**Bypassing Our Shepherds

         In today's first reading from Ezekiel 34, Ezekiel prophesied against the shepherds of Israel that since they no longer looked after the Lord's sheep, the Lord was going to save his sheep by claiming them from their shepherds and pasturing them himself. This is how I feel about our Church divided today: we are no longer being pastured by our shepherds. All the more we need to go to the Lord directly to seek union with and guidance from him.

*Clear-Thinking Catholic*

          Many of you probably have heard about the controversial Fr. James Martin. Here's an older video that shows the response to him from an articulate, clear-thinking convert Catholic. 

**Most Profitable Possible Investment

          In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 19, Jesus said to his disciples, "Everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands for the sake of my name will receive a hundred times more, and will inherit eternal life." From the business point of view, this has to be the investment with the best possible returns. Anything that will give you eternal life is definitely to be grabbed. Put the Lord first for a brief time on earth and he'll make you blissful for all eternity! For any amount of effort we put in to honor him, he'll always reward us to the max.

**Harder than Keeping God's Commendments

         In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 19, a rich young man asked Jesus what he must do to gain eternal life. Jesus told him to keep the commandments. He asked him, "Which ones?" Jesus replied, "You shall not kill; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness; honor your father and mother; and you shall love your neighbor as yourself." The young man said to him, "All of these I have observed. What do I still lack?" Jesus said to him, "If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor. Then come, follow me." When the young man heard this statement, he went away sad, for he had many possessions.
         We see that giving up your material possessions is even more difficult than keeping God's commandments. But to be perfect, we must detach ourselves from what we have. In practice, we may not be free to give up all our things for whatever reason, but at least we must be willing to do so, should such need arises.

***Hypocrites Galore Today

         During this COVID-19 pandemic, churches and many business have been forced to close down and most of us to remain home as much as possible. It is ironic that many of these government officials who enforce these restrictive laws have no qualms about (1) letting unruly mobs loot and burn other people's properties and endanger other lives and (2) supporting unconscionable sins such as abortion that would cause many to lose their souls! No wonder the Lord say "woe to you" to the hypocrites!   

***Only Guide We Need*

         The second part of today's entrance antiphon from Psalm 84: One day within your courts, O God, is better than a thousand elsewhere. Living in this world on our own is like wandering in a vast wilderness. You are attracted to go here and there, but you do not know where you should go. Once you know the God of Christ, you don't need to go anywhere anymore, for you have now found the way, the truth, and the life, all in one Lord.

**Starting Out with God

        This is the typical way we lose God. We start out following the secular world like almost everyone else, not being aware that many things are sinful to the Lord. Gradually, we sink deeper and deeper in sin, falling further and further away from God. It would take a rude awakening for us to ever get back to him. On the other hand, if you start out submitting yourself to God and enter deeper and deeper into him, sin will become so distasteful to you that you will not ever want to offend the Lord again. Now you soul is safe and eternal life awaits you. Starting out with God makes all the difference!

***How to Become a Saint

         Simply let the love of Christ consume you totally. We need to submit ourselves to him more than ever at this critical time to receive power to safeguard all souls for the glory of God!

**Faith Is Persistent

         In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 15, a Canaanite woman called out to Jesus, begging him to heal her daughter tormented by a demon. Jesus said to his disciples, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." The women still came and did Jesus homage, saying, "Lord, help me. He said in reply, "It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs." She said, "Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters." Then Jesus said to her, "O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish." The woman's daughter was healed from that hour. Faith won the day! The Lord never gives up on us. Let's not ever give up on him.

***To Get God's Approval in All Things***

         We as Christians should do everything to please the Lord, but it's so easy to forget that and do just what we feel like doing, and worse yet, do what feeds our ego. I followed Sunday Mass on TV this morning and watched one reader reading who wore a flowery dress with her whole arms and small parts of her upper body all exposed. I understand that this is summer time and I am sure that she would blend in well at a shopping mall or a summer party. But at Mass, everyone is looking at you reading from the Scriptures and you surely do not want anyone to lose their focus upon the Lord. I know some people will say that they do nothing wrong and if others have a problem with it, then it's their problem. Let me quote Luke 17.1: Jesus said to his disciples, "Things that cause sin will inevitably occur, but woe to the person through whom they occur." Be in touch with the Lord always; never mind if the whole world think you are out of touch with them. 

*How to Get Blessed the Most

         Today is the Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Here is the entire Gospel reading from Luke 11.
       
        While Jesus was speaking, a woman from the crowd called out and said to him, "Blessed is the womb that carried you and the breasts at which you nursed." He replied, "Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it."

        The Lord is telling us what pleases him the most. We can praise him with words, but praising him by observing the word of God is best.

***Start Living an Exalted Life

         On the physical level, to become a muscle person, you need to have been born with the right genes. If you wish to become an excellent ball player, you need to have the right coordination and good reflexes. Not everyone are so gifted. The same on the mental level: not anyone can become a top mathematician or proficient pianist. But on the spiritual level, since God can reach your heart and soul, there is no limit to how holy you can become! This is something to rejoice and be excited about. We can reach God, beyond even the stars! Open up to the Lord to let him exalt you to the highest possible level.

*Become Wiser as You Age

         Christians are in the world, but they must not be of the world. As we age and approach leaving this world for good, it should help us become more and more detached from the world. After all, what's the point of holding onto anything you'll have to leave behind forever? To be in Christ is to be out of this world, for we are now free and belong to him. Let aging help you see this truth.   

***All God Needs for Us to Do

         The illumination of conscience has been prophesied by various, saints, mystics, and seers to happen to us any time now like a mini-judgment to wake us to God's mercy. Once you realize that God knows everything about us and that his judgment is absolutely just, we only need to do his will on our own and not worry about anyone or anything else anymore. Each of us trusting and obeying him is all he asks for!

***God's Intention on Marriage

           In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 19, Jesus said to the Pharisees who came to test him, "Have you not read that from the beginning the Creator made them male and female and said, For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall became one flesh? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, man must not separate. I say to you,  whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage is unlawful) and marries another commits adultery." His disciples, said to him, "If this is the case of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry." He answered, "Not all can accept this word, but only those to whom that is granted. Some are incapable of marriage because they were born so; some, because they were made so by others; some, because they have renounced marriage for the sake of the Kingdom of heaven." 
         It is absolutely clear that God has intended marriage to be between a man and a woman only, and that marriage is not intended for everyone. To go against God's intention is to create disorder.

*How to Start Living Right

        Today's Gospel acclamation, 1 Thessalonians 2.13: Receive the word of God not as the word of men, but, as it truly is, the word of God. It is only by the word of God that we can know the truth and not be deceived by the word of men. Otherwise, we easily become lost in this world. Start with God to know how to live right and forever.

**Betraying the Lord

        The Church hierarchy no longer hears the voice of the Shepherd.

***Praying the Rosary Explained