On the way driving home after Mass, I turned on the radio to hear what's playing on the only local classical music station. I haven't done this for years. What I heard was George Enescu's popular Rumanian Rhapsody No. 1. The music was tuneful, although not as inspiring or uplifting as the music written by such great composers as Beethoven, Brahms, and Schubert. Then I realized that the best classical compositions that used to move me almost to tears at times no longer have the same grip on me. You see, music is external and the sound enters you through your senses to create joy. By contrast, once you know the Lord God, having him dwelling within you, his joy simply bursts forth from your very heart. This is a joy that not only transforms your heart, but also heals your soul; whereas the joy of music can only stimulate you from without. Next to the joy of the Lord God, all other joys simply pale.
Monday, March 20, 2023
***Ultimate Fulfillment
Communion experience. Today is the Solemnity of St. Joseph, spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Receiving the Lord is receiving the Lord God of the Most Holy Trinity. It's one's ultimate fulfillment!
**Purifying Our Thoughts*
It's so easy to think and say whatever comes to our mind. To be perfect, we need the Lord (the Holy Spirit) to form all our thoughts and opinions. This necessitates that we seek to attain union with the Lord first, and it's made entirely possible with the aid of the Holy Eucharist.
***Tragic Extreme Foolishness
We all need God to deliver us from evil and grant us mercy, for we all are subject to temptation and fall short of being sinless. Tragically, many today choose to remain in evil and reject God's mercy. This is being foolish to the extreme, truly not knowing what they do.
***Fighting Evil Today**
With evil looming over us everywhere, what can we do? The best way to fight evil is to surrender even more to God and pray even more fervently. If the burden on your heart is great, offer it up to God so that he may console you. Always do what the Devil doesn't want you to do. That the Lord will triumph is a foregone conclusion.
**God's Peace and Joy
A latest video from Medjugorje. See the joy in people's faces which I also experienced when I was there. Watch to the end to see the white doves showing up in the sky.
Sunday, March 19, 2023
****How Much Time for God?
As Christians, it's good to ask ourselves how much time we spend being aware of God's presence or doing things for God's sake. If the answer is less than 50% of the time, I don't think you can consider yourself to be passing. In theory, if God is the most important person to you, you should devote 100% of your time to him. This is entirely possible if you seek to attain union with him through the Holy Eucharist. Here's reiterating the three prominent union benefits. (1) You gain awareness of God's holy presence at all times. (2) You lose your inclination to sin. (3) You also lose the fear of death. Let God amaze you!
*****Act Most Pleasing to God*****
For us Christians, complete surrender to God so that we may become most obedient to him is the hardest act for us to perform. Thereby, it pleases him more than any other act we make. He has given all of himself to us. If we give all of ourselves to him, we truly become like him.
***Secret to Inner Peace*
I feel peace in my heart because I no longer fight myself! When you submit yourself totally to God's will, the "civil war" within you ceases altogether, leading to inner peace.
***Realization Leading to Happiness*
Once we realize that we have a perfect God, we begin trusting in him totally and can finally become truly happy.
****Beautiful Perfection
Communion time thoughts. There is something "perfect" here that's beautiful. We have the Lord God, our most loving Father, who has sacrificed his only begotten Son to save us from sin, and we realize this and submit ourselves to the him and receive the body and blood of his Son in the Holy Eucharist to attain union with him now and enjoy eternal life later with him in heaven forever. This is just perfect for both the Lord and us!
Saturday, March 18, 2023
***The LORD with Me***
People often don't understand me and that's understandable. But the Lord understands me before I understand myself! This is great, knowing that he is always ahead watching over, guarding, and guiding me! It is so good to have him be with me!
**Proud and Humbled*
Communion experience today. I receive the Lord and he is all mine. I feel proud and happy, yet at the same time most humbled that the Lord would stoop this low to enter a lowly sinner like me.
Friday, March 17, 2023
**Right Thing to Do
I don't mind I don't know a lot of things. It's good enough to know that going deeper into the Lord is always the right thing to do.
***New Freedom
When I realize that everything of mine belongs to my God and he will always provide me with what I need, I experience a new freedom. Worry and Anxiety the Lord does not teaches.
**Source of Eternal Life
During morning Mass, I had a moment suddenly seeing clearly that Christ is the one who grants eternal life to us!
***Love over Sacrifice
Mark 12:33, today's Communion antiphon: To love God with all your heart and your neighbor as yourself is worth more than any sacrifice. To those who find it hard to fast and make sacrifices during the Lent, you can make it up by increasing your love for God and others. In fact, as your love grows, making sacrifices becomes natural and easy. Let love be your main objective to motivate all your other actions.
**The Demon in Us**
As long as we still tend to sin, you could say that we have a little demon in us. For an external demon, a good exorcist can cast it out. But for this native "demon," we need to surrendered ourselves to the Lord to get it "exorcised." There is not another way, for only our creator has the power to deliver us from all evil!
**Truth Imparted
I am reposting this post of 8/16/2019 because as I prayed the Apostle's Creed this morning, again I felt that I was revealed the whole truth and experienced great fulfillment and peace in my heart.
**A Principle at Work
A cause always produces its effect. It is as certain as Newton's law of action and reaction and in line with the saying "we reap what we sow." So we know that whatever we do in this life directly shapes our next life.
Thursday, March 16, 2023
*****Secret to Knowing God Revealed*****
People find it so hard to submit to Christ in today's secular world with so many attractions and distractions. If you are one of them, let me tell you not to get discouraged and how you can break through the barrier. Anything is hard when you don't get help from God. You close yourself to Christ and you get nowhere. So you must open up, even just a tiny crack to get going. This is the crucial first step you must make. Then the more you open up and get out of the Lord's way, the more he can make the going easy for you. Remember that nothing is impossible for God. Say you now want to become a saint, your progress will become amazingly speedy, for you are letting God run the whole show. Now that you are set totally free, you wonder how you could be so thick-headed once.
****Racing Against Time
What do you want to be known as to the Lord when you meet him? This is a serious question, for we will appear before him to be judged by him. An engineer, a postal worker, a big CEO, a lowly beggar? What would he look at foremost? I think you all know the answer. So try living up to that model when you still have time on earth. We cannot stop the clocking from ticking. Any time lost is time lost forever. Let's beat the clock.
***Uplifting Your Prayers
Sometimes we say our familiar prayers routinely and it can become a little boing. Well, when that happens, try slowing down and meaning every single word you utter—this can revitalize all your prayers and uplift your spirit. The Lord will surely take notice, appreciate your ferventness, and render your prayers more efficacious.
**Perfect Reconciliation*
This is what God the Father has offered us. We believe and trust in his Son Jesus, then our sins are taken away and we become his bona fide sons and daughters, made ready to enjoy eternal life with him afterwards.
**Discerning Your Thoughts
Both God and Satan can influence our thoughts. When you get thoughts, discernment is needed. Know that God is always gentle and wants to give you peace, while the Devil is and wants the very opposite. Thoughts that tend to weaken your faith in God can come only from the Evil One. If you live totally in the Lord, then you may ignore the Devil totally.
***A Serious Reminder
In today's Gospel reading from Luke 11, Jesus drove out a demon that was mute. Some in the crowds said that it's by the power of the prince of demons that he drove out demons. Jesus said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste and house will fall against house. And if Satan is divided against himself, how will this kingdom stand?" We all know that the old phrase "Divided we fall" speaks the truth. May I remind all that if we remain divided from God our Savior, we can suffer the greatest possible fall.
***Are We Still OK?
In today's first reading from Jeremiah 7, the LORD wanted the people to know that they did not obey him nor pay heed, and with hardened evil hearts they turned their backs, not their faces, to him. Also, they did not listen to all the servants and prophets he had sent them untiringly since their fathers left Egypt. Faithfulness had disappeared! It sounds like the LORD was describing our generation. Throughout the ages, God has been calling us, urging us, and warning us for our own good, but we fall from him even further away. What has become of us? I feel called to ask ourselves some basic questions like this one. Who are we to blame? Is there still hope for us? Time to examine ourselves to the core.
Wednesday, March 15, 2023
****Our Only Link to God*
We need to pray to God unceasingly, for it's through prayer that we connect ourselves to God—there's not another way! Of course, praying unceasingly doesn't mean that we talk to God at all times. Basically, it's being aware of God's holy presence so that we do everything for his sake or glory. Again, this becomes easy once we attain union with the Lord through the Holy Eucharist.
***Great Consolation!
Communion experience. Jesus is the door to heaven and I've already been granted free admission to enter it at any time.
**The Wise Trust in God*
Some of the banks have just gone bankrupt and their depositors lost all their money. This started happening in China and some other countries around the world, now it's happening here. Once people start to panic, we'll have chaos. It shows that we cannot depend on money alone. We need to rely upon God all the more. This country is already over 30 trillion dollars in debt, yet it continues to spend money recklessly. Instead of giving away billions to Ukraine to help killing more and more people, why can't we initiate a peace deal? I feel particularly sorry for those tens of thousands of Russian soldiers who were deceived or forced into fighting the war and have died. Jesus said, "Blessed are the peacemakers." It follows that I can say "Cursed are those who make war." Our current government keeps spending as if there'll be no dire consequences. This is like those who do whatever they wish as if they are never going to die and face God. Fools will pay for their mistakes for sure.
Tuesday, March 14, 2023
***God's Greatest Glory***
Heaven and earth are filled with God's glory. One of the greatest glories to us, often overlooked, is his unconditional pure love for us. It's awe-inspiring, magnanimous, and soul-healing. Let it touch us and our lives change forever! This is the glory that can make us become like God. Glory be to this glory!
***What I Owe God***
In the parable of the unforgiving servant, the servant owed his master a huge debt. I started asking if I owe my God anything. Realizing how much he loves and has blessed me, I feel that I really owe him deep gratitude and total obedience.
***Be like God
Today's Gospel reading from Matthew 18 tells the parable of the unforgiving servant. It should be clear that God is our supreme example and we are to imitate him. We must treat others the way he treats us. We must accept his ways and not ours if different from his. This is what obedience is all about.
***A Promise Only You Can Break
If you ask God sincerely for eternal life, he'll always give that to you. Maybe you knew and just forgot or were uncertain about it. The fact that he even let his only begotten Son die in our place so that we might live forever shows clearly that we can trust in this promise of his. The Father, being the Truth, always speaks the truth and thereby is to be trusted.
**Yearning for God
We who love the Lord yearn for him. Of course, we want to see him, but that will have to wait. So what I yearn for is hearing him speak to my heart. That mean a lot to me, for hearing his sweet, holy voice means that he is with me and really cares about me. Yes, yearning for God is most proper, most edifying, and most rewarding.
Monday, March 13, 2023
***Need to Be In God's Hands
I've had many accidents that could have killed me. I am still here, so I guess my time is not here yet. In any case, we are totally in God's hands. When I was around seven or eight, I accidentally fell into a large not-too-clean pond on a private property. I didn't know how to swim and still remember swallowing a lot of the water. Luckily, someone who saw what happened to me stepped into the water and was in time to pull me in by my toes. Later, while attending the University of Michigan, a friend and I took a break fishing from a rowboat on a lake, and a sudden storm came up and made the boat spin madly. We had no choice but to row with the wind toward the unseen opposite side of the lake. Eventually, we arrived, but it had been a terrifying experience. Another time I lost my foldboat, a foldable canoe, in white water. It seemed that water just didn't like me. I was hiking with a group of friends at Yosemite National Park late in the day. Somehow I walked right off a big rock, fell about six feet, and hit the ground in the dark. My head missed a rock by just a few inches. As I got older, I did less adventurous things, but accidents still happened. In pruning a tree, my ladder fell sideways and I just held onto a branch. Then my hands slipped out of the protective gloves and my butt landed on the ground ten feet below, crushing two of my vertebrae. I did more or less recover, but was never the same person again. Walking one day at a construction site, a worker holding a long 2x4 vertically carelessly let it go and it fell right on my head. He was scared; I was shocked and OK. One big problem old folks face is falling. Sometimes a fall can end your life. I've had my share of bad falls, but have always gotten well in time. The most worrisome fall happened to me on Wall Street in New York. It was evening and I missed seeing the curb in front me and fell forward. The concussion made me not knowing where I was. Again, by the grace of God, there was no internal bleeding and I recovered fully. Oh, I also remember that in my teens, I also had my head hit really hard. I was riding my bike past a tall apartment building. A strong gust of wind bounced off the building and hit me so hard that I and the bike just fell sideways with my skull banging the asphalt. I think because I was young, I didn't suffer any injury. So accidents do happens, no matter how careful you are. All the more we need to put ourselves in God's hands.
Sunday, March 12, 2023
***Living Bread That Satisfies
Communion experience. Today's Gospel from John 4 tells the encounter of the Samaritan woman with Jesus at Jacob's well in Sychar. Jesus told her that whoever drinks the living water he gives would never be thirsty again. The Lord has given me even his own body and blood, so I'll never feel thirst or hunger again. There's absolutely nothing beyond the Lord himself I would need.
**God's Mercy Extolled*
We must never ignore our Lord God; most specifically, his infinite mercy. It is by this mercy that we sinners are still living, that there's always hope provided us in this life, and that we can be saved from death forever. If is what we critically need and dependent upon. We must be aware of and thankful for, rejoice in, and embrace it.
Saturday, March 11, 2023
**When to Leave this World*
Once in while, when something interesting happens in this world, be it spiritual or secular, I think of some loved one who has already passed away and kinda wish that the person were here to see it. Does that really matter? I know that after I am gone, there'll be many perhaps truly wonderful things happening. But for anyone who is ready to meet the Lord himself, the world is no longer interesting. In heaven, you would know what's happening on earth anyway. Knowing the Lord and starting to see things as he sees them, you lose all your attachments to the world and realize how foolish and juvenile it is to be solely interested in living in and for the world. So after you know the Lord and start living for him alone, anytime would be a good time to leave this earth.
***Father Most Forgiving***
Today we heard the parable of the lost (prodigal) son from Luke 15 at Mass. This is very likely the best known and most moving parable of all the parables Jesus had told. The story reveals how much our heavenly Father loves us. You really have to have a heart of stone not to be moved by it. The Father is so forgiving that as long as we realize that we need to return to him, we can do no wrong. His mercy is great indeed. You really have to be the greatest idiot not to be forgiven by him.
**Infinite God Our Perfect Fit*
The Lord God is infinite and has inexhaustible riches to offer us. They are ours for the asking. How can we finite creatures not be happy with such a God who loves us so much and can satisfy our deepest desires? He is a Father who can give us good things way beyond our expectations. Personally, I am wide open and eager to receive whatever he wishes to bestow upon me in abundance.
Friday, March 10, 2023
**My Greatest Act*
Communion experience. I have found my eternal rest in Christ. Peace now reigns. I accomplished the greatest act of my life by reconciling and submitting myself to the Lord.
***Two Breakthrough Moves.
1. We realize we are sinners and need Christ to save us from sin. We then believe in him and accept him as our Lord and Savior.
2. We fall in love with Christ and wish to attain union with him, so we surrender to him completely every time we receive him in the Holy Eucharist.
***How to Stop Sinning***
Open up to Christ to experience his tremendous love for you, then you can't help but fall in love with him. Now you stop sinning because you don't ever wish to hurt your most beloved.
Thursday, March 9, 2023
**Saints vs. Evildoers (Going Separate Ways)**
The only difference between the two is the awareness that God exists and he loves us and can save us from sin. The saints have it while the evildoers don't. They now all live on the same planet, but soon they'll go their separate ways. There'll be rejoicing and lamenting. It is difficult to even think about this. The Lord is always right, yet there are those who do not believe in him. I can only pray, pray, and pray, wishing that many will wake up in their last moments before death. That's why we ask Holy Mother Mary to pray for us now and the hour of our death. I believe that this is a grace God can and does grant.
**Be like a Student
Obeying God is most meritorious while offending him earns you demerits. The Lord does keep account of what we do. Consider yourself a student going to school now. You want to be sure that you'll earn enough good grades to graduate. Be obedient to God now to receive top honors from him later.
**Balance Between Trust and Fear
We need to keep a balance between trust in God and fear of him. By fear of God, I mean the fear of offending him. Psalms 130.3: If you, LORD, keep account of sins, Lord, who can stand? Offending the Lord can be horrible. While trusting in God draws us toward him, offending him repels us from him. This balance can change though. The more you trust in the God, the less you need to be concerned about offending him. Once you attain union with God, you automatically don't wish to sin anymore.
***Our Perfect Prayer***
It is the Our Father Jesus has taught us. If we pray it truly from the heart, meaning every word we say, we become completely reconciled to God and feel his peace. The process of perfecting ourselves now begins.
***For the Rich to Enter Heaven
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." According to one tradition, the "eye of a needle" referred to a narrow gateway into Jerusalem. A camel heavily loaded would not be able to pass through it unless it gets unloaded first. In any case, it will be harder for a rich person to enter heaven. In today's Gospel reading from Luke 16, we heard the parable of the rich man and the poor Lazarus. After they both died, Lazarus was comforted and the rich man in agony. It seems that for a rich person to be able to enter heaven easily, he needs to detach himself from all his possessions, to unload them, so to speak. Next, choosing to be rewarded in your next life rather than in this life can help. Last, in Luke 12 Jesus told Peter, "Much will be required of the person entrusted with much." So the richer we get, the more generous we should become to the poor. Now, love the Lord with all your heart and you should get into heaven easy.
Wednesday, March 8, 2023
***Christ Is True God
The more you believe in Christ, the more you know that he is the truth. To the unbeliever, this may sound dubiously logical, but to me who experience the Lord, I know it is true only because he is true. For if you believe in something that is not true, you won't ever feel this way and at the same time experience freedom, peace, and joy. When you believe in the true God, he actually responds, revealing himself to you in the most intimate, loving way, eradicating all doubts.
***Most Selfless Sayings***
Again at Mass during the consecration of the bread and wine, Fr. Stephen used the words of Jesus said at the Last Supper:
Take this, all of you, and eat of it: For this is my body which will be given up for you.,
Take this, all of you, and drink from it: For this is the chalice of my blood, the blood of the new and eternal covenant, which will be poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this in memory of me.
These have to be Jesus' most selfless sayings!
**Escaping Evil*
In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 20, Jesus predicted for the third time his own Passion. The chief priests and the scribes had already started plotting to kill him. If you study the history of the Church, you'll found out that she'd undergone so many horrible persecutions. Today, evil forces are so obviously trying to destroy the Church, our society, and everything else that's good. Is evil now worse than ever? That's hard to say. What we can say is that evil has always been around, battling God. And we in the midst of this must see things clearly and choose to side with God. In Matthew 12:30, Jesus said, "Whoever is not with me is against me." Not taking a stand, you fall right into your own trap and doom.
**Another Wake-up Reminder
In Matthew 19, Jesus said 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." Is there anything better to inherit than eternal life? I don't think so. If that's absolutely the most desirable and best for us, then of course we should be willing to leave all and follow Christ the Lord!
Tuesday, March 7, 2023
**All Prayers for God Alone
We pray for our own sake, but we also pray for God's sake too. If the Lord wants us to pray much, we should just do it for obedience to him. If he recommends that we say certain prayers, we should just do it without question. Come to think of it, prayer should always be for God. Praying to perfect ourselves is for God too, as our ultimate wish is to glorify God. I got it!
***Cause of My Joy
Christ is the one in whom we can rejoice forever. He is the cause of my joy. Today I feel extra joyful because I realize that my rejoicing in Christ is causing the whole heaven to be extra joyful.
**Ultimate Quest
Communion experience. I have received the Lord. He is my ultimate quest and there is nothing besides him that's worth knowing.
***Our Only Teacher, Father, and Master*
In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 23, Jesus said to the crowds and his disciples, "As for you, do not be called 'Rabbi.' You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers. Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father in heaven. Do not be called 'Master'; you have but one master, the Christ." If we have to choose just one being to be our teacher, father, and master, it has to be the Lord God, the God of Christ. He is the one for us to learn from, listen to, and follow. This should be obvious and I am bring it up for all to realize once more.
**Turning the Tables*
Today's first reading comes from Isaiah 1. In verses 16-17, the prophet gives the word of the LORD: "Wash yourselves clean! Put away your misdeeds from before my eyes; cease doing evil; learn to do good." To do evil is easy, while to do good we need to learn. But once we attain union with the LORD, the tables are turned. Now evil becomes extremely repugnant to us, while doing good becomes natural under the influence of the Holy Spirit.
Monday, March 6, 2023
**Most Special Moment
Communion experience. After I received the Lord, for a moment I became only aware of his existence as if everything else had vanished.
Sunday, March 5, 2023
**Key to Doing God's Will*
It is important to realize that we are not only sinners, but on our own we are weaklings, not capable of accomplishing anything of true merit. By acknowledging that we can do nothing without Christ (John 15:5), we open the door to receiving power from the Lord. To be weak in God is a must for accomplishing his will.
**Intimate Communion Experience
Today's Gospel reading from Matthew 17 was on the glorious Transfiguration of Jesus. After receiving the Lord in the Holy Eucharist, I felt as if my soul had been transported to heaven. A dry run of what's going to take place later?
Saturday, March 4, 2023
***Greatest Division or Union*
In Luke 12:51, Jesus said, "Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division." What the Lord meant was that over him, we would be divided. To this day, we witness the division between those who accept him and those who reject him. This division is so great that you end up either in heaven or in hell! Yet the Lord can also bring about the greatest possible union among us. We achieve that when we all attain union with him through the Holy Eucharist. I think we've all heard the motto "United we stand, divided we fall." Just know that if we are divided over Jesus, our Lord and Savior, we risk suffering the greatest possible fall.
Friday, March 3, 2023
**How to Rest Our Mind
We do physical work and get tired. We rest and we're OK again. If we use our mind too much, we can get tired mentally too. This is the perfect time to abandon ourselves to the Lord to find rest in him.
*****Letting God Impress Us*****
Communion time feeling. I was impressed by the fact I had become inseparable from Christ who is my creator, Savior, constant companion, and a whole lot more. Consider that my good fortune, but it's more than that. It's realizing that God truly loved us and died for us to save us. This is what makes our bonding, union with him, so powerful and strong! The Lord is most impressive—let him impress you for your good and for his glory.
**Erasing Our Bad Name
Personally, I believe that in our universe, we are the only creatures with souls, rebelling against God. That makes us look pretty bad because we mess up God's order. Satan is one big bad apple, but he'll be locked up at the end forever. Praise God that he has given us the free will so that we can choose to be good too. So leave Satan alone and obey Christ single-mindedly instead to become heaven bound. Then we'll have erased our bad name and be happy forever.
*****Be Hot for God***
In good or bad times, we Christians cannot remain complacent. Drifting along in life, believing that God will take care of everything, is just not good enough. To follow Christ every step of the way, we need to ask the Holy Spirit to set our hearts on fire so that we may cry out, begging for the Lord's mercy on all the souls in the world. We are warriors fighting a spiritual battle, although our weapons are not conventional ones. We are not just fighting for our own salvation, we are first and foremost fighting for the glory of God! In Revelation 3, the Lord says, "I know your works; I know that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth." So, let's be hot for God! 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
***We Have Our Hope!***
Sadly, many people have lost the will to live. Common causes are depression, loneliness, illness, drug addiction, financial struggle, etc. In other words, they have lost hope. How I wish that they'd know Christ, who is our hope, our only real hope in fact, and the hope meant just for us. He is Lord the Savior, our creator, the one who loves us the most and can transform us to make us anew. We do not see nor hear him physically, but faith is all you need to know and commune with him. He is everlasting, more real than anyone you actually see. How do I know? I know because he has revealed himself to me. This is my best and only answer I can give you, for it stems from my own honest personal experience. Without Christ, you are justified to feel hopeless. But since he is alive and never dies, to lose hope has to be the worst mistake of your whole existence! Start talking to the Lord and learn about him in the Gospels is a good start. Then ask him to reveal himself to you so that you may be set free and filled with hope!
**God Is Clear, But . . .
From today's first reading from Ezekiel 18, we learn that if the wicked man turns away from all his sins and become virtuous, the Lord GOD shall not remember his crimes and he shall live. And if a virtuous man turns away from virtue to do evil, the LORD shall not remember all his virtuous deeds and he shall die. So we get to choose becoming either virtuous or evil. God always makes things clear to us, but more often than not, we just our drag our feet.
Thursday, March 2, 2023
**Inching Closer to God
Communion time thoughts. Being human, we may be willing to yield to God, but we always fall short. All the more we need to strengthen our spirit by yielding ourselves more to the Lord. A lifetime joyful process.
***Making Heaven Rejoice
***Critically Important Realization
Today's first reading comes from Esther C:12. It contains the verse "I have no protector other than you, Lord." Do we feel this way? Do we realize that our God, the one we now know to be the God of Christ, is the only one who can protect our soul from being lost forever? A most critically important realization indeed!
***Call to Holiness
Bad news always seems to grab headlines and get better coverage than good news. Bad happenings shock people, while good ones just make you say okay. Evil attracts people easily, while holiness doesn't. My point is "Don't sin," for sin can affect a lot more people than you know. All the more we need to be holy and perfect, which is the Lord's calling.
Wednesday, March 1, 2023
***Be a "Good" Talker*
Today we hear so many people talking all around and over us nonstop. Most of them, even if they are genuine, waste too many words on whatever they wish to convey. If the speaker are fake, then they definitely commit the sin of polluting the minds of others. Now, look at Christ our Lord. He is alway direct to the point. He never wastes words, He never talks around something just to sound good. He means what he says, always aiming at our hearts. Above all, love motivates all what his says. Be like him.
***Do It When It's Possible!***
Communion experience. I was speechless for the Lord's generous reception of me. I voluntarily submitted myself to him. The time to do this is now. For if you wait until you see him, it'll be too late! There are things we must not postpone and here's one among others that are first on the list.
***Thinking Your Prayers
When I think my thoughts, the Lord already knows what they are before I say anything to him. Very early this morning, while still half asleep, I hummed a tune with mouth closed, prompted by the Holy Spirit to seek relief from a burden I was carrying on my heart. No words were spoken, yet I knew that the Lord heard and understood me perfectly. Praying to such a Lord is a delight. You can think a prayer and it works just as well.
Tuesday, February 28, 2023
***Being Outstanding and Topnotch*
To be saved is one thing; you believe in Christ and you are saved. To be holy is another matter because it involves surrendering yourself to him. If you wish to go straight to heaven after you die, then you must become holy. Seeking to attain union with God through the Holy Eucharist is the way to go. All it needs is your total submission to him. To be a mediocre disciple is easy, but the Lord deserves that we become outstanding and topnotch, for he did command his disciples to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect. A tall order for us, but God always makes things easy for us when we go along with him.
***Listening to God's Word
This is today's first reading from Isaiah 55—Thus says the LORD: Just as from the heavens the rain and snow come down and do not return there till they have watered the earth, making it fertile and fruitful, giving seed to the one who sows and bread to the one who eats, so shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth; it shall not return to me void, but shall do my will, achieving the end for which I sent it. So we are to let the word of the Lord make us fertile and fruitful so that we may do his will, achieving the end for which he has intended. To reject the Lord's word is to thwart his intention and thereby a serious sin.
Monday, February 27, 2023
**God, Marvelous Creator
February is coming to an end and spring still more than three weeks away. It's still quite cold outside. Yet as I drove home after Mass this morning, I saw some flowering trees already in full bloom and other deciduous ones showing off their new buds. God has created them without a brain, a heart, nor a conscience, yet they "know" that spring is near and it's time to grow afresh again. It makes me marvel at God's creative power and happy that he has created me.
*Aging Grace
The older we get, the less able we are to do things for ourselves. This is a good thing because now we just have to trust in God more.
**Logical, Sane Response
Today's Communion antiphon from Matthew 25: Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of the least of my brethren, you did it for me, says the Lord. Come, you blessed of my Father, receive the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. The Lord has always existed and we were created by him at some point after the founding of the world, and he has a great plan prepared for each of us. It seems clear that accepting him as our Lord and obeying him in all things is our only sane and logical response to him.
*****Big Secret of Following God*****
Do not chase after the Lord; just relax and totally let him lead you. That is, you give the Lord total freedom to draw you to him.
Sunday, February 26, 2023
*Living a Good Disciplined Life
A short inspiring talk by Deacon Issac Longworth. Most of us don't belong to the clergy, but we can also live a good disciplined life like Dn. Issac here.
***First Things First***
Saturday, February 25, 2023
**Sweet Seconds*
Every second spent with Christ the Lord is a sweet second. The worldwide life expectancy is now over 73. If you live to 73, you will have lived over 2.3 billion seconds, and that can be a lot of sweet seconds.
***Devil's Channel***
Our ego is the channel the Devil uses to speak to us. To safeguard your soul, starve your ego until you become selfless and humble. And God will exalt you then.
**A Blessing
The more you sense God's awesome holiness, the more you realize how wretched a sinner you are. This is a blessing, for it's the Lord calling.
***Our Most Serious Problem***
It's with our sin, for sin can destroy our souls. And Christ is the only one who can free us from sin. That's why we need to surrender ourselves to him. This is how we can be saved! The absolute simple truth.
*****Forever witn God
With God, everything is forever. He will always love us. If we love him, we need to love him forever. He wants to save us to be with him forever. And we can be truly happy only if we can be happy forever. Everything works out beautifully if we stick with our God, the God of Christ.
***Why Christ Keeps Calling Us***
You'll hear Jesus calling you at all times if you tune in to him. His only reason: He wants you to get to heaven to be with him forever! The absolute truth.
You'll hear Jesus calling you at all times if you tune in to him. His only reason: He wants you to get to heaven to be with him forever! The absolute truth.
You'll hear Jesus calling you at all times if you tune in to him. His only reason: He wants you to get to heaven to be with him forever! The absolute truth.
***Most Beautiful Act***
In today's Gospel reading from Luke 5, Jesus saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the customs post. He said to him, "Follow me." And leaving everything behind, he got up and followed him. We really should follow the Lord's call instantly as Levi did. If we do not leave everything behind when he calls us, we'll have to do it when we leave this world. Then, not only there'll be no merit for us, it can even count against us. Submit ourselves to the Lord, develop a sharp conscience, and obey him the moment he calls—this is what we need to accomplish in this life. Instance obedience is a most beautiful act on our part for the Lord.
**Speeding up Spiritual Growth
This was what we heard rom today's first reading from Isaiah 58: If you hold back your foot on the sabbath from following your own pursuits on my holy day; if you call the sabbath a delight, and the LORD's holy day honorable; if you honor it by not following your ways, seeking your own interests, or speaking with malice—then you shall delight in the LORD.... It dawned on me that if the sabbath is such a special day for the LORD, we can also make it special by trying to be extra holy on that day. This can help speeding up our spiritual progress.
***Cherishing the LORD*
I yearn for the Lord. Even though I don't see him, I hear him speaking to my heart. This is an intimacy I deeply treasure. Hearing his voice just makes my day and draws me deep into him. The Lord is to be cherished and enjoyed thoroughly!
Friday, February 24, 2023
***Simple Ideal Life Plan
Believe in Christ to secure you eternal life first. Always remember that you are heaven-bound. Then follow Christ faithfully. Peace and joy will accompany you the whole time.
***Hope for the Church
The Church is supposed to save the world by proclaiming the gospel to everyone. But the Church today is so divided and causing so much confusion among the faithful that we now need to pray for her salvation. We are truly in some kind of end times. But have no fear, God is testing us. Remain firm in your faith and become holier than ever, and the Lord will purify his Church and restore her to a state more glorious than ever.
**Power of Love and Mercy
Communion experience. Jesus was so overwhelming that I had no choice but to accept everything he had wanted to give me.
*Sin Offends God
When we sin against others, we really sin against God who is most holy and the one who truly loves us and will judge us. Sin truly matters to him. Of course, it matters to us too, but sadly, we are not always aware of that. Nevertheless, we sin only against God and only he can take away our sins. If you are smart, you would want to submit yourself to him now.
***Making Following God Easy
During Lent now, we are reminded to deny ourselves and follow the LORD. This is living to please God alone and not others nor ourselves. Amazingly, this is how we get to experience joy and freedom. It also proves that we are our own stumbling blocks to following God.
**Enjoy God Foremost
Living in the world, we can enjoy the LORD as well as all the good things in life. I've found that with things of the world, I feel best if I don't overload myself with them. For example, if I overeat something that tastes good, I just don't feel that good anymore. And if I watch TV a little too long, even though what I watch is something good and interesting, it just doesn't make me feel any better. So it's best not to let things of the world tie us down to any extent. We should know when enough is enough. With the Lord God, it's just the opposite. We can let him "overload" us as much as he wishes and we'll feel all the more uplifted and upbeat.
**The LORD with Us
I walked into the chapel for Mass this morning and all lights were out; only the candles on the altar stands were burning. I wasn't sure what happened. My thoughts were as long as I know the LORD, it doesn't matter whether I am in darkness or not, for he is my light. Whether I see him or not, he's already in my heart. (All the lights did come back on later.)
Thursday, February 23, 2023
***Too Close for Comfort
We may love to know the Lord, yet we don't want him to get too close to us. With another human being, that may be being prudent and OK, but God is totally trustworthy. So keeping him at a distance is being rude, shows that you don't trust in him all the way, and cuts you off from attaining full union with him. I am sure that if you were in his place, you would be deeply hurt. With God, we should go all out with all our heart, if we ever wish to "capture" all of him.
**Getting to know the Lord
I've beeb looking for a monitor to replace my old one that has stopped working. And there are tons of information on choosing the right monitor online. The more you learn about it, the more questions you have. I really don't enjoy going down a rabbit hole like that. Then I thought of the Lord. Even though he is infinite, you can get to know himself thoroughly, for the path that leads to him is straight and clearly marked. You'll find him as he is and the journey is a delight.
*****Thanks Be to God***
Communion experience. It's the Lord God coming down from heaven to give me this heavenly bread, which is himself, to consume. Receiving it once is blessing enough, yet I have received it innumerable times and am receiving it now daily. I am dumbfounded that he should love and favor me this much. There's no way I can thank him enough. The best and least I can do is to always do his will. And I know that he'd be pleased. Bless my Lord now and forever!
**Be Awake, Not Just Aware
Also in today's Gospel reading from Luke 9, Jesus asked, "What profit is there for one to gain the whole world yet lose or forfeit himself?" We all know the right answer to that question, yet so many of us still remain deeply attached to the world. I suppose we can be aware of a truth but still not awake to it. A tug of war is going on between God and the world over our souls. It behooves us to choose sides wisely and early.
**God Does It All*
In today's Gospel reading from Luke 9, Jesus said to all, "If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." The picture I see is little me carrying a tiny cross, following the Lord with his big cross. As I follow along, I realize that he's caryimg me with my cross as well. Following the Lord is letting him carry you!
**Alone with God, Not Alone
First thought this morning. I am not alone! For the Lord is with me—he watches over me; he knows all my intentions, and he hears me when my heart speaks to him. It's impossible for me to ever feel lonely!
Wednesday, February 22, 2023
**Reluctance and Willingness
We are always the ones reluctant to let God love us, whereas God is always willing to save us from sin. When you are willing to embrace God, you are like the prodigal son returning to his father. The whole heaven rejoices and you are an instant celebrity.
****Being Marked by God
Today we all received ash in the form of a cross on the forehead. It's a beautiful mark to remind us that we are but dust, and to dust we shall return. To the faithful, I also see that God has marked them as ones chosen to inherit eternal life! From dust to becoming eternal sons and daughters of the heavenly Father, that's truly an amazing metamorphosis!
***Best Healing Experience!***
Communion experience. Christ is he one who can shake up, enter, purify, and heal my soul! I love it! Lord, now I can truly thank you from my soul.
***Living in Secret, the Secret***
In the Gospel reading from Matthew 6 today, Jesus said to his disciples: "Take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father." The Lord wants us to live our lives in secret, hidden from others. This is living for God alone! This is being truly humble and liberated from yourself!
***Ash Wednesday Hope*
Today is Ash Wednesday. In the first reading from Joel 2, the LORD calls the people to return to him with their whole heart, with fasting. and weeping, and mourning. We weep and mourn because we have sinned against the Lord. But we can also rejoice and celebrate because the Lord is also our Savior! To those who believe and follow him, he promises that he will wipe every tear from their eyes and there shall be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain (Revelation 21: 4).
Tuesday, February 21, 2023
**Advice to Married Couples
Union between two human beings can never match our union with God who alone is perfect. True, on earth there are happy marriages and not-so-happy ones. Always remember that in Mark 10, Jesus said that in marriage, the man and the woman shall become one flesh, and no one must separate what God has joined together. Again in Luke 6:32, Jesus said, "If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them." In other words, we must love everyone, our wife or husband included. Learn to love the unlovely and we grow spiritually. The goal is to let the love of God rule in our hearts. And this can best be accomplished through attaining union with God. For in union, you become humble, selfless, and generous like the Lord, thus you will be able to overcome all difficulties in your marriage or elsewhere in your life. The love of God is the most powerful force in our universe. Obey the Lord to become powerful.
*Attaining Freedom in God*
Communion experience. It's by surrendering every bit of yourself to God that you gain total freedom in him! Everything else fades away, the LORD alone looms large. And I got myself totally renewed.
*Overwhelmed by God
My feeling at morning Mass: "My cup overflows." The Lord has filled my life with so many spiritual blessings as well as material things. Who am I that he should care for so much?
**Make It Good Now*
Live every moment for the Lord. Go all out to receive the most from him. Why not? You live only once on earth, so make it good by loving the Lord God, your creator and Father, as much as possible. (Even though you can undo your sins by repenting and asking for forgiveness from God, the damage has been done and you've lost valuable time on earth.)
***Desiring God in Any Manner*
At the current revival meetings happening at various colleges, we see students with outstretched hands raised high, yearning for the LORD or Holy Spirit. This was also what we did in the Catholic Charismatic Movement that began in the 1970s. Then there are always people who don't feel comfortable exhibiting themselves like that. No problem, you can always praise or contemplate the LORD quietly alone in a sitting, kneeling, or prostrate position. In fact, after being an active charismatic for four and a half years, the Lord "quieted me down" and eventually led me to experience the Holy Spirit fully through receiving the Holy Eucharist. The outer exuberance has now been replaced by an even deeper joy and contentment. Anyhow, desiring God in whatever manner is good, exciting, and rewarding.
Monday, February 20, 2023
***I Speak Jesus***
Jesus will indeed set you free if you will let him! Abandon yourself to the world (Satan) and you lose your soul. Abandon yourself to Christ the Lord and you are saved forever. It's that simple.
*****The Great Awakening*****
God not only exists, he is a living God. He not only lives, he is a caring God! We have a God who actually loves us with the greatest possible love—how can we not be moved to tears and rejoice in him for ever?
How do we connect with this God of Christ? We only need to open our hearts to let the Holy Spirit touch us. This is the great sweet awakening! Once you experience the Spirit, you are never the same again. Now you are ready to let the Lord draw you all the way to his bosom. I am speaking the truth, for I experienced all that personally. You see, when you let God lead you, everything becomes sweet and easy! To be lost in Christ is to be free in paradise forever.
The day before yesterday, my post Viva Cristo Rey showed that the students at Asbury College were being awakened by the Holy Spirit. The movement has now spread to other Christian colleges and universities in various states. These students are experiencing this life-changing awakening right now. Praise be to God!
*****Perfect Union*****
Communion experience. The Lord God has made me. When I received Him in the Holy Eucharist, it was a reunion with him since my creation. It was a perfect union! 😇😂
***Mighty Power of Prayer
In today's reading from Mark 9, the father of a boy possessed by a mute spirit first asked Jesus' disciples to drive the demon out, but they were unable to do so. Now he asked Jesus to do it, and the Lord healed the boy. Later his disciples asked him why they could not drive the spirit out, he said to them, "This kind can only come out through prayer." Let's realize that through prayer we can bend God's ear, sway his heart, and have him change our lives and heal the world for us! With prayer we become powerful influencers of God.
Sunday, February 19, 2023
**Don't Lead a Double Life
We often live our lives acting as our own boss most of the time and with God in mind the rest of the time. This is living a double life, whereas we should live 100% for the Lord God. A divided loyalty makes us hypocrites, don't you agree? In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 5, Jesus taught about retaliation and love of enemies to his disciples and concluded, "So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect." Hence we should not think, say, or do anything apart from the Lord. The more we abandon ourselves to God, the easier it becomes for us to succeed.
Saturday, February 18, 2023
**God Knows Me
I always feel like a kindergarten kid before the Lord God. Basically, I am a single and forthright person, not good at writing long essays or giving elaborate speeches. I always like to get to the point if I have something to say. So the Lord God simplifies everything for me to understand. The fact that he always gives me clear succinct messages to post shows that he totally knows me. As always, he gives us what best suits us.
***VIVA CHRISTO REY!***
**The Warning
Here's Mother Miriam's thoughts of The Final Warning: Are These the End Time? I really liked her last statement at the end.
***All We Need in Life
I just feel that knowing Christ alone is enough. When you have him, you have eternal life that'll keep you satisfied forever.
***Faith, Our Unique Treasure***
In today's first reading of Hebrews 11:1-7, Paul writes about faith. We can have faith in many things, but faith in God is unique and all that matters. We can never believe in other people fully, for they can change; nor can we believe in things, for they all pass away in time. God alone remains the same forever. Believing in the invisible God makes our faith even more meaningful and precious. It is a sign of humility that's most pleasing to him. It is this personal faith that forms the basis of our prayer life. It changes not only our present life, but also our afterlife for all eternity. (A necessary note. Once you believe in this invisible God, the God of Christ, because he truly is God, he becomes more real to you than all the visible people and things— absolutely rewarding!)
Friday, February 17, 2023
***Christ Makes All the Difference
Communion experience. I know that by receiving this bread, I will live forever (John 6:51). It's going to make all the difference in the world to my soul!
**To Get Best Treatment from God
In today's Gospel reading from Mark 8, Jesus made three key statements to the crowd: (1) Whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and that of the Gospel will save it. (2) What profit is there for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? (3) Whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angel. So we must choose living for ourselves or for Christ. The answer to the question should be a no-brainer. We can't gain the world and have eternal life too. The third statement is good for us to know—the Lord will treat us the same way we treat him, so now we know how to get the best treatment from him.
**Wrong Is Wrong
In Matthew 5:37, Jesus said to his disciples, "Let your 'Yes' mean 'Yes,' and your 'No' mean 'No.' Anything more is from the evil one." So if you are wrong, know and admit that you are wrong. The Lord will be most pleased that you show no pride and remain with you.
Thursday, February 16, 2023
**Knowing God by Our Heart
We all have eyes to see and ears to hear, but our heart also has its eyes and ears. Keep using your heart to see and hear from the LORD until you know him totally by heart.
Wednesday, February 15, 2023
**Big Folly!*
This is to think that we don't need God or that we know more than God when we don't even know how we came into being.
****Getting into Heaven Relatively Easy**
Before morning Mass began, I was thinking that heaven seemed to be so far away somewhere you don't know where. Then I realized that I'd be there with no sweat because I know Jesus Christ. I used to do a lot of photography and found out that to succeed as an artist, you'd need three ingredients: talent, luck, and connections. I now know that to get into heaven, you'd only need one thing: faith in Christ. And it turns out that Christ's most ardent desire for you is that you get into heaven!
Tuesday, February 14, 2023
*****Why We Stay Away from God
If we know that God is infinite, almighty, our creator, and that he loves us, we have no choice but to trust in, obey, and love him. It's a no-brainer. Yet so many of us don't see it. It must be that they don't really believe that God exists or they simply put off facing him because of their sinfulness. Of these two reasons, I believe that that the first one is less likely and the second one prevalent, for if we have no sin, we would embrace the holy Lord wholeheartedly.
**God Incredibly Kind!***
Today's Communion experience. I receive the Lord and know that he has already taken care of my eternity. More than feeling relieved, I still can't quite get over the fact that the Lord should be so incredibly kind to me.
***Blessed Lightning
Just a few days ago, the Brazilian photographer Fernando Braga shared his image of Christ the Redeemer statue being struck by lightning on Instagram, and it has gone viral. As you know, this is the 98-foot-tall colossal statue that sits atop Mount Corcovado in Rio de Janeiro. It's considered to be one of the seven wonders of the modern world. Could this event be some kind of an omen? Ten years ago also in February, lightning struck the Vatican and a little over two weeks later, Pope Benedict announced his resignation. Anyway, here's the video posted by Braga on Instagram. (Watch it full-screen best.)
Monday, February 13, 2023
**False Joy
The world is full of it. Just look at the ads, the TV commercials, and the entertainment industry. Leave out the word "joy" and look for falsehood, and you'll find it in the news media, the big corporations, many politicians, many government agencies, and even the churches. The world has lost genuineness and cannot be trusted any more. Only the God of Christ stands alone as our Savior. He's the one who will resolve all our issues and lead all genuine souls to victory in the end.
*****Spicing up Your Spiritual Life*****
Do you know that God can make you as perfect as you want him to? It all depends upon how much you get out of his way. The fact is that there's no limit to how holy you can become. Realizing this can make following Christ truly exciting! By the way, becoming perfect as much as possible before you leave this earth will also provide you with a most smooth transition to life in heaven.
**Restless Wanderers
Today's first reading from Genesis 4 tells us that Eve bore first a son named Cain and then a second one named Abel. Later, Cain killed his brother Abel out of jealousy and resentment. The LORD then punished Cain and told him that he should become a restless wanderer of the earth. This is a good term to describe all evildoers. They wander because they don't know the way and are lost. They are restless because they don't know God and so have no peace. They are the very opposite of the Christians who know where they are going and have inner peace in their hearts.
*Loving God over Repenting Sins*
We need to love God and repent our sins. Of the two, loving God takes priority over repenting our sins, for if you love God, you will automatically want to repent your sins. Conversely, repenting your sins may not mean that you truly love God. Besides, focusing on loving God will also lead you to doing many good deeds.
Sunday, February 12, 2023
***Bonding with God***
When God calls us to follow him, it's our highest calling and a great honor to us. When we submit ourselves willingly to God to do his will from our very heart, it's the most beautiful response we can possibly give that he'll remember forever.
*****To Be Perfect Should Be Easy*****
In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 5:17-37, Jesus gave his disciples many teachings. He said he came to fulfill the law and even "went beyond" the many commandments. They are hard to any average listener, but listen we must, for they come from the LORD. Essentially, he wants us to be perfect in following him. Since he did ask, it must be possible. And if we comply with his will, success is assured. So trust in the LORD, follow his will, and let him make it effortless for you!
***Aiming for Everlasting Life
Another fact we need to be acutely aware is that everything and everyone in this world are passing away! We ourselves are passing away. So there is no point in living for or getting attached to this world at all. We need to seek the LORD who exists forever to let him set us free first, then we can sensibly live our brief lives on this earth in spiritual freedom under his protection. Heaven soon comes next to end our passing away. Live for what passes and we pass with it. Aim for what's everlasting and we become everlasting!
*****Abandonment Our Ultimate Fulfillment*
During morning Mass, for a moment I became aware of my mortality—I could go in a snap of a finger. That was a grace from God to make me see that I am in his hands and I need to abandon myself to him. Now after Mass, I realize that "abandon myself to him" is the consistent message he's been giving me all along. When I cut my finger and had to stop doing some routine things, he wanted me to abandon myself to him. When someone misunderstood me for something I'd said and rebuked me, he wanted me to offer up my sorrow to him. Anytime something went wrong, the same message. So always go to the Lord to seek refuge in him. Live, suffer, and rejoice with him as one. There is nothing more beautiful nor more fulfilling than abandoning ourselves completely to our God.
**Fearing God the Right Away*
To fear God is to be aware that if we sin against him, we can end up in hell. And this makes us want to be holy and blameless before him. There are many among us who seem to have no fear of God at all. They've already been deceived by Satan and are to be pitied the most. Then perhaps they still fear God. But in their case, the fear has made them want to hide or run away from God even more, not knowing that God can actually take away their sins. Nevertheless, pray for them the most.
Saturday, February 11, 2023
****Understand Our Plight**
To know God is not easy, for the world has a big advantage over the Lord. We live in a material world we are in immediate contact with thru our senses, so we experience and are influenced by it at all times. Going along with the world is easy like going downhill. Then there are times we do get weary of it—this is when God calls you. But to know God we need to find solitude, open up our heart, and make the effort to talk to him. As a result, we do not approach him unless some misfortune or tragedy befalls us or we have sinned to the point that our conscience starts to bother us. Of course, once you know the Lord well, the bond you have formed with him should be strong enough to overcome all your attachment to the world. You are finally set free. Now that you know the whole process, it's time to choose to let God lead you all the way to eternal bliss. The going may seem uphill, but the reward is incomparable! (I say "seem" because God can actually make everything virtually effortless.)
***Point-of-No-Return Warning***
In these end times, you hear urgent messages from heaven through many seers. Mary our Mother has been been messaging us in profusion. The gist of all these messages is that we must all convert before it's too late, before the point of no return. Hearing such a warning sends chills down my spine, even though I know I'll be OK. I do not wish to scare anyone, but I do want everyone to know that the time now is most urgent and if you do not awaken to the reality of God, time will run out on you when you least expect it. This you can be more sure of than that that the sun will rise tomorrow.
Without faith in God, life is not worth living. The world has not a thing you can depend upon for long. Christ is our only hope, for you can only get to heaven thru him. He is our only light. Without him, we would end up in darkness for all eternity. There is so much more I can say, but it won't do any good if your heart is closed. I am just lighting up a little candle, hoping that it can help you see that the Christ is the way. Being the truth, he can set you free and make you whole again and you'll have the best possible time of your whole existence. I am speaking to you straight from my heart with absolutely no guile whatsoever. God bless you.
**Our Greatest News
From today's first reading from Genesis 3, we heard how Adam and Eve committed the original sin and the Lord punished them. But, have no worry, Christ our Savior has come and is with us. He will restore us to our pristine state if we follow him. This is our greatest news, worthy for us to rejoice about all our lives.
**Another Good Question to Ask
We can know God only via the heart. When the Lord looks at us, he sees what dwells in our hearts first. When he speaks to us, he always speaks from his heart. So the question for us is "Do we do everything from our hearts?" We should always mean what we do and do what we mean without duplicity.
**Good Question to All Catholics*
Today it's also the optional memorial of Our Lady of Lourdes. In 1858, Mother Mary appeared to the fourteen-year-old French peasant girl Bernadette Soubirous (now St. Bernadete) at Lourdes fifteen times and totally changed her life. My question to all Catholics, myself included, is this: Now that you have received the Lord in the Holy Eucharist more than 15, 150, or perhaps even 1500 times, how much has he changed your life?
***Sign You're Becoming a Saint*
There are moments in which we are totally immersed in God's presence and moments in which we are totally immersed in the affairs of the world or our own doings. As we let God draw us closer to him, the former increase, while the latter decrease. Once you have become aware of God's constant presence and start immersing yourself totally in it at all times, you are becoming a saint.
Friday, February 10, 2023
**Completely Satisfied with God
Communion experience. The Lord has completely fulfilled me. It's such a good feeling to be able to trust the Lord with my soul.
***How God Has Made Us**
One will never be completely happy until he has submitted himself completely to God. This is how he has made us, proving that he loves us.
***Biggest Losers
They are the evildoers. They have lost their minds, not knowing right from wrong. They are to be pitied for they are on the way to self-destruction.
****Get This Blessing****
Blessed are you who open wide to the Lord. For now the almighty God is free to enter you to mold and shape you to his heart's content. The result will be a most beautiful you, a delight to him.
***Power of Jesus' Words
In today's Gospel reading from Mark 7, people brought to Jesus a deaf man who had a speech impediment and begged him to lay his hand on him. He took him off by himself away from the crowd. He put his finger into the man's ears and, spitting, touched his tongue; then he looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him, "Be opened!" And immediately the man's ears were opened, his speech impediment was removed, and he spoke plainly. Jesus' words are most powerful! Another instance: In Mark 4, Jesus said to the stormy sea, "Quiet! Be still!" The wind ceased and there was great calm. Whatever he says to us, we'd better believe. Jesus says in John 6.51: "I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world." You'd better believe it too!
**Eternal Life Awaiting
First thought at Mass. I already possess my God, my greatest love, so I have reached a conclusion in this life. From now on, it's continuing journeying toward the eternal Father who is waiting for me.
**Expecting Great Happenings
I've been asking all the saints and angels in heaven to intercede for me, so I am expecting great things to happen in my lifetime. I am totally in the Lord's hands now.
**Garabandal, Unstoppable Waterfall, Updated
On July 2. 2020, I posted the documentary Garabandal, Unstoppable Waterfall. It was in Spanish with English subtitles. I have just replaced it with the new version dubbed in English. If you are interested in watching it, just go here.
Thursday, February 9, 2023
***Prophecies Being Fulfilled!
This is an hour-long video. I am posting it because amazingly, some of the Garabandal prophecies have been or are being fulfilled right now. This is not the time to remain complacent anymore. It's time to believe in the Lord more than ever! You don't ever want time to run out on you!
*Jesus' Rest for Us
Communion experience. In Matthew 11:28, Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest." Today I experienced that rest in the Lord. It's the you-are-home feeling.
**Faith and Trust Most Beautiful*
In the Gospels, those who had great faith in Christ just went to him, fell at his feet, and asked for healing for themselves or a loved one, and he always healed them because of their faith. In today's Gospel reading from Mark 7, Jesus healed the daughter of a Greek woman unseen. It's just so beautiful to see that anyone would believe in the Lord to be his or her only sure hope, go to him, fall at this feet, and beg for his mercy. This is recognizing that the Lord is God and that he deserves our total trust.
**How God Calls Us*
When Jesus calls us, he simply lets us hear the truth. He does not coerce us in any way whatsoever; we have the free will to accept or reject him. It's our choice. If we accept him, faith is born. I have totally accepted him and I feel totally free with him. This is the beauty of his calling.
Wednesday, February 8, 2023
*****God's Unimaginable Love!**
God's love for us is so great that it's impossible for our finite mind to grasp or conceive. I believe that if we can experience it for just a second on earth, we'll want to accept and follow him as our Lord God and Savior forever. He is always much, much greater than you think in every way! Make sure that when you enter your next life, you'll be surprised and amazed (not shocked).
***Our Ultimate Will*
Today my TV remote stopped working. I knew that the two AAA batteries were probably dead. If I change them, it should work again. I changed them and it indeed worked again. By doing my will, I accomplished something. Then I see that there's the will of God, the ultimate will. I instinctively know that this is the will to follow if we wish to accomplish anything good. Going against it can well lead us to death for all eternity.
***Becoming Anew in the LORD God*
In today's Gospel reading from Mark 7, Jesus said to his disciples, "What comes out of the man, that is what defiles him. From within the man, from his heart, come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly. All these evils come from within and they defile." Thus, to be holy, we need to give our heart to the LORD God to be cleansed and filled with the Holy Spirit. This is how we become anew in God.
Tuesday, February 7, 2023
***A Secret Truth to Be Revealed****
Total submission to the God of Christ instantly liberates your spirit and restores your inner peace, for you are now with God.
*****Only if We Can Be Aware*****
In today's first reading from Genesis 1, we heard about the last three days of God's creation. On the 6th day before he rested, he created us, male and female, in his divine image. Later, man disobeyed him and became sinners. Finally, out of pure love for us, the Lord God gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life (John 3:16). If we can truly be aware of what God our Father has done for us, we would want to ask for his pardon and mercy and gratefully submit ourselves to him completely.
Monday, February 6, 2023
***Our Duty and Our Honor***
Today's Communion antiphon, Luke 22: 28-32. It is you who have stood by me in my trials; and I confer a kingdom on you, says the Lord, that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom. "Stand by the Lord in his trials," "Stand by him at all times," this is our calling, what we should do, and it's most consoling to him and most rewarding for us.
**God on My Side
In today's Gospel reading from Mark 6, as soon as Jesus and his disciples arrived at Gennesaret, people recognized him and began to bring in the sick wherever he was. They laid them in the marketplaces and begged him that they might touch only the tassel on his cloak; and as many as touched it were healed. I felt elated that this amazing Lord is on my side.
***God Truly Awesome***
The first 19 verses of Genesis made up today's first reading at Mass. It tells the first four days of God's creation of our universe. The LORD's mightiness awed me more than ever. The scientists can explain all they want how the universe was formed, but they can never explain how all the matters involved at the beginning came into being in the firs place. I find God's creation of all things logical, satisfactory, and most beautiful. To understand all things, we need to go to the Creator to find the answers. I'd ask the Lord to help us understand ourselves foremost. Then ask for great faith in him.
**Sin Likened to Physical Injury
Yesterday I couldn't find my house key after searching for it for quite a while, so I thought it might have accidentally fallen into the kitchen garbage. I started to look through it and got my right hand middle finger tip cut by the sharp edge of a metal can top that had been discarded. It wasn't a deep cut, but it did bleed quite a bit and disabled the use of that finger. Until it's healed, I won't be able to wash dishes, exercise with weights, or playing the piano. Then I see that committing a sin is like cutting yourself like that—it disables you from getting into heaven. In order to be able to do all the physical work, we need to recover from the injury first. Likewise, to get into heaven, we must have our sin(s) removed first. Of course, it's best that we don't get ourselves injured physically and we don't sin at all.
Sunday, February 5, 2023
**Call to Be Outstanding
In today's Gospel reading from Mark 5, Jesus tells his disciples as salt of the earth to not lose its taste and as the light of the world to shine before others that they may glorify the heavenly Father. So let's hear him and be outstanding as his followers.
**Sad State of the World
Since conversion refers to conversion of one's innermost self, God speaks to us via the heart. Even though the Lord is always calling us, most people just don't hear him because the world has already gotten their attention and turned them into spiritual zombies. Perhaps they will awaken at the hour of their death. This is the present state of our world.
Saturday, February 4, 2023
***Receiving Power from the Lord
Communion experience. When you receive the Lord with all you heart, all your mind, and all your soul, you receive power directly from him to overcome evil and to do his will! A great triumphant feeling.
***Preparing for Judgment*
We are all sinners and live a holy life or a not-so-holy one. And none of us can escape judgment by God after we die or at his Second Coming. In other words, our judgment is imminent. Christ had told us 2,000 years back to remain vigilant and be prepared always. We are on our own; but if we are with him, we'll never be lost and alone again. Today's reading of Psalm 23 at Mass shows how beautiful it is to live in the LORD. I'll reproduce it below for your edification.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. In verdant pastures he gives me repose. Beside restful waters he leads me; he refreshes my soul. He guides me in right paths for his name's sake. Even though I walk in the dark valley, I fear no evil; for you are at my side with your rod and your staff that give me courage. You spread the table before me in the sight of my foes; You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Only goodness and kindness follow me all the days of my life; And I shall dwell in the house of the LORD for years to come.