Making Jesus No. 1

        In today's Gospel reading from John 1, John the Baptist testified that Jesus is the the Son of God, ranking ahead of him for having existed before him. If Jesus is Lord and God to you also, how important or relevant is he to you? Do you put him first, second, tenth, or perhaps last in your life? How often do you think of him? How often do you talk to him? If you do attend Mass regularly, do you ever ask him to change you to become more like him? Here's how (the only way) to make him No. 1 in your life ~ let him know that this is your foremost desire and then abandon yourself completely to him. 

Hardened Hearts

        After receiving the Holy Eucharist, I thought: here's the Lord God who could solve all our problems and save us ~ yet how many of us had truly accepted him? How foolish and tragic it is to live and die with a hardened heart!

Doorway to Happiness

         Yesterday I thought I was well enough to attend morning Mass, but I started coughing again. Today I made it on the Memorial of St. Anthony. The Gospel reading from Mark 2 was about the paralytic being let down by his four friends through the roof they had opened up to get near Jesus. The Lord saw his faith, forgave his sins and healed him.

       Before Mass began, the Lord made me see that if we are not willing to accept suffering in this life, we can never be happy. Jesus has suffered so much for our sake, how can we refuse any suffering and still follow him? Being willing to suffer is the doorway to happiness. If suffering in this life is welcome, imagine how great our happiness will be in heaven! 

Peace and Freedom Born

        Communion intimacy. How could I possibly receive the Lord's body and still remain unchanged? How can I return this greatest favor of his entering me? The least and most I can do is let him take over completely so that I may belong to him completely ~ inner peace is now born. Since the Lord has already entered, I am ready to let him take me to wherever he wants me to go ~ inner freedom is now born.

On Knowing the Lord

        Today's Gospel Acclamation, based upon John 10.27: My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord. I know them, and they follow me. You don't need to experience anything supernatural to know Jesus. Seek union, oneness, and you'll know him. If you always follow him, then you already know him. 

Bread of Life

        Communion experience. Finally, I was well enough to attend Mass again. After I received the Holy Eucharist this morning, I knew that this was the bread that's transforming me now and would carry my soul into heaven later.

Going Infinite with God

        An infinite, omnipotent, all-knowing, loving God deserves placing our "infinite" confidence in him.

Jesus Is Lord

        We cannot feel comfortable if we choose to reject Jesus as the Lord. Even if we accept him as such, we won't feel completely comfortable with him until we have surrendered completely to him, for he truly is Lord. 

The Evolution of Faith

        I recall how my faith in God evolved since the early days. In the beginning when I searched for God, I had fleeting moments in which I sensed his existence. Later after I came to believe that Christ is Lord and Savior, I still needed to remind myself from time to time that I did have faith in him. Gradually, the faith grew more secure. When the Holy Spirit took over during my involvement in the charismatic renewal movement, my faith was greatly strengthened by the grace of God ~ it's all his doing. I can see that if I had let go in God a lot sooner, my spiritual growth would have progressed a lot faster. We notice faith only when doubts exist. After I sought union with God, faith became such a natural part of me that I no longer noticed its presence ~ again, it's all God's doing. Now I read about skeptics who do not even believe that Christ ever existed, I can only smile because they do not experience God's doing and will never be able to understand how I feel. What a joy to enjoy God with faith totally out of the picture!

Not Feeling Guilty Again

        I was finally well enough to attend Mass after a week of staying home. Today is Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. It happens to be the hundredth birthday of a parishioner. She, looking remarkably young and fit, was at Mass and we all wished her Happy Birthday. She even received a framed citation from Pope Francis through our parish priest.

         Even though I missed Mass for the whole past week, I do not feel guilty in any way because God knew the reason. I've been thinking that if we trust in God and try always to follow him, we won't ever need to feel guilty again. Of course, we still sin, but as long as the failure is due to our human weakness and not intentional, God understands. Then when we cross the line and experience the struggle within us and the loss of inner peace, we know we are in guilt. What a joy it is not to ever feel guilty again!