**Lovely Act

        When we submit ourselves to the Lord God, we really surrender ourselves to his love for us. And this is a most lovely act. 

***Stark Contrast

        Jesus showed his greatest love by laying down his life for us, while today so many crooked politicians demonstrate the greatest lack of love by caring only about staying in power and not about the well-being of the people they are supposed to represent. These are genuine hypocrites. 

**Cool Realization

        Today Friday I again prayed the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Holy Rosary. When I was deeply moved by how Christ suffered for our sake, I realized that I was indeed made in the image of God, and I rejoiced in that. 

***Difference Between God and Us*

        We can have good intentions in performing something and end up with a bad performance. Now, people will always remember our bad performance, but God will remember only our good intentions. 

**Thanking God Again

        The Lord knows everything about me and I am grateful that he has helped me see myself clearly with no pride standing in the way.

***Rejoicing Again

        It's so good that I have Christ to trust in, as I realize that he has already secured my eternal life! 

**Union with God Is Spiritual*

        Communion experience. Here I was, a finite vessel, to receive the infinite Lord! How could I possibly contain him? I now realize that I was thinking wrongly in terms of physical containment. Spiritually, a complete union with the Lord is no problem. An exhilarating realization!

**Awaiting My Judgment

        I know that Christ loves me, knows and understands me perfectly, and is always just and fair. So I am ready for him to judge me and accept whatever he decides to grant me. After that, I'll be in person with him forever! 

**Even Exchange

        That Christ has died for me, I will always remember. If we are willing to die for him for loving him, he will likewise never forget us. 

***Beautiful Happening***

        When you accept God's love for you, you become a humble, selfless person. Let's not overlook this fact. It is a beautiful happening, as wonderful as a miracle.

**How God Makes You Beautiful

        Communion experience. He first heals your soul. Then he transforms you to become like him. Now you are beautiful. 

**Supporting Jesus

        Today is the Feast of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary. It's worth noting that Mary supported Jesus as her Son and Lord, and we support him as our Lord. So spiritually, we can be as close to Christ as Mary is. Something to rejoice about.

***Holy Beggar

         This is one who trusts in the Lord fully and begs for his mercy and blessings on himself and the whole world. This is someone to look up to.

****Amazing Intimate Relationship****

        I'd like to emphasize again that we need to be wide open to the Lord God. This means that we be 100% honest with him, sharing everything with him, our joys, our sorrows, our wishes and desires, even our doubts, complaints, hangups, secrets we wouldn't share with another human being . . . all kinds of problems. Believe me, if you can be this open with God, you'll develop an amazing, most intimate and life-changing relationship with the Lord God!  

**Power of Prayer*

        Know that every good prayer said straight from your heart blesses and sanctifies you! So pray unceasingly for God's great glory.

***Matter of Faith***

        If you are not happy about yourself, let God remake you! If you don't believe that he can make you happy, then you'll remain unhappy. On the other hand, if you believe that he can make you perfect and happy, then nothing will be able to stop that from happening! You see, it all depends upon whether you believe in him or not.

***See All the Good Things

        The world is in a mess caused by sins, but think of all the good things God has done and still does for us! The list is endlessly long. He sustains us so that we remain alive. He gives us so many things in the world to enjoy. He is ever ready to hear our troubles and offer his help, and to console us when we are sorrowful. He heals us when we are wounded internally and turn to him. His love for us in boundless. And he has paved the way for us to get to heaven. This last alone is enough for us to rejoice and become carefree!

**Persecutions Leading to Eternal Life

        In today's Gospel reading from Mark 10, Jesus said to Peter, "Amen, I say to you, there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands for my sake and for the sake of the Gospel who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age: houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come." Give up everything for Jesus' sake and we'll receive a lot more with persecutions, and finally eternal life. Suffering for Christ for a little while longer now is definitely worth it, for we shall soon be rewarded with living happily forever!