**Close to God?

        The moment we die, we see God, so we are that close to him. But if we don't make heaven, then we are in reality not close to him at all! Seek union with God on earth and we can get really close to him in this life and even closer in the next.

***Love Continues On

        When the Lord God created us, it was a great loving act. When we strayed away from him and he sacrificed his own Son to redeem us from sin so that we may return to him in grace, it is another great loving act.

**Remain in Christ and Bear Fruit

        In today's Gospel reading from John 15, Jesus asked his disciples to remain in him, as he remains in them, so that they could bear fruit. To remain in the Lord is to let his words remain in us. As for the fruit we bear, we may not necessarily see it. But as long as we obey him, we can be sure that our fruit multiplies, storing up treasures in heaven.

***God's Special Joy***

        The Lord gives us freedom and peace, but his joy is extra special—overpowering, exuberant, and intoxicating, deeply affecting our innermost. It's not caused by anything that stimulates your senses externally; it's just there bursting forth from your heart whenever the Holy Spirit chooses to touch you. It's a life-changing gift.

**Most Joyful Sound

        When you hear the priest breaking the consecrated Host, it's a most joyful sound, for the Lord is now ready to let himself be given to each of the faithful to consume. The disciples of his day knew him by the breaking of the bread.

***Solution to All Our Problems

        At Mass this morning, the first realization I had was that Christ is the solution to all our problems. Our worst problems are caused by sin. Since Christ can free us from sin, and assure us of eternal happiness, we really don't have any permanent problems anymore. Since nothing is impossible for the Lord, all problems will eventually become nothing in him. That he asked his disciples in today's reading from John 14 not to let their hearts be troubled or afraid is totally justified.

*****Through Christ Always

        Since we cannot go to the Father except through Christ, let's do everything in his name and thru him. This is how we pray and trust. Seeking to attain union with Christ thru the Holy Eucharist is the perfect approach.

***Ultimate Fulfillment and Union***

        Communion experience. No one can take me away from Christ and no one can take Christ away from me. This union is for all eternity! Belonging to Christ fulfills us completely! 

**What to Offer God

        We love God and offer our hearts to him. Perhaps it's harder to offer God our will to become obedient to him always. Nevertheless, offer all of ourselves to him. 

***Simple Truth

        Do you know that God is ever ready to love you, and all you have to do is to let him love you and you'll be freed from sin and saved forever?  

**Seeking the True God

        It amazes me that when I call out to the true God, he knows it. Should I call out to a false God, he knows it too. The Lord knows all about our intent and I am happy about that, for if I seek the true God, I can't go wrong. 

**What Do We Look Forward To?

        Without God, I used to look forward to the next vacation, the next party with friends to attend, the next football game to watch, the next chance to have some fun or relax and do nothing. With Christ, I only look forward to be with him one day forever. This expectation surpasses all others. It just shows that only God can truly satisfy us.   

***Wonderful Quiet Miracles***

         Communion time thoughts. When Jesus transforms the consecrated bread and wine into his own body and blood, it happens invisibly and quietly to us. Once we receive this heavenly gift with great reverence it starts to transform us, also invisibly and quietly. The Lord performs many wonderful miracles in this way without any fanfare. 

***Don't You See?

        The Lord created us in the first place, so going to him is going home to our Father! 

***Christ to Dive Into***

        Christ, so full of love and riches, is to be dived into with total abandonment. Inching toward him hesitantly is a waste of time. He is wipe open and if we drag our fee, that won't work out well. Go all out for him all the way—this is what he deserves and what we deserve too.

*Communion Experience

        As Jesus called his disciples his brothers, I felt that he was also treating me like a brother. I was elated, even though I felt that I must be the least of all his brothers.

***Truth Is Relevant Forever!

        Also in today's Gospel reading from John 14, Jesus said to Thomas, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." Truth is truth, whether you hear it in Thomas' days or today. It applies to us always.

***Most Endearing Lord!***

        In today's Gospel from John 14, Jesus said his disciples, "In my Father's house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be." Such endearing words! They are a joy to hear. Such a loving Lord!