Communion time thoughts this morning. If you were a house and remain meek and humble like our Lord, then you would be like a house that's built solidly upon a rock, which is the Lord himself, strong enough to withstand any assaults from without. Meekness and humbleness are the noblest strengths, not weaknesses.
Monday, June 4, 2012
A Union Analogy
We who love God all want to be holy. Striving to become holy is analogous to climbing a high mountain. When we reach the top, we are holy. Normally, we climb one step at a time. This requires discipline and involves a certain amount of struggle. Often we even fall back after some advance has been made. The whole process is slow and arduous and we may not even reach the top in our lifetime.
The alternative is to seek union with God first. You could say that there is a helicopter available to fly you directly to the top in a short time. The problem is that you've never flown like that before ~ you are afraid of the unknown and wonder if the flight will be safe at all. Also, even though you know that the view at the top must be fantastic, you look around and see that where you are, the scenery doesn't look that bad. So you decide that the quick ascent is not worth the risk involved, and you continue to struggle.
The truth is that once you put the fear of flying aside, the helicopter will take you quickly and safely to the top of the mountain and you'll have the most magnificent view. Now, you look down and see that you have eliminated all that arduous climbing.
The helicopter lift is God's arm lifting you up to him. You could say that the Holy Eucharist is already the ticket in your possession for you to board that flight. When you reach the top, you are in union with God. From there, what you see is what God sees.
The Joe Biden Joke
Vice President Joe Biden is known to be a Catholic, yet you can never tell by his consistent pro-choice stand. Recently, on "Meet the Press" he expressed that he's absolutely comfortable with granting same-sex couples the same privileges enjoyed by traditional families before President Obama came out later with his public endorsement of gay marriage. Biden credited the TV sitcom "Will and Grace" for changing his view of marriage. So we have a supposedly Catholic who lets secular TV shows shape his views and ignores the clear teachings of the Church. If this is not a joke, then what is it?
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Out of God's Way!
Earlier today I posted Know Our Place Before God. I could have added this thought to it: "Never try to play God. In fact, we should do our utmost to stay out of the way so that he may accomplish what he wills." (Food for thought: Are we the only obstacles in God's way in this world?)
True Freedom in Jesus
Jesus is the champion of freedom. In Jesus, you gain courage to do his will, whatever it might be, even at the risk of losing your life ~ that is true freedom! I still recall that over 30 years ago, I happened to visit a Communist country and could feel the oppression in the air ~ no one dared to express his or her true feelings to me, and vice versa. The moment I left the country, I really felt that the air became free again. Freedom is to be treasured. But the spiritual freedom Jesus grants is the best and most satisfying freedom of all! Besides, no one can ever take that away from you.
Fight Against Suppression
Our Bishop has requested that all parishioners take action to overturn the Health and Human Services mandate and I am going to do whatever I can to defend our religious liberty. It's horrifying that the government should intrude upon our conscience. This is a dark time in the history of this nation. If you're with me, please pray that God will unite all religious peoples to defeat this mandate and all other oppressive measures.
That "Chosen" Feeling
I forgot to mention in my last post that today is the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. At Mass the Responsorial Psalm was Psalm 33 and our Response was 12b: "Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own." The word "chosen" gave me that great "chosen" feeling, that I was so blessed to have been chosen by God to be his own.
Let God Sanctify Us!
At Sunday Mass this morning, I heard the priest say "Let God sanctify you" during one part of the Mass (can't remember exactly when) and it immediately struck me ~ how beautiful it is to let God do that to us, to make us holy, to purify and free us! Only God has that power and we can be the recipient of the benefits that power can bestow if we let God sanctify us.
What We Should Do Today
Submit ourselves to God more and more so that we fight less and less on our own. And rest in him more and more so that we struggle less and less on our own. (When we have totally surrendered to God and are able to relax completely in him, we shall have ceased fighting and struggling on our own.)
Know Our Place Before God
Early morning I got up and it was a beautiful day. The temperature hadn't heated up yet, the gentle breeze felt good, and I heard birds singing among the trees. I thought of the people who lived thousands of years ago ~ they must have experienced and enjoyed days like this. Then I realized that in those days, people must not live that long, for they didn't have the medical knowledge, technology, doctors and hospitals which we enjoy today. Wikipedia shows that even today, the current life expectancy at birth for people in some of the African nations is only in the range of 30-40 years and the current world average of life expectancy at birth is estimated to be around 67.
It's easy for us to get carried away when we believe that science and technology can solve all our problems and that we don't need God anymore. Then look, after thousands of years we've only managed to extend our life expectancy by a few decades ~ we still die at the end ~ is this big enough progress for us to claim that we can replace God who created the whole universe? Aren't we being extremely foolish to think that way? The truth is that we are nothing before God. Our proper role is to remain humble always before him and beg for his mercy before we ever think, speak, or do anything.
Walking with Christ
Since Christ is my closest, most intimate companion, who dwells within me, I feel his presence at all times. He enters my mind the moment I wake up in the morning and I enjoy thinking about him when I go to sleep. During the day, I cling to him because everything about me depends upon him. In return, the Lord guides me along a straight path, shielding me from all evil.
Saturday, June 2, 2012
Die Once & Live Forever
The martyrs die for Christ, but we can always die in Christ. In either case, the subjects die once and will live forever!
How People Talk
It's interesting that those who do not know God talk as if they know everything, while those who know God talk as if they do not know anything but God.
We Are like Computers
I just had some viruses or malware removed from my computer. I was told by one technician that if I didn't do anything, the computer most likely would head toward a crash. The sounds very much like a sinner and what could happen to him. Sins are like viruses and a sinner is infected with them. For him, the loss of eternal life is that big crash.
The Movie "For Greater Glory"
I did go see the movie For Greater Glory yesterday with some friends. To be objective about it ~ let's say that I am not even a Catholic ~ I'd say that the film was well made, quite dramatic, and has some very moving moments. Above all, it tells the story objectively, showing violence committed by both sides, and did get the point across. Out of 5 stars, I would rate it 3.5 to 4 stars. Don't pay too much attention to the less favorable reviews that have appeared in a number big city newspapers ~ those critics tend to nitpick from the point of view of a film school instructor, but the many imperfections are not likely to bother the average audience. When our group watched it, we were kept awake for the entire 147 minutes and got quite emotionally exhausted. Overall, it tells a memorable story.
God, Our Standard
God is the only standard against which all of us are to be measured. On our own, any standards we set up will only be temporary, relative, and possibly unreliable or even misguided. If you believe that we should have only one standard, then we have no choice but to follow God. The world is in chaos and disorder because the Lord is not held up as its standard. Without God's example as revealed through Christ, we'll never know what the greatest love and true humility are.
Friday, June 1, 2012
From Have-Nots to Haves
I have been thinking about what Jesus said to his disciples in Mark 4.25 (also in Matthew): "To the one who has, more will be given; from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away." The first part is true. Anyone who has received much from the Lord will want more from him because what he has received is good. The Lord then generously gives him even more...it goes on continuously like that. The second part is the flip side of the first, but there is hope for the have-nots too, for the Lord also said that the last would be first and the first would be last. All the one who has not has to do is to start asking the Lord to become one who has.
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