manufacturers of goods as well as wholesale and retail sellers must establish just prices.

   The Christian must also be aware of obligations regarding the great social problems that plague one's own country and nations around the world. We must listen to our Mother Mary.

                10)  From Mother at Our Side by Fr. Edward J. Carter, S.J. continued

ten

Mother Of Our Christian Virtues

Temperance

   The attitude of moderation, which has traditionally been called the virtue of Christian temperance, allows us to relate properly to sense pleasure. God wants us to enjoy what is pleasurable, but He wants us to do so according to His will.

   Without an attitude of temperance, a person's life becomes soft and selfish, given over to the wrongful pursuit of pleasure. Insofar as a person's life is thus misdirected, to that extent it fails in service to God and others.

   There is an aspect of temperance that one can overlook—that the person who practices temperance enjoys the pleasurable more than does the person who does not. One who lacks temperance is actually a slave to his or her desires. These desires, to the extent they are inordinate, can never be satisfied, and, consequently, become insatiable. Grace does not destroy nature; it brings it to a perfection or fulfillment it could not otherwise attain. Our God-given capacity to enjoy what is pleasurable actually is enhanced by the virtue of temperance.

   We should pray, not only for our own growth in temperance, but also especially for those whose very salvation is threatened because of the wrongful pursuit of sense pleasure. Our Lady of Fatima told Jacinta, one of the three young visionaries: More souls go to Hell because of sins of the flesh than for any other reason.²⁶

26. Our Lady's Peace Plan, op. cit.., p. 9.

Humility

          My soul proclaims the greatness of
                the Lord;
          my spirit rejoices in God my savior.
          For he has looked upon his handmaid's
                lowliness;
          behold, from now on will all ages
                call me blessed.
          The Mighty One has done great things
                for me,
          and holy is his name. (Lk. 1:46-50).

   The above passage is a portion of Mary's "Magnificat." One of its lessons is that of humility. In her song of praise Mary expresses perfect humility. She realized that without God she was nothing, but that, because of the divine largess, God had made her great.

   Humility is the realization of the truth that I am a creature of God. Humility is also the implementation of this truth in daily living. Humility is not a process of self-depreciation, or of telling myself that I am no good, that I have very little to contribute. Humility moves me to look at myself as I actually am. It moves me to look at both my good and bad points, and, very importantly, to follow up with appropriate attitudes and actions. (Regarding Mary's humility, there was, of course, only the need to recognize her greatness as coming forth from God, since she was completely sinless.)

   Since humility is based on truth, it never demands that I deny my particular gifts, my unique talents. Certainly Mary did not do this. If I do not properly recognize my gifts, I will not thank God properly, nor will I be in the most advantageous position for the proper use and development of my talents. I should, then, recognize the good in myself, while simultaneously realizing the source of all good—God Himself.

   Humility also enables me to look realistically upon life in the human condition. Being humble means I realize that precisely because I am human, I will experience pain. Precisely because I am exposed to the human condition not only in its pleasant aspects, but also in its dimension of sin, suffering, and anguish, I will suffer—and sometimes because of the wrongdoings of others. Humility allows me to accept this without bitterness, and allows me to react properly.

   Humility also assists me in realizing and implementing the truth that I am a social creature—one intended by God to help my neighbor, and, in turn, one intended to be helped by others. It also assists me in accepting my fundamental self. God has created me with certain basic talents, with a certain fundamental temperament. Humility bids me to accept this God-intended self, while always striving to develop, improve, mature.

   Humility likewise assists me in accepting my present life situation in so far as I can determine this is God's here-and-now design for me. If I am not properly humble, I can quietly and subtly rebel regarding the present. How unlike Mary, who did not disdain the simple and the ordinary, but rather, found her fulfillment in them as she saw the here-and-now opportunities to say "yes" to God.

   We can easily overlook the various applications of humility, so we need to make the special effort to become more aware of humility's role in Christian living. Scripture points out the necessity of doing this:

   God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. (Jas. 4:6).

  

 

August 11, 1994

I Watched You  

(Rosaries from the Hearts of Jesus and Mary pp. 8-10)

Jesus:  Oh, how I watched you, child. I watched you as I gave you each little sign of My love. I watched you grow in your faith and trust in Me. I watched you suffer and stood so close you could have touched Me, but you didn't know that this suffering would be that which led you to My tender love for you.

    I watched you when you surrendered and turned your will over to Me and I watched you cry, knowing this was the most joyous day of your life. I watched you see visions of doors and knew you would want to go through those doors, but they were not the doors you thought, they were the doors I gave you for greater union with Me. I watched you, child, when you wrote down My first letter to you and I saw your confusion and joy, knowing what these letters would do to touch so many hearts.

    I watched you, child. I watched you when I showed you My Heart and you were so warmed by this Heart and so awed by its vision, but you didn't know what this vision would mean for many to draw their hearts to My burning love.

    I watched you surrender each time as you let go of each little thing, as you were dying to self. I watched you through this surrender grow closer to Me. I watched you grow in this deep love for Me, step by step. I watched our love grow as you gave more of yourself in prayer. I watched you, child, and I loved being ever closer to you.

    I watched you struggle in such trials that you thought tomorrow would never come, knowing that this trial was what would give you more freedom and love for Me. I watched you learn each lesson through hard tests and I was so close while you struggled, but did not remove the struggle, knowing you would not learn your lesson if I had.

    I watched you, child, through each joy and pain and I loved you silently, always with you, and you never knew how close I truly was to you.

Song: From the day you were born…

    From the day you were born, I watched you. Forever by your side, I guarded you, I loved you. I know the most secret desire of your heart far better than you yourself know. I know the Father's plan for you. I know the Father's love for you. I know the love poured on you from the Holy Spirit and how Mary is forever by your side.

    I watch you, child, constantly guarding you and your ways and you do not know the love I have for you. You do not know how My Heart burns for love of you. And, someday, My beautiful child, you will know what I have in store for you, My beloved.

    Come and be with Me. Grow in your love with Me. I never leave you, My beloved. Remember, I am forever watching you.