"Be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect." (Matthew 5:48)

Tuesday, February 20, 2024

***Pity the Lost Souls

 

**How to Be Truthful*

         I thought about this. Obviously, we must at least always speak the truth. Then what if I say bad things about others that are true or talk idly about a lot of things all true but trivial? Finally, I realized that if we always did God's will, we'd be truthful always. 

*To Forgive Is . . .

to not judge.

**Only Two End Reaults**

         We have good and evil. If you were smart, you'd choose good. Should you choose evil, then I'd have to say that you are downright dumb. This same applies to choosing beteween Christ and Satan. Simply out, in the end we'll have just winners and losers.

****How's Your Relatioiship with Christ? (Another Reminder)

         How do you feel about Christ? How close are you to him? It's good to asses your relationship with the one you'll inevitably meet and give an account of you life to later. To me, it's not good enough to continue living the same as always. As we get closer to meeting the Lord, we just have to get readier, for our next life is going to remain fixed one way or another for all eternity! This awareness alone should make us live the best possible life for Christ in the time we have left!

**How We Fear God

         Why should we fear God? It doesn't mean that we should be afraid of him. No. We fear him out of respect and reverence for him. To do so is to realize that he is our creator and Father, and that he is holy, almighty, and all love!  

***Our Will Be Done***

         Whatever God wills, it will be done. So if you always will what he wills, whatever you will will be done too, and you'll be happy always. Attain union with God through the Holy Eucharist and you are there!

Monday, February 19, 2024

**All Accidents Have a Purpose

         Christians believe that there are no accidents. Every unexpected happening the Lord sends you way has a purpose. This morning I got up and was ready to go to Mass as usual. Right after I started driving the car, I heard a knocking noise coming from the right rear wheel and I knew that something was wrong. I was sure that I was going to miss Mass and my gym workout afterwards. I checked the tire and found that a nail or something with an extra big round head had punctured the tire. But the tire wasn't flat at all. Later I learned that the car had run-flat tires on it. That means you can still continue driving (up to 50 mph) after a puncture so you can get to a repair shop. That explains why the car didn't come equipped with a spare. Anyway, why did the Lord allow this event to happen? Well, a few days ago, my first son and I had a big misunderstanding between us and we have been cool to each other. Today he felt obligated to come over to help both me and my wife (the car is basically hers), as the two of us are no longer physically fit to deal with this kind of problem easily. So I believe the Lord allowed this to happen in order to restore peace in my family.

****Coming Reality****

         Right now we are already divided between those who accept Christ as our Savior and those who don't. In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 25, Jesus told his disciples about the judgment of the nations. "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne, and all the nations will be assembled before him. And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the king will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world,' and to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his angels.'" Now, division leads to final separation between the righteous who go off to eternal life and those who go off to eternal punishment.    

**Wisdom Is . . .

 knowing that the LORD is absolutely trustworthy.

***Falling Far Away from God*

         In today's first reading from Leviticus 19:1-2, 11-18, the LORD laid down various rules of conduct through Moses for the whole Israelite community. Here are just some of them: Be holy, for I, the LORD, your God, am holy; you shall not steal; you shall not lie or speak falsely to one another; you shall not swear falsely by my name, thus profaning the name of your God; you shall not defraud or rob your neighbor; you shall fear your God; you shall not act dishonestly in rendering judgment; show neither partiality to the weak nor deference to the mighty, but judge your fellow men justly; you shall not go about spreading slander among your kin; you shall not bear hatred for your brother in your heart; take no revenge and cherish no grudge against your fellow countrymen; you shall love your neighbor as yourself. When I look at the general public, especially today's corrupt politicians and dishonest news media, blatant violation of these rules has become their routine and norm. Such is the sad state of our shameless world.

Sunday, February 18, 2024

***Doing Our Best

         In these chaotic godless times, it's best for us to remain humble, trust and hope in God always, pray unceasingly, and be fruitful.

*****Only Whole Catholic Allowed*****

         Revelation 3;16Because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. Obviously, the Lord doesn't like lukewarmness. Now, if a Catholic picks and chooses which teachings of the Church he will follow or won't follow, that would offend the Lord even more! You just can't be a partial Catholic!

***Joy and Sorrow, Genuine or False*

         Both joy and sorrow can be genuine or false. While joy in the Lord is genuine, the "joy" you receive from impure worldly pleasures is not truly a joy ay all. As for sorrow, again sorrow in the Lord is genuine, while that caused by the world may be genuine or false depending upon whether the ego is involved or not. Be in the Lord always to experience pure joy and sorrow.

***Fighting for the Lord God***

         At the 9:45 morning Mass at my church, there is always a large number of families with small children attending. I noticed some little ones being held lovingly by their parents the whole time. Of course, they were now totally dependent upon their parents. I couldn't help thinking that some of them will one day grow up and leave their parents and most likely the Church too, as the secular world has caused so many of young people to go astray. I felt a great sadness. We know that the spiritual warfare between good and evil in ongoing. We who stand with the Lord must not relent an iota. It's time to fight harder than ever! Let the words of Paul in Ephesians 6:13-16 inspire and embolden us: Therefore, put on the armor of God, that you may be able to resist on the evil day and, having done everything, to hold your ground. So stand fast with your loins girded in truth, clothed with righteousness as a breastplate, and your feet shod in readiness for the gospel of peace. In all circumstances, hold faith as a shield, to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Amen.

***Reason to Remain Humble***

         We need to be humble because we'll die one day, leave everything behind, and hear the Lord God pronounce his final judgment on us. Not a thing we can do about it!

***Simple Reality We Face

         Here we have the everlasting Lord God to confront, so how should we react to him? There are only two sensible choices possible. We either surrender to or reject him, totally. (To not react is essentially rejecting him.) The wise pick should be obvious unless you are a truly mindless person.

***Humility Essential

        Another wise Message from Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel.