Have God Be With You

        People turn to God only when they feel that they need help. Don't you think that the better way is to have God be with you at all times, to save all the "traveling" to and back from him? Pray that you'll feel his presence at all times.     

Joyful March

        It's almost the end of August ~ time surely flies.  Every Sunday night when I take the garbage out for Monday's pickup, it seems that I just did it yesterday.  We all are moving toward the end of this life.  Someone once said that our heart beats like a drum, accompanying us marching toward death.  That's a pretty grim picture.  But for us who follow the Lord full of hope, our heartbeats accompany us on our joyful march toward heaven.  What a difference faith makes!   

Thank You

        At this point, I just wish to pause to thank all readers of my blog.  I wish you the very best and will lift all of you up to the Lord for his blessing in my prayer.  

Sign of Progress

        When people praise you, you feel uncomfortable and wish to go into hiding ~ this is a good sign.

Awesome Responsibility

        The Gospel reading for today is the Parable of the Silver Pieces from Matthew 25.  A man disbursed silver pieces to his three servants before going on a journey.  During his absense the two industrious servants invested what they had received and doubled their money, while the timid and lazy one simply buried the money he had received.  After the master came home, the two dependable servants were rewarded and the worthless one was punished.  

        My thoughts are: What we have received from God is far more valuable than silver pieces ~ every one of us has received God's infinite love!  It follows that we have an awesome responsibility to bear.  Are we to keep this love just to ourselves?  Are we to spread it a little bit?  Or are we to multiply this love for widest possible distribution??         

Satisfying God

        Today is the Memorial of St. Augustine.  Father Matthew celebrating the morning Mass passed on this remark that's going to stick in my mind forever: "God is easy to please, but he is very difficult to satisfy." 

        Indeed, whenever you do a little good deed, you put a smile on the Lord's face; but he's not satisfied because he wants all of you!  We are supposed to love him with all our heart, all our strength, all our mind, and all our soul.  He loves us so much that he wants to possess us totally ~ that's why. 

Joy Follows Sadness

        We are not to obstruct or impede God from carrying out his will.  Peter was scolded by Jesus when he expressed that he didn't want to hear that Jesus was going to die.  We must step aside and let the Lord freely do as he wishes.  Today, while meditating on the 5th sorrowful mystery of the rosary, I could hear the pounding of nails into the Lord's hands and feet at the scene of crucifixion.  I knew that I must not interfere, but I just couldn't help wanting to yell out as loud as possible to those doing the hammering: "What are you doing to my Lord???" 

        Thank you, Jesus, for dying for us.  I know that I should rejoice.

A Most Happy Sound

        I am referring to the crisp sound you hear as the priest breaks up the consecrated hosts into smaller pieces before distributing them at Mass.  The multiplication of the loaves and fish to feed the hungry crowd comes to my mind.  Now, the Lord is ready to feed us who hunger for him.  A welcome sound to hear. 

Achieving Intimacy with God

        Get in touch with the Holy Spirit dwelling within you to ask him to form and shape your conscience to his heart's content and you will experience a great intimacy with God. 

The Proper Focus

        If you have done something good, don't rejoice in that you have done it.  Rather, rejoice that you and the Holy Spirit are now another step closer.