Smart Living

        Of course, in life we do have things we must get done to meet some deadline, but most things can be left undone for a while. If you are OK with that, you have abandoned yourself to God to some extent. We all are going to die and I am sure on that last day, there will be many things still unfinished or not wrapped up yet, and we'll just have to let go. Since we do not know the day we die, why not let things go starting right this moment? We are just passing through on earth, so don't let anything tie you down. Remain free and enjoy life. 

**God Does Not Worry

        Jesus told his disciples not to worry about what to say when they face coming persecutions, for the Holy Spirit will teach them what to say. I am happy that I do not have to think about what to blog, for the Holy Spirit tells my heart what to say each time. Worrying should not be any Christian's cup of tea.

Only One Everlasting Bond

        All earthly bonds between loved ones will end, but the bond we make with the Lord will last forever.

A Three-Word Prayer

        In the Gospel, a leper came to Jesus and said, "Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean." Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him, and said, "I will do it. Be made clean." Here I learn another prayer. I simply say to the Lord, "If you wish . . ." and he knows exactly what I ask of him. 

Formula for Spiritual Progress

        We are to love God with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our mind. If we truly believe that Christ is our Lord and our God, we have no choice but also to believe in him with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our mind. What's tragic is that many Christians do not take God seriously enough; they believe in him rather casually, not much better than being lukewarm. If one does not know God well yet, tell him to love God more, to believe in him more, or to be holier will not work. They must understand that only God can make all these things happen. Therefore, teach or advise them to abandon themselves to God first and he will make all things easy for them. This is absolutely truly. I'll again say: save your energy and let God do the work for you.  

***Worst Possible Oppression

        We just had our Walk for Life on the West Coast, equivalent to the March for life held in various other part of the country. The right to life is our God-given right to live. Don't forget that for us who get to live, we also have the right to claim eternal life! To terminate the life of the unborn is oppression at its worst. I like to close with this quote I posted some time back: "Everyone who supported slavery was free. Everyone who supports abortion was born. And that, my friends, is how oppression works."

*Perfect Peace

        This profound peace comes from dwelling completely in the Lord with you becoming totally nonexistent on your own. Your spirit is now set free and is filled with hope and joy in your most beloved. 

*Worst Case of Man Playing God

        This past week New York Governor Andrew Cuomo (a self-professed Catholic) signed a radical pro-abortion bill into law, legalizing abortion for basically any reason up to birth in New York state. This is a clear case of man going against God. Satan has taken control of many in politics, the news media, the academia, and the entertainment business. I don't want to give the impression that America is going to hell, because we still have a patriotic, God-fearing, and God-loving majority who normally remain civil and quiet, but will rise to defend their liberty, their right to religious freedom, and their faith in the Lord if they must. The righteous may suffer awhile, but they will live forever. Let's pray the Fatima prayer: O My Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell and lead all souls to Heaven, especially those in most need of Thy mercy!

Exercising the Heart Properly

        We do things customarily without thinking much, but if we believe God with our heart, we should see, hear, think, and speak with our heart too. To live for God is to exercise our heart solely for his sake. Seek union with him and you'll automatically use your heart wisely in tune with God's will.

**Ultimate Reality

        I came out of church after Mass this morning. It was cold but sunny and beautiful. The parked cars, the trees, the sun light . . . all looked normal and delightful, but I saw the ultimate reality that we'll all face later – heaven or hell. I do not intend to jolt anyone, but the Lord made me see this reality that's veiled to many today. At least you see that heaven is one possible reality, and that should give us hope, expectation, and joy.