*First-Rate Thinker

          When you truly know the Lord, you learn everything from him, understand his ways, and think as he thinks. You are now a first-rate thinker.

*A Time for stopping All things

          Life on earth always comes to an end, so there is a time for stopping all things. If you are wise, you'd start detaching yourself to everything. On your own, this would be impossible to do, but with God, all things are possible. I'd start knowing the Lord as soon and as much as possible so that before it's time for you to stop everything, you are fully ready to leave without ever looking back.

*True Peace Only in One Place

         Earlier I watched a short video showing all the places in Scotland worth visiting. I must say that some of the landscapes, rock formations, castles, monuments, etc., looked fantastic. It's like being a fairyland world. I understand that many scenes in the Harry Potter movie were shot in Scotland. It'd be fun to visit those places, but I realize that true peace can only be found within oneself in union with the Lord.

*Bless You All!*

         Bless all of you who read my blog regularly. Seeking union with God is not something everyone wants to listen to or even consider. Otherwise, this blog would have gone viral a long time ago. I still remember the time I couldn't bear reading the spiritual classic The Imitation of Christ by Thomas à Kempis—I wasn't spiritually ready. But now everything he wrote in that book sounds sweet and beautiful to me. Let the Lord God change us to become the happiest, freest creatures on earth. So God bless you and let's remember each other in prayer. A happiest time will be when we see each other in heaven!

***Most Satisfying Feeling***

         There is nothing more satisfying than knowing that God the Father is satisfied with all you do. Always do the will of the Father to be happy with him together. This is to be in and one with him.

***Nice Knowing God

        If Christ, the Holy Mother, an angel or some saint should appear before me, I would be delighted, but not surprised nor excited, for I already know the Lord. And I'll be going to him not as a stranger, but as a member of his family returning home.  

***Great Consolation

         I walked this morning again. The wind was rather cool and brisk in my face, but the sun gave me overall warmth. Then I realized that all these things were external and passing, only the Lord is internal and dwells within me forever. What a great consolation!

**To Be Weak Is to Be Strong

        To know yourself is the key to knowing God well. First, you must realize that you are a sinner and need him to save you. Then to be strong in God, you must acknowledge that you are so weak that only he can make you strong. This is how you receive power from him, for his power will only enter those who humble themselves before him. Now you can be as strong as you wish. Always ask the Lord to give you whatever you need.

***Living an Exciting Life

        It's exciting to see that things or people change in amazing ways. Look at how technology comes up with ingenious devices and some people accomplish incredible feats. But it's even more exciting to discover that the Lord God can actually change you fundamentally! This is something many are not aware of because they don't try to change themselves and don't know God. As a result, they live a superficial life. When you are excited about God, you have finally found God and connected with him.

**Purgatory Justice

            It makes perfect sense that purgatory exists. Say you have a saint, living a holy life. He dies and goes straight to heaven. Then say you have a most evil person, committing heinous crimes all his life, but repents just before he dies. Since God is most merciful, he is saved too. It would seem unjust to have him go straight to heaven too. This would be like letting a criminal go free without serving any time in jail. So God sends him to purgatory to get purified before entering heaven. God's justice is now fully served. 
        By the way, on May 14, I posted St. Gertrude's prayer for the souls in purgatory. I have shortened that to make it easier to remember and say. Here it is. "Eternal Father, I offer You the most precious blood of thy Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the Masses said throughout the world today, for all the souls, both living and deceased. Amen."

***Joy Completed

        Jesus had wished that the joy of his disciples might be complete (John 15:11 and 16:24). Today I thought about how he had called me, revealed himself to me, taught me daily, and given me so much joy, and the fact that I am going to him for all eternity, my joy is more than being complete!

**We Are Not Alone

              We do not physically see God, but he is with us always. So we are never alone. This makes you happy or afraid, depending upon your relationship with him. If you are happy that he is always present, then you should rightly rejoice, for you must be on good terms with him. If you are afraid that he exists and is watching you, you need to be concerned, for you must be trying to hide your sins. Then he is exactly the one you need to set you free from sin.

***Our God of Joy!

         My friends, you may not believe in the Lord Christ Jesus, but it is impossible not to feel the joy once you believe in him. In him are love, light, hope, and the best possible news. A gloomy Christian is not a true Christian. We who believe in him rejoice and exult in him, as we head for heaven where we'll be glad for ever!

***Achieving Purity of the Soul

        Purity and charity are two separate things. We must "strive" for purity first and at the same time always do good deeds. It is much better to become as pure as possible in this life to please the Lord and reduce or even bypass our suffering in purgatory. Pure souls enjoy special peace and joy from the Lord. Seeking union with God through the Holy Eucharist is the path to attaining purity of the soul. We'll have to meet the Lord anyway, so we might as well look as best as we can before the meeting. 

**Jesus' Final Instruction for Us

        The last instruction we give before any departure is usually what's most important to us. Today is the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord. Before he ascended into heaven, Jesus gave this instruction to his disciples: "Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature, Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned." This should be easy enough for us to remember.

**Pathetic Recipients

         This is an image I had this morning when I was taking the walk. God's mercy is like a rain shower falling upon us, yet some of us do not feel a single drop of it. How pathetic can you be?

**Loved by an Omnipotent God

         Time is of no barrier to God. He can make you see all you've done in your life in a few minutes when the illumination of conscience comes, and he can heal all the wounds you suffered in the past. You could say that everything is like an instant to him. You could also say that since he exists forever, time stands still for him. Anyway, our omnipotent loving Lord knows everything about us, and we should rejoice for that alone. 

***Going All the Way with God

        Every day, not just Sunday, is a holy day. We are to worship God every day and be holy at all times. Again, with God it's all or nothing. If you love him, then love him with all your heart. If you abandon yourself to him, then go all the way. If you believe that he is leading you to heaven, then don't ever drag your feet. "Here I am" and "Here I come" are what the Lord wants to hear from us.