Year-End Thoughts + Request

        Today is the last day of 2014. Other parts of the world have already celebrated the new year. We are all older, but if we are also holier and more ready to meet the Lord, then we are on the right track. I'd like to ask all to pray daily for what you consider to be your enemies during the coming year.

Progression of Sin Analyzed

      All sins begin with an impure heart. The mind receives the thought first, making entertaining sinful thoughts the most common sin. Left unchecked, the sin propels the sinner into action, and the easy action to take is to speak words. Hence, sinning in words is the next most common sin, often causing others to sin in their thoughts and words. The other action is to perform the deed to fulfill the sinful intention. This sin may be the least common of the three here, but it can affect others devastatingly. 

God's Overwhelming Love

        Communion experience. In John 6.51, Jesus said, "I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world." I actually received this bread from heaven without having to go there! What a gift! What a privilege! The Lord "pampering" his children again! 

Testifying to Christ

        It was read in today's Gospel reading from John 1 that John the Baptist came to testify to Christ, the light; he cried out, saying, "This was he of whom I said, 'The one who is coming after me ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.'" I too can testify to Christ as the light, our Savior. I am certain because God has spoken to my heart through his love ~ there's nothing more I need to know.

God Makes It Easy for Us

        Today's Gospel acclamation at Mass from John 1: The Word of God became flesh and dwelt among us. To those who accepted him he gave power to become the children of God. May I point out again how easy God has made it for us to be saved?

Power at Our Beck and Call

        Communion experience. Almighty God condescended to enter puny me ~ all that superpower now dwelling in my heart. How could I not let it transform me?

Better Being Slave than Ruler

        Communion time thought. To be a "slave" of God is infinitely better than to be the ruler of the world. (I put slave in quotes because it's through obedience to God that one gains full freedom.) 

Joy of Being Christian

        To be a Christian is to be joy-filled. The joy comes from having heard the good news of salvation and tasted the sweetness of Jesus. If you don't feel any joy as a Christian, you just have not got it right yet.

*How Lovely Our God!

        I love the Communion antiphon a week ago, which was Revelation 3.20: 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. The tone of how anything is said reveals very much the one who says it. Here I clearly sense how polite, gentle, patient, considerate, and longing Jesus is, to the point I feel sorry for him. I am not even worthy to wait on the Lord and he invites me to dine with him? This is how lovely my loving God is!

Our Big Choice

        We are the trophy in a battle God and Satan engage in as God wants to save us, while Satan in rebellion wants to destroy us. We lean toward Satan because it makes an easy, attractive choice, unless we are acutely aware of the dire consequence involved. Therefore, I see here more "Man vs. God" than "Satan vs. God" because our right choice can put Satan out of the picture. Think about it ~ we and God always win or lose together!