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***The Apostle John on God's Love

        Today's first reading comes from 1 John 4. The Apostle writes, "Everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God, for God is love. In this way the love of God was revealed to us: God sent his only-begotten Son into the world so that we might have life through him. Not that we have loved God, but that he loved us." We can learn quite a bit about God's love here. Anyone who hates obviously does not know God. When we love, we are born anew in God. Since God is love, when we love, we become like him and one with him. God has made us in his image and loves us to death—this is one of the greatest revelations. For this alone, we can rejoice forever! So he first loved us, we realize it and love him back—it's us returning all the way to God. 

***Fit to Be God's Abode

         We have two lives to live, a physical one and a spiritual one. The latter is hidden, but a lot more important, for living it right will make living the other one right too. As we are "trapped" in the physical body, physical action is unavoidable. Spiritually, we need Christ to purify our hearts and souls to make us holy. Then all thoughts, all words, and all deeds coming out of us will be pure too. Now, we are fit for God to dwell in us. 

**God Forbid Such a Wish

        We often wish that we'd done things differently. For example, you wish that you had bought a stock whose price has just skyrocketed. Way back, I wished I'd accepted a different job offer when the one I chose didn't work out too well. But missing such opportunities is not the end of the world. We wish we had been friendlier to someone who passed away suddenly. This is a more serious case, for we cannot correct the situation anymore. Now, there is one wish you must never ever let occur to you. That is, after you die, you'd wish that you had accepted Christ as your Savior when you were on earth.

**More on Illumination of Conscience

        I've posted about the illumination of conscience which had been revealed to various mystics, visionaries, and seers, and which I believe to be imminent. Here's a video that further illuminates this subject.

**Certainty in the Lord

         I am more convinced than ever that if we place our trust in the Lord completely, no matter how tough times get, our soul will be secure in his hands and we'll get through and emerge victorious in the end. 

**Sure Way of Finding God

        If you look for God but don't know how to or don't find him, then you need God's help. Just assume that he exists and you ask him humbly to help you find and know him. To give you a head start, go straight to Jesus and ask him for help, as I already know that he is the true God. And you'll have your breakthrough!   

***God Completing Our Joy

            Communion experience. I attended the only Sunday Mass scheduled at 10:30 AM. Again, it was held outdoors with everyone wearing a mask. It was a beautiful cool sunny day, not windy at all. I received the Lord in the Holy Eucharist again and felt that it was the most precious, intimate union with God one can possibly experience on earth. You become one with the One who created you and loves you to death! This is the life-changing fulfillment we all need! This is God completing our joy, you could say.

*Revelations for Us

        Today is the Epiphany of the Lord. God has revealed the mysteries of his kingdom to the prophets, the holy Apostles, and many of his holy servants. But he reveals truths to all ordinary humble and devout folks too. We may not receive anything startling or new, but often the Lord makes us see old truths anew, uplifting our spirit and bolstering our faith. So remain open to the Lord always to let him reveal his mysteries to you.

***How Much You Love God

        God has already died on the cross to show how much he loves you. If you love him and believe that you ought be willing to die for him too, then you are saved. But if you love him and are actually willing to die for him, he will exalt you to the max.

**Why I Pray

        I pray extra hard nowadays. I may pray too fast or too slow, be too distracted or too sleepy while praying, but I know that if my desire is intense and heartfelt, the Lord hears me and will respond to me. Today as I was praying, I wondered why I prayed to him so much. The answer came to me: it's because he is our only hope and nothing is impossible for him! That's the reason.

**Belief in Christ

        In today's reading 1 from 1 John 2. the Apostle wrote, "Who is the liar? Whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Whoever denies the Father and the Son, this is the antichrist. Anyone who denies the Son does not have the Father, but whoever confesses the Son has the Father as well." John and the other Apostles, not counting Judas Iscariot, followed Jesus for three years, watched all the great miracles and deeds he performed, and saw him risen from the dead and ascend into heaven. Since John and the other Apostles had become totally convinced that Christ is the Son of God and is one with the Father, I can totally believe in him as they did. I don't need to see him in person now. Also, my personal experience with the Lord alone is good enough for me to believe in him with all my heart and with all my soul.

**Most Sorry and Pitiable State

          We who believe and follow Christ know that God is always with us. Even though we go through darkness, we still trust in him and know that we'll emerge victorious in the end. Enduring suffering and persecution is part of the process of attaining eternal life. On the other hand, those who don't believe in God have no truth to guide them or rely upon; they just do what they want to do to please themselves. When things don't work out their way, they panic and go completely insane. There is no sorrier or more pitiable state than being lost and on your way to losing your soul forever. [Jesus asked in Matthew 16 or Mark 8: "What profit is there for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?" People can get it, but choose not to.]

***Our Spiritual Battle***

         While God and Satan fight for our souls, we fight ourselves. To help God win, all we need to do is to make him No. 1 and ourselves No. 2. When God wins, we also win. (Note that when Satan wins, we lose.)

*How We Can Change the World

        Each of us who are finite has a small role to play, while the infinite God who knows the overall scheme of things plays the big leading role. When we pray hard to the Lord and ask him to empower us to change the world, we become one with him and things start to happen.

*Big Prayer for This Year

        We can choose to live in the world or in God. This is how we are divided. To know the truth, we must live in God, the God of Christ. The world is filled with lying, fraudulent, hypocritical, and corrupt people. Wealthy people are applying for Government aid for those who have been hit by COVID-19, and getting it. Hospitals inflate the COVID death figures to receive more money from the Government. Congress proposed to pay another $600 to each citizen who needs help, but surreptitiously tacked on amendments to pay millions and millions of dollars to a whole bunch of foreign governments to fund some ridiculous-sounding projects or programs! What's happening? Something fishy's going on here for sure. The loss of fear of God will result in the downfall of all of them if they don't change their ways. My big prayer this year will be that the people of the world will choose God over the world. Nothing is impossible for our Lord!

***Only Resolution You Need to Make***

          It's January 1, 2021. Should I say Happy New Year to everyone? We wish others good health a lot too. But without involving God, such gestures seem rather empty, much like customarily asking "How are you?" when greeting someone you haven't seen for a while. Of course, there's no harm in saying any of the above. As for New Year resolutions, I used to make them, but not anymore. Again, without involving God, all of them failed or were forgotten. To genuinely improve ourselves, we need God. After all, he created us and should have no trouble making us better and happier in every way when we so desire. Once you have submitted yourself to the Lord, making resolutions is no longer necessary, for the Lord now teaches, molds and shapes you directly. The only resolution you to need to make and follow through is submitting yourself to God. And you are set for life.

***End of Year Thoughts and Wishes

        Today for this part of the world is the last day of 2020. I never thought I would live this long. The Lord has his reason for everything. Am I happy about that? Well, that's not really the important question. What's important is whether we are ready to meet the Lord. It we are not and he takes us sooner than expected, that could be tragic. But if we are always ready to meet him anytime he calls, this would be a constant joy for us. Like everyone else, I still have unfinished business to take care of. A project of mine is running into some problems now. My feeling is that if it doesn't get completed, that'd be fine too. Wouldn't you agree that the coolest attitude is to never lose your cool? God is truly cool, so be like him. Have a blessed 2021! My #1 recommended New York resolution for you is to abandon yourself totally in God ao that he may bless you to his heart's content.