**Brown Scapular and Miraculous Medal

      Many Catholics wear these two sacramentals given to us by the Blessed Mother. In 1251, Our Lady appeared to St. Simon Stock, a Carmelite, in England. She handed him the brown woolen scapular and said, "This shall be a privilege for you and all Carmelites, that anyone dying in this habit shall not suffer eternal fire." In time, the Church extended this privilege to all the laity who perpetually wear it. The Blessed Virgin of Mount Carmel has promised not only to save those who wear the scapular from the fires of hell, but also to free them from purgatory on the Saturday after their death, should they go there before entering heaven. There are certain requirements to meet before wearing the scapular. You can find all about it online. 

         The Miraculous Medal was created in response to a request from the Blessed Virgin through St. Catherine Labouré in 1830 in Paris. The inscription on the medal reads: "O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee." Mary promised to Catherine that those who wear it around their neck will receive great graces. Again, you can read all about it online. I have worn both the scapular and the medal for decades. The fact that I get to know the Lord so well today has to be one of those graces. The Church does not require us to believe in these sacramentals, but they both are silent prayers. Considering the benefits promised by the Blessed Mother, wearing them is a no-brainer. 

Merging With the Holy Spirit

        Communion experience. The Holy Spirit and my spirit merge and I am no longer of this world. Let the Lord take you out of this world in spirit now to make your entry into the next a great joy.

*Letting Christ Be Our Guide

        This is a world filled with confusion. People follow all kinds of leads, express all kinds of opinions, not knowing where they are going. They are troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd – this was how Jesus described the crowds he saw in his days. Confusion is what Satan loves to sow in our hearts. Therefore, we need to wake up to let the God of Christ into our hearts. He is the exact guide and anchor we need amidst all the confusion. Know Christ and we'll know exactly where we should go and how we should proceed.

**The Lord IS Here With You

        I got to church a little early this morning, so I sat in my parked car, looked at the parking lot and saw the trees, the cloudy sky, and noticed the bright sunlight behind the clouds. The Lord made me see that he was right there with me. Indeed, you do not have to reach hard for him, for he sees you, hears you, and knows everything in your heart. You can witness a miracle in an instant if he so wishes and you can communicate with him at any time too. He becomes instantly yours if you give yourself to him. And he can immediately touch your heart when you open your heart to him. He is remote only when you do not believe in him! 

***Know God's Mercy

        God is so merciful and loving that we can become instantly reconciled to him at any time during our entire lifetime on earth. Even though life is relatively short, every moment is a good moment for us to wake up, repent, and return to the Lord. Purgatory is absolutely necessary for purification of the soul before entering heaven. No matter how much or how many times you have sinned, repentance is the key to entering heaven – remember this! I know what I am talking about because I am old enough and have known the Lord well enough. He is more real and intimate to me than any person I see and know now. Know him, the truth, and you are set free. Amen.

*Fair Exchange

        God is ready to give us all he has. If we give all of ourselves to him, we shall receive all he has.

**You Are Free . . .

if you feel completely free to serve God.

**Instances of Hypocrisy

        If you pray the Our Father and say, "Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us," but do not forgive your trespassers in your heart, you are being hypocritical. If you pray the Our Father to ask him not to lead you into temptation, but have no qualms about going to see an impure movie, you are a hypocrite. Also, if you ask the Father to deliver you from all evil, but still harboring evil thoughts, you are being hypocritical. We must mean what we say and say what we mean.

***Most Fundamental Petition

        To pray for the soul of someone is to pray for the salvation of that person, which means that he or she will have to repent and be reconciled to God. When all souls turn away from evil and to God, we shall have peace on earth. Therefore, I see praying for all the souls as the most fundamental prayer to change the world and to please God. Modeled after St. Gertrude's Prayer for the Holy Souls in Purgatory, I have come up with this succinct prayer:    

        

          Eternal Father, I offer you the most precious blood of your Divine Son, Jesus, for the salvation of all the souls, both living and deceased.

Our Shortsightedness

        Today there are a lot of gurus on the internet warning us about the impending and possibly the biggest economic collapse in the history of our nation. They may be right or they may be wrong, but many are preparing for it. I thought of the inevitable Second Coming of Christ at which many will no doubt receive the biggest shock of their existence, yet not many even think about it much. Are we so enamored with this world and this life?