***Prayer Joy*

        The Lord's Prayer (Our Father) Christ has given us is the perfect prayer for us as God's sinful children. If we mean and follow everything in that prayer from the heart, we can become holy! Today when I prayed it before Mass began, I was filed with great joy. 

***Be like Christ***

         God wants us to become like him so that we may return to him in heaven. We are called to be holy, period. So make that your top goal. (If you haven't read Thomas Kempis' The Imitation of Christ yet, read it to help you reach that goal.)

***Believe First Always***

        Today's Communion antiphon, Jesus' saying in Matthew 18:3—"Unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven." Again, this is a very clear statement. We are far from entering the Kingdom of Heaven because we are far from being childlike when it comes to believing in God. The wise would start out believing. Should you find that he is false or doesn't exist, you can always disbelieve then. If you start out not believing, surely you'll never enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Know that the Lord has a soft spot for the humble: If you are humble enough to believe in him, he'll humble himself to welcome you with open arms.

***Our Glory

        The cross was the glory of Christ, and Christ is our glory. That makes the cross our glory too.

***Lord Our Only Guide***

        Today is the Memorial of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, the first person who made me realize the beauty of loving God. I am most grateful to her. The entrance antiphon reads "The Lord alone was her guide." Indeed, we need the Lord to guide us in everything. Should we are to follow someone else, that has to come the Lord first. Following ourselves is the worst way of living, inevitably leading to the loss of inner peace in this life and even beyond.

*****All God's Doing*****

        Even though I do not see Christ, he is more real to me than anyone else I see. This has made it possible for me to feel his holy presence at all times. It has to be his doing and I rejoice in that.

*****Fast Track to Knowing God*****

        To know and learn from God, we commonly seek help from someone else. It might be reading a book that person has written or listening to a talk of his. If you attend a big conference, you still learn from a lot of other people. Chances are all of them are seeking to know the Lord themselves. Of course, if you learn from a saint, you can benefit a lot, for he or she is most likely a lot more advanced spiritually. Then since saints learn most from the Lord directly, and the Lord is instantly accessible to all of us at all times, it makes sense that we go directly to the Lord too? In fact, this is the best, most efficient and quickest way to achieve your goal! Should you wish to attain union with God, this is the only way!. It's not incorrect to say that by comparison, all other indirect approaches more or less amount to beating around the bush.

***Tragic Ignorance***

        Most of us hope to do something big to make ourselves rich, famous, and influential to satisfy our ego, not realizing that doing a tiny small thing to please our heavenly Father is infinitely more satisfying both now and later after we leave this world! 

**All Our Sins Are Known to God**

        I'd like to post what Jesus said to his disciples from today's Gospel reading from Mark 9: "Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were put around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed than with two hands to go into Gehenna, into the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut if off. It is better for you to enter into life crippled than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. Better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into Gehenna, where 'their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.'" No sin can be hidden from God. Should there be a book for each of us kept in heaven, every sin of ours would be recorded in it. If you are smart, you would have Christ take away all your sins now to get them all check off in that book.

***That Clean Feeling*

         This was what I experienced before Mass this morning. It felt so good (heavenly). When you are clean, you feel totally free before the Lord, enjoying his love for you to the fullest. You are in intimate union with him, inseparable as one. No other feeling on earth can beat that. You now belong to God and it's bye-bye to the world.

***A Warning Reminder***

         If you keep putting off looking into Christ, you are trying to put off the inevitable judgment every one of us will have to face when we leave this world. Trying to avoid the unavoidable is being plain stupid (I couldn't think of a milder word). 

***Christ Our Determinant

         Communion Experience. With Christ, life is completely fulfilled. Without him, life remains a void. It's all very clear.

***Christ Is Our Joy***

        When you have Christ, you have perfect joy, and you forget everything else. 

*****Being Most Optimistic in God*

        Seeking union with God thru the Holy Eucharist is being most optimistic, for you believe that you can reach God directly to become one with him! This is being daring and doing exactly what the Lord wants from you! Yes, he loves a soul who desires all of him and is willing to submit himself to him completely. This soul is ready for the Lord to perfect him. If you love the Lord, you should make it as easy as possible for him to change you.

***How We Feel About the Lord**

        In today's Gospel reading for Luke 9, the disciples of Jesus were afraid to ask him about a saying they did not understand. That was proper, for they knew that Lord knew everything. It's understandable that many today do not fear him because they don't know how awesome he is yet. Then there are others who do not feel comfortable with him; they are the ones who actually need to know him right now. Of course, those who have attained union with him feel only love with all fear having turned into reverence.

***False Belief***

        Today is the Optional Memorial of Saint Wenceslaus, martyr. Now, countless martyrs have died for their faith in Christ throughout history, and you say that all religions lead us to God? That is not only illogical but also nonsensical, unless you are one of those who are pushing for a one-world religion.

*****Best Short Prayer***

        "Jesus Christ, my Lord and my God" is the prayer we can say at any time unceasingly. It really brings you into union with him, making following him a breeze, eliminating all anxieties.  

**Overwhelming Experience

        Communion experience. I realized that the Lord was giving all of himself for my salvation.