The Joy of Resurrection

        In today's Gospel from Matthew 28, after Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were told by an angel at the tomb that Jesus had been raised from the dead, they were overjoyed.  This is the joy of Resurrection!  If we love Jesus as both Marys did, we should be overjoyed too.  Since Jesus transcends both time and space, so do all his gifts.  We can feel today exactly how his early followers felt.  What a great blessing!  

Know Our Place Before God

        Today's Communion verse at Mass, Romans 6.9: "We know that Christ, raised from the dead, dies no more; death no longer has power over him."  The fact is that nothing, nothing ever had or can have power over God, since he is the source of all power.  This means that we'd better be aware of our own place before him.  Some may think that they have a lot of power in this world, but the truth is that they have only temporary, limited power over those in the lower echelons, while their own destinies lie completely in God's hands.

        Do you realize that we are the only creatures in this world who have rebelled against God and gone astray?  It has happened precisely because we've forgotten our proper place before God.  We are the problem, not God.  May this realization make us relinquish our "power" and submit ourselves to the all-powerful (but most loving) Father. 

Curing Nosiness

        Why is it that people love to criticize or judge others?  Why is it that they don't see any big faults of their own, yet notice the small imperfections in others?  Why do they spend so much time reading or talking about other people?  Why are they so interested in other people's businesses or personal affairs?  Could it be because their minds are so occupied that they do not experience peace in their hearts anymore?

        Be interested and get curious about God first is the remedy for this spiritual shortcoming.

Easter Brings Joy!

        What a beautiful Easter day!  A perfect day for us to renew ourselves spiritually.  By trusting in the Risen Lord, our eternal life is assured.  The sun may or may not rise tomorrow morning, but God's word is absolutely certain.  When Mary of Magdala, Peter, and John first discovered the empty tomb, they were not sure what had happened before they finally understood.  If you today believe without a doubt that Jesus is risen, then you should realize that it's such a big blessing and rejoice extra about that. 

Hiding Humbly in Christ

        It is clear that we live in a crazy, troubled world that's mostly secular, materialistic, and self-serving, with violence, misery, suffering everywhere around the globe.  I dare say that sin is the biggest cause of this deplorable condition.  Christians of weak faith sin much like nonbelievers.  So what are true followers of Christ to do?  To help fight the spiritual battle, God wants us to "hide humbly in Christ."  This is because anyone who has pride becomes an easy target for the Evil One.  By hiding in Christ, he gains even more humility.  In this state, he is secure and the Evil One is powerless to touch him.   

On Establishing Relationships

           I've seen too many cases of people who establish relationships with others, either out of loneliness or other needs, and end up unhappy.  I believe that a good relationship with God must be established first, then we'll have a foundation upon which to base all other relationships.  With God, there cannot be unhappy endings (and I am not even thinking of eternal life).  

God's Love, Our Best Gift

        It is sweet, gentle, not self-seeking but life-transforming, permanent, and ever present ~ a gift deserving our total trust and full embrace.

Easter Offers Hope

        Yesterday morning I started feeling sick ~ it was like all the energy had been drained out of my body and I felt so tired.  A mild fever developed later too.  I had no choice but to go to bed.  In this state, I became sharply aware of the fact that the physical life is totally at the mercy of our physical health.  When the body goes, this life ends.  But as long as my soul is secure in the Lord, this undeniable fact should not cause any major concern.  Besides, I think some suffering during this Holy Week is appropriate and edifying, considering how much Christ underwent for us.  I feel much better today.  Easter offers new hope to all. 

How to Respond to God?

        Today's Communion verse, Matthew 20.28: "The Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many."  I am thinking that if someone donates an organ for me to live, I would be most grateful.  And if another actually saves my life from danger, we probably will be bonded for life.  Here we have God giving his own life to rescue us, what is our response?

Christ Dispels Gloom

        As I drove to Mass this morning, I could see that it's a gloomy day with grey clouds covering the entire sky.  Then I thought of my heart in which Christ dwells ~ there just won't be any gloom.  With his light shining, the heart won't ever get tarnished either. 

Holy Spirit, the Housecleaner

        The body is the temple of the Holy Spirit.  Where the Holy Spirit dwells, the Father and the Son are there too.  To make sure that the Lord will reside comfortably within us, it is good to let the Holy Spirit be in charge of directing us in our thoughts, words, and deeds so as to keep the temple clean. 

Abandonment Leads to Union

        This is what I saw during prayer before Mass.  If we abandon ourselves to God, then we do not need to struggle on our own anymore.  We leave all to God.  We are in his hands and he will take care of everything.  We trust and do only what he calls us to do.  Thus we trust the Father as Jesus did and we become like him ~ union is then attained.

Reason for Union

        The reason for seeking union is not to gain peace, joy, and freedom, although these may be granted by God along the way; the reason is to serve and love the Lord to perfection as we should.       

Knowing Jesus

        Today during Mass, I felt that I really knew Jesus better than anybody else I ever knew in this life, even though I had never seen him.  Of course, he already knows everything about me.  When I see him face to face, my yearning will cease as our union reaches perfection. 

Only One Correct Love

        There is really only one "correct" love, God's love.  Not knowing God, the human love is self-centered and can become possessive and jealous.  Strictly speaking, this is not even love.  On the other hand, the love of God is liberating ~ it frees you because you are now motivated by the Holy Spirit to love for the sheer joy of loving God, not expecting any reward.

Are You Fearless?

        If one has a clean conscience and pure heart and loves the Lord, there is really nothing for him to fear.  He is ready for the Lord to come at any time.  Psalm 27,  today's Responsorial Psalm at Mass, starts out: "The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom should I fear?  The Lord is my life’s refuge; of whom should I be afraid?"

        Now, consider those in the world who are powerful, famous, wealthy, and influential.  They appear to be fearless, but will they not cringe when they face the Lord?  This is the true test.

        If you want to be truly fearless, get the Lord on your side first. 

Shocking Good News

        More thoughts on Palm Sunday.  Jesus has come and brought us the good news.  I say "shocking" because it's too good to be true and too good for those who believe.  God loves us and through Jesus, we learn what our Father is like.  Jesus has revealed the whole truth to us for our salvation.  There is just no more news as good as the gospel.

The Love of God

        This is Palm Sunday, the day the Lord rode triumphantly into Jerusalem atop an ass, only to be crucified on a cross.  I would like to extol the love of God.        

        (1) The love of God is the most beautiful thing in this world.

        (2) The love of God is the only thing that can transform us into beautiful sons and daughters of God, our heavenly Father. 

        (3) The love of God is the only thing that can give us true peace of the mind and freedom of the heart.

        (4) Only the love of God makes it possible for us to have eternal life.

        The real good news is that you don't need to go search for this love; it is always there and is yours when you open your heart to Jesus.