***Happiest Thing in Life***

        It's knowing Jesus Christ.

***Reality of Our Existence***

        You can have someone really close to you in this life, but if one of you believes in Christ and the other doesn't, a great separation actually exists between you two. On the other hand, take someone you do not even know but is in union with Christ as you are, a union also exists between you two. So if you are already in union with Christ, you are in union with all the saints and holy angles in heaven. If you do not believe in Christ, then you are basically alone the whole time no matter how many friends you may have now.

****Most Satisfying Belief****

        In today's Gospel reading from John 20, the Apostle told how on the evening of that first day of the week, Jesus came and stood in the midst of the disciples. He showed them his hands and his side, and they rejoiced. Thomas, one of the Twelve, was not with them. When they told him that they had seen the Lord, he would not believe. A week later Jesus came again in their midst when Thomas was with them. He said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.” Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to him, "Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed." Then John wrote that Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples that were not written in his book. But these were written that we might come to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that through this belief we might have life in his name. I have come to see that believing that Jesus is the Christ is the most beautiful satisfying belief we can possibly have, for it completely secures our eternity, fulfilling all we desire and bringing us that most profound peace!

**Danger in following God's Will**

        It dawned on me that to live the Christian life, we need to surrender to the Lord totally or attain union with him first. Then we'll know his will clearly and be able to follow him right. It seems that people can interpret what Christ has said and end up following their own interpretations. When their interpretations are off, their action can be confusing to others. To avoid such mistake happening, know Christ well first to know what he wills, not what you think he wills.

**Getting into Heaven*

        This can be hard or easy. Reject Christ and you are doomed. Be totally obedient to him and even though you don't reach perfection, you are definitely heaven bound. If you fall between these two extremes, you could go either way. There might be good people who do not know Christ and are saved thru his mercy, but to be assured that you have a good chance, believing in him is the way to get started.

***Prayer for the Holy Church

         We are supposed to love the sinner and hate only the sin. Jesus forgave the woman who committed adultery and asked her not to sin anymore. Unfortunately, in the name of love, the Church today no longer condemns many sins outright. This has caused great confusion among the faithful. Pray that the Lord will root out all evil influences within the Church so that she may truly become a shining beacon in this dark world.

**Opposite Effect

        Communion experience. The more we feel unworthy to receive the Lord, the more welcome we are to him. 

***Watered-Down Preaching*

        Jesus came to show how much God loves us and how we can all be saved from sin. He spoke the truth and never tried to please, amuse, appease, nor make sure not to offend his listeners. Now look at the messages we hear today from most preachers—they do just the opposite.

***Our Only Mission**

        In today's first reading from Acts 4, the leaders, elders, and scribes ordered Peter and John not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. Peter and John, however, said to them in reply, “Whether it is right in the sight of God for us to obey you rather than God, you be the judges. It is impossible for us not to speak about what we have seen and heard.” Yes, it is impossible for us whom Jesus has called to follow him not to speak about him! God has commissioned us to spread the good news to the whole world so that all may be saved. This basically is our sole mission. It is in carrying out this mission that we are fulfilled!

***Transformative Love*

        Communion experience. If you truly believe that Jesus is pure love and receive him with reverence and all your heart, you'll never be the same old sinner again.

**Jesus Speaking as God*

        In today's Gospel reading from John 21, the resurrected Lord standing on the shore of the Sea of Tiberias saw Peter, John, Thomas, Nathanael, and some other disciples in their fishing boat and called out to them, "Children, have you caught anything to eat?" All the disciples were probably not that much younger than Jesus, yet he called them children. At the wedding of Cana, Jesus addressed his mother as "woman." I see that Jess was clearly speaking as Lord and God!

***Connecting with God*

        When we pray to God, we are most effective when we really mean what we say from the heart. In other words, we need to be completely open and receptive to the Lord. Then the Holy Spirit can come and touch your heart and you'll know it! I've found that a good time is when I am awake in the middle of the night or early in the morning when everything is still quiet and you could feel the Lord's presence. It's the perfect time to pour your heart out to him to make that most personal connection.

**Great Consolation**

        In today's Gospel reading from Luke 24, Jesus, before he ascended into heaven, startled his disciples by suddenly appearing in their midst to show them that he was a real person with flesh and bones and was the Christ to fulfill everything written about him in the law of Moses and in the prophets and psalms. I just intuitively know that we have a Lord who knows everything about anything as well as what is going on in all our hearts. It is a great consolation to place ourselves under his care and know that we won't ever be lost again.

***Jesus the Author of Life!***

        In today's first reading from Acts 11 is this verse: The author of life you put to death, but God raised him from the dead. Jesus is the life, so is he the author of life. Without him, there would no life of any kind. As the author of life, it is impossible for him to ever die—this explains his resurrection. He lives forever, and best of all for us, he can make us live forever too!

***POWER OF LOVE***

        Today's first reading at Mass was about the cure of a crippled beggar from Acts 3. Peter and John were going up to the temple area. A man crippled from birth was carried and placed at the gate of the temple to beg for alms from the people who entered the temple. When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked for alms. But Peter looked intently at him, as did John, and said, "I have neither silver nor gold, but what I do have I give you: in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean, rise and walk." Then Peter took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles grew strong. He leaped up, stood, and walked around, and went into the temple with them, walking and jumping and praising God. What Peter said above moved me to tears, for in the name of Jesus Christ, we can make the impossible possible! 

**Right and Wrong Attitudes**

        If you think you are a pretty good person and don't try to be better, you may have troubling getting into heaven for not wanting to become perfect. On the other hand, if you always see yourself as falling short of loving God enough and "strive" to grow holier, you have an excellent chance of getting into heaven. Pride and humility make all the difference.      

**Do You Know What Your Are Doing?*

        People love to say "I know what I am doing." Then something unexpected happens and they are no longer in control. The right attitude is to trust in God and say to him, "Lord, I place myself totally in your hands, so guide me and protect me from all evil." 

***Pride Our Worst Enemy

        Jesus being God is forever present. To live as if he doesn't even exist is being absolutely absurd and stupid!  Pride can surely ruin our conscience now and our soul later.