**Source of Inner Peace**

        A true Christian always experiences peace deep in his heart, because he already knows the outcome of the spiritual battle between God and evil, and where he'll be going after this life.

***Be Christ-Centered Always***

        I see people trying to know and love Jesus more. They focus on how they can achieve that. The intention is good, but the approach is still self-centered and won't be effective. A Christian should do everything centered on Christ, as he is the source of power and grace. If you want to know the Lord, go straight to him. After all, he is the one who can show you the way to accomplish anything. Center on him, and you'll make giant strides spiritually. By the way, every time you receive the Holy Eucharist, abandon yourself completely to the Lord to attain union with him. Then, all your spiritual problems will be taken care of.

*****Ultimate Proof We Need Salvation*****

        When we look at how Christ came to us and was crucified on the cross in our place so that we might be saved from sin and inherit eternal life, we are overwhelmed by God's immense love for us and happily submit ourselves to him—this proves that we are indeed sinners and need salvation! Otherwise, we would not have been affected by what Christ underwent at all.

**Enjoying Life's Good Things the Christian Way**

        Today is already November 1; time marches on relentlessly. I found myself thinking about how we live our lives on Earth. We usually spend 12 to 16 years going to school during our youth and pass our final years in weakened or poor health. This leaves about five decades for us to work, seek pleasure, and do what we like. During this period, we usually become attached to many worldly things. Yet, compared to eternity, the average lifetime doesn't even last a nanosecond. All the things we are attached to will vanish the moment we pass away, so there is no point in letting the world ensnare us. We must learn to enjoy all the good things in life freely, meaning we can let them go if we have to. Being resolute and decisive—moving on and never looking back—is the true way to follow Christ.

**Thirsting for God**

        Today's Responsorial Psalm Response from Psalm 42 reads: "My soul is thirsting for the living God." This thirst is a joyful longing for the Lord, showing that the soul is truly in love with the him. What a beautiful feeling! If you thirst for God, you are feeling his love for you—be grateful and rejoice.

**The Dilemma of Departing**

        In today's First Reading from Philippians 1, Paul writes: "For to me life is Christ, and death is gain. If I go on living in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. And I do not know which I shall choose. I am caught between the two. I long to depart this life and be with Christ, for that is far better. Yet that I remain in the flesh is more necessary for your benefit." This same dilemma crosses our minds too, especially when we advance in years. Then I realize that it's really up to God. Whatever the Lord wants is fine with us. Dilemma resolved!

***We Are Our Own Bottlenecks**

        This is a sequel to my last post. On the spiritual path, we always become our own bottlenecks. The Lord God, who loves us to death (pun not intended), is waiting for us to return to him so that we can enjoy eternity in paradise. Yet, we are so nonchalant about the whole thing—this is definitely not cool. Our salvation depends entirely on God's mercy; all we have to do is raise our "Yes" sign. How can we be so unfeeling toward both our heavenly Father and ourselves?

*****Wake Up to Life!*****

        God has already revealed his plan for our salvation through his divine Son, Jesus. We are free to accept or reject it; therefore, eternal life or eternal death is entirely our choice. I am speaking this truth plainly because evil influences have muddied the consciences of so many who are drifting, virtually asleep, through this life.

**Meeting the Lord Halfway**

        Today's Gospel Acclamation, John 10:27, reads: "My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord; I know them and they follow me." Jesus already knows us inside and out. If we open up and let him know us, then he'll reveal himself to us in return. When that happens, we'll be perfectly in tune with the Lord!

******AN URGENT, SERIOUS WARNING******

        If you cannot prove that Jesus never existed, or that he was real but a false teacher, and you reject him as your Lord and Savior, then this has to be the greatest rejection of truth—one that will directly impact your eternal existence. I may sound harsh or extreme, but I am dead serious about this. This warning is motivated solely by God's pure, selfless love for all of us. Not to announce it would be committing a grave sin of omission on my part. I only wish the very best for the Lord and all of us. May truth prevail!

**A Warning Against Confusion**

        Jesus always talks to us straight, without any duplicity. His messages are always clear. If we don't quite grasp them right away, it's because the content is profound. Any teaching that is ambiguous or confusing is not from the Lord (Matthew 5:37). Beware!

**A Common Fault of Ours**

        One common fault among all of us is that we easily find things about others to criticize, while almost never noticing our own shortcomings. This shows a lack of basic humility. As Christians, we should always perfect ourselves first, and let others know of their imperfections only for the purpose of their edification.

***Battling Evil, a Christian Duty***

        In today's First Reading from Ephesians 6, the Apostle Paul instructs us on how to battle evil. I will quote the first three verses to show that the devil and demonic spirits are real: "Draw your strength from the Lord and from his mighty power. Put on the armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the tactics of the devil. For our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens." I am amazed that Paul recognized this reality so clearly in his own time. Today, we see popular celebrities openly following Satan, drawing millions of fans along with them. Christians must actively fight against evil—not out of fear, but out of a duty to follow our holy Lord and save as many souls as possible. Ultimately, a Christian who remains indifferent to saving souls cannot be genuinely following Christ.

**We May Be in the End Times**

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

***The Only Friend We Need***

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

**The Living Kingdom of God**

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

"God's Design for the Family"

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

**The Christian Advantage**

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

**The Rich, Beware!**

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

***The Only Way to Holiness***

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

***Preparing for the Happiest Meeting***

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

**Forever Unhappy?**

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

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

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

***Truly Tragic Death**

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

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

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

**Joy of Union in Christ**

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

**Our Primary Vocation**

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

***Demons Are Real***

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

***A Satanist Found God***

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

***Only by His Power**

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

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

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

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

****The Greatest Agony****

        In today's Gospel reading from Luke, Jesus says to his disciples: "I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing! There is a baptism with which I must be baptized, and how great is my anguish until it is accomplished! Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division." You can really sense the great anguish he felt. He knew exactly that the people would be divided because of him and what he must undergo from this point on. I don't think there is any agony that could be greater. Let us remember and be forever thankful for his love for us.

****Out of Rubbish, Into Christ****

        In today's Gospel Acclamation, which is based on Philippians 3:8-9, Paul writes: "I consider all things so much rubbish that I may gain Christ and be found in him." Indeed, the world is so broken and unclean that it can feel like living amidst litter or trash. Christ becomes our refuge—a place to enter, be cleansed, and remain undefiled. To be found in him is to be secure for all eternity!

**Another Great Feeling**

        Psalm 33:12 of today's Responsorial Psalm reads: "Blessed the nation whose God is the LORD, the people he has chosen for his own inheritance." Indeed, it is a great feeling to know that God has chosen you to inherit all that he has planned for you. Now that you belong to him completely, you are secure and at home! The alternative is drifting aimlessly through life, not knowing where you'll end up.

*****The Simple Reality We Face*****

        It has been estimated that over 100 billion people have passed away throughout human history, and every single one of us is now in line to meet the Lord. We will ultimately spend eternity with him or be separated from him forever. Faced with this reality, I encourage you to look to Jesus Christ, who can completely remove any uncertainty about your future.

***Attaining the Happiest State on Earth***

        God loves us with the greatest possible love. When we fall in love with God, we become the happiest people. In the process, the Lord cleanses us thoroughly, leaving us feeling better than ever!

***Best State on Earth***

        Today's Responsorial Psalm comes from Isaiah 12. I love the verse describing the Lord as the fountain of salvation with us drawing living water from it. That water is inexhaustible, and you may draw to your heart's content. It cleanses and refreshes your soul, keeping you fit for entering heaven. There is no better state to be in on earth.

****The Lord Beyond Our Expectations****

        In today's First Reading from Ephesians 3, Paul speaks of the inscrutable riches of Christ. Indeed, everything about the Lord is unfathomable for us—his holiness, his mercy, his magnanimity, his wisdom, his power, his grandeur, his beauty, his radiance . . . they are all greater than we can possibly imagine. Such a God is awaiting us, ready to take us back to his bosom! How can we not get excited?

*****Truth We Can't Afford to Miss*****

        Jesus, the Son of God, came down from heaven to bring us the good news of salvation in person, so that we might believe in him and have eternal life. Though this is no longer new to the world, many still choose to ignore him. This is one promise we can't afford to miss, as the stakes are incredibly high. I am sharing a truth I know without a doubt, because it originates from the Lord.

***Greatest Injustice***

        There is no perfect justice in this imperfect world, where a lot of people are treated unjustly. Then I thought of Christ, who loved us and died for us—we can never give him the love he deserves. On the contrary, many continue to "crucify him" in various ways, or even join forces with Satan to usurp the Lord. This has to be the greatest injustice existing in the world today! May God have mercy on us.

**The Faint-Hearted, Beware!**

        In today's Gospel Acclamation, based on Luke 21:36, Jesus admonishes, "Be vigilant at all times and pray that you may have the strength to stand before the Son of Man." We need to heed this warning because we will stand before him one day to give an account for everything we've done—and it won't be for the faint of heart. The way to build up that strength is to surrender to him completely now.

***Through Christ, God has Changed Things***

        The main thing we need to know is that despite our being sinners, we can now go straight to heaven. The Lord has turned things completely around, and this must be our happiest turnaround!

***Cathoicism's Unique Feature***

        This is what sets Catholicism apart from all other religions. It seems that in all other religions, you follow what you're taught by the leaders. As a Catholic—besides learning from the Church—I am able to experience God and learn from him directly! A profoundly personal and intimate union with the Lord God is attained through Holy Communion; this is its truly unique feature.

**Do Only What Matters to God**

        In today's Gospel reading from Luke 12, Jesus also told the Parable of the Rich Fool. The man was a fool because he stored up treasure for himself instead of being rich in what mattered to God. We must always do what matters to God to please him. This comes down to obeying the Lord exclusively, giving us a great purpose in life.

**Jesus' Role Misunderstood**

        In today's Gospel reading from Luke 12, someone in the crowd said to Jesus, "Teacher, tell my brother to share the inheritance with me." He replied, "Friend, who appointed me as your judge and arbitrator?" Then he said to the crowd, "Take care to guard against all greed, for though one may be rich, one’s life does not consist of possessions." The man asking the question had no idea who Jesus truly was. Jesus is the Lord who saves us from sin and grants eternal life; he did not come to fulfill our greed or other selfish desires. He is absolutely right; life does not consist of possessions.

*****JESUS IS REAL & HIS GLORY INEFFABLE*****

       Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel has always shown great love and devotion for Jesus. If you search for Bishop Mar Mari, you'll find quite a few videos on this blog. In this recent interview, he shares his experience of seeing Jesus and receiving two messages from him. In the second message, the Lord asks him to tell people not to look for the place, but the owner of the place. I wanted to point this out because the word "owner" wasn't entirely clear. You'll find the full meaning of the two messages explained in the video.

**True Generous Giving*

        Shall we invite this person to our party? Should we send a gift to this friend? That usually depends on how good the relationship is or how generous that person has been to us in the past. This is fair, but a true Christian does not consider being generous to be a sort of repayment; he simply enjoys giving. The reward of heaven alone is good enough. If that cannot satisfy you, then nothing will. If we don't expect to be repaid on earth, we will have a much happier world.

**Full-Time Catholics**

        Catholics are obligated to attend Sunday Mass, which usually lasts about an hour. A genuine Catholic worships the Lord full-time, not just during that one Sunday hour. In fact, we should see attending Mass to receive the Lord as the most special hour of the 168 hours that make up the week. A part-time Catholic is a Catholic in name only.

***Repaying God***

        In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 22, Jesus said to the disciples of the Pharisees, "Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God." This got me thinking that we really should not owe anybody anything. Since God created us, we ultimately belong to him. Therefore, we should repay him by giving ourselves to him completely. This is our calling, after all.

***More Terrifying than a Nightmare**

        Last night, I had another nightmare. I don't remember what it was about, but I distinctly remember that the Lord let me know afterward that the terror I experienced was nothing compared to what a soul experiences in hell. While I know I am going to be with the Lord, it was still good to be made aware of this truth so that I may share it with the world.

***No-Growth vs. Fired-Up***

        A static Christian is a no-growth Christian, bearing little fruit, and living a dull life, whereas a dynamic Christian is a fired-up Christian, walking close to the Lord, growing holier daily toward union with God, and leading an exciting, exuberant life. Looking at your own walk, which do you prefer to be?

***Warning from the Lord***

        In today's Gospel reading from Luke 12, Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before others, the Son of Man will acknowledge before the angels of God. But whoever denies me before others will be denied before the angels of God." These definitive statements are issued so clearly that we feel compelled to pay attention or suffer the consequences. This can only be from the Lord. Our free will is being tested again. Heaven does exist, but it's not free to enter for sinners who haven't acknowledged Christ.

***Something Beautiful Here***

        Here is how an illuminated Christian lives his life. He views all things as gifts from God, so he accepts them happily and without exception—no matter how many turn into burdens or lead to unpleasant situations. Relying on the love of God to overcome every obstacle, he demonstrates trust and obedience at their finest. There is something really beautiful here—he's ready to live in heaven.

***Our Most Precious Possession***

        Jesus also said in today's Gospel reading from Luke 12: "I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body but after that can do no more. I shall show you whom to fear. Be afraid of the one who after killing has the power to cast into Gehenna; yes, I tell you, be afraid of that one." This warning is unmistakable and right on. The critical question is: Do we take it seriously and act upon it? The soul is our most precious possession. God wants to save it with all his heart. If we don't even care to preserve it, aren't we being mindless and heartless?

***Pitiable Fool or Delightful Soul***

        In today's Gospel reading from Luke 12, Jesus speaks to the people: "There is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known. Therefore whatever you have said in the darkness will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be proclaimed on the housetops." Consequently, we are completely transparent to the Lord, who sees and knows everything about us. Thinking that we can do whatever we want and get away with it only makes us look foolish and pitiable. The right response is to let this awareness make us holy and a delight for the Lord to behold.

**Most Trustworthy One*

         You can trust in some people, but no one is as dependable as God. So I trust God first, and others only if necessary.

**Still Learning About Love**

        Let me quote how Paul describes love in 1 Corinthians 13: "Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, [love] is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." Sometimes I have difficulty getting along with certain people, even though my intentions are good. Thinking about Paul's words, I realized that they could solve my problems—if I were not quick-tempered, but willing to bear and endure all things, I would be doing well.

***Are We Losing Our Souls?**

        Today's Responsorial Psalm Response from Psalm 98 reads: "The Lord has made known his salvation." While this became an absolute reality when Christ came to us 2,000 years ago, how many of us actually pay serious attention today? Do we no longer care about our souls?

**Knowing You Are Chosen**

        Today is the Memorial of Saint Teresa of Jesus, Virgin and Doctor of the Church. In the First Reading from Ephesians 1, Paul writes, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens, as he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and without blemish before him." Is this predestination? Not being a theologian, I don't know. All I know is that I now follow Christ because God chose me in him.

**Losing God's Watch over Us**

        From today's Responsorial Psalm, Psalm 1, I'd like to quote this verse: "Not so the wicked, not so; they are like chaff which the wind drives away. For the LORD watches over the way of the just, but the way of the wicked vanishes." Therefore, if we follow the LORD, he watches over us. However, if we turn against him, we remove ourselves from his protection and become completely vulnerable to all kinds of evil forces—this is truly the worst situation we could possibly be in.

***Key to Knowing God Deeply***

        Today's Gospel Acclamation, Hebrews 4:12, reads, "The word of God is living and effective, able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart." When I go into my innermost being with the word of God, I am able to discern and dissect all my thoughts hidden deep in my heart. Understanding one's inner self thoroughly is key to knowing God deeply.

**Measuring Your Closeness to God*

        One verse from today's Responsorial Psalm, Psalm 119, reads, "And I will delight in your commands, which I love." Do you love and delight in God's commands? If you find them burdensome, then you are not quite walking with the Lord yet.

**Beautiful Expression*

        In today's First Reading from Galatians 5, I caught Paul using the phrase "faith working through love." I thought that's a beautiful expression; this is speaking of a faith that's completely grounded in love.

**The Battle Against Evil Must Continue**

        TFP Student Action is the university and youth outreach arm of the American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family, and Property (TFP), a traditionalist Catholic organization. I respect and greatly admire their pro-life, pro-marriage, and pro-God stance, as well as their courage in facing adversaries on the front lines. You can find many of their videos on YouTube. Here is a recent, short one that demonstrates what they do. Please support and pray for them.  

**When Pride Replaces True Wisdom**

        If you are a very intelligent person, pride can creep in and make you think you are so smart that you don't need to trust in God anymore—the gospel just seems so ancient or simplistic. This attitude actually makes you a fool before God, leaving you without true wisdom. However, when you are humble and believe like a child, God comes to you and fills you with true knowledge.

**Most Memorable Event of All**

        For all Christian, it must be the Passion which Christ underwent and endured. There is no other sufferings that are more poignant. Even in heaven, we won't forget that.

***A Glorious Realization***

        Realizing that we have a God who loves us as a Father and has already made it possible for us to go back to him in heaven for all eternity via his Son Jesus the Christ, we should be filled with hope and great joy so that nothing in this world can disturb our peace anymore. If we cooperate with God by following Christ, we can become free from sin and be ready to enter heaven. If you don't realize this, you must be a pretty boring person, to say the least.

***Reflection on Aging: A Wake-Up Call***

        I am not a pessimist, just a realist. At an old age, I know that the Lord could call me at any time now. This changes my outlook on life completely. When I look at others who are younger or already seniors, I rarely see any of them sense the gravity of inevitably meeting the Lord one day. Instead, they still carry on as though they will live forever. If you are aware that God is real, you should see that the world is full of evil, and you'll never find happiness in this life. If aging doesn't wake you up, you are in a precarious spiritual state. 

***Worse than Being Evil**

        In today's Gospel reading from Luke 11, Jesus said to the crowd, "This generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it except the sign of Jonah. Just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be to this generation." Today, even though we have Jesus with us and have seen many wonderful signs over the last two thousand years, this generation does not even care about them—which is worse than being evil.

**How to Serve the Lord**

        We serve the Lord to bear good fruit. What we don't always know is how much good we actually do. What truly matters is that we faithfully do our best, following the Holy Spirit.

**Wise Advice**

        Today's Entrance Antiphon from Psalm 130 reads: "If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, Lord, who could stand? But with you is found forgiveness, O God of Israel." Therefore, repent of all your sins to obtain forgiveness from the Lord, so that he will never look at you as sinful.

**The Greater Blessing**

        Here's today's Gospel reading from Like 11: "While Jesus was speaking, a woman from the crowd called out and said to him, 'Blessed is the womb that carried you and the breasts at which you nursed.' He replied, 'Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.'" The message is crystal clear!

***Praise and Adoration for God Alone***

        The Lord God is the greatest possible, perfect being as described in my last post. He is the Lord of all. As finite creatures, we are absolutely nothing when compared to him. Therefore, only he deserves all the praise, adoration, and worship! Since he is most humble, we must be as humble as he is, no less. This means we should never seek praise and adoration for ourselves; instead, we should submit ourselves totally to him. This assures that we'll have peace and fulfillment now, to be completed perfectly later for all eternity.

***Being "Stuck" with God: a Great Blessing**

        The Lord God is eternal—he has always existed and will always exist, with no beginning or end. From Revelation 1:8, we learn that he is "the One who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty." Therefore, we will have him forever; far from being "stuck" with him, this is an incredible blessing. Our very existence is entirely dependent on him, yet we are everlastingly loved by him. It is complete foolishness to think that we can survive on our own and be free; without him, we only become slaves to ourselves and are lost forever. Furthermore, to reject the Lord God—who gave his own Son so that anyone who believes in him might not perish but have eternal life—is to be profoundly ungrateful.

*****The Greatest Blessing (Time for Rejoicing)*****

        In today's Gospel reading from Luke 11, Jesus says to his disciples, "I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. (...) If you, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?" The Lord our Father wants us to ask, seek, and knock—these three letters form the word "ASK"—therefore, ask all you want, because his ears and heart are all yours. He'll even give you the Holy Spirit if you ask for him! Saying that he is remote and does not care about you could not be further from the truth. Having such an all-loving, all-understanding, and all-powerful God on your side has to be your greatest possible blessing!

**Our Ultimate Freedom**

        Today's Psalm Reading was taken from the Canticle of Zechariah. Let me just quote verses 73-75: "This was the oath he [the Lord God] swore to our father Abraham: to set us free from the hands of our enemies, free to worship him without fear in holiness and righteous before him in all our days." These verses make me see that God not only can set us free politically, but really wants to set us free spiritually. The latter is our ultimate freedom and we should value it as such.

**God Heals**

        Here is a new video from Daily Dose of Christ to help us understand God's healing. I wouldn't be surprised if, when we all have greater faith in God healing us directly, we see a lot more miraculous healings.

*****Are You Among the Few? (Poignant Message)***

        The Lord brought to my mind today the Parable of the Wedding Feast as told by Jesus to the chief priests and the Pharisees in Matthew 22. He said to them, "The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son. He dispatched his servants to summon the invited guests to the feast, but they refused to come. A second time he sent other servants, saying, 'Tell those invited: "Behold, I have prepared my banquet, my calves and fattened cattle are killed, and everything is ready; come to the feast."' However, some ignored the invitation and went away, one to his farm, another to his business. The rest laid hold of his servants, mistreated them, and killed them... Then he said to his servants, 'The feast is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy to come. Go out, therefore, into the main roads and invite to the feast whomever you find.' The servants went out into the streets and gathered all they found, bad and good alike, and the hall was filled with guests... Many are invited, but few are chosen." This depicts our present generation perfectly. Jesus invites us, but we turn him down. Secularism and materialism have largely snuffed out the spiritual hunger we might otherwise feel.

***A Transformative Rule***

        This is today's entire Gospel reading from Luke 10: "Jesus entered a village where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him. She had a sister named Mary who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak. Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said, 'Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me.' The Lord said to her in reply, 'Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.'" The clear lesson here is that listening to the Lord speak must come first and we are not to get anxious nor worry about anything. Follow this rule and your life will be transformed forever!

***Plan for Eternity!**

        We all learn in our early years that we'll die one day, yet many still live as if that's not going to happen, planning only for the brief time they have on earth. Then one day they reach a point where they know that death is imminent, and start thinking about what they should do (unless they have already lost their minds). This is all very sad if you do not take eternity into account all your life. Once you realize that you have a soul that lives on forever, you should plan for eternity beyond this passing life on earth, for time never waits for anyone.

**Depending on the Lord Alone**

        Paul continued in Galatians 1, "After three years I went up to Jerusalem to confer with Cephas and remained with him for fifteen days. But I did not see any other of the Apostles, only James the brother of the Lord." This shows that once Christ had ascended into heaven, the disciples spread apart to evangelize the world. We too must do our work on our own, depending on the Lord alone. This should be an exciting adventure!

**Know that You Are Called**

        In today's First Reading from Galatians 1, Paul wrote, "You heard of my former way of life in Judaism, how I persecuted the Church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it... But when he [God], who from my mother’s womb had set me apart and called me through his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me, so that I might proclaim him to the Gentiles..." Paul knew without a doubt that God had called him. As Christians, we too should know that God has called us, even if our specific calling feels less specialized. Every Christian is called to love and obey God, to be holy, and to bear fruit.

**The Truly Happy and Wise**

        I had a dream last night. In it, I saw a young man who was suave, pleasing to everyone, and seemingly able to handle all situations with composure. In real life, I have known people like that, and they are generally admired by all. Since coming to know Christ, I have matured; I realize that people who are smooth and look confident outwardly may not be happy on the inside. Truly happy and wise people are those who believe in and follow Christ humbly, knowing that they are heaven-bound while the world passes away. They experience freedom, peace, and pure joy.

**Seeing Can Be Deceiving**

        From today's Psalm 111, this verse caught my attention: "Great are the works of the LORD, exquisite in all their delights." Be aware that there are many works that are exquisite and delightful, but they are not intended by God, for they distance you from rather than draw you to him.

**Pleasing God, Not People**

        In today's First Reading from Galatians 1, Paul asks, "Am I now currying favor with human beings or God? Or am I seeking to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a slave of Christ." Therefore, whenever we preach Christ to others, we should aim to please the Lord only, never people.

**Our Common Failure**

        Jesus wants us to be humble by serving others, putting others first  and following his example of gentleness and selflessness. Therefore, in whatever we do, we must always glorify God and never ourselves. Unfortunately, most of us do the exact opposite. If people do not see Christ in us, then we have failed as Christians. 

**Most Satisfying Experience**

        Communion Experience: After I receive the Lord's Body and Blood in the Holy Eucharist, I am ready to leave the world and go straight to him, for there is no experience in this life sweeter, more fulfilling, or more exhilarating.

**Declining Collective Conscience**

        The collective conscience of society around the world is probably not too good. I can speak only for America, which is my country. I see that Satan has pretty much infiltrated the whole nation. The average conscience has been compromised. Moral standards have been lowered, with people no longer questioning many immoral practices. Even the Church has succumbed to modern influence. Who could have predicted that Communism would start rising in this country? This is fulfilling some of the prophecies I've read. We are in some sort of end times. To the spiritually faithful, it's a time to be more ready than ever for whatever may come.