***Rejoicing in the Lord!

        I am struck by verse 24 of Psalm 118, today's Gospel acclamation: This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice in it and be glad. I look at today and see that the Lord loves me so much that he even died for me; that I am a  sinner, but he can easily make me pure and clean; that I can trust him with my soul; and that he is waiting or me to be with him for eternity. How can you possibly not rejoice when you are aware that you are being loved so much by such a great Lord? 

**Mary's Loving Messages

          Gisella Cardia of Italy began receiving messages from the Blessed Mother in 2016. In September of 2019, Mary foretold her about the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic from China. She is now known as the prophet of the end times. The main thing God desires from us has always been conversion and prayer, and Gisella hasn't added anything new. It only shows that how urgent it is for us to turn to God, repent, and obey him. I've found a couple of Gisella's messages dated April 18 and April 28, 2020, respecyively. I'll post them below, for they are encouraging and worth reading. 

            Beloved children, thank you for being in prayer and for having listened to my call in your hearts. Dear children, fight for your freedom: you are about to be enslaved by evil dictators. Beware of vaccines and all obligations, because they will not come from God, but from Satan who wants to govern your lives and minds. My beloved, earthquakes will be heard all over the world: I have touched the earth to warn my children, so that they can be ready for the terrible times that will arrive. Children, use discernment, for this is the time when there will be many false prophets. Pray much and continually, have faith in God alone and continue to read the Holy Scriptures. Beloved children, only faith can save you, never forget this. My Angels and Archangels will always be by your side: do not be lukewarm. Now I bless you in the name of the Holy Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Amen.

          Dear children, thank you for being united in prayer and for having accepted my call in your hearts. Beloved children, the powerful have planned everything, not taking God into account. It is useless for them to plan their escape before what will happen, because my safe havens will be prayer, sacrifice, penance and what God has already prepared for you. Rejoice, children, because you will see Jesus descending just as He went away [cf. Acts 1:11]. Beloved children, my Lord is suffering so much because He died for you and your sins, but the world is still acting in savagery. Shepherds are not taking care of the faithful: the churches are closing and soon the Eucharist will be taken away from you once again. What is to come will cause death. But you still do not understand! I have been sent to warn you, but many do not even appreciate my presence. Pray, children! Pray beneath the Cross of my Son, because the earth is full of demons. Man will lash out against man and from there war will begin. My beloveds, entrust everything to my Lord. Now I bless you in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

**Opposite Visions of Life

        Here's what the Lord made me see this morning. Most people do not believe in Christ because they want to remain free on their own, falsely thinking that being able to do whatever they wish will make them free. Of course, only God who's greater than us can set us free. Following yourself is exactly what lost souls do. On the contrary, believers in the Lord see that life in this sinful world is full of trials, setbacks, sufferings, and hardships. But God watches over them, so they willingly endure all and wait for the day they'll be with him forever. In sum, nonbelievers live myopically for the present and believers wisely set their eyes on the everlasting future.

*Soul-Shakng Moments

         To be excited about Christ, you need a wake-up experience. Many cradle Catholics may be devout, but they don't show show much enthusiasm outwardly. I think it's because they were brought up as Catholics and never had a "wake-up" moment. I am a covert to Catholicism. One wake-up moment I remember was the time I realized that I was truly a sinner and needed Christ to make me new—the realization shook me to the core and I broke down! Afterwards, I was a different person. It was an encounter with the Lord, you might say. We all need such moments and can desire and be open to them. God is to be experienced!          

*Simple Step to Clinch Eternal life

        To have eternal life, you only need to acknowledge that Jesus is your Savior and believe in him. It's a simple step to take. You are not even required to become a holy saint. Of course, once you get to know the Lord intimately, you may very well want to be as holy as possible to pease him.

***Key to Recognizing the Lord

         In today's Gospel reading from Luke 24, we read about how the risen Lord appeared to two of his disciples on their way to Emmaus. They did not recognize him until they saw him took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them at the table that evening. If you receive Holy Communion, fully aware that the Lord is present in the Eucharist, you will recognize his presence at all times.

**Eternal Life Is OK

        To want to have eternal life is not being self-centered. It is nice, but I want to have it because God wants me to have it! Our first priority is to obey God. Should he want to punish me for my wrongdoings, that'd be fine too. 

***Two Ways of Growing Old

        People become enlightened and wise or bitter and more stubborn than ever as they grow old. Let's look at the latter case first. The worst example would be someone who complains about everything and blames others always and never himself. He's set in his ways because he believes that's how God has made him. Of course, I am describing an extreme case, but I've known people more or less like that. On the other hand, he one who grows wiser realizes that he must depend upon God more as he grows older and weaker. This is a true blessing as he finally sees the reality. Now, abandoning yourself to God doesn't mean that you no longer ask God for favors. In fact, you are now free to ask for all the blessings you need. Only how the Lord is going to respond does not concern you anymore. You've been enlightened!

**Effect of a Change of Heart

        John 3.16: For God so loved the world that he gave his only son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. The statement is so clear and simple. Yet we just have a hard time believing the Apostle John. This is because as sinners, we are still rebelling against God—the same perpetual old story. Only the wise recognize this reality that a change of our heart can send us to heaven instead of hell. 

**Sad State of Man (Ultimate Stupidity)*

        The Church does not obligate us to believe in any of the various prophecies and warnings that have been coming to us from heaven. The gist of all such messages has been that we must turn to God, repent, and pray hard if we are to avoid damnation. This is practically common sense, yet so few people care or pay serious attention. Having lost all humility, man is now so lost that it no longer listens to or think reason. Not seeing that pride is our downfall is ultimate stupidity.

**Joy in Union with God

         Happy Easter to  you all! We rejoice today, for the Lord is risen. I do feel that we need to rejoice in the Lord everyday in the interior of our heart, not just showing joy outwardly during the time of Easter. God is to be experienced and enjoyed every moment of our life. There is no better way to achieve that than attain union with him so that you and the Lord become soulmates.

*Making Heaven Rejoice

         Jesus told us in Luke 15:7 that "there will be great joy in heaven over one sinner who repents." We can make heaven rejoice once more after repenting by surrendering to God to attain union with him and become holy.

**About Sinning

        I just finished talking to my oldest granddaughter on the phone who will be graduating from college next month and start working for a company in Boston, not exactly a holy place. I recall my college days attending the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. The opportunities to sin abounded. I still remember one fellow student boasting often about his illegitimate infant daughter living with the mother in nearby Detroit. Sinning is like stepping on quicksand. Once you start sining, it becomes easier and easier. But if you can refrain from committing small sins, you avoid committing big sins too. To stop sinning and enjoy inner peace, seek to attain union with God. You are never too early or too late for that. In union with God, you remain holy in God wherever you are.

***Spiritual Reality (a Warning)

        These thoughts came to me while walking this morning. We are the only creatures on earth that were made in God's image and possess a soul. The spiritual warfare fighting for our souls between God and the evil one is real. It will end one day for sure. Warnings have been coming from heaven to us all along. The central message is clear—we need to surrender to God, repent, and obey him. The latest messages coming from the Blessed Mother, St. Michael the Archangel, Jesus, the Father have all been most urgent. When this war will end and how severe the chastisements will be will depend upon how we respond to God. We can end up all going to heaven or with multitudes going to hell. It is important that we see this reality and not waste our time focusing upon the insignificant mundane things of life.

*Our Only Perfect Savior

         I love the last two verses from today's second reading from Hebrews 4 and 5: Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered; and when he was made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation. First, it is obedience to God that makes us perfect. Secondly, Jesus the Son made perfect became fittingly the source of eternal salvation. There is not another who can save us.

**A Delightful Thought!

         With spring in full swing, I look out the window and see fresh green leaves and blossoms on many plants. I realize that I won't be outlived by any creation in heaven or on earth, for I will live on forever with my God! The thought greatly delights me!

***Good Friday Thoughts

          This is Good Friday. It is good because God showed his greatest love for us on this day. Jesus followed the will of God the Father perfectly. He came to us to save us from sin by dying on the cross in our place. He knew what he had to go through, yet during his some 33 years on earth, he continued to perform good deeds and spread the gospel. A normal person in his place wouldn't have been able to sleep well every single night. He never complained again those who persecuted him. A normal good person in his place would have tried hard to justify and defend himself. The example of Jesus leaves me with no doubt that he is the divine Savior! For that, I accept him as my Lord and Savior. I am reaping abundantly now and that's only the beginning. Let us thank, worship, and glorify him today and always! 

*Living the Temporary Life

        People just get their priorities all wyong. They live in this world as if it's the only life they have, so they concentrate on living comfortably in this life, not considering what might happen after they die. Death might be their best blessing, for when they are near death, they may finally turn to God. The wise would settle their eternity first. When you do that, you'll see life in a new light and start living in freedom. It takes courage to buck the trend, but nothing is impossible for God and you'll be richly rewarded.