Healthy Living

        Memories exist in our mind, but they are like virtual images we see in a mirror ~ they do not exist in substance. Memories are always about the past. Lingering over memories is a waste of time, a fruitless activity. The Christian is untethered from all past memories, be they pleasant or bitter. He or she lives forth with faith, hope, and charity ~ Christ now is the only draw. Such healthy living leads to eternal life.

Our Only Second Chance

        Everything we do in thought, word, and deed is known to God and thus consequential to our eternity destiny. If you had started out badly, only repentance and asking for God's forgiveness can reverse your course, giving you a second chance ~ there are no other means.

Communing With God

        My heart was heavy when I went to Mass this morning because of the many pressing issues on my mind. The entrance antiphon from Psalm 38 read: Forsake me not, O Lord my God; be not far from me! Make haste and come to my help, O Lord, my strong salvation! This perfectly mirrored my feelings. Then at the same time I did not want to hear the Lord say "O you of little faith," which he had used on his disciples on different occasions. Later, the response to Psalm 105 read: Let hearts rejoice who search for the Lord! And that was the answer I needed to hear.  

Death Perfectly Timed

        Surrendering to God makes you see that when your body starts falling apart, it's the time to shed it and return to God, removing all fear of dying.

Foolish Evildoers

        Evildoers are myopic and the greatest fools because they think they can get away with what they do from God, not knowing that at the end they will have to face God to account for their every single thought, word, and deed. 

Maximizing Trust in God

        Surrendering yourself to God maximizes your trust in God.

Our Certain Resurrection

        Today is All Souls Day. The entrance antiphon from 1 Thessalonians 4 and 1 Corinthians 15 reads: Just as Jesus died and has risen again, so through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep; and as in Adam all die, so also in Christ will all be brought to life. I believe in what Paul believed in. Our life does not end with death, for the soul is everlasting. Through Christ, we shall rise again. With Christ, we always have hope, for he is our hope. All who believe in him will live with him for ever.

All Up to You again.

        The line separating believers and nonbelievers in Christ is clear, but the thickness of that line varies for each individual. Take the extreme cases. If you are ready to believe and follow Christ, the line vanishes completely. But if you decide to reject him, that line becomes like a wide chasm. Again, you choose to unite yourself to or separate yourself from God. 

*All Up to You

        As I have said more than once that the spiritual battle we fight is basically between us and God. We don't even need to factor in Satan. We let God be our God and we are free! But if we let ourselves be our gods, then we remain slaves to ourselves. It is clear, precise, and simple. Experience God and you'll know. How close to or far away from you freedom is ~ that all depends upon you.

Beautiful Saints

    Today is Solemnity of All Saints. The Mass was a joy for all its beautiful readings.

1. In Reading 1 from Revelation 7, John saw that God would put his seal on the foreheads of his servants to protect them, and that those who had survived the time of great distress had washed their robes in the Blood of the Lamb and made them white.
2. In Reading 2 from 1 John 3, John tells us that the children of God shall be like God when they see him as he is.
3. Gospel acclamation, Matthew 11.28: Come to  me, all you who labor and are burdened and I will give your rest, says the Lord. 
4. The Gospel reading from Matthew 5 was on the Sermon on the Mount, the beautiful Beatitudes.
5. During the Liturgy of the Eucharist, I was greatly moved when the words and actions of Jesus at the Last Supper were recalled. 
6. These three Beatitudes made up the Communion antiphon: Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven. 

    It's just so beautiful to be a saint for God!