Making Things Happen

        Today's Gospel acclamation, 2 Timothy 1.10: Our Savior Jesus Christ has destroyed death and brought life to light through the Gospel. Of course, destroying death was not even a child's play to the Lord, for death had no power over him in the first place. With God, nothing is impossible ~ he only needs to will and it's done. Therefore, the key to making things happen is to seek his will. Find it, pray it, and great things will happen.

Euchristic Miracle

        On Feb. 8, 2011, I posted the video "The Holy Eucharist Is Our Lord!" Since the miracle took place in Buenos Aires, the language was in Spanish, albeit with English subtitles. Here is a more recent presentation in English as an alternative to the earlier one.

God's Beautiful Work

        It's only the bad news that gets all the attention, but let's not forget that God is doing wonderful work you don't hear much about through the multitude of his faithful servants (his children) all around the world. The most amazing and beautiful work has to be the transformation of the individual human heart performed quietly without any fanfare. 

Seeking Praise

        If you seek praise from other humans, it would only feed your ego, robbing you more of your freedom. If you serve the Lord humbly and faithfully, he praises your work without your asking and you remain free. Therefore, never live for praise; live only for God.

Suicidal Sin

        Normally, a person who sins against God can always repent, but the one who sins in the name of the Lord, believing that he is actually glorifying God, cuts off his own chance to ever repent.

God's Justice

        In today's Gospel reading of the parable of the ten gold coins from Luke 19 at Mass, we again heard Jesus say, "To everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away." It looks like it's either you are in or you are out, you end up with everything or you end up with nothing, you make heaven or you miss it altogether.

Key Realizations

        To be a strong Christian, (1) you must know that you are inherently finite and limited. Even if you intend to place all your trust in God, you still fall short. Therefore, you absolutely need God. (2) You need to go deep into God, for only in God can you find true beauty and perfection. Entering him is entering heaven. The Blessed Sacrament is the portal to union with the Lord. 

God Always Just

        People who suffer misfortune often ask why bad things should happen to them or even question God's existence. This is understandable. Well, our world is an imperfect, sinful place; therefore, bad things must happen. It's what happens to you at the end that will justify everything. Putting it simply, a good person will enter heaven and a bad person won't. At that time you will see the overall picture and understand everything, for God is perfectly just. There is no other good explanation.

Zeal for the Lord

        In yesterday's Gospel reading from Luke 18, we have the blind beggar persistently calling out to Jesus, "Son of David, have pity on me!" Jesus heard him, stopped, received him and made him see. Today from Luke 19, we have the wealthy tax collector Zacchaeus who ran ahead of the crowd that's with Jesus, climbed a sycamore tree in order to see him, and eagerly waited for his passing. When Jesus reached the place, he looked up and asked Zacchaeus to come down, for he's going to stay at his house. We must also desire to see, to know, and to call out to the Lord, then we will be rewarded too. We can seek union with Jesus via receiving the Holy Eucharist to accomplish all these things.   

Soul Most Important

        The most important part of us is what we do not see, the soul. We see our physical body, important while we are alive, but perishable. If we lose our soul, we are lost forever. That's why Christ is critically important to us, and he knows it. Otherwise, why should he come into the world to die for us? The greatest tragedy today is that people do not look beyond this life ~ they live for the present life only. Equally tragic are those who live for the next life, but are misguided. Living for Christ is the only sure, straight way to eternal happiness.