The Love Journey

        The Communion verse at Mass, Lamentation 3.25: "The Lord is good to those who hope in him, to those who are searching for his love." 

        Looking for God is really a journey in search for love.  There is absolutely nothing to be afraid of.  At the end, you'll find love waiting for you.  The reward is so great that you forget all the hardships and difficulties of your trip.

A Picture of Contrast

        Just before Mass started this morning, this picture appeared in my mind.  God is light and this light fills the whole universe.  But those who do not know the Lord do not see the light because they are all blindfolded.  They bump into each other and into walls as they move about and try vainly to lead others also blindfolded.  In sum, they don't know what they are doing!  Then those who know the Lord, basking in his glorious light, know exactly what they are doing as they go about doing God's will.

Heed God's Warning Now

        In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 21, Jesus tells the Parable of the Tenants to the chief priests and the elders of the people.  At the end he says to them, "The kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that will produce its fruit."  This is a warning to all who do not take the Lord seriously.  It's so easy to go to bed and expect to wake up the next morning for another day, not at all thinking about God or your eternal destination; but there's always the probability that you may not see tomorrow.  It's true that God's mercy is unlimited, but our lifetime is not.  Heed the warning while we still can!

To Be like St. Therese

        Today is the Memorial of St. Therese of the Child Jesus.  She is my beloved saint.  I first read her The Story of a Soul and was deeply moved by her simple love and trust in Jesus.  There's great joy in her childlike faith.  Her Little Way shows that we can all be saints ~ this was eye-opening for me.  I truly admire her.

        At today's Mass, the Alleluia verse from Matthew 11: "Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth; you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the kingdom."  And the Communion verse from Matthew 18: "Unless we change and become like little children, says the Lord, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven."

        I am thinking of the ambitious, the well-educated, the sophisticated, the self-centered, the self-reliant, and the proud of today.  How hard it would be for them to turn and become like little children!  Then, of course, nothing is impossible for God.  

Good to Be Humble

        There are many people full of pride.  They may be Catholics, other Christians, especially those who attack the Catholic Church, or atheists.  Anyway, the more pride they have, the harder they'll fall in the end.  As for the humble, they don't have this problem because they are already at the bottom and there's no place to go but up and the Lord will see to it that this happens in the end. 

Our Role in God's Plan

        In the overall scheme of things, with God included in the picture, of course, we are to serve the Lord and not rule over anyone.  (Leaders are different from rulers as they do not lord it over others.  And we need leaders to lead people to God.)  We are all equals before God and to serve the only Lord, our God.  This is the way God has intended, guaranteeing the salvation of all.    

Truly, God Loves Us

        "God is love" or "God loves us" ~ we hear it so much that it sounds like a cliche.  What's critical is whether we are truly aware of this truth.  It's undeniably clear that the world desperately needs this love and our awareness can change lives and give hope to the world. Pray to the Holy Spirit that this "cliche" will become a lightning bolt, jolting us into action.  

Sweet Word from God

        We eat ordinary food to live.  It can be satisfying, but eating too much and you lose your appetite and even get uncomfortable.  From Scriptures, we learn that "one does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.”  How true it is!  This morning at Mass, I particularly sensed that every saying from Jesus was food for the soul, deeply satisfying and forever sweet and fragrant.   

Going All the Way

        During and after Holy Communion, I asked Jesus to fill me with all that pleased him to give me, to take over all of me, to bless me amply, and to draw me into him as deeply as possible.  Such is the joy of knowing the Lord!  

Duty Becomes Joy

        This happens when what God wishes us to do coincides with what we love to do.

Resolution in Doing God's Will

        Today is the Memorial of St. Vincent de Paul.  In the Gospel reading from Luke 9, as Jesus knew that he was to be taken from this world, he resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem.  This made me ask: once we know the will of God clearly, do we resolutely proceed to accomplishing it?  To be obedient is to do God's will without delay.  

Finding God the Right Way

        The answer to the brainteaser given in the last post is nothing.  What I mean is that the word "nothing" fills the bill.  This teaser is like one of those mathematics puzzles and problems that can be very difficult to solve if you don't start out in the right direction, but whose answers are almost obvious if you happen to approach the problem from the right angle.  This made me think of our search for God.  I know of people who searched for God hard by going through all the religions and came up with nothing.  Know that God is not to be revealed by you ~ on the contrary, you are to be open to let him reveal himself to you!  The quick and effective approach is to go to Jesus directly with an open mind and you'll find God, your solution.

A Brainteaser

        Can you guess the word? The following are seven clues.

        (1) The word has seven letters.

        (2) It precedes God.

        (3) It is greater than God.

        (4) It is more evil than the Devil.

        (5) All poor people have it.

        (6) Wealthy people need it.

        (7) If you eat it, you will die.

The Holy Eucharist to Be Taken Seriously

        As I had stated, the goal of this blog is to draw all to union with God through the Holy Eucharist.  After receiving Holy Communion this morning, I thought of the many Catholics who do not take the Holy Eucharist seriously enough.  It's like having the most precious pearl in the world in your home and you don't put it in a nice case nor pay much attention to it.  Worse yet, you don't even miss it if it got lost. 

        The Holy Eucharist, the giving of the Lord himself by himself, if received with the greatest possible reverence and gratitude, is exactly what we need for the complete transformation of us into saintly creatures.  Take it seriously and God will draw you deep into him, leading to union.

        (Way above all the honors and achievements of the world, union with God is the highest possible attainment of the human soul.)

Be Aware of Sins

        When we are sick or burdened in any way, either physically or mentally, we are quite natural in turning to God for help and relief.  But let's be aware that sins are also sicknesses and burdens ~ sicknesses at the spiritual level and burdens to the soul.  Since they endanger the soul, it's even more urgent for us to turn to God for removing them.         

Sign of Spiritual Progress

        If you have fallen in love with the Lord, you'll want him to be present with you at all times.  Most activities and events that take place in the world are not intended for God's glory; therefore, as you don't sense his presence, they are no longer attractive or can even be downright boring or nauseating to you.  Since you are still in the world and must love all others, this can be quite a cross to bear if your attendance is unavoidable.  You should still rejoice though, as you've spiritually advanced.  Now, like the Lord, you are no longer of the world.

The Gospel Is Now Clear

        In the Gospel today from Luke 9, Jesus informed his disciples that he was to be handed over to men, but they did not understand his saying.  I just thought how fortunate we were when the message of salvation had already been laid out clearly in the open.  What was once veiled in mystery is now awesomely displayed before our eyes.  There's no excuse for us to pretend that it's still unclear anymore.

Peace of God Needed

        In Philippians 4, Paul talks about the peace of God that surpasses all understanding.  This is a gift from the true God to his disciples.  You won't find it from any other source nor receive it if you don't follow the Lord with all your heart.  It is interior and does not depend upon exterior factors.  God means for us to experience him and his peace.  In today's chaotic, disorderly world, we need this peace more than ever.