In 2 Corinthians 12.7, Paul wrote, "That I might not become too elated, a thorn in the flesh was given to me." We don't know what that thorn was. In a way, we can see all the trials and tribulations and problems in life as thorns. Let these thorns keep us humble and help us not to get carried away by anything but to realize that only God is perfect.
Monday, January 29, 2018
Security of the Soul
Communion experience. I hang my entire soul on Christ, for my soul shall be safe in him.
To Pray Obediently
To pray the Lord's Prayer, Our Father, is to wish to follow the Lord. Therefore, to pray it meaningfully requires total obedience to the Father.
***Most Serious Offense
Not believing that Christ can help you is equivalent to believing that Christ has died in vain!
Understanding Unhappiness
Not to get into the details, I had been unhappy about something I had been doing for someone, for it did restrict my freedom. So I asked the Lord about this at morning Mass and he made me see quickly that it was a case of helping someone and creating some inconvenience for myself. And I was OK with that. The lesson is that understanding what your unhappiness is all about can help you see that your unhappiness may be unjustified.
**Gateway to Freedom*
I know that when Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me," we can find it hard to accept. When I first heard it, I asked myself: Does that mean that I cannot do what I want to do anymore? and that I would be burdened down and perhaps even head toward martyrdom? Of course, I overreacted as a sinful human. Now that I know the Lord well, I can say that all the fear and concern were unnecessary. He has made everything easy and a joy, and made me see that this is precisely the way to spiritual freedom, leading to eternal life. Truth: Christ is the gateway to eternal freedom!
Sunday, January 28, 2018
***Union for God Alone
We can achieve union with God through his mercy. With saints, we can only be in communion, for they are fellow creatures and have no power over our souls. The most intimate union is reserved for God alone. Revere and cherish the Holy Eucharist.
Destructive Living
God's mercy is infinite – if you submit yourself to him, you are saved. What is tragic is that people live with no or little regard for his mercy. They live the way they want to live, and this is living destructively. For they not only risk losing eternal salvation, they destroy their own peace and physical health in the process. The good news is that God can always turn us around if we let him.
Saturday, January 27, 2018
*How God Operates
In today's Gospel reading from Mark 4, Jesus calmed a storm at sea. His disciples with him in the boat were filled with great awe when they saw even wind and sea obey him. Here is the difference between God and us. When we try to tame something, we try to figure out a way to do it, thinking in terms of a method, a plan, technology, the laws of physics and other sciences, etc. whereas God merely wishes and it is accomplished. Our thoughts dash around in uncertainty, while the Lord knows everything and does all without effort. Understanding this can helps us trust in God even more readily.
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