***Being Outstanding and Topnotch*

        To be saved is one thing; you believe in Christ and you are saved. To be holy is another matter because it involves surrendering yourself to him. If you wish to go straight to heaven after you die, then you must become holy. Seeking to attain union with God through the Holy Eucharist is the way to go. All it needs is your total submission to him. To be a mediocre disciple is easy, but the Lord deserves that we become outstanding and topnotch, for he did command his disciples to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect. A tall order for us, but God always makes things easy for us when we go along with him.

***Listening to God's Word

        This is today's first reading from Isaiah 55—Thus says the LORD: Just as from the heavens the rain and snow come down and do not return there till they have watered the earth, making it fertile and fruitful, giving seed to the one who sows and bread to the one who eats, so shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth; it shall not return to me void, but shall do my will, achieving the end for which I sent it. So we are to let the word of the Lord make us fertile and fruitful so that we may do his will, achieving the end for which he has intended. To reject the Lord's word is to thwart his intention and thereby a serious sin.

**God, Marvelous Creator

        February is coming to an end and spring still more than three weeks away. It's still quite cold outside. Yet as I drove home after Mass this morning, I saw some flowering trees already in full bloom and other deciduous ones showing off their new buds. God has created them without a brain, a heart, nor a conscience, yet they "know" that spring is near and it's time to grow afresh again. It makes me marvel at God's creative power and happy that he has created me. 

*Aging Grace

        The older we get, the less able we are to do things for ourselves. This is a good thing because now we just have to trust in God more.

**Logical, Sane Response

        Today's Communion antiphon from Matthew 25: Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of the least of my brethren, you did it for me, says the Lord. Come, you blessed of my Father, receive the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. The Lord has always existed and we were created by him at some point after the founding of the world, and he has a great plan prepared for each of us. It seems clear that accepting him as our Lord and obeying him in all things is our only sane and logical response to him.

*****Big Secret of Following God*****

         Do not chase after the Lord; just relax and totally let him lead you. That is, you give the Lord total freedom to draw you to him. 

*Living a Good Disciplined Life

        A short inspiring talk by Deacon Issac Longworth. Most of us don't belong to the clergy, but we can also live a good disciplined life like Dn. Issac here.

***First Things First***

        Before you ask God to bless you, make sure that you deserve his blessings. Suppose you just don't follow some of the teachings of the Church, do you still think that he should bless you? Before you receive the Lord in the Holy Eucharist, if you still hate or won't forgive someone in your heart, do you think that you should even touch him in any way? I shouldn't think so. Hence, prior to asking God for any favor, always acknowledge and repent your sins first.

**Sweet Seconds*

        Every second spent with Christ the Lord is a sweet second. The worldwide life expectancy is now over 73. If you live to 73, you will have lived over 2.3 billion seconds, and that can be a lot of sweet seconds.

***Devil's Channel***

        Our ego is the channel the Devil uses to speak to us. To safeguard your soul, starve your ego until you become selfless and humble. And God will exalt you then. 

**A Blessing

        The more you sense God's awesome holiness, the more you realize how wretched a sinner you are. This is a blessing, for it's the Lord calling.

***Our Most Serious Problem***

        It's with our sin, for sin can destroy our souls. And Christ is the only one who can free us from sin. That's why we need to surrender ourselves to him. This is how we can be saved! The absolute simple truth.

*****Forever witn God

        With God, everything is forever. He will always love us. If we love him, we need to love him forever. He wants to save us to be with him forever. And we can be truly happy only if we can be happy forever. Everything works out beautifully if we stick with our God, the God of Christ.  

***Why Christ Keeps Calling Us***

        You'll hear Jesus calling you at all times if you tune in to him. His only reason: He wants you to get to heaven to be with him forever! The absolute truth.
        You'll hear Jesus calling you at all times if you tune in to him. His only reason: He wants you to get to heaven to be with him forever! The absolute truth.
        You'll hear Jesus calling you at all times if you tune in to him. His only reason: He wants you to get to heaven to be with him forever! The absolute truth.

***Most Beautiful Act***

        In today's Gospel reading from Luke 5, Jesus saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the customs post. He said to him, "Follow me." And leaving everything behind, he got up and followed him. We really should follow the Lord's call instantly as Levi did. If we do not leave everything behind when he calls us, we'll have to do it when we leave this world. Then, not only there'll be no merit for us, it can even count against us. Submit ourselves to the Lord, develop a sharp conscience, and obey him the moment he calls—this is what we need to accomplish in this life. Instance obedience is a most beautiful act on our part for the Lord. 

**Speeding up Spiritual Growth

        This was what we heard rom today's first reading from Isaiah 58: If you hold back your foot on the sabbath from following your own pursuits on my holy day; if you call the sabbath a delight, and the LORD's holy day honorable; if you honor it by not following your ways, seeking your own interests, or speaking with malice—then you shall delight in the LORD.... It dawned on me that if the sabbath is such a special day for the LORD, we can also make it special by trying to be extra holy on that day. This can help speeding up our spiritual progress.

***Cherishing the LORD*

        I yearn for the Lord. Even though I don't see him, I hear him speaking to my heart. This is an intimacy I deeply treasure. Hearing his voice just makes my day and draws me deep into him. The Lord is to be cherished and enjoyed thoroughly!

***Simple Ideal Life Plan

        Believe in Christ to secure you eternal life first. Always remember that you are heaven-bound. Then follow Christ faithfully. Peace and joy will accompany you the whole time.