We are good at making sure that we remain physically healthy so that we may live as long as possible on earth. Yet we seem to be unconcerned about our spiritual well-being as to what will happen to our souls after we die. What has made us so myopic? Are we dumb or what?
Thursday, October 30, 2025
**Intention Matters**
In Matthew 5, Jesus said to his disciples: Be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect. Of course, being mortal and on earth, we can never be as perfect as God is, but we must do the best we can. The Lord would be pleased if we have this intention. In Matthew 19, Jesus said to a young man: 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. Now, many of us are married and have a family to support, so the Lord's advice is not practical for us. But we should be willing to follow it if it were practical. Again, intention matters. The Lord will judge us by our intentions, not just our outward actions. Proverbs 16:2: All one’s ways are pure in one’s own eyes, but the measurer of motives is the LORD. Again, in 1 Samuel 16:7, the Lord said to Samuel: God does not see as a mortal, who sees the appearance. The LORD looks into the heart. Amen.
Wednesday, October 29, 2025
**What Keeps Us Alive**
Today's psalm response from Psalm 13: My hope, O Lord, is in your mercy. I, a poor sinner, dare to approach the Lord only because he is merciful. None of us can possibly survive without his great mercy.
**Beautiful Truth**
In today's reading 1 from Romans 8, Paul wrote, "All things work to the good for those who love God." Here's a truth to believe in. Put simply, we love God and all will end well for us! Amen.
***What Much Longer to Keep God Waiting?*
The Lord God awaits us to submit ourselves to him completely, that is, to acknowledge that he is our Lord, so that we may enter paradise. If you haven't done so yet, how much longer are you going to keep him waiting? Know that God will always win in any game you play with him. Lose to him and you win every time.
**Can You Really Escape from God?**
This is a challenging question for every non-believer. I suppose that if you are a staunch atheist, the question wouldn't concern you. All I can say to you is "Good luck." Otherwise, if you have any common sense, the answer should clearly be no; and if you are wise, you would want to become a believer.
***Smart Approach to Knowing God**
Seeking God is not the same as seeking how to know God. Unfortunately, many people follow the latter, spending a lot of time and still failing to know God. The smart approach is to go to Jesus directly, for he is ever present and ready to receive you. People don't do that—I think it's because they are not quite ready to abandon themselves to God yet. Once you turn to Christ, just open yourself up wide to him and he'll reciprocate by revealing himself to you—now you know him. (This is not a new message; it's just important enough to be reiterated.)
Tuesday, October 28, 2025
***Jesus' Death Accepted***
Today Tuesday is the day of praying the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Holy Rosary. Here are my thoughts. If anyone suffers a death like Jesus', I would feel most sorry for that person. But Jesus' suffering and death are different and most personal, for he died for my sins so that I might live! And I don't mind that because deep down I know I am a sinner. This to me is a great blessing!
Monday, October 27, 2025
***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!
Sunday, October 26, 2025
**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!
Saturday, October 25, 2025
**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!
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