Shifting Our Focus

        I never quite shook off the cold I caught after last Christmas and now I seem to have caught another one. As I looked out the window from my house and saw that the recent rains had transformed the outdoors landscape into a beautiful green, I couldn't care less as my physical discomfort now takes center stage. I see in the same way once we realize that we would face judgment and be assigned our final destination, we would care little about what grabs or attracts us now.

Moored to Christ

        Communion experience. When I received the Lord, he let me know that he is my center, my anchor, and my refugee. If I had even strayed away from him a little bit, he brought me back right away. I rejoiced in that.

Ending the Mess

        The world is in a horrible mess. There are only two ways to resolve the problem. (1) We all turn to God, the God of Christ who is love, repent and ask for forgiveness and salvation. (2) We simply wait until the same Lord comes and judges all of us.

Teach Us, Lord

        In today's Gospel reading from Mark 6 at Mass, when Jesus saw the vast crowd waiting for him, his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things. I then realized how absolutely necessary it was for God to teach us, for it is by his word that we learn to live right and by keeping his word that we shall never see death (John 8.51).

Foolish Living

        People of the world live on as if God does not exist, as if there will be no judgment, as if they will never die, as if they will always be able to do what they do now. What fools, not expecting that they will get the greatest shock of their life at the end of their sojourn on earth! Hopefully, as they age, they will wake up to face reality.

Dangerous Living

        There are people who do not believe in or think much about God, but nevertheless appreciate the beauty of nature and enjoy the good things of life. This could be dangerous living if they live with no regard to moral principles. After all, God did give us the ten commandments to guide us in how we should live. I believe that we will be judged by them. 

Gratitude to Jesus

        Communion experience. I was grateful to Jesus for having made me realize my sinful state, taken our sins away, and opened wide the door to heaven for me. There's nothing more I could ask for myself. 

Jesus Under-Revered

        On this first Friday of the month, we had Eucharistic Adoration after morning Mass. Philippians 2.10: At the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth. How many of us would do this or at least feel this way?

God's Foremost Wish

        Today's Gospel reading from Mark 6 was on the beheading of John the Baptist by King Herod. Jesus, during his trial before Pilate, answered him,"My kingdom does not belong to this world. If my kingdom did belong to this world, my attendants [would] be fighting to keep me from being handled over to the Jews" (John 18.36). Earlier, when Jesus had been betrayed and was being arrested, one of those who accompanied him drew his sword to defend him. Jesus said to him, "Put your sword back into its sheath.... Do you think that I cannot call upon my Father and he will not provide me at this moment with more than twelve legions of angels? But then how would the scriptures be fulfilled which say that it must come to pass in this way?" (Matthew 26.52-53).

        The main things to notice are: (1) God's kingdom does not belong this world. (2) What God has ordained must come to pass. These explain why John the Baptist died and Jesus got arrested, suffered, and was crucified without direct intervention from God. When we pray for God's help, we must realize that God's ways are not our ways. The Lord could do exactly what we ask for, but his foremost wish is to convert our hearts so that we may convert the world. Yes, our hearts are the "weapons" of his choice.

Exhilarating Words

        Communion experience. I was being invited to this most special banquet. The Lord himself came to me to be my food ~ an invitation to be in union with him. I heard him say "I have chosen you" in my heart, the endearing words the soul needs to hear the most.