*Jesus' Rest for Us

         Communion experience. In Matthew 11:28, Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest." Today I experienced that rest in the Lord. It's the you-are-home feeling.

**Faith and Trust Most Beautiful*

        In the Gospels, those who had great faith in Christ just went to him, fell at his feet, and asked for healing for themselves or a loved one, and he always healed them because of their faith. In today's Gospel reading from Mark 7, Jesus healed the daughter of a Greek woman unseen. It's just so beautiful to see that anyone would believe in the Lord to be his or her only sure hope, go to him, fall at this feet, and beg for his mercy. This is recognizing that the Lord is God and that he deserves our total trust.

**How God Calls Us*

        When Jesus calls us, he simply lets us hear the truth. He does not coerce us in any way whatsoever; we have the free will to accept or reject him. It's our choice. If we accept him, faith is born. I have totally accepted him and I feel totally free with him. This is the beauty of his calling. 

*****God's Unimaginable Love!**

        God's love for us is so great that it's impossible for our finite mind to grasp or conceive. I believe that if we can experience it for just a second on earth, we'll want to accept and follow him as our Lord God and Savior forever. He is always much, much greater than you think in every way! Make sure that when you enter your next life, you'll be surprised and amazed (not shocked).

***Our Ultimate Will*

         Today my TV remote stopped working. I knew that the two AAA batteries were probably dead. If I change them, it should work again. I changed them and it indeed worked again. By doing my will, I accomplished something. Then I see that there's the will of God, the ultimate will. I instinctively know that this is the will to follow if we wish to accomplish anything good. Going against it can well lead us to death for all eternity. 

***Becoming Anew in the LORD God*

        In today's Gospel reading from Mark 7, Jesus said to his disciples, "What comes out of the man, that is what defiles him. From within the man, from his heart, come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly. All these evils come from within and they defile." Thus, to be holy, we need to give our heart to the LORD God to be cleansed and filled with the Holy Spirit. This is how we become anew in God.

***A Secret Truth to Be Revealed****

        Total submission to the God of Christ instantly liberates your spirit and restores your inner peace, for you are now with God.

*****Only if We Can Be Aware*****

         In today's first reading from Genesis 1, we heard about the last three days of God's creation. On the 6th day before he rested, he created us, male and female, in his divine image. Later, man disobeyed him and became sinners. Finally, out of pure love for us, the Lord God gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life (John 3:16). If we can truly be aware of what God our Father has done for us, we would want to ask for his pardon and mercy and gratefully submit ourselves to him completely. 

***Our Duty and Our Honor***

        Today's Communion antiphon, Luke 22: 28-32. It is you who have stood by me in my trials; and I confer a kingdom on you, says the Lord, that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom. "Stand by the Lord in his trials," "Stand by him at all times," this is our calling, what we should do, and it's most consoling to him and most rewarding for us.

**God on My Side

        In today's Gospel reading from Mark 6, as soon as Jesus and his disciples arrived at Gennesaret, people recognized him and began to bring in the sick wherever he was. They laid them in the marketplaces and begged him that they might touch only the tassel on his cloak; and as many as touched it were healed. I felt elated that this amazing Lord is on my side.

***God Truly Awesome***

        The first 19 verses of Genesis made up today's first reading at Mass. It tells the first four days of God's creation of our universe. The LORD's mightiness awed me more than ever. The scientists can explain all they want how the universe was formed, but they can never explain how all the matters involved at the beginning came into being in the firs place. I find God's creation of all things logical, satisfactory, and most beautiful. To understand all things, we need to go to the Creator to find the answers. I'd ask the Lord to help us understand ourselves foremost. Then ask for great faith in him. 

**Sin Likened to Physical Injury

        Yesterday I couldn't find my house key after searching for it for quite a while, so I thought it might have accidentally fallen into the kitchen garbage. I started to look through it and got my right hand middle finger tip cut by the sharp edge of a metal can top that had been discarded. It wasn't a deep cut, but it did bleed quite a bit and disabled the use of that finger. Until it's healed, I won't be able to wash dishes, exercise with weights, or playing the piano. Then I see that committing a sin is like cutting yourself like that—it disables you from getting into heaven. In order to be able to do all the physical work, we need to recover from the injury first. Likewise, to get into heaven, we must have our sin(s) removed first. Of course, it's best that we don't get ourselves injured physically and we don't sin at all.

**Call to Be Outstanding

        In today's Gospel reading from Mark 5, Jesus tells his disciples as salt of the earth to not lose its taste and as the light of the world to shine before others that they may glorify the heavenly Father. So let's hear him and be outstanding as his followers. 

**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.