****Our Most Important Concern

        Let's be realistic and talk basics. If you believe that we all possess a soul and the soul lives on forever, then the most important thing we should do in this life is make absolutely sure that we get to heaven. Of course, Christ has already made it known to us that whoever believes in him will have eternal life. So you must look into him unless you can find someone else who can promise you the same even more convincingly. Time is running out for all of us. Here's the best of luck to all.

**Only Way to Change Ourselves*

        Today I realize that we are complex sinful beings that only God our creator can fundamentally change. We can change ourselves on the surface only. This is a basic fact we need to recognize if we ever hope to change ourselves to experience the freedom, peace, and joy in God. It shows that we fundamentally need Christ.

**The Sin Situation

        We cannot take sin lightly. Anyone with unremoved sins is like sitting on the edge a precipice and can fall off it if he's not careful. When Christ removes your sins, it's like he's placing you on level ground with no precipices in sight anymore.

**Communion Experience

        Today is The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. I received my King in the Holy Eucharist, the food of immortality! There is nothing I lack anymore.

**A Simple Observation

        Sin is the main cause of the corruption, the disorder, and the suffering in our world. If you recognize this, especially in evil times such as ours now, all the more you should turn to Christ to ask him to make you as holy as possible. 

**Letting God Be Our Refuge

        Things come up in life that seem to disappoint or discourage us, setting us back in some manner. This is the time to seek refuge in the Lord to restore our perspective. In the overall scheme of things, most things that happen are quite trivial, and good might even come out of theses experiences. The Lord is where you can go to gain understanding of all things and receive guidance. Of course, this is also where you can get consolation and encouragement. Whenever the world tear us down, the Lord can build us up even more. Let God whom nothing can overcome and to whom everyone must succumb be your refuge, rock, and stronghold.        

***Faith Without Questions

        In today's Gospels reading from Luke 20, the Sadducees questioned Jesus about the resurrection. The Pharisees, Sadducees, and the scribes were always asking Jesus difficult questions in an attempt to trap him, but they failed each time, for he knew all the right answers. We should trust in our Lord, knowing that he has all the right answers to all our questions. Therefore, belief in him steadfastly and never let what you do not know stand in the way.

**Believing in the Lord

        Even as ones who follow Christ, we still tend to hold onto our own beliefs when it comes to issues such as administering justice to criminals, forgiving others, turning the other cheek, etc. I don't have all the answers, but I do believe that if I love my Lord, he will never put me to any test that I cannot pass.

**Solution to Division Among Us

         Jesus has told us that because of him, there'll be division on earth. Even among those who follow him, there's much division, let alone those who do not follow him. I see division practically in every family with distinct characters holding individual beliefs, not getting along with everyone else. Large models of division are our government and the Church. We are far from surrendering ourselves completely to the Lord—it's this disunity that weakens and can destroy us! Turning to and surrendering to Christ is our last call, for there's no other recourse available. He's our only hope and the one we need. True unity can come only thru uniting with him. Thus, union with Christ is the solution to restoring us to peace and harmony with God and fellow human beings.

*****Most Satisfying Relationship Possible

        The Lord God is invisible to us and many don't even sense his presence, yet we can form the closest possible relationship with him. How so? First, being our creator, he knows everything about us and understands us perfectly. He can take away our sins, heal our souls, and make us anew. Secondly, by seeking union with him thru the Holy Eucharist, you come to know him most intimately and he becomes the ideal perfect soulmate you have always wanted. Now he is more real and indispensable to you than anyone else. Rejoice that the Lord has made you this way for him!

****Seeing What's Coming

      In today's Gospel reading, Luke 19:41-44, Jesus laments over Jerusalem: As Jesus drew near Jerusalem, he saw the city and wept over it, saying, "If this day you only knew what makes for peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. For the days are coming upon you when your enemies will raise a palisade against you; they will smash you to the ground and your children within you because you did not recognize the time of your visitation." As evil is trying to take over the world, I see the worst coming for the Church and its members. There'll be increasing persecutions against all Catholics and the Eucharist may even disappear, according to some prophecies. Of course, we are not obliged to believe in such messages coming from private sources, but at the same time we should not ignore them either. The fact that there are so many prophecies coming to us now shows the urgency of our times. And the fact that they, coming from so many different sources, are very much in agreement with each other adds to their credibility. I do feel the urgency to do whatever extra we are called upon to do. Christians must recognize the signs of our times. Sure, we'll be all right if we trust in God and God will triumph in the end, but we still need to take action and do what's necessary to save as many souls as possible. If you are only lukewarm, you'd better get hot! If you are already hot, you can get even hotter! God now needs us more than ever.

*****Highest Form of Prayer

        Praying that God's will be done has to be our foremost and only goal! Of course, sometimes his will is ours too. So we can say that we should always pray for God's sake and not for our own. Know that God's foremost goal is to save us. So if we pray that his will be done, we are praying for the best for ourselves! To abandon ourselves in God is to let him do whatever he wants with us. Submission to God glorifies the Lord and is truly our highest form of prayer.

***Living in the Present

        Whether you follow Christ or not, the best way to live is to live in the present moment. For the Christian, it's a lot easier. You simply trust in God, asking no questions, never look back, and have no anxiety whatsoever about the future. We live for Christ every single moment, for he is with us every single moment. This is how we live in his peace. Jesus lived in his every moment in union with the Father and never rushed out to proclaim the Kingdom of God until he was ready. Always enjoy God and never rush things. One clarification: this doesn't mean that you don't feel the urgency to pray and fast even more in evil times like ours. We feel the urgency and remain vigilant and alert, but still remain in peace every single moment.

*****Jesus' Unique Suffering

      When I see people suffering physically, I just feel sorry for them and pray for their healing. Today as I saw the cross on my Rosary and realized how Christ had suffered so terribly for our sake, I also saw that all the most painful physical wounds he carried as sweet balms to my soul, for he suffered out of pure love for us to save us from eternal damnation. I'll forever be grateful to him.

***Our Greatest Blessing

        If you love God, he will always bless you. So focus upon loving God and you don't need to ask for his blessings anymore. Even better, attain union with the Lord, and he, our Greatest Blessing, is now with you as one.

***Spoiled Generatioin

        Jesus has said to his disciples, "Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me." To deny yourself and take up your cross is to be willing to suffer for the Lord's sake. Indeed, this tests if we are truly his disciples or not. Our generation is a totally spoiled generation; it seeks physical and material comfort and is not willing to endure any suffering, and Satan knows that and exploits it to his advantage. To accept your cross and offer all you sufferings up to God leads to liberation of the spirit, for you are no longer your own slave. You thus triumph over Satan and become united with Christ who has suffered for us and is still suffering for us. The Little Way of St. Thérèse the Little Flower teaches us that we can become saints by doing every little thing with love for God. Our crosses are little compared to what the Lord carries. So if we are willing to take up all our crosses for the sake of our Lord, we become saints.

***All About Loving God

        Jesus gave us the greatest and first commandment: "You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind." The following are equivalent to fulfilling this commandment: keeping the word of Jesus, total obedience to God, total abandonment in the Lord, not wanting to sin anymore, longing for Christ with all your heart, to be willing to suffer form him, remaining in union with him, and last but not least loving your neighbor as yourself.

**An Unprofitable Activity

        We can be hot or cold for God, but there is also a lukewarm area we must not fall into. It's so easy to spend a lot of time talking idly about other people or things, which doesn't result in any changes. This doesn't bear any good fruit nor advance the kingdom of God. It may make you feel good, but essentially you waste valuable time of your life when you can store up treasure in heaven. If I sound rather strict, ask the question "What if we all do this our whole life?"