How Alert Your Conscience

        With Easter approaching, we'll again see many who normally do not attend mass showing up at Easter Masses. So I see how we Catholics possess consciences at various levels of alertness. We have those who (1) attend Mass only to ease their conscience, (2) attend Mass regularly, but do not go to confession, (3) attend Mass faithfully and take confession seriously. Again, we must not judge anyone, but pray for everyone.

Do You Realize That . . .

if we address Jesus as Lord but do not obey him in all things, we are being hypocritical? 

**God Does It All for Me!

        Communion experience. Jesus died for all of us to save us, so he did die for me personally to save me. During consecration, when the Lord transformed the bread and wine into his own flesh and blood, I also knew that he did it personally for my sake. 

*Evil Ever Present

        In today's Gospel reading from John 11, the chief priests, the Pharisees, and the Sanhedrin conspired to kill Jesus. Today, just like in the days of Christ we have a political party conspiring to topple the duly elected leader from another political party. Of course, our leader is no Christ, but when you sin against anyone, you sin directly against the Lord God. For all evildoers and hypocrites, we must pray for their souls first, as only God can fundamentally change them.

**Hearing Directly From God

        Before Christ came into the world, the Lord God spoke directly to the prophets. Now, once we get to know Christ most intimately (as in union), the Lord God speaks directly to our hearts too. (This further strengthens our relationship with God. Indeed, to anyone who has, more will be given.)

*Joyful Living

        Live your life aimed at pleasing the heavenly Father and he will fill you with great joy!

Unsure Path vs. Sure Way to Heaven

        Let's be sensible and realistic. We are all going to die. In our limited time on earth, we are so immersed in things of the world and just don't think about God much. Then near the end of our life, if nothing unexpected happens, we finally realize that we have to leave all the things we've worked so hard for behind, and begin to turn to God, maybe. The smart way to realize this in advance and live for God and not ourselves. Then you'll enjoy living a joyful life not being weighed down by anything – a life without fear of death. It's taking the uneasy, risky path or the enlightened, sure way to heaven. 

**Privilege of union With God*

        Came across this video on YouTube featuring the great Brazilian guitarist Yamandu Costa accompanied by his great bassist Guto Wirtti. The two play differently, but together as one they play perfectly as if they read each other's minds. We don't need to know music to live as one with God with total understanding of each other – a special privilege we can all enjoy when we abandon ourselves in the Lord. Yes, make God your soulmate!

  

Bad Things, Good Blessings

        Tragedies and misfortunes can be blessings, for they might be the only way for God to get your attention. Any happening that draws you close to God is to rejoice about. 

**Our Stubbornness and Close-mindedness

        Before the time of Christ, we had people who believed in one God and people who didn't. When Christ was on earth, again we had those who believed in him and others who didn't. After Christ had come, we now clearly know that if we believe in him, we'll have eternal life; still the same division exists. Of course, that are also those who do not know about him yet. Anyway, God knows exactly how to judge each of us fairly. It's sad that we can be so self-centered and stubborn, preferring locking ourselves up in our own space, rather than opening up to God. If Christ is truly not our Lord and Savior, then Christianity has to be the biggest hoax in the entire history of mankind, fooling so many of us to die for him rather than giving up the faith. And you would have trouble explaining why even many more now experience freedom, peace, and joy in him. I believe we are divided, only because we are facing the true God.

**Safe and Free in Christ!

        I abandon myself to God and my soul rests safely in his mercy. The Lord has set me free so that nothing can imprison my spirit anymore.

**Knowing God Is Easy

        Communion experience. I let the Lord enter to heal my soul, mind, and body. The thought came to me that knowing God is easy. As long as you open yourself to him, not offering any resistance, he will enter to let you know of his presence. Of course, this would take some courage. We live in a physical world we can see, but we are also living in a spiritual world we cannot see. There are all kinds of spirits who would readily manifest themselves to you if you invite them to come, but the holy God is the one most immediate to us. Getting in touch with any unknown spirit can get you into trouble, but open yourself to the loving God who created and knows you best and he will make you holy and ready for returning to him in heaven.