***Smart Way to Live

        Jesus said in Matthew 7, "Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter through it are many. How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life. And those who find it are few." It seems that the moment we are born into this world, we already start out with a disadvantage: life is going to be an uphill struggle. Just to keep away from entering that wide gate and traveling on that broad road would be a battle. But I do see a smart way to win. Instead of struggling to find the way on your own, just let go in God to let him pick you up and take you wherever he wants to. Your journey now becomes effortless. Is it too good to be true? No. With God, it's always "good to be true."

**God Exists!

        I woke up in the middle of last night and saw the bright moonlight shining through a window on the tiled floor. I realized that the light did not come from the moon—it was the sun casting its light on the moon and the moon in turn reflecting the light towards the earth. This happens every month when the moon is bright and has been going on for many million or even billion years. I knew instantly that God exists and he is amazing!

**Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary

        I am no theologian or Biblical scholar. I am just a simple believer in Christ the Lord. I do believe that our Holy Mother Mary plays an important role in God's plan for our salvation. Obviously, she let Jesus be born through her. I believe that she is also the woman described in the book of Revelation fighting the dragon. There are numerous books out there written about her. Scott Hahn's Hail, Holy Queen is a latest one. She has been the messenger of God over the past centuries, appearing to us on earth. I see her as a mother taking our hand to lead us to do the will of God. She's always with us, guiding and praying for us—the mother we need! She wishes us to consecrate ourselves to her Immaculate Heart to help her vanquish evil. I urge you to consider making this solemn act of consecration if you haven't done so yet. I did it along with my diocese. It took a whole month to complete, but there are shorter prayers you can find online and use.

**Vision of Two Popes

        I have all four volumes of The Life of Jesus Christ and Biblical Revelations from the visions of Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich. The Apostle John concluded his Gospel with this statement: "There are also many other things that Jesus did, but if these were to be described individually, I do not think the whole world would contain the books that would be written." So I bought these volumes to learn about the life of Jesus in detail, but I never dived into it simply because the four Gospels already provide more than enough information for me to know the Lord in person. Anyway, I am posting Taylor Marshall's new video on the vision of two Popes by Ann Catherine Emmerich. The vision seemed to foretell what's happening in our Church today. The Church does not require the faithful to believe in any private revelations, even if they are true. So keep this in mind as you watch this certainly most interesting video. 

*****Warning We Must Heed*****

        I just finished watching the premiere of John-Henry Weston's summary of LifeSite's interview with Archbishop Vigano about Our Lady's warning of 'great apostasy' within the Church followed by risk of World War III. It's a message we must heed. Our Lady of Kibeho appeared in Rwanda to warn the people of the looming holocaust which could be averted if they opened their hearts to God. They didn't and the horrible genocide took place 13 years later. We are now in the same situation. We can avert World War III if we would embrace God's love now.

*God's Coming to Us

        Today's verse before the Gospel reading, John 14.23: Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him and we will come to him. Jesus said this at the Last Supper. When the Lord comes to you, he will enter your heart and you will know it. If you do not feel that he has come to you yet, keep his word and keep your heart open. Remain so until he enters, and you'll know.

***How God Exalts Us

        Once you come to know Jesus intimately, he becomes more interesting and exciting than anything on earth. By comparison, everything the world is interested in becomes trivial and more often downright boring. Of course, there are things in the world you experience that are beautiful, but only because they make you aware of the beauty of God; they are the means, not the end. Bottom line, God can fundamentally change us. And this is how he exalts us.

Upbeat Living Called-for

        Before I watched Fr. Goring's video this morning, I was walking outside the house praying the Rosary and the Lord made me see that "he wants all of us to feel upbeat at all times." For he is forever our bright hope. Jesus tells us not to be afraid nor anxious, for the whole time, of course. Psalms 23.4: Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me. This is the way it should be. If you don't always feel upbeat, then put all your trust in the Lord to see what happens. He always delivers when you need him.

***Duty of Exposing Evil*

        Fr. Mark Goring's video today speaks a message we should all speak. Our primary aim is the same as God's: to save souls. It is for the love of God that we speak up against others. We can be accused of coming out too strong and turning people off. Should we apologize to Satan as well? How can you spread the truth if you are so concerned about others' feelings? Look at the Lord Jesus. Yes, truth hurts because it exposes falsity. The sad state of our Church has caused many to leave. If the high hierarchy of the Church ever expects them to return, the first thing it needs to do is to show enough humility to repent of its wrong doings before its flocks.

***Greatest Miracle!

        We love to see miracles. Sometimes we won't believe in God until we witness a miracle. Miracles are phenomena we cannot explain. Come to think of it, there are plenty of them around. For example, how we were formed in our mother's womb, how our eyes can see, how we enjoy listening to beautiful music, how we can forgive others from the heart, how trees grow against gravity, how the earth rotates around its own axis and revolves around the sun with such regularity . . . we can go on and on. That we don't think of them as miracles is because we are familiar with them. Now, in my book, the greatest miracle is not something you can see, but something you can experience. It is the originator of all miracles, the Lord God himself, entering your heart to to be one with you, transforming you to be like him!

***Most Fundamental Prayer

        Yesterday I blogged that returning to God is fundamentally the solution to all our problems. Today I see a prayer that can fundamentally change the world. We can specifically pray for many different things, but know that God wishes to save our souls foremost. If we pray for the salvation of all souls, then the Lord will "have to" make them holy and evil will vanish. So pray for all the souls, your own included, before anything else.

**Lamenting the World

        Sins are committed rampantly all across the globe. We read and hear about horrible things people do to others. Good vs. evil has never been so clear. The loving messages from God have consistently been "Turn to him and repent." He doesn't need to mentions any specific sins, for rebelling against him is the root cause of all our problems. Turning to him and stopping offending him is our only hope of being saved. But the world continues to ignore him. I believe that future chastisements or warnings will become increasingly severe if we do not improve. How I hope that the world would heed God's word before it's too late!

***Becoming Powerful in God!

       In reading 1 from 2 Timothy 1, Paul made it clear that God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and self-control, and we are to bear our share of hardship for the Gospel with strength that comes from God. And Christ had destroyed death and brought life and immortality to life through the Gospel. So for us who follow Christ, death no longer exists; we are immortal! This calls for instant and forever rejoicing. That God can give us all the strength we need to live for him is unquestionable. If we submit ourselves to the Lord, he turns us into powerhouses!

**Let Peace Be Your Guide

        If you always follow God's will, you will have his peace in your heart. This is a peace so precious that if you can keep it, you'll have eternal life. There are so many material temptations out there that can easily rob us of this peace. We are tempted to buy the currently hot stocks, latest version cell phones, new fancy cars, fashionable clothing, etc. If acquiring any of these things will make you lose your peace, then don't do it! Never let anyone or most of all your own ego pressure you into giving in to any such temptation. Remain humble to stay on the straight path to eternal life and rejoice. It won't be long before you arrive at the end of your journey and you'll be glad that you've kept your inner peace.

*Realization and Reminder*

        Psalm 90 provides today's responsorial. Here's verse 10: Seventy is the sum of our years, or eighty, if we are strong. And most of them are fruitless toil, for they pass quickly and we drift away. It makes me realize how easy it is to waste the little time we have on earth, time we could and should use to glorify God and store up treasures in heaven in preparation for our return to him. Remember that every moment we're alive is sustained by God, so every such moment we should serve him out of gratitude.

***Make God Real to You***

        I finally understood. The Lord God created us, loves us, and knows all about us. The only way for us finite beings to know him, understand him, and appreciate him is to let him draw us deep into him, for on our own we are powerless to enter him. When you abandon yourself entirely to him, you enter a universe in union with him and begin your eternal life. Today June 1 is Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church. The Gospel reading for today's Mass came from John 19.25-34. From the cross, Jesus gave his own mother to John the Apostle to be his mother. Shortly afterwards in verse 30, Jesus said, "It is finished." Bowing his head, he handed over the spirit. As soon as I finished reading this verse, the Holy Spirit hit me with a joy so powerful I felt as if lightning had struck me! How comforting to know that I am his now.

*Growing Sensibly Spiritually

        Youngsters do what they feel like doing. I myself had done many things on a whim when I was young. As we grow older, we do things more looking our age. When we become old, we just have to give up many things we can no longer do. You just don't see oldsters learning how to skateboard, do you? In general, we do what's sensible for us to do. But as Christians, do we also grow sensibly? Age is not a factor here. A Christian should do things that befit his image as a Christian. A worldly Christian will simply appear to be hypocritical. To grow sensibly spiritually, the solution is to constantly submit yourself to God.

**Unwavering Focus upon Christ*

        Satan loves to sow confusion to create chaos in our world, specifically within the Church. All the more that we need to focus unwaveringly upon Christ the Lord and not allow anything, no matter what the source is or how interesting or miraculous it might seem, to make us question or doubt our faith in him. This faith is as precious to us as our soul is. Seek to attain union with the Lord to safeguard both your faith and soul.