*Perfect Obedience

        Be/do whatever God want you to be/do; your role, status, position and everything else are all irrelevant.

*In Tune With God

        In quiet solitude, it's easier for us to turn to God and sense his presence. But to be in tune with God, you need to be in a state of total abandonment in him, for a single disturbing thought coming from you, can block you from hearing his voice, thus stopping the flow of any grace coming your way. 

Only One Indispensable

        Communion experience. I live among a lot of trees and the weather can get very hot and dry in summertime. One common concern around here is forest fire. So it did go through my mind what I should grab if I ever had to evacuate this area in a hurry. I really wouldn't know. However, during Communion today, if I had to choose one person to hold onto, that person would be Christ without the slightest doubt. Again, Jesus makes it easy for me.

**Direct-to-God Advantage

        Going direct to Jesus is superior to learning about him through the writings of any human, with the exception of the Gospels, for when you approach the Lord direct, the Holy Spirit teaches you direct.  

***Shortcut to Loving God

        We are being told to love God, to love God, to love God; but it's hard to love him if you do not really know him that well yet. Once you know him well, you wouldn't need anyone to remind you anymore. So how do we get to know God well? Simple, we do what we can and have God do the rest. Which is: we surrender ourselves to him and let him reveal himself to us or accomplish whatever we desire of him. Super neat!

All About Union

        In today's Gospel reading from John 15, Jesus said to his disciples, "As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy might be in you and your joy might be complete." Basically, Jesus is taking about union with him, what he desires.

Be Like the Apostles

        In these weeks after Easter, the first readings at Mass have been taken from Acts. We hear how the Apostles and disciples preached the good news fearlessly and with joy. It is obvious that they had personally encountered God. So why can't we be like them, for we have the same God, the same Spirit, the same access to the Lord? We should be able to spread the gospel with the same zeal, fire, and boldness. God surely knows us and can use us effectively in the best way he sees fit.  

*On the Road of Life

        I wake up this morning and realize that it's another day of my life. I also see that we are all walking along the road of life which will end one day and that each passing day is a step closer to the end. We may gradually see the end coming or not at all. If you already know Christ well and, in fact, long to meet him, it is a sure sign that you are on the right road. If you have no idea what awaits you or do not even look ahead, you are surely on the wrong road. Yes, there are many signs along the way and you should read them to discern which ones are trustworthy and which ones deceptive. Whether you agree with me or not, I am just sharing this personal insight.

*Bonding With God

        As I watched the priest consecrating the bread and wine during the liturgy of the Eucharist, I marveled at the selflessness and ingenuity of God. For bonding, some societies devise secret handshakes or conduct initiation, while other organizations go to the extreme of making blood pacts. But our Lord just simply gives us himself to consume under the guise of bread and wine so that we may become one with him. It has to be the most beautiful and intimate bonding on this earth.  

To Be Part of Jesus

        The Lord's words in today's Gospel reading from John 15 are powerful. Jesus said to his disciples, "I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in me will be thrown out like a branch and wither; people will gather them and throw them into a fire and they will be burned." Jesus was not talking about doing things for your own sake; to be fruitful is to do what glorifies God. How to be sure that you are one of his branches? Seek to attain union with him is the assured way to go.