On Using Our Talents

        This is something I have posted about, so here's taking another look at it. I was a pretty good photographer with a unique, personal vision. I reached the point that you could pretty much tell that it was my work when you see it. In those days I spent a lot of time and energy pursuing photography. Like most other artists, I justify what I was doing by telling myself that I was just using my God-given talent. Of course, the motives to become well-known and to make some money were there too. Was I justified?

        This is how I see it in general today: 

        (1) If what I do helps to bring others closer to God in some way, then I am doing the right thing.  

       (2) If not, then no matter how talented I am, what I do is basically self-centered or at most neutral. [If I were still doing photography today, I would do it with detachedness so that it never gets in the way of serving God first.] 

Unique Joy from Jesus

        Jesus also sets the standard for our joy. The joy he gives to the soul comes directly from him, purifying the heart and intoxicating the spirit. All the joys you receive from the world are just not on the same level, if you can call them joy.

A Sad State of the Soul

        Jesus, our ultimate judge, came into this world and showed us clearly what is good and what is evil. Tragically, today there are still so many who sin so easily and are not even aware that they are offending God!        

God to Be Taken Seriously

        It is almost the end of 2012, less than one and a half days away. People have started making New Year's resolutions. Looking ahead, I feel great sorrow when I see the shape our present world is in. Every day you read about terrible, senseless killings all around the globe, resulting in the losses of innocent lives, including women and children ~ does human life mean anything anymore? And I must again mention the evil of abortion. Due to its sheer magnitude and horror, this evil has to be ranked ahead of all other crimes. Of course, besides the obvious killings, there are myriad other, shall we say, subtler sins. One particular example that offends me personally are those TV talk shows on which sordid personal stories are exposed for the sole purpose of entertaining an audience with absolutely no sense of any shame. I hope that they really don't know what they are doing!

        I am neither a prophet nor one of those doomsday forecasters, but I do believe that we cannot go on offending God without any chastisement coming our way. In Luke 17 (and Matthew 24), Jesus said, "In the days of Noah before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage up to the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all." [I am thinking that the sinking of the Titanic also happened unexpectedly, when passengers were still enjoying the luxuries of the ship. Then those who lost their lives in the recent tsunamis didn't have any idea of what's coming to them either.] Let's also remember the prophecy given to us through our Holy Mother at Fatima during the time of World War I ~ she warned the world that if people did not cease offending God, another worse war would happen, and that was the World War II we had.

        We must absolutely take God seriously or take the consequences.

A Fantastic Leap

        Today's Communion Experience. It amazed me that I could receive the Lord. I am a great sinner and he is all holy. I finite and he infinite. I a creature and he my creator. I totally helpless on my own and he omnipotent. I nothing and he everything. I must learn to love and he is love. Now, receiving the Holy Eucharist actually brought me into union with him! Imagine the Lord reaching all the way down from heaven to lift me all the way up to his heart ~ what a fantastic leap for me!

No Escape from God

        The Lord showed me that not one iota of what we think, say, or do goes unnoticed by him. For whatever we do for love of him, we will be rewarded in this life or if not, the next. For whatever sin, big or small, committed against him, we will be exposed. His mercy is great, but his judgment is precise. Expel all darkness in your heart, mind, and soul now so that you may be ready for the light of the Lord to shine upon you.

A Free, Loving Relationship

        I realize that since God has given each of us a unique soul with free will, he never forces himself on us the way evil spirits take possession of a soul. The Lord will never makes us into his puppets or slaves. Even when we are in union with him, there is always interaction going on ~ we talk and listen to, or even argue with each other, continuing building up the loving relationship.

Love God Under Any Circumstances

        We may never experience visions or ecstasies, we may go through dark nights and not feel God's presence at all, we may win the lottery or lose our shirt, we may become seriously ill or be badly hurt by others...whatever happens, still God is to be loved, as he never stops loving us. 

Attaining Equanimity

        Before we know God, we basically live for ourselves. After we get to know him as love, we begin to live for him ~ the whole emphasis starts to shift. When we reach living fully for him alone, we attain perfect equanimity in the Lord. 

Being Linked to God

        Communion experience. As I received the Holy Eucharist, I knew that I was going to be directly linked to God. This is a strong, inseverable link originated by God to connect to my soul. I am now his sheep, his branch, and his child. There is nothing I lack.

Christ Is the Way

        Today is the Feast of St. Stephen, first martyr. Here is my fourth realization of the day. Stephen was tried before the Sanhedrin, condemned, and stoned to death by a mob. I see clearly that any other way of living other than for Christ is dead-end, leaving you with no peace in both this and the next life. If you live for Christ and even die as a martyr, you are still assured of peace in the next life.     

Staying Dry and Safe

        Before Mass began this morning, I visualized the following picture. All things of the world, including all the people and what they did and are doing are like a running stream flowing swiftly downstream. They pass by and are gone forever. Since I am with the Lord, I am standing on a bridge overlooking this stream going under me. I say to myself that I certainly don't wish to be part of this stream, rushing onward to oblivion.

Secret of True Happiness

        Another early morning realization. My roof is leaking again, ruining quite a bit of the interior wall. A couple of other things around the house are not working either. I realized that one should be happy with a roof over his head, enough food on the table, a car good enough for transportation, etc. Anything in excess is unnecessary and uncalled-for. Contentment in God is the secret of true happiness. 

Letting Disappointment Be Bygones

        Early this morning, the Lord made me see that no matter how I feel or wish and what I do, he is in charge of the whole situation. Therefore, if I follow his will, then I will not ever be disappointed.  

Speak Little and Suffer Much

        The Guardian Angel of St Gemma dictated to her: "Remember, my child, that whoever loves Jesus speaks little and suffers much. I command you, in the name of Jesus, never to give your opinion unless it is asked, never to hold to your opinion but to yield. When you have committed any fault, acknowledge it immediately, and do not wait until you are taxed with it." A challenging lesson in humility for sure.

Do We Have Room for Jesus?

        At Christmas Eve Mass, Pope Benedict XVI asked a pressing question: Will people find room in their hectic, technology-driven lives for children, the poor and God? At this Christmas time especially, how much room do we make for the Lord? It is a question we must face, reflect upon and answer to order to find peace and salvation. Are we like the innkeeper who had no room for the birth of Jesus to take place? In that case, Mary had to take Jesus elsewhere to be born. I say, let Jesus take up all of the room in us, then we'll have him forever with us, making us truly temples of the Holy Spirit. 

Best Christmas Present

        Jesus has given himself to us totally ~ there's no present that can top that! On this Christmas day, the best present we can give to the Lord is to try to match him by giving ourselves entirely to him.  

Christmas Blessings

        Having faith in God is such a beautiful thing! Not seeing, yet believing; not believing in any god, but the true God of Christ. 

         A beautiful, holy and peaceful Christmas to all!