"Be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect." (Matthew 5:48)

Wednesday, April 8, 2026

*****Greatest Gift of This Life*****

         In today's Gospel reading from Luke 24, the disciples recognized Jesus in the breaking of bread. When the Lord Jesus first broke bread at the Last Supper, he instituted this Most Holy and Divine Sacrament—the greatest gift we can receive in this life: the Lord himself. It unites us to him both physically and spiritually, leading us to eternal life in heaven!

***Never See Yourself the Same Way Again***

        Today's Entrance Antiphon, based on Matthew 25:34, reads:"Come, you blessed of my Father; receive the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world, alleluia." This is a monumental statement; we were in the Father's plan before the creation of the universe! We are not just random beings—each of us has a major role to assume in God's plan. We who were made in God's image truly belong to him!

***Ignorance May Not Be Bliss**

        The Passion Jesus underwent was extreme: the agony in the garden, scourging at the pillar, crowning with thorns, carrying of the cross, and crucifixion. There are many other details I could mention. If you have no qualms dismissing all that, you must believe that you do not sin—nor do you care about the fate of your soul after death.

Tuesday, April 7, 2026

**Seeking What Is Above**

        Today's Communion Antiphon, Colossians 3:1-2, reads, "If you have risen with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God; mind the things that are above, alleluia." We all tend to seek things that are of interest to us. For example, men enjoy talking about cars, tools, and sports, or drinking beer at a bar with each other. It's great camaraderie, but these things do not make us holier or uplift us to God, for we are very much influenced by whom we associate with. It's by seeking the Lord above that we can grow spiritually. In fact, the closer you get to him, the speedier will your progress be. To become holier just gets easier as you allow the Lord to do more and more for you. For the Christian on his journey, it always gets better and better.

***Enjoying he Lord to the Fullest***

        If you are a baptized and confirmed Catholic, the Holy Spirit should already dwell within you. However, if you are unsure of this, I encourage you to seek union with God through the Holy Eucharist. Upon reaching that ultimate intimacy with the Lord, you will feel the Holy Spirit guiding your thoughts, words, and deeds, allowing you to experience, savor, and cherish the presence of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit at all times.

Monday, April 6, 2026

**My Resurrection*

        Communion experience. The Lord has already raised me from the dead spiritually, while I believe in a future bodily resurrection, according to the Church's teaching.

**To Love God Is . . .**

to love everyone and everything as he loves.

**Serious Awareness***

        If living for God is building up treasures in heaven, then living just for yourself is squandering away everything you have and ultimately losing your own soul.

**Fools & Hypocrites Abound**

        In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 28, it happened earlier that Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, approached, rolled back the stone, and sat upon it. His appearance was like lightning and his clothing was white as snow. The guards were shaken with fear of him and became like dead men. Then the angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid! I know that you are seeking Jesus the crucified. He is not here, for he has been raised just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay." Later, some of the guards went into the city and told the chief priests all that had happened. The chief priests assembled with the elders and took counsel; then they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, telling them, "You are to say, 'His disciples came by night and stole him while we were asleep.' And if this gets to the ears of the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble." We see that the chief priests and the elders not only did not believe, but they even tried to hide the truth with falsehoods, on the same level as today's "fake news" and crooked politicians. How utterly foolish and hypocritical one can be!

***Time to Go Home to the Father!***

        When you fully surrender to Christ, you receive complete peace and feel free. You finally realize that the Lord loves you and that you belong to him!

Sunday, April 5, 2026

**Easter Sorrow**

        I attended morning Mass at my church, and it was absolutely packed. I did not arrive early enough and had to park my car around 1,000 feet away from the church entrance. My joy in the Lord was tempered with sorrow for those who only show up for Mass at Easter and Christmas. The only way to improve this situation is for us to be more like Christ ourselves.

***Easter Joy to All!***

        Today is Easter Sunday, the day Christ rose from the dead. It is the Lord's resurrection followed by his ascension into heaven that makes it possible for us to die and have life in heaven with him for all eternity—this should give us the greatest possible joy! He is truly the life and light of the world!

Friday, April 3, 2026

***Perfect Time to Let Love Reign***

        On this Good Friday of the Lord's Passion, we commemorate the ultimate sacrifice of God's only Begotten Son for the sake of saving us from sin. It shows the greatest love possible. If you know that you are a sinner, all the readings at today's Mass are worth going over. The first three verses of Reading I from Isaiah 52 already hit me pretty hard. Isaiah amazingly prophesied the coming of Christ in the 8th century BC. The Gospel reading consists of John 18 and 19, two entire chapters. This is the perfect time to read about Christ and let God's love move you. Do it with an open heart and you'll never be the same person again. 

**To Be Saved for Sure**

        There are ex-Catholics who no longer attend Mass regularly but still do some good work for the Church occasionally. Perhaps out of guilt, they still try to earn some merits, hoping that the Lord will still save them. It that is their intent, it won't work, for salvation is not based upon good works outweighing bad ones. You can do multiple good deeds, but if you are still unrepentant of one serious sin, you cannot be saved. All sins must be forgiven! The good thief who was crucified next to Christ was saved when he asked the Lord to remember him when he came into his kingdom. To be saved, you must want to be saved from your very heart. Hoping to be saved is taking a losing chance.

Thursday, April 2, 2026

**Faith the Lord Deserves from Us**

        With the world in chaos and evil infiltrating our societies, governments, and churches, I will still trust in Christ with faith unshakable, knowing that in the end, the Lord will put everything in order and banish evil forever. Here are the first three verses of Psalm 27 to uplift our spirits: The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom should I fear? The LORD is my life’s refuge; of whom should I be afraid? When evildoers come at me to devour my flesh, these my enemies and foes themselves stumble and fall. Though an army encamp against me, my heart does not fear; though war be waged against me, even then do I trust.

***True Fact**

        True freedom, true peace, and true joy can only come from knowing Jesus Christ, the true God. How much you experience these gifts depends entirely upon how deep your union is with the Lord.

Wednesday, April 1, 2026

**Having Faith in God is Beautiful**

        Believing in the true God of Christ is indeed beautiful, for you are completely transformed into a new creature, living in Christ and free from the world, and know that you will soon be with him in paradise for all eternity. 

*****Infinite Faith in an Infinite God*****

        I'd like to start this month with another video by Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel. Listening to him preach is incredibly satisfying because he focuses directly on Christ. Many other homilies lack power because they center more on us—on how we can follow the Lord better. Truly, having unshakable faith in Christ can banish our worries, fill our hearts with peace, and solve all our problems. Does it sound too good to be true? Not if your have great faith!