Following God Faithfully

        Life as a whole is a big opportunity for us to practice trust in God. We are often unsure about what we are supposed to do, but these are the perfect moments to remain patient and wait for the Lord to speak to or lead us. We don't question, just follow. Later, when we look back, everything will be clear to us. What we are sure of is that following God faithfully is heading toward heaven.

Ego Is Up to God

        I recognize again that ego is one of most difficult things for us to annihilate because it grows easily and can be deeply grounded in us already. Nevertheless, it has to go if we truly love God and want to become humble. Its removal would be a huge battle for us to fight alone; but with God's help, it can become relative easy. The amount of ego we have is inversely proportional to how much we submit ourselves to God.  

God in Contrast to Man (Us)

        Yesterday I saw a short 1948 British classic film clip on Classic Arts Showcase on TV. It reminded me of the old Alfred Hitchcock and many other movies. It's quite obvious that everything was staged for maximum dramatic effect. I thought of other shows in the entertainment business and the many artworks created by man ~ they all seem so contrived and artificial. The crop of contemporary classical music compositions is to me also more craft than art, cleverly written but sounding mechanical and sometimes repetitive after you listen to the musical greats, such as Beethoven and Brahms. I am not downgrading these man's creations because they are achievements, interesting and pleasing many ~ I am only stating what I feel. Then I turn to our God, who is totally natural, genuine, and pure ~ how refreshing, invigorating, and inspiring for a change.  

Most Endearing Words of Jesus

        During the Eucharist Prayer at Mass, when the priest was repeating Jesus' words: "Take this, all of you, and eat of it: for this is my body which will be given up for you." I underlined "my" because when I heard it, it was so personal that I stopped right in my track and felt that such love and sacrifice absolutely deserved my complete surrender to him. Soon later, the priest repeated again Jesus' words: "Take this, all of you, and drink from it: for this is the chalice of my blood, the blood of the new and eternal covenant, which will be poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this in memory of me." These words were so endearing that my joy overflowed.

Making Love Mutual

        The Gospel reading at Mass came from Matthew 13. Jesus likened the Kingdom of heaven to a treasure or a pearl of great price. Once a person finds it, he is so joyful that he goes and sells all that he has and buys it! Do we feel it that way? Do you know that to God we are his treasures and precious pearls? God and we are really made to love each other! If this feeling is still not mutual, then we ought to work hard to redress any imbalance.

Belonging to the In Crowd

        Today is the Memorial of St. Alphonsus Liguori. The Gospel Acclamation John 15.15b reads: "I call you my friends, says the Lord, for I have made known to you all that the Father has told me." What an astounding statement! We are definitely in! Through Jesus, we know what the Father is like! This knowledge should keep us happy and deeply satisfied!

To Fathom God's Thoughts & Ways

        Isaiah 55.8, 9: "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, my thoughts higher than your thoughts." Then what we should do to learn God's thoughts and ways. Seek union with him and you will begin to know his thoughts and see his ways. This should be a journey full of exciting discoveries.

Realist Wins Out

        One who knows and has experienced the love of God cannot possibly be a pessimist. And he is not an optimist either because an optimist only expects a favorable outcome and is never certain about the future. So what is he? He is a realist, for he knows exactly what he is doing, where he is heading, and is certain about his future (with God). 

Honors and Dishonors

        The late Penn State head football coach Joe Paterno and the US Olympic swimmer Mark Phelps have been in the news. The statue of Paterno was removed from outside the football stadium for his involvement in the cover-up of sexual assaults by his one-time assistant Jerry Sandusky, while Phelps has just won his 19th gold medal at the London Olympics and people are already asking if he is the greatest all-time Olympic athlete ever. One was dishonored and the other honored. How important are honors and dishonors? They may be important to the living, but not necessarily to God. I am sure that some of those we honored as great human beings in the past might not have made heaven, while among those who were persecuted, calumniated, or stripped of honor are saints now with the Lord. In any case, let neither honor or dishonor you receive in this world affect you the slightest. 

Ways of Seeking Happiness

       When people of the world are unhappy, they compensate by seeking happiness somewhere, hoping to get cheered up and forget their troubles. Going to drink at a bar or seeing a movie are just two examples. The problem is that what they seek are still things of the world, which provide only temporary escapes and have no healing effect. By contrast, the one who believes in the loving God turns to him when his heart is troubled. God alone can heal the soul and restore inner peace. It's a case of "To the one who has, more will be given" (Matthew 13, 25; Mark 4). 

Causing Others to Sin

        Today is the Memorial of St. Ignatius of Loyola. Gospel reading during Mass came from Matthew 13. Jesus in explaining the parable of the weeds of the field to his disciples mentioned himself (the Son of Man), the Evil One (the Devil), the angles, and the Father. At harvest time (the end of the age), Jesus will send his angels to collect all who cause others to sin and all evildoers to be punished. 

        I am struck by the separate category in which those who cause others to sin are placed. Normally, we are aware of our own sins, but we don't often think about whether they might cause others to sin. For example, if a father uses bad language, he doesn't think about how his son might pick it up from him. Obviously, the more people we cause to sin, the more severe our punishment will be. The best policy, of course, is to be aware that any sin displeases God and to stop sinning. 

Trusting in God to Keep Going

        Blogging has been great for me to learn to trust in the Lord. Earlier for quite some time, I couldn't help wondering what I was to blog next because I didn't have a clue. Then eventually, I let the Lord do whatever he wants ~ I'd be happy with a million ideas or zero. So far, he has been putting thought buds in my head at various times of the day. To be honest, I don't even recall exactly what I posted in the last couple of days; but each posting has been an enjoyable learning experience for me. Let's trust in God and keep going. 

Real Spiritual Success

        To become holy is the best way to love God because when you are holy, you automatically (this seems to be my favorite word) start to love others as Jesus does and serve God with joy. Spiritual success is not measured by how many external, visible deeds you do, but by how much internal love you have for God and how much humility you have in serving others.

Going Extreme in Jesus

        If you feel like going all out to do something, how about doing it in Jesus? When you go to the extreme in him, there is absolutely no downside risk, only great rewards. Here's what you could do. Love him to the extreme; trust him to the point of looking foolish; abandon yourself, all your possessions, and your concerns to him recklessly; forget totally about yourself and see only Jesus; and seek union with him at all costs.

Suicide Is a No-No

        Read in a local newspaper online about someone who just committed suicide. I know that this is also the tragedy that happens to many war veterans who suffered wartime traumas. My heart goes all out to them. If you ever contemplate ending your life on your own, please hold off a moment and give the Lord Jesus, the true God who loves and died for you another chance. I want to shout as aloud as possible to you that once you know him, you will want to live, live, and live; to live in him, with him, and for him. To die in him, yes; but never, never to die on your own without hope. To die in Jesus is to live, but to die without hope is to die forever. Please do not make your God weep for you! Make him love you instead. He has a special love for the weak, the poor, the destitute, the disadvantaged. That was exactly why he stooped low to become one of us. [Feel free to ask me questions by using the Post-a-Comment box. If you wish me to respond in private, include your email contact. You comment will not be shown on the blog.]

God Satisfies Us Fully

        At Communion time during Mass, I felt that God had satisfied all my inner needs and granted all my life wishes, fulfilling "The LORD is my shepherd; there is nothing I lack" (Psalm 23). I remained at great peace. 

God Does Speak to Us

        In today's Gospel reading at Mass from Matthew 13, Jesus used parables to explain the kingdom of heaven to the crowds. God has also uses various signs, including dreams, visions, etc., to convey messages to his people. Basically, what I want to say is that God always speaks to his people through different means, both extraordinary and ordinary. What we must do is to remain alert, hear, discern, and interpret what comes our way. All what God wants us to know or understand is important and most beneficial to us.

What Jesus Did Promise

        Hearing some Harry Potter film music played brought magic to my mind, which in turn reminded me of the preaching of some non-Catholic Christians ~ they essentially preach that if you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, he will bless you with money, good jobs, and all the other good things in life. (Like magic, this just sounds too good to be true.) When things don't go well, such believers then blame it on their own weak (not erroneous to them) faith. Anyway, Jesus never promised such things as such preachers claim. What he did promise were inner peace, freedom, and eternal life. If that last item is not good enough for you, then Jesus is not good enough for you either.