The image of Our Lady of Guadalupe is a miraculous image that appeared on a cactus-fiber cloak (tilma). If you are not familiar with the story, you can easily find it online. Why it's considered miraculous is also worth knowing. You can pull up quite a number of my thoughts involving her on this blog. I'll just conclude this year's blogging by posting this AI-generated image of her which is well done and quite beautiful. To see it, just click here.
Wednesday, December 31, 2025
***Our Only Source of Peace***
My last declaration of 2025: True peace, external or internal, can only come from remaining in Christ and keeping his word.
*****The Only One*****
Today's Communion antiphon, 1 John 4:9—God sent his Only Begotten Son into the world, so that we might have life through him. On this last day of 2025, let me declare that Christ is our Savior, the only one through whom we may have life for all eternity! There is absolutely not another one to whom we can go to get all our sins removed. Lose him now and you lose your way forever.
Tuesday, December 30, 2025
*****God Can Make You Perfect*****
Communion experience. In union with God, you are in union with the one who can make you perfect for you to get along with him perfectly.
**Don't Forget Prayer "
In today's Gospel reading from Luke 2, we heard read that when Mary and Joseph brought the Child Jesus to the temple for presentation, a prophetess, Anna, who never left the temple, was worshipping night and day with fasting and prayer. She csme forward to the Holy Family, gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem. We usually try to serve the Lord by helping someone directly and forget that to worship with fasting and prayer can do as much good if not more. Look at prayer alone, we can reach God instantly to get him to release his power to do good. So never rule out prayer. For some, this is their only way, and that's just fine. The best way is to do the best in whatever way that suits you best.
***Living the Joyful Life***
Today's Responsorial Psalm Refrain, Ps 96:11a—Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice! Believing and following Christ is living a life of rejoicing in the Savior! This joy is unstoppable, turning all our tears into tears of pure joy.
***Simplify Following God***
From today's first reading, 1 John 2:17b—Those who do the will of God remain forever. Such a clear, simple statement! Obey God and we have eternal life. Why do we always make following the Lord so hard for ourselves?
Monday, December 29, 2025
***Only Way to Fulfillment***
People are constantly looking for "fun" things to do to fill the emptiness they feel in their hearts, not realizing that basically, they are looking for God, the God of Christ. Those who have found Christ are completely satisfied, overjoyed, and lacking nothing. We'll all face God in the end. The sooner we turn to him, the sooner we get fulfilled by him.
**Balanced Response to God**
Christ, our Lord and God, has redeemed us with his Most Precious Blood; this shows how much he loves us. So we should be humbly grateful to him and at the same time not undervalue ourselves.
***Ready to Go in Peace***
Today's Gospel reading from Luke 2 tells the Presentation of the Child Jesus. Simeon, a righteous and devout man awaiting the consolation of Israel, came into the temple. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Christ of the Lord. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform the custom of the law, he took him into his arms and blessed God, saying: "Lord, now let your servant go in peace; your word has been fulfilled: my own eyes have seen the salvation, the light and the glory." We have not seen Jesus in person yet. But for us who already know him intimately and even consume his flesh and blood regularly, we definitely are ready to go in peace also.
**Our Guiding Light**
In today's first reading from 1 John 2, we learn from the Apostle that whoever loves his brother remains in the light and whoever hates his brother is in darkness. So we see that the light dispels darkness and makes us love others—that light is Christ! Remain in his light and we'll never lose my way.
Sunday, December 28, 2025
**Another Reason for Not Judging**
Do not judge anyone, for if you had gone thru and experienced what that person did, you might not come out a better person than he is.
*****Most Beautiful Relationship*****
The Lord's holy presence is fragrant and his love most sweet. Enjoy him to the fullest as your heavenly Father so that he may enjoy you to the fullest as his most beloved child!
***True Wisdom***
Today is the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. The Offertory Antiphon from Psalm 31 reads: I trust in you, O Lord; I say, "You are my God." My life is in your hands. Our life is truly in God's hands. Anytime he calls us to leave the world and go to him, we just have to go. Realizing this should make us put ourselves completely in his hands if we are wise.
Saturday, December 27, 2025
***Only God Matters, Not Us***
Anytime we do something and lose our peace, it's a sign we have sinned. Say we are being unkind to someones in presence of others and feel bad about it afterwards. If it's because we realize that we have hurt the Lord, then it is all proper and good! But if it's because we feel that we have looked bad in the eyes of others, then it shows that we still have that ugly ego in us. Now we have another sin on us! In sum, we should only feel bad for having offended God and never mind what others think of us. If they think of us poorly, we deserve that.
**Getting Our Pass to Heaven**
Today's Gospel account of the empty tomb from John 20: On the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning and saw the stone removed from Jesus' tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and John, and told them, "They have taken the Lord from the tomb." Then the two went out and ran to the tomb. When John saw the burial cloths there, and the cloth that had covered the head all rolled up in a separate place, he believed. So John saw and believed. We can assuredly believe too. When we believe, faith is born. We now get our pass to heaven.
**Trustworthy Gospel**
Today is the Feast of Saint John, Apostle and Evangelist. Here's the Entrance Antiphon taken from 1 John 1:3—What we have seen and heard, we proclaim now to you. Know that John, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was an eyewitness at the transfiguration and crucifixion of Jesus and also saw the Risen Lord, so we can fully trust all his accounts in the book of John.
Friday, December 26, 2025
***In Gratitude to God's Love***
Remain in union with Christ, learn everything from him, and let him shape and polish us in every way so that we may become even more pleasing and beautiful to him. Our reward will be great joy beginning now to eternity!
***Alone No More****
Without Christ, we essentially exist alone, no matter how many people we know in this world. Once we know the Lord and become his forever, we are never alone again!
****Exemplary Rule for All Christians****
Today is the Feast of Saint Stephen, First Martyr. This is the Response to readings from Psalm 31: Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit. In the Gospel reading from Matthew 10, Jesus told his disciples not to worry about how they are to speak or what they are to say during coming persecutions, for they will be given at that moment what they are to say by the Spirit of the Father. This was exactly what St. Stephen did, and we should be like that too! It's being ready to comment our spirit into the Lord's hands at any time.
Thursday, December 25, 2025
**Honest Truth**
We'll have no peace (both external and internal) until we enter the Kingdom of God thru Jesus.
***New Life thru Death***
To live or to die in Christ—which is better? Both are necessary. You live in him first. When you are satisfied and feel completely free, you know that your old self has died in him; you now live a brand new life in him.
***Absolutely True***
In the Gospels, Jesus said to his disciples, "To the one who has, more will be given; from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away." This saying becomes absolutely true when you say "To the one who has Christ, more will be given; from the one who has not Christ, even what he has will be taken away."
**Christmas Joy Tainted
Merry Christmas to all first! At Christmas time, many families get together with all the members of their own family. It's supposed to be a happy occasion, but many do it because they see it as tradition, an obligation, or an occasion to have a good time. But if there's no intention of celebrating the birth of our Savior, there can be no true joy. Also, those who already follow Christ can't help but feel the pain when they see the deep divisions amid the family because of him. Sorrow now pervades true joy.
Wednesday, December 24, 2025
**This I Know**
There is an infinite number of things I don't know, but I do know without a doubt that Christ is our Savior, being the only light who can lead us out of darkness.
***Conversion Story*
Here's a short video showing why an evangelical is becoming Catholic. This first reason he gives was also one of mine when I decided to become Catholic decades ago as a Presbyterian.
Tuesday, December 23, 2025
***What to Avoid at All Costs***
The pain of offending the Lord we feel in this life is real and can be unbearable. Imagine how bad the souls in hell must feel when they experience various even much worse pains that never end.
**How Hard Is Your Heart?**
Today's Communion antiphon, Revelation 3:20—Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if anyone hears my voice and opens the door to me, I will enter his house and dine with him, and he with me. Such a beautiful, sweet, and kind invitation! The Lord is ready and waiting, so how are you going to respond?
**Aging Blessing*
When you are young and physically fit, you pursue many activities in the world in hope that life would be worth living. Then you age and your physical condition deteriorates to the point you no longer can participate in all those activities, and you have no choice but to think about God more,. Now you start to grow spiritually and see that life can truly be worth living. This shift of focus or attention is a great blessing!
Monday, December 22, 2025
**Being Fake and Being Genuine**
When our thinking, reasoning, and emotions get tainted, we easily sin and remain in unrest. Now we are no longer genuine, for we must act as if we're not sinful. Those who don't sin or have repented and all their sins taken away don't have to pretend that they are someone else, so they remain genuine and live in peace.
**Our Brightest Hope**
Sometimes if we don't watch our self-righteousness, it can overcome our sense of restraint and end up hurting someone. This is a sin. I know because I just did that to someone and felt terrible! I have apologized to that person, but confession is in order. Much more humility is needed, something we can never have enough. Recently, I blogged that we should always trust in the Lord and never let anything disturb our peace. This is correct, but as usual, it's easily said than done. Fortunately, we always have Christ present to perfect us and that's enough to cheer us up again.
Sunday, December 21, 2025
**Happy with God*
At Mass this Sunday morning, I rejoiced that I had such a holy God who can make me holy like him one day.
**Wise Advice**
The Lord God is Lord and God, to be obeyed completely by us! Play any "game" with him and you'll always end up losing—this is a foregone conclusion. So wise up for the sake of your own soul.
Saturday, December 20, 2025
**Most Worthwhile Exchange**
Communion experience. When you give up everything for Christ's sake, you gain freedom and eternal life to boot.
**One Most Beautiful; One Ugliest**
In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 1, how the birth of Jesus came about was told. We know that the angl Gabriel appeared Mary and announced to her that she had found favor with God, and through the Holy Spirit she would conceive and bear a son to be named Jesus who would be great and called Son of the Most High. Mary responded, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word." Anytime God asks us to do something and we say yes, it's such a beautiful thing! By the same token, anytime we ignore or say no to God, it has to be one of the ugliest things in the whole universe! We have caused disorder and lose our peace as a result.
Friday, December 19, 2025
***We Should Imitate Christ Because . . .
he is the perfect example of carrying out the will of the Father.
**Be Righteous in God's Eyes**
In today's Gospel reading from Luke 1, God chose Zachariah and his wife Elizabeth to become the parents of John the Baptist because they were righteous in his eyes. We can never be really perfect, but we can surely be righteous. So, let being perfect be our goal and being righteous, our way. Intention and effort count. Obey the Lord always and we'll be favored by him now and made perfect one day.
Thursday, December 18, 2025
***Fulfulling God's Greatest Desire***
Christmas Day is just a week away. We'll be celebrating the coming of the Messiah. The fact is that he has already come and is here with us. What we need to do has gone beyond making his paths straight—it's now making his dwelling in us as comfortable as possible. This requires our total trust in and complete obedience to him. It is fulfilling the Lord's greatest desire to lead us to the greatest possible happiness of our existence!
Wednesday, December 17, 2025
***Enormous Change for Us***
Holding onto yourself is like trying to pull yourself up by your bootstraps—you're not going to get anywhere. It's submitting yourself to Jesus Christ that sets you free. Now you experience his love, power, wonders, and enjoy his eternal peace. You were a defiled sinner, now your are made clean and heaven bound. The change is truly enormous! When you go along with the Lord, no way can you go wrong.
*****Rock Solid Truth and Reality*****
Everything in our life will pass except our life in Christ that's everlasting! So rejoice in the Lord always!
Tuesday, December 16, 2025
***Only Connection We Need*
Communion experience. I know I am now connected to the Lord God and heaven through Jesus. There's nothing else I need nor wish to connect to anymore.
**Spiritual Dementia?**
In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 21, Jesus told the parable of the Two Sons. The lesson was that whoever ultimately believes and obeys the Lord will enter his Kingdom. We know from John 3:16 that anyone who believes in Christ will not perish but have eternal life. It's so simple, but many just don' believe. This is like being given an admission ticket to heaven and you just don't want to take it. Spiritual dementia might be an appropriate name for it.
***Valid Question**
In Mark 8 (also Matthew 16), Jesus asked, "What profit is there for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?" I see people who pride themselves on getting along with everyone else (at least according to them). So you could also ask: "What profit is there for one to get along with the whole world, but not with God?"
Monday, December 15, 2025
***How We Need Christ!***
Communion experience. We absolutely need Christ, for only he can take away our sins and make us perfect!
*****Following Christ Perfectly*****
Today's Entrance Antiphon based upon Jeremiah 31:10 and Isaiah 35: 4—Hear the word of the Lord, O nations; declare it to the distant lands: Behold, our Savior will come; you need no longer fear. For us, Christ our Savior has already come, so we only need to trust in him and let nothing bother us anymore. We may appear cold externally, but I believe this is how the Lord wants us to follow him. When we don't let our will, feelings, and emotions get in the way, and remain unperturbed, we'll be able to see God's will clearly and carry it out confidently.
Sunday, December 14, 2025
***Be Ready for What's Coming***
Communion experience. Receiving the Lord in the Holy Eucharist is most satisfying; how more satisfying we'll feel in heaven is hard to imagine. By the same token, hell will be more horrible than what we can possibly imagine. Everything will be magnified or intensified later. Prepare for the best for us and let the worst go, and we'll be fine.
****The Only One to Seek****
Should God understand you totally, even if the whole world doesn't understand you, it doesn't matter anymore. This is not giving up; it's total victory!
***Joy of the Lord*
As Christmas approaches, the readings at today's Mass reflect more the joy of anticipating the coming of Christ the Savior. Then I realize that in reality he has already come and is here with me totally, and my joy becomes uncontainable! The desire to spread this joy follows. Sadly, much of the world doesn't want to hear the good news of salvation, for Christ makes them feel uncomfortable. I think you know why. I've been even accused of judging them. They don't realize that judging is exposing all one's faults without mercy. Anyway, being misunderstood for Jesus' name is an honor and also joy. This joy is now part of the overall great joy.
Saturday, December 13, 2025
**Staying Awake, a Christian Duty**
Today is the Memorial of Saint Lucy, Virgin and Martyr. The Gospel reading was the Parable of the Ten Virgins from from Matthew 25. Five were foolish and five wise. When the long-delayed bridegroom arrived at midnight, the wise ones trimmed their lamps filled with oil and were ready to meet him, while the foolish found their lamps going out due to insufficient oil and had to go off to buy some. Meanwhile the bridegroom came and those who were ready went into the wedding feast with him. The door was then shut. Afterwards the foolish ones returned and found themselves locked out. Therefore, we need to stay awake always. That means we need to be in a state of grace always.
Friday, December 12, 2025
**Remain Lowly to Become Mighty**
Today is the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The Communion Antiphon, Luke 1:52, "The Lord has cast down the mighty from their thrones and lifted up the lowly," came from Mary's Canticle after the angel Gabriel announced the birth of Jesus to her. Be lowly and the Lord will make you mighty. This is in accord with what Jesus said later in Luke 14:11: "For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted."
***Faith in God Is Everything***
In Matthew 17:20, Jesus said to his disciples, "Amen, I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." Of course, whatever we ask the Lord to do has to be serious, urgent, necessary, and reasonable. But most of all, it should always glorify him. Now, when we pray that the Lord would heal someone who's sick, we usually plead for his mercy mercy. I'll never forget the time my son was hit by a virus when he was 27. His heart almost stopped beating and the doctor informed me that even if he recovered, he'd need a heart transplant. I walked into the ER with a cotton ball I had which I believed to be soaked with the tears from a weeping icon of Mother Mary. I made the sign of the cross with it on my son's forehead and said, "Be healed in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit." It was the first time I sounded as if I was giving a command. My son was discharged on the 4th day. It was a miracle! Now, praying for someone's conversion is more complex, for it involves the free will of that person. Still, believing that nothing will be impossible for God is the way to go, and those who hold great faith in the Lord God will witness his wonders, experience his joy, and have life forever!
Thursday, December 11, 2025
*****Keeping Our Intentions Pure*****
If we truly believe in the Lord, knowing that he is our only judge and will totally take care of what we ask for, then after we pray to him, we should absolutely feel at peace. This is a good test of our faith. We should always keep God's will intact, not to taint it the slightest with ours. This is a great way of purifying our intentions.
**Short-Lived vs. Lasting Happiness**
When we do things just to feel good momentarily, we are being self-centered. On the other hand, when we just remain humble and experience great peace, that results from being God-centered.
***Our Greatest Triumph***
It is to be able to not fall into sin for the sake of God the Father who loves us.
**Destined for Greatness**
In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 11, Jesus said to the crowds: "Amen, I say to you, among those born of women there has been none greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the Kingdom of heaven is greater than he." So all of you who are on the way to entering the Kingdom of heaven rejoice, for that you are going to be great in the eyes of the Lord!
Wednesday, December 10, 2025
Tuesday, December 9, 2025
***True Love***
Communion experience: The Lord invites us to receive his own body and blood—he truly loves us!
*****My Most Urgent Appeal to All*****
In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 18, Jesus said to his disciples: "If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine in the hills and go in search of the stray? And if he finds it, amen, I say to you, he rejoices more over it than over the ninety-nine that did not stray. In just the same way, it is not the will of your heavenly Father that one of these little ones be lost." We see how precious our souls are! Don't you see that when you reject the heavenly Father, you basically go against his will that you not be lost? We are all his children, so to all of you, my brothers and sisters, please do not commit spiritual suicide, for the Father truly loves us.
**A Lesson Learned**
This morning after I got up, I found a knot in the stainless steel chain on the miraculous medal I wore around my neck. That was somewhat unexpected and a mystery. And it took me quite a few minutes to untangle the knot. I saw that the Lord was teaching me a lesson here. You see, I'd been bothered by this problem. I bought something online and it didn't work out. So I requested to return the item, and the company issued me a return label and would deduct the return shipping cost from the refund amount later. That sounded fair enough until I noticed that the return label was marked 2ND DAY AIR. That would cost a lot more than regular no-rush shipping. It seemed that they were trying to make more money from my return. I emailed them to inquired about this, but received no response for days. I began to believe that I was right—another unpleasant issue now to deal with. I finally phoned them earlier today and was told not to be concerned about that, for the standard charge on my kind of return was fixed at $12. So it's a matter of bad communication. The lesson of the knot in the chain is that unexpected problems happen and we must not project the worst so that we may remain unperturbed. Then deal with each problem patiently to arrive at a resolution.
Monday, December 8, 2025
***Most Wonderful Gift from God***
Today is the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. I praise God for having created her without original sin so that she might be fit to bear his divine Son and our Savior. I also praise God that Mary willingly followed the Father's plan, is now actively praying for all sinners, and will be used by him to crush Satan in the end. Last, I rejoice that Christ has given his own mother to be our mother too—what a most wonderful gift! This truly fulfills a basic need of ours as children of the Father.
Sunday, December 7, 2025
**Laura's Testimony*
A short that's beautifully honest which I forgot to post when I first caught it earlier.
***The Lord My Defender***
Communion experience. We do get to drink from the chalice of Jesus' Most Precious Blood at Sunday Masses. This Sacred Blood is so powerful that it can ward off attacks from all evil spirits. The Lord is now my defender!
**How Do We Straighten the Lord's Paths?*
In the Gospel reading from Matthew 3, John the Baptist appeared, preaching in the desert of Judea and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!" It was of him that the prophet Isaiah had spoken when he said: A voice of one crying out in the desert, Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths. The Lord is already here, so how do we prepare his way by making straight his paths? The answer: We remain wide open to him so as not to obstruct his paths in any way.
**Trusting in God's Justice**
We learn today from the first reading from Isaiah 11 and the Responsorial Psalm 72 that the Lord will judge all of us with perfect justice. This should put all of us who follow him at ease, for whatever each person receives in the end will be perfectly justified.
***Warning Continued***
In my last post, I stated "if you think that you are good enough to get into heaven, you are not taking the whole matter seriously." So you may not even make it. The sure way is to do the very opposite: You assume that you are not good enough to enter heaven, and you submit yourself totally to God's mercy and humbly follow his will as best as you can. Now you have ensured the opposite effect.
Saturday, December 6, 2025
*****Dire Warning*****
If you think that you are good enough to get into heaven, you are not taking the whole matter seriously. To be serious, we must realize how horrible it'd be to end up in hell! What's truly horrible is that our separation from God and the agony and suffering we experience there is forever! For this alone, we need to believe in Christ our Savior right now. Going to hell is a no-fun oneway trip—don't ever let it happen to you!
**How Christ Sees Us**
While Jesus was on earth, he never really judged others. He always loved everyone and felt sorry for those who were lost. He even pray for his enemies: "Father, forgive them, they know not what they do" after they crucified him. The Lord is truly magnanimous!
**How We Are Tested**
In this evil world, we are being tested to see how faithful we are in following Christ, which translates to if we show love for others in all that we do.
**Do You Know?**
Jesus has died on the cross in our place so that we may have life eternal, so it's no surprise that he'll be the one to judge all of us in the end. He has loved us to death and we're being tested by how we respond to this love.
Friday, December 5, 2025
**Jesus Comforts Us**
In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 9, two blind men cried out as Jesus passed by,"Son of David, have pity on us!" He said to them, "Do you believe that I can do this?" "Yes, Lord," they said to him. Then he touched their eyes and said, "Let it be done for you according to your faith." And their eyes were opened. This last saying of the Lord is so good for us to hear from him! In turn, it'd be good for us to always pray "Let it be done for us according to your will."
***God's Most Ardent Wish***
Today's Entrance Antiphon: Behold, the Lord will come descending with splendor to visit his people with peace, and he will bestow on them eternal life. God, because he loves us so much, wants to bestow on us eternal life. I am sure many know about it, yet they don't seem to care. So for their sake, I am restating it here loud and clear: God's most ardent wish is to bestow eternal life on all of us!
Thursday, December 4, 2025
***How to Be Prepared*
For the Christian, it's to be ready to leave this world and go home to the Father in heaven. It's the best to come, something really to look forward to.
**Just Believing Is Not Good Enough
To Believe is not the same as to want to believe. If we believe in God only halfheartedly, or with no zeal, then we are Christians in name only. Christians who want to believe in God are always on the move, alive and eager to serve the Lord.
**Self-Examination Time
This begins my posting for today, Dec. 4. The Gospel acclamation from today's reading from Matthew 7: Whoever does the will of my Father will enter the Kingdom of heaven. This is so easy to know and remember for us to get into heaven. To do the will of the Father, we only need to listen to and follow Jesus the Son! God makes everything simple for us, yet we make it complicated for ourselves. We need to make a good examination of ourselves and start to see and live right!
***Most Powerful Bond***
Communion experience: In union with the Lord, your invisible bond with him is stronger than any visible or physical bond, and you are closer to him than to anyone else!
*****The Lord Is Perfection*****
Jesus is the embodiment of perfection. It there are others who are perfect, there have all been all been made perfect by or thru him. So Jesus is the first and eternal perfection.
**In Case You Don't Know . . .*
It's our pride that prevents us from obeying God and gets our soul ruined in the end if we don't follow the example of our most humble Lord.
**Speak and Proclaim We Must**
The Communion antiphon of Dec. 3, Matthew 10:27: What I say to you in the darkness speak in the light, says the Lord, what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. We who follow Christ cannot remain silent; we must listen to voice of the Spirit and speak out. We are to be warriors ablaze. holy rabble-rousers.
***God's Humble Power*
In the Gospel reading from Matthew 15, Jesus took seven loaves of bread and a few fish, gave thanks, broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, who in turn fed a hungry crowd of four thousand men, not counting women and children. They all ate and were satisfied. This miracle may not be so dramatic as the miracle of the sun that happened at Fatima in 1917, witnessed by a estimated 70,000 people, but it's equally amazing, if not more so. The Lord always shows his power to us most humbly to benefit us physically and/or spiritually only.
*****REAL PRAYING Called For***
I lost my internet service again yesterday, so I'lI share yesterday's thoughts first. I first hared Laura's conversion story Buddhist to Catholic on November 5. Coming across this short of hers titled The Virgin Mary Is Real (https://www.youtube.com/shorts/_bkJT69e6eE) triggered in me the following thoughts. There is a difference between just praying and real praying. One is a lot of more serious than the other. You can say your prayer as an an obligation, while your mind is elsewhere. Or you can pray, feeling strongly prompted by the Holy Spirit or that you really need God's help. Recently, I felt the urgency to pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet before an original Divine Mercy image hung on a wall in my house. I stood close to it the whole time, focusing fully on the Lord and saying every word from my heart, and my soul felt the close presence of the Lord. Never hold back if you feel like pouring your heart out to him, for "real praying" allows God to let you experience him fully. He always treats us the way we treat him! He is not to be just a casual acquaintance of ours; he's to be our most beloved personal Lord.
Tuesday, December 2, 2025
**Sign You're Ready to Go to the Lord
Today's Communion antiphon based upon 2 Timothy 4:8 reads: The just judge will bestow a crown of righteousness on those who eagerly await his coming. When you eagerly await the Lord's coming, you are ready to go to him.
**Smart Attitude**
In today's Gospel reading from Luke 10, Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, "I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike." To be childlike is what we need in the Father's presence. On our own, we'll never be able to understand everything. Knowing that the Lord has the answers to all things is good enough for us to believe in him without question.
Monday, December 1, 2025
**Being Nothing and Free**
Communion experience. The Lord is everything to me, for he is the creator of all things, myself included. I owe him all I have. When you belong to the God of Christ, you know you are free.
**The Lord Delivers*
Today, I still can't believe that the Lord has chosen me to believe in him and given me so much joy! This is a case of "it's actually true when it's too good to be true."
**To Amaze the Lord**
In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 8, a centurion appealed to Jesus, saying, "Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, suffering dreadfully." He said to him, "I will come and cure him." The centurion said in reply, "Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed." Jesus was amazed by his great faith and said to him, "You may go; as you have believed, let it be done for you." At that very hour his servant was healed. Let's amaze the Lord with our faith too. What say you?
**Christ Makes Us Fearless*
Today's Entrance Antiphon (cf. Jer 31:10; Is 35:4): Hear the word of the Lord, O nations; declare it to the distant lands: Behold, our Savior will come; you need no longer fear. One thing about having Christ as our Savior is that we now know we're going to have life with him in heaven forever and thereby no longer fear anything!
Sunday, November 30, 2025
***Joy of Doing God's Will*
When you always do God's will, you'll find everything you do a joy! By the way, this is how to strengthen your bond with the Lord continuously.
**To Take It Seriously or Not**
In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 24, Jesus told his disciples about the unknown day and hour of his next coming and that they should be prepared. To the unprepared, it will always happen at an unexpected time and too late to save themselves. On the other hand, the prepared don't have to be concerned about the whole thing at all. All is common sense. The big factor that comes into play is how seriously you take Jesus' words.
**Review Time
As Christians, this is the rule we often forget: We must always do God's will while we're on earth. This is the sole rule by which we'll be judged in the end.
***Prayer and Spirituality**
Today is the First Sunday of Advent. This is the entrance antiphon based upon Psalm 25:1-3—To you, I lift up my soul, O my God. In you, I have trusted; let me not be put to shame. Nor let my enemies exult over me; and let none who hope in you be put to shame. This is a beautiful payer. It makes me realize that our prayer to the Lord actually reflects how we feel spiritually. In turn, our spirituality shapes our prayer. The two are closely interrelated.
Saturday, November 29, 2025
**Spirit over Body**
Communion experience. Physically, I am still on earth; but spiritually, I am already with Christ my Lord! The physical body is short-lived and perishes, while the soul lasts and lives on for all eternity. So focus upon taking care of your spiritual life foremost.
**No Perfect Peace on Earth
On 11/28, I saw clearly that the world has no peace because it hasn't submitted itself to God yet. Those who have done so know that they'll experience perfect peace in heaven.
***Lost Only Without Christ***
On Thanksgiving Day, the third day without internet service, I did feel a little bit lost. Then this thought came to me. We are lost only when we don't have Christ. Many things that do not glorify God we can live without. In heaven, there'll be no more worldly distractions and we'll be even happier.
**Thanking God First**
It's November 27, Thanksgiving Day. Of course, No. 1 on the list for us is to thank God for having redeemed us from sin—this changes eternal death to eternal life for us!
**Happy in the Lord
Now the Communion experience. I felt so good in the Lord that I felt sorrier than ever for those who do not know or do not want to know him.
**Going Gung-Ho for the Lord
Lesson from the Gospel reading from Luke 21: Following the Lord without any hesitation is the only way to go. For him, we should go all out and all the way, for the prize we'll gain is absolutely worth it.
**Secure in the Lord*
Also on 11/26, the Gospel acclamation from Luke 21 reads : You will be hated by all because of my name, but not a hair on your head will be destroyed. This is how secure we are in the Lord!
*Peace for God's People*
Four days ago, my internet died. So I wasn't able to blog, watch TV, or phone people (I am still used to calling people on my land line phone). Life seemed a little "weird" and I felt somewhat lost at first. Anyway, a technician finally showed up and found a bad wire at their substation down the street and fixed it. I am back in business and will starting posting some of the thoughts I had since this past Tuesday.
On November 26, the Entrance Antiphon from Psalm 85 reads: The Lord speaks of peace to the people and his holy ones and those who turn to him. If you belong to the Lord, are holy, and always turn to him, then you are indeed blessed and will have his peace all your life.
Tuesday, November 25, 2025
****To Know Before You Die****
Father Gabriele Amorth was the famous exorcist for the Vatican until he died at 91 on September 16, 2016. I came across this video with a beautiful powerful message from him. Never mind the misspelled words and AI-sounding voice, fully comprehending this message can be most beneficial.
***A Conversion Story**
Today at morning Mass, I did not receive any thoughts to share. Then after I got home, I came upon two videos that are interesting. I'll share this one by Laura whose message to Pope leo XVI I posted two days ago first. It's her conversion story Buddhist to Catholic, which may resonate with some of you. Our paths that lead us to God are all different, but the one we find in the end is always most beautiful!
Monday, November 24, 2025
**To All Who Have Left Christ:*
If you have no proof that the four Gospels are just a bunch of made-up stories, you don't know what you've done!
**Foe and Friend**
When we deem ourselves most important, we imprison ourselves. Make God moat important and we are set free. This shows that we can be our own worst enemy, while God is always our liberator and best friend.
**How Self-Giving Are We?*
Today's Gospel reading from Luke 21: When Jesus looked up he saw some wealthy people putting their offerings into the treasury and he noticed a poor widow putting in two small coins. He said [to his disciples], "I tell you truly, this poor widow put in more than all the rest; for those others have all made offerings from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has offered her whole livelihood." As God has already given his only Begotten Son for us, the question is "How much are we willing to give ourselves for him?"
Sunday, November 23, 2025
**Message for Pope Leo XIV"
Here's a message from Laura, a convert from Buddhism, to Pope Leo XIV. She delivers it honestly with courage and love. It's worth sharing.
**Happy Suffering
If you are willing to suffer for Christ's sake, then you are a happy person. For now you are no longer perturbed by anything that doesn't go your way.
**Existence Cmplete*
Communion experience: Receiving Christ in the Holy Eucharist completes my existence. I began with the Lord when he created me and I now end in him by returning to be in union with him.
***Compelling Truth**
Jesus is either God or not God. If he is, we must take him most seriously, that is, believe and follow him totally. If not, you can do whatever you want with him. Because he is so compelling, I know that he is truly my God.
***Jesus Christ Our King***
Today is the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. Jesus is King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 19:26). If you think you can live without him, you have to be an idiot! I assume that you know that you have a soul and are a sinner, so my first question to you is "How are you going to save your own soul from sin?"
Saturday, November 22, 2025
***A Decision to Make***
Whenever we sin, we sadden the Lord, for we have placed another obstacle in our path to heaven. Then if we repent all our sins, we bring great joy to the Lord, heaven rejoices, and our path to go there is now clear. The Lord patiently awaits. We must decide which way to go before facing eternity! Do you hear me?
Friday, November 21, 2025
***Formula for Salvation**
Communion time insight: Our sure way of being saved is to let Christ love us. We do that, and we'll be made holy, able to love all others as ourselves, and on our way to heaven. This is all God wants from us.
***Life-Changing Living***
When you abandon yourself totally to God, you put yourself in his hands and experience a deep peace unaffected by worry or anxiety. You know that even if you die, you'll be happier than ever with the Father in heaven for all eternity!
***Great Time to Beocme Saints**
Here's a video that talks about this generation being most evil, I don't doubt it. So it's more critical than ever that we choose to fight along God against the Evil One. It's the perfect time for us to become saints.
Thursday, November 20, 2025
**Jesus on the Periphery**
If normally you just lead your own life and Jesus is never the first person you turn to for consultation or guidance, but always the last one you go to when you really need help, then he's only living on your periphery. And you are definitely not living in his house either.
***Rating My Church***
I am a Catholic because I am convinced that the Catholic Church is the original church built by Christ upon Peter, the first Pope. When Simon Peter first told Jesus that he was the Messiah, the Son of the living God, Jesus said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." (See Matthew 16:16-19.) So how is the Church with over 2.4 billion Catholics today doing? Well, as in any big institution you'll find some good people and some not so good. Within the Church, we have great saints as well as corrupt traitors. Satan, in rebelling against the Lord, has made priesthood one of his prime targets. My rating of the current state of the Church is lukewarm+ at best.
These three issues have figured in prominently in my evaluation. (1) Abortion: Way over a million unborn babies still get aborted in this country alone. This most serious offense against the Lord must end! The Church has remained relatively quiet on this issue. You rarely hear the clergy speaking out boldly against this evil. It's the laity that's doing much work on its own. (2) The Holy Eucharist: Surveys have shown that the majority of Catholics no longer believe in the real presence of Christ in this most holy sacrament. This is an absolute crisis! We need to initiate a worldwide campaign to educate all Catholics and there's no time to waste! Yet the Church doesn't seem to sense any urgency. To wish the Lord to safeguard us, it behooves us to do our utmost to "safeguard" him, not that he can't take care of himself. (3) Union with God: The Holy Eucharist is available to us, the Lord's invitation to seek union with him is there, and above all, he commanded us to be perfect as the heavenly Father is perfect; yet we are not specifically encouraged to seek to attain union with God through the Holy Eucharist so that we may all become saints! Have the Church ruled out this possibility? Wouldn't that be limiting God's omnipotent power? To believe that we can't become saints is false humility. The fact is that wanting to be a saint is being obedient to the Lord and being truly humble! Abandoning ourselves totally in God is all it takes. In Luke 12:49, Jesus said to his disciples, "I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing!"
Wednesday, November 19, 2025
***Awaiting That "Perfect" Day***
Communion experience: I am full of blemishes, but I know that the Lord will make me perfect one day!
**No Ordinary God**
Today's First Reading Antiphon from 2 Maccabees 7: The creator of the universe will give you back both breath and life. Let us realize that Christ is that amazing creator and our Savior who deserves our utmost awe, respect, and gratitude!
Tuesday, November 18, 2025
**God-Centered or Self-Centered Living**
Those who do not know Christ always have to look for something they enjoy doing to keep going. Watching a TV drama is one example. On the contrary, those who know Christ well experience so much joy in him that all the things the world enjoys become rather boring and meaningless in comparoson. As a matter of fact, they never need to seek out anything in the world to keep going.
Also, I've noticed that many older folks, realizing that their time on earth is limited, decide to live it up by enjoying as many things in the world as possible. This may seem to be a sensible decision, but spiritually it may not be wise, for the intention is all self-centered. The closer we get to meeting the Lord, the more we really should live a God-centered life. We must never stop growing spiritually so that we may store up as much treasure in heaven as possible. To be rich in heaven is being God-centered.
****Being Most Unrealistic**
Avoiding Christ is worse than avoiding the fact that you do exist. You now become the most absurd unrealistic person—for without Christ, you wouldn't have existed at all!
****Union with God and and Beyond****
Communion experience: Attaining union with Christ the LORD through receiving the Holy Eucharist is reaching a mighty high point in our spiritual journey on earth. Further rapid, limitless spiritual growth now lies ahead, promising making following Christ more exhilarating than ever!
**Equal Before the Lord*
In Jesus' days, the Pharisees and the scribes look down on all the tax collectors and other sinners, forgetting that they themselves are sinners too. They became hypocrites, which displeased Jesus a great deal. It is important to realize that we are all sinners before the Lord, no better or worse than anyone else. We are to measure ourselves against the Lord only, for we only aim to be holy like him.
***Critically Important to Realize!**
Today's Gospel Acclamation from Luke 19: The Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost. If you know that you are lost, then Jesus is for you. This is all there is to it.
Monday, November 17, 2025
***Faith and Healing**
In today's Gospel reading from Luke 18, as Jesus approached Jericho and was passing by a beggar, the man shouted, "Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!" Jesus stopped and asked him, "What do you want me to do for you?" He replied, "Lord, please let me see." Jesus told him, "Have sight; your faith has saved you." He immediately received his sight and followed him, giving glory to God. This is how faith works in healing. We must not assume that the Lord will heal every little health problem we have. Normally, if it's something that's not that severe and/or will heal naturally in time, we ought not bother the Lord. But if it's something that's critical and really needs God's help, then it's proper to ask for healing outright without hesitation.
**Matching the Lord's Offering**
Today's response from Psalm 119: Give me life, O Lord, and I will do your commands. In John 15:13, Jesus said, "No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends." Now, Jesus has shown his greatest love by laying down his life for us so that we may have life, we really ought to look forward to doing his commands with zeal and joy!
***Beauty in Plain Sight***
I just found this post in drafts which I initiated two years ago but didn't get published. I recall that's because I didn't know how to include a photo image. Here it is now. I've been photographing with my cell phone since 2013 and have photographed hundreds of images of ordinary sights or things most people do not notice. At the time, I was attending daily Mass at Mount St. Joseph Seminary in Loomis, CA. One rainy morning after Mass, I saw this beautiful image reflected in a large puddle of rainwater in the seminary parking lot. Of course, what your see is that image turned upside down. God's beauty is everywhere!
Sunday, November 16, 2025
**No Double Standard
We easily notice others' faults and hardly our own. To be fair, we should examine ourselves at least as rigorously as we do others. On the other hand, we should just focus upon perfecting ourselves first.
**God Is Perfectly Just**
Today's response from Psalm 98: The Lord comes to rule the earth with justice. Yes, we should trust in the Lord's justice, pray as best as we can for all sinners and accept the outcome of his judgment on any of us in the end. Worrying about it simply shows the lack of our trust in the Lord.
***Unique True Love***
This is the love we have for God. It's essentially his love. It's different from any other kind of "love" we feel, being pure and completely selfless, and involving both the heart and the soul. As a matter of fact, it alone qualifies as true love.
Saturday, November 15, 2025
**Becoming Unchosen**
In John 15:16, Jesus says, "It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you." The Lord has chosen many of us, but many have turned him down. Not only they won't bear any good fruit, but also lose the benefit of receiving whatever they ask the Father in Jesus' name. They are now orphans.
***Constant Prayer Indespensable*
In today's Gospel reading from Luke 18, Jesus revealed to his disciples the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary. To live a Christian life is to live a life of prayer. It's essential that we communicate with the Lord honestly from the heart at all times so that we may get to know him most intimately and grow to become like him. It is through prayer that we can attain union of the hearts with the Lord!
**Appreciating My Own Existence*
Today I became acutely aware that the Lord God, our heavenly Father, indeed created me out of love. So I am a special, unique creature to him whose sole intent now is to save me from sin and death. And I greatly rejoicing in that!
Friday, November 14, 2025
*****Prepare Now or Perish*****
In today's Gospel reading from Luke 17, Jesus told his disciples about the day of his next coming. These sayings of his are most poignant: "I tell you, on that night there will be two people in one bed; one will be taken, the other left. And there will be two women grinding meal together; one will be taken, the other left." This will be either your day of the greatest unification with God or your day of the greatest separation from him. Plan ahead now to be ready, for his coming can happen at any time!
Thursday, November 13, 2025
**Attitude of a Believer**
We cannot possibly outdo God in any way. As a matter of fact, I see the Lord doing everything good for us when we "allow" him. It'd be wise and proper for us to remain receptive to whatever he sends our way, trusting that he'll always bestow what's best upon us.
***Best Thing to Ask of the Lord***
This verse from Psalm 27 seems to come up at Mass often and is beautiful. Today it was one of the two recommended Communion antiphons. It reads: One thing I ask of the LORD; this I seek: To dwell in the LORD’s house all the days of my life. To dwell in the Lord's house is to be with the Lord and serve him; we are now totally under his care, protected from all evil, and destined to be with him forever! Basically, we are back home with the Father who always loves us! There's nothing more we can ask for.
Wednesday, November 12, 2025
***More Reason to Want to Go to Heaven**
It is the will of our heavenly Father that we all get to heaven so that we may be happy for all eternity. In this life, it's the prevalence of sin that causes all our unhappiness! All the more we should want to go to heaven, for there we'll be perfected by the Lord and sin no more!
***Radical Message Perfect for Us***
Matthew 10:39, today's Communion antiphon, reads: Whoever loses his life for my sake will find it in eternity, says the Lord. So live for Christ's sake and not for ourselves. This radical shift is what we need to follow to stop sinning and become holy, to leave hell behind and head straight for heaven. It's letting the Lord properly be our Lord.
**Essential Prayer for All Christians*
In today's Gospel reading from Luke 17, Jesus entered a village and ten lepers met him. They stood at a distance from him and raised their voice, saying, "Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!" Now, we may not have leprosy, but as sinners, we need to ask the Lord to have pity on us as well, if not more so. Praying thus from the heart shows that you do submit yourself to the Lord as a follower.
Tuesday, November 11, 2025
***Christ in All of Us**
Today's Communion antiphon from Matthew 25.40: Amen, I say to you: Whatever you did for one of the least of my brethren, you did it for me, says the Lord. The Lord wants us to see him in everyone. This is not easy and will take practice. But if we want to be like Christ, we must see as he sees. It is the way to both exterior and interior peace for sure.
***Serving God Liberates Us***
In today's Gospel reading from Luke 17, Jesus described the proper attitude of a servant to his apostles. He summed up saying, "When you have done all you have been commanded, say, 'We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do.'" In other words, for whatever you do for the Lord, give him all the credit and yourself nothing. It turns out this is exactly how we become free from ourselves and experience inner peace!
Monday, November 10, 2025
**Only a Matter of Time*
Communion experience. I am not in heaven yet, but knowing that I'm already inseparable from Christ, sooner or later I'll be there.
***One Step to Eternal Salvation***
Let the God of Christ capture your heart and soul and you are saved forever!
**Sin Causing Sin**
Today is the Memorial of Saint Leo the Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church. In the Gospel reading from Luke 17, Jesus said to his disciples, "Things that cause sin will inevitably occur, but woe to the one through whom they occur. It would be better for him if a millstone were put around his neck and he be thrown into the sea than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin. Be on your guard!" This is a serious warning! To sin is one thing, but to become an agent of sin, knowingly or not, is a lot worse. It's good to be aware whether your action will lead others to sin or not. Best yet, don't sin at all.
**Being Unloved Is OK**
In this evil world, there are so many unhappy people full of hatred for others. Even in some Catholic families, grown children have abandoned their faith and fallen away from their parents. My message: Do not let all that bother you as long as you know that the Lord God, being the only one who can save us from sin, loves you. If you can still love all those who don't love you, you are truly blessed.
****Important Wake-Up Reminder!****
In this life, we are always getting ready for things such as attending a school, starting a new job, getting married, expecting your first child, going on a vacation, visiting a doctor . . . just mentioning a few of the more significant events. But the most important thing to be ready for has to be meeting God after this life ends. This should not be done in the last minute. In fact, it should be done the first moment you realize it's going to inevitably happen. Get your priorities straight to avoid eternal suffering!
Sunday, November 9, 2025
***Ultimate Fulfillment
Communion experience. It's not just saying hi to Jesus or getting to embrace him; it's achieving union with him physically and spiritually in the most intimate way—the ultimate fulfillment in this life on earth!
***God's Transcendental Beauty***
In union with God, you sense the sheer beauty of the Lord in your heart. This transcendental beauty radiates from his pure love for us. It can only be sensed in our hearts, not through any of our physical senses.
***Further Evidence That Jesus Is God***
In today's Gospel reading from John 2, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. He found in the temple area those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves, as well as the money-changers seated there. He made a whip out of cords and drove them all out of the temple area, with the sheep and oxen, and spilled the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables, and to those who sold doves he said, "Take these out of here, and stop making my Father's house a marketplace." His disciples recalled the words of Scripture, Zeal for your house will consume me. At this the Jews answered and said to him, "What sign can you show us for doing this?" Jesus answered and said to them, "Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up." The Jews said, "This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and you will raise it up in three days?" But he was speaking about the temple of his Body. Therefore, when he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they came to believe the Scripture and the word Jesus had spoken.
His disciples came to realize that Jesus fulfilled the words of Scripture. That should make us believe that Jesus is indeed God as well.
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