**Pakistan Being Converted*

        Great new, hallelujah! 

***Start with God, Not Yourself***

        This post is a corollary of the last one. The wise way to live is to start with God, that is, you settle your relationship with him first (attaining union with him thru the Holy Eucharist would be ideal). Then you'll live a righteous and fruitful life now and enjoy pure bliss later. The wrong way is to start out on your own without God, and you'll be lost now and likely for all eternity too. The sooner you follow Christ, the greater is your eternal happiness assured.

*****Smartest Thing to Do**

         When things are going well and we have no worries, we tend not to think ahead. Then things go bad and we are shocked. For me, the smartest thing to do is to get our eternal future settled first. Then no matter what happens the rest of our lives, we know that all things just come and go and soon we'll be in paradise!

****One Great Realization

        In today's Gospel reading from Luke 5, Jesus got into Simon's fishing boat and asked him to put out into deep water and lower his nets for a catch. Simon and his crew had worked hard all night and had caught nothing, but at Jesus' command he obeyed and caught a great number of fish to the point that the nets started tearing. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come to help them. They came and filled both boats so that both boats were in danger of sinking. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at th knees of Jesus and said, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man." What a great and beautiful realization! Anytime we see the Lord perform a wondrous deed, we should realize that as sinners, we do not deserve witnessing it. Yet the Lord continues to amaze us out of love for us!

****Being Fools for God*

        In today's first reading from 1 Corinthians 3, Paul writes "If anyone among you considers himself wise in this age, let him become a fool, so as to become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in the eyes of God." Of course, the worldlings see Christians as fools. So who's right? Personally, I'll take God's side at any time. So to be fools for the Lord is just fine and even an honor.

**Our Most Holy Guide**

        The first thing I sensed his morning at Mass was the awesome holiness of the LORD. I immediately saw that he's the one to guide us in every way and all things.

**See the Worst to Appreciate the Best

        You may not think about Christ at all. Then think about the possible consequences of ignoring him and you may just want to know him. It's like you don't really think about going to heaven, then once you realize how horrible hell is, you want to go to heaven after all.

****Effortless or Time-Wasting Living****

         The Lord God intends that we trust in him fully and abandon ourselves to him completely so that he may take full charge of our lives. On our own, we inevitably struggle, toil, and worry. Seemingly impossible goals such as getting to know God well, attaining union with him, becoming holy and blameless, etc., can all be realized when we get the Lord fully involved, for he makes the process effortless each time. When we do not take advantage of the mighty loving Lord, it is truly sad and we end up wasting time living.

**Be Attentive to God's Calling*

        At Mass this morning, I sensed God's awesomeness. Such an awareness demanded a response from me. In fact, anytime you sense God's existence for an instant, that comes from him and you should respond sincerely and respectfully from your heart. Do not ignore such a grace. Having a hardened heart is worse than suffering a heart attack, for it will destroy your soul for sure.

***Secret of Inner Peace Revealed*

         The Lord God created us out of love. Christ came to us and confirmed that. We either accept him as our Lord and our God or we don't—there's not a third choice. Accept him and we have peace. Otherwise, no peace. That's all there is to it.

***The Christian Truth***

         This post is appropriate to follow the last one I just published;

*****Most Important Subject*****

        I've been known as a one-subject person to talk to, and that subject is Christ. It's not exactly a compliment on me; but I don't mind, for it is the most important subject for our existence. One day soon we'll all realize that when we leave this world. But for some who are still asleep now, it may be too late then.

***Only One Worth Living For***

        Communion experience. Christ is the one for whom it's worth our giving up everything, ourselves included, for. He must increase to 100% and we decrease to zero.

***Know the Truth***

        In today's Gospel reading from Luke 4, a demoniac saw Jesus and knew him to be the Holy One of God, proving that he indeed is. We need to recognize this truth too, for the eternal survival of our soul hinges on that.   

***Greatest Division Explained

        In today's Reading 1 from 1 Corinthians 2, Paul writes that Christians have the mind of Christ and can judge everything but is not subject to judgment by anyone. I see that those who have received the spirit of the world no longer possess a clear conscience; they are not able to distinguish right from wrong anymore. You see this all around you at all times. This has caused the greatest division among us. I suppose you can "blame" it all on Christ. Then know that he is our judge and our Savior, the Holy One.  

***Believing in God Properly***

        With the Lord, always keep things simple. Believe in him like a child. You only need to know that he loves you and you need to love him back by obeying him always. There'll be no doubt, no questions asked. Your faith is so single-minded that you don't need to see miracles nor hear prophetic warnings. You know the Lord will always lead you right and Satan can never harm you. Now you remain totally free in the Lord, enjoying his peace and joy.

***Loving the Lord*

        Today's Psalm response, Psalm 119:97—Lord, I love your commands. If we love the Lord, then we love everything about him, his commands in particular. It is in obeying his commands that we remain holy and in union with him. 

***Most Ignorant Fools*

        There are people who believe that they know more than anyone else, becoming so opinionated that they no longer listen to others. Not knowing the Christian truth, they don't see right from wrong. So these prideful individuals are now easy targets for Satan. They think they are smart, but they in fact are most ignorant fools. They are to be pitied. Pray for them all.