Before morning Mass started today, I prayed and felt that the Lord was sitting on a throne in my heart, so I prayed to him within. I loved it because I felt that we shared the same conscience and I did pray his will.
Friday, May 25, 2012
Man's Secular Enjoyment
Today's early morning wasn't so clear as yesterday, but the sky with clouds in various hues still looked beautiful ~ indeed, God has given us much natural beauty for enjoyment. Now, man has concocted its own potion for enjoyment. Unfortunately, much of it does not inspire; the creations are here only to provide material comfort and fun or entertainment on the secular level. I can't help feeling sorry that any baby born into this world will have to fight an uphill spiritual battle all the way.
Death Made Perfectly Clear
There is an award-winning documentary examining death and how anxiety about dying drives human behavior out there. I am so happy that Jesus has shown us that there is eternal life, that death is no longer an unknown, and that death has no power over us who follow Jesus. If I have any anxiety about dying, it's my anxiety to meet the Lord.
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Knowing You're Loved
I am loved by God. I am also loved by all the angles and saints in heaven. On earth I am loved by every single brother and sister truly in Christ. I wouldn't be surprised that the total number exceeds one hundred million. In reality, every person is loved by God. It's knowing Christ that has made me aware that I am loved by God and all the others.
God's Chosen Gift
In today's Gospel reading from John 17 at morning Mass, Jesus prayed earnestly to the Father that all believers may be one in him and the Father. He made it clear that we believers are the Father's gift to him. Regarding us as a gift to him, Jesus must be so pleased with and appreciative of us. Knowing that we have been chosen by the Father to be worthy as a gift to the Son, we should be pleased with ourselves and appreciative of the Father's love for us. It's love and appreciation all around.
Road to God Is Clear
The early morning sky was beautifully clear with not a cloud in sight. And the Lord made me see that the road to him for us is also clear without his placing any obstacle in the way. He is eagerly waiting for us at his end. If we accept and believe in Christ, we are saved, for he said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." The only thing that prevents us from reaching God is our own unwillingness to get going.
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Jesus Our Intercessor
In today's Gospel reading at Mass from John 17, we learn that Jesus interceded for all those whom the Father had given him. He prayed that they might be one, protected and guarded them so that no one was lost. I just feel good that I am totally secure under his wing and am grateful that he cares for us so much. He makes my day every day.
Thoughts Affecting Inner Peace
Since God knows all our thoughts and he is the source of our peace, any impure, sinful, or inappropriate thought we have directly affects our inner peace ~ we are just made that way. When our thoughts are all pure, we are at peace, and we and God are one. At the other extreme, there are those who do not hear the gospel or do not want to know Christ ~ they have succumbed to the world and their thoughts can't be further away from God. Happy and blessed are those who are pure in their thoughts and have peace in their hearts.
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Transforming Power
At Mass today, when the priest was consecrating of the bread and the wine in the Eucharist, I saw that the changing of the elements of the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ is indeed a miracle and that through receiving the Holy Eucharist, we receive power to transform ourselves. This awareness gave me tremendous support.
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.
Monday, May 21, 2012
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.
Sunday, May 20, 2012
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.
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