**Only Christ Can Unburden Us**

         Last night I had trouble falling asleep, as a bunch of computer problems was on my mind. You see, after I transferred much of the data from my ten-year-old laptop to a new one, I found out that some of the files had contents missing. And I would still need the old computer, for one program would only work on it's operating system. Meanwhile, there's a separate monitor I use in conjunction with either laptop. So how to power and link them all together with the proper cable connectors became a challenge. It finally dawned to me that I should turn to Christ to put the problem in his hands—my job is simply to trust in him. I did that and my burden was gone, knowing that the issue would be solved in due time! I fell soundly asleep shortly afterwards—I should have realized that a lot sooner.

**Jesus' Command to Arise**

         In today's Gospel reading from Luke 7, Jesus journeyed to a city called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd accompanied him. As he drew near to the gate of the city, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. A large crowd from the city was with her. When the Lord saw her, he was moved with pity for her and said to her, "Do not weep." He stepped forward and touched the coffin; at this the bearers halted, and he said, "Young man, I tell you, arise!" The dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. Now, we have not died yet, but if we were spiritually dead and pay attention, we should hear the Lord commanding us to "arise" also. And if we respond favorably, we become spiritually alive.

**Living Out Your Belief*

         The Lord God is all holy and almighty, so all things that are good for us are possible with him, for he loves us. Accordingly, we should live to show that we truly hold this belief.

***Eucharist, Our Most Endearing Gift***

         Communion experience. The time it takes for the consecrated host to dissolve in your mouth varies. Once I saw a picture of a host that had bled profusely and I was so overcome emotionally that at the next Mass, the host did not dissolve completely until twenty-two plus minutes later. I certainly got to savor the sweetness of Lord. On the contrary, this morning the host almost dissolved immediately on my tongue after I received it. I loved that too, for it showed that the Lord and I were eager to reunite again. 

**We Must Decrease**

        Again, we must live to glorify God alone and never ourselves, so focus only on him. When you think of doing something to glorify God, check your motivation, for it might be what YOU want to do and not God's will. Once at my previous church, I suggested a good book for the library collection, the priest liked it and ordered me to get a copy. Then the person in charge of he collection got upset, thinking that I was interfering with her ministry. Here's a case of being self-centered. Our motivation is pure only when we have no more ego and and seek only God's will. In John 3, when the disciples of John the Baptist asked him about Jesus, he said, "He must increase; I must decrease." So let's decrease to nothing so that we may feel the full presence of the Lord at all times. 

***Mary Is the Solution***

        A video about Maria. She can be our greatest help in making us love her Son. Loving Mary can not be separated from loving Jesus.

***Best Feeling in the World***

        Communion experience today. You feel it after receiving Christ in the Holy Eucharist and abandoning yourself to him, the one-two punch. You know that this is how the Lord has made you. It's the best you can ever feel on earth!  

*****Our True God and Savior*****

        To believe that there is a God is not enough, you ned to know who that God is first. And that won't be good enough either, for you must also believe in and follow your God. Now, Christ is our Lord and God, our only door to freedom and salvation. To know him thoroughly, just remain open to him. To follow him effortlessly, just surrender yourself to him. I am telling you all this with absolute assurance. If you don't believe me,  I challenge you to follow these instructions to see if I am wrong.

***Being Trustworthy to the Lord

         In Luke 16, Jesus said to his disciples, "The person who is trustworthy in very small matters is also trustworthy in great ones; and the person who is dishonest in very small matters is also dishonest in great ones." So let's be trustworthy in every little thing we do for the Lord, then we'll be faithful and holy! 

**Clear-Cut Obligation*

         We are either for Christ or not. If we are, then we must do everything for his glory. This is so clear-cut and logical. To deny this, you'll have to prove that Christ is either all false or never existed, which no one so far has been able to do.

***To Follow Christ Thoroughly***

         We are to love God with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our mind. Then we should also repent to God with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our mind. Being halfhearted or lukewarm just won't do us any good. The fact is that we should be absolutely thorough in everything we do for the sake of the Lord if we ever hope to go straight to heaven after we die. (Purgatory is no fun place.)

**Settling in Christ

         Communion experience. Christ will have all the answers to all my questions, so I just trust and rest in him now.

***Never Say "Go to Hell"***

         The big news yesterday was the assassination of Charlie Kirk when he was speaking at Utah Valley University. As you know, Charlie was a patriot and an unapologetic advocate for his Christian faith, his values, and his country. He's now viewed as a martyr. I have no doubt that he is with the Lord now, so pray for his family. They are still looking for the assassin. Here are my thoughts. I know it'd be easy to wish ill of the perpetrator. Then in today's Gospel reading from Luke 6, Jesus made it clear to his disciples that they were going to love their enemies and not to judge others. In fact, in the last verse, Jesus said, "The measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you." Let's also look at it this way. God wishes to save all of us from sin so that we may have eternal life. Essentially, he cares about the soul of each of us. If you love someone but don't care about their salvation, you have no real love there. Therefore, a Christian should never say "Go to hell" to anyone. Jesus wants us to pray for all evildoers, never hate them, for to hate is to judge. 

***Unsurpassable Experience*

         Communion experience. There can no other experience on earth that's sweeter and more rewarding!

***God Our Father Easy to Please***

         Our heavenly Father has so many good things (eternal life, just to mention one) he wants to give us that if we gladly accept them all, that would greatly please him, for this is being obedient to him! In turn, we'll experience great joy too, for the Father always shares his joy with those children who obey him. A win-win situation.

**We Must Not Complain*

         In today's Gospel reading from Luke 6, Jesus gave the Sermon on the Plain to his disciples and a large number of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon. He said, "Blessed are you who are poor, for the Kingdom of God is yours. Blessed are you who are now hungry, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who are now weeping, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude and insult you, and denounce your name as evil on account of the Son of Man." Now, we may not be poor, hungry, weeping, or persecuted by others on account of Christ, but if we were, we must not complain, knowing that we'll be greatly blessed by God.

**Painful, yet Rewarding*

         Today is the day for praying the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Holy Rosary. As you know, the five mysteries are (1) Agony in the Garden, (2) The Scourging, (3) Crowning with Thorns, (4) Carrying of the Cross, and (5) Crucifixion. Praying these mysteries is most difficult, for meditating upon the Passion of Christ is just too painful. Yet, praying them is at the same time most rewarding, for it makes you truly want to follow the Lord.

***Must for Getting to Know God***

         To get to know God intimately, you must enter your innermost from time to time to let him reveal to you the state of your soul plus how you can purify it further. Go deep and listen with all your heart, no words needed. For me, the best time for practicing this is after a weekday morning Mass. Usually, the attendance is smaller and people empty the church quickly. (Not thinking about God at all is squandering away all your precious time on earth.)