**Our Tragic Downfall*

        We live in a material world, but we must realize that the "real" world that matters is the spiritual one in which God dwells and which we shall enter after we depart from this world. When we are not aware of its existence, we are easily amazed by our material accomplishments in the world, not realizing that they are all made possible by God. Instead of feeling more humble, we become more prideful. This is our big downfall. And it'll be most tragic if we do not wake up to it.

***Simple Way to Be Eternally Happy

        While recovering from COVID at home, I have plenty of time to think about God and life. I see that what matter only in life are how we let God impact us and how we impact others. If we are openly receptive to the Lord, he will fill us with joy, making the whole heaven rejoice. If we draw others to him through his love for us, our eternal happiness is assured! It all comes down to pleasing the Lord God, our Father and creator.

***What God Desires the Most from Us***

        I thought I caught a cold two days ago Saturday. I coughed a little bit and had a stuffy nose. So I chose not to go to Sunday Mass. Today Christmas Day I also stayed home, tested myself for COVID and the result was positive. That was unexpected. A year ago, when I first had COVID, I had a fever and the cough was unbearable. Maybe because of that, I am not feeling so badly this time around. So I am going to stay isolated thru the rest of this year. As I rested in bed yesterday, I turned on the clock radio on the nightstand. It was the local PBS music station broadcasting classical Christmas carols, both old and new. They were beautifully composed and performed by accomplished musicians. I don't know if such music actually draws any listener closer to Christ. Only the Lord knows. At around 6 p.m. The music switched over to popular jazz Christmas carols. They were more light-hearted and easy to listen to, but pretty much secular in most cases when Christ wasn't even hinted at. Surely, these songs are not going to convert any hearts. All this leads me the see that writing music to celebrate Christmas may be a good thing, but the best way to glorify the Lord is what he desires from us the most—it is that we obey him in all things. This is also how we earn the most merit from heaven.

***Christ My Lifeline***

        Because of my knee problem which came up last Monday morning, I didn't attend Mass the last five days. It's Saturday today and I felt good enough to go back to church, and it's goof to receive christ again. After all, he's the one who means the most to my existence. If I have to cut all my ties, this is the one I can never sever, for he is absolutely my lifeline!

**Being Social vs. Being Friendly

       Friendly people are usually social, but the converse may not be true. People wrongly assume that if you are unsocial, then you are unfriendly. I think the criterion should be whether one is friendly to God or not. To be friendly to others is good, but to be friendly to God is critically important. To be social or not matters even less. Anyway, make the Lord your best friend and don't worry about whether you are social or not.

***Rejoicing in God's Trustworthiness

        In today's world, there are very few people you can truly trust. Various people are trustworthy to various degrees, but none comes close to God in whom you can trust all the way. He alone remains faithful to us always, and is the only one we need to rely on for all things forever. How blessed we are to have such a Lord!

*****Great Hope for Us

         Can't believe that we are near the end of another year. I'd like to give you all this great hopeful message now. Christ, being our creator, can truly transform any of us into a new beautiful creature, depending totally upon how willing we are to let him. The more open and submissive we are, the faster and superior the result. The whole process is to let the Lord set us free. And we can go as far as we wish! Christ can make everything effortless for us—the truth.

***God's Reality***

         Since the Lord dwells in me and I am aware of his holy presence at all times, I know that he is aware of whatever I do internally and externally. This does set up a sort of barrier between me and the world, but I don't mind at all, knowing that the Lord is absolutely real. 

***On Suffering***

        Yesterday after I got up from bed, I found it difficult to stand on my right foot alone because the knee hurt. I know that something like that can change your whole way of life. I managed to go to morning Mass, but had to walk slowly and carefully. I skipped going to the gym afterwards. Right now I'd better stay home and rest. Of course, I am going to find out what the cause is.
        My first thoughts this morning are on suffering. The Lord allows us to suffer from time to time to make us stronger and draw us closer to him. As followers we must be willing to accept whatever he sends our way. Of course, we can still pray for alleviation or total healing, but if that doesn't happen, we must not complain. To be willing to suffer doesn't mean you deliberately ask the Lord to make you suffer either; it only means that you are open to whatever he sends you. One thing you can be sure—he'll never send you anything you cannot bear.

***Keeping the Faith!***

         These are dark days. Pope Francis just approved same-sex blessings. The Church is pretty much in shambles. I read comments online that say it's clear now the Catholic Church is not the true Church. They don't realize that Satan is attacking the Church most viciously because she's the true Church. Our country is also in shambles with so much corruption going on at all levels of the government, from the White House down. So what are we to do? It's easy to run away and not deal with all such things, but the right thing to do is just the opposite. We must never give up our faith in the Lord and always obey him in our hearts. Everything we face should make us hope and trust in him even more. Our home is not in this world. We the faithful already belong to Christ. It's only a matter of time he will set everything straight. Endure all and fight for the sake of God and our days will turn brighter than ever!  

***A Christian's Goal***

        Jesus has taught us to love our enemies and never judge others. We are to love others only. So Christians should never wish ill of anyone, including their persecutors, nor rejoice when their enemies are down. Their only goal is to obey and please the Lord alone. Hard to achieve on our own, but easy when we rely on him.

*******POIGNANT REALITY (Unity or Separation)********

        True unity exists in Christ alone. If we are one with him, we are one with each other and we have true unity. If we are divided because of him, we become separated forever and we have true separation. Christ is our pivot, for he is our true Lord and God.

***Great Consolation

         We all have the need to be understood. And it's frustrating that when you share some view honestly with someone and you can be easily misunderstood or even blamed. Even if you find someone who will listen to you objectively, that person still does not know all your inner thoughts. So when I realize that the Lord God knows everything about me and loves me, it becomes a great consolation to me. Suffice it to say that his understands alone is good enough for me. 

***Overwhelmed by Love

        Communion experience. I realized that he had redeemed me with his most precious blood—I was priceless to him! I was overwhelmed by his love. 

**Manifestation of a Weak Faith

        The lack of reverence for Christ the Lord signals the absence of a strong faith in him.

***Another Natural Law

        The more you believe in the God of Christ, the more wonderfully you feel about your own life (existence).

***Rejoicing in God Effortlessly***

        Today's psalm response, Isaiah 61:10b: My soil rejoices in my Lord. It's clear that here Isaiah rejoiced in God naturally without any reluctance. We Christians are to rejoice in the Lord always, but sometimes we may not feel like doing that. Well, this can be cured if you get to know the Lord well. Again, seek to attain union with him first. Once you are in union, you don't even have to remind yourself. For now, being fully aware of his intimate presence within you at all times, your soul "automatically" rejoice in the him unceasingly!

***God Is Our Joy!***

        I love what I heard from today's first reading from Isaiah 61: I rejoice heartily in the LORD, in my God is the joy of my soul... As a matter of fact, God is my joy! My favorite hymn For You Are My God by John Foley, SJ, says it all for me. Here's the refrain: For you are my God; you alone are my joy. Defend me, O Lord. The accompanying melody is also memorably beautiful. I have posted about his song before. Here's a different rendition well done, in case you haven't heard it yet.