Sad State of the Soul

        Today's Christmas Vigil Mass was an added one in anticipation of larger-than-normal attendance. Sure enough, the adjacent room had to be opened up to accommodate the overflowing crowd. Those who looked somewhat uneasy and the large number who eagerly left early before Mass ended were probably the ones who only go to Mass at Christmas and Easter time. I feel sorry for them. They tried to ease their conscience by showing up at Mass today, but you could not appease God this way for the focus must be on pleasing the Lord and not on yourself. 

The Self Comes First

        The primary goal of asking for power from the Holy Spirit should be the transformation of ourselves into perfect servants of God. 

Eternal Celebration

        I attended the Christmas Vigil Mass today. We rejoice in the birth of Jesus for having brought us the good news. The Lord also rejoices in us for loving him in return. This mutual rejoicing turns living with God into an eternal celebration.

Anticipating Christmas

        Today's Communion antiphon (Revelation 3.20) at Mass: Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if anyone hears my voice and opens the door to me, I will enter his house and dine with him, and he with me. Christmas is less than two days away. How tender and sweet Christ is, enabling the receptive soul to willingly live and die for him ~ O come, Emanuel!

More Soulmates

        On December 16, I blogged about Jesus as soulmate. When he becomes our soulmate, all souls in heaven become our soulmates too because of the Communion of Saints. By the same token any two persons on earth in union with God are soulmates, as their love for God supersedes any difference between them.

God's Fitting Role

        Yesterday I blogged that because only God can forgive sins, he is the only one who can transform us. By the same token, he is only one qualified to judge us.       

Love for All

        In Matthew 5, Jesus told all to love their enemies. He pointed out further: If you love those who love you, what recompense will you have? Do not the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brothers only, what is unusual about that? Do not the pagans do the same? Jesus came to die for all, not for only those who loved him. Therefore, we must do the same. In this sense, love is to be blind. As Christmas approaches, this is a good time to start loving without discrimination. 

Joined to Christ

        Today's Communion response ~ I remained totally open and rested in Christ. How good it feels that there are absolutely no barriers between me and God ~ the branch is integrally joined to the vine.

Our Only Transformer

        To be perfect as Jesus has commanded, we cannot do it by ourselves nor by anyone else in this world. The only one who can transform us is God because he is the only one who can take away our sins ~ one cannot be perfect if sins still remain.

Death Thought, a Blessing

        Nothing can prevent us from dying. Living is just the minuscule beginning portion of our continuous journey toward eternity. We tend not to think about this when we are feeling well. Then one day we don't feel too well and death seems possibly imminent ~ this is a blessing because we see the reality of life and our dependence upon God.