***Leaving All Up to God

         For all these years since 2012, I've been posting on the average at least three messages per day. Once in a while I receive as many as ten messages almost at the same time. For the first time his month, while I am still as open to the Lord as ever, I've been receiving on most days at most two messages to post. Job 1:21 comes to my mind: "The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away." I had experienced this when I was actively involved in leading a charismatic prayer group decades ago. I would receive all the ideas from the Lord to share with the group in advance. (I still have the notebook that I wrote them in.) Then after years one day, thoughts suddenly stopped coming to me—I sensed it's time to let someone take over and phase out of the charismatic renewal movement. Now I have definitely been called to let the world know that the Lord desires that we all seek union with him thru the Holy Eucharist. Perhaps I am now going thru the final phase of my spiritual journey on earth; then again, perhaps not. I am leaving all up to my Lord and my God.

***Living in Christ Wisely***

         Always be open to and rejoice in him, knowing that he is leading you to eternal life and total spiritual freedom. Follow him every step of the way. Instead of expecting things to happen, let him surprise and amaze you. 

***Our Most Beautiful Act!***

         Bliss is the ecstatic joy of heaven. We experience bliss in heaven because we can do whatever we want in heaven as we only want to do God's will up there. And when we desire that, it's done for us! Therefore, the most beautiful act for us now on earth is to submit ourselves to God completely. When we attain union with God, we perfect his plan and the entire heaven rejoices!

***Our Ultimate Prayer***

         In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 8, we have the centurion who asked Jesus to cure his paralyzed servant, impressing the Lord with his faith by saying to him, "Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed." Faith is believing that God can do whatever you want him to do, not necessarily that he will do whatever you ask of him. And we must believe that whatever he wishes for us will always be the best for us. "Thy will be done" is to be our ultimate prayer.

***Perfect Way to Become Perfect***

         Today is the Solemnity of Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. Jesus has surely given his Most Sacred Heart to us in saving us from sin. Now, we all follow our hearts. So if we give our hearts totally to Jesus, we would follow him perfectly! Do this to become perfect as the heavenly Father is perfect (Matthew 5:48). 

***Proper Attire for Attending Mass*

         At daily or Sunday Mass, I do notice people who dress inappropriately because they reveal the body inappropriately, causing distractions. This video I came across is refreshing, so I'd like to share it with all.

***Poignant Warning*

         In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 7, 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. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name? Did we not drive out demons in your name? Did we not do mighty deeds in your name?' Then I will declare to them solemnly, 'I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers.'" This is a warning as poignant  as the one that tells us that on that day when two people are together, one will be taken and the other left behind. For sure I know that anyone who's humble enough to know that he absolutely needs Christ to save him will make it to heaven, while one who thinks that he's already good enough will not. It's a matter of letting God be your Lord (doing his will).

***This Is How to Miss the Boat***

         Jesus has always advised us to remain alert and vigilant so that whenever he shows up to judge us, we'd be ready. It's clear that if you wait until you see him and then tell him you are now ready to follow him, it'll be too late!

**Primary Duty of a Christian*

         John the Baptist was called by God to go before Christ to prepare his way. We must realize that we who follow Christ have all been called by God to go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15). To sit by and not do that is neglecting our primary duty of life, a great sin of omission. The more diligently we work to glorify God, the greater will our reward be in heaven. Life on earth is our time of sowing, then in heaven we reap what we sowed for all eternity.

***Wonderfully Made Are We**

         Today is the Solemnity of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist. Psalm 139:14a, the responsorial psalm response, reads: I praise you, for I am wonderfully made. To be a happy person, you must realize this and appreciate how wonderfully the Lord has made you! You are no junk; in fact he even died in your place in order you might have eternal life! If this were too hard for you to believe, then you either don't realize that you are wonderfully made or you are full of false humility. True humility is believing whatever the Lord tells you.

***Mark of True God

         Christ is true God because he attempts to subdue us only with the most tender selfless love.

***MY LORD & MY GOD***

        As the Apostle Thomas finally saw Jesus and realized that he was his Lord and his God, I know that he is also my Lord and my God. So I let Jesus my Lord lead and guide me in all things with total trust, not questioning any of his intentions. I also acknowledge the fact that I depend totally upon Jesus my God, for without him I wouldn't even exist. It's believing in and submitting yourself to him completely, knowing that before long you'll be with him in heaven for all eternity!

***Connecting with Heaven***

        Today is the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. I find Christ to be the only one I can entrust fully with my soul and feel the greatest comfort in abiding in his love. Receiving him in the Holy Eucharist at Communion time is nothing short of partaking of a banquet in heaven!

***Only Way to True Happiness***

        Since only Christ can take away our sins, only he can fundamentally change us to make us fundamentally happy. We can only make others (or ourselves) momentarily happy without involving Christ. Therefore, to make others truly happy, we must aim at leading them to know and believe in Christ.  

***Christ Desperatelty Needed!*****

         This is a world filled with people who hate all other kinds of people. No matter who you are, what you believe in, there are people out there who don't like you. Basically, we have too many unhappy souls who "love" to judge others, but are blind to their own faults. This is why we so desperately need Christ to come into our lives to correct and transform us with his pure love! He is our only hope and Savior!

***God Can Make Us Wise!*****

         In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 6, Jesus said to his disciples: "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and decay destroy, and thieves break in and steal. But store up treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor decay destroys, nor thieves break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be." That last sentence is the key: We must learn to see the truth with our heart! Tragically, we are so occupied with following our own desires that it hardly occurs to us that our omnipotent God can not only save us from sin, but also make us wise in this life. By the way, learning from the Lord is always a delight and an excellent way of getting to know him dearly.

**Simple Awareness

         Only God can grant us peace, while Evil causes only tumult and unrest in our hearts. Know this and live wisely.

***Time to Remind All Again*

         We are all passing thru this world on our way to face Christ, our Lord and only judge. You either look forward to that day or avoid thinking about it. The only way to get thru it successfully is to straighten out your relationship with him now before that day.