"Be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect." (Matthew 5:48)

Sunday, July 7, 2019

***Joy of Being Holy

        A holy person is happy because he knows that the Lord has chosen him, called him, and blessed him. Besides, when God sets you free and fills you with peace sprinkled with great joy, how can you not be elated?

Missing Crowds

        Communion time thought. The Lord is ready to be worshipped, adored, and praised, but where are the crowds?

*How Not to Judge

        Judging needn't be verbal. If you think of someone without love, you are judging already. Only one who is at complete peace with God does not judge others. 

Proper Rejoicing

       In today's Gospel reading from Luke 10, Jesus sent seventy-two of his followers as laborers to reap the harvest. They returned rejoicing, for even the demons were subject to them because of Jesus' name. Jesus said to them, "Do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice because your names are written in heaven." It is proper that we do not rejoice over anything of the world, but rejoice in the Lord alone. 

Beautiful State of Existence

        Today's Gospel acclamation drawn from Colossians 3: Let the peace of Christ control your hearts; let the word of Christ dwell in you richly. This describes a most beautiful state of existence which we can attain by seeking union with God.

*Changing Ourselves First

        We cannot always change others, but we can certainly let God change us. If we all do this, there will be peace in the whole world.

Saturday, July 6, 2019

God Makes All Meaningful

        Attended a friend's funeral earlier today. Saw this sign at the funeral parlor with this quote attributed to Abraham Lincoln: "Live a good life and in the end, it's not the years in a life, it's the life in the years." It sounded good, but somewhat vague, depending on what "life" means to you. Anyway, everything becomes meaningless when God is excluded.

Have Pity on Us, Lord!

        Communion time thoughts. Our God can take away all our sins and crush all evil, yet we put so little trust in him!

**Sluggish Christians

        Today's Catholics in general lack optimism. They focus upon their own sins, but do not place great hope in the Lord. They acknowledge their sinfulness and thank God for his mercy, but do not press forward to ask him to transform them in order to transform the whole world! In other words, they are not confident that God can solve all our problems and lack the fighting spirit needed to conquer evil. In this godless world, we need to recognize that not fighting hard is giving in to the enemy. Offense should be our best defense.   

Rejoice in the Lord Always

        In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 9, the disciples of John the Baptist asked Jesus, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast much, but your disciples do not fast?" Jesus answered them, "Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast." I thought about now that Jesus is always with us, we can certainly rejoice always.

*Unprofitable and Harmful Entertainment

        The entertainment industry in this country is a multi-billion dollar business, but much of what it produces is immoral. Let's face it – the whole industry primarily serves mammon. Even when its output seems innocent, it rarely propels you toward God. Therefore, cut out all spiritually unprofitable and harmful entertainment provided by the secular world so as not to waste any precious time of your life by knowing Christ the Lord well. 

Friday, July 5, 2019

Sweet Union

      Communion experience. The Lord melted in my mouth and I let myself be melted by his love to remain completely in him.