Beauty Is God

        Today is the Memorial of St. Francis de Sales. I still remember reading his classic work Introduction to the Devout Life many years ago. I was most impressed by the simple and sensible advices he gave for the people in the world. Anyway, on my way driving to Mass this morning, I again sensed the great beauty of God ~ everything about him and everything associated with him are beautiful. His creations reflect his magnificence and beauty. If all of us on earth are saints and do not sin, we would be living in paradise! Unfortunately, there are sinners aplenty in the world. But for those who love God, paradise still exists in the heart.   

Heart for God's Safekeeping

        I posted about giving our heart to God. The heart is the most precious part of us ~ what better place is there for its safekeeping than God? During the Eucharistic Prayer at each Mass, we're asked to life up our hearts to the Lord. This is the perfect moment to offer our heart to God. While the Lord is keeping it, it gets a thorough healing and purification as well. 

The True Good News

        The news we hear daily is 99% bad news, which only seems to get worse each day. But for us who believe in Christ, we have the Good News with us. Bad news comes and goes, but the gospel remains forever. The joy and hope of this good news is powerful enough to displace all the sadness and despair caused by the bad news. Today's Gospel Acclamation at Mass, 2 Timothy 1.10: "Our Savior Jesus Christ has destroyed death and has brought life to light through the Gospel." Jesus wants to fill our hearts with joy! 

Blessings in Disguise

        We all go through trials and tribulations in life. One thing of which I am absolutely sure: For those who love God, trials and tribulations are blessings in disguise because God put you through them to draw you closer to him. You emerge spiritually stronger and more fit. Recently, a friend passed away after much suffering, despite the many prayers said for his healing. I saw his suffering offered up to God as part (or all) of his purgatory. All trials and tribulations suffered in God's behalf give him glory and benefit souls. How can anything you do for God be wasteful?  

Our Father Desires Intimacy

        During Mass, the Lord made me see that having the desire to pray to him alone pleases him. Imagine how much he looks forward to hearing what we have to say. So let's share everything in our hearts with him. Let him be the first one we turn to when we face a problem. Our Father loves to have our trust and our desire for intimacy. 

Seek Only God's Acceptance

        Today is the Memorial of St. Agnes. In the Gospel reading from Mark 3, the relatives of Jesus thought that he was out of his mind when he let the disciples and the crowd come into his house. Jesus was also rejected in Nazareth, his hometown, prompting to him to say that "a prophet is not without honor except in his native place and among his own kin and in his own house." This is still true in today's world. Then I realize that we only need to seek God's understanding and acceptance of us. Jesus cared only about pleasing the Father. If Christians had wanted to be accepted by their own folks or any other fellow humans, there would not have been saints and martyrs.         

Be the Best Christian

        Jesus wants us to love God with all our heart, with all our being, with all our strength, and with all our mind. In this presidential election year, politicians are doing their utmost to stay in front with the hope of winning the presidency. Many musicians and athletes sacrifice just about everything to train for competitions. St. Paul likened living the Christian life to running a race ~ you are in it to win the prize. As Christians, let us also be the best by loving God as Jesus had asked. 

Lack of Inner Peace

        Here's a simple observation. The lack of inner peace can be traced to self-centeredness because we believe that we are most important and how things turn out matters a great deal. By letting go in God, peace is restored and we are free again.

Being One with God

        Jesus the Son is in God the Father and the Father is in the Son, so they are one. In mathematics, if A is in B and B in A, then it's a certainty that A and B are one. Union makes us one with God. When we surrender to God, we are in him; but how can God, so much greater than us, be in us? I am assured by the fact that Jesus gladly and willingly descended to earth to become one of us in order to save us. To be just like us, he asked John the Baptist to baptize him. He even washed the feet of his disciples to show his humility. In John 14, after promising that he would send the Holy Spirit to us, he said, "On that day you will realize that I am in my Father and you are in me and I in you." And that's how we become temples of the Holy Spirit. By instituting the Holy Eucharist, the Lord made it absolutely clear that he can dwell within us. So, believe, surrender, and receive the Eucharist, and we are one with God!    

God Can Help

        After Mass, I was thinking about why we need God. Left on my own, the best I could do would be to keep myself alive by working at a job, to try to stay healthy by exercising and eating right, and to get some fun out of this life if possible. Then after some years, I would just pass away, the body starting to rot and the soul floating somewhere. It's not a happy picture, but it's all true.

        On the other hand, with faith in the Lord, he will lift our souls to heaven after death and raise our bodies one day, not to mention all the extra benefits we get to receive in this life. Let's face it ~ we are just helpless on our own. We need God if we want to get anywhere. And his mercy is ever ready for us.