***A Sweet Blessing

       In today's first reading from Acts 2, Peter spoke up at Pentecost, "Let the whole house of Israel know for certain that God has made both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified." Now when all the people heard this, they were cut to the heart. Letting the Lord cut you to the heart is a sweet experience. It  shows that he is with you, he matters to you, and you feel for him. So let him cut you to the heart as much as he wishes. Jesus makes everything sweet for us!

***Time to Wake Up to Hell!

        Another Fr. Mark Goring video. I am not specifically promoting him; I am promoting the messages he gives us because they are timely and true. Both heaven and hell are real; Jesus spoke about them. We'll either end up in heaven or in hell after this life is over, yet I cannot recall hearing them being preached much about from the pulpit of our churches. The word "heaven" might have been mentioned in passing, but hell is treated as if it doesn't even exist. Being politically correctly is absolutely incorrect for Christians, who are supposed to follow and speak for Christ only. Avoiding talking about heaven and hell is being timid, weak, negligent, and foolish; it's trying to avoid the unavoidable. Time to wake up to truth and reality, for souls are at stake!

How's Your Conscience?

        Our built-in conscience acts like a guide. Whenever we do something that's not good, we feel it. In worst cases, we can lose our sleep. In mild cases, we try to ignore it. But God still knows. If the conscience is not maintained well, it gets dull and becomes finally muddy. Now you can be in danger of losing your soul. Always take care of your conscience by keeping it clean and sharp so that you may be blameless before God, and you'll have peace.

*How Not to Judge

        When the Lord tells us not to judge, we are not to judge ourselves either. We are not even to think about how good or bad we are—we just do our best to obey the Lord in all things and leave all outcome to him. 

***The Illumination of Conscience Warning***

        I've read about the Illumination of Conscience that has been prophesied by many to happen to us. It will be an act of God's great mercy to make us see our spiritual state as he sees it. I knew that as long as I were prepared, I would be fine. Then after reading about and watching this video by Christine Watkins on this Warning in the newsletter from Daughters of Mary, Mother of Israel's Hope, I realized that I must spread this message to help others prepare themselves too.  Please watch the entire video, as it could make all the difference to your soul!

***Testimony You Must Hear***

        I must have posted Fr. Mark Goring's videos close to twenty times because he is filled with the Holy Spirit and I understand exactly how he feels about Christ. I have heard many testimonies, but his I've just listened to has to be one of the best. Put whatever you're doing aside and listen to his story, for it can make your life new too. Jesus is to be experienced and enjoyed!

***Church's Great Negligence

        These are sad days for the Church as many Catholics no longer believe that the Holy Eucharist is truly the body and blood of Jesus. It is most urgent that the Church authorities should do their utmost to inform and reeducate their flocks of the truth. Sadly, I see only complacency. If this problem is not corrected, the Church will surely decline further and we'll all have to answer to the Lord. It's so sad to see Catholics leaving the Church, not aware that they are going to miss receiving the most precious heavenly gift from God! I am glad that Fr. Mark Goring just put out this video to tell us how important it is to believe in and receive the Holy Eucharist.

***Union with God Achieved!

        In today's Gospel reading from John 6, Jesus says (verse 56): "Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My Blood, remans in me and I in him." To remain in each other is to be one. (If A < B and B < A, then A = B. A mathematical certainty.) It is clear to me that if you truly believe that the Holy Eucharist is the true body and blood of Christ and partake of it, then you and he become one. Union with God is achieved!

**Our Omniscient Lord

        In today's first reading from Acts 9, we hear the conversion of Saul. Saul was persecuting the disciples of Christ horribly and Jesus stopped him in the track and asked him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?" Read the first 20 verses to to get the whole beautiful story. When you persecute the Lord, he knows. So if you are good to him but do not hear him speak to you audibly, you can be sure that he knows too. The Lord knows every thought we think, ever word we utter, every deed we perform, and more. Do you feel good about this? If you don't, then you definitely have things to hide, not good. If you are glad that the Lords knows all about you, it shows that you trust in him totally, a great sign.

**We Need a Mother

        Traditionally, the Church has set aside the month of May to honor our Blessed Mother, Mary, the mother of the Son of God, who is God. Each one of us needs a good mother; this is how God has made us, and Jesus has given us her own mother from the cross. I am going to let Fr. Mark Goring tell you how we all need to invite Mary into our home in the video he posted today.

***Solution to All Problems

        Evil has infiltrated the world. It has specifically infiltrated the Church, sowing confusion and discord. But we know that the Church of our Lord will prevail in the end, so she is being chastised and pruned now. Also, it could be that end times are near. No matter what, each of us who follow Christ is being tested. We must never abandon the Church and must seek refuge in the Lord more than ever. This is the best time to go deep into our God. All the more we need to seek union with him. It is the solution to all our problems: to become holy ourselves. 

**Last Thought of This Month**

        Before this month of April ends in about 30 minutes, I want to end on a high note. There is not a thing in this world we can hold onto, ourselves included, but there is the God of Christ we can hold onto forever. This alone is enough to make life worth living and us rejoice!

***Going to Heaven Made Easy

        If you follow God's will, it will be done. To wish to go to heaven is precisely what God wills for you, so keeping his word and you'll be there for sure. The gate that leads to life may be narrow, but the more you yield to God, the wider it opens up for you. And when you submit yourself to him completely, it vanishes altogether. In sum, how easy your journey to God is depends entirely upon how willing you are to let him carry you.

**Simple and Beautiful Truths

        In today's Gospel reading from John 6, Jesus said, "Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and I will not reject anyone who comes to me, because I came down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of the the one who sent me. And this is the will of he one who sent me, that I should not lose anything of what he gave me, but that I should raise it on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life, and I shall raise him on the last day." 

      These sayings reveal some important truths. (1) Jesus did come down from heaven and is the Son of God. (2) When God calls us, we cannot possibly be rejected by him. God calls you only because he wants to save you! If you hear his call and go to him, you are "in." (3) "Everyone who believes in the Son has eternal life"—these nine words are all one needs to know to live on forever in paradise!

**World in Chaos

        Today is the memorial of St. Catherine of Sienna. Reading 1 from Acts 8 tells about the persecution of the Church, scattering all followers except the Apostles throughout the countryside of Judea and Samaria. Our world is in chaos today too. In this country alone, so many voices are out there attacking others nonstop. You can't even get everyone together to agree on loving our own country, let alone believing in one God. Without faith in the one God of Christ, the world will sadly remain in chaos until the Second Coming of the Lord. 

**Jesus Our Life

        In today's Gospel reading from John 6, Jesus said to the crowd, "The bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." Again, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst." I see that that Jesus had prefigured the Holy Eucharist here. As our Lord and our God, he is truly the only one who can satisfy our spiritual hunger and quench our spiritual thirst. Go to him and believe in him, and your are set for eternity. 

***Follow God, Not Your Own Grain

        In today's reading 1 from Acts 7, as Stephen was stoned to death at the feet of Saul (Paul), he called out, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." Then he fell to his knees and cried in a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them"; and when he said this, he fell asleep. Now Saul was consenting to his execution. We sometimes don't mind openly or secretly that the people we consider bad or just plain don't like would meet some tragic end. But wishing ill of anyone is a sin, for God loves us all! Also, in so wishing, you have judged them. Instead, we should pray for our "enemies" as St. Stephen did. Ask the Lord to crush all evil but save all souls.

**Our Biggest Oversight

        We take good care of our own home, our properties, possessions, family, health, the business we own or the job we hold, our retirement, even our own funeral. How ironic that we hardly think about taking care of our soul!