**Banishing the Ego

         Yesterday I misunderstood someone and said something that could have offended him. If I did offend him, I should appropriately feel sorry about that. Then I  sensed that perhaps that person no longer thought highly of me—I instantly realized the presence of ego. What people think of me should never be my concern; it's doing the right thing for the sake of the Lord that I need to focus upon only. The ego is to be banished forever!

'**A Christian's First Duty

        Don't ever believe that God has made you so that and you can't change. Since God has created you, surely he can change you for the better. In fact, a Christian's first duty is to grow holier and holier. This is how we can get close to God.

*Contrasting Fires*

        The fire of hell is most horrible, for it is to inflict punishment on the damned forever. On the other hand, the fire of the Holy Spirit is most gentle and sweet, for it burns our sins away and enkindles our love for God. Enjoy the fire of the Holy Spirit now to avoid the fire of hell forever.

**True Love vs. No Love

       One who truly love others would want everyone to go to heaven. But evildoers full of hatred don't care about anyone's soul, not even their own—they are to be pitied the most. 

***Go Fearless!

        Today is the Memorial of the Passion of Saint John the Baptist. In the Gospel reading from Mark 6, we heard read that King Herod feared John, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man. The reason he feared John was that he knew he was a sinful man. People avoid Christ also because they basically don't want to expose their sins. When your relationship with the Lord is right, you are totally comfortable with him. You lose your fear of him because you know that he loves you, and you also lose fear of anyone else because you know that the Lord is now with you.

**Best Way to Know God

        There are myriad counsels available to us from the Holy Scriptures, the saints, various authors and speakers, etc. Take the example "You shall love God with all your heart..." We know that it's right, but practicing it may not easily follow, for if the heart is not ready, nothing will happen. Since the end is know God, it's best that we approach him directly first. Once we know him, we'll know how to follow all the counsels without any effort. There's no better way than going to the greatest Counselor first to get counseled. He is open to us at all times. Pour your heart out to him and he instantly hears you. Our God is our Father, our Brother, and our Best Friend, the one who loves us the most beyond our comprehension. To ignore him is to be the greatest fool. 

**Repayment Not Our Concern

        In today's Gospel reading from Luke 14, Jesus went to dine at the home of one of the leading Pharisees. He told a parable to those who had been invited. Here's the final counsel he gave them: When you hold a lunch or dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or your wealthy neighbors, in case they may invite you back and you have repayment. Rather, when you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous. The bottom line is "do not expect repayment for whatever you do." Being repaid by others who have received some favor from you is meaningless, for it only servers to inflate your ego. As for the repayment by God, it will definitely come should you deserve any. So just focus upon doing good for the Lord and forget about repayment.

***Best Choice for Us to Make

        Today at Mass, I wanted the Lord to strike me, crush me, and zap me. This is not asking to be punished, but to want him to do whatever he wants with me. It is the key to being set free, the best choice for us to make for his glory and our salvation. 

**No Need to Be Somebody

        Today is the Memorial of St. Monica. In reading 1 from 1 Corinthians 1, Paul writes that God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise, the weak of the world to shame the strong, and the lowly and despised of the world, those who count for nothing, to reduce to nothing those who are something. In our secular material world, you always find others who are more famous, more talented, more wealthy, and/or more powerful in every way than you. If you don't know Christ, that can easily make you want to be somebody yourself. But once you know him, you are so happy with the freedom and peace you experience that you no longer wish to be otherwise. Such is the difference the Lord can make.

****Our Huge Advantage*

         Let us remember that we are made in the image of God. This means that we can understand and know God and even become like him. Now we should see why God our Creator loves us so much. We have this huge advantage! Thru Christ we definitely know that we can return to our Father to live happily with him forever. We've got it made!

***Prayer to Bypass Purgatory

        I came across this prayer which purportedly was given by a deceased nun to her superior who was praying for her soul. She told her that by saying that prayer every night before going to bed, she paid all her debts and was excused from purgatory. It's a succinct beautiful prayer and I believe that if you say it sincerely from your heart, you can accomplish the same. Here it is.   
       
       Eternal Father, I offer you the Sacred Heart of Jesus with all its love, all its sufferings, and all its merits
To expiate all the sins I have committed this day and during all my life. Glory be..
To purify the good I have done poorly this day and during all my life. Glory be...
To make up for the good I have neglected to do this day and during all my life. Glory be...

**Serious, Weighty Matter

        Communion experience. Today I feel the "weight" of the Lord. I don't mean that as a burden—I just feel that he is like an anchor, totally securing my existence. Yes, he is God and he is with me all the way, and this is serious. 

*We Need God Dearly

        We poor sinners are totally unworthy before God. The good news is that God our Father can make us worthy to dwell with him forever in heaven! Therefore, we need God. In fact, we should hold onto him for dear life, for without him, we'd be lost forever. Besides, for what he has done for us, we should feel obligated to love him if we have any heart. 

*Being Foolish or Wise

        In today's first reading from 1 Corinthians 1, Paul writes, "The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." So what is Christ crucified to you? Was he foolish or most wise? The truth is that if you think that he is foolish, then you are being most foolish, but if you think that he is wise, then you are truly wise indeed.  

**Disposing Ourselves for God*

        My first thought today. God is greater and more magnificent than we can possibly imagine. Therefore, even when we do our utmost to love, worship, and adore him, we still fall short of what he deserves from us. And he knows that. So let's just rest in him and enjoy him to the fullest!

***St. Bridget's 12-Year Prayer

         Jesus has given St. Bridget of Sweden the 15 prayers for 1 year devotion to honor the 5,480 blows he received during his sacred passion and the 7 prayers for 12 years devotion to honor the 7 times he shed his precious blood for us. Those who fulfill either devotion will receive the many graces promised. It seems that the latter 7/12 devotion is more popular, as it's shorter and the 5 graces promised are most appealing. The one I like most is that the soul who practices it will go straight to heaven after death. Jesus also promised that if you die before the 12 years are up, he will accept you as having done its entirety. Since the prayers and meditations are too long to reproduce here, I encourage you to search for this beautiful devotion online. It may be just what you are looking for. God bless you.

**Exalted by the Lord

        Communion experience. When I received the body and blood of the Lord in the Holy Eucharist, I was humbled that he should stoop so low as to unite himself with me in such an intimate manner, and he greatly exalted me.

*To Make God Trust in You,

you trust in him first. Would you trust in your own children who do not trust in you?