God Uplifts Us

        First thought at Mass this morning was that God uplifts our heart, drawing us heavenward. The feeling was absolutely refreshing! The Lord has "spoiled" his children, for without him, nothing else uplifts their spirit. When sin disturbs them, they run straight to him to have their peace restored.  

*Sins Before God

        Communion experience. I, still a sinner, was going to receive the holy body of Christ. My first quick thought was that I don't wish to contaminate the Lord. Then I realized that God is impervious to sin. We are sinners only because we shield our sins from God. If we expose them to him, they lose their hold on us. I received the Lord with gratitude and joy.

Simplifying Life

        Jesus told his disciples not to worry or be anxious about tomorrow, life, or anything else. In fact, he wants to simplify our lives by letting love alone guide us in all that we do. While sin complicates and destroys lives, love simplifies them and builds them up. Simply love all others as Christ loves us and we are heaven bound!  

To Be Like God

        In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 5 at Mass, Jesus says, "Whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the kingdom of heaven." We probably have totally different ideas about how to be least or greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Indeed, God's thoughts are not our thoughts, nor are our ways his ways (Isaiah 55.8). We and God hold different views simply because God is holy and we are sinners. But we can submit ourselves to God and have him take away our tendencies to sin so that we and God might think the same thoughts and hold identical ways. This will be perfect reconciliation, us becoming one in perfect harmony with God.

Key to Freedom

       Once you know God intimately, he opens up your heart, revealing to you what's in it. Once you see that as he sees it, you are set free. Self-understanding does lead to freedom.

Being Carefree

        We were carefree when we were young because we thought we would live forever. Now that we have grown old, we can still be carefree in God, which is being realistic and wise, what we should have been from the very beginning. 

How to Stop Complaining

        Those who are unholy have no right to complain to God who is holy. Be holy first, then complaining will cease.

Made for God

       St. Augustine said that "God has made us so that our heart is restless until it finds its rest in him." The following are all corollaries.

        (1) We have no inner peace until we reconcile ourselves to God.

        (2) Our heart is not free until it surrenders to God.        

        (3) Our joy is not complete until the joy of Christ is in us.

        (4) Life is empty until Christ enters to fill the void.
        (5) You feel lost until Christ shows you the way.
        (6) You feel unloved or dislike yourself until you find out that God died for you.

Avoiding Making Mistakes

        We learn from mistakes continuously throughout life, but this is helpful only if we face the same situation again. Normally, once the mistake is made, the damage is done and irreversible. Looking back, I can trace the cause of my many past mistakes to my pride. What I have learned is that we should consult the Lord who knows all things, in all things we contemplate doing. This may not be easy, depending upon your relationship with him. For example, if it's clear that you would need a new car, then you ask him to reveal to your heart what kind of car you should get, putting aside all your own preferences which he already knows. The Lord always help us choose wisely and sensibly, for he wants us to preserve our peace.

Touching the Soul

       As you know, I love piano music, but it no longer obsesses me. All beautiful things come from God, and it's him alone that we should be obsessed with. Yesterday I watched Arie Vardi's TV show Intermezzo with Arik on YouTube. This time, Arie, the renowned Israel conductor, pianist, and teacher, interviews Yeol Eum Son, the South Korea pianist who has won many prestigious prizes. Yeol Eum's prodigious talent is most impressive. When she plays, her entire concentration is upon making the music sing. The expressive result for the listener and, I am sure, herself too, touches almost the human soul.

       For most of us, we are not that talented in any way, but I realize that we can reach the level of touching the human soul too. Indeed, we don't even need to practice hard as most pianists have to; we only need to abandon ourselves in God for him to make everything beautiful for us. The resulting union not only touches our soul, but also moves God's heart. This state is infinitely more satisfying than being able to play music beautifully, as your own soul is also liberated!

       In case you are interested in watching the video, I am posting it below. Two recorded clips of her playing on this video aside, Yeol Eum plays three pieces. In Bach's Sheep May Safely Graze, starting around 6:45, the playing was most introspective. Later in the performance of Feinberg's transcription of the scherzo from Tchaikovsky's Pathétique symphony, at around 14:55, her technique takes flight. (The last piece, around 26:45, is just a fun piece.)

Joy of Certainty

        Among many of the joys that come from God, this one is special. It is the joy that comes from being absolutely certain that you know the Lord.

Know Your Shepherd

        Today is Memorial of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary. From Luke 2, we heard read the finding of the boy Jesus in the temple. The Holy Family went to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover when Jesus was twelve years old. As they were returning, Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, but his parents thought that he was in the caravan. Later, not finding him, they returned to Jerusalem to look for him and found him in the temple in the midst of the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions, and all who heard him being astounded at his understanding and his answers. When his mother saw and asked him why he had done this to them, Jesus answered, "Did you know that I must be in my Father's house?" I found Jesus' answer astounding for knowing that God is his Father. Likewise, we who have been called by Christ must also know that he is our shepherd.