**Our Ideal family

          My relationship with my father was never close. I was pretty much brought up by my grandfather, I know many of you may not even have a father around. But don't worry, for we have the best Father in heaven, the ideal father, who loves you dearly and understands you perfectly. He has filled all my voids in life. I was deprived of intimacy with my mother much of the time too. The Holy Mother has turned out to be ideal for me. The Lord gave her to be our mother just before he expired, knowing that we'd need a good mother She's always with us, helping us do the will of the Father. All the saints make ideal brothers and sisters. God truly wants us to belong to his family in heaven.

****The Lord Our Enlightener

          When I see so many people do so many foolish things, I realize that Christ is truly the enlightener we need. For once you know him, you see all things in the right light. You see the true reality, the consequences of our actions, the spiritual war that's going on fighting for our souls, where we are heading, etc. God makes you see and understanding everything so clearly. Get to know the Lord well to be totally enlightened by him. Then life is no longer a dream, an unknown, or a puzzle. 

**Sin of Omission

         This sin is very easy to commit. I can be good all day, not committing any sin, but forget to do some of the good I could or should have done. To be truly holy, we must seek to do as much good as possible. Not doing anything bad is not always good enough. You are more than being lukewarm, but you are hot enough yet. When Jesus asked us to be perfect, he meant it. It is possible for us, for nothing is impossible for him.

**Only One Comfortable Way

        To see things clearly, I look at the extreme cases. I can live without Christ and remain living in the unknown, while heading deeper and deeper into the unknown. Or I can know Christ, follow him, and never ever worry about getting lost. When you know the Lord, you know the way and then some. 

To Live for God Means . . .

 simply doing his will.         

*Healing of the Soul

        The Lord is our greatest healer. He may not always heal our physical ailments for good reason, but he'll always heal our soul if you ask. First, have him take away your sins, for he is the only one who has the power to do that. Then ask him to heal you soul. Once that's done, your heart and your mind are healed as well. Now you are a whole person.

**Why People Don't Believe

        The Gospel reading comes from John 3: God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. Perhaps the world just doesn't get it, for its people only want to focus upon living their life and keep their "freedom" on earth. Surely they should know that life on earth will end, that God wants to give them life after death, and that once saved, you are truly set free. John gave the verdict later in the same reading: people preferred darkness to light because their works were evil. I think he nailed it on the head.

*****God's Transforming Power (Great News)

        Today's first reading came from Acts 5. Let me quote the first two verses, 17 and 18: "The high priest rose up and all his companions, that is, the party of the Sadducees, and, filled with jealousy, laid hands upon the Apostles and put them in the public jail." As I read, I stopped at the word "jealousy" because it seemed to be somewhat a strange word. Then I realized that it was because I hadn't felt jealousy for quite some time now. A chain of realizations ensued. The Lord has changed me. He has taken away all the sinful feelings offensive to him. That's why I feel so much peace in my heart. He has fundamentally transformed me! God is truly amazing! Yes, he can make any one of us anew if you would cooperate with him. I want the whole world to know him so that everyone may experience freedom, peace, and joy. This is no fantasy, it's the almighty, loving God woking!

***God's Will Be Done

        Hearing the Lord speaking to me in my heart gives me great joy. Yesterday I was very happy because the Lord gave me quite a number of thoughts to blog. As I was walking outside this morning again, I thought it'd be nice to hear more thoughts from him again. Then instantly I realized that I was expressing my wish and it may not be his. What I read in yesterday's Gospel reading from John 3 came to my mind. Explaining how one is born of the Spirit to Nicodemus, Jesus said to him, "The wind blows where it wills, and you can hear the sound it makes, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes, so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit." So it happens as the Spirit wills. The Lord may wish to give me a hundred thoughts or zero thought according to his will. The joy coming from the Holy Spirit I can never anticipate either. God is free to do whatever whenever he wishes. We may ask humbly for favors, but not wish foolishly for any.

Losing Fear of Death

        No one can be sure that there is no God. In that case, I would be afraid to die, for I don't know what'll happen to me after I die. Since I know without a doubt that God exists and that he even loves me, I lose all fear of death. All very logical.

*Prioritizing. Our Needs

        We have our material needs. They may be necessary, but they are always temporary and may even be sinful.  Anyhow, we should always put our spiritual needs ahead of all other needs, for fulfilling these needs will get us into heaven. 

**We Let God Down

         Often we share Christ with others and no one shows any interest and we feel the letdown and a loneliness in this world. I realize how the Lord must feel when great multitudes of people have already deserted him. All the more we need to appreciate and love him to counter this imbalance.

*Being Truly Childlike

        When we were kids and didn't like what our parents told us to do, we asked why we had to do it. Many parent did not bother to reason with us; our father or mother simply answered "Because I said so." But God is nor ordinary parent, for he always knows what's best for us. So we can unquestionably obey him in all things. This is being truly childlike.

***Know, Treasure, and Rejoice In . . .

the fact that Jesus' ultimate death has gained for us ultimate freedom from sin. 

Our Relationship with God

        Since there are many Christians, we must examine our relationship with the Lord. Those who are weakly attached to him risk losing him altogether when the Devil attacks. Only those strongly linked to the Lord will survive all attacks and come through unscathed at the end. Be in union with God for maximum security. Just common sense. 

Inspired by Christ

        Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me." Today as I prayed the Sorrowful Mysteries, I was inspired by the Lord carrying his own cross all the way to Calvary. 

***Going Against God

        Jesus advised us to store up treasures in heaven so that we may want to go there. Many of us are doing the exact opposite on earth, which is accumulating material possessions. But I have something in mind even better (or worse), that is, "piling up sins on earth." 

***Dying for the Lord?

        Jesus has loved us so much that he willingly died for us. If we love him, should we die for him? Know that he died for us so that we may live. So we should focus upon living for him. If death is called for in the process, then so be it. The Lord desires love from us the most, not death.