***Turning to God?*

 Warning! The following message might make some of you feel uncomfortable.      

        If you are not taking God seriously yet, imagine that this is your last hour on earth – what would you do? Would you finally turn to him, tell him you are truly sorry for having offended him all your life, and ask him to forgive you? If your answer is yes, then why not do it now, for you might go unexpectedly leaving you with no chance for repentance? If your answer is no, then there is nothing we can do for you but prayer. I see our lifetime as a golden opportunity to settle our eternal destiny, not a time to squander away. My motto for all: Never carry your sins to your grave! What's the point of looking beautiful in an open casket with a filthy heart within?

**How Important we Are*

        Communion thought. We are God's missing piece. We are the ones who can complete his joy!

**Ideal State of Being

      I am going to describe this state in different ways, but they are all interchangeable. Here we go. Complete submission to God; total obedience to God; letting God be your God; union with God; being inseparable from God; in perfect harmony with God; deep in love with God; completely open to his mercy; acceptance of his love; letting him love you freely; taking our proper place before God; resting in his peace; complete abandonment in him; having complete trust in him; living for him alone; God becoming our center and anchor. As you see, we cannot leave God out. Desire him alone and he is yours.   

Degrees of Sinning

        Sexual harassment charges against politicians, Hollywood moguls and stars, and other well-known public figures have been popping up all over this country. Of course, some of them might not be true; nevertheless, we are seeing manifestations of men's impure thoughts. Currently on Facebook, an Ohio supreme court judge openly brags about his sexual conquests with particulars. He believes he's speaking on behalf of all heterosexual males and does not think it improper to divulge such private information. From the Christian point of view, it is one thing that you sin without others (except God) knowing about it and quite another – far more serious – if you do not acknowledge that you have sinned and cause others to follow your example and sin also. 

**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.