**Don't Get Left Out

        In today's Gospel reading from Mark 1, Jesus delivered a demoniac. The unclean spirit right away knew Jesus as the Holy One of God. Naturally, the angels and saints all know who Jesus is. Even Satan knows. Let's not be the last to know this important truth. 

*Making Private Vows

        When you join a religious order, you usually have to take the vows of that order. For us who belong to the laity, we can make vows on our own too. There is so much to learn in following the Lord, why not make certain vows as the Holy Spirit directs us? This is a great way to grow spiritually for the glory of God.

***Praying to God Is Beautiful

         God wishes that we pray to him unceasingly. He loves to hear from us. Praying to him is directly talking to him, and we should take it seriously. We should take the time to speak to him from the heart and never rush through it. The more sincere and persistent we are, the more we'll hear the Lord speaking to our hearts. This is the most important communication we can make on earth, for our prayers can affect all the souls, living and deceased, and the entire future of all of us on earth. Besides, it's thru intimate prayers that we develop an intimate relationship with the Lord.
            Imagine if all your children love to come to talk to you, show their trust in you by telling you everything about themselves, and ask for your advice and help, how pleased you'd be. Now our heavenly Father loves us so much more than we love our children and is always ready to give us what's best for us, he'd be thrilled that we endear ourselves to him. 

**Get It Right in This Life

        We have only one life to live. Even if we don't think about our next life, we should try to do everything right since we do have a conscience. Then without any guidance and support, this may not be easy. If you know Jesus, everything changes. He can sharpen your conscience, give you all the guidance and support you need, and even get you into heaven. I highly recommend that you get to know him well in this life.

**Feeding the Soul

        Communion experience on the Epiphany of the Lord today. Food feeds the body and knowledge, the mind. The Holy Eucharist nurtures, heals, and readies the soul for union with God.  

**Determining Factor

        Reconciliation with the God of Christ is what separates the saved souls from the lost ones. 

***Only Rule We Need to Follow***

        Today's re-realization. We only need to listen to and obey Jesus. Do it and we are set for eternity. 

**Letting Nothing Disturb You

        As Christians, since we follow only Christ, recognizing that he alone is our judge, (1) we don't compare ourselves with anyone anymore, and (2) we no longer care about whatever others say about us, for only what the Lord thinks about us matters. So, if anyone criticizes you or put you down, treat it as nothing, for you only desire to remain in peace in the Lord. 

**Learning from Our Sinfulness

        Many Christians may be steeped in some serious sin. Sexual immorality and drug addiction are examples. I met a young man on one pilgrimage who told me in private that he was living with some woman and knew that it was wrong, but felt helplessly trapped. The fact that he shared this information with me showed that he was seeking help. Being enslaved by evil is always a terrible, miserable experience; but as long as you are aware that you are in sin, it's the Lord still holding onto you. Keep praying and he will set you free in time. Know that the Lord puts you through all this to draw you ever closer to him. And you'll emerge a much better disciple. Let us learn from our pain and misery caused by sin to realize that we are never abandoned. Hang in there with the Lord always through thick and sin. 

**Don't Neglect Sins of Omission!*

         It is much easier to detect sins of commission than sins of omission. You commit a sin of omission when you neglect to do what is right. To be perfect, you must not commit either type of sins. To not commit a sin of omission requires that you be attentive so that no good works are left undone. This is the challenge. It helps to actively look for ways of doing good. 

**Don't Live for Your Possessions

        We know one day we'll leave this world. Take a good look at all your possessions. After that day, you'll lose them all, for you'll have no more control over them and it's bye-bye forever. Realizing this, I hope you'll see all you things and your attachment to them differently. Putting it mildly, it's just plain silly to live for all those material things that you'll lose forever soon. Besides, they don't care a bit about you.   

***No Double Life*

         Live only for Christ in all things at all times. Make his judgment of you a pleasure.

***Our Greatest Power

        Today Friday I prayed the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Holy Rosary. Jesus foreknew the agony and all the sufferings he'd have to undergo, yet he went thru them in total obedience to the Father with the greatest humility. How was that possible? This answer came to me: "Love makes all things possible." You see, nothing is impossible for God and he is love.

**Most Content Feeling

        Communion experience. I now have my Lord and my God—it'd be impossible for me to feel more content.

**To Be Holy, or Not to Be Holy

        The Holy Spirit makes us holy, so if you don't want to be filled with the Spirit, it's in a way telling the Lord that you don't quite want to be holy. Our intention is alway important to the Lord. It's much better that you have the best intention even if it turns out that you don't quite make it. 

**Be Filled with Holy Spirit!*

        In today's Gospel reading from Mark 1, we learn from John the Baptist that while he had baptized people with water, Jesus would baptize all with the Holy Spirit. It stands to reason that if you wish to be filled with the Holy Spirit, just ask the Lord for it. This is a request he'll always grant, for what you want is exactly what he ardently wants for you.

**Living the Christian Life

        A Christian who lives for the Lord leads a two-track life. He feels and suffers for the wounds inflicted upon the Lord by the world, and at the same time rejoices in the great mercy the Lord has on his soul. 

**Common Sense and Beyond (God's Existence)*

        This thought came earlier which I forgot to blog. Not everyone believes that God exists. But common sense tells us that if God does exist, he would be at a much higher level, super intelligent and almighty. So if we, who don't even know how much longer we are going to live on this earth, think that we can know everything and don't need God, this would be sheer folly. Anyway, nothing can replace God. If you have no God, your existence is devoid of meaning. Common sense again. The great evidence showing that God exists and is even our loving Father is Christ Jesus. This is personal experience going way beyond common sense.