**Key Realization to Salvation

        In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 12, in speaking to some of the scribes and Pharisees Jesus let it be known that he is greater than Jonah the prophet and Solomon the king. Indeed, Christ, being God and Savior, has to be the greatest of all beings. This is the realization we must come to if we are to be certain of our salvation. 

***Purgatory***

        I bought three good books recently and started reading them, but I stopped reading two of them after finding them not that interesting nor inspiring. Last night I picked up the last book, and after reading just ten pages, I knew I was to finish this 340-age book. It's entitled "Get Us Out of Here!!" about Maria Simma (1915-2004). She was a humble Austrian woman dedicated to helping souls in purgatory. Nicky Eltz, the author of the book visited her more than 30 times over five year. The book contains all the recorded answers to questions Nicky asked of her. Over the many decades, numerous souls from purgatory had visited Maria for help, so she probably knows more about purgatory than anybody else. 
        Before I share a few things I've learned from those ten pages I read, let me say that many non-Catholic Christians do not believe that purgatory exists. That's OK. I am merely sharing them with no intention of starting a debate. I have already posted why existence of purgatory makes sense on this blog. If you disagree, reading this book may very well change your mind.
        (1)  One actual case shows that one woman who refused to forgive another woman who wanted peace between them earned her the deepest level of purgatory. (2) God does not sent the souls to purgatory. The souls themselves recognize that they are not yet pure and need to be cleansed before joining God. (3) There are many different levels of sufferings in purgatory. In the lowest levels, Satans can still attack souls, and fire that can consume the entire body exists. The souls in the deepest third of purgatory must first suffer away the sins that they committed before our prayers, Masses and good deeds can do them any good. (4) The sufferings of purgatory are greater than those we suffer here on earth. Our sufferings here, despite being less severe, are worth so much more to erase sins than in purgatory.

***No Regret After Death Best

        Some more thoughts after my last post. If we do not prepare for meeting the Lord in this life, then after we die, we'll be shown that we have wasted our lifetime, sinned against the Lord, and missed all the opportunities we could have used to secure our own soul. This regret we feel can be most unbearable, but now it's too late to change anything. I am bringing this up here hoping that no one will ever have to experience that. It's in this life that we permanently cast our next life, you might say.

**Lamenting the World

        Our time on earth is extremely brief. Whereas we should spend time preparing for meeting our creator upon departing from this world, we entertain ourselves and fight each other instead as if there'll be no life after death. When shall we wake up and face reality?

**A Christian's Super Advantage*

        Those who belong to Christ are untouchable to Satan, for their souls are completely safe under his care. This is a super advantage that must not be overlooked by anyone who is concerned about his or her soul. 

**Only One Lord of All

        In today's Gospel reading from Matthew12, Jesus let the Pharisees know that he is the Lord of even the sabbath. There can be only one Lord and he has to be the lord over all things in heaven and on earth. And that Lord can only be Christ, our creator and Savior. How foolish it would be for us to live and not acknowledge this fact and truth!

***Ain't Going to Die!

         Today is the memorial of St. Bonaventure. Reading 1 from Isaiah 38 starts out thus: When Hezekiah was mortally ill, the prophet Isaiah came and said to him: "Thus says the LORD: Put your house in order, for you are about to die..." When I heard that, it struck me that since Christ has already promised me eternal life, I am never really going to die! This is nothing new, but somehow I never thought about it much. Now that I am more aware of it, I feel even more peacc and joy.

***How to Go Straight to Heaven

         (1) Have that desire. (2) Then abandon yourself totally to God. (Remember that in Luke 23, the "good" criminal who was crucified with Jesus asked him, "Jesus, remember me when he come into your kingdom," and he replied, "Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.")

*****Our No.1 Obligation

      We are to pray for others and the world, of course, but our No.1 obligation should be to pray for ourselves—we can't help others and the world much if we are still weak and not holy enough. And the No.1 thing we should pray for ourselves is obedience to God. If we always do God's will, then nothing can disturb us anymore. Pretty cool!

*Going to the Lord

        Are you ready to go to the Lord? Do you look forward to seeing him face to face? If you answer yes and yes, then he probably wants you to remain here a little longer to do more work for him. Anyhow, be ready whenever he calls you and you'll have a most joyful meeting. 

***Momentous Event*

        At Mass, before the breaking of the bread, we prayed the Lord's Prayer in preparation for receiving the Holy Eucharist. This prayer is already the perfect prayer. As I said it from my very heart, I was ready to melt myself into the Lord. Finally, the most beautiful encounter this side of heaven happened!

****Why We Believe in Christ

        Why are we happy and even grateful that we've found Christ? That's because deep down we know that we are sinners and need salvation! As for those who still have not accepted Christ yet, they are still under the influence of the world (other religions included) too much for the time being. Anyway, this is what I see. 

****Having God Forever

        The Lord God exists forever and remains the same forever. He loves us forever and want us to go to heaven to be happy with him forever. He is absolutely trustworthy. If you lose him, you lose him forever too. Hold onto him and you'll have not a thing to worry about forever.

**Big Deal for Christians

        Today is the memorial of St. Kateri Tekakwitha, Virgin. The entrance antiphon: Here is a wise virgin, from among the number of the prudent who went forth with lighted lamp to meet Christ. You are probably familiar with the parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25. It is poignant to hear that someone is ready to meet the Lord when he comes. It's equally poignant to learn that someone is caught unprepared when he appears. For Christians, this is a big deal.

****Wonderful Old Age Opportunity

        I watched a short tonebase video in which the celebrated pianist Leon Fleisher gave a master class on the opening five bars of the Beethoven's 4th piano concerto. I mention this because I met him at his 70th birthday celebration at the University of Kansas in 1998. This video was probably made more recently, in which he looked older. My thoughts are that as we age, our hair, our skin, our teeth . . . all exterior parts of our body show our age. If you examine the X-ray or CT scan images of an older person, you'll find that the interior parts also no longe look as pristine as before. Nevertheless, spiritually we can always become more robust and beautiful. What an opportunity for us to grow holier and more pleasing to the Lord! The body deteriorates, but the soul becomes more immaculate! Growing old affords us the time to get perfectly ready for meeting our Lord.

*****What God Wishes the Most from Us*****

        God wants us to pray for the world and many other things, but most of all he want us to pray for ourselves. He wishes the most that we surrender ourselves completely to him so that we may receive power to become holy and blameless. Whether you are happy or feel uncomfortable upon hearing this, he is calling you!

****Never Lock God Out

        Never lock God out of your heart. If you do, you cut off your lifeblood. Seek the God of Christ with an open heart and he will enter and become your dearest friend, then you'll have more life than ever. (John 10:10)  We can be stone dead or filled with abundant life! Which would you rather prefer?

**Greatest Fulfillment or Tragedy

        Knowing Christ is the greatest fulfillment of my life. So I see that not knowing him can be the greatest tragedy of one's life.