Dying-in-Sleep Alert

        Jesus taught his disciples to stay awake, for they did not know on which day the Lord would come. So dying in sleep is not recommended, for you did not stay awake (just kidding). Essentially, the Lord wants us to be prepared for his coming or our death. If we are always ready, dying anytime should be fine. If not, dying in sleep could be a disaster!       

**Ideal Mass Celebration*

        The best, most appropriate and perfect Mass would be one celebrated with Jesus alone (God alone) being placed in the spotlight, all in attendance – priest, musicians, servers, ushers, the entire congregation – doing nothing to make themselves noticeable. To love God is to focus upon him alone and forget about ourselves.

**Same Prayers!

        Communion experience. The Lord made me see that all my prayers were prompted by the Holy Spirit, thus they were his prayers! Therefore, they will be answered.

*Know the Holy Spirit

        The Holy Spirit who descended upon the disciples on Pentecost is the same Spirit who wishes to enter to dwell in us today. Yes, the Lord Spirit is to be experienced, but do not expect to see or hear anything entering you externally, but know that he is within you when you welcome him and become aware of his sweet holy presence, speaking to your heart and guiding all your thoughts and your ways. 

A World Not Knowing Humility

        One Time, as St Teresa was traveling the rugged roads of Spain, her saddle slipped and she fell off the donkey into a muddy stream she was crossing. Complaining to the Lord, she heard him say, "Teresa, whom the Lord loves, he also chastises. This is how I treat all my friends." She responded tartly, "No wonder you have so few!" The saint was being witty, but there is truth in her remark. Today our world is not willing to accept any chastisements, having lost all humility, and the generations have been self-centered ever since. By the way, this is Pentecost Sunday, the day celebrating the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples of Jesus after his Ascension, and the world is pretty much dead to the living Spirit. How foolish can we be without the guidance of the Spirit, not knowing nor caring about where we are heading!

*Bittersweet Part of Christian Life

        Jesus said at his trial before Pontius Pilate, "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 handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not here." (John 18.36.) As followers of the Lord in this hostile secular world, we can't help feeling that we do not belong here. As it is, this is the bittersweet part of living for Christ, a form of spiritual martyrdom.

Rule for Following God

        In yesterday's Gospel reading from John 21, Jesus signified to Peter the kind of death by which he would glorify God. In today's reading from the same chapter, Peter asked Jesus what would happen to John, the other disciple, Jesus said to Peter, "What if I want him to remain until I come? What concern is it of yours? You follow me." Here was given the succinct rule for following the Lord: we must follow him single-mindedly with no concern about the future of anyone or anything. 

All-Embracing Trust in God

        Trusting in God is meaningful only if we trust him in everything. And trusting him in everything requires that we seek his will in everything first. Then we trust that he will take care of our past wounds, present needs, and future everything through eternity and that all our prayers will be answered in due time. It's an all-embracing trust that our Lord deserves.

Wise & Appropriate Action

        In today's Gospel reading from John 21 at Mass, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go." He said this signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. I hear Jesus speaking to each of us: "Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were young, you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you grow old, someone will dress you and lead you where you may not want to go." This is true, and I see that "following Jesus" would be the exact wise and appropriate action for us to take. This was exactly what the Lord asked Peter to do afterwards.

**Guide to Cool Living

        In living our life, we do numerous things. Here's the basic guide I believe in. Whatever we do, we do it for the glory of God and, fun or no fun, we enjoy doing it without getting attached to it.