Our Frist Priority

        Communion experience. The Holy Spirit made me see that before attempting to change anything around us, our first priority should be to change ourselves first. This completely made sense to me. Then he also showed me that as sinners, we have no right to judge other sinners. 

All Will Be Settled

        The world seems so unfair when the evil ones get away with whatever they do and the good people get beaten down and suffer. That's because we live in a sinful world. But this is just the beginning, for in the end, all will be settled. It will be either eternal dwelling with God or eternal separation from him, and this is what matters.

Present at the Last Supper

        Communion experience. I felt as if I was one of the Apostles at the Last Supper, hearing Jesus offering us his own body in the form of bread to eat and his own blood in the form of wine to drink.

Following the Truth

        Since Christ always speaks the truth, listen to him and keep his word.

How Good and Rich We Are

        We are only as good as how much we let God transform us and as rich as how open we are to receiving gifts from him.

So Much in Christ

        In Christ, we can be free of sin, gain entry to heaven, and live with our Father in bliss for ever, in addition to having our own resurrection on Judgment Day. There is so much for us to look forward to and rejoice about!

God for Everything

        You go to God not just to get your sins forgiven, but also to get your heart purified and your soul liberated! Let him fill you with hope, courage, peace, and joy. If you belong to him, all he has is yours. This is what a good Father is for. (These were my first thoughts before Mass this morning.)

Joyful Realization

        Communion experience. I felt great joy realizing that Jesus could take away all my sins. 

A Self-Realization

        Before Communion was given, I ran out of words in praising and thanking God for his love and greatness, and I realized then that I was finite before the infinite God. 

God or Us

        Also in today's Gospel of Luke 16, Jesus said, "No servant can serve two masters." It follows that we can not serve ourselves and God at the same time. It's "serving God alone," not even "God first, we second." 

All or Nothing

        In today's Gospel reading from Luke 16, Jesus said to his disciples, "The person who is trustworthy in very small matters is also trustworthy in great ones." This says that a trustworthy person is one who is trustworthy in all matters, that is, he has consistency. Similarly, a faithful Catholic is one who follows all teachings of the Catholic Church with consistency. Sadly, there are many Catholics who follow only those teachings that are palatable to them and veer away from others they think they can ignore. With God, we must go along 100%, giving our all and never overriding his will. Loving God not with all our heart is not an option ~ either we are with him all the way or not. Complete surrender to God is our only way out, but it's the logical, realistic, and most glorious way. Once in union with God, you will never ever want to leave him again ~ it's that beautiful!

Securing Your Real Future

        If you know exactly where you are going after you die, that is, you are certain that you are going to live forever with God, your entire outlook on life will change and you will experience peace and freedom. Should you wait until the last moments of your life and wake up to reality, you might still make heaven, but then you've already squandered away much of your lifetime ~ not a pleasant thing. Be a visionary and secure your real future for all eternity first.

Ultimate Fulfillment

        Today being a first Friday, I attended Eucharistic Adoration after Mass. With the Holy Eucharist displayed in the monstrance on the altar, the sanctuary became the holy of holies. It is hard to imagine that this same bread of heaven entered me personally a while ago during Mass. I could only tremble in awe. Being one with the One you are in love with ~ what more could one possibly ask for?

Rx for the Soul

        Communion experience. The Holy Eucharist is God's prescription for our soul. 

Living in God

        Go deep into God and forget about yourself totally.

Linking to God

        In today's first reading at Mass from Philippians 3, Paul spoke of all followers of Christ as having their citizenship in heaven. We become citizens of a country because we love the country and the country welcomes and accepts us. As citizens of heaven, we love God and God welcomes and accepts us. To link ourselves to God, to heaven, is the most important single thing we need to do in this life. It may sound selfish, but it's exactly what God wishes. 

Every Prayer Counts

        If you were the only human God had created, he would have died for your sins. Since you are that important to him, every prayer you utter from your heart he hears and heeds. Therefore, never cease praying and trusting in him.

Healthy Living

        Memories exist in our mind, but they are like virtual images we see in a mirror ~ they do not exist in substance. Memories are always about the past. Lingering over memories is a waste of time, a fruitless activity. The Christian is untethered from all past memories, be they pleasant or bitter. He or she lives forth with faith, hope, and charity ~ Christ now is the only draw. Such healthy living leads to eternal life.