*****Today's Big Tragedy

        In today's Gospel reading from Luke 11, Jesus proclaimed, "Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters." To remain neutral is not good enough for the Lord (or us); we must be with him. The tragedy today is that people do what they think is good for them, not realizing that they are going against God. One such glaring example is Putin's invasion of Ukraine. Most people do what they think is OK, not realizing that they serve Satan. The devil is lurking in so many hearts today that you must be totally with Christ to realize it!

****Christ's Passion*

        Today is Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary. I prayed the Sorrowful Mysteries for Friday. Christ went through his agony in the garden, was scourged and crowned with thorns, made to carry his own cross all the way to Calvary, and got crucified there. I have the 382-page book The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ from the meditations of Anne Catherine Emmerich. Since I love the Lord, I'd like to read the book to find out more about what he underwent; but at the same time I put off reading it for fear that I wouldn't be able to bear learning all about his sufferings in detail. If I go through what Christ had gone thru, I wouldn't last a minute. Anyway, the important thing is that the Lord knows that I love him.

***Power of the Holy Eucharist***

         When you receive the Holy Eucharist, you receive the true body and blood of Christ our Lord and Savior, so it has the power to transform you totally. This is the Most Holy Sacrament that can purify your heart and heal your soul. It's the Lord himself entering you! Receive it with the greatest reverence, gratitude, and love, and you eternity is secured.

***Call to Come to Senses

         God has made all things, the heaven and the earth, and created every single one of us (and loves us to death besides). He is the Lord of all. So wake up—how can we possibly not submit ourselves to him?

**To Do God's Will Is . . .

really to be out of his way so that he may accomplish what he wills freely with no hinderance from us. It's also abandoning ourselves totally in him.

**Serving God Effortlessly

        God does his mighty work effortlessly. We, who do his will, have complete access to his power. Therefore, with faith and trust in him, we should also be able to accomplish his will effortlessly. 

****Most Endearing Relationship

        In today's Gospel reading from Luke 11, Jesus taught his disciples the Lord's Prayer. Fr. Stephen in his homily pointed out that Jesus teaches us to call God, his Father, also Father or our Father. Think about this a moment. This is such a special endearing relationship! So let's treat God as our own Father, and see (and treat) ourselves as his most beloved children!

**Banishing the Ego

        This morning someone mentioned a past project. This was a project glorifying the Lord that took place quite some years back. I was involved in it, but wished to remain anonymous. Since the subject came up, I just mentioned that I was in on it. Even though this is factual, the Lord instantly made me feel uncomfortable. If I really want to banish my ego, I should never ever let it surface! Obviously, it's still there, ready to emerge at any opportune moment. I now again ask the Lord to operate on me, removing anything that shouldn't be in my heart, my mind, and my soul, so that I may feel clean, free, and great always.

**God Most Considerate

        If you do everything for God's sake, he's going to make everything you do easy and a joy for you. 

**God Our Generous Giver

        God always give us more than we deserve. If we love him and just remain receptive, we'll receive all the blessings we need from him.