Highest State for Us

        The best state for us to exist in is to be one with Christ. If you love the Lord and want to be holy, this must be your goal, your end. Aiming for anything less is not good enough for him or even for you. Go directly to him to tell of this desire for rapid progress. I'd like to recommend the spiritual classic He and I by Gabrielle Bossis again in case you did not read about it in my posts of 2013. The book reveals intimately how God desires to be one with us.  

Jesus Most Satisfying

        Communion experience. I felt the intense, burning love of Christ. Nothing else could possibly have made me feel so peaceful and content. I was grateful, but right off couldn't think of something special I'd like to offer him, so I continued enjoying him.  

Viewing Your Enemies

        If your enemies have sinned against you, do not view them as evildoers but as ones who do not know the Lord yet. Therefore, feel sorry for them and pray for their conversion.

Jesus Challenges

        Matthew, Mark, and Luke all recorded this statement of Jesus: "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away." He again challenges us ~ are we to take him seriously or not? He does not force us nor does he leave us alone ~ he cares about us by challenging us. This is why I believe in him. To ignore him is to ignore the one who created us! To reject him is to reject the one who loves us!

A Chance to Get Happy

        I had a moment in which I was aware that my life was getting briefer than ever. If you have such a moment, I hope you would decide to live every moment for God from that moment on so that you'll be happy the rest of your life. 

Learning Directly from God

       A conference is coming up in my area with a good theme and renowned speakers. I had attended quite a number of such conferences in the past, and I must say that no matter how inspiring the messages might have been, nothing could come near learning from the Lord directly. When you surrender to God with the goal of attaining union with him, he starts to shape your heart, mind, and spirit for you to see, hear, and understand the truth. The lessons are delivered directly to your heart by the Holy Spirit. It's like receiving a college education without having to go through any regular schools.   

Be Weak to Be Strong

        The world teaches us to be strong by believing in ourselves, taking control of our own destiny, and always going for it. But to be truly strong is to be weak in God. The more we acknowledge our helplessness without him, the more he reaches down to help us. Complete trust and abandonment in God results in his doing the tough part of the work for us. It is faith that moves the heart of God our Father. Recall what Jesus said in Mark 11 to the disciples, "Amen, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it shall be done for him." This is our recipe for strength. 

Reality of Life

        Let's face it. The earth is no heaven. We have covered it with our sins, causing us to suffer and struggle with unfulfilled dreams till the day we die. It sounds sad, but it's reality. That's why I set my sight on God and heaven, which go together. This supports me through life with peace, freedom, and joy. Be detached from the passing earthly life and embrace the eternal one in God. Let Jesus be your beginning and end.

God Sets the Purpose

        Today's Gospel acclamation at Mass, John 3.14-15: "The Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life." The Communion antiphon, based upon Luke 24.46, 26: "The Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead, and so enter his glory, alleluia." I italicized "must" and "had to" in these two statements because I realize that I must or have to go through the various experiences and trials in life so as to accomplish the purpose God has set before me. I may not understand it fully, but one thing is sure: the Lord is drawing me ever closer to him (increasing my faith).      

Why We Need God

        Watched on YouTube Oscar Peterson and Oliver Jones playing together at the 2004 International Jazz Festival of Montreal. The performances were amazing ~ you see two genius pianists playing virtually as one ~ there's a deep communion between them. Then I saw that we and God could form a deep spiritual communion too. In fact, it was this beautiful union that made me see that we need God.