**Getting Our Pass to Heaven**

        Today's Gospel account of the empty tomb from John 20: On the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning and saw the stone removed from Jesus' tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and John, and told them, "They have taken the Lord from the tomb." Then the two went out and ran to the tomb. When John saw the burial cloths there, and the cloth that had covered the head all rolled up in a separate place, he believed. So John saw and believed. We can assuredly believe too. When we believe, faith is born. We now get our pass to heaven.

**Trustworthy Gospel**

         Today is the Feast of Saint John, Apostle and Evangelist. Here's the Entrance Antiphon taken from 1 John 1:3—What we have seen and heard, we proclaim now to you. Know that John, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was an eyewitness at the transfiguration and crucifixion of Jesus and also saw the Risen Lord, so we can fully trust all his accounts in the book of John.

***In Gratitude to God's Love***

        Remain in union with Christ, learn everything from him, and let him shape and polish us in every way so that we may become even more pleasing and beautiful to him. Our reward will be great joy beginning now to eternity!

***Alone No More****

        Without Christ, we essentially exist alone, no matter how many people we know in this world. Once we know the Lord and become his forever, we are never alone again!

****Exemplary Rule for All Christians****

        Today is the Feast of Saint Stephen, First Martyr. This is the Response to readings from Psalm 31: Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit. In the Gospel reading from Matthew 10, Jesus told his disciples not to worry about how they are to speak or what they are to say during coming persecutions, for they will be given at that moment what they are to say by the Spirit of the Father. This was exactly what St. Stephen did, and we should be like that too! It's being ready to comment our spirit into the Lord's hands at any time.

**What We Must Not Delay:

opening the door to Christ when we hear him knocking.

**Honest Truth**

       We'll have no peace (both external and internal) until we enter the Kingdom of God thru Jesus.

***New Life thru Death***

         To live or to die in Christ—which is better? Both are necessary. You live in him first. When you are satisfied and feel completely free, you know that your old self has died in him; you now live a brand new life in him. 

***Absolutely True***

        In the Gospels, Jesus said to his disciples, "To the one who has, more will be given; from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away." This saying becomes absolutely true when you say "To the one who has Christ, more will be given; from the one who has not Christ, even what he has will be taken away."

**Christmas Joy Tainted

        Merry Christmas to all first! At Christmas time, many families get together with all the members of their own family. It's supposed to be a happy occasion, but many do it because they see it as tradition, an obligation, or an occasion to have a good time. But if there's no intention of celebrating the birth of our Savior, there can be no true joy. Also, those who already follow Christ can't help but feel the pain when they see the deep divisions amid the family because of him. Sorrow now pervades true joy.

***When we trust in God . . .

we become channels of his power for the good of all sinners.

**This I Know**

        There is an infinite number of things I don't know, but I do know without a doubt that Christ is our Savior, being the only light who can lead us out of darkness.

***Conversion Story*

        Here's a short video showing why an evangelical is becoming Catholic. This first reason he gives was also one of mine when I decided to become Catholic decades ago as a Presbyterian.    

***What to Avoid at All Costs***

        The pain of offending the Lord we feel in this life is real and can be unbearable. Imagine how bad the souls in hell must feel when they experience various even much worse pains that never end. 

**How Hard Is Your Heart?**

         Today's Communion antiphon, Revelation 3:20—Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if anyone hears my voice and opens the door to me, I will enter his house and dine with him, and he with me. Such a beautiful, sweet, and kind invitation! The Lord is ready and waiting, so how are you going to respond? 

**Aging Blessing*

         When you are young and physically fit, you pursue many activities in the world in hope that life would be worth living. Then you age and your physical condition deteriorates to the point you no longer can participate in all those activities, and you have no choice but to think about God more,. Now you start to grow spiritually and see that life can truly be worth living. This shift of focus or attention is a great blessing!  

**Being Fake and Being Genuine**

         When our thinking, reasoning, and emotions get tainted, we easily sin and remain in unrest. Now we are no longer genuine, for we must act as if we're not sinful. Those who don't sin or have repented and all their sins taken away don't have to pretend that they are someone else, so they remain genuine and live in peace.

**Our Brightest Hope**

         Sometimes if we don't watch our self-righteousness, it can overcome our sense of restraint and end up hurting someone. This is a sin. I know because I just did that to someone and felt terrible! I have apologized to that person, but confession is in order. Much more humility is needed, something we can never have enough. Recently, I blogged that we should always trust in the Lord and never let anything disturb our peace. This is correct, but as usual, it's easily said than done. Fortunately, we always have Christ present to perfect us and that's enough to cheer us up again.