Burdensomeness Is Relative

        Today is the Memorial (optional) of St. Damien of Moloka'i, the Belgium priest who ministered to the lepers in their colony on the Hawaiian Island Moloka'i. He eventually contracted leprosy and died of the disease. I am thinking that if one of us is asked to work among the lepers, he or she probably would feel the assignment to be a great burden. So what's not burdensome to one may be burdensome to another. Mother Teresa is another case in point. To those who always seek to do God's will, burdens no longer exist, for they see performing each task as fulfilling their duty to serve the lord they love. Free of burden, they are joyful. 

God to Watch My Thoughts

        What I felt this morning as Mass started was that the Lord was going to oversee all my thoughts. This gave me no fear but joy. He sees all my thoughts anyway, so for him to supervise them to make sure that they meet his approval is indeed a great blessing I welcome with all my heart. The Lord can help us in all things.   

The Positive Approach to God

        One reason why I love St. Therese so much is because her faith in Jesus' love for her was predominant in her spiritual life. Personally, I also prefer to focus upon the positive. By letting the love, mercy, beauty, and glory of God draw you to him, all the negative aspects such as your sins and all other personal problems are then automatically taken away or overcome in due time. To me this is the joyful, effective way of approaching God. That's why I promote union with God above all. 

Church in Disarray

        The big news on BBC yesterday was that the Association of Catholic Priests, an organization which represents more than 850 priests in Ireland, had been meeting to discuss the future direction of the Church. The Vatican had criticized leading members of ACP for expressing views which contradict Church teaching. I watched the video: one priest spoke up against clerical celibacy and for ordination of women; another said that the educated people have the right to have a voice to be heard and if that voice leads to decisions to challenge the present institution, then that's progress. 

        I was saddened to hear these views expressed. Are the measures suggested by the first priest going to turn the Church in Ireland around and bring disillusioned parishioners back? I doubt it. The second priest spoke just like a present-day unbeliever ~ I just wonder where he got his education. For sure any voice attempting to break up the Church, which is the Body of Christ, could not have come from the Holy Spirit! What all these priests, including the bishops and the cardinals, should do is to get together to repent for all the sins (including the cover-up of child abuses) committed collectively by the clergy and ask the Lord to show the new direction for the Church.

Ultimate Freedom

        I used the phrase "free in God" in my last post. I thought about it and really like it. To be free in God is to feel free in the presence of God; that is, you feel free thinking, speaking, and doing things in his presence. This is like how a good child feels in the presence of its loving parents who are totally pleased with and approves of him or her. This is ultimate freedom!   

True Free Spirit

        One who does God's will is not concerned about what others, the world, think of him while he is alive or after he dies, because his aim is to please God alone. To him, personal accomplishment, reputation, and standing in the world do not exist. He is a true free spirit, free of ego and free in God. (He imitates Jesus.)  

How to Find Peace

        Today's Communion Song, John 14.27: "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you, not as the world gives do I give it to you, says the Lord, alleluia." What the Lord had made me see earlier during Mass was how beautiful it is to follow God and do his will. When you see that the two wills become one and the same, peace and joy pervade your whole being. Again, this is the way the Lord has made us! Only doing his will counts for eternity. Seek and you shall find, so seek his holy will always and you'll find peace. 

Levels of Thought

        This is somewhat related to the previous post. We are what we think, and we think on different levels. If we harbor sinful thoughts, we'll never experience inner peace. Most of the time many of us are occupied with mundane matters, which could also lead to stress and worry. Then we can always uplift our thoughts to God to let the Holy Spirit unconditionally guide our thinking, leading us to experience the greatest possible inner peace.

Jesus Liberates Us!

        In Acts 5 we learn how the angel of the Lord led the imprisoned apostles out of the public jail. In Acts 12, we read that when the angel of the Lord appeared to Peter in prison, the chains just fell from his wrists. He then followed the angel out, passing all the guards and went through the gate which opened for them by itself out to the city. Today when I see so many people carrying the burden of stress, worry, and excessive concern about themselves, they are virtually living in a prison. I want to testify to all that Jesus, our Lord, can completely free us as the angels miraculously led the apostles to freedom. The Lord died for us in order to set us free! He is our last resort, so make it your first. 

Enemies Within the Church

        Disunity and disobedience within the Church tear apart the Body of Christ, pleasing Satan only. We've seen Catholic politicians publicly going against the teachings of the Church. The University of Notre Dame had President Obama speak at its commencement despite outcries from many other Catholics. Now "pro-choice" Kathleen Sebelious, Secretary of the Department of Human Health and Services, has been invited by Georgetown University, this nation's oldest Catholic and Jesuit University, to speak at one of its commencement ceremonies. It's sad that the true sheep of Christ have to fight enemies within as well as without. If you share my viewpoint, consider signing the petition on GeorgetownScandal.com.  

Join God Now

        If you do believe that God exists and we have imperishable souls, then it must be clear to you that there is an ongoing spiritual war waged by Satan against God, fighting for our very souls. Being a given that God cannot be defeated and will be victorious at the end, I am wise enough to side with the Lord right now. If you don't join him in the fight, you only prolong the war and may end up on the loser's side.

God's Love

        The truth "God loves us" is most simple, yet most profound. To us, it's un-imaginable, yet completely logical. We have a rare case of "what seems too good to be true is true."  

Made for Heaven

        In today's Gospel reading from John 14 at Mass, Jesus told his disciples that he was going to his Father's house to prepare a place for them. Even before the Gospel reading, the Lord had made me see that we are truly wonderful creatures made by him. In his eyes, we are worthy to be saved to live eternally with him in heaven! If God so highly thinks of us, then isn't it a great sin to denigrate our own worth, to not hope in him, and to alienate him by continuing our sinful way of life?      

The Best Feeling Is...

knowing that God loves me (you). It touches the soul and heals it, uplifts the spirit high, and is most moving, deeply satisfying, sweet, and intoxicating. If you know Jesus, you'll know that this is true. To be loved by God is to experience God's greatest power!

All God's Love

        Today is the Feast of St. Philip and St. James, Apostles. After receiving Holy Communion, I felt that I was loving God with his love, for he is the source of all good things. Since his love is inexhaustible, the possibility of loving him more is also unlimited.

To Be Detached from Thoughts

        To be detached from your own thoughts is to never have your thoughts put a burden on your heart. This feels the same as being detached from the world, for all things go through the mind first. When thoughts can no longer enslave you, your heart will be light and free. Let Jesus displace all your own thoughts so that you can be so detached and free.

Goose Story with Happy Ending

        Many animals are known to mate for life ~ they are more faithful than humans. I've noticed that the Canadian geese in my area seem to show up in pairs. Recently, as I looked out my home window, I noticed a single goose, sitting or standing out there by the creek, day after day. I surmised that it must have lost its mate, so I felt sorry for the lone bird and wished that it would join some flock and find another mate. Yesterday I looked out the same window and was delighted to see a pair of geese with a gosling walking around them, while pecking at the grass. My initial guess must be all wrong ~ the lone goose was out there because its mate was away sitting upon the egg somewhere hidden for the baby to hatch. So I felt sorry for nothing! Perhaps there are spiritual lessons to be learned here, but I just want to share the surprising story with the happy ending.

God's Ultimate Assurance

        In today's Gospel reading from John 10 at Mass, Jesus told the Jews about the sheep (us) who follow him, "My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. No one can take them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one can take them out of the Father's hand. The Father and I are one." This reaffirms all that I believe. We are assured of eternal life. We are assured of safety in God's hand. How loving the Lord is! What a loving Father! Once you are one with Jesus, you are one with him forever! It's impossible to ask for more than what you get here, the absolute ultimate one could ever desire.

        (Note. The very opposite to being held securely in the Father's hand is being lost with no faith, direction, or certainty.)