God is always calling us to return to him, for he wants us to have the greatest possible happiness. If we respond readily and follow him all the way, we can go straight to heaven after we die. If we are less perfect, we end up in purgatory before entering heaven. Then, depending upon your spiritual state, purification can be severe and long. This isn't my first choice for sure. Last, there are those with hardened hearts who just do not respond, but the Lord still loves them the same. Now the only way to get their attention is to have something shocking happen to them. It's still a grace, but I don't wish anyone to be foolish enough to advance to that stage, for that may be their last call and the experience can be traumatic. Be wise. Know that what's best for God is always best for you too.
Tuesday, November 14, 2023
**Old Age Thoughts*
Old people's one big problem is loneliness. If they are still able physically, they try to do as many fun things as possible. If not, then they have no choice but to depend upon others to take care of them. You could say that they now just wait for death. This is a rather sad situation. One thing about attaining union with Christ is that you'll never ever feel lonely again, for you sense his constance presence within you in a most intimate way. I also see that as I age, I get the great opportunity to abandon myself to the Lord even more! And I rejoice that before long, I'll be seeing my beloved Lord face to face.
Monday, November 13, 2023
***Faith Being Tested***
On Oct. 13, 1973, the Blessed Virgin Mary gave Sr. Agnes Sasagawa of Akita, Japan, a message in which she said "The work of the devil will infiltrate even into the Church in such a way that one will see cardinals opposing cardinals, bishops against bishops. The priests who venerate me will be scorned and opposed by their confreres . . . churches and altars sacked; the Church will be full of those who accept compromises and the demon will press many priests and consecrated souls to leave the service of the Lord." It was also reported that on June 18, 1965, Our Lady told Conchita Gonzalez of Garabandal, Spain, that many cardinals, bishops, and priests were following the road to perdition, and with them, they were taking many more souls. At the time, many people rejected this message as being implausible. Of course, now we see that both the Akita and Garabandal messages contain a prophetic truth. We are now living in a time of great confusion. That the good Bishop Strickland of Texas just got removed from ministry by Pope Francis was truly shocking. We should believe in the Lord more than ever and follow the good bishops and cardinals only. The purification and restoration of the Church will surely come. Meanwhile, our faith faces its greatest challenge.
***EXCITING FAITH***
In today's Gospel reading from Luke 17, the Apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith." The Lord replied, "If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it would obey you." What's so exciting is that there is no limit to how great our faith can be! 🔔🔔🔔 When all doubts vanish, faith becomes infinite.
***An Awareness to Be Aware Of*
Let me just quote half of today's reading from Psalm 139.
O LORD, you have probed me and you know me; you know when I sit and when I stand; you understand my thoughts from afar. My journeys and my rest you scrutinize, with all my ways you are familiar. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know the whole of it. Behind me and before, you hem me in and rest your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; too lofty for me to attain.
The LORD is fully aware of us. Let us live in full awareness of this awareness of his and rejoice that he watches over us to keep us on the path to eternal freedom and joy!
**Getting the Most Out of Prayer
When you pray, if you just say the words and hope that the Lord will hear you, your prayer might not even reach him. On the other hand, it you pray from your heart, meaning every word you say and believing without a doubt that you will received what you ask for, you can be sure that the Lord will respond most favorably. (In Mark 11:24, Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you, all that you ask for in prayer, believe that you will receive it and it shall be yours." God will take you seriously only if you take him seriously.
Sunday, November 12, 2023
***Most Berautiful Name
During the breaking of the bread at Mass, we address the Lord as Lamb of God and ask him to grant us mercy and peace. "Lamb of God" strikes me as the most beautiful name I've ever heard. Then everything about the Lord is beautiful!
****Fantastic Result****
The Lord God loves us so much that he wants us to know him. So go before him and say, "LORD, here I am, all yours to know." And voilà , you now know him!
**Only One Relationship Needed
All relationships we established with others on earth will end one day. So start establishing your most beautiful relationship with the Lord God that will last forever.
*****Why We Are Unhappy
We are unhappy because we sin against God! The Lord has made us this way so that we may seek to return to him. If we were holy and blameless, we would feel so grateful to God and be filled with joy! As long as we go against our conscience and continue sinning, we lose our peace and remain unhappy.
Saturday, November 11, 2023
*Dying Advice*
Do not delay doing God's will, and alway do it wholeheartedly, so that you may die in peace.
**Extolling Holiness
Holiness is a beautiful thing. Since God is most holy, he is most beautiful. I sense the beauty of all the saints and all my brothers and sisters who love the Lord. Other beauties we sense are just not in the same class.
*****Secret of Living an Easy Life*****
Before I was fully awake this morning, the Lord impressed this thought on me. It wasn't new, but permit me to elaborate on it once more. The thought was "if we obey the Lord, everything becomes easy." How so? Well, if we obey him, we do his will always, and with us out of his way, of course everything will be accomplished for us. If we want to know the Lord well, this is also the right approach. He loves us and wants us to know him. We desire that and he reveals himself to us. This is also accomplished effortlessly by him with no struggle on our part. So be obedient and living your life become a breeze.
Friday, November 10, 2023
*****Christ Is the ONE
More thoughts on Christ the Lord. He is the only one who has revealed to us that he can save us from sin and lead us to eternal life. This is news one can hardly believe or wants to believe with all his heart! Once you fall in love and attain union with him, all you desire is to remain in him forever! He is most special because he makes us special.