Today's Communion experience. When I received the Holy Eucharist, I knew I was with Jesus and we became one and inseparable like a little branch already grafted into him, the main vine.
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
"Do Not Be Afraid"
In today's Gospel reading from Mark 6 at Mass, Jesus walked on the sea toward his disciples in a boat. When they saw him, they thought it was a ghost and cried out, for they were terrified. Then at once Jesus spoke with them, "Take courage, it is I, do not be afraid!" I know that Jesus said "do not be afraid" on numerous other occasions, so we should take it to heart. Indeed, with him with us at all times, there is truly nothing to be afraid of. Even if we lose our life, we'll be in heaven with him.
In Spiritual Emergency
At Mass, I also became aware of the horrible state of our world. There are just so many tragic events happening everywhere every moment you feel that your prayers can't even keep pace with the rate at which they're taking place. Using Isaiah's description: We are a people walking in darkness and dwelling in a land of deep gloom. Today's Communion antiphon was 1 John 1.2: "That life which was with the Father became visible, and he appeared to us." Why don't we turn to Christ? Is it because we are so sinful that we are afraid of the shining light? The need for us to love God is so great and urgent now that I feel the door will not stay open long! We need to repent without delay and go directly to Christ to seek safe refuge in him.
To Be Fair to God
Before Mass began this morning, I was made aware of how much God had given us. He had gone as far as he could, sacrificing himself on the cross on our behalf, whereas we do not even listen to him most of the time and when we do, our effort is often so very feeble ~ it's just not fair! The very least we could do is to submit ourselves totally to him.
Loving God Is Different
I see people who run races, ride bicycles, or lift weights in a competitive event push themselves to the very limit, risking injuries, striving to do a little better than before. By contrast I see that in loving God, you have the exact opposites. First, you remain passive instead of pushing yourself hard, so as to let God do the work. Second, there is no limit to reach because God can draw you to him as far as he wants. Last, there is no risk of injuries of any kind. In fact, the closer you're drawn to God, the safer you are from all evil.
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
The Holy Eucharist Miracle
Today's Communion experience. I felt great satisfaction and deep fulfillment. Receiving the Holy Eucharist is letting God enter me, fill me, take care of me, empower me, and work his will through me. It is a miracle!
[Interesting to read from part of St. Ignatius of Antioch's letter to the Romans which Fr. Groeschel included at the end of his chapter on the saint (see my last post) what Ignatius said about the Holy Eucharist: "I take no delight in corruptible food or in the pleasure of this life. I want the bread of God, which is the flesh of Jesus Christ, who was David's seed, and for drink I want his blood, the sign of his imperishable love."]
How Are We Doing as Christians?
Many of you probably know about the Franciscan friar Fr. Benedict Groeschel. I first saw him on EWTN TV. I love and respect him for his love for God and the Church, and I value his opinions on numerous issues as well as his spiritual insights. Even though he has been a prolific author, it is the first time that I am reading his book The Saints in My Life. The first saint he talks about is St. Ignatius of Antioch, one of the early Church Fathers, who died a martyr around A.D. 108. He was a truly fearless Christian who lived for Christ alone. Never did he ever stop urging all to trust and abandon themselves in God. After I finished reading the short chapter on this saint, I realized how weak the faiths of our generations are! I feel prompted to examine ourselves with these questions: (1) How much do we believe in God? (2) How much do we live for Christ? (3) How much are we detached from the world? The correct answer to each question should be 100%. So how much do we fall short?
Last thought. If you do not know Jesus or his Church yet, I urge you to read the writings of the Church Fathers, the earliest of whom personally knew the Apostles.
Monday, January 7, 2013
Awe-Inspiring Truth
This is the first thought I had before Mass this morning. The Holy Eucharist is the vehicle for achieving union with God. The mercy of God is great because of his humility, as shown by his sending his own Son to become one of us and to die in our place. If we are to be united with God, we must be likewise humble. Now, to receive the Holy Eucharist with great humility, we can actually become like God ~ this is absolutely awe-inspiring! For a moment I had trouble believing that this could be true.
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Jesus Pure Enjoyment
Today's Communion experience. I felt that Jesus was pure enjoyment, more enjoyable than all the best vacations I could possibly take. I just wanted to jealously guard this treasure in me. [Of course, this treasure can be anyone's if that person loves him enough.]
A Jolting Thought
Following the train of thought in the last post, I see that not receiving the Holy Eucharist reverently is not taking the Lord seriously, so when you face him later, he may not take you seriously either.
Are You Fearless in Christ?
Some Catholics in business try to hide the fact that they are Catholic for fear that it may turn some of their customers off and lose them. In Matthew 7, Jesus said, "As you judge, so will you be judged, and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you." Again, in Matthew 10, he said, "Whoever denies me before others, I will deny before my heavenly Father." Fair enough. Then obviously, if we are ashamed of letting others know that we follow Christ, he will be ashamed of us later. True Christians are always proud of their faith and live their lives fearlessly in the Lord.
Saturday, January 5, 2013
Hard but True Sayings
Today's Communion verse at Mass was Matthew 19.29: "Everyone who has given up houses or brothers or father of mother or children or lands for the sake of my name will receive a hundred times more, and will inherit eternal life." This provocative saying brings to mind what Jesus said in John 6, "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." This hard saying shocked even his disciples and as a result, many of them stopped following him.
Of course, if you believe that Jesus is the Lord, then all his sayings make perfect sense. In my case, I have already received a hundred times more in this life (just for the peace and freedom the world cannot give alone) and am looking forward to inheriting the next part.
The Greatest Journey
Today is the Memorial of St. John Neumann, Bishop. The Gospel reading came from John 1. Jesus found Philip and said to him, "Follow me." Then Philip found Nathanael and brought him to see Jesus. After Nathanael found out that Jesus saw him under the fig tree even before Philip called him, Nathanael responded, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel."
Looking back, I remember the day I decided to accept Jesus as my Lord and Savior, the day I entered the Catholic Church receiving the Body and Blood of the Lord in the Holy Eucharist for the first time, the day I got baptized by the Holy Spirit in the Charismatic Renewal within the Church, and the day I surrendered to the Lord seeking union with him. These were all defining moments, marking the high points in my life. Each successive move drew me closer to God. And of course, the critically important question of eternal life got all settled. A life-changing journey to God has to be the greatest journey you can possibly take.
Friday, January 4, 2013
Reality Realized
Today's Communion experience. Reality hit me. God is real; his love is real; I received real Christ in the Holy Eucharist; and there was real union with him. Again, what are true remains real for all eternity and time became irrelevant.
Following the Lord at Any Time
In today's Gospel reading from John 1 at Mass, we read how Andrew and his brother Simon Peter came to follow Jesus. John the Baptist was standing with two of his disciples, and as Jesus walked by, he said, "Behold, the Lamb of God." The two heard it and followed Jesus. They stayed with him that day. One of the two was Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter. Andrew then found his brother Simon and told him, "We have found the Messiah," and brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Simon the son of John; you will be called Cephas," which is translated Peter.
We do not have Jesus to follow physically, but we can follow him spiritually and get as close to him as Andrew and Peter. It's the same Lord for all eternity, so the gap in time is absolutely immaterial.
Living Martyrs
Today is the Memorial of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Religious. She was not a martyr like many other saints who suffered death for Christ's sake. Then I thought that we could be living martyrs too. As long as we are willing to live for Christ alone, we should be willing to die for him. Whether we actually meet physical death or not, it's the willingness that counts. If our old self has already died with Christ and is now a new creature in him, we should be ready to live as martyrs.
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Are We Robbers Too?
We live in a materialistic society. Our strong attachment to material things easily turns us into slaves. You might say that we become possessed with our possessions. In the parable of the rich man Jesus told in Luke 12, God said to the man, "You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you; and the things you have stored up, to whom will they belong?" Of course, God owns everything in the first place and nothing can really be considered to be ours. To think otherwise is to rob God of what belongs to him. We are now not just fools, but also robbers!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)