State of the Union

        Here "Union" refers to union with God. In that state, God fills all of us and we become so happy and content that we no longer seek anything else for ourselves. God is all one needs.

Holy Spirit, Abode of Peace

        With Pentecost coming up next Sunday, my thoughts turn to the Holy Spirit. The Father wants us to stop all inner struggling on our own and rest in the Holy Spirit so that we may enjoy perfect peace. Let's fulfill Jesus' wish for us to have peace. 

On Wishful Thinking

        Wishful thinking is basically ego-prompted ~ you imagine things turning out well to feed your ego. One the other hand, when you imagine things going bad, you start to worry because you realize that things may go against your wish. In any case, one free of ego does not imagine things in one way or another. The entire focus is on following the Lord single-mindedly. Jesus is our perfect example. When he was on earth, he did not imagine nor worry about things ~ he was the most realistic person. Wishful thinking indicates the presence of ego and the lack of inner peace.  

God's Gentle Love

        At today's Mass, Reading 1 from Acts 20 tells us that Paul laid his hands on twelve men in Ephesus and they received the Holy Spirit. We who have been baptized in Christ already have the Holy Spirit dwelling within us. The Holy Spirit has mighty power, yet he is most gentle. To receive power from him, we must first surrender ourselves to him and pray sincerely. Surrendering to the Holy Spirit is surrendering to God. The fear or uneasiness people feel in surrendering to God all comes from within, for the Holy Spirit could not have given it to them. Knowing how gentle the Holy Spirit is should put our mind at ease when we surrender to God.

Union Most Intimate

        Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord. During Communion, I felt the sweet intimacy of union with the Lord. The closest possible union between two human beings is for them to be soul mates with both in union with the Lord, but another human being can never touch or penetrate my inner soul as God can. Union with God with the aid of the Holy Eucharist is to become God's soul mate and unite with him at the most fundamental level, returning to our creator who loves us.

What God Knows

        There are so many scandals out there being revealed in the public media. Those who got caught are in trouble with the law now. But, of course, even if they were not caught, they're in trouble with God already. Some people think that if they can hire a good lawyer to beat the court, then they are home free ~ they forget that being free is not being free of guilt, for only God removes sins. What we think or what the court thinks is not that important compared to what God knows! 

What's Your Joy?

        Yesterday I did not have the chance to do any posting because I was away in another city, attending a university commencement for a relative's graduation. Most of the over 4,000 graduates were jubilant. Families and friends carrying flowers and balloons were everywhere. After the ceremony, there was the posing for pictures around campus. Dinners, banquets, and parties had been planned for the rest of the day. It was a big day for the graduates and the joy was palpable. But then I saw that this joy stemming from a temporary relief would be short-lived. I didn't believe that many of the graduates would be able to find a good job today as this relative of mine hadn't yet. Joy is similar to faith in this way ~ it is long-lasting only if it's deeply grounded in something solid and firm. The joy of God is in that category.       

Joyful Boast

        I have called upon the name of Jesus thousands of times. Yesterday it dawned on me that I had been calling God by his first name! God and I are on an intimate first-name basis ~ something I can joyfully boast about. 

To Be Free Is To...

(1) live to please God alone,

(2) not care about your own reputation (what others think of you),  

(3) not be concerned about how your prayers are going to be answered,

(4) rejoice when someone else loves the Lord more than you do,

(5) never look down on someone who might not be as advanced as you spiritually,

(6) ...

        Actually, (1) is all I need to have put down as it covers the rest.

True or False

        Yesterday's Gospel Acclamation at Mass was John 16.28: "I came from the Father and have come into the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father." Read it one more time. To the believer, what Jesus had said was absolutely true. To the nonbeliever, Jesus must be a false prophet or someone "demential" ~ no way around it! The Lord always challenges us (for our good).     

It All Has to Do with Love

        Since our love is not perfect, we can be pushed to the limit and stop loving, thereby loosing our inner peace and freedom. Just look at our own world. By contrast, God's love is perfect, making him holy and infinitely patient. He then remains free forever and is the source of all peace.

Three-Way Love

        As disciples of Jesus, we are to be the light of the world. Our light is to let all others see that God loves them and that we love God. We love God because he loves us. We love others because we love God ~ his love for all is demonstrated through our love for him.

Joy with Jesus

        In today's Gospel reading at Mass from John 16, Jesus knew that he's going to the Father in a little while and he told his disciples that they would weep and mourn, but their grief would turn into joy. When that happens, they would no longer remember the grief. 

        I can recall my own past sufferings and pains, both physical and mental; but since I am enjoying the Lord so much now, I don't ever think about those days anymore (no regret either). "When you are in love, the whole world looks beautiful" ~ it has that kind of effect. With Jesus, joy always wins out. Looking ahead, we see eternal life awaiting us in heaven and all present sorrows will be forgotten ~ so why not start "forgetting" them right now?           

Timely Questions for All

         For the nonbeliever: How much time do you have left in your life?

       For the believer: How much do you love the Lord? (Are you willing to surrender to him to seek union with him?) 

Union Most Satisfying

        In the state of union with God, one has no more desire to see apparitions or witness miracles because he already has the Lord in him, satisfying all his desires.

Total Occupation with God

        When you are in union with the Lord, figuratively you don't see, hear, or feel yourself anymore ~ you see, hear, and feel only him.

The Taking Away of Sins

        I know that Jesus takes away our sins, but what does that really mean? Of course, it means that the Savior has once and for all crushed the power of sin and given us the hope of salvation. More specifically, if a believer sins and repents (or goes to confession in the case the sin is serious), he is then forgiven and made whole again. Often, the same or another sin is committed again ~ this only shows that the tendency to sin is still there. But the Lord can take care of that too! Seek union to be holy and Christlike and he will eradicate your tendency to sin and take away your sins permanently. 

Don't Mind Others

        I've been observing others and notice that a lot of people do not have peace in them because they are not generous enough to tolerate others who might have offended them either unintentionally or deliberately, or who have not lived up to their expectations. Examples are getting bothered by someone who has an odd mannerism; being disappointed in someone not showing any consideration or gratitude for what he has received; seeing someone not acting in accordance with conventional custom... These are really forms of judging on the same level as gossiping. If you cannot tolerate such others, how can you expect God to tolerate you? Just let them all go in God so that you may have peace in you.