**We May Be in the End Times**

        Today is the Feast of Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles. Here is the First Reading from Ephesians 2: "Brothers and sisters: You are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone. Through him the whole structure is held together and grows into a temple sacred in the Lord; in him you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit." Sadly, two thousand years later, we are not at that point yet. Could we be in the end times now?

***The Only Friend We Need***

        Jesus, who loves us with the greatest love and is completely trustworthy, is the best possible friend we can ever have. In fact, he is the only friend we need. While earthly friendships eventually fade, our bond with Christ lasts forever. Consider this a gentle warning: once the Lord becomes your best friend, you may lose other friends because you no longer fit into their world. But this is such a small price to pay when you consider the immense reward waiting for you in heaven!

**The Living Kingdom of God**

        In today's Gospel reading from Luke 13, Jesus tells two parables. He asks, "What is the Kingdom of God like? To what can I compare it? It is like a mustard seed that a man took and planted in a garden. When it was fully grown, it became a large bush and the birds of the sky dwelt in its branches." Again he says, "To what shall I compare the Kingdom of God? It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of wheat flour until the whole batch of dough was leavened." We see that the Kingdom of God involves growth and expansion. And that's how we should live our spiritual lives: growing in holiness and doing great works.

"God's Design for the Family"

        In today's reading from Ephesians 5, Paul talks about the proper roles of husbands and wives. He writes: "Wives should be subordinate to their husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is head of his wife just as Christ is head of the Church.... Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ loved the Church.... So also husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. (...) For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. (...) In any case, each one of you should love his wife as himself, and the wife should respect her husband." Clearly, God created men and women with different roles so that the family might be perfect. The head and the heart are equally important in forming an ideal family. If the wife wants to be the head also, or if the husband does not love the wife as himself, the family breaks apart. This is exactly what is happening to us nowadays, as Satan aims to destroy the family. To fight this, we need to surrender to God completely first, for only through him will we be able to overcome all evil.

**The Christian Advantage**

        As a Christian, I know God, I know that both heaven and hell exist, and I know where I'll be going after death. This is a huge advantage, as I see that those who choose not to believe in Christ do not know anything or are not certain about God, heaven, and hell—they are, in essence, lost souls.

**The Rich, Beware!**

        When we live in a relatively affluent country, we don't always realize that there are many people living in horrible conditions all around the world. In Matthew 19, Jesus said to his disciples, "Amen, I say to you, it will be hard for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God." Common sense tells us that if we are well off, all the more we need to believe in Christ.

***The Only Way to Holiness***

        We know that to please God and enter heaven, we must be holy. However, we cannot become holy on our own; only the Lord can take away our sins and fundamentally change us. To experience that change, we must surrender ourselves completely to God—there is simply no getting around it. We cannot run from God, nor can we reject him as our Lord, period. St. Thomas is absolutely correct in addressing Christ as "My Lord and my God."

***Preparing for the Happiest Meeting***

        In the early 1990s, Waiting for God was a popular British sitcom. The show featured two spirited, rebellious seniors living in a retirement village, fighting back against the condescending staff. It was quite funny and entertaining. The title struck a chord with me because it dawned on me that the moment we are born, we begin waiting for God. The sooner we realize this, the more time we have to prepare ourselves for that meeting. The physical body is only a temporary dwelling, while our soul lives on forever. Therefore, make sure that when you see God, it will be the happiest meeting of your entire existence!

**Forever Unhappy?**

        Today's Communion experience; I receive the Lord, who can perfect me and lead me to eternal life, and I am completely satisfied. If this does not bring you joy, nothing will, and you shall remain unhappy forever.

*****True Lord and True God*****

        Christ is my Lord and my God. Since I belong to him, I dwell in his infinite space and am free to do whatever I want. At the same time, the love I feel from him draws me deeper and deeper into him. I now experience total freedom, peace, and joy—this is the true God! If you experience none of the above with your god, you are following a false god. The true God delivers you from all oppression and impurity, serving as the ultimate personal companion for you to enjoy for all eternity.

***Truly Tragic Death**

        In today's Gospel reading from Luke 13, Jesus calls people to repentance. It seems to me that Jesus is saying that people dying tragically does not mean that they are more guilty or greater sinners. We all die one way or another. If we do not repent, our deaths will be truly tragic.

*****A Matter of Spiritual Life or Death*****

        Today's Gospel Acclamation, Ezekiel 33:11, reads: "I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked man, says the Lord, but rather in his conversion that he may live." If you choose to remain alienated from God, you will face eternal death and sadden him who loved you—is that truly what you want? On the other hand, if you convert, you will live forever and all of heaven will rejoice. Faced with these two realities, you have a monumental choice to make.

**Joy of Union in Christ**

        Today's response to the Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 122) reads: "Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord." Once you attain union with the Lord through the Holy Eucharist, you are already settled in his house, and your joy becomes constant.

**Our Primary Vocation**

        In today's First Reading from Ephesians 4, Paul emphasizes the importance of building up the Body of Christ. This is truly the primary vocation of every follower of the Lord. If you are a member, how much are you contributing? Or are you just coasting along? We are all different, but each of us can offer what we do best. This is how we remain united as one in Christ, enjoying our union with God.

***Demons Are Real***

        Fr. Chad Ripperger, the well-known exorcist, has just been asked by his bishop not to speak publicly for a year. Here are excerpts from one of his older sermons that hit the nail on the head, revealing the reality of the ongoing spiritual warfare between good and evil, as presented by the host of Daily Dose of Christ.

***A Satanist Found God***

        Here's the story of how a Satanist found God. As long as you leave even a small crack open to God, he is ready to change your life.

***Only by His Power**

        In today's Responsorial Psalm, Psalm 24, I came upon this verse: "Who can ascend the mountain of the LORD? Or who may stand in his holy place?" Of course, no one can on their own. The only way to achieve this is to prostrate yourself in submission to the Lord, asking him to lift you up to himself. If you have a lot of pride, you will not be able to get close to God.

*****The URGENT Call to Union with God*****

        Yesterday I watched a video that warned Catholics about the apostasy taking place in the Church. The prophecies that the Holy Mother gave to the world at La Salette, Fatima, Akita, and other locations—all approved apparitions—are being fulfilled. Satan has succeeded in attacking Marriage and the Priesthood. Jesus said to his disciples, "Let your 'Yes' mean 'Yes,' and your 'No' mean 'No.' Anything more is from the evil one." What we hear from the Church hierarchy today is confusion. Sin, repentance, and hell are no longer preached. There is a lack of urgency to fight evil. The Church has gone lukewarm at best, making God's chastisement imminent. This is what I sense. We need to wake up right now and live as full-time warriors for the Lord.

         What the Lord wants most from us is to keep his word. This means we must surrender ourselves to him completely and do his will. The direct, superior way to achieve that is to attain union with God through the Holy Eucharist. No one nowadays talks about this, but it is exactly what the Lord desires from us. To be of the greatest aid to the Lord, we must aim for the highest goal. And remember that truly, nothing is impossible for God.