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 11 p.m. Eastern time, U.S.A.We acknowledge that the final authority regarding these messages rests with the Holy See of Rome. |
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August 31, 2002
| September 1st Holy
Spirit Novena Scripture selection is Day 7 Period I. |
The Novena Rosary
Mystery for September 1st is Joyful. |
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:
- 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.
- For the Pope.
- For all bishops of the world.
- For all priests.
- For all sisters and brothers in the religious life.
- For all members of the Shepherds of Christ Movement, and for the spread of this movement to the world.
- For all members of the Catholic Church.
- For all members of the human family.
- For all souls in purgatory.
August 31, 2002
Messenger: Jesus really
wants us to be Apostles of
the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus.
We live with these intentions in our hearts
every moment that we live.
Here are the intentions again.
- 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.
- For the Pope.
- For all bishops of the world.
- For all priests.
- For all sisters and brothers in the religious life.
- For all members of the Shepherds of Christ Movement, and for the spread of this movement to the world.
- For all members of the Catholic Church.
- For all members of the human family.
- For all souls in purgatory.
Our every prayer -
our life offered all day as a
sacrifice are for these intentions.Let's look at them again
- 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.
- For the Pope.
- For all bishops of the world.
- For all priests.
- For all sisters and brothers in the religious life.
- For all members of the Shepherds of Christ Movement, and for the spread of this movement to the world.
- For all members of the Catholic Church.
- For all members of the human family.
- For all souls in purgatory.
Jesus is asking you -
Will you be an Apostle of the
Eucharistic Heart of Jesus?Will these intentions be part of
your morning offering?Will you live with these intentions
in your heart all day?If enough people would do this, the world would
be a world of peace.
Quote from the Shepherds of Christ
Priestly Newsletter Book 2:"Until a sufficient number of people
make and live the consecration, we will not have
peace in the world."
Jesus says to you today
Jesus says August 31, 2002:
Will you be an Apostle of
the Eucharistic Heart
of Jesus?
August 31, 2002 message continues
Messenger: How can we not pray
before the Blessed
Sacrament, daily if we can, for the
priests, the Church and the world.
Look at the state the world is in.
We may pray deeply for our children,
but we really need to pray for all
men. Our children live in this
world.
We want the world to be as Jesus
wants it to be.
We want as many as possible in
the world being
Apostles of the Eucharistic Heart
of Jesus.
Pray like this yourselves.
Try to encourage others in your
Church to pray the prayers
using these non-message
materials.
ONLY USE NON-MESSAGE VERSION
IN CHURCHES
Circulate this to your priest and
show him the red prayer manual.
Are you willing to be an
Apostle of the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus?
Apostles of the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus
There is a new prayer movement which has been started under the direction of Shepherds of Christ Ministries. We are 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 given. 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.
This new prayer movement within the Shepherds of Christ Ministries is a powerful way to help in the renewal of the Church and the world. The name, Apostles of the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus, has been given to this movement.
Rita Ring is the coordinator for this activity.
This is indeed a special calling for us to unite in one heart with His Eucharistic Heart and pray for the following intentions:
- 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.
- For the Pope.
- For all bishops of the world.
- For all priests.
- For all sisters and brothers in the religious life.
- For all members of the Shepherds of Christ Movement, and for the spread of this movement to the world.
- For all members of the Catholic Church.
- For all members of the human family.
- For all souls in purgatory.
August 31, 2002 message continues
Messenger: This can be downloaded for distribution.
Let's pray with all our hearts for
our priests, the Church and the world.
These intentions Jesus gave to Fr. Carter
really say what we need to pray for.
Our life should be lived with these
intentions in our heart.
Jesus speaks: Today August 31, 2002, I ask you to be
an Apostle of the Eucharistic
Heart of Jesus and to promote
this movement all over the world.
Translate the information in all
languages that the prayer manual
has been translated in already and seek the
Imprimatur on this information.
I will flood your heart with My love.
You are brothers.
You must pray for each other.
You are a family.
I love you so much.
August 31, 2002 message continues
Messenger: These
intentions are in my heart
every moment I live.
Pray for vocations to all 7 categories.
August 31, 2002 message continues
Messenger: Father Carter prayed for this at
every Mass.
August 31, 2002 message continues
Messenger: Ask people that might be open -
Could you be an Apostle of the
Eucharistic Heart of Jesus?
Give them the prayer manual and instructions.
Excerpt from the
Apostles of the Eucharistic Heart Newsletter
March 8, 1996Many Graces Will Be Granted
Jesus: My beloved Apostles of the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus, I have called you to a special apostleship, My beloved ones. I am crying out to you from My Eucharistic Heart to pray as you have never prayed before. The power, My dear chosen ones, is in the Eucharist. Your world is in a very serious state. The Church, the pope, the bishops, the priests, the Sisters and Brothers are all in need of tremendous prayer power.
You have been called to the quiet of the tabernacle to take your prayer petitions to My Eucharistic Heart. The renewal of the Church and the world is at hand. From the prayers you pray here, many graces will be granted.
I am calling all in this Movement as well as all others in the Shepherds of Christ Movement to consecrate their hearts to My Heart and the heart of My Mother. All through the day I am calling you, priests, sisters and brothers in the religious life, laity, including children, to give your hearts to Me and to My beloved Mother. As you dwell in Our Hearts you will be one with each other.
Come to Me with your petitions. I am truly present in the tabernacle, no less present than the day I walked the earth. I wait for you to come and to pray for your Church and your world. Many graces will be given there for the priesthood and those in the religious life. I have chosen each priest and sister and brother in the religious life to help spread My love to this world. The highest calling is to be called to the priesthood. The calling I give to My beloved priests, sisters and brothers is a special spousalship to Me. How My Heart is wounded by the priests and sisters and brothers in the religious life who have turned worldly. I, the almighty God, call them to such a deep intimate love affair with Me and they go to the world for their love.
When the religious are fixed in My Heart many will be fed by My burning love.
The world is in a state of urgency. The Church in part has become worldly. The medicine for the hurting world is My burning love. Nothing, nothing will feed the starved soul but the love of God. I am calling you to pray for My holy priests, to pray that all priests come to a state of deep holiness.
I have called you as part of the Shepherds of Christ Movement to join in prayer before Me and to beg for graces for your Church and your world.
The renewal of My Church and My world will be helped greatly through many giving themselves to this movement.
At Fatima My Mother said that, until a sufficient number of faithful are consecrating their hearts to My Heart and the heart of My Mother, there will not be peace in this world.
In the Shepherds of Christ Movement including the Apostles of the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus Movement, I am reaching the priests, sisters and brothers in the religious life, laity, including the children - with this Consecration.
As you dwell in Our hearts you are one with us. As you give yourselves to our Hearts, you are one in our Hearts. These movements will prosper for all are joined in the Hearts of Jesus and Mary. You will proceed ahead in one heart and one mind. You will be more joined as a true family, brothers and sisters, living according to the will of your heavenly Father and dwelling in the heart of your heavenly Mother.
Oh, beloved children, in these movements you have been hand-picked and chosen for this mission by Me. I am giving to you such graces to unite more and more deeply to My Heart. You will be one with each other and one with God. As you dwell in My Mother's heart and My Heart, you unite with the Father in the Holy Spirit.
You are especially chosen, my apostles, to help carry My love to this world. As you join in this oneness with Me, I live in you and you in Me and I am alive in this world in a special way through this union.
I have called you to this apostleship, I am guarding your every breath, I am giving you abundant graces to help carry out the plan of the Father. "Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened, and I will give you rest." (Matt. 11:28)1
Bring the cares of the Church and the world to Me. I am waiting to give you all you need. I am Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God. I live this day in the world. I am truly present in the Blessed Sacrament. Come to Me and I will live in you.
I love you, I love you, I love you. I am your beloved Savior, Jesus.
We Are Children of God
(Rom 8: 14-17)1 All who are guided by the Spirit of God are sons of God; for what you received was not the spirit of slavery to bring you back into fear; you received the spirit of adoption, enabling us to cry out, "Abba, Father!" The Spirit himself joins with our spirit to bear witness that we are children of God. And if we are children, then we are heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, provided that we share his suffering, so as to share his glory.
February 23, 1996
He Remains with Us, Truly Present
God sees us as one family, His beloved creatures. He loves us each with the deepest personal love. He sees us united. It is our love for one another that pleases Him. There is not division in God. He loves each of us and knows our uniqueness. He loves all of us as His creatures. We are all members of His holy family. He wants all His children to inherit the Kingdom of God.
I find refuge by dwelling within His most precious Heart. I feel the inner glow, the heat. I feel the calm beating of His heart. It is there I am wrapped in His burning love. It is there I am united deeply to my most beloved Father. It is there I am joined with the permeating, moving action of the Holy Spirit.
It is my refuge, in this dark and troubled world. It is my heaven on earth, to be joined in love with all He has created, to have perfect peace and know God's chamber of peace and love.
I see the darkness, the vileness of this world, and I go to His Heart. I see, with rose-colored glasses. I see as He wants us to see with eyes of love. I want to love and see as He sees. It is in this deepest chamber of His Heart that I have found the Kingdom of God on earth, for He has said, the Kingdom of God is within you. The Kingdom of God, our little heaven on earth, is in dwelling deeply within Their Hearts. In His Heart is love and in His Heart is peace, in His Heart we are all one as He intends us to be. "But to the man who told him this Jesus replied, 'Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?' And stretching out his hand towards his disciples he said, 'Here are my mother and my brothers. Anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother." (Matt: 12:48-50)1 We draw in our beloved sisters and brothers by the love that radiates from our eyes, our gentle touch, our loving concern.Strip yourself of the attachments to this world. Find peace in the freedom of living according to His will, living *In Him, *in this magnificent Heart.
He came, He walked the earth, for love of us. He took on a human body. He gave His adorable Heart that we could live *In Him. He no longer walks this earth, He gives us Himself in the Holy Eucharist. He gives us a human *heart, pierced with a lance, crowned with thorns and holding the cross. The way to this fiery furnace, the way to life in Him, is through much suffering and pain. We identify with Him in all our actions, all our joys and sufferings, united to Him as we live our lives in Him. We walk the Passion, we feel the joys, the deep love in His Heart for His Mother, for all His beloved creatures. We carry out His life in our life.
I am Yours, my Lord. I love You with my whole heart, my whole soul, my whole being. I have found the Kingdom of God on this earth. I have found life in You. When I see the darkness in this troubled world, I go to the deepest, hottest chamber of Your Heart and I am bathed in your abundant love. I take with me my troubled brothers in my heart and I plead for their return to their God who is all worthy of all honor and love and adoration.
I am Yours, Lord, I consecrate my heart to You to live forever in this holy place. I want to die to all that is not of You, that I can be united in the deepest way to You, that my heart will know Your love, that as I live in this world I can truly say, "It is no longer I who live, but He who lives in me."
O, Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, I give You my all. I come to You surrounded by the pure and loving heart of Your Mother. I know You won't refuse me in my wretchedness when I come to You in the heart of Your beloved Mother.
The Holy Spirit permeates the very depth of my soul and I enter into the deepest chamber of His fiery Heart. It is there I feel so little, as a little child, and I unite to my most beloved Father. I feel in Your fiery heart the presence of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, in the deepest, whitest chamber, in the center of the deepest love. I unite with God and I know my dwelling in You is truly a little heaven on earth.
The Kingdom of God is at hand. There will be an era of peace. We will all be one in the Hearts of Jesus and Mary. We will be one happy family where there will only be love: love of God and love of one another.
And the city shone with the brightest light for within their hearts they knew the love of God and it radiated into the world. There was no longer darkness that covered the earth, but light, radiating from those dwelling within the Hearts of Jesus and Mary. And the star shone over His bed at Bethlehem. He is truly the light of the world and the light shone in the darkness and all who came to this light lived in the light and lived according to the light.
It is in this that we trust, that in all the darkness of the world that the light will shine when men are dwelling in the Hearts of Jesus and Mary.
And, He says: I am the way, the truth and the life. He who abides in me will have the light of life. He came, He was born a baby, He died on a cross, but as He hung on that cross on Calvary, He was the light that shone as the brightest light to the world, withered, beaten and bloodied. He was the brightest light in the darkened sky. It was through His death all men were promised a chance for real life, for eternal salvation.
And the light came forth from the tomb in power and glory, adorned in bright, glistening light. He stood before them with His glorified wounds: His pierced Heart of endless love and He gave them the newness of life-life in Him. The light shone in the darkness. He gave them a sharing in His Divine Life through Baptism and ascended into heaven to prepare a place for us, but He remained with us, truly present, in His Eucharistic Heart. He feeds us with His own Body and Blood. He gives us the Bread of Life. He is the Savior of the World and we live in newness of life because God first loved us!
Hearts One with Jesus and Mary
I feel His love in the hearts of holy priests. He has anointed them and they represent Christ to me. My soul is fed by all His holy priests. I feel fed when a priest loves Jesus so much. I must see the hearts of all and join with them in one heart, love them deeply in my heart.
There will be an era of peace when hearts are one with the Hearts of Jesus and Mary.
Jesus and Mary, I give You my heart.
Per Fr. Carter's Message2
This is your special calling from Jesus to pray for the Church and the world. The power is in Him. He is truly present in the Eucharist. He ascended into heaven, but He remains with us in greatest love. He calls out to us, "I am alive, I am alive, I am alive. Come to me and I will give you rest. Can you not watch one hour with Me?"I am Jesus. I call you My beloved ones to be Apostles of the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus. I love you, I love you, I love you."
______________
Notes:
1. Scripture references are taken from The New Jerusalem Bible,
Catholic Edition, Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group Inc., New York.
2. Message from Jesus to Father Edward Carter, S.J., February, 1996.end of the Apostles of the Eucharistic Heart Newsletter
John Weickert (President), Rita Ring, Father Carter
Romans 11: 33-36
A hymn to God’s mercy and wisdom
How rich and deep are the wisdom and the knowledge of God! We cannot reach to the root of his decisions or his ways. Who has ever known the mind of the Lord? Who has ever been his adviser? Who has given anything to him, so that his presents come only as a debt returned? Everything there is comes from him and is caused by him and exists for him. To him be glory for ever! Amen.
Jeremiah 20: 7-9
Selections from the ‘Confessions’ of Jeremiah
You have seduced me, Yahweh,
and I have let myself be seduced;
you have overpowered me:
you were the stronger.
I am a laughing–stock all day long,
they all make fun of me.
For whenever I speak, I have to howl
and proclaim, ‘Violence and ruin!’
For me, Yahweh’s word has been the cause
of insult and derision all day long.
I would say to myself,
‘I will not think about him,
I will not speak in his name any more,’
but then there seemed to be a fire
burning in my heart,
imprisoned in my bones.
The effort to restrain it wearied me,
I could not do it.
Romans 12: 1-2
I urge you, then, brothers, remembering the mercies of God, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, dedicated and acceptable to God; that is the kind of worship for you, as sensible people. Do not model your behaviour on the contemporary world, but let the renewing of your minds transform you, so that you may discern for yourselves what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and mature.
Matthew 16: 21-27
First prophecy of the Passion
From then onwards Jesus began to make it clear to his disciples that he was destined to go to Jerusalem and suffer grievously at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes and to be put to death and to be raised up on the third day. Then, taking him aside, Peter started to rebuke him. ‘Heaven preserve you, Lord,’ he said, ‘this must not happen to you.’ But he turned and said to Peter, ‘Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle in my path, because you are thinking not as God thinks but as human beings do.’
The condition of following Christ
Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself and take up his cross and follow me. Anyone who wants to save his life will lose it; but anyone who loses his life for my sake will find it. What, then, will anyone gain by winning the whole world and forfeiting his life? Or what can anyone offer in exchange for his life? ‘For the Son of man is going to come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and then he will reward each one according to his behaviour.
August 31, 2002 message continues
Messenger: The bell tolls and our life ends.
3Excerpt from Priestly Newsletter 1998 - ISSUE FOUR
Shortly before he was to die from cancer, Joseph Cardinal Bernardin left us these inspiring words about peace: "It is the first day of November, and fall is giving way to winter. Soon the trees will lose the vibrant colors of their leaves and snow will cover the ground. The earth will shut down, and people will race to and from their destinations bundled up for warmth. Chicago winters are harsh. It is a time of dying.
"But we know that spring will soon come with all its new life and wonder.
"It is quite clear that I will not be alive in the spring. But I will soon experience new life in a different way...
"What I would like to leave behind is a simple prayer that each of you may find what I have found—God's special gift to us all: the gift of peace. When we are at peace, we find the freedom to be most fully who we are, even in the worst of times. We let go of what is non-essential and embrace what is essential. We empty ourselves so that God may more fully work within us. And we become instruments in the hands of the Lord."
Notes:
3. Joseph Cardinal Bernardin, The Gift of
Peace, Loyola University Press, pp. 151-153.
end of excerpt from Priestly Newsletter 1998 - ISSUE FOUR
August 31, 2002 message continues
Messenger: WHAT Seeds will WE PLANT
Ezekiel 34: 11-16
"For the Lord Yahweh says this: Look, I myself shall take care of my flock and look after it. As a shepherd looks after his flock when he is with his scattered sheep, so shall I look after my sheep. I shall rescue them from wherever they have been scattered on the day of clouds and darkness. I shall bring them back from the peoples where they are; I shall gather them back from the countries and bring them back to their own land. I shall pasture them on the mountains of Israel, in the ravines and in all the inhabited parts of the country. I shall feed them in good pasturage; the highest mountains of Israel will be their grazing ground. There they will rest in good grazing grounds; they will browse in rich pastures on the mountains of Israel. I myself shall pasture my sheep, I myself shall give them rest–declares the Lord Yahweh. I shall look for the lost one, bring back the stray, bandage the injured and make the sick strong. I shall watch over the fat and healthy. I shall be a true shepherd to them.
Psalm 23
Yahweh is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
In grassy meadows he lets me lie.
By tranquil streams he leads me
to restore my spirit.
He guides me in paths of saving justice
as befits his name.
Even were I to walk in a ravine as dark as death
I should fear no danger, for you are at my side.
Your staff and your crook are there to soothe me.
You prepare a table for me
under the eyes of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup brims over.
Kindness and faithful love pursue me
every day of my life.
I make my home in the house of Yahweh
for all time to come.
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:
- 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.
- For the Pope.
- For all bishops of the world.
- For all priests.
- For all sisters and brothers in the religious life.
- For all members of the Shepherds of Christ Movement, and for the spread of this movement to the world.
- For all members of the Catholic Church.
- For all members of the human family.
- For all souls in purgatory.
August 31, 2002 message continues
Messenger: See
the people of this earth living
according to God's will and
following the Good Shepherd.
This is Jesus' Movement -
He called it Shepherds of Christ.
Let's be Apostles of the Eucharist
Heart of Jesus and promote this
movement as He asks today
August 31, 2002.
1 Corinthians 15: 20-26
In fact, however, Christ has been raised from the dead, as the first–fruits of all who have fallen asleep. As it was by one man that death came, so through one man has come the resurrection of the dead. Just as all die in Adam, so in Christ all will be brought to life; but all of them in their proper order: Christ the first–fruits, and next, at his coming, those who belong to him. After that will come the end, when he will hand over the kingdom to God the Father, having abolished every principality, every ruling force and power. For he is to be king until he has made his enemies his footstool, and the last of the enemies to be done away with is death, for he has put all things under his feet.
August 31, 2002 message continues
Messenger: Oh how very temporary is our life here.
John 11: 25-26
Jesus said:
I am the resurrection.
Anyone who believes in me,
even though that person dies, will live,
and whoever lives and believes in me
will never die.
Do you believe this?
Excerpt from Newsletter 2001 - Issue 1
Relationship with Members of the Church
e) 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
Psalm 26: 1-2
Yahweh, be my judge!
I go on my way in innocence,
my trust in Yahweh never wavers.Probe me, Yahweh, examine me,
Test my heart and my mind in the fire.
John 7: 37-39
The promise of living water
On the last day, the great day of the festival,
Jesus stood and cried out:
‘Let anyone who is thirsty come to me!
Let anyone who believes in me
come and drink!
As scripture says, "From his heart shall flow
streams of living water." ’
He was speaking of the Spirit which those who
believed in him were to receive; for there was no Spirit as yet because Jesus
had not yet been glorified.
Matthew 25: 34-36
Then the King will say to those on his right hand, "Come, you whom my Father has blessed, take as your heritage the kingdom prepared for you since the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you made me welcome, lacking clothes and you clothed me, sick and you visited me, in prison and you came to see me."
August 31, 2002 message continues
Messenger: Many are spiritually ill today.
We need prayer for ourselves and pray for
the Church and the world.
Psalm 119: 18
Open my eyes and I shall fix my gaze
on the wonders of your Law.
John 13: 35
It is by your love for one another,
that everyone will recognise you
as my disciples.
August 31, 2002 message continues
Messenger: GOD HAS
Given us such a gift in
the Eucharist and in our priest
and in our Church.
 |
 |
We desperately need
funds for bills for running
of the movement, telephone, water, etc.Please if you can help us.
Pray for the Cardinals, Bishops and the Pope, pray hourly.
Pray for a personal intention.
Pray for 2 very urgent intentions.
We are praying on the
hour for funds. Please
pray with us.
Credit card donations accepted.
Shepherds of Christ Ministries
P. O. Box 193
Morrow, Ohio 45152
1-888-211-3041
We need funds to send our
President to Florida
to set up a permanent camera on Mary's Image.
Please pray for a special intention.
2 urgent intentions; Fred and Mark.
Pray for 4 very urgent intentions.
Pray for 2 personal intention.
Pray for a particular bishop and cardinal.
Pray for the pope.
Pray for all the bishops of the world.
Pray for Sarah.
Copyright
© 2002 Shepherds of Christ.Shepherds of Christ Ministries
P.O. Box 193
Morrow, Ohio 45152-0193
Telephone: (toll free) 1-888-211-3041 or (513) 932-4451
FAX: (513) 932-6791
