**Exactly What We Need*

        Communion experience. Jesus completes us, our existence, not just for now but for ever!

**Prepare for the Most Unexpected

        In today's Gospel reading from Luke 17, Jesus continued telling his disciples about the day of his coming: "On that day, a person who is on the housetop and whose belongings are in the house must not go down to get them, and likewise a person in the field must not return to what was left behind. I tell you, on that night there will be two people in one bed; one will be taken, the other left. And there will be two women grinding meal together; one will be taken, the other left." These scenes described remained vividly in my mind once I had heard them. I thought of the tsunamis, floods, fires, mudslides, earthquakes – all such natural disasters had happened suddenly and many lives were taken. We may die before his coming, but it shouldn't make any difference. If we prepare ourselves now, whether we shall be taken or left becomes a moot point. *Never let there be a moment you wish you had listened to Jesus. Heed his words now.

Letting God Make You Beautiful

        We see and hear both beautiful things and ugly things, but what's truly beautiful or ugly is what's beautiful or ugly to God and it is what's in and comes out of your heart. Therefore, be in union with the Lord so that he may keep your heart pure, making you beautiful to him always.

**Love Makes Things Beautiful

        Today Friday I prayed the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary. They are Agony in the Garden, Scourging at the Pillar, Crowning with Thorns, Carrying of the Cross, and Crucifixion – all most horrific events. Then I saw that because it was love that prompted the Lord to bear such sufferings willingly, all these events became most beautiful. 

*Into the Perfect World

        Right now, cracks had appeared in my stucco houses walls and rains have started, so water might get inside the house as it did last year. One toilet is not flushing right. Last night one of the outdoor motion sensor lights no longer shuts itself off. At any rate, in this world things go wrong constantly, and we ourselves go wrong too, as we sin continuously. It is an imperfect world to say the least that can never make us truly happy here. If you want to find the perfect world, seek the God of Christ who alone can satisfy us now and make us happy for all eternity later. Again, this is how he has made us.

**Greatest Servant*

        Communion experience. In receiving Christ, I realized that God is our greatest servant, as he gave himself out of sheer love for our salvation. "My Lord and my servant" – absolutely amazing, all made possible by love. Now he is more my Lord than ever!

*Most Critical Realization

        Jesus gave himself up for us. (John 3.16.)

*Looking the Right Way

        In today's Gospel reading from Luke 17, Jesus told his disciples about the coming day of the Son of Man, but said that first he must suffer greatly and be rejected by this generation. For me, this speaks loudly that evil is real and the spiritual warfare is always ongoing. Therefore, we must choose sides. It may be chilling to say that hell is not vacant, but not thinking about it wouldn't do you any good. Instead, the best thing we should do is to focus upon the love of God, our Father, who can eradicate all our fears and fill our hearts with joy and hope.

**Two Ways of Living*

        We either follow our own nature or follow God. When we follow ourselves, we can do good or easily sin. And it's in our sinful state that we experience the loss of inner peace. When we follow God, we are no longer concerned about whether we do good or sin – we simply do his will and bear fruit. This is why and how we experience both freedom and peace.

Opposite Effect

        God humbles us to exalt us!

Biggest Blessing

        Communion experience. The one who loves me the most and whom I love the most entered me to be one with me – it was the biggest blessing of my life!

Critical Realization 3

        Once you realize that you are so blessed to have Christ and how God loves all of us so much, you wouldn't ever want to judge others again.

Critical Realization 2

        In today's Gospel reading from Luke 17, Jesus cleansed ten lepers and only one gave thanks to God. We must be aware of what God has done for us and be grateful for it. Without him, we wouldn't be existing or now breathing. Without him, we wouldn't have all that we have. Without him, we'd be lost forever!

Critical Realization

        Once you realize that God is the only who can save you from you sins, you'll want to accept and believe in him with all your heart.

**Analogy of God's Presence*

         At Mass this morning, I noticed that the shadows of some palm branches cast on a wall by a ceiling spotlight were absolutely still and I realized that none of us on earth could sense that we are moving through space. How fast are we actually moving? We know that the earth rotates about its own axis once every 24 hours or so and is approximately 8,000 miles in diameter. About the axis, those who live on the equator whirl through space at roughly 1,000 miles an hour. Then the earth itself revolves around the sun once a year. Knowing how far we are from the sun, we can calculate that the earth is whirling through space at, get this, 67,000 miles per hour. Plus the fact that our solar system itself is whirling around the center of its galaxy at 490,000 miles per hour! I'll stop right here, ignoring any motion of the galaxy. This is like the fact that we do not physically sense the presence of God, yet he is all around us, watches over us, and knows what's in our hearts.   

No Glamour, but Freedom

        In today's Gospel reading from Luke 17, Jesus taught the proper attitude of a servant. He said to his disciples, "When you have done all you have been commanded, say, 'We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do.'" This is what Jesus meant by "deny yourself." This is living for God alone. There is certainly no glamour associated with the role of being a disciple, but your reward will be freedom in this life and exaltation by God in the next.

A Day's Plan

        This morning I arrived at church and realized that it's another day. It could be another day to live for myself, to pursue what I want to accomplish. But it's so much better to make it another day to grow closer to God. Here I got to receive him in the Holy Eucharist once more, gained more time to pray for the salvation of all mankind, and now would meet my Lord one day sooner. 

*Our Part to Be Freed From Sin

        Jesus can take away any of your sins, no matter how crushing or devastating it might be, but you must want to give up you sin, turn to him, and sincerely ask for his forgiveness and help.