Let God Love You!

        On this last day of the month. I feel called to post this message for all who are unhappy or feel even miserable in life, but have not turn to Christ yet. It may be some painful experience someone had inflicted upon you in the past or you own sinfulness that has kept you away from him. No matter, whatever caused your unhappiness, Jesus is patiently waiting to help you. He is the only one who can make you clean and whole. He is exactly what we need and is calling you. The Father wants to take you back as his beloved sons and daughters. Do not set up any barriers; run to him as fast as you could and he'll be overjoyed. He does not want to punish you, only wants to love you! If you are a lapsed Catholic, go to confession first. Jesus is our Savior because he can set us free. 

Small Matters Matter

        In Luke 16.10, Jesus said, "The person who is trustworthy in small matters is also trustworthy in great ones." How faithful we are in small matters measures our overall faithfulness. Serving the Lord faithfully could be as small as reciprocating a smile from someone. This is what the Little Way of St. Therese is about ~ following her way can transform anyone into a saint. When Jesus wants us to be perfect as the heavenly Father is perfect, we are not to neglect small matters. I am old enough to recall the popular hit song of the 50s "Little Things Mean a Lot" ~ perhaps adding "to God" at the end of the title would make it more memorable and more meaningful.

Abandoning Our Own Will

        As I drove the two-and-a-half mile distance home after Mass this morning, I saw the familiar scenery ~ the same houses, the same trees, the same road, etc. I knew that one day I wouldn't see them anymore. This made me think that whatever we do on earth following our own will, will all vanish, and only what we do according to God's will stores up permanent treasures in heaven seen by God.

Abandonment to Death

        Communion thoughts. Today is the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul. The entrance antiphon reads: These are the ones who, living in the flesh, planted the church with their blood; they drink the chalice of the Lord and became the friends of God. Both Apostles were martyred. To follow Christ, we must also die in one form or another. We die after surrendering to the Lord and are born again as friends of God ~ a joyful new birth following a most peaceful death.   

Abandonment to Peace

        My old computer had slowed to the point that I had to get a technician to transfer everything on it to another computer. It turned out that many important documents and email messages did not show up after the transfer ~ this alarmed me. Then I realized that a disturbed heart always causes one to sin. Besides, a fire could have destroyed everything I had or I could have died already. So I let all go by abandoning myself to God and remained in peace. The Lord rescued me again for another day.

Slipping Away from God

        Without God, everything that sounds good becomes OK, and this is what's happening to this generation. Living together without getting married is OK because the couple can find out if they can really live together. Trying out drugs is OK because you need to feel good. Abortion is fine because it eliminates unwanted children ~ besides, a woman has the right to do whatever she wants with her body. Legalizing gay marriage grants equality to all couples ~ that sounds good too. When we slip away from God, we lose our conscience and critical thinking and become our own gods. Only a rude awakening can now turn us around. 

On Remaining Holy

        I attended Vigil Mass today. Seeing how the world was offending the Lord, my human reaction was to want to punish the offenders in some way. But during Communion, the Lord said no to that ~ instead, he wanted me to become more like him.
       What Jesus did to me confirmed my experience that we sin when we let things bother us and as a result lose my inner peace. If we let nothing disturb us, we can remain holy. This is also saying that a sinner is always someone who has lost his peace.

Showing True Love

        If you truly love someone, you would be most concerned about the soul of that person.      

Time for Weeping

        Today's Gospel acclamation at Mass, Matthew 8.17: "Jesus took away our infirmities and bore our diseases" (as prophesied by Isaiah). Jesus must be our first victim soul, who suffered for our sins for our salvation. Seeing how uncaring and ungrateful the average sinner is today, it's most appropriate for us to pause and weep for them and ourselves. Seeking God's forgiveness is urgently our first order of business. 

No Jesus, No Peace

        In Jesus, there is only peace. There is no peace in the world, precisely because it does not embrace Jesus.