***Alleviating Christ's Suffering***

         Again, it's Friday, the day of praying the Sorrowful mysteries of the Holy Rosary. If we were present at the scene when Jesus was going thru his Passion, many of us would want to alleviate his sufferings in some way if possible. But he is still suffering greatly today due to the disobedience of many, and we can comfort him by being extra obedient to him.

**Incredible Experience*

         Communion experience. Still couldn't quite believe that receiving the Eucharist brought me into full union with my God/

****Know Yourself First****

         How pure are your motives? I start to question myself because I realize that I like different people for different reasons. We tend to like people who are pleasing to us. Then I like one person others don't like too much, and realize that it's because I want to feel that I am more loving than others—not a pure motive. Pure love is blind! Now, if you'd look deep into your own heart with complete honesty, you can learn a lot about yourself. This can be an enlightening, satisfying, and even exhilarating experience! (I'd like to do this after Mass in solitude under the Lord's watchful eyes, for he can make me see things difficult for me to see on my own.) Understanding yourself is liberating and always a joy, and most of all it unites you close to God.

***The Two Greatest Commandments*

         In today's Gospel reading from Mark 12, Jesus gave a scribe the two greatest commandments. The first is this: You shall love the Lord God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. I see that the second commandment is a corollary to the first one, proving that you love the Lord. 

***Essential Transformation

        In today's first reading from 2 Timothy 2, Paul wrote, "If we have died with Christ, we shall also live with him." The principle here is that we need to die first before we can live again. There has to be a rebuilding, a rebirth to take place. This is the transformation by Christ needed to get us into heaven.

***Time for Action***

         With evil all around us, what should Christians do? The Catholic Church has already been weakened by the infiltration of evil and as a result, the few bishops and priests who had the courage to speak out openly just got canceled one by one by their superiors or the Pope. Currently, I see only Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel whose's not Catholic as the only clergyman who speaks out fearlessly for Christ and against the various evils. We must defend God and attack evil both. For those of us who don't get the opportunity to speak out openly, we can alway pray extra hard. To just say "I trust in God" and not do anything is exactly what Satan wants from you. It's act-or-die time.

**Correct Focus

         In today's first reading from 2 Timothy 1, Paul wrote, "God saved us and called us to a holy life, not according to our works but according to his own design and the grace bestowed on us in Christ Jesus . . ." This is telling me that to be holy, I do not focus upon what I do for God, but upon following his will, a fine distinction here.  

***Do You Belong to God?***

         In today's Gospel reading from Mark 12, some Pharisees and Herodians were sent to Jesus to ensnare him in his speech. They came and asked him, "Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not? Should we pay or should we not pay?" He said to them, "Why are you testing me? Bring me a denarius to look at." They brougnt one to him and he asked them, "Whose image and inscription is this?" They replied, "Caesar's." So Jesus said to them, "Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God." So if we belong to God, we should repay to God all of ourselves. If we are still fighting him, we don't belong to him yet, that is, he is not truly our Lord yet.

****What Life on Earth Is All About****

        In today's reading 1 from 2 Peter 3, Peter wrote "Wait for and hasten the coming of the day of God . . . we await new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, since you await these things, be eager to be found without spot or blemish before him." While we await meeting the Lord, this is the perfect time to perfect ourselves to show that we welcome that day. Life on earth is all about perfecting ourselves for heaven, in case you're still unaware. Either do this or waste your whole time on earth. 

****Same-Lord-Different-Roles Warning***

        Jesus came to us 2,000 years ago as Lord and Savior. He came to give us the good news as told in John 3.16: God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. He came not to condemn us, but to save us from sin with love and mercy. He remained meek and humble, and died on the cross for our sake. Then we'll meet him again to be judged by him either after we depart from this earth or at his Second Coming. That'll be the time of justice, not of mercy anymore! If you want to repent and ask him to forgive you then, it'll be too late! So make peace with your creator now while there's still time.

***Wake Up to Sin Please***

         We all know sin and must not ignore it! It is the biggest and most fundamental problem we face and our worst enemy, for it alienates us from God and can get us condemned for eternity! It is the first problem we need to address and dispose of. Dealing with sin is more pressing than any of our other concerns, for we don't how much time we have on earth. Much of the world's population is in such a sad state that they not only embrace sin, they are also oblivious to how sin can ruin their souls. The only way to solve the problem of sin is to accept Christ as our Lord and Savior, for as our creator, he alone is able to take away our sins and make us heaven bound. This is the reality we need to awake to. It is what life is all about.  

****Amazing Thought*

        I am amazed and rejoice that on earth I can not only reach the Almighty God and Father, but also be united with him both physically and spiritually. After I leave this world, I'll be living the most joyful life in my Father's house forever! 

**Fruit of Being Connected to Christ*

        In John 15:5, Jesus said to his disciples, "I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing." Since each of us is a branch of Jesus the vine, we are connected to him as one. Know that not only we can bear much fruit, we also receive all the power we need to remain strong in battling evil at all times.

***Beware of Prophecies***

        Jesus warned us in Matthew 24 that many false prophets would arise and deceive many. Today in what I believe to be end times, we have prophets galore. On YouTube alone you find all kinds of signs, miracles, apparitions, warnings, etc., reported or presented. To me, a true prophecy deserves to be presented accurately and clearly with all the detailed information on where, how, and when it came about. Looking at these videos on YouTube is like looking at a Hollywood production. You see special effects and hear dramatic music. The thumbnail usually shows a made-up fake image with a clickbait title or description which often is not even mentioned in the video. Sometimes it also shows the picture of a well-known Catholic religious figure just to lend credibility. The image of any sign or miracle presented is always fuzzy or somewhat dubious. Some weeks ago, some videos reported that Virgin Mary would appear atop the Statue of Liberty on June 1, just two days ago, according to Vicka, one major Medjugorje seer. The thumbnail showed such an image as if it had already happened. So far I haven't heard that it had. So this false reporting's can potentially ruin the credibility of all those alleged Marian apparitions that began in Medjugorje. What bothers me is that there are prophets who advise us to eat special foods, keep certain objects in the house, and even not to go out on a certain day during certain hours. To me, to be ready spiritually is of foremost importance, not performing certain specific little things. The best policy is to stick to the Church-approved prophecies, even though the Church doesn't require us to believe in them either. Put your trust in Christ and you can't go wrong.

*****Extolling the Eucharist*****

       On this Corpus Christi day, here is my message to all. The Eucharist is my our greatest gift from God, for it's the Lord himself. It is also the humblest and thereby the greatest miracle because the change of the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ takes place unnoticeably with zero pomp. When you receive this sacrament, you are united with the him physically; then when you also accept his invitation to unite with him spiritually, you attain union with him. There is not another relationship that's more intimate, exalted, or fulfilling. The Lord is now your God and also your heavenly soulmate.

***Jesus Is God***

        In today's Gospel reading from Mark 14, we heard that on the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, Jesus’ disciples asked him, "Where do you want us to go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?" He sent two of his disciples and said to them, "Go into the city and a man will meet you, carrying a jar of water. Follow him. Wherever he enters, say to the master of the house, 'The Teacher says, "Where is my guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?"' Then he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready. Make the preparations for us there." The disciples then went off, entered the city, and found it just as he had told them. What amazed me here is that Jesus made things happen in the future the way he'd wanted. Only God can do this! 

*****KNOW THIS INVAUABLE TRUTH*****

         Anytime we lose peace, it's because we are out of sync with God. Proof: Surrender ourselves to God to become totally obedient to him and we experience instant peace. This is how God has made us! 

**Crystal clear Promise*

        Today is the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, Corpus Christi. John 6:51 is the Gospel acclamation: I am the living bread that came down from heaven, says the Lord; whoever eats this bread will live forever. It can't be any clearer. Either you believe it or you don't. Also, common sense alone tells me that the Holy Eucharist is truly the body and blood of the Lord. If the bread were merely symbolic, it'd be hard to believe that he would have said "whoever eats this bread will live forever."