"Be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect." (Matthew 5:48)

Monday, March 9, 2026

**Spiritual Sweetness**

        Communion experience. The heavenly, divine sweetness of the Lord engulfed my soul.

***Christ Our Model to Imitate*

        In today's Gospel reading from Luke 4, Jesus said to the people in the synagogue at Nazareth: "Amen, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own native place." Later, when they disliked what they heard, they were filled with fury. They rose up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built to hurl him down headlong. Ultimately, he was even crucified. This should teach us never to complain if people reject or persecute us for the sake of the Lord.

Sunday, March 8, 2026

**God's Eternal Outlook**

        Communion experience. The Lord, being eternal, aims at solving all our problems for eternity. Eternal life for us is his top priority, and we should be grateful to him for that.

*****Secret of Soaring to God Effortlessly*****

        Go passive and surrender yourself completely to God, and he will lift you all the way to his bosom. (This can be accomplished in instantly.)

**Living Not by Bread Alone**

        Also in today's Gospel reading from John 4, Jesus said to his disciples, "My food is to do the will of the one who sent me and to finish his work.Likewise, we should live by doing God's work; this is what sustains us.

**Sign You Are on Way to Eternal Life**

        In today's Gospel reading from John 4, Jesus, at Jacob's well in Sychar, saw a Samaritan woman come to draw water. He said to her, "Give me a drink." The woman responded, "How can you, a Jew, ask me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink?" Jesus answered, "If you knew the gift of God and who is saying to you, 'Give me a drink,' you would have asked him and he would have given you living water... whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst; the water I shall give will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." If you feel that Christ has completely quenched your thirst, you are on your way to eternal life.

**Sign You Are with God**

        The first part of today's offertory antiphon from Psalm 19 reads, "The judgments of the Lord are right; they gladden the heart, and are sweeter than honey and the honeycomb." If you feel that way about the Lord's judgments and welcome them, you are already with him.

Saturday, March 7, 2026

***Call to Believe***

        Many prominent scientists and notable individuals have studied the Shroud of Turin for decades, concluding that no human could have created the image and that the man on the cloth was a crucified person whose suffering matches the biblical description of Jesus. Recently, scientists have found the DNA on the Shroud to be unexplainable. Yet, some still think it might be just an anomaly. It seems some people never come to believe, no matter how overwhelming the evidence may be. For me, the moment I saw the image on the Shroud many years ago, I just knew that it was the Lord, and I believed!

***Pure Joy

        Communion time experience: To be in union with Christ is pure joy!

*****We Are Loved by God!*****

        Today's Gospel reading from Luke 15, the Parable of the Lost Son, beautifully illustrates how deeply our heavenly Father loves each one of us. You'd need to have a heart of stone not to be moved by it. It's incredible that we are loved so much, and when we return to him, all of heaven rejoices! 

Friday, March 6, 2026

**Cherishing the Lord**

        Communion experience: I deeply enjoy the Lord and his love.

**Another Simple Realization**

        If I don't do anything about my sin, it will destroy my soul!

**Simple Realization*

        The Lord is infinite, almighty, and holy, while I am finite, lowly, and a sinner; therefore, my place is to obey and follow him totally.

Thursday, March 5, 2026

***Our Only Chance Now***

          This morning we heard the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus from Luke 16. After the poor man Lazarus died, he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham. The rich man also died, and from the netherworld, where he was in torment, he saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. And he cried out, "Father Abraham, have pity on me. Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am suffering torment in these flames." Abraham replied, "My child, remember that you received what was good during your lifetime while Lazarus likewise received what was bad; but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented. Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is established to prevent anyone from crossing." He said, "Then I beg you, father, send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they too come to this place of torment." But Abraham replied, "They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them." He said, "Oh no, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent." Then Abraham said, "If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead."
       We have a poignant exchange here. Today we have Jesus the Lord among us. He is the only one who can save anyone who listens to him. It's strictly between each of us and the Lord: it is now or never!

**The Only Trustworthy One**

        We have from today's First reading, Jeremiah 17: A curse on those who trust in mortals; a blessing on those who trust in the Lord God.  It is true that we can never trust in any mortal fully, but we can trust in the Lord God unreservedly, for he takes care of us for all eternity.

Wednesday, March 4, 2026

**Resurrection Experience**

        Communion experience. The definition of resurrection is the act of rising from the dead. Without Christ, I was spiritually dead. When I received the Lord I believe in, I was saved and granted eternal life—a spiritual resurrection now, prior to my final resurrection.

***Recipe for Peace**

        If you want to have peace, don't look for it outside of you. Instead, let go of your ego so that you may trust in God fully.

**"Jesus Is Our Lord and Savior" Made Clear**

         In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 20, Jesus predicted his own Passion and Resurrection to his disciples. Then he said to them, "The Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many." His purpose was also made clear; all has come to pass. This leaves no doubt that he is our Lord and Savior.