Moment of Great Glory

        I am aware of my own existence and you are, of yours. Each one of us is a unique creature. Without God, we are all lost souls, drifting around and not knowing where we came from and where we are going. Then we find God and realized that he is our very creator, knowing every one of us through and through, loves us and awaits our return to him. Now we are no longer lost, but living with hope and purpose. We come to know who we truly are – this is the moment of great glory for us.

Mark of a Real Christian

        It is the joy of knowing Christ. A Christian without joy is one in name only, for he does not know the Lord well yet.  

God Makes Us Forgetful

        In today's first reading from Acts 14, Paul and Barnabas, to strengthen the spirits of their disciples and exhort them to persevere in the faith, reminded them that it would be necessary for them to undergo many hardships to enter the Kingdom of God. In reality, we undergo hardships in life whether we follow Christ or not. The difference is that when we do it for the sake of Christ, it becomes a source of joy. Being intent on glorifying God makes us forget all the hardships. 

God Makes Us See Truth

        There are still people today who deny that Christ ever existed and claim that Christianity is a big religious hoax made up by a bunch of people. This is not just telling others that you ran into a Big Foot in the woods, it is saying that billions of people have been duped for two thousand years. If you have any common sense at all, you would see that deception on such a massive scale is well nigh impossible. My genuine personal experience is that when I follow Christ, he removes all my intentions to sin, including that of deceiving others. It follows that the Apostles, excluding Judas the betrayer, sincerely wanted to spread the good news of salvation with no deception. Those who make absurd claims about Christianity are clueless about the transformative power of God. 

*Most Exciting Life

        At this point, I am looking at my own faith in Christ. I felt the void in life, searched for God, found Christ, decided to put my faith in him and have lived with it ever since. It's not just Christ fulfilling my spiritual needs and I am all right now; it's so much more, as I get to know him more and more. Indeed, what I have received from him far exceeds my expections. The Lord turned out to be so beautiful that you couldn't help falling in love with him. His Holy Spirit made me realize without a doubt that he is God and made me want to become one with him. And you see clearly that the way to heaven is through him. I advise all to get to know him well to receive a most exciting life that leads to eternal happiness.

"For You Are My God"

          In my charismatic renewal days, I heard and learned the song "For You Are My God" by John Foley, SJ. For me, it is one of the most beautiful soul-stirring songs. The text based upon Psalm 16 of David accurately portrays my feeling toward God. It would be the perfect joyful song to play at my funeral. Here it is.

*Unique Beautiful Relationship

        Communion experience. To submit to Jesus is to simply rest in him, and you become one with the Lord when you have fully rested yourself in him. As one, whatever one feels, the other feels too. This most beautiful relationship is only possible with God.

*Most Amazing Personal God*

        Jesus died on the cross for all of us to save us, but he would have done the same, regardless of how many of us there were, are, or will be. So it is correct to say he died personally just for you or me. At Mass today, I saw that he personally instituted the Eucharist just so that I might have the opportunity to consume his flesh and blood. This Lord is our personal God, Father, Brother, consoler, redeemer, friend, servant, teacher, life guide, guardian, healer, soul purifier, deliverer of evil and many more – how blessed we are indeed!

Most Comforting Words

        In today's Gospel reading from John 14, Jesus said to his disciples, "Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me. In my Father's house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be." How comforting are the words of Jesus! How comforting it is to know that he shall take us to him to be with him! If we believe in him, how can we ever let our hearts be troubled? Jesus has a big point here.

**How to Know God Direct

        In today's Gospel reading from John 14, Jesus said to his disciples at the Last Supper, "If you know me, then you will also know my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him. Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. I am in the Father and the Father is in me. The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own. The Father who dwells in me is doing his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me." These are startling statements. Since I know Jesus and am in him, I now also know the Father and am in him. Know Jesus and you know God – there is absolutely no need to know God via another human being, especially if he or she claims to be a prophet.