***A Serious Reminder

        In today's Gospel reading from Luke 11, Jesus drove out a demon that was mute. Some in the crowds said that it's by the power of the prince of demons that he drove out demons. Jesus said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste and house will fall against house. And if Satan is divided against himself, how will this kingdom stand?" We all know that the old phrase "Divided we fall" speaks the truth. May I remind all that if we remain divided from God our Savior, we can suffer the greatest possible fall.

***Are We Still OK?

        In today's first reading from Jeremiah 7, the LORD wanted the people to know that they did not obey him nor pay heed, and with hardened evil hearts they turned their backs, not their faces, to him. Also, they did not listen to all the servants and prophets he had sent them untiringly since their fathers left Egypt. Faithfulness had disappeared! It sounds like the LORD was describing our generation. Throughout the ages, God has been calling us, urging us, and warning us for our own good, but we fall from him even further away. What has become of us? I feel called to ask ourselves some basic questions like this one. Who are we to blame? Is there still hope for us? Time to examine ourselves to the core. 

****Our Only Link to God*

        We need to pray to God unceasingly, for it's through prayer that we connect ourselves to God—there's not another way! Of course, praying unceasingly doesn't mean that we talk to God at all times. Basically, it's being aware of God's holy presence so that we do everything for his sake or glory. Again, this becomes easy once we attain union with the Lord through the Holy Eucharist.

***Great Consolation!

        Communion experience. Jesus is the door to heaven and I've already been granted free admission to enter it at any time. 

**The Wise Trust in God*

        Some of the banks have just gone bankrupt and their depositors lost all their money. This started happening in China and some other countries around the world, now it's happening here. Once people start to panic, we'll have chaos. It shows that we cannot depend on money alone. We need to rely upon God all the more. This country is already over 30 trillion dollars in debt, yet it continues to spend money recklessly. Instead of giving away billions to Ukraine to help killing more and more people, why can't we initiate a peace deal? I feel particularly sorry for those tens of thousands of Russian soldiers who were deceived or forced into fighting the war and have died. Jesus said, "Blessed are the peacemakers." It follows that I can say "Cursed are those who make war." Our current government keeps spending as if there'll be no dire consequences. This is like those who do whatever they wish as if they are never going to die and face God. Fools will pay for their mistakes for sure.

***God's Greatest Glory***

         Heaven and earth are filled with God's glory. One of the greatest glories to us, often overlooked, is his unconditional pure love for us. It's awe-inspiring, magnanimous, and soul-healing. Let it touch us and our lives change forever! This is the glory that can make us become like God. Glory be to this glory!

***What I Owe God***

        In the parable of the unforgiving servant, the servant owed his master a huge debt. I started asking if I owe my God anything. Realizing how much he loves and has blessed me, I feel that I really owe him deep gratitude and total obedience.

***Be like God

        Today's Gospel reading from Matthew 18 tells the parable of the unforgiving servant. It should be clear that God is our supreme example and we are to imitate him. We must treat others the way he treats us. We must accept his ways and not ours if different from his. This is what obedience is all about.

***A Promise Only You Can Break

        If you ask God sincerely for eternal life, he'll always give that to you. Maybe you knew and just forgot or were uncertain about it. The fact that he even let his only begotten Son die in our place so that we might live forever shows clearly that we can trust in this promise of his. The Father, being the Truth, always speaks the truth and thereby is to be trusted.

**Yearning for God

        We who love the Lord yearn for him. Of course, we want to see him, but that will have to wait. So what I yearn for is hearing him speak to my heart. That mean a lot to me, for hearing his sweet, holy voice means that he is with me and really cares about me. Yes, yearning for God is most proper, most edifying, and most rewarding.