This is today's Gospel reading from Luke 6. On a certain sabbath Jesus went into the synagogue and taught, and there was a man there whose right hand was withered. The scribes and the Pharisees watched him closely to see if he would cure on the sabbath so that they might discover a reason to accuse him. But he realized their intentions and said to the man with the withered hand, "Come up and stand before us." And he rose and stood there. Then Jesus said to them, "I ask you, is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?" Looking around at them all, he then said to him, "Stretch out your hand." He did so and his hand was restored. But they became enraged and discussed together what they might do to Jesus. The scribes and the Pharisees are so intent on finding a reason to accuse Jesus that they became totally blind to the wonderful miracle he performed on the man with the withered hand. Today we have radical politicians filled with so much hatred for their political opponents that they have become completely blind to their own sins and anything good about others. This is deadly to the soul! Only knowing Christ can save them!
Monday, September 9, 2024
**Proper Way of Approaching God*
We should always thank God first, for he has loved us and given his own Son for our sake. Then it's fitting that we praise him next. Finally, we can ask for what's good for us and for his glory. So it's with gratitude we praise God, then we petition him for we need and want.
**Clear-Cut Truth**
The Lord God is all holy, but we sin and become defiled. So all that's good for us comes from the Lord and all that's bad for us are caused by ourselves. Then Christ can transforms us to make all things that happen to us good.
Sunday, September 8, 2024
***Our Choice Again**
The God of Christ, our creator, can fundamentally change us. We can let him make us holy or remain the same sinners.
**God's Power & Our Openness*
In today's Gospel reading from Mark 7, Jesus healed a deaf man. Of course, Christ being God, nothing is impossible for him. From the Gospels we know that raised the dead, calmed storms, multiplied bread and fish . . . his power is on an entirely different level, and we can receive or benefit from this power if we believe in and are open to him! That he can get us into heaven is without question absolutely certain.
Saturday, September 7, 2024
***Supreme Rule to Follow***
Have faith in the God of Christ and let nothing ever disturb you, but let only the Lord inspire and support you all the way on your return to him.
Friday, September 6, 2024
*****The Holy Trinity Is Real
Communion experience. I experienced all three; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit!
***How to Know God Better (a Requirement)***
In my early days, I believed in the God of Christ, but I didn't feel his presence. In other words, the faith was there, but my personal relationship with the Lord was weak. This relationship only grew as I experienced God more. When I got involved with the Charismatic Renewal Movement within the Church later, it's the Holy Spirit who deepened that relationship tremendously. Now, as I sought to attain union with God thru the Holy Eucharist, that relationship hit a peak. So the Lord God is to be experienced for us to know him better. And to experience him, we must open ourselves up to him.
**Big Question**
First thought at morning Mass today. The Lord God is so good that he only wants to love and make us happy forever! So why do so many of us today not only ignore him, but even hate him? To me, this is proof that the spiritual warfare between God and Satan is real.
Thursday, September 5, 2024
***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.
Wednesday, September 4, 2024
**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.