Jesus wants us to accumulate treasure in heaven, not on this earth. Every will of the Lord is a treasure. By doing it we are being obedient. Every thought, every word, every intention, every move, every gesture... makes a difference because the Lord sees everything. Loving and serving him at all times is the most rewarding job you can have in this life.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
The Greatness of God
God is so loving, so merciful, so understanding, and so good. At the same time, he is all-powerful, all-wise, all-knowing... ~ indeed, nothing is impossible with him. When I realize such infinite greatness, I can only throw up my hands and surrender, believe, worship, and follow with all my heart, all my mind, all my strength, and all my soul. Asking any questions is totally out of place.
The Lord Renews
One thing I love about the Lord is that no matter what kind of condition I may be in, he can renew me. When I let him, he constantly makes me into a new (better) person. The hope is always there, so goodbye to despair and grief. Every time I receive Holy Communion, the Holy Spirit transforms me into a person more like the Lord.
Monday, July 11, 2011
All or Nothing with God
I've been "accused" of being not easygoing because it's usually all or nothing with me. There are Catholics who are not like that and believe in or accept only those teachings they think are true. The problem is that if they are right, they would be believing in a Church that's not 100% correct. Either way, they end up wrong.
For an all-or-nothing person like me, I don't have this problem. At least if I am right, then I am right.
Jesus Restores Happiness
I saw myself in a mirror this morning. When you look at yourself, it's good to ask if you see a person that is truly happy. If not, then you probably have been shaped too much by the world and need Jesus to lift you up. As St. Bonaventure explains: "Happiness is nothing other than the enjoyment of the highest good. Since the highest good is above, no one can be made happy unless he rises above himself. But we cannot rise above ourselves unless a higher power lifts us up. Divine aid is needed, and is available to those who seek it from their hearts humbly and devoutly through prayer."
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Preparing to Bear Fruit
Today's Gospel reading is from Matthew 13, the parable of the sower, given by the Lord describing how various people receive or react to the word of the kingdom. My own reaction is to open myself completely to him, to be receptive to his word, letting him sow or pluck whatever he wishes in my heart. The soil must be properly prepared before it can bear fruit and yield manyfold.
Saturday, July 9, 2011
How Not to Judge Others
Jesus tells us not to judge others. Can we form opinions about them? Can we criticize them constructively? Can we correct our brothers and sisters for their own good? I believe that the answer is yes to all these questions if we do it without diminishing our love for them. If someone bothers or disturbs us and we look down on or even feel less compassion for the person, then that's judging. It follows that if we don't judge, we retain our inner peace. This, I believe, is the way the Lord intends.
Friday, July 8, 2011
All About Love
After finishing reading Julian of Norwich Showings, I have become extra aware that Jesus came into the world to reveal to us that God is love. That is, all of God is love. This is the central message. This is basically the definition of God. He created everything out of love. He loves us. He loves us so much that he wants us to love him back, and he provides us with this love to do it. Love leads us to eternal happiness. Love is the answer to peace on this earth. To love is to do God's will. To love is to be free. It's all so clear now! Let's follow love, our God, to complete both his joy and ours.
Jesus, Our Joy
This morning at Mass, I particularly felt that "Jesus is my joy." We are both awaiting the day when we'll meet face to face.
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