***Our Big Fault**

        In today's Gospel  reading from Luke 13, Jesus cured a crippled woman in a synagogue. The leader of the synagogue got indignant that Jesus had done it on the sabbath. Our big fault is also to find fault with others. Instead of trying to help or understand others, we criticize and judge them outright. It's this hypocritical holier-than-thou attitude that really displeases the Lord.

**Important Realizations**

        Today's psalm response from Psalm 68: Our God is the God of salvation. Critical realization: We are sinners and we need the salvation of our souls. Most heartening realization: God has given his only Jesus so that we may not perish but have eternal life. 

**Evidence the Spirit Dwells in You**

        In today's first reading from Romans 8, Paul wrote, "You did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received a spirit of adoption, through which we cry, 'Abba, Father!'" Addressing God as Abba in Aramaic is like calling God Dad in a close and intimate relation. So if you turn to the Lord and "Abba" spontaneously bursts forth from your heart, the Holy Spirit dwells in you!

***We'll Have No Peace . . .

until we accept death and live for Christ.

**Use of Our Free Will**

        God gave us the free will, so we have the freedom to choose to be free from sin or to remain in sin. If you believe that God loves you, the right choice is a no-brainer. 

***Secret to Peace**

        In today's Gospel reading from Luke 18, Jesus said, "Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted." When the Lord exalts us, we finally attain inner peace.

***Our G00D (GREAT) NEWS**

        I don't believe that there is anyone who wants to live in this chaotic, disordered world forever; and if there is life after death, we'd all want it to be better. Especially, if it's going to be everlasting, it'd better be perfect! The good news is that we indeed will have what we hope for if we follow Christ; for he has already died for us on the cross so that we might have life in heaven for all eternity!

**Our Distinguished Lord**

        Jesus is the Lord of lords, yet he never lord it over us. In other words, he's unlike any of us in the position of a lord. Utter humility is what distinguishes him.

***Clear and Simple Truth***

        In today's Gospel reading from Luke 13, Jesus called the people to repentance. He said to them, "I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish!" The message is so clear and simple! Repentance can really cheer us up! If you don't feel excited about it, something has to be wrong with you. It could very well be that you are not ready to deal with all your sins yet, which basically is avoiding God.

**We Have the Same Spirit**

        In today's reading 1 from Romans 8, Paul wrote, "The Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you." So that same Spirit dwells in us. If we let the Spirit have free rein, we can accomplish whatever the Lord wishes and become like him. More power to us!

***Unbelievable Experience*****

        Communion experience. The greatest humblest miracle took place on the altar when the consecrated bread and wine changed into the body and blood of Christ the Lord. I was not only present, but also participated in it by uniting myself with the Lord both physically and spiritually. All in all, it's heavenly! awesome! and unbelievable!

***Sure Way to Loving God***

        We've been told to love God by doing this or that and almost never to surrender ourselves to God completely to attain union with him. And we end up lost in the innumerable rules we're given to follow. Of course, the right order is to seek union directly with the Lord through the Holy Eucharist first. Once you attain union, you'll know automatically how to love and serve him in your heart. 

**Sad Observation*

        The wise always follow the Lord. Looking around, I see that most of us, even though they profess to be Christians, are still deeply ingrained in their own ways and thinking.  Basically, they still foolishly follow themselves, barely the Lord. 

***One Basic Rule of Life***

         When the salvation of your soul is at stake, you must not take any chance. That is, you must always take the Lord seriously and never wait until it's too late. For example, if you believe that God will always take you back as long as you turn to him before you die, well, the Lord is always a step ahead of you. When he sees that you are really not in a hurry to turn to him, he may very well not give you that chance you count on. Revere the Lord and you take care of your soul as well. 

**Complete Delivery from the Body*

         In today's reading 1 from Romans 7, Paul wrote, "Miserable one that I am! Who will deliver me from this mortal body? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord." Yes, Christ can free us from our mortal body once and for all. Trapped in this body, we are weighed down physically and sin through our physical senses. If we follow Christ, he frees us from sin starting right now and will deliver us from our body totally the day we depart from this world. Misery will be gone forever!

*****Our Obligation Is Clear***

        Let's look at the Lord God. He is infinite and almighty, and is our creator. Now, look at ourselves. We entered the world naked, not owning anything. We live because our God and Father sustains us. Everyone and everything needed by us all came from him. In other words, we are 100% dependent upon God. Above all, he loves us with the greatest love. In such a situation, how should we behave or act toward him? Objectively, I see that the only correct answer is that we trust in and obey God wholeheartedly without reservation.  

***God's Great Mercy**

        This video presents a message that gives us hope and teaches us not to judge anyone. It shows how truly merciful God is.

**Our Dividing Lord**

        In today's Gospel reading from Luke 12, Jesus told his disciples that he had come not to establish peace on the earth, but rather division. He said, "From now on a household of five will be divided, three against two and two against three; a father will be divided against his son and a son against his father a mother against her daughter and a daughter against her mother, a mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law." This has turned to be true to this day. This is proof that Jesus is the truth by which we are differentiated. Otherwise, the division wouldn't have been such a big deal.