Sin Is a Blessing

        To want to be holy, we must ask the Holy Spirit to sharpen our conscience.  In reality, as you become united with the Lord more and more, the process goes on automatically. With a sharp conscience, a small sin will hurt you a lot, making you lose your peace. This is necessary because a muddy conscience overlooks a lot of sins, making it impossible for you to become holier.  I see sin as a blessing ~ after you remove it through penance, you're holier than ever. The pain of sin spurs us on to new levels of sanctity. 

Good Reason for Meeting People

        To see Christ in each person.

The Holiness of God Is...

the most refreshing thing in the whole universe!

The Mystery of God

        I got up early this morning to go to Mass. It was a beautiful day.  The sunlight was filtering through the mist hovering over the fields ~ it was a quite a mystical scene.  I thought of the mystery of God.  There's so much we don't know or understand about God, yet he has revealed enough for us to return to him in good grace through Christ.  This is sufficient for me now because I can always find out more about him later after I see him face-to-face. 

My Thanksgiving

        Today is Thanksgiving Day. I owe everything to God's goodness. In the Parable of the Lost Son, I shall always remember what the father said to the older son who became jealous and angry, seeing how the father celebrated and rejoiced upon the return of his younger brother, the lost son: "My son, you are here with me always; everything I have is yours." Indeed, everything I have came from the Father in heaven.  Thanks be to God! 

Is Jesus Always Right?

        Jesus is always right.  If you disagree, then show me where he went wrong or why he is not true. When Jesus was brought before the high priest Annas to be interrogated, a temple guard did not like the way Jesus answered the high priest and struck him. And the Lord answered back, “If I have spoken wrongly, testify to the wrong; but if I have spoken rightly, why do you strike me?” So, if you find Jesus wrong or false, just don't follow him. But if you can't, then you have no excuse for not accepting and believing in him.    

On Second Coming

        Recently, a Harold Camping predicted more than once that the end of the world was coming. The predicted day came and went right by. There are many others trying hard to figure out when Jesus will come again. You just can't get more foolish than that! Jesus himself told us that only the Father knows when that day will be.  To me, the Lord had already come and is here, for his last promise was that he would be with us always until the end of the age. Every time I receive the Holy Eucharist, he enters me. The right thing to do is to enjoy him and bear fruit while we are still here.  Wasting time predicting and waiting for his coming will not get you into heaven. 

Most Beautiful Journey

        To discover the great inner beauty and inexhaustible riches of God, one must enter deep into him. Staying on the periphery will get you nowhere. You must go deep enough to taste the Lord first. That's why union with God is the most beautiful journey you can possibly embark on.     

Christ Is Everything and All

        In morning before Mass started, I had the desire to be aware of Jesus alone and oblivious to everything else, saints included. Christ is really the only one you need to know and hold onto. He is everything and he is all. He is Lord God.

Miracles not Amazing

        Miracles are not amazing; it is God who makes the miracles happen that's amazing.

No Other Place I'd Rather Be

         This morning after Mass, I and another person were to visit some of the old, homebound folks. I had nine consecrated Hosts on me and was also holding six more for my partner because she temporarily had to leave to get something done. Imagine having fifteen consecrated Hosts in two pyxes hanging around your neck ~ the feeling was overwhelming! I felt that I was actually embracing the Lord and that there's no other place I'd rather be than being with him. He is where I belong!

Back to the Beginning

        At the beginning, God created Adam and Eve and a perfect relationship existed between them and God. Then they sinned and were exiled from paradise. Now, Jesus has come and redeemed us. This is the perfect time to restore that perfect relationship with God (unless you prefer to remain banished forever).

God the Amazing Creator

        I received these thoughts early during morning Mass. I was amazed that God has made us so that we can come up with the desire to look for him and that we can actually find him and even fall in love with him.  It's like playing hide-and-seek and God is the loser.  The Lord impressed me as a most amazing creator.

Be Ready for God Before...

(1) Jesus' second coming, (2) your life ends, (3) you lose your mind while still living.  Only God knows when these things will or might happen. If you are wise, you'll want to be ready for him at any moment for the unexpected in order not to be shocked later.

Appearance That Matters

        After Mass this morning, I looked at the decorated altar in darker colors, the flowers (artificial) in rather drab vases, etc., I felt that personally, I definitely would like to see fresh flowers and more cheerful colors all around to brighten up the interior. Then others may disagree. At  any rate, the Lord made me see that making the church look good is good, but what matters most is how we look on the inside to him.  I got the message. 

We Are Special!

        We are not just anything. On the contrary, we are special to God. First, we were created in the image of God. Then Jesus let it be known that anyone who keeps the word of God is his brother or sister.  Last, Jesus died for our sins so that we might become adopted sons and daughters of the Father. Low self-esteem has absolutely no place in us. Rather, we should rejoice daily for such favors!

God Is Infinite

        I realize that faith in God can range from very faint to strong and firm with total conviction. Between the two extremes, there must be infinite degrees of faith. If God's mercy were limited, probably not many will get into heaven.  The fact is that I can't think of any way in which God is limited.  For me, the definition of God might as well be infinity.  

Loving the Least Ones

        Today is the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ The King.  In the Gospel from Matthew 25, we read what the Lord said to his disciples, "Whatever you did for one of the least brothers of mine, you did for me.  What you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me."  Jesus identified himself with those in need, the poor, the weak, the oppressed, the disadvantaged.  We must care for all those who have less.  How can we not love them who are loved by our King?