An Ego Test

        If you feel hurt or get upset when someone misunderstands or blames you and you really haven't done anything wrong, then you still have some of that ego in you. Here's a chance to ask God to crush it for you to remain peaceful.

Planned Parenthood Exposed

        At http://www.UnplannedWebcast.com, you can register to hear Abby Johnson, a former Planned Parenthood director, talk about her new book "Unplanned."  The webcast has been scheduled for next Monday, Jan. 10 at 9 PM Eastern (8 PM Central, 7 PM Mountain, 6 PM Pacific) and the book is coming out the following day.  She is going to reveal the shocking details of what she saw inside the abortion business...and why she resigned her job and joined the pro-life movement.  This should be a huge event.  Watch it if you can and tell others about the webcast and the book too.

Doing God's Will

        This thought came to me today.  I could very well do only what I feel like doing, take control of my life and be just myself.  I may even achieve something in this world, making a name for myself and even benefiting others as a result.  I could really enjoy my own "freedom," even though I may have to fight many battles along the way on my own.  Well, I used to think and live that way.  Now I see clearly that if I were to go through all my life like that and do not change to become a holier person before God, then I shall have wasted all my time on earth.  In other words, I busy myself all life and end up being still the same old me (or possibly a lot worse).  

        Doing one small will of God is infinitely more meaningful and meritorious than doing one million wills of my own.  I am happy that by God's grace, I had come to realize this truth. 

The Depth of God

        I had sensed the great beauty and sheer perfection of God in the past.  Today at Mass I sensed the awesome depth of God.  I would like to remain deep in him, learn from him, and draw all I need from this depth.  I believe that if I continue searching and exploring in it, I'll discover even more treasures, wonders, and be amazed.  There is unlimited power in this depth for us to tap.  God is all we need, more than sufficient for us.  I could even say that God is too much of a good thing for us.  Thanks be to Jesus for revealing the Father to us. 

Distributing God's Love

        This is kind of a sequel to the last post.  Since God loved us first, we can think of ourselves as empty vessels, continuously filled to the brim with God's love, as we distribute this love to others as needed.  This should help us remember that we are not the source of this love, but merely channels of it.

God First Loved Us

        St. John reminds us today that we love God because he first loved us (1 John 4.19).  It's easy to think that we do his will because we love him, whereas the right reason for doing his will is because he loves us.  It's his love that makes us love him back and love others. 

Connect or Reconnect to God

        We adults forget most of the things that happened to us in life when we were at a very young age, but certain things do stick in our mind.  I still remember vividly when I was perhaps around six, the time I went over to a person sitting in a chair in the kitchen at home ~ she's not even a member of the family, but she was very endearing to me.  I walked over to her, sat on the edge of the seat between her legs, and leaned back on her.  She  didn't even try to hold me, but I felt so good and secure just being with her, touching her ~ there was definitely a connection there.

        This was how I felt this morning during prayer before Mass.  Now I have God the Father holding me close to him, letting me know that I am his and I belong to him. This was such a rock-solid, good feeling that only God can provide.  What the world needs is love and the sense of belonging ~ there are so many lonely and lost souls out there. They need to connect or reconnect to God, so that they'll know where to go and to belong.

Do You Really Know Jesus?

        At the Last Supper, when Philip asked Jesus to show them (the disciples) the Father, Jesus responded, "Have I been with you for so long a time and you still do not know me, Philip?  Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.  How can you say, 'Show us the Father'?"

        This makes me think that we could be a follower of Jesus for a long time, hear him preached every Sunday at church, read many books about him, participate in parish activities, and still do not know him or the Father.  To avoid this pitfall, seek total union with the Lord.

Small Pain, Big Gain

        Today's Communion verse, Matthew 19.29: "Everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands for the sake of my name will receive a hundred times more, and will inherit eternal life."
        This greatly helps me in giving up certain things in life.

St. John on Love

        I love St. John, the Apostle.  His writings are simple, clear, and to the point.  In today's Mass reading from 1 John 4, he makes it clear that

        (1) we have not seen God, but if we love one another, God remains in us,

        (2) God has given us his Holy Spirit so that we know that we remain in him and he in us,

        (3) God is love and this love is brought to perfection among us who remain in him,

        (4) love and fear are mutually exclusive.  One who fears is not yet perfect in love. 

        St. John here gives us much food for thought.  To those who are still afraid of the physical death, let me say that nothing can match the power of God's love.  Let this love fill you to leave no room for any fear.