If I believe in God only because I want to go to heaven, I could feel somewhat guilty because it seems that I am being selfish, whereas the right reason should be because I love God. This brought to my mind that in my immature youthful days, I always felt a little uneasy when I went to my bank to withdraw my own money. Of course, I can take out my own money at any time as I wish! We shouldn't feel guilty about wanting to go to heaven either ~ it's where God wants us to go! We are not forgetting God because if he is not there, I don't think we would want to go there. Anyway, it is called heaven because it's where God is. So, I am going to dream about heaven, my destination; but I still yearn for my God, not heaven.
Friday, April 20, 2012
How Souls Look
Those who attend Mass daily are usually souls with strong faith and devotion. This morning as I watched them returning to their seats after receiving the Holy Eucharist, I saw them reflecting the beauty of Christ. Then I thought of all the unbelievers in the world ~ how did they look to me? And I realized that by not turning to God, they were only hurting themselves and I felt great pity for them.
Power of the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit has unlimited power. Since Jesus' kingdom does not belong to this world, the Holy Spirit exercises his power only in God's kingdom. This means that he can do great things in our spiritual lives.
To Dwell in the House of the Lord
Psalm 27 is the Responsorial Psalm for Mass today. Verses 1 & 4 are so beautiful that I'll just quote them here without comment.
"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? One thing I ask of the LORD; this I seek: To dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, that I may gaze on the loveliness of the LORD and contemplate his temple."
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Beautiful Praying
After Mass was over, the interior lights in the church got turned off, creating two rather dim areas in the back. I was sitting in one praying and someone sitting in a bright spot didn't realize that anyone else was in the church. She started praying aloud in Spanish, which I didn't understand; but obviously, she's talking to the Lord straight from her heart, with nothing held back. Her pleading tone was so sincere and fervent that made me see how beautiful praying can sound to both God and us when it's done with total trust in God. Later on, we talked a little bit, in English, and she told me that she's telling the Lord that she wanted to do his will from now on. So we have beautiful intention, beautiful praying, and beautiful listening.
Being Holy, a Good Feeling
When the body is healthy, we feel good. Likewise, when the soul is healthy in a pure and clean state, we feel uplifted and carefree. St. Augustine said that "God has made us so that our hearts are restless until they rest in him." It follows that I could say that "God has made us so that we feel good when we are holy." This is our reward for remaining close to God.
Awesome God
The Entrance Song at this morning's Mass taken from Psalm 68 reads: "O God, when you went forth before your people, marching with them and living among them, the earth trembled, heavens poured down rain, alleluia."
Reading these verses made me realize how awesome God is. Here's a Lord who is infinite in every way, with whom nothing is impossible, and who loves us with the greatest possible love. He is so awesome that if it weren't for his love, I would be prostrating before him with tremors. Then his love draws us to him, removing all fears. In a way, this love has made him even more awesome!
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
The Right Serving Attitude
In John F. Kennedy's inaugural address half a century ago, he made this notable saying: "Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country." I brought this up because I am thinking that in performing spiritual tasks, I must not ask how it can benefit me spiritually, but ask how I can glorify God.
The Real No.1 Enemy
Spiritually, who is our greatest enemy? Is it Satan? Certainly he is our enemy; but the no.1 enemy is actually our own ego, for the ego attracts Satan and Satan manipulates it to keep you away from God! If you have perfect humility, then Satan literally wouldn't have a handle on you anymore. Vanquish enemy no.1 and you will have vanquished all other enemies as well.
God Loves Everyone
Back to John 3.16, with which today's Gospel reading at morning Mass started. "God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but have eternal life." Next time I see anyone, I must treat that person as one for whom Jesus died. Reality may be hard to accept, but dodging it would make it harder for me to face the Lord later.
How to Free the Heart
In principle, to achieve freedom of the heart, you only need to live every moment for Jesus and not for yourself ~ this actually takes the burden off your heart! In practice, go to the Lord to ask him to fill all of you so that there will be no room left for anything to prevent you from living for him.
Preserving Inner Peace
Late yesterday I had no idea as to what I was to post on this blog today; in fact, I didn't know anything today might bring. I was not concerned about it, so I remained at peace. I recalled Jesus' words from Matthew 6: "Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself." The Lord is right. One reason people are restless is because they occupy their minds with wasteful and useless thoughts constantly, while the way to inner peace is to dwell in Jesus, the source of all peace.
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
My Lord, My God, & My Friend
I rejoiced during Mass today. What happened? Well, we all have friends or people we know. Some people are proud of the fact that they know someone who's famous. At Communion time, I became aware that among my friends, one is actually God! And I even know his name and a lot more! And he is absolutely the best friend among all my friends! So I couldn't help rejoicing at this fact.
More Reason for Seeking Union
Reading 1 at Mass from Acts 4 tells us that the early community of believers was of one heart and mind. How sad that we cannot say the same thing about the Church today. Not only the laity is not of one heart and mind, the clergy has fallen into the same trap. Since division only pleases Satan, all the more we need to seek union with God so that we can become of one heart and mind.
In Praise of Jesus
Jesus is what makes life worth living. He's the reason for which I want to live joyfully. He's the sole one who can guide us back to God with certainty, as he staked his life on that. He is everything to us and all we need. Without him, we are lost and life becomes meaningless. With him, I am completely content because I have fulfilled his wish, for he is not happy unless we are happy ~ that's how much he loves us. His love is the greatest possible love capable of transforming the most hardened hearts if we cooperate. To be in union with him is to be in love with love.
Monday, April 16, 2012
Discovery Is Not Revelation
After that last post, I realize that there is a difference between what we discover and what God chooses to reveal to us. Left on our own, we simply find out more and more, through science mostly, about things that already exist. We would never have known that God is in three Persons, that he is love, that he had planned to save us... for these could only have been revealed by him directly to us. Therefore, we must take all such revealed truths to heart and treasure them.
In conclusion, we cannot know God if he does not say anything. But if he does, then we'd better listen and hold onto everything he says, for this is the only way for us to know him.
We Have All We Need to Know
Since we are only finite creatures, it's impossible for us to know anything beyond what the infinite God reveals to us. Therefore, let's be content by holding onto what he has revealed to us through his Son Jesus, enough for us to live on for ever. This is all he wants us to know now ~ anything more is unnecessary, out of line, and impossible anyway.
Where to Keep Jesus
After Mass I remained in church to pray and contemplate as I normally do. I looked at the large crucifix hung above the altar, the statue of Mary on a pedestal in the niche, the picture of St. Joseph and that of Jesus of Divine Mercy hung on the walls. All these external images are beautiful, but Jesus is to be kept in our hearts. To have Jesus is to have him in the heart.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)