*****A Warning and Reminder

         Everyday you put off accepting Christ, you put your soul at risk. You may pooh-pooh what I've just said, but I said it because I knew it to be the truth, not merely believing in it. When the Lord reveals something to you, you just know it's true, no proof needed! So this warning/reminder stemmed completely from God's immense love for all of us. 

***More Important Than Me***

        Communion experience. The Eucharist, the Lord himself, is the only thing that's more important to me than myself. For without Christ, I'll have neither life nor soul. 

***Warning to the Prideful***

        In Matthew 19:24, Jesus said to his disciples, "It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God." I am sure that this is even more true for one who is full of pride, for humility is a must for entering heaven.

*****BE PREPARED NOW*****

        In today's Gospel reading, Luke17:26-37, Jesus talked about the day of the Son of Man. You must read it yourself. The scenes described are unforgettable. Here are some samples. "For just as lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be." "As it was in the days of Lot: they were eating, drinking, buying, selling, planting, building; on the day when Lot left Sodom, fire and brimstone rained from the sky to destroy them all. So it will be on the day the Son of Man is revealed." "On that night there will be two people in one bed; one will be taken, the other left." If you believe in Jesus, you'd better prepare yourself for that day, whether it comes in your lifetime or not.

*****Love, Our Ultimate Goal*

        Since God is pure love, selfless love is the solution to all our problems, including being damned for our sinfulness. For us, the direct path is follow Christ with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our mind, then we'll be able to love all others as he loves us.

**Our Life Aim

        Communion experience. I saw that getting ourselves ready for meeting Christ the Lord is truly our life aim. 

***We Are Called To . . .

enjoy Christ the Lord, not the world. 

*****Sign You're in Union with Christ***

         You know that the Lord dwells in you, as you feel his holy presence at all times.

***Be Imprisoned and Free***

        Today's first reading came from Philemon 7. Paul wrote this letter during an imprisonment, possibly in Rome. My thought: When we let the love of God imprison us, we are set free! 

***Unavoidable Realities to Face***

         (1) We are all sinners. (2) We need God to remove our sins in order to get into heaven. (3) We all shall die and leave this world. (4) Last, we'll be judged by Christ to see if we are clean enough to enter heaven.

**Experiencing the Holy Spirit*

        When you are in union with Christ, you are in tune with God the Holy Spirit and feel his power guiding you. You experience the Spirit live! 

***Greatest Gift and Blessing***

        Realizing that Christ is the truth and God

**Pure Foolery

        Since we are finite creatures, we cannot realize how omnipotent, wise, loving, and great God truly is. If we think that we know it all and don't need God, that would be pure foolery.

**The Renewal

        Communion experience. The Lord cleanses and heals our souls and makes us holy and whole again.

**Our Only Power Source

         We can pray as hard as we want, but power comes only from God. Pray hard to let him make us holy and fruitful. Without him, we are nothing.

**Christian Duty**

        In today's Gospel reading from Luke 17, Jesus explained the right attitude a servant should have to his disciples. He said to them, "When you have done all you have been commanded, say, 'We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do.'" Yes, serving God is our duty, not to show that we are being extra good. We merely do what we should and not think about receiving any rewards. God remains the Lord and we, his lowly (but beloved) servants.

***The Death That Gives Birth*

        Communion experience. To die in Christ is to begin living the new eternal life. 

***Perfect Combination***

         Today's entrance  antiphon from 1 Samuel 2: I shall raise up for myself a faithful priest who will act in accord with my heart and mind, says the Lord. It struck me that obedience to God is truly a beautiful thing! In the Gospel reading from Luke 17, Jesus said to his Apostles, "If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it would obey you." Here I was struck by the beauty of having a great faith. Obedience and faith do make a perfect combination that can lead us straight to eternal freedom!