Today I realize that we should watch out for pride even when the Lord is giving us joy. We must not let any such good feeling or other rewards affect whatever residual ego that's still left in us. This is tricky business; but to be safe, it's essential to receive all good things with great humility.
Monday, August 20, 2012
God Alone Suffices
After receiving the Holy Eucharist this morning, I felt that I was ready for death since I already possess the Lord. "The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I lack" (Psalm 23), exactly!
Following the Lord Perfectly
The Gospel story from Matthew 19 at Mass tells about the young man who wanted to gain eternal life and asked Jesus what he must do. The Lord told him to keep the commandments. Since he had already observed them, he asked what he still lacked. Then Jesus told him that if he wished to be perfect, he should go sell what he had, give to the poor, and go follow him. St. Francis of Assisi did it ~ should we do the same if we wish to be perfect? For practical reasons, we may not be able to do it, but the bottom line (what Jesus really wants from us) is that we do not get attached to anything we possess so that we may be free to follow him.
Remaining in Jesus' Love
Today is the Memorial of St. Bernard, Abbot and Doctor of the Church. The Communion Song (John 15.9) reads: "As the Father loves me, so I also love you; remain in my love, says the Lord." "Remain in my love" ~ how tender and beautiful! Jesus has already shown us how great his love is. To remain in his love is to be in paradise, with our happiness now and forever ensured!
See How Jesus Evangelized
I look at Jesus to see how he spread the good news to others. He did it with great compassion, teaching and healing people along the way. He never did anything to promote himself, to show how good he was. He never forced others in any way to believe in him ~ he simply preached the gospel and let them decide whether to follow him or not. We must look to his example as we evangelize the world for his sake.
What to Do with God's Love?
A friend of mine used to say that he was happy any day he woke up, checked the newspaper obituary column and didn't find his name listed there. Of course, he was not being serious. This morning I woke up and felt happy because I knew that God still loved me, and I am being serious. Knowing that God's love is always there for me is a great consolation and joy. Each of us must ultimately deal with it ~ to accept or reject this love.
Sunday, August 19, 2012
God's Infinite Mercy
Besides love, infinity is other word by which to remember God. It would take infinite creative power to create just a single blade of grass. But I am thinking about his mercy. I can be the most wretched sinner of all and if I just turn to him, repent, and seek salvation, then I instantly become his son. This is only possible if his mercy is infinite. It is fitting for us to show our appreciation by taking advantage of this mercy.
The Lord Is Joy
Our pastor today gave a beautiful homily on Jesus as the bread of life. The Mass became a celebration for life. Receiving the Body and Blood of the Lord is entering him, his world, to be transformed into a new creature beautiful for him to behold. There is no greater joy in this life than letting God give us whatever he wants to give us! Jesus is joy ~ how can he not make us joyful? All in all, a beautiful day today!
True Bread of Life
In today's Gospel reading at Mass, John 6:51-58, Jesus made it absolutely clear in his discourse to the crowds that he is the living bread that came down from heaven and whoever eats this bread will live forever; and this bread is his flesh for the life of the world. The Jews who heard Jesus quarreled among themselves and questioned, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" It's obvious that they never doubted that Jesus was not speaking symbolically. Normally, when Jesus told a parable and if there was anything unclear to the listeners, he would explain its hidden meaning. Here, he's not using a parable and there's nothing to explain ~ he simply responded by repeating what he had said, "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life... For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood..." Even his disciples found the saying hard and difficult to accept; some of them left him. Now, did it strike you for a moment that Jesus didn't literally mean what he said?
The belief that Jesus is truly present in the Holy Eucharist had been held by all since the beginning of the Church. Those today who think that the Lord only offered the bread and wine as symbols are misinterpreting his words to fit their own erroneous belief. In doing so, they miss receiving the most holy of all the sacraments, making it impossible to achieve the most intimate union with him in this life. The Holy Eucharist, Christ himself, is the center of worship in the Catholic Church. Nothing, not even the Bible, can replace that.
Keeping the Soul Safe
Because God loves us (or if we love him), it is our duty to keep our soul safe. This means that we must avoid all external influences that can cause us to sin and remove all internal urges to sin. The best and only solution is total immersion in God, a.k.a. union with God.
Saturday, August 18, 2012
Most Beautiful Relationship
When a man and a woman are joined by God to become one and even though they might not get along all the time, they want to preserve this union at all costs, there is definitely something beautiful about it. By contrast, breakups such as divorce, the dissolution of a friendship, leaving the Church, abortion...all have something ugly about it. Remaining in union of God then has to be the most beautiful relationship of all.
God Inspires
If a father is a good example that makes his son look up to him, the son usually wants to grow up to be like the father. This was the feeling I had at Mass this morning ~ the inspiring example of the Lord made me want to be just like him.
Be like Children Again
At this morning's Mass, from Matthew 19 we heard Jesus say that "the kingdom of heaven belongs to the children." Earlier Jesus had already said that "unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven." I believe that when we were children, we had all experienced the warmth, comfort, and security when we were held by or just leaned against someone such as our mother or anyone who took good care of us ~ it's a great feeling to know that you are in the close company of someone who loves you. Now that we are adults, let's be like little children again ~ only now we seek comfort and protection in the heavenly Father. This way we enter the kingdom of heaven, enjoying the warmth, comfort, and security in God.
Friday, August 17, 2012
Union with God Is for All
If you think that union with God is not for you because only saints can achieve such union, then you are mistaken. You seek and achieve union with God first, then you become a saint ~ not the other way around ~ a saint is already in union with God.
God as Teacher
After receiving Holy Communion at Mass this morning, I felt so fortunate and grateful that the Lord made me see all my faults for my good. He is a most loving teacher.
On Following God
We are supposed to be God's instruments, speaking for him and doing deeds for him; but sometimes we forget and start doing our will as his ~ this is where we can lose our inner balance. I must remember that I am to follow God, not charging ahead of him. Whoever said "patience is a sign of holiness" is correct.
Thursday, August 16, 2012
God Loves a Contrite Heart
As I knelt and prayed in church this morning, I realized that this would be a terrible position for a hypocrite to be in ~ imagine approaching God when you are insincere, dishonest, unforgiving, resentful.... Then I saw that a contrite heart was all that's required to change everything.
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