Live in the Present Moment

        A year ago, I read Mother Angelica's Little Book of Life Lessons and Everyday Spirituality.  "Wow" was my reaction because I learned so much from the book.  What I most remember was her advice on living in the Present Moment. 
        Some people can't shake off the past, especially those unpleasant memories.  There are also some who feel that their past was a lot happier time.  In either case, they are unhappy now and their thinking becomes "disordered" or "disoriented" ~ I am using Mother Angelica's words.  As for the future, no one really knows how it may turn out.  Those who worry project the worst possible outcome for it and those who dream live in an unreal world.  Again, the thinking gets disordered or disoriented.

        The past is gone forever.  (If there were lessons to be learned, remember them and let the rest go.)  The future is unknown and not here yet.  The one with true faith lives happily in the present moment, freed from the past and entrusting the future to God.  By so living, he retains clear thinking at all times.   

Jesus the Giver

        At Mass this morning, I realized that we owe our existence to Jesus and that he has given us everything, even himself on the cross, and still does it in Holy Communion.  The only thing he takes from us are our sins.  Therefore, the least we could do is to give ourselves to him.  Loving him with all our heart, soul, and mind is then simply our duty.   

We Should Be...

as enthusiastic and excited about our Catholic faith as the disciples in the early days of the Church.  Why should we let the passage of 2,000 years make a difference unless you have lost your faith?  I can't think of a single good reason.

A Contrite Heart Is...

beautiful to God.  This is in line with the blog Repentance Is Happy I posted last June.  A contrite heart is the key to entering the kingdom of God.  You needn't go through any rigmarole or figure out some secret code in advance.  

        Humankind has accomplished so much at the material and intellectual levels, yet a simple change of heart becomes a stumbling block for them.  If only they would realize that a contrite heart will bring true peace and joy to the heart that no worldly pleasure or satisfaction can ever match!!!   

Anchor Needed

        This world of ours is as dangerous and treacherous a place as the high seas.  We need a secure anchor to keep us from being swept away by strong secular forces and worldly seductions.  And this anchor is Jesus.  Once you become one of his sheep, he will watch over you and keep you safe.  Even if you inadvertently stray away, he will come looking for you.

Another Form of Judging

        Another lesson for me.  Different people react differently to the same situation.  When I see someone react in a way that's not the way I would have reacted, it's easy for me to think that the other person is doing something incorrect or inappropriate.  This is judging all right.  I should always try seeing things from the other's point of view first and not start "criticizing" outright.   

Thanks to Einstein

        According to Einstein's Theory of Relativity, nothing can go faster than the speed of light because as an object travels faster, it mass also increases and time slows down too.  So if I, an object, am able to reach the speed of light, I'll be all over the universe at the same time and cease aging since time stops for me.  Well, it looks like our God fits the role perfectly because he does fill the universe and exists forever with no beginning nor end.  Now the expression "God is light" makes even more sense.   

A Timeless Moment

        I am referring to the moment you receive the Lord in the Holy Eucharist.  Since God is timeless, when you receive him, you become one with him and time stands still for you to become timeless for a brief moment too.  

Don't Always Tell the Truth

        What?  Let me clarify.  If what you have to say is true and will glorify God or at least be harmless, then go ahead.  If what you have to say is true and saying it will simply feed your ego or unnecessarily hurt others in some way, then keep quiet. 

Pray for the Disadvantaged

        Early today I was in a big city away from home and came upon an impressive-looking Catholic church.  I went in to check it out and found that almost half of the the interior was occupied by the homeless ~ obviously, they had spent the night sleeping inside the church and were now packing up to leave for the outside world.  I knew that they would be back again tonight.  I just felt the Lord's great compassion and pity on them.  The story of Lazarus in the parable of Luke 16 came to my mind.  I won't be surprised if more of these disadvantaged children of God end up in heaven than their advantaged counterpart ~ percentage-wise, that is.  I myself felt quite helpless to alter the sad situation.  The least we could all do is not to forget praying for the disadvantaged in our world.  

Perfection Through Imperfection

        Many have seen Royce Hall, UCLA's emblematic building that looks somewhat like a castle, either on the UCLA campus or in some old movie(s).  When I saw it years ago, I noticed that the two front towers did not look the same, ruining otherwise the perfect symmetry of the building.  I asked about that and someone on campus explained to me that the architect deliberately designed it that way as he believed that only God is perfect.  That was certainly a humble gesture.

        I used to be somewhat a perfectionist.  I only felt good when things turned out perfectly.  Then the Lord made me see that what I had was a form of sickness and due to the lack of trust in him.  Being able to humbly accept all imperfections after I've done my best is actually a form of perfection.  That realization opened my eyes and freed my heart.  Thanks be to God.    

Spiritual IQ

        This has nothing to do with the ordinary IQ.  One who has high IQ (ordinary) usually becomes highly educated and knowledgeable, possesses a lot of self-confidence, and is proud of what s/he can accomplish.  Unfortunately, this intelligence often gets in the way of finding God because it can blind the person from seeing that it is impossible for a creature to be greater than the creator and that all intelligence comes from God.  Basically, the more one thinks highly of himself, the more he becomes a nobody before God.  The one who has high spiritual IQ is the one who remains humble and becomes somebody in the eyes of God.  All this brings us to what Jesus had said, "Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled, but whoever humbles himself shall be exalted."   

The Lord Is Joy!

        Received the Lord already during the Prayer Vigil for Life this morning.  Went to vigil Mass (Assumption of the Blesses Virgin Mary) and received the Lord again.  I felt I could die right then in the Lord.

Suffering for Jesus

        Joined the Bishop for the Prayer Vigil for Life this morning; deeply sensed that if I want to follow the Lord, I must be willing to suffer for him ~ that's OK because suffering for the Lord is never bitter, only sweet.

        Inside, the soul cries out: "When will you be coming, Lord, to straighten out this crooked generation?" 

Tip on Married Life

        If you are already married or still looking for someone to get married, fall in love with Jesus first, then you'll experience married happiness at the level that, unfortunately, very few in this world know or can even conceive.  This tip is absolutely dependable.  

        God's love always makes all beautiful things infinitely more beautiful.

Enjoy Mass

        This is what I heard the Lord say during my prayer  before Mass started this morning.  He meant taking full advantage of the opportunity presented.  I was to go before the One who forgives sins and has inexhaustible riches in store.  When I receive him, I could ask for sanity to be restored, growth in holiness, love for enemies, peace of mind, freedom of the heart, greater devotion to God, and so on.  It's inconceivable that the the Lord could or would deny such requests all for his glory.  No matter how high you aim, you cannot possibly exhaust his supply of graces ~ that's certain.  Again, cause for rejoicing!      

The Ego Game

        So far, only a few of my friends know about my blog.  I gave them the URL because they were either still searching or just beginning to believe.  In such cases, my story might be helpful to them.  The thought of telling all my other friends about my blog did occur to me.  I know that most of them will at least get curious about what I am writing.  Besides, it wouldn't hurt to get more daily hits.  Seemingly, dropping the news now and then shouldn't do any harm, yet the Lord made me see that I still had some intent on promoting myself in my heart and that I should keep mum.  Of course, he is always right.  

        Again, this morning during Mass, a number of ideas suitable for blogging popped into my mind and I got a little excited.  Then the Holy Spirit made it clear to me that he can give me as many as ideas as he wishes or dry me up with nothing to say and I am to be content.  That sobered me up.  

        To play the ego game, you'll have to be sensitive to the voice of the Holy Spirit.  Hunt the ego or its remainder down and turn it over to the Lord.  It can be very satisfying when you succeed.       

The Golden Rule Modified

        "Do to others what you would have them do to you."  This is the Golden Rule given by our Lord in Luke 6. 

        Today's Gospel reading from Matthew 18 tells us how the Lord wants us to forgive others always (seventy times seven times).  Then Jesus told the story about a king who punished one official because he, after the king had forgiven him, did not in turn forgive his own fellow servant for the same kind of misdoing.  At the end the Lord warned that "My heavenly Father will treat you in exactly the same way unless each of you forgives his brother from his heart."  From Luke 6, 37-38 and the Lord's Prayer, we hear the same message.  Hence, we may safely replace the word "them" in the Golden Rule with "God." 

        We have now: "Do to others what you would have God do to you."