*****Fully Secure in Christ*****

        I believe in Christ as my Lord, my God, and my Savior. He lets me know in my heart and my mind that he is truly the one I believe in, leaving absolutely no doubt—a sign of a true God here. Therefore, my eternity is fully secure in the Lord, with nothing that can possibly touch that. I rejoice greatly in my most beloved, loving Lord!

***God's Incredible Humility***

        In Matthew 11:29, Jesus said, "I am meek and humble of heart." Being God, he is the meekest and humblest person of all! He could easily have used his mighty power to impress us, but that wouldn't have won our hearts. All of his wonderful deeds were performed out of pure love. We should be humbled every time we recognize our own pride. It is this great humility of our Lord that has finally won many of us over to follow him into his kingdom. 

***Only Two Ways for Us to Go**

        Today's Psalm Response, Ps 105:4b, reads, "Seek always the face of the Lord." We either seek the Lord or turn away from him. If we can ward off the evil influences of the world, we can more easily seek God. The more open we are to the Lord, the more secure our souls are in him. If we'd rather remain in the world, we risk losing our souls forever. Starting early and on the right path is critical!

**Letting Joy Prevail**

        Normally, we pray to God when we feel sorrow in our hearts, and afterwards, our sorrow turns into joy. So, why not start praying with pure joy? Shouldn't talking to our dearest and most loving Father always be a great joy?

**Still Lost and Abandoned Today**

        In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 9, Jesus went around to all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom, and curing every disease and illness. At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd. Let us realize that today we are troubled and abandoned by our own choice, since we have already heard about the Lord. We need him to shepherd us now more than ever!

*****Salvation, Our Must Choice!*****

        Christ has come and shown us the way to salvation, clear and straight. If you don't see it, it can only be that you don't want to see it. By rejecting salvation, you in effect are choosing damnation!

***My Union-with-God Experience***

       It was through receiving the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist, the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ under the forms of bread and wine, at each Mass that I attained union with the Lord. These are the three telling signs: (1) I feel the holy presence of the Lord at all times, nonstop. (2) All the good, enjoyable things in life simply pale next to God's beauty and attractiveness. What is worldly and unclean becomes absolutely boring or loathsome. The Lord developed a super sharp conscience in me, and I just don't ever want to sin again! (3) My fear of dearth no longer exists, as I yearn for my God.

         Since I had a bad fall, I have not been attending Mass for over two and a half weeks. I miss receiving the Lord, but once you have attained union with him, receiving the Eucharist simply gives you more joy, while the union remains intact.

**Saving Unconverted Family**

        At church, I meet parishioners who attend Mass alone because their spouses are not Catholic. I also notice that the children of many older couples leave the faith once they leave home. This causes much pain in these families; in fact, I have personally experienced this. I came across a YouTube video that resonates with many facing this exact issue. Here it is. (Note: If you are interested in reading all the comments, you can always hit the Play button to watch it on YouTube.)

***How I Feel About Jesus**

        What drew me to Jesus was his total obedience in carrying out the will of the Father by undergoing his Passion. I know he does not want us to feel sorry for him, but we absolutely need to thank him for loving us so much as to die for us so that we might have eternal life. This incredible love deserves all our gratitude and adoration.

*****Christ vs. the Unknown***

        Some people face death without knowing what awaits them on the other side. Their only choice is to take a chance by plunging into the unknown—what a tragic and unfortunate situation! Compare this with those who know and trust in Christ completely: they know exactly where they are going, whom they will encounter, and that everything will exceed their wildest expectations—in fact, it will be perfect for them. The difference between these two situations is as great as the difference between heaven and earth!

**Resting in the Lord**

        Since God is Spirit, to rest in him is to rest in him spiritually. That is, we surrender ourselves and everything else to him completely. Any physical benefits we receive afterward flow from this surrender. This is the way to achieve absolute freedom, for you now belong entirely to God.

**Patience, a Sign of Holiness**

        When we are unwell physically or mentally, we tend to lose our patience, which serves as a great test of our holiness. Jesus endured his struggles without ever taking them out on anyone—this is the example we should follow. Patience is unquestionably a great virtue.

***Time Becoming More Precious*

        With every passing year, each second becomes more precious, leaving us less time to spread the good news to every creature.

**Achieving Union with God**

        In mathematics, it is a certainty that if A is a subset of B, and B is a subset of A, then A and B are identical. So if we are willing to let God dwell in us, and we are willing to dwell in God, then we are united with God as one. Receiving the Holy Eucharist is the way to achieve this ultimate union.

*****We Are God's Powerhouses!***

        In today's Second Reading from Romans 8, Paul starts out by saying, "Brothers and sisters: You are not in the flesh; on the contrary, you are in the spirit, if only the Spirit of God dwells in you. Whoever does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. If the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, the one who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also, through his Spirit that dwells in you." To all my brothers and sisters in Christ: "If you believe that the Spirit of God dwells in you, know that this is the Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead! If he could raise Jesus from the dead, imagine what he can do for you!" 

**Don't We Ever Get Serious?**

        Today, at leisure in our spare time, we all talk about mundane things, and rarely anything serious. The Gospels show that Christ is always serious, giving momentous messages and revealing crucial truths. People were attracted to him more by his miraculous deeds and less by his authentic teachings. Today, he is not getting any better reception from us. All the things that attract this world are mostly secular. The spiritual warfare continues. If we don't wake up soon enough, it may be too late for us. It comes down to choosing earthly fun for the time being or heavenly joy forever.

**Believing in Your Own Prayers**

        In Mark 11:24, Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you, all that you ask for in prayer, believe that you will receive it and it shall be yours." Therefore, if you believe in the Lord, believe in your prayers. "Every prayer we say from the heart helps the Lord to shape this world for the better."

**Easier than Getting a College Degree**

        To get into heaven is somewhat like trying to get a college degree. You have work to do and certain requirements to fulfill. However, to achieve the former, you basically only need to follow Christ. Also, not everyone can graduate from college, but everyone can get into heaven if they put their trust in the Lord.

**Following Christ in a Secular World**

        We can never love God enough. We are saved by his infinite mercy, not our own holiness. In this secular world, most Christians follow culture more than they follow Christ. It is a sad situation, but not tragic, because God's grace is vast. When it comes to our souls, wisdom means admitting we are flawed sinners who completely depend on the Lord for salvation.

***Happy About Our God***

        Today is the Feast of Saint Thomas, Apostle. I think we are all familiar with the story of doubting Thomas as recorded in John 20. He was not with the other disciples when Jesus came, so they said to him,"We have seen the Lord." But Thomas said to them, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, put my finger into the nailmarks, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe." Now, a week later his disciples were again inside, and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst and said, "Peace be with you." Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe." Thomas answered and said to him, "My Lord and my God!" What we often overlook is that the Lord knew exactly what Thomas said, even when he was not there. As God, he knows every single thing about every one of us. The fact that there are billions of us now on Earth doesn't make any difference. I am so happy that we have an omnipotent God like that, who can oversee and take total care of us!  

**To Be Rooted in God**

        Not only am I a branch connected to the vine that is Jesus, but I also want to be deeply rooted in the soil that is the Triune God—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—who, like a tripod, provides the most stable and balanced support for us.

**Future Joy Overwhelms Present Struggles**

        I woke up early this morning to another beautiful day. I felt happy and uplifted, even though I had not fully recovered from the fall I took over eleven weeks ago. Thinking about my future happiness with the Lord in heaven—where there is only spiritual joy and no more physical suffering—made all our earthly struggles seem immaterial.

**Following God with Feeling**

        Do you feel the Lord? Is your love for him passionate to some degree? If not, you are not emotionally involved yet, which shows you haven't been following him with your heart. The living Lord is to be followed with all your heart, not just your mind!

***Specifically Created by God***

        Whenever we sin against God, we lose our peace—that is how he has made us! The fact that when we stop sinning we enjoy the most beautiful and profound peace shows that God specifically made us for himself.

**We Hurt God the Most**

        When we sin against someone, rather than feeling sorrow for the person we hurt, we often lose our peace and feel guilty about what we've done. Let us realize that because God loves us infinitely more than we love ourselves, he now must feel infinitely worse about our sins than we do.

*****Church in Crisis*****

        Currently, evil has infiltrated the Catholic Church, causing great division and the loss of reverence for the Lord. This is what I and many others see. The message "cardinals opposing cardinals, bishops against bishops" explicitly prophesied at Akita, echoed at Garabandal, and implied at Fatima by Our Lady is being fulfilled right now. Within the Church, we have traditionalists against liberals or progressives. My personal feeling are that the Church must never let the changing world influence its traditional teachings. The loss of reverence for God and the Eucharist is obvious in what is seen at most Masses—the homily, the music, and how the congregation behaves throughout the liturgy. We are in end times, but God will triumph. Nevertheless, we need to pray harder than ever.

***Our Next Big Transition**

        No doubt the next big transition in our lives is death. Since it is imminent, how close we are to it is irrelevant. To those who already belong to Christ, death has lost its sting and even to be welcomed. It's the lost souls we need to pray hard for. To ignore death is to ignore life!

**Before Praying for Others**

        My son just got a call from his friend asking for prayers for his son, who just suffered a severe heart attack. I thought of all the people in all kinds of trouble who need our prayers. For instance, as many as 40,000 people may have died in the recent earthquakes in Venezuela. This got me thinking about our relationship with God. First, it seems that we should be in good standing with God before praying for others. We are in no position to pray for others if we don't trust in God ourselves. Next, when praying for someone, always pray for that person's salvation first, for the soul is infinitely more precious than the body. Saving anyone from their troubles in this life but not their soul for eternity is missing the point altogether.

**Passion and Zest on an Exalted Level**

        Sixteen US cities are hosting the FIFA World Cup right now, and I can see the frenzy of football fans rooting for their countries. This is understandable because when I was attending the University of Michigan, I was an ardent fan of the varsity football team (American football, not soccer). This kind of passion or zest stirred by an external event can be quite overwhelming or even get out of control. Now, I am all fired up and excited by Christ, which is on an entirely different level. First of all, it is caused by my personal encounter with the Lord already dwelling deep within my innermost being. At no time do I ever lose self-control. In fact, I experience more freedom and peace than ever!

**God takes Care of All Who Are His**

        From today's First Reading from Acts 12:1-11, we read that King Herod imprisoned Peter under heavy guard. An angel suddenly appeared in the cell, woke Peter, and his chains fell off. The angel led Peter past the guards and through a self-opening iron gate. Once on the street, the angel vanished, and Peter realized God had rescued him. I was moved to tears when I realized that God would always take care of those who are his. This does not mean that we will not have any crosses to carry, but you can be sure that in the end, we will enjoy eternal freedom and peace! Only a fool will live for this life only. 

**I Love Jesus**

        A short by Mother Miriam

**The Lord We Must Have**

        Today is the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles. The Entrance Antiphon reads: "These are the ones who, living in the flesh, planted the church with their blood; they drank the chalice of the Lord and became the friends of God." This is a beautiful description of the two Apostles and anyone who loves the Lord. It makes me proud to be a humble follower of Christ. He is the only one who can fulfill us, completing our joy. I love Jesus!

***Following Your Coscience**

        I just watched an interview with a former co-founder of a multimillion-dollar cosmetics company who is now a Catholic priest. It goes to show that when we clear our conscience and turn to God, we will find him. If we don't, we risk never waking up and heading straight toward self-destruction. Therefore, how we follow our God-given conscience is absolutely critical!

7 seconds

***Jesus Challenging Us**

        In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 10, Jesus said to his apostles: "Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." What you read here will only make sense if Jesus is your Lord and your God! If you do not accept that, you'll have to prove that he is false, and no one has been able to prove that yet. On the contrary, all those who believe in him can testify that he is speaking the truth here.

**Living the New Life**

        Romans 6:4 from today's Reading 2 was summarized as: "Buried with Christ in baptism, we shall walk in the newness of life." You see, things become old because they change. Since Christ remains the same forever, he always remains new. For us who live in the Lord, we live exuberantly a life forever new. Most people get bored when things don't change, but for those walking in the new life, things cannot get any better!

*****True Bread of Life*****

        The Holy Eucharist is truly the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. If you remain unsure, I urge you to read John 6, beginning with verse 22. The Mass is entirely founded upon this belief. If this were false, the whole Church would collapse, and all Catholics would be guilty of idolatry. On the other hand, if it is true, then those who reject it have completely misunderstood Jesus, missing out on the greatest gift for attaining union with Him. Many Eucharistic miracles have occurred, where consecrated hosts have bled human blood tested as type AB. Let me conclude with the words of St. Paul from 1 Corinthians: "Whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily will have to answer for the body and blood of the Lord. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body, eats and drinks judgment on himself."

**Power of God's Love**

        God is all love. If you let him love you fully, that love will perfect you to become as loving as he, for it is all powerful.

***Are You Aware?*

        Even when we are no longer young and everything seems OK, we are often unaware that we could die at any moment. This is even less excusable for Christians. Nevertheless, it is a serious oversight that can lead to eternal regret!

**More on the Shroud of Turin Image

https://youtube.com/shorts/q7V49SkAcUc?si=-ZS41XZyM6WOPQR8

***Huge Difference***

        Before I knew Christ, life had no meaning for me—I felt an emptiness. Basically, I was totally lost. Then I found Christ, or rather, he found me, and my life totally changed. Now I know the whole truth and life is filled with hope and joy—the Lord has freed me from all my shackles and burdens. What an unbelievably huge difference it has made! Just so you know, this is meant for all, for Christ loves every single one of us. I am letting you know so you don't have to spend any more time searching for how to eradicate the emptiness in your life.

**Most Perfect Victim Soul**

        Today's Gospel Acclamation based on Matthew 8:17, quoting Isaiah, reads: "Christ took away our infirmities and bore our diseases." In the Catholic Church, we have so-called victim souls. These are saintly individuals who voluntarily accept physical, emotional, or spiritual suffering for the reparation of the sins of the world or the salvation of other souls. We see that Jesus is the perfect victim soul on our behalf.

*****Christ Our Only Savior*****

        If you believe there is life after death, the most urgent question is whether you will be happy forever. True happiness is impossible if it isn't permanent. This is where Jesus fits in. He is the only one who can solve this problem for us for good, as long as we believe in and follow him. We have absolutely nothing to lose and everything to gain. I know this to be true, because when God reveals truth to us, we just know it deep in our hearts!

***From Death to Life***

        The Lord made me see this clearly today. We have all inherited original sin, making us unfit for heaven. As a result, we ended up on this earth, having to toil all our lives. But this is not the end, for we have Christ, who can free us from this life forever if we trust in and follow him. This changes everything, and we can rejoice in God for his love and mercy forever from now on!

**Endearing Ourselves to God**

        In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 7, Jesus said to his disciples: "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the Kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name? Did we not drive out demons in your name? Did we not do mighty deeds in your name?' Then I will declare to them solemnly, 'I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers.'" What we can learn here is that we must not focus on serving the Lord for our own sake, but instead on doing his will alone. This is how we endear ourselves to God.

**We Are Wonderfully Made**

        Today is the Solemnity of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist. Let me quote from today's Psalm 139: "Truly you have formed my inmost being; you knit me in my mother’s womb. I give thanks that I am fearfully and wonderfully made; wonderful are your works." Then, in the second reading from Acts 13, Paul  says, "John heralded his coming by proclaiming a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel; and as John was completing his course, he would say, 'What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. Behold, one is coming after me; I am not worthy to unfasten the sandals of his feet.'" The fact that we feel that we are not worthy to unfasten the sandals of Jesus' feet shows that we are indeed wonderfully made.

**To Follow or Not to Follow God's Plan**

        God has a plan for each of us. If we trust in and follow him, we will live a happy and peaceful life, both now and forever. Conversely, if we follow our own path, we are guaranteed a fulfilled afterlife only if we seek salvation before we die. So choose the path of faith!

**We Cause Great Sorrow to God**

        If someone you love turns you down, it naturally hurts. The more you love that person, the more your pain. Now, Christ the Lord loved us with the greatest possible love by laying down his own life for us, imagine how great his sorrow must be when today so many of us still reject his love!

**The Golden Rule**

        In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 7, Jesus said to his disciples, "Do to others whatever you would have them do to you. This is the Law and the Prophets." This is what is known today as the Golden Rule, the basic moral principle of treating others exactly the way you would want to be treated. It is an easy principle to remember, but sadly, we often forget. Yet, if you follow Christ, you will automatically follow it without even thinking.

***Praying to God as One**

        When you are in union with God, every time you pray to him as one, that union is strengthened!

***Loving Jesus***

        I love everything Jesus has said and done for me, but most of all, I love him, my Lord and my God.

**The Face of Jesus**

 https://youtube.com/shorts/dr-axbs05nY?si=cTv-lmwi6pesWN_p

**To Judge Is to Play God**

        In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 7, Jesus said to his disciples, "Stop judging, that you may not be judged. For as you judge, so will you be judged, and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you. Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye? You hypocrite, remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter from your brother’s eye." It is true that we see others' faults easily, but rarely our own. We should simply perfect ourselves and pray for others, leaving all judgment to the Lord.

**Soul Over Body**

        In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 10, Jesus said to the Twelve, "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna." This should make it clear to all that the soul matters much more than the body, for it lasts forever. If you have not yet realized this, you are in greater need of God's mercy than ever.

**Trusting in Jesus' Mercy**

        Praying the Divine Mercy Chaplet is all about trusting in Jesus completely. Therefore, I put all of myself—my soul first and foremost—my loved ones, my Church, my country, and the whole world with its inhabitants into his holy, merciful hands. Now, all I need to do is to follow him in peace.

**Living a Pointless Life**

        We enjoy cooking or eating good food, listening to nice music, pursuing hobbies, watching TV shows, attending parties, traveling around the world, and so on; however, none of these activities gets us any closer to heaven. This is not being brave or fearless; it is simply being ignorant and foolish.

**Happy Father's Day to Our Heavenly Father**

        Today is Father's Day. The only father who deserves all our love, all our reverence, all our praise, and all our gratitude is our Father in heaven. As for all of us who are fathers on earth, our happiest day will be when we meet him meets him and hear him say, "Well done, my good and faithful servant. [...] Come, share your master’s joy" (Matthew 25:21). May we please our heavenly Father by remaining obedient to him.

**Dependance on God**

        In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 6, Jesus says to his disciples, "Do not worry and say, 'What are we to eat?' or 'What are we to drink?' or 'What are we to wear?' All these things the pagans seek. Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides. Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil." Such common-sense wisdom should make sense to us all. The challenge is whether our faith in the Lord is strong enough for us to want to follow him.

**Be Proud of Christ!**

        What Jesus said in Luke 9:26 comes to my mind: "Whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels." Matthew 5:15 follows: "Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house." Since Christ is our brightest light, we are to proudly hold him up for all to see!

**"Spoiled" by Christ**

        Once you have tasted the Lord, all the pleasures of the world tastes insipid.

**Way of Receiving Power**

        When we willingly take up our cross and follow Christ, we receive great power.

**Why I Remain a Catholic**

         I started out as an agnostic, then I accepted Christ as my Lord and my Savior after college and became a Presbyterian. I got curious about Catholicism and started studying it on my own for over a year, and became convinced that the Catholic Church was the original church which Jesus built upon Peter. You can read the whole conversion story which started this blog in 2009. Because he Church is the original one, it has always been the prime target of Satan. Today, evil has infiltrated the Church at various levels. But Jesus promised Peter that the gates of hell would not prevail against his Church, so the Lord's triumph over Satan in the end is certain. 

        I will never cease being a Catholic. I don't consider Catholicism to be one of the many religions, since it alone holds the whole truth. If you read the Catechism of the Catholic Church, you can learn all about it.

         Here's what I think of all the other major religions, although I am not an expert on them. If you ask a Buddhist monk who God is, he won't be able to answer you. Besides, Buddhist monks don't know how to deliver anyone from a demon. Muslims do not accept Jesus as God, and some extremist groups have no qualms about killing Christians. It's the lack of love that makes Islam unacceptable to me. As for Hinduism, they believe in a plethora of gods and deities, which is totally confusing to me. I an going to stick to Christ, who is all love and has clearly shown us how we can return to God in heaven.

****When We Die****

        Here is what we shall see when we die, according to Saint Teresa of Avila.

**Good Rule to Follow**

        In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 6, Jesus teaches his disciples to do all good and righteous deeds in secret so that only the Father sees them. When you let go of your ego, I assure you that you will find great peace. And the Lord promises that the Father will reward you.

**That Most Secure Feeling**

         When the Lord is absolutely real to you, it can only mean that he is with you. You will also have that most secure feeling, knowing that he is present with you at all times! By contrast, anyone who lives among the billions of people in this world without Christ is basically all alone.

**Test of How Much We Love God**

        In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 5, Jesus said to his disciples: "You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father." I see how our success in loving our enemies truly tests how much we love and obey the Lord. Do you fail, still work on that, or pass?

**We Hurt Only God**

        Verse 6a from today's Psalm 51 reads: "Against you only have I sinned, and done what is evil in your sight." We see that when we sin, we hurt only the Lord. The line from Mother Teresa's Do It Anyway poem comes to mind again: "In the final analysis, it is between you and God."

***The Superior Way to Live**

        Having a deep knowledge of classical music and the visual arts, I notice that many musicians and artists live solely for their craft. If you take that away, they have nothing left. The most they can achieve is a reasonably happy but brief life on earth. The same can be said for anyone living without Christ. Without him, their situation is tragic. On the other hand, when you live for Christ, you need no earthly crutches; you are set for all eternity.

**Getting the Priority Right**

        A lot of people say, "I am going to do this, and I trust in God." Fewer say, "I trust in God, and I am waiting to see if he wants me to do this." I think you can already see which group gets the priority right.

**Mary's Main Message for Us**

        Mother Mary has appeared so many times to us in the last century or so, and we might wonder why in most cases the message has been urging us to return to God. I believe it's because time is running short, as more shocking events, warnings, and potential chastisements are approaching. Now is the time for decision.

**Jesus' Sufferings and Anguish**

        On June 9, I blogged about how Jesus suffered. Usually, we tend to think of the physical sufferings he underwent. However, we must not forget the tremendous mental anguish he experienced when those he wished to save not only rejected him, but also hated him enough to put him to death! Furthermore, how deeply sorrowful he must have felt for those of his persecutors who who ultimately failed to make it into the kingdom of heaven! Let us truly know the Lord's sufferings and anguish so that we may love him even more.

**Absolute Necessity**

        Mathematically, compared to infinity, any finite number is basically zero. Even if you live to a zillion, you will still die in the end. That is why we must latch onto Christ, the infinite Lord, who can make us live happily forever! 

**Living Without Fear**

        I love the Psalm 27:1, which shows that God is completely on my side: "The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom should I fear? The LORD is my life’s refuge; of whom should I be afraid?" To be in Christ is to live without fear.

**To Be Honest and Genuine**

        In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 5, Jesus tells his disciples, "Let your 'Yes' mean 'Yes,' and your 'No' mean 'No.' Anything more is from the Evil One." Therefore, we must ensure that everything we say does come from the Lord, meaning our egos cannot play a part. Even when a situation requires us to be diplomatic or make excuses, we are not being dishonest as long as our motives remain pure. Being genuine does not mean we have to reveal everything to everyone. Ultimately, if we let love reign in our hearts, we will be fine.

***How to Know Your God Is Real**

       Some people believe that there is a God, but they don't know anything about him. Others believe they know God, but they do not have a personal relationship with him. I am especially happy because I realize that Christ is my God without a doubt, and I am deeply in love and in union with him! When your God is more real to you than you are to yourself, he is the authentic, genuine God. But if your God is impersonal and nebulous in the slightest degree, he is a fake.

**Learning from God**

        In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 11, Jesus exclaimed to the Father, "I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned, you have revealed them to little ones." Here is revealed the simple secret to learning from God: Be a little one.

*****Mighty Power of LOVE*****

        Today is the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. In the Second Reading from 1 John 4, John writes, "Beloved, if God so loved us, we also must love one another. No one has ever seen God. Yet, if we love one another, God remains in us, and his love is brought to perfection in us. [...] God is love, and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him." By loving one another as God loves us, we become perfect and achieve union with the Lord!

***God Alone Matters**

        Here is the famous Do It Anyway poem that was tacked to the wall of Mother Teresa's children's home in Calcutta, India. It was originally written by  Dr. Kent M. Keith. I have blogged about it before, but here it is again in case you have not read it.       

• People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.
• If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.
• If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyway.
• If you are honest and sincere, people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway.
• What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway.
• If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway.
• The good you do today, will often be forgotten. Do good anyway.
• Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway.
• In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never. between you and them anyway.

        I would like to elaborate on the meaning of the last line. It is true that only what God thinks of us matters, not the opinions of anybody else. We can have many helpful friends in this world, but they are just as limited as we are. God is the only one who can lift us to the next level of existence to set us free for all eternity.

**Requisite for Pleasing God**

        In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 5, Jesus said to his disciples, "If you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift." Wow, if we have not yet reconciled with our brother, trying to please the Lord without doing so just seems hypocritical. This should make us think about our relationships with everyone! If we are filled with love for all, then the Lord will be pleased to receive us.

**Avoiding Reality?**

        We Christians are kind to each other. We serve the Lord together, helping and praying for each other and the world. Yet, when we are with each other in our leisure time, Christ is rarely mentioned—that seems a little odd, to say the least. To talk about all kinds of things but him is to forget that, as our Lord and Creator, he is the truth and the most important person to our existence and eternal happiness! 

**To Be Great in the Eyes of the Lord**

        In today's Gospel Reading from Matthew 5, Jesus says to his disciples, "Whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the Kingdom of heaven. But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the Kingdom of heaven." Today, we can say that if we follow Christ faithfully and teach others to do so as well, we will be the greatest in the eyes of the Lord.

**Best Thing for Our Heart**

        Today’s Psalm 4:7 reads: "You put gladness into my heart, more than when grain and wine abound." This verse truly resonates with me, as the joy of the Lord exceeds anything the world can offer.

***How Jesus Suffered***

        Today is the day to pray the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Holy Rosary. The Shroud of Turin shows that there are up to 372 distinct bodily wounds caused by scourging, and about fifty puncture wounds clustered around the head and scalp caused by the crown of thorns. The Lord carried the heavy cross on his shoulder and fell at least three times—that must have hurt his knees badly. Long, thick iron spikes were driven into his wrists and feet. Finally, the cross with Jesus on it had to be moved to and dropped into the hole, and be set upright—all that shaking and rocking must have caused him a lot more pain. It dawned on me that he suffered mentally too. He came to his own people out of love to save them, but they not only rejected him, but also crucified him! The mental anguish had to exceed even his physical agony!

***Let God Initiate the Action***

        While you can love the Lord, it is far better to let him love you; this is true abandonment. Similarly, to know him, simply open your heart so he can reveal himself to you. Let the Lord initiate the action to make things effortless. He desires to do so much with you and for you, completely for your good.

***ONLY TWO OUTCOMES***

        In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 5, Jesus delivers the Sermon on the Mount. The final Beatitude reads, "Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me." He then concludes, "Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven." This shows us that if we remain with Jesus, no matter what happens, we will be happy for all eternity. To go off on our own is to be lost forever.

***Pleasing God**

        Did you know that living a holy life not only delights the Father's heart, but also makes us a beautiful sight for him to behold?

**On Knowing God**

        Since God is real, he is to be experienced and enjoyed. Once you know enough about him, you need to let your heart take over completely so that you may truly know him.

**Fools Can Wait**

        Since God is real, believing in him without doubt allows him to reveal his existence to you. Consequently, if you do not believe yet expect him to prove he is real, that will never happen.

**Antichrist Concern

        Most people expect to see the Antichrist appear as an individual, whereas the Apostle John regards anyone who denies Christ in any way as an antichrist. Personally, I see our secular world as the Antichrist. In any case, if you have Christ as your Lord, you need not worry about who the Antichrist is anymore. 

**Returning to God, Most Fitting**

         It is truly fitting for us to return to God like the prodigal son in the parable. All of heaven now rejoices, for you have been forgiven and saved! If you love God, he will always make sure that you remain happy for all eternity. 

**The Lord Consoles Those Who Miss Him**

        Today is the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. Since I am still recovering from my fall six weeks ago, I had to miss Mass. But the Lord consoles me by giving me an abundance of thoughts, overfilling me with joy. Today I especially feel the goodness of the Lord, my "perfect" connection to him, and the beauty of the Holy Trinity. Praise God!

***Our Greatest Joy on Earth***

        Christ came to save sinners. We all need him, but the more sinful you are, the greater your need for him. I hope you realize this. The good news is that no matter how sinful you are, if you turn to him, he will make you clean. Indeed, there is no greater joy than letting Christ save you!

***Perfect All Around***

        God is perfect on his own and perfect for us. As imperfect people, we are the perfect candidates for him to perfect—allowing him to be our perfect Father. Now, we have arrived at a perfect end.

***Simple Truth**

        You are not secure until your soul is secure.

*****BE AWARE OF YOUR SINS*****

        Be aware that every time you sin against the Lord, you hurt him and make him feel sorry for you. Saying one unkind or bad word is like giving the Lord a quick prick with a needle. If you don't watch your language, you could end up pricking him hundreds of thousands of times in your whole lifetime!

***Sign We Have Gone Against God***

        Anytime we lose inner peace, we have gone against God in thought, word, or deed. It sounds strict, but it is true. In perfect union with the Lord, we would have peace at all times.

***Good Question for Us**

        Our God is infinite in every way: in his mercy, his joy, his knowledge, and his creative power... Look at how he loved us to death (pun intended), and how vast our universe is! Realizing how finite we are in every way, how can we possibly not let him be our Lord?

**True Food to Live By**

        Food is a massive trend nowadays, with foodies everywhere and many chefs achieving celebrity status. People love collecting recipes and dining at famous restaurants. In today's First Reading from Deuteronomy 8, Moses reminds the people that man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. While enjoying good food is a wonderful pleasure, it won't bring you closer to God. Ultimately, it is living by his word that leads to eternal happiness.

***Secret to Receiving What We Pray For***

        In today's Gospel Reading from Mark 12, we read: "Early in the morning, as Jesus and his disciples were walking along, they saw the fig tree withered to its roots. Peter remembered and said to him, 'Rabbi, look. The fig tree that you cursed has withered.' Jesus said to them in reply, 'Have faith in God. Amen, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, "Be lifted up and thrown into the sea," and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it shall be done for him. Therefore I tell you, all that you ask for in prayer, believe that you will receive it and it shall be yours.'" The last statement here reveals what the Lord wants us to know. The dramatic example of commanding a mountain to be lifted up and thrown into the sea was simply used to make his point. What we ask for must be reasonable, and above all, conform to God's will. The withering of the fig tree serves the same purpose. By the way, Matthew 21 reported the same incident. There we learn that Jesus was hungry upon seeing the fig tree. When he found no fruit on it, he cursed it. Perhaps the lesson there is that if we do not bear fruit, we will wither.

****Making God Come to You*****

        John 14:23, today's Gospel Acclamation, reads: "Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him." What beautiful and endearing words! Now you know exactly how to invite God into your life.

***Big Wakeu-Up Call to Unbelievers***

        God has given his own Son so that we may have eternal life. Can you think of anything you want even more than eternal life? If that cannot make you happy, you really don't deserve it. Are you so blind that, knowing that you can never find true happiness in this life and will only be on earth for a short while, you still don't want to let the true God of Christ be your God? Wake up now before your last moment arrives! 

**Hell Exists**

        In today's first reading from 2 Timothy 3, Paul writes, "In fact, all who want to live religiously in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. But wicked people and charlatans will go from bad to worse, deceivers and deceived." Watch the news, and you will see that corruption and fraud are out of control in this country, resulting in the loss of hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars every year, the rise of political riots funded by those who want to destroy our democracy, stolen elections, and a lot more. Do you think that there will be no consequences for all the evildoers? Common sense alone tells me that hell exists, notwithstanding the evidence offered by Scripture, many saints, mystics, and those who have died and returned. If hell is real, then heaven is real and God exists. Pity the evildoers who are now only digging their own graves, so to speak.  

***The Apostles I Can Relate To**

        Among the twelve Apostles of Jesus, Peter and John are probably the best known. When Christ asked Peter if he loved him, Peter replied, "Lord, you know that I love you." In his Gospel, John referred to himself simply as "the disciple whom Jesus loved." Because the Lord knows that I love him—even though I fall short time and again—and I know without a doubt that he loves me, I feel that I can relate to Peter and John the most.

***Know God's Mercy***

        Watch this video to know God's mercy. Obviously, it would be wise to settle the matter before your moment of death. The lesson: Never despair, for there is always hope in God.

 

**How to Convert Others**

        I recall one particular person whose example led me to Christianity. His name was Harry Burke, and though he is most likely no longer with us, his impact remains. He was a member of the Inter-Varsity team at the University of California, Berkeley, during my graduate school years. Like most graduate students, I was under immense stress and began questioning the deeper meaning of life. That was when I noticed Harry. He dressed simply and didn’t even own a watch, yet he always appeared genuinely cheerful and kind to everyone. At social gatherings, he naturally shared his faith. After about two years of observing his life, I finally accepted Christ as my Lord and Savior. My experience taught me that the best way to win others to Christ is to first focus on your own transformation. When you live a life filled with Christlike love, you stand out. People notice, and they remember. In short: Embody Christ, and leave the results to the Lord.

***The Story of Jesus**

        It has to be the greatest true love story in history. We have a God, our heavenly Father, who loved us so much that he sacrificed his own Divine Son so that we might not die from sin, but have eternal life. No writer could have come up with such an incredible story! Since it did occur like a miracle, it must be  true and worthy of belief.

**Joyful Realization**

        Although I was not feeling too well physically this morning, I felt great joy when I realized that because I now belong to Christ the Lord, no evil can ever touch me anymore!

****This You Should Know*****

        In this earthly life, any pleasure we experience is never truly pure, though those who know the Lord intimately do taste heavenly joy at times. Once we are with him in heaven, our joy will be completely pure—described more accurately as ecstasy or bliss. This is exactly what our Lord wants all of us to experience for eternity!

**Three Markers of Faith**

        In today's first reading from 2 Timothy 1, Paul writes, "I remind you to stir into flame the gift of God that you have through the imposition of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and self-control." These are what we need to possess: a spirit of power, love, and self-control—they go together. We must measure ourselves against these three gifts.

**Only One Judge for Us**

        Since God is the only perfect, holy One, and we are all imperfect sinners, he alone should be our judge.

***Praying Slowly**

        I have found that when saying any fixed prayer—such as the Lord's Prayer, the Hail Mary, the Rosary, or the Divine Mercy Chaplet—slowly, I get a lot more out of it. When you rush through a prayer, your heart is not really in it. Dwell on each word a little bit, and you feel that the Lord is truly listening to you. My last post was about patience being a sign of holiness, and it applies here too. By the way, when I learn a new piece on my piano, I do much better when I play slowly and pay attention to all the notes. It is easy to play fast after a while, learning it by rote. Then, when muscle memory fails, you are stuck. Playing slowly enables you to remember all the notes in your mind as well. 

**Patience: A Sign of Holiness**

        God is most wise for he is infinitely patient with all our faults, forever waiting for us to turn to and put our trust in him. Nowadays, people often get upset when things do not go their way. When that happens, they can no longer think clearly, and things get even worse. Impatience is caused by a lack of trust in God, turning people into fools. 

*****Why We Must Trust in Christ*****

        Life flows seamlessly into death; there are no barriers to cross or overcome. It happens when our time is up. Therefore, we must trust in Christ, putting ourselves totally in God's loving hands!

**No Fruitless Toil and Drifting Away**

        This verse from today's reading from Psalm 90 strikes me: "Seventy is the sum of our years, or eighty, if we are strong. And most of them are fruitless toil, for they pass quickly and we drift away." This holds true for those who do not follow Christ. When we know him, we will bear fruit and walk the path to paradise.

**Ultimate Freedom**

       e.Without faith in God, life can feel absolutely meaningless. Believing in him brings hope. And when you believe that Jesus is truly our Savior, everything in the Gospels falls perfectly into place, ultimately the truth setting you free.

**Be Like God, but Don't Play Him**

        When we say someone "plays God," we really mean that the person thinks he or she is God. Of course, that is impossible, for God is infinite and utterly humble, while we are the very opposite. So, to play God basically is to be like the Devil.

**Pathetic Belief**

        In today's Gospel reading from Mark 12, as in many other Gospel passages, we read that the chief priests, scribes, and elders sought to arrest Jesus, but they were afraid of the crowd. It is ironic and sad that they feared the people, but not the true God.

***Presence of the Spirit in Us***

        Galatians 4:6, today's Communion Antiphon, reads: "Since you are children of God, God has sent into your hearts the Spirit of his Son, the Spirit who cries out: Abba, Father." When you pray to God, do you just say "Father" or cry out "Abba, Father" from your very heart?

'*****Most Beautiful Message*****

       On this Solemnity oI the Most Holy Trinity, I am going to reproduce today's entire Gospel Reading from John 3 without comments:

          God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

**Know How Good You Actually Are**

        Today is the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. The First Reading from Exodus 34 reveals that the LORD came down in a cloud on Mount Sinai and stood with Moses. Moses at once bowed down to the ground in worship and said, "If I find favor with you, O Lord, do come along in our company. This is indeed a stiff-necked people; yet pardon our wickedness and sins, and receive us as your own." We also need God's pardon: All the great saints see themselves as most wretched sinners, yet so many of us today think that we are pretty good people and that the Lord will surely ignore their minor sins. He is indeed infinitely merciful, but this does not mean that his high standards can be lowered or we don't need to repent of our sins. The Lord God is precise and does not fudge on things. He is holy, and we, measured against him, are deplorably wretched. Know that if you think you are better than you actually are, you are not good enough.

**Know That You Are Not God**

        When God created us, he gave each of us certain abilities and talents besides our conscience and free will. So, we are definitely finite beings. To think that we are great in any way before the omnipotent Lord is both outlandish and laughable, but this is exactly how many people see themselves. To be humble is to be humble before our God and Creator. Sadly, the proud do not see that this is the key to inheriting eternal life.

**On Questioning the Lord**

        In today's Gospel Reading from Mark 11, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders approached Jesus and said to him, "By what authority are you doing these things?" Jesus said to them, "I shall ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. Was John’s baptism of heavenly or of human origin?" They discussed this among themselves and said to him in reply, "We do not know." Then Jesus said to them, "Neither shall I tell you by what authority I do these things." You see, when we approach the Lord, we must genuinely want to know something. If our intention is insincere or malicious, we will only set ourselves further back. With the Lord, we must be sincere, humble, and reverent always.

***On Departing This World**

        To remain a lost soul is to depart this world and stay lost forever. You might reunite with others you once knew in the afterlife, but it will offer no comfort. Because of this, I would absolutely follow Christ to gain eternal life; bidding farewell to this world would be the happiest thing I could ever do. Besides, I will finally be reunited with all my saved loved ones.

***Prayer Secrets***

        Also in today's Gospel reading from Mark 11. Jesus said to his disciples, "Have faith in God.  Amen, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it shall be done for him. Therefore I tell you, all that you ask for in prayer, believe that you will receive it, and it shall be yours. When you stand to pray, forgive anyone against whom you have a grievance, so that your heavenly Father may in turn forgive you your transgressions." So here we learn the secrets to effective prayer: Make sure that we don't hold any grievances against anyone, and believe without a doubt that we shall receive whatever we ask for. May I add, this is how we will always have peace.

***Reverence for God's House!*

        In today's Gospel reading from Mark 11, Jesus entered the temple area and began to drive out those selling and buying there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves. He did not permit anyone to carry anything through the temple area. Then he taught them saying, "Is it not written: My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples? But you have made it a den of thieves." If the Lord even cleansed the area outside his house, imagine how much more we should revere the Lord inside our churches!

****Lesson on Love***

        In today's First Readind from 1 Peter 4, Peter writes: "Above all, let your love for one another be intense, because love covers a multitude of sins. Be hospitable to one another without complaining. As each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of God’s varied grace. Whoever preaches, let it be with the words of God; whoever serves, let it be with the strength that God supplies, so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen." Yes, we are to love each other intensely! Yes, we are to love each other intensely! If we have God in our hearts, we will be able to love others. Every moment of every day is an opportunity to love someone. But we must always let the Lord love us intensely first, so that we may truly become a channel of his love.