***God Is Good***

         Today is a happy day for me. Twenty-nine days ago on a Monday, I woke up with a knee pain, making it difficult for me to walk. So I stayed home and rested. Five days later, I started coughing a little. That's how my COVID started a year and a half ago. So I tested myself the next day and the result was positive, although there's no fever this time. That meant isolating myself again. After I finished my medication, the test turned negative. I didn't go back to attending daily Mass as my coughing hadn't quite gone away, though my knee happily no longer hurt. Then last Wednesday, I woke up and noticed that my right eye vision was all blurry. I saw an ophthalmologist the next day and she found that the blood pressure in the eye was dangerously high that any time a blood vessel could burst and cause permanent damage to the vision. (I believe that this was COVID-caused as I learned that this had also happened to a friend of my younger son.) So the doctor prescribed three new eye drops in addition to the one I'd already been using. I'll have the pressure checked again next Tuesday and believe that I'll be all right again. Today I felt good enough to attend Sunday Mass. Imagine the joy of receiving the Eucharist again! I'll be forever grateful to the Lord.  

Another Good Sign

**********MOST SERIOUS MESSAGE TO ALL CATHOLICS**********

      On January 4, I posted the video "A SERMON FOR ALL CATHOLICS" preached by a Fr. Gavin Bitzer based upon a sermon give by St. Leonard of Port Maurice (1676-1751). It truly made me see a number of things critically important for us to know. The stated facts that many souls went to hell might very well be true, for Jesus did say "Many are called, but few are chosen" and "How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life. And those who find it are few." But we also know that we can absolutely work out our salvation with fear and trembling as St. Paul advises in Philippians 2. It is Satan who wants us to believe that we are good enough as we are to get into heaven so that we might lose our fear of God and as a result our souls too. DON'T FALL FOR THAT!
           The best and sure way to get into heaven is to attain union with God through the Holy Eucharist. But since not everyone chooses that avenue, I'll mention the requirements I learned from this sermon. We must realize that any good deed we perform cannot cancel any sin we've committed. A sin is a sin and the only way to remove it is to repent or confess it in the case of a mortal sin. Just one mortal sin unconfessed can keep us out of heaven even if we were the nicest persons in the whole world! Any time we knowingly disobey the teachings of Christ or the Church, we commit a mortal sin. Common examples are skipping attending an obligated Mass for no good reason, not forgiving someone, using birth control pills, making an insincere confession, and worse yet, receiving the Eucharist in a state of mortal sin. We disobey because it's either easy to do so or too hard to obey and/or everyone is doing it. I see people showing up for Mass only on Easter and Christmas days, hoping to appease God—that won't work. Some ex-Catholics offer free services to a church instead of coming back to the Church—that won't work either. We can do thousands of good deeds, but if there's still one mortal sin on the book, the door to heaven is closed to us! 
       The other thing is prayer. If we don't pray, I don't see how we can possibly get into heaven. By praying, I don't mean reciting some prayers perfunctorily. Praying to God is sharing what's in your very heart openly with him. You may even cry out to him. Of course, with the Lord God, we must be totally sincere and honest, yes meaning yes and no meaning no, for we cannot fool him one iota. Last, know that salvation is between you and God. At judgment time, you alone will answer to him. Now is the time to realize that he loves you and would never want to lose you. So cast aside your pride, wise up and submit yourself to him, and you'll be happy for all eternity! Otherwise, you'll end up being one of the biggest losers that ever existed.

***Our Lady of Akita's Prophecy***

 

***Another Wake-Up Talk for Catholics***

        A talk about the sad state of the Church and the honest truth about some of our clergy. 

*****Recognize This Blasphemy (A Grave Warning)*****

        If you believe that you are a pretty good person and will most likely go to heaven, the Devil has likely got you, for this is exactly how he wants you to think. If you believe that all religions are the the same as long as you believe in one and you'll get to heaven, the Devil has definitely got you. For this amounts to saying that Christ really didn't need to have come and that he had come and died for nothing—a direct blasphemy! With such a belief, you'd better repent without delay for your soul's sake!   

*****Obedience Our Top Priority

        Today's psalm response from Psalm 40: Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will. Verse 7-8a: Sacrifice or oblation you wished not, but ears open to obedience you gave me. Burnt offerings or sin-offerings you sought not; then said I, “Behold I come.” Obedience covers everything. If the Lord desires sacrifice and offerings, fine. If not, fine. Obedience is what pleases and glorifies him the most!

***LUKEWARM CATHOLICISM***

        On Jan. 4, I posted A SERMON FOR ALL CATHOLICS which probably would shake up some people, but it's what we need to hear. I had already posted some afterthoughts. I did learn something important from it and will try to share it with you soon. Today I came across this sermon given by a Fr. Bill Casey in 2002, but it's just as valid now. It's almost 40-minute long, but it's worth listening to by every Catholic. We really need to hear preaching like this if the Church is going to become hot.

****Christ the Perfect One!

        I now just know that Christ is exactly the one to complete my existence. He's the perfect solution to all my problems. He is perfect peace and pure joy. How do I know all this? You can find it out directly from him yourself.

***Different Existence Outcomes*

         Let's look at the typical life of someone who does not know Christ. He would try to make as much money as possible to get ahead in life. He would also try to enjoy the many pleasures of the world. At the same time, he probably has to deal with problems in his family, at work, and with various other people. As he ages, he looks forward to a comfortable retirement. Then his health starts to deteriorate and eventually reaches the point of having to depend upon others for everything. As death looms, he's not sure what he'll face. I can't say that he had a happy life. A much better afterlife would surely be a nice high point for his existence.
        Now let's look at the typical life one who does place all his trust in God. He probably would go through the same kind of things and face similar problems. But he'd make sure that whatever he does is always in accord with God's will. And he knows where he'll be going after he dies. He's totally satisfied with his life and knows that he's soon to hit the best part of his existence.

***Letting the Truth Set Us Free

       In this secular world, we are used to do what we want to do, so to do God's will just doesn't sound too good to us. We think that it's going to take away all our own freedom. Yet the exact opposite is true. That the world is such a sad state is precisely because we don't do God's will. To turn things around, we need to get to know Christ first. Once you realize how much he loves you, you repent of your sins and start to experience peace. Eventually, you progress to the point you want to do his will only with joy. For by giving up your own freedom for him, you are set free from your sins and the world! This is how the truth sets us free.

***One Continuous Life***

        The Lord made me see today that no barrier exists between this life and the next. When our time is up, we are immediately on the other side in spirit without our physical body to face eternity. So we must be ready for that. Our sins are real and God is real. His love and mercy are also real. If you're wise, you would live in anticipation, not oblivion, of that day, and in the meantime do everything in accordance with God's will right now. 

****Beautiful Encounter with Mary and Baby Jesus****

        I just came across this video. We truly have the most wonderful Lord and a most beautiful Mother in heaven. I hope that this video will motivate and inspire you to put all your trust in Jesus, letting the Holy Mother be your guide and companion in doing his will. 

**Hatred Is Murder*

        Reading 1 continues from 1 John 3. Verse 15 reads: "Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life remaining in him." Strong words indeed, so we who follow Christ must not hate anyone. Since the Lord loves and died for all of us, we cannot hate anyone and still love him. To love the Lord is to love as he loves. To hate someone is judging that person, and our only judge is our Lord. 

****Reflection After My Last Post*

        Here are some thoughts that came to me after my last post yesterday. That sermon certainly contains many strong sayings you don't hear nowadays from most pulpits. This may precisely be why the Church is in such a sad state today. We more or less believe that we're good enough for entering heaven and avoid looking at the reality of hell squarely. Being cautious is always better than being lax. My advice is not to think about your chances of being saved, but focus instead upon loving the Lord with all your heart, with all your mind, and with all your might. Salvation is to be worked out and you can never love God enough! If you commit a mortal sin, get that absolved by a priest ASAP. And pray unceasingly from your heart for the world and yourself. God will take care of everything if we do our parts diligently. Believe me, it you remain in him and do all things thru him, you will live a fruitful life filled with joy. How earnestly you want to go straight to God after you die is also a factor here.

***A SERMON FOR ALL CATHOLICS***

        Here's a sermon every Catholic needs to hear, but it's not for the faint-hearted. Still, it's better to hear it than not. Good point: A person does not go to hell because he is so wicked; he just can't get into heaven because he is not good enough.

 

***God Can Always Save Us (But It's Up to Us)***

        Here's a great story as told by a priest you'll enjoy listening to. 

***Signs from Heaven***

         This video is significant, for God speaks to us through signs.