"Be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect." (Matthew 5:48)

Friday, May 6, 2022

**Being Close to Jesus

        If I consider Christ to be my soul, I don't mean that he is my soul literally; I am only expressing the feeling that he is as dear and close to me as my own soul. Since he is my creator and Lord, I can even say that he is closer to me than my soul. Anyway, once you attain union with him thru the Holy Eucharist, you can't get any closer than that short of heaven.

**Faith, Our Treasure

        Faith in God must remain intact in all circumstances, not affected by anything that happens to us in the world. In fact, it should get even stronger as you go thru all the trials and tribulations of life. It is our precious gift from God

*****Our Life Giver*****

        In today's Gospel reading from John 6, the message Jesus gave to the Jews while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum can't be clearer or more affirmative. 
       
        "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last Day. For my Flesh is true food, and my Blood is true drink. Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood remains in me and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever."

          That's why I as a Catholic worship the Holy Eucharist.

**The Truth Revealer

        It is the Holy Spirit that makes us see the truth. I don't mean just coming to believe that it's the truth; I mean becoming so sharply aware that it's the truth that you want to embrace it with all your heart.

***Be Ready for Judgment***

        There is no doubt that the last day for mankind will be here on Judgment Day when Christ comes again, but we only have our present lifetime on earth to prepare for meeting the Lord. So be wise and get ready now for your judgment.

*****Christ is Real God!

        I do not see nor aurally hear Jesus, yet he is more real to me than anyone I see, hear, or touch. How can it be? That's because he is God! For only he can enter my heart and touch my soul.

Thursday, May 5, 2022

**Jesus Heals a Leper

         Here's one dramatic scene from the TV series The Chosen. 

**Greatest Reversal

         Going from living for oneself to living for God. This is the greatest reversal because it changes your eternal destiny!

***Joy of Obedience***

         God grants many joys. The joy of obedience is a fundamental one. When we obey the Lord, we have inner peace, knowing that he guards and guides us, that we are completely with him, and that we are on a straight path to heaven. All other joys ensue from this joy.

Wednesday, May 4, 2022

***Our Own Spiritual Battle

         Pride with a hardened, closed heart prevents us from knowing God and saving ourselves. The cure is humility with a soft, obedient heart that's totally receptive to the Lord.

**One Reason to Know God

        God knows me better than I know myself. After all, he created me. Therefore, it makes perfect sense for me get to know him as much as possible so that I may understand myself fully and find out what he has planned for me. 

**Realizing My Need for God

        Today's Communion experience. The Lord has done all he can and I am a sinner. I need him! 

***Don't Blame God

        In today's Gospel reading from John 6, Jesus said to the people, "I will not reject anyone who comes to me" and "Everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life." So if we don't get eternal life later on, it's because we have rejected Christ and his promise. We have only ourselves to blame.

**God Sees Everything

        In today's first reading from Acts 8, we read that Saul was trying to destroy the Church; entering house after house and dragging out men and women, he handed them over for imprisonment. We know that later the Lord called and converted him. This is clear evidence to me that the Lord sees exactly what's going on and what he needs to do to correct things.

***Peace & Eternal Life from Christ

         Jesus always wishes us peace, both external and internal. I see him as the only one who can grant us true peace. If we become like him, we'll have peace. This is our challenge! Anyway, if we follow him, we'll be with him and inevitably end up in heaven forever.

Tuesday, May 3, 2022

***A Little Testimony

        Looking back on my younger days when I did not know Christ that well yet, I was always looking forward to my next vacation, the next party to attend, the next exciting movie to see, etc., for these were the fun things in life when I was bored with school or at my job. They were really my escapes when I didn't know what life was truly about. Knowing Christ well changed all that. I now try living to please him alone every moment. The old fun is gone, but what I have gained are invaluable—peace, contentment, and excitement about living. I am now more alive than ever and consider all time wasted if I don't live for Christ the Lord. 

Monday, May 2, 2022

**Get Along with God First

        It seems that the majority of the troubles we have are troubles with other people. You always hear someone talking about someone else. Well, that's because we still have our own trouble with God. If you have a perfect relationship with the Lord, then you won't see others as giving you trouble anymore.

*****What We Must Never Abandon*****

        God is everything to us. If you abandon God, you abandon everything and you'll have nothing left. I can also say that if you abandon eternal life, you'll have nothing left anymore. God never abandons us, so never abandon him and you'll have everything!