***Smart Breakthrough Move

        In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 10, Jesus said to his Apostles, "Nothing is concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known." I feel good that the Lord knows everything about me. You see, we lose peace because we attempt to hide our sins from the Lord. But if you realize that there is nothing you can possibly conceal or keep as a secret from him and decide to tell him all your sins and ask for his forgiveness, this will bring you profound peace and great joy.

***What We Must Deal With

        If we are in sin and don't do anything about it, we remain in a sort of limbo, not knowing where our soul will end up. This is not a good state to be in, for not dealing with sin will unavoidably lead to the destruction of our soul.

***A Truth to Face

        Many of the truths I realize nowadays are nothing new, but I just see them more acutely. Today I am made aware that we all are going to die and be buried, whether we think about it or not. What matters is how we'll look to the Lord when we appear before him and see our entire life on earth revealed to us.

*****Most Beautiful Name

        We address Jesus as Lamb of God because as God he is most humble. It's for this humility stemming from his infinite love for us that makes us fall in love with him, worship him, adore him, and want to live and die for him. "Lamb of God" is most fitting for our Lord and is the most beautiful of all names.         

***Best Way to Live

        We are imperfect and with a free will, so we do a lot of things not necessarily in accord with God's will. But the Lord is in charge of the course of all events and his final triumph over evil is already a given. The best way for us to live is to submit ourselves to him as perfectly as possible so that we may be amply rewarded in our next life. Yes, the souls lives on forever, for we are made in the image of God. 

***God Alone Protects My Soul

        Communion experience. Receiving the Lord in the Holy Eucharist assures that I'll always be with him. The world can give me all the protection it can possibly give and that won't help my soul one iota.

***Essential Realization**

        In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 10, Jesus sent out his twelve apostles to proclaim the kingdom of heaven to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. He said to them, "Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give." It is true that God has given us everything, so there is nothing we can really claim to be ours. Even ourselves were created by him! Realizing this can help us let go of ourselves and what we have, so that we may truly live only for the Lord.

***Most Comfortable Feeling

        Communion experience. It's such a comfortable feeling not to offer any resistance to the LORD so that he may do whatever he wishes with you. 

**Letting God Take Over*

        At morning Mass today, I wanted to submit myself to the Lord entirely, yet I felt that I couldn't achieve that on my own, being a finite creature. So I just went passive completely and asked the Lord to take over, for he can accomplish anything if you'll let him.

***Joyous Realization***

        All of a sudden I realize that God loves us, for he created us and we are his own children! It's only natural that the Father should love his own children, especially when he is love? Rejoice! 

***Don't Wait too Long!*

        Recently, I heard that quite a few of the older folks I know had started to show signs of Alzheimer's disease. Here are my thoughts. If you do not know Christ yet and think you might want to know him, then don't wait. For once dementia sets in, it'll be too late. My own prayer is that the Lord will keep my mind clear all the days of my life, for I love him and wish to be aware of and enjoy him everyday I am alive.

**Our Response to God's Love

        Since God's love for us is boundless, our appropriate response will have to be loving him back with a love as great as possible.

**Christ Is the Way

        I attend Mass daily to remain in union with the Lord. This is how I keep my sanity, my sanctity, and my soul safe. Without the Lord, I'd be lost in this world for sure. 

*****Most Urgent*****

        Loving God is most urgent, for we have only a brief moment on earth to prepare for all eternity! 

*****Happy in the LORD

        Today I am so happy with my Lord. He has fulfilled me and I am so satisfied with him that I wish to be totally overwhelmed by him.  

***Faith at Work***

        In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 9, an official came forward, knelt down before Jesus, and said, "My daughter has just died. But come and she will live." Later Jesus arrived at the official's house and raised the little girl from her "sleep." Another woman suffering hemorrhages for twelve years came up behind Jesus and touched the tassel on his cloak. She said to herself, "If only I can touch his cloak, I shall be cured." Jesus turned around and saw her, and said, "Courage, daughter! Your faith has saved you." And from that hour the woman was cured. In either case, it's faith at work, verifying what Jesus said in Mark:24: "All that you ask for in prayer, believe that you will receive it and it shall be yours." So, have courage and believe."

***How to Be Happy

        Today I feel really happy that the God of Christ is my God. I feel that sinning against him is the worst thing I could do to him, and to repent my sins and be forgiven by him is the happiest thing that could happen to me. To obey the Lord always and you are the happiest person always.

***Need to Be on Fire!

        Just being awake is not good enough; we need to be hot on fire. The Lord God doesn't like us to remain just lukewarm (Revelation 3:15-16). We really should mind his business first, in fact, only. We serve ourselves most of the time and only serve him when we have some time left over or have to. This falls far short of fulfilling the greatest and first commandment Jesus gave us: You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. (Matthew 22:37) To make this happen, we must desire it. Otherwise, we remain lukewarm.