**Sad State of the World

        Since conversion refers to conversion of one's innermost self, God speaks to us via the heart. Even though the Lord is always calling us, most people just don't hear him because the world has already gotten their attention and turned them into spiritual zombies. Perhaps they will awaken at the hour of their death. This is the present state of our world.

***Receiving Power from the Lord

        Communion experience. When you receive the Lord with all you heart, all your mind, and all your soul, you receive power directly from him to overcome evil and to do his will! A great triumphant feeling.

***Preparing for Judgment*

         We are all sinners and live a holy life or a not-so-holy one. And none of us can escape judgment by God after we die or at his Second Coming. In other words, our judgment is imminent. Christ had told us 2,000 years back to remain vigilant and be prepared always. We are on our own; but if we are with him, we'll never be lost and alone again. Today's reading of Psalm 23 at Mass shows how beautiful it is to live in the LORD. I'll reproduce it below for your edification.        

        The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. In verdant pastures he gives me repose. Beside restful waters he leads me; he refreshes my soul. He guides me in right paths for his name's sake. Even though I walk in the dark valley, I fear no evil; for you are at my side with your rod and your staff that give me courage. You spread the table before me in the sight of my foes; You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Only goodness and kindness follow me all the days of my life; And I shall dwell in the house of the LORD for years to come.

**A Sin of Omission*

        Communion time thoughts. We worship the Lord and he lets us consume his own body and blood—this absolutely raises our intimate relationship with him to an extraordinary level. If we receive him and not ask him to make us holier, we would be committing a sin of omission.  

***Most Beautiful Heartfelt Prayer***

        When the Apostle Thomas saw the resurrected Jesus, he finally believed and said to him, "My Lord and my God!" It was a conclusion and declaration coming straight from the heart and soul. You can't get more beautiful than that. And it is now my favorite prayer. 

**How We Should See Death

        A glass of water may be seen as half empty or half full. So death can be seen as the end of this life or the beginning of a new glorious life in God. Knowing that God will resurrect us one day further helps us see death in a different light. To die once to live forever is definitely worth it.

**Important Truth to Realize

        I hope we all see it. That is, our world will not get better the slightest until more people turn to God and repent of our sins. 

***Best Blessing to Ask For

        If you ask God to bless you, what do you really want from him? To give you good health? To keep your family safe? To save your crop? The blessing to please him and profit you also the most is actually to ask him to make you holy.

**Made for God*

        I am amazed that when you truly turn to God and open yourself up to him, he makes you see all your faults clearly. There is something here. It's like he is a light that's able to expose all your imperfections. Then you realize that it shouldn't be surprising, for after all, he's your creator. All I can say is that we are truly made for God. In that case, he can make us perfect for sure if we let him.

**Consequences of Our Doings*

        What others do to us on earth affects our subconscious and shapes our dreams in sleep. What we do to others on earth affects our soul and shapes our entire afterlife. 

***The Lord Is the Holy Spirit

        Communion experience. I received the Lord into me and was filled with the Holy Spirit.

**Presenting Ourselves to God*

        Today is the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord. When Simeon, to whom the Holy Spirit had revealed that he should not see death before he had seen he Christ of the Lord, saw the child Jesus at the temple, he took him into his arms and blessed God, saying: "Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation . . . ." We, who have not seen but have already known Christ and even received him in the Holy Eucharist, we should be ready to go to our Master in peace at any time. 

***Trusting Alone Not Good Enough

        Some people say that they trust in God, so they are not too concerned about how bad the world is becoming. This attitude sounds admirable, but is it good enough? God wants us to trust in him, but he also wants us to respond to what he calls us to do. In our troubled times, the Lord wants us to pray and fast extra had so that we can mitigate any impending chastisement and avert another world war. The salvation of the the world is more urgent than ever. How many of us do heed this calling seriously can make a huge difference. So trust alone is not enough; we need to trust and act as we are called.

**Heed Your Spiritual Needs

        We have physical needs to be fulfilled in this world, but we also have spiritual needs only God can satisfy. So if you don't even think about God much, then you must have become mired in this material world. It's time to wake up and reorient your life. 

**Essential for Spiritual Growth**

        God is best enjoyed after you've received the Holy Eucharist at Mass. I am blessed to be able to attend daily Mass at a small chapel at a seminary. Today there were I think eight attendees. After Mass, five left early, so only I and two others remained. Silence reigned and I was able to concentrate fully upon the Lord, meditating, praying, and talking to him from my heart. That was absolutely the best time I had with the Lord today. Spending time with the Lord in solitude is essential for spiritual growth. 

**Humbling Experience

        Communion experience. The Lord came down from heaven, changed the bread into his own body so that I might receive him to become one with him. That was absolutely humbling and I was most grateful!    

***God's Perfect Love

        God's love for us is so powerful that it can form the strongest possible bond between him and us. Once we are bonded with him thru this love, we are transformed. Now we are empowered to love others selflessly and do great works for him fearlessly. 

***Right Way Dealing with Sin***

        God can surely take care of our sins. We repent and he takes them away. This part is easy. The hard part is to remain sinless. The wrong way to achieve that is to struggle hard on our own, while the right approach is to surrender ourselves completely to the Lord God to let him make us holy. This is most effective because it's following his will! A big challenge for us for sure, but if we really want to be perfect, it's the only way. Once we break through with the Lord powering us, it becomes easy coasting all the way.