Jesus is our Savior. This means he can save us from eternal damnation. Of course, he can deliver us from any situation if that's necessary for saving our soul, but sometimes we must lose our life on earth in order to preserve our soul. Repeating what Jesus had said, "Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." That is, follow Jesus and you will have eternal life. In today's reading 1 from Acts 12, King Herod had Peter arrested and imprisoned. He was going to bring him to trial to please the Jews. But the angel of the Lord came and delivered him from imprisonment and lead him out to the city, for his time had not yet come.
Monday, June 29, 2020
Sunday, June 28, 2020
***Challenged to the Core!***
In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 10, Jesus said to his Apostles: "Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." We might react, "Who does he think he is?" Here, Jesus challenges us to the core! We are cornered! Dismiss him and you fail the test right off the bat. Accept what he says and you are set free because you are now attached to him alone! Wow, this is absolutely awful or awesome, depending upon your disposition. We are compelled to see him as a mad man or true God. Personally, I love a God who challenges me to follow him, not any god who leaves me alone. Jesus, you are truly my Lord and my God. May you be adored and praised forever!
***Formula for Eternal Life***
Today's reading 2 comes from Romans 6. From Paul's counsel, you can easily form this motto: "Die to sin and live for Christ." It is to the point and easy to remember. In fact, it is the formula for eternal life!
***Doing Everything with Love (The Little Way)
When Jesus saw some wealthy people putting their offerings into the treasury and a poor widow putting in two small coins, he said to this disciples, "I tell you truly, this poor widow put in more than all the rest; for others have all made their offerings from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has offered her whole livelihood." (Luke 21.1-4)
God does not count the number of souls we have saved for him, but rather how lovingly we perform each task, large or small, for his glory. That's why St, Thérèse' "little way" appeals to so many of us. As long as we treat everyone and do everything with love, we become holy. We are now free because we no longer do everything for our own sake, but for God alone.
***God Wants to Free Us!
Do you recall that when Jesus heard that Lazarus was ill, he remained for two days in the place where he was before going to him? He knew that Lazarus would've already been in the tomb for four days when he arrived there. But he's going to raise him for the glory of God. As I was walking outside praying the Rosary this morning, the Lord made me see that when he sometimes delays answering our prayers, it's because he wants us to trust him to the point of not being concerned about whether he's going to answer them or not anymore. He wants us to abandon ourselves to him to become completely detached from anything except him, also for the glory of God.
Saturday, June 27, 2020
***"Never Look Back"
This is not a new message, but I think it's worth repeating, for my own sake too. The message: "Never look back." No matter how the past has affected you, whether it has made you happy or unhappy, let it go. The past is gone! For the Christian, the very best is yet to come. We need to seize every present moment, for every moment gives us a chance to begin anew, letting Christ cleanse and refresh us. This is a great Christian privilege! Dwelling upon the past keeps one chained to himself, wasting precious time. Remember what Jesus said to a would-be follower in Luke 9.62: "No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the kingdom of God." Keep marching ahead, one step at a time, and soon heaven will be in sight.
*No Christ, No Peace
Jesus is the fountainhead of our peace. If we are connected to him, we experience his peace that surpasses all understanding. But the world does not even want to think about him! Mentioned many times in the scriptures: "The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone." Today's generation still has not learned this. Man still go after its own interests relentlessly without peace. What we end up is a world in constant turmoil and unrest.
***Voice of Reason and Logic for Life
You must hear this clear-thinking young man speaking with poise and logic for life. He puts all the pro-choice politicians to shame.
Friday, June 26, 2020
*Unready for Christ Yet
When you tell others about Christ, they often feel uneasy, thinking that you are imposing your beliefs on them. The truth is that you are concerned about their soul and want to share the gospel with them. On the other hand, you can pretty much tell them or advise them on anything else and they don't feel threatened. I think this is because we somehow sense that Christ as God knows everything about us and we as sinners are not ready to face him yet.
**My Wise Advice
God often gives us the grace to repent and return to him just before we die. But since we can die unexpectedly or lose our mind early, we can't count on receiving that grace always. So, be ready now when your mind is still clear. If you make God wait too long, you could lose him forever.
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