| Shepherds of Christ Daily Writing |
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September 29, 2024
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September 30th Holy Spirit Novena |
The Novena Rosary
Mysteries |
Pray for the mailing of Fr. Joe's homily book.
Please Pray for Bob & special intentions.
Consecration Prayer for Peace
I consecrate Russia and the Ukraine to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
I further consecrate the priests, the Church and the world to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary.
I do this in the name of Jesus in as far as I am able, united to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, praying to the Father, in the Holy Spirit, with all the angels and saints and the souls in purgatory through the powerful intercession of Mary, Queen of Peace. Amen.
I further consecrate myself, all members of my family and ask the Holy Spirit to fill us. I spread the Blood of Jesus on all above, I cast the devil into hell away from all of us and consecrate all persons, in as far as I am able, to the Sacred Heart and Immaculate Heart.
Prayer for Grace for Election and 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. We pray for the upcoming election.
Morning Offering
Dear Father,
I offer up all I do all day united to Jesus
in the Mass, in the Holy Spirit, through
the powerful intercession of Mary, our
spiritual Mother, with all the angels and
saints, and the souls in purgatory, for
the priest, the Church, and the world.
We love You God so much.
We thank You and adore You and
petition You for our needs. Amen.
Chaplet of St. Michael
Saint Michael appearing one day to Antonia d'Astonac, a most devout Servant of God, told her that he wished to be honored by nine salutations corresponding to the nine Choirs of Angels, which should consist of one Our Father and three Hail Marys in honor of each of the angelic choirs.
Promises of St. Michael
Whosoever would practice this devotion in his honor would have, when approaching the Holy Table, an escort of nine angels chosen from each one of the nine choirs. In addition, for the daily recital of these nine salutations, he promised his continual assistance and that of all the holy angels during life, and after death deliverance from purgatory for themselves and their relations.
Method of Reciting the Chaplet
The chaplet is begun by saying the following invocation on the medal: O God, come to my assistance. O Lord, make haste to help me. Glory be to the Father, etc.
Say one Our Father and three Hail Marys after each of the following nine salutations in honor of the nine choirs of angels.
1. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Seraphim, may the Lord make us worthy to burn with the fire of perfect charity. Amen.
2. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Cherubim, may the Lord vouchsafe to grant us grace to leave the ways of wickedness to run in the paths of Christian perfection. Amen.
3. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Thrones, may the Lord infuse into our hearts a true and sincere spirit of humility. Amen.
4. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Dominions, may the Lord give us grace to govern our senses and subdue our unruly passions. Amen.
5. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Powers, may the Lord vouchsafe to protect our souls against the snares and temptations of the devil. Amen.
6. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Virtues may the Lord preserve us from evil and suffer us not to fall into temptation. Amen.
7. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Principalities, may God fill our souls with a true spirit of obedience. Amen.
8. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Archangels, may the Lord give us perseverance in faith and in all good works, in order that we gain the glory of Paradise. Amen.
9. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Angels, may the Lord grant us to be protected by them in this mortal life and conducted hereafter to eternal glory. Amen.
Say one Our Father in honor of each of the following leading angels: 10 St Michael; 11 St Gabriel; 12 St. Raphael; 13 our Guardian Angel.
The chaplet is concluded with the following prayers:
O glorious Prince St. Michael, chief and commander of the heavenly hosts, guardian of souls, vanquisher of rebel spirits, servant in the house of the Divine King, and our admirable conductor, thou who dost shine with excellence and superhuman virtue, vouchsafe to deliver us from all evil, who turn to thee with confidence, and enable us by thy gracious protection to serve God more and more faithfully every day.
V.
Pray for us, O glorious St. Michael, Prince of the Church of Jesus Christ.R.
That we may be made worthy of His promises.Almighty and Everlasting God, who by a prodigy of goodness and a merciful desire for the salvation of all men, hast appointed the most glorious Archangel, St. Michael, Prince of Thy Church, make us worthy, we beseech Thee, to be delivered from all our enemies that none of them may harass us at the hour of death, but that we may be conducted by him into the august presence of Thy Divine Majesty. This we beg through the merits of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
September 28, 2024
R. Growth in dying to one’s selfish
will is an exercise.
It takes God’s grace to put God’s will
before ours.
It takes God’s grace to grow in dying
to self-will.
To grow in the life of Resurrection,
we must die to our self-will opposed
to God’s will.
I see growing to dying to self-will is
an act of the will.
It is putting God’s will before our
selfish will, it takes grace, surrender,
and love of God in holiness.
To me it is an exercise in our will to
put God's will first before our will.
It takes deeper and deeper love of God.
Growing in holiness is being more
perfected like Jesus, like our Heavenly
Father.
So I can say growing to dying to self-will,
(opposed to God’s will), is growing
in the life of Resurrection.
I remember a sort of joke, it was: A man
was hanging on a branch atop a high
mountain and he prayed to God,
“Help me!!”
He heard a voice say: "Let go"!
He then responded: "Is anyone else up there?"
Surrendering to God’s will is a big
thing in the spiritual life.
30 years ago God gave me this prayer: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. - January 17, 1994
Imprimatur Archbishop of Cincinnati
R. We must be willing to give
ourselves to God, where He is the
Initiator and we are the soul waiting
His favor.
Here is a prayer I received for
Ash Wednesday a few years later.
A Prayer for Intimacy with the Lamb, the Bridegroom of the Soul
Oh Lamb of God, Who take away the sins of the world, come and act on my soul most intimately. I surrender myself, as I ask for the grace to let go, to just be as I exist in You and You act most intimately on my soul. You are the Initiator. I am the soul waiting Your favors as You act in me. I love You. I adore You. I worship You. Come and possess my soul with Your Divine Grace, as I experience You most intimately.
Imprimatur Archbishop Buechlein Indianapolis
Matthew 12:46-50
He was still speaking to the crowds when suddenly his mother and his brothers were standing outside and were anxious to have a word with him. 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.’
Matthew 7: 21
‘It is not anyone who says to me, "Lord, Lord," who will enter the kingdom of Heaven, but the person who does the will of my Father in heaven.
Matthew 5:13-16
‘You are salt for the earth. But if salt loses its taste, what can make it salty again? It is good for nothing, and can only be thrown out to be trampled under people’s feet.
‘You are light for the world. A city built on a hill–top cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp to put it under a tub; they put it on the lamp–stand where it shines for everyone in the house. In the same way your light must shine in people’s sight, so that, seeing your good works, they may give praise to your Father in heaven.
R. Glorify your Heavenly Father.
Children of light are born of Mary!!
Forgive from the heart.
The Father forgives us, we are sinful,
we must forgive our brothers.
Jesus is revealing our Father!
We are the creature,
The Father is our Creator.
May 14, 2024
R.
Dear Holy Spirit come to me, possess
my
soul, I love You, Holy Spirit.
When I am
weak, I am strong in You.
Outpour Your
precious love to me. Amen.
I love You, God:
Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Dear Holy Spirit infuse in my intellect
wisdom, knowledge and understanding.
Counsel
me Holy Spirit from the mind of
God.
Help me, dear Holy Spirit to
know the loving
embrace of God all the days of my life.
I
turn to You. Amen.
When I find doing God's desire for my life
difficult give me the gift of fortitude,
dear
Holy Spirit.
Sanctify my heart to act
purely for the
honor and glory of God.
I may be willing,
but I need Your gift to
give me courage to act as You desire.
Help me to know and love the heavenly
Father's will for me and to do it in love
for the honor and glory of God.
Help
me to always put God first in my life,
in love for God in my heart.
Help me to
walk realizing, I am the creature,
God is the Creator.
Help me to be
patient and strong and
persevere in my life until I rest with Thee
forever in heaven.
Please Holy Spirit
give me the gift of fear
of God that I do not offend you in sins
of unloving ways against God.
You are so good
and deserving of all my
love.
I worship You and love You -
Help my interior disposition at Mass to be
that of purity in pleasing the Heavenly
Father, in my offering united to Jesus in
the Mass.
Dear Holy Spirit please help me
in the gift
of piety to do that which pleases my
Heavenly
Father with the tenderness as His little
child.
Thank you God for all You give to me.
I pray this "All for the honor and Glory of
God". Amen.
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.'
Dear Holy Spirit, strengthen our will and
move like a Divine breath in our soul, to
be docile sons and daughters of our
Heavenly Father. Amen.
Alleluia.
March 10, 2024
Novena to St. Joseph, Patron and Father
(2024)
Begins March 11, 2024 -
March 19, 2024
Dear Saint Joseph,
I turn to you,
you who cared and
protected the child Jesus and the
Virgin Mary.
You taught men and women,
the
love of God by your example in life,
and by your faithfulness of living
your calling in greatest commitment
and love.
You loved Mary and Jesus with the
most gentle, bonds of love.
You showed us how you
lived in loving
conformity to the
Heavenly Father's will.
You
guided Jesus and Mary's precious
lives with the Holy Spirit, Spouse of
the Virgin Mother of God.
Protect
us and our family this day and
every day of our lives, like
you did
the Holy Family of Nazareth.
We seek your powerful intercession.
How intimately you knew and loved
Jesus and Mary. You were so close to
them. You showed us love.
Your
heart was pure and gentle and
yet you were strong in being their
manly protector on earth, intercede
for us to depend more and more on
God for all our needs, for when we
are weak we are strong in God.
St. Joseph please intercede for a
peaceful and holy death for us and
our sick loved ones.
Amen.
St. Joseph help us now in
this nine
day novena to you.
Amen.
March 23, 2024
Prayer for Sick and Caregivers at Home
R. Dear God,
I pray Heavenly Father with all my heart,
in the Name of Jesus, united to the Holy
Sacrifice of the Mass, in the Holy Spirit,
with all the angels and saints and souls
in purgatory, through the powerful
intercession of Our Lady of Clearwater
to come to my aid now.
My loved one is very sick and he (she)
needs your help, God.
Outpour Your grace for me in this time
of need to have patience and wisdom to
deal with this now.
I give this sickness up to You, my God.
Please help me in dealing with this and
helping them in doing the right thing
and dealing with this.
I surrender this problem to You, my
Divine God.
Please send Your angels to help me.
Spread us all with the Precious Blood of
Jesus, cast the devil into the fires of hell,
dear Holy Spirit come to my aid.
I consecrate my home, ourselves to the
Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate
Heart of Mary, Thank You.
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus I place my
trust in Thee.
Child Jesus of Good Health, help us.
St. Joseph, Patron of a Holy Death
come to our aid.
Amen.
September 28, 2024
Joyful Mysteries
The Annunciation
1. Luke 1: 26-38
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the House of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. He went in and said to her, ‘Rejoice, you who enjoy God’s favour! The Lord is with you.’ She was deeply disturbed by these words and asked herself what this greeting could mean, but the angel said to her, ‘Mary, do not be afraid; you have won God’s favour. Look! You are to conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you must name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David; he will rule over the House of Jacob for ever and his reign will have no end.’ Mary said to the angel, ‘But how can this come about, since I have no knowledge of man?’ The angel answered, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will cover you with its shadow. And so the child will be holy and will be called Son of God. And I tell you this too: your cousin Elizabeth also, in her old age, has conceived a son, and she whom people called barren is now in her sixth month, for nothing is impossible to God.’ Mary said, ‘You see before you the Lord’s servant, let it happen to me as you have said.’ And the angel left her.
2. From Tell My People by Fr. Edward J. Carter, S.J.
Mary, Model and Teacher of Love
Mary: “My beloved priest-son, I have led you to greatly increase your prayers and sacrifices for others. I have often reminded you of my teaching at Fatima—that many souls go to Hell because they have no one to pray and make sacrifices for them. My Immaculate Heart longs that all my little ones be saved. Tell my little ones that they must love their neighbor through prayer, sacrifices, and other ways, too. All should learn from me. My Heart is symbol, not only of my great love for God, but also of my tender love for all my little ones. Imitate my love for God and all my children. If you love Jesus and me, this means you also love all of God’s children. Jesus died for all. You cannot exclude anyone from your love.
“My Heart is the perfect imitator of the Heart of my Son. I will teach you how to love the Father and all mankind after the example of Jesus. All my little ones, I long for you to come to my Heart so I can teach you the ways of love! I love you so much! Come to my Immaculate Heart. Pressed against my Heart, I will hold you in my arms. I will clothe you with my motherly and protective mantle. As I hold you close to my Heart, I will teach you the ways of love!”
3. Reflection: In the above message, our dear mother tenderly reminds us that the following of Jesus is summed up in love of God and neighbor.
4. Prayer: Mary, in your great love for us, teach us the ways of love. Help us to surrender more and more to your Immaculate Heart, so that you can lead us to an ever closer union with the Heart of Jesus, the source of our being able to love.
5. Mary help us to say “yes” to our Father’s
call to us.
6. Sing: Our Lady of Clearwater
7. Mary loved the Father’s will.
8. Mary loved the Father's will, if carrying
a pebble or a boulder.
9. Sing: See the Eyes That Look at Mary
10. Sing: Immaculate Mary
The Visitation
1. Luke 1: 39-45
Mary set out at that time and went as quickly as she could into the hill country to a town in Judah. She went into Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth. Now it happened that as soon as Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leapt in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. She gave a loud cry and said, ‘Of all women you are the most blessed, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. Why should I be honoured with a visit from the mother of my Lord? Look, the moment your greeting reached my ears, the child in my womb leapt for joy. Yes, blessed is she who believed that the promise made her by the Lord would be fulfilled.’
2. My soul doth magnify the Lord.
3. My spirit rejoices in God my Savior.
4. Mary stayed with Elizabeth about 3 months.
5. Mary is the Spouse of the Holy Spirit.
6. Mary is perfect disciple of Jesus.
7. We need this relationship with Mary as
our spiritual Mother.
8. Mary loves us so very much,
oh Mary teach us about Jesus.
9. Mary I love you so much.
10. Mary, you helped St. Elizabeth, please
help me now.
The Birth of Jesus
1. Luke 2: 8-14
In the countryside close by there were shepherds out in the fields keeping guard over their sheep during the watches of the night. An angel of the Lord stood over them and the glory of the Lord shone round them. They were terrified, but the angel said, ‘Do not be afraid. Look, I bring you news of great joy, a joy to be shared by the whole people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. And here is a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.’ And all at once with the angel there was a great throng of the hosts of heaven, praising God with the words:
Glory to God in the highest heaven,
2. Jesus came a little baby in the stable in
Bethlehem.
3. Can you envision the beauty of that night?
4. God gave a big sign in the star over Jesus’ bed.
5. Sing: Silent Night
6. Sing: Away in a Manger
7. Little babies are so cute. Help me now God, I pray.
8. See the beauty of the star above Jesus’ bed.
9. Think of the sorrows and joys of St. Joseph.
10. March 10, 2024
Novena to St. Joseph, Patron and Father (2024)
Begins March 11, 2024 - March 19, 2024
Dear Saint Joseph,
I turn to you, you who cared and
protected the child Jesus and the
Virgin Mary.
You taught men and women, the
love of God by your example in life,
and by your faithfulness of living
your calling in greatest commitment
and love.
You loved Mary and Jesus with the
most gentle, bonds of love.
You showed us how you
lived in loving conformity to the
Heavenly Father's will.
You guided Jesus and Mary's precious
lives with the Holy Spirit, Spouse of
the Virgin Mother of God.
Protect us and our family this day and
every day of our lives, like
you did the Holy Family of Nazareth.
We seek your powerful intercession.
How intimately you knew and loved
Jesus and Mary. You were so close to
them. You showed us love.
Your heart was pure and gentle and
yet you were strong in being their
manly protector on earth, intercede
for us to depend more and more on
God for all our needs, for when we
are weak we are strong in God.
St. Joseph please intercede for a
peaceful and holy death for us and
our sick loved ones.
Amen.
St. Joseph help us now in this nine
day novena to you.
Amen.
The Presentation in the Temple
1.
Luke 2: 25-35
Now in Jerusalem there was a man named Simeon. He was an upright and devout man; he looked forward to the restoration of Israel and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death until he had set eyes on the Christ of the Lord. Prompted by the Spirit he came to the Temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the Law required, he took him into his arms and blessed God; and he said:
Now, Master, you are letting
your servant go in peace
as you promised;
for my eyes have seen the salvation
which you have made ready
in the sight of the nations;
a light of revelation for the gentiles
and glory for your people Israel.As the child’s father and mother were wondering at the things that were being said about him, Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, ‘Look, he is destined for the fall and for the rise of many in Israel, destined to be a sign that is opposed—and a sword will pierce your soul too — so that the secret thoughts of many may be laid bare.'
2. Sing: Little Baby Hands and Feet
3. A sword too will pierce your heart, O
Mary.
4.
From Tell My People by Fr. Edward J. Carter,
S.J.
The Tears and Sorrows of Mary
Mary: “My beloved priest-son, I have given you a great devotion to my sorrows and tears. Tell my people about this devotion. Tell them I promise great blessings to all who say seven Hail Marys each day in honor of my tears and seven sorrows. Included in my promise is that of granting special assistance at the hour of death. At this moment, all who practice this devotion will see my face.”
5. Reflection: Listed below are the seven sorrows of Mary. Let us each day recall these sorrows as we pray the seven Hail Marys as Our Lady requests.
1. The prophecy of Simeon.
2. The Flight into Egypt.
3. The loss of Jesus in the Temple.
4. Jesus and Mary meet during the way of the cross.
5. Mary witnesses the crucifixion of her Son.
6. Jesus is taken down from the cross and laid in Mary’s arms.
7. The burial of Jesus.
6. Prayer: Sorrowful Mother, obtain for us the grace to enter deeply into your sorrows. Let us realize that the more we are united with you in the carrying of the cross, the more we are united with you in sharing the joy of Christ’s resurrection.
