**Recognizing Our Predicament

        While I was exercising on a tread mill at local gym early this morning, around a dozen or so TV sets were turned on throughout the extensive space. Today being Sunday, there was a preacher preaching to a group of people on one screen, but you must be careful nowadays, for many preachers present their own views, often in disagreement with other preachers. Anyway, all the other secular shows, including commercials on screen, served to draw our attention away from God. Today the academia are mostly secular too. Then Hollywood and the entertainment industries couldn't be further away from God. As for the many politicians today, they are plain anti-God. This world is filled with those in cahoots with Satan, placing all souls, their own included, in great jeopardy. Of course, there is always hope – all it takes is to believe in and follow Jesus, our Savior. But with us full of pride, we become our own stumbling block. I hope that recognizing our predicament can help us overcome ourselves to get on the path of salvation. 

***Is Everything God Has Ours?

        In the Parable of the Prodigal Son, the father consoles the unhappy older son, saying to him, "Everything I have is yours." Is everything our heavenly Father has ours too? Well, we and Jesus share the same Father and the same mother. Then we seek and attain union with God and become one with him. If we possess him, then, of course, we also possess everything he has. Can you imagine that the Lord God who died for us will not let us enjoy freely everything he has after we get to heaven? I can't.

Be Genuine Before God

        In today's Gospel reading from Matthews 5, Jesus said to his disciples, "Let your 'Yes' mean 'Yes," and your 'No" mean 'No.' Anything more is from the Evil One." It is clear that we must always mean what we say. God does not like hypocrites and phonies. And you'll sleep better too being genuine. 

State of Mankind

        Here's a mental image that came to me during Mass this morning. I see billions of people in God's presence. A relatively small number of people choose to remain with the Lord, not going anywhere. Another larger group are sticking around, but they stay some distance away. A much larger group sit on the borderline, for they still do not know which way to go yet, while idling away their time. Perhaps forming the largest group are those who are walking away from God, not aware that they are heading toward a precipice. Pray hard so that all will turn back to God.  

**Caution, if Your Talk Too Much

        When I talk to others freely, I'd like to share what's edifying, good, and interesting. Nevertheless, there were times I sensed ever so slightly that what came out of my mouth was prompted by the ego. This happened when I tried to talk too much. The lesson learned: Do not talk too much. Always listen to the Holy Spirit. When you try to talk too much, it's usually your ego prompting you to draw more attention to yourself.

***Meeting God's High Standards

        Attended Mass this morning and the entrance antiphon from Psalm 27 reads: The Lord is my light and . . . – echoing what I posted earlier this morning. In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 5, Jesus laid down some high (strict) standards. I am going to quote partially what he said to his disciples, "Everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. Whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage is unlawful) causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery." "Wow" might be our reaction, so how can we meet the Lord's expectations? Simple! On our own, we can't, but with his help it'll be no sweat, as nothing is impossible for him. The only "catch" is that we must let him take full control of us to bring about our full transformation. As I see it, this is not a price to pay but a privilege to gain, for our reward will be great in both this life and the life to come!

**Our Transforming Light

        Summer is almost here and the days are getting longer. Before 6 AM this morning, sunlight already shone through my bedroom window (I have no drapes or blinds on all my windows), casting various shadows on the white walls – the room just became cheerful and spirited! And I thought of the light of Christ. When we bask in it, we can become cheerful and spirited too, for the Lord is the only one who can fundamentally transform us.

Good Sign of Humility

        We offer to pray for others, but less often ask others to pray for us. Asking for others to pray for us shows that we are humble enough to let them know that we need God's help, a good sign. Anyone who does not believe that he needs God's help is barring himself from entering the kingdom of heaven.

**Dark Days for the Church*

        Yesterday I posted the blog "Dark Days for Christians" because Christians are being persecuted worldwide. Today I see a second reason or cause – evil has infiltrated the Church, weakening her to the point that we no longer hear clear, bold messages coming from her when we need to hear them the most. She is so busy covering up the many dark deeds when she should go all out to battle evil. The days of purification will come and the time to follow the Lord closely is now, more urgent than ever. God is calling us to abandon ourselves to him and to make reparation for the world. Wake up and fight for the Lord, while we go through the dark night.

***Most Urgent Messages

        Ralph Martin of Renewal Ministries has been an inspired speaker to me since the time I was actively involved in the Catholic Charismatic Renewal movement in the 1970s. He is also the author of the book on union with God entitled The Fulfillment of All Desire. I came across these two recently posted talks of his on Fatima. We need to hear these urgent messages at this time. Both talks last a little over 22 minutes and Ralph starts each talk at 1:57. If you only have time to watch one, I would recommend watching the second one "An Urgent Warning." 

***The Great Liberation

        Open yourself up to God completely and ask him to overwhelm you with his sweet and selfless love and you will experience the greatest liberation and consolation. Abandon yourself to God and he cannot refuse to take you in.

***The Great Obedience

        We have the Great Depression, the Great Famine, the Great Wall, the Great Migration, and even the Great Houdini. I'd like to nominate obedience to God as the Great Obedience, as it is our ultimate challenge that can set our soul and spirit free forever!

*Receiving the Best from God

        God always wants the best for us, but what we experience may make us think that we deserve something better. We must realize the following: What God wants for us is what's best for us overall spiritually, for his intention is to lead us to heaven. In our imperfect sinful world, we cannot always experience what we hope for – not until we have entered heaven. Be patient and faithful for a short time now to reap great joy later forever!

*Having Only Yourself to Blame

        John 3.17: God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. So if we reject God's good offer, we end up getting ourselves condemned. Be blameless or you'll have only yourself to blame.

More of Our Shortcomings

        We don't hear God speaking to us because we don't wish to hear from him or to seek his advice. We don't understand God because we are closed to letting him enlighten us.

*Our Shortcoming

        From today's entrance antiphon taken from Psalm 27: The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; whom should I dread? It is true in theory that if we have the Lord, we shall fear nothing. But in practice, we are still afraid of many things because we fall short of abandoning ourselves entirely to God.

**Dark Days for Christians

        Christians are experiencing worldwide persecution, even in basically Christian countries. Here is a recent example that came out of Canada. The liberal news media do not report such stories. We are in our last days!

Flesh vs. Spirit

        How much are you living in the flesh and how much in the spirit? 50-50, 49-51 or even 1-99 is not good enough. We need to live 100% in the spirit! Hence, seek union with God to live in the Holy Spirit.