***Better tham Heaven***

        Once you fall in love with Christ, you just want to go to him to be with him forever—you don't even think about heaven. 

**Order of Business Before Communion

        I first worship the Lord, then I adore him, and finally I yield myself to him totally.

*****Assured Way to Holiness*****

         One common error almost all Christians make is that they focus upon how they can become holy instead of how God can make them holy. It's being self-centered and not Christ-centered. This difference in approach could spell total success or total failure, for all power comes from the Lord. Surrendering ourselves to the Lord is necessary. This means that seeking union with the Lord through the Holy Eucharist is the way to get going.

**Don't Believe in Lies**

         The God of Jesus is the only truth, and Satan, the father of all lies. If you still have not totally trusted in God yet, then Satan has fooled you to some extent. You must now correct your course lest you lose your way forever. 

**The Least the Rich Could Do**

         Today is the Memorial of Saint Anthony. In the Gospel reading from Mathew 19 for the memorial, someone approached Jesus and said, “Teacher, what good must I do to gain eternal life?” He answered him, “If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.” The young man said to him, “All of these I have observed. What do I still lack?” Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” When the young man heard this statement, he went away sad, for he had many possessions. Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Amen, I say to you, it will be hard for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. 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.” When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and said, “Who then can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “For human beings this is impossible, but for God all things are possible.” So if you are rich, but are not possible for you to sell what you have and give to the poor, the least you could do is to become detached from all your possessions.

****Do You Know That . . .

 every time you do God's will, you are telling him that you love him?

****Listen, the Lord Speaks to Us!****

         The Lord is always trying to communicate with us. Every time we do something, he wishes us to follow his will, that is, to be holy, so that we may get back to him in heaven.

***Happy Moaning***

        There are times my thoughts turn to the Lord and I start to moan spontaneously. It usually happens when I am in bed trying to fall asleep, but still awake. I'm not unhappy at all. The Holy Spirit finally made me see that it's my yearning for the Lord that caused that. If that happens to you, now you know. 

***Truly Our Lord and Savior Forever*

        In today's reading from Mark 2, Jesus was at home. Many gathered together so that there was no longer room for them, and he preached the word to them. They came bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. Unable to get near Jesus because of the crowd, they opened up the roof above him. After they had broken through, they let down the mat on which the paralytic was lying. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to him, "Child, your sins are forgiven." Now some of the scribes were sitting there thinking to themselves, "He is blaspheming. Who but God alone can forgive sins?" Jesus immediately knew in his mind what  they were thinking, so he said, "Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven' or 'Rise, pick up your mat and walk'? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins on earth"—he said to the paralytic, "I say to you, rise, pick up your mat, and go home." He rose, picked up his mat at once, and went away in the sight of everyone. Here Jesus showed that he could make us whole both spiritually and physically. He is truly our Lord and Savior for now and all eternity.

***Securing Your Salvation***

        In Matthew 7:21, Jesus said to his disciples, "Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven." How secure is your salvation? You must love God to be willing to do his will, so do everything with love. The more intense your love, the more secure your salvation.

****BIGGEST LOSER****

        Anyone in this life who has the chance to get to know Jesus Christ, but chooses to let him go and loses him forever

***Overwhelming Experience**

        Communion experience. When we are overwhelmed by something, we normally get very excited. The love of Christ was so overwhelming that it actually made me speechless. All I could do is to submit myself totally to him in silence. .

**Sensible Asking*

         In today's Gospel reading from Mark 1, a leper came to Jesus and kneeling down begged him and said, "If you wish, you can make me clean." Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand, touched the leper, and said to him, "I do will it. Be made clean." The leprosy left him immediately, and he was made clean. "If you wish . . ." is a good way for us to begin asking the Lord to do something for us. You are not forcing him, and he may very well say "I will do it" to you. Basically, you don't refrain from asking for a miracle, but you'll always follow his will.

**Sensible Thinking*

        So many things we we don't know or understand. If you believe that God is infinite and omnipotent, we have no choice but to believe and trust in hm totally. You can go on your own, but where will you end up?

***Transformation We All need***

         Allow Christ to displace our ugly ego with his Holy Spirit, and we'll be set free from ourselves and finally happy with our own existence.

**The Lord Can Do It**

        In today's Gospel reading from Mark 1, people brought to Jesus at the house of Simon and Andrew all who were ill or possessed by demons. The whole town was gathered at the door. He cured many who were sick with various diseases, and he drove out many demons, not permitting them to speak because they knew him. Now, if Jesus can deliver us form demons, he can certainly take away our sins and make us holy if we let him.

**Proper Response to God Calling Us*

         In today's First Reading from 1 Samuel 3, Samuel was sleeping in the temple of the LORD. The LORD came and called Samuel. He answered, "Here I am, LORD. Speak, for your servant is listening." This is how we should always respond to the LORD, being ready and willing. 

**Most Wonderful Day Coming**

         Today's Entrance Antiphon: Upon a lofty throne, I saw a man seated, whom a host of angels adore, singing in unison: Behold him, the name of whose empire is eternal. Christ is our God, our Lord, and our Savior. He is greater, more glorious, more magnificent, and more beautiful than we can ever imagine. When I see him in person, it'll be the most wonderful day of my existence up to that day!