God Forever Cares

        Today is the Memorial of St. Thomas Aquinas. The Gospel from Mark 4 is about how the disciples got scared when a violent squall came up and their boat was filling up with water. And they thought that they're going to perish. So they woke up Jesus asleep in the stern, and he calmed the wind and stilled the sea for them. Then he asked them, "Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?" 

        It's true for all of us that when things don't go our way, we think that God has abandoned us and we start to worry. It just shows our weak faith and lack of trust. Let us remember that God is always with us, in everything, large or small, that happens to us. He is present right now as I am peacefully typing and will not stay away when things go bad for me. Lack of trust is caused by forgetting that God is ever present and that he cares for us. 

Preparation for Loving God

        After my last post, I see this logical sequence. First, get your heart cleaned up by the Lord, and then you'll feel so good that you can't help but fall in love with God.

Being Clean Before God

        During prayer before Mass began this morning, I felt so good to feel "clean" before the Lord. When your have repented, have gotten all your sins forgiven by God, and have had the Holy Eucharist cleanse and purify your heart, you are set free by God ~ this is absolutely the best feeling you can possibly have in this life! I felt so elated that I wanted to proclaim aloud my love for God. Later, I was further gratified to hear during the recitation of the psalm that the response was: "Create a clean heart in me, O God." How good it is to go before the Lord and hear him say, "My child, you are clean"!

Power of the Holy Eucharist

        God's word is like a mustard seed, once it's planted in us, takes root and starts to grow, we bear much fruit. This morning during Mass, I saw that once the Holy Eucharist, which is the body of our Lord, enters us, it has the power to transform us until we become perfect. That's why the Holy Eucharist is the greatest gift God has left with us. It is through this Bread of Life that we are able to attain union with God. 

Jesus Is the One

        This morning before Mass began, I just knew that Jesus was the One, the only one, who could make me permanently happy. It's as if he's the perfect missing piece for the incomplete jigsaw puzzle that was my life. I also know that he is the One for everyone who will let him into their lives. The truth remains true forever, unaffected by anyone's rejection of it. 

Christian Love

        I attended a memorial Mass this morning. One of the readings was taken from 1 Corinthians 13 on love. The familiar part as St. Paul describes it: "Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, love is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." The Christian love is beautiful! Obviously, anyone who has this love will also have peace and joy in his or her heart.

Unanswerable Question

        In the last post, Jesus asked Paul, "Why are you persecuting me?" Know that every time we sin, the Lord asks us that same question if we could only hear it. For Christians, this is a question to which a good answer does not exist.    

The Conversion Experience

        In the last post, the conversion of Paul was mentioned. Paul had been persecuting and punishing the Christians. Jesus came to him in a great light from the sky and Paul was blinded and fell to the ground. Jesus asked Paul, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?" Paul replied, "Who are you, sir?" And Jesus said, "I am the Nazorean whom you are persecuting." (How I wish that every one of us sinners will hear the Lord say this!) Paul then asked, "What shall I do, sir?" The conversion had already started.

        This was a powerful, life-changing experience for Paul. God touched him. It's important that we experience a conversion in our lives. You may be a cradle Catholic, but when you were born you really didn't know what's it's all about yet and you should have some kind of awakening experience later to make your belief more meaningful. I know that everybody's spiritual journey is different, but to not have experienced the power or fire of the Holy Spirit at some point in the spiritual life is not leading a satisfying one, to me anyway. 

To Be Chosen by God

        Today is the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul. In Reading 1 from Acts 22, we learn how Paul was chosen by the Lord to be his instrument and went through a complete conversion. To be chosen is usually good news, such as being chosen to fill a position, to attend a university, to receive an honor, etc.; but to be chosen by the Lord to belong to his fold is the best of all things! It means that we belong to him, we've been adopted by the Father, we are to bear lasting fruit in this life, we are heaven bound... To be chosen by God is something to be thankful for and rejoice about every day.    

Doing Away with the Free Will

        Our free will is a gift from God. Use this gift to choose to do his will always and then give it back to God. We are not free as long as we need to choose between good and evil. Once we have decided to follow the Lord, we are liberated and free and the free will is no longer needed.  

Taking God's Point of View

        Taking the other person's point of view often helps us understand a particular situation we're in. Putting yourself in the shoes of someone who offends you can make you less judgmental. When you find it difficult to believe in the good news of Christ, try to see it from God's point of view. Imagine that you are in his place. You love mankind, your own creation, and want to save it. So you send you own son down to earth to spread the good news, even allowing him to die in order to complete the necessary work. I think you would see that it is truly amazing, but also logical, that a God of love would do this. Now I hope that you would come to appreciate the good news to the point that you will want to accept Christ as the true Savior of all.   

Praying with the Heart

        Since God looks only at our hearts, it's of paramount importance that we maintain a pure heart in the right place. In prayer, what words we use, how we say them, what posture we assume, how awake we are... all these things matter less than how sincere we are, how deep and urgent we feel, and how much we trust, as the Lord looks into the heart. He is the heart specialist.  

Lucky Us

        After receiving the Lord in the Holy Eucharist, I saw how fortunate I was to have the Lord come and enter me, whereas the three magi had to travel long distances following a star to find the newborn, child Jesus in a manger.   

Joy Is the Holy Spirit

        During Mass I sensed that the Holy Spirit is pure joy. He illuminates us to receive the light of the Lord. Everything coming from the Holy Spirit is sweet and joyful. It's a joy to surrender to Joy. If you don't like the word "surrender," then think of embracing the Holy Spirit with your open heart ~ it's the same thing. 

Beauty Is God

        Today is the Memorial of St. Francis de Sales. I still remember reading his classic work Introduction to the Devout Life many years ago. I was most impressed by the simple and sensible advices he gave for the people in the world. Anyway, on my way driving to Mass this morning, I again sensed the great beauty of God ~ everything about him and everything associated with him are beautiful. His creations reflect his magnificence and beauty. If all of us on earth are saints and do not sin, we would be living in paradise! Unfortunately, there are sinners aplenty in the world. But for those who love God, paradise still exists in the heart.   

Heart for God's Safekeeping

        I posted about giving our heart to God. The heart is the most precious part of us ~ what better place is there for its safekeeping than God? During the Eucharistic Prayer at each Mass, we're asked to life up our hearts to the Lord. This is the perfect moment to offer our heart to God. While the Lord is keeping it, it gets a thorough healing and purification as well. 

The True Good News

        The news we hear daily is 99% bad news, which only seems to get worse each day. But for us who believe in Christ, we have the Good News with us. Bad news comes and goes, but the gospel remains forever. The joy and hope of this good news is powerful enough to displace all the sadness and despair caused by the bad news. Today's Gospel Acclamation at Mass, 2 Timothy 1.10: "Our Savior Jesus Christ has destroyed death and has brought life to light through the Gospel." Jesus wants to fill our hearts with joy! 

Blessings in Disguise

        We all go through trials and tribulations in life. One thing of which I am absolutely sure: For those who love God, trials and tribulations are blessings in disguise because God put you through them to draw you closer to him. You emerge spiritually stronger and more fit. Recently, a friend passed away after much suffering, despite the many prayers said for his healing. I saw his suffering offered up to God as part (or all) of his purgatory. All trials and tribulations suffered in God's behalf give him glory and benefit souls. How can anything you do for God be wasteful?