***Important First Realization***

        Before we can make any great spiritual progress, it is essential to realize how much all of us, the world, need God's mercy. We are at his mercy and our very existence depends totally upon his mercy. 

**Giving Our Hearts to God

        Satan is good at invading our minds, but if we dwell securely in the Lord, it'd be impossible for him to touch our hearts. Give our hearts to God is one of the first things we should do.

**Faith Makes Life Meaningful

        If you have faith in the God of Christ, everything becomes meaningful. If not, you basically live an empty life.

**Only One to Live For

        Communion time thoughts. In receiving the Lord, I realized I was facing him alone. It was beautiful because I was ready to go to him. In the end we'll all face the Lord—it'll be just he and you. This is the way we should live, as if he's the only one with us. For he is our Savior, the one who makes life worth living. As Saint Mother Teresa has said, "You see, in the final analysis, it is all between you and God."

***Eternal Commitment to God

        The Lord God is eternal and wants us to have eternal life. So let's commit ourselves to him first for all eternity. This is entirely proper if you seriously want to spend life eternally in heaven. We reap what we sow.

*Life Cycle of a Monarch Butterfly*

        We see the change from egg to larvae to pupa and to adult. It just confirms for me that God is real and amazing, nothing is impossible for him, and life always starts at the very beginning.

***Loving God Back***

        The love of God for me I feel makes me yearn for him and want to love him even more. And the only way I see to accomplish that is to obey him more. I think it'd be just as accurate to say that the way is to let him love me more, implying that I become more open to him. This is really the key.

***Rejoicing in Salvation

        Salvation is great news; that it's for all eternity makes it extra sweet. Thank you, our Father in heaven!

**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.