Recently, I realized that God is the only one who can make me happy which I posted about. Looking back, I had done many things in the past, but nothing totally satisfied me. Even after I knew Christ, there were still the ups and downs of life. Nevertheless, my life became meaningful and my faith certainly gave me much peace. What I had not expected was that after I retired from work, the Lord started to fulfill me more and more. It all started in 2009 when I began blogging. I had only intended to put down my conversion story, not knowing that the Lord continued to put thoughts in my heart to post. A year later, it became clear that he wanted me to let all know that he wishes to draw all to union with him through the Holy Eucharist. I am now typing post #10,625. In these years, the Lord has been teaching me continuously that my joy is now complete. I can only thank him for his mercy and generosity. If you stick with God, it'll always be "the best is yet to come."
Thursday, October 22, 2020
**Taking Advantage of God's Love
In today's first reading from Ephesians 3, Paul mentions the love of God that surpasses knowledge. It's true that we cannot comprehend how great that love is, yet we can believe in it, receive it free, and enjoy it, letting it making us anew. To have faith is wonderful!
**Two Great Transformations
The last two Luminous Mysterious of the Holy Rosary are The Transfiguration and Institution of the Eucharist. At the Transfiguration, Peter, James, and John were with Jesus. When Jesus was transfigured before them, his face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light. Moses and Elijah appeared and conversed with him. Then from the cloud came a voice that said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased, listen to him." This visible and audible experience must've been absolutely spectacular and stunning to the three disciples. When Jesus instituted the Eucharist at the Last Supper, he changed the bread and wine into his body and blood in substance, but not in appearance. This is an invisible mystery. Nevertheless, it is even more amazing than the Transfiguration when it comes to making us anew in the Lord.
***Living the Most Exciting Life*
While living on earth, we have the opportunity to live the most exciting life. That is, we can deepen our relationship with God without end! With continuous submission to our dear Lord, we can attain the best possible intimate union with him in the limited time we have on earth. What a beautiful way to live!
*Chosen by God's Chosen One
In John 13.6, Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." When the Father chooses us, he lets the Son know first. Then the Son chooses the ones the Father has given him. So we who follow the Lord were all chosen by the Chosen One of God.
***Beautiful Way of Living for God
The word of God is our spiritual food; it is most beneficial to our soul, as it's written: "One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God." In John 14.23, Jesus said, "Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him." Therefore, surrender yourself to the Lord to become one with him, then you'll be able to keep his word joyfully and effortlessly. To submit to the word of the Lord is to submit to the Lord. This is the most beautiful way of living for God.
**How Good and Bad Things Affect Us
Good things and bad things happen to both good and bad people for different reasons. God always blesses those who love him. Good things encourage them, making them even more grateful to him; bad things draw them close to him, making them even stronger. In fact, bad things would be a big blessing if they serve as part or the whole of their purgatory. As for the bad people who do not love God, good things happen when God rewards them for their ego. If this is all the reward they are going to get, it would absolutely be bad news. On the other hand, when bad things happen to them, they can be blessings in disguise, for God is trying to wake them up to realize that they need him.
Tuesday, October 20, 2020
***Our Big Day Coming
We all have some big days in life. I suppose that it was a big day when I got my college degree, but I would say that the day I got married was a lot bigger because it affected me emotionally a lot more. Then we'll all have a truly big day coming to us, that is the day we stand before the Lord. Today's Gospel acclamation, Luke 21.36: Be vigilant at all times and pray that you may have the strength to stand before the the Son of Man. Will you be strong enough to face Christ on that day? Will you be standing with knees shaking and a heart fast pounding? Or do you actually look forward to that moment with great expectations and joy? In the Gospel from Luke 12 that follows, we hear Jesus say to his disciples, "Blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival."
*Unification and Division
In Luke 12, Jesus said to his disciples, "I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing! Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division." The fire he has come to set is the Holy Spirit who has united all those who believe in him into one Body in one Spirit. He has also come to cause division, for he foreknew that there would be many who would not believe in him. It's all part of the spiritual battle to this day.
*A Life-After-Death Experience
You can read the story telling what Fr. Jose Maniyangat experienced after he died in the right margin of this blog. Today I came across his story told by this video. I think it'd be worth watching if you haven't seen it yet or read the story.