**The Lord Speaking!**

        I just posted "Handicap of the Rich," quoting Matthew 19:23. It turns out that this is the first verse of today's Gospel reading. I was also deeply moved by verse 29, in which Jesus declared to his disciples, "Everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands for the sake of my name will receive a hundred times more, and will inherit eternal life."

**Sensible Conclusion**

        Today's Responsorial Psalm Response, from Deuteronomy 32:39, reads, "It is I [God] who bring both death and life." This is clearly true; therefore, it is only fitting and makes sense to put him in charge of everything between life and death too.

**Handicap of the Rich**

        In today's first reading from Ezekiel 28, the Lord God told the prophet what to say to the prince of Tyre. Verse 5 struck me: "Through your great wisdom in trading, you heaped up riches for yourself—your heart is haughty because of your riches." Today we see wealthy people who think they are superior because they can make money. Jesus is right in saying to his disciples that it will be hard for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. When you serve mammon instead of God, you receive your full reward in this life.

**The Wisdom That Matters the Most**

        Jesus is our Lord and Savior. If we believe and follow him, we are saved from sin and gain eternal life. You have probably heard this so many times that it sounds trite now. But if you truly believe that this is true, you will have gained the wisdom that matters the most to your whole existence! 

***About God's Love***

        God's love for us is so great that it is better not to have been born than to knowingly reject it.

****KNOW GOD'S WONDERFUL MERCY****

        There were two criminals crucified at the same time as Jesus. One of them hanging there reviled Jesus, saying, "Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us." The other, however, rebuking him, said in reply, "Have you no fear of God, for you are subject to the same condemnation? And indeed, we have been condemned justly, for the sentence we received corresponds to our crimes, but this man has done nothing criminal." Then he turned to Jesus and said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." He replied to him, "Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise." This shows God's wonderful mercy, and it reveals how one change of heart can make the greatest possible difference to our eternal existence. You have to be an absolute ignoramus to get yourself condemned! 

*****All for What? (This We Must Know)*****

        Today I prayed the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Holy Rosary. I thought of the mental agonies Jesus endured. His goal was to save all from eternal death, but people didn't believe in him and wanted to crucify him instead. Before it happened, they mocked and taunted him. As for the physical sufferings he underwent, there were the Scourging at the Pillar—the Shroud of Turin shows that he was whipped 120 times, leaving nearly 400 wound marks over his whole body, both front and back; the Crowning with Thorns—imagine the pain caused by forcing the thorns into his scalp; the Carrying of the Cross—he had to carry the cross himself and fell three times because of its weight; and last, the Crucifixion—the pain must have been so excruciating while hanging from the cross for about six hours before he expired. All for what? This is what every one of us needs to know if we truly have a heart!

**The Way to Perfection**

        In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 19, a rich young man who observed all God's commandments asked Jesus what he still lacked. Jesus said to him, "If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." We see that to follow Jesus is the way to perfection. If we cannot really sell what we have and give to the poor, we should at least be detached in heart from all our material possessions.

**Clear and Simple**

        We are either saved or lost. Obviously, we cannot save ourselves, just as we cannot lift ourselves up. But if we believe and follow Christ, we are saved. If we do not believe and reject him, we remain lost. That is all there is to it.

**Spirit-Filled Exchange**

         Today is the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In the Gospel reading from Luke 1, Mary traveled to a town in the hill country of Judah to visit her cousin Elizebeth. When Mary, pregnant with Jesus, and Elizebeth, wth John the Baptist, greeted each other, this exchange took place. It was beautiful because both were filled with the Holy Spirit. Here it is below.

      Elizebeth cried out in a loud voice and said, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled." And Mary said: "My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my Savior for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant. From this day all generations will call me blessed: the Almighty has done great things for me and holy is his Name. He has mercy on those who fear him in every generation. He has shown the strength of his arm, and has scattered the proud in their conceit. He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, and has lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. He has come to the help of his servant Israel for he has remembered his promise of mercy, the promise he made to our fathers, to Abraham and his children forever."

***Follow the Death Destroyer***

        Physical death, we shall all face; after that, we face either eternal life or eternal death. If we belong to Jesus Christ, eternal death will have been destroyed for us, leaving us only eternal life!

**A Warning to Christians**

        The secular influence of the world is so strong that it causes many Christians to become lukewarm or fall away entirely. They are now easy targets for Satan and risk losing their souls altogether. Christians need to seek union with God so that they can become virtually invulnerable to Satan. Even when the Lord allows Satan to attack them to test their faith, they emerge stronger than ever.

***How Well You Hear the Lord?***

        To fully hear the Lord speak to your heart, you need to attain full union with him through the Holy Eucharist. Consequently, some Christians hear the Lord only once in a while or not at all. How much you communicate with the Lord depends entirely on how close your relationship with him is. Personally, with the Lord God, I strive to give my all to get the most out of my relationship with him, thereby glorifying him to the fullest.

***Jesus' Passion Unforgettable***

        The Passion of Jesus was most excruciating, yet the Lord willingly went through it out of love for us. This is what makes it truly unforgettable!

***Best Way to Know God***

        The Apostles followed only the Lord when he was on earth with them. Since the Lord transcends time and space, we can do the same. After all, he is the one we want to know and love above all else, so it makes perfect sense for us to always go directly to him, as he is instantly accessible. To seek the Lord indirectly any other way is much less productive. It is seeking God by our own effort rather than letting him help us reach our goal effortlessly.

***To Forgive Is Divine***

        In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 18, Jesus told the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant to Peter, illustrating the importance of asking the Lord to forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, which is part of the Lord's Prayer he gave us. It is clear, although not always easy to follow; but follow we must if we ever want to be assured of getting into heaven. 

***The One True God***

        There are many gods, but there can be only one true God. This is common sense. That he has to be the God of Jesus Christ—who personally revealed the whole truth to us—is practically common sense too. The fact that he turns out to be pure love seals the deal.

***How to See the LORD Clearly**

        In today's First Reading from Ezekiel 12, the LORD told the prophet, "They [the house of Israel] have eyes to see but do not see, and ears to hear but do not hear, for they are a rebellious house." Today we have the same problem. Many people do not see the truth before their eyes. Even those who claim to know the LORD still see him through veiled eyes. To truly see the LORD clearly, we must totally submit ourselves to him first to allow him to reveal himself to us!