To Ignore or Not to Ignore Jesus

        Today's Gospel Acclamation is based upon parts of John 6:63c, 68c. I am of one mind with what Peter said to Jesus in 68c: "You have the words of everlasting life." This is another earth-shaking statement on which you must either agree or disagree with Peter. Jesus just cannot be ignored!  

The Ultimate Ignoramus

        Today's distressing world news includes a celebrity trying to explain away a crime he has obviously committed and another celebrity openly performing irreverent, offensive acts. I know that we are all sinners, but there is a difference. Most people end up sinning not because they want to sin, but because they are not strong enough to resist the temptation (they fail the test, so to speak). This is not the same as someone with a huge ego who deliberately ignores God, premeditates his sinful act, and never plans to repent. Ignoring the Lord makes him the ultimate ignoramus.   

The Governing Relationship

        It is common knowledge that if we are not happy in our personal life, we can't be happy at work either. If we are not getting along with others, it's just not possible to feel at peace with God either. In fact, Jesus wants us to reconcile with our brother who has anything against us before offering our gift at the altar (Matthew 5:24). Conversely, it follows that if we are at peace with God, then automatically we'll be at peace with all others. This was how I felt this morning before Mass began ~ there was zero rebelliousness in me against God and I felt absolutely nothing against anyone. It must be that when we get along with God, we receive the grace from him for us to get along with everybody else.

Growing Holy Is like Weeding

        I hand-weeded in my front yard a little bit this afternoon. A week ago, I pulled up pretty much every single weed, but today there were quite a bit of new weeds that had since germinated. I realized that it was a never-ending job and that I must be patient and keep doing what I can if I want to make the yard look neat. I see the similarity in living a spiritual life, as growing holier is also a never ending "job" and I must remain patient by trusting in God and doing my best always. The journey is not a short sprint but an endurance race. If we aim to win, we shall win our imperishable crown at the end (1 Corinthians 9:24-25).

On How We Live This Life

        In this life, we have the free will to choose good or evil. The crossing over to the other side can be instant. In the next life, we either end up with or without God and the chasm between two worlds is unbridgeable for all eternity ~ think about it! By not choosing God in this life, you might say that we burn our bridges forever. Seen this way, it's clear that how we live this life is critically important to how we shall live our next life.

No Pain, but Big Gain

        Communion experience. After receiving the Lord in the Holy Eucharist, I wished to be totally slain in the Lord. I realized that all I needed to do is to surrender to him by remaining passive. It struck me that the motto "No pain, no gain" does not work here ~ with God, it's "No pain, big gain." Another way of saying it: "The more we let go in God, the more we receive from him."

On Praying for Enemies

        In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 5 at morning Mass, Jesus commanded his disciples to love their enemies and pray for those who persecute them. Sometimes I pray for my enemies with the hope that they will not give me trouble anymore, but I hear the Lord say that I must pray exclusively for their well-being. 

On Converting Souls

        You cannot win souls for Christ by pressuring or arguing with those you wish to convert. The only effective way is to live your own life by example. Then each word you say and each deed you perform will have the effect of sowing a little seed in those you come into contact. And the Lord will make those seeds grow in time. It is great teamwork as you sow and God reaps. 

Way of the Cross

        Today being Friday, the Way of the Cross was prayed after Mass in church. Many parts of the reading were truly beautiful that I wished I could stop and meditate on them, but with a large group we just went through all fourteen stations nonstop. I researched and found that the book Benedict XVI: Way of Cross had been considered by many to be the finest and most beautiful book on the subject. I am looking forward to embarking on this new exciting trip by praying the Way on my own so that I can take as much time as needed. I say "exciting" because the Holy Spirit is going to lead me and I'll be walking with Christ the whole time.

Why Is God Attractive?

        This morning before Mass, I saw God as the most refreshing, sweetest nectar for the soul to drink. Well, the secular world surely provides copious attractions, yet why am I drawn more to the invisible God? What special power does the Lord possess? I venture to say that the following contrasts may provide the answer.

         (1) God is eternal, while the world passes.

         (2) God is love, while the world is emptiness.

         (3) God is true, while the world lies.

         (4) God challenges us, while the world tolerates us.

      Here's an imperfect analogy using musical examples to show how God and the world attract in their different ways. God is to the world as Brahms's symphonies or Beethoven's last piano sonatas are to heavy metal.

Pathway to Freedom

        Today I see Jesus as the Savior who can get us out of any trouble ~ he is our gateway to freedom. The biggest trouble we can be in has to be our soul remaining in a state of serious sin. The only good thing I can say about sin is that it gets the Lord's attention and can get ours too. In Matthew 9, to show that he has authority to forgive the sins of the paralytic lying on a stretcher, Jesus ordered him to rise, pick up the stretcher, and go home. And rise and go home he did. So, first, get our sins forgiven by the Lord; then let him help us carry the rest of our burdens; and finally, freedom!

In a Precarious Position

          I am thinking that in heaven, we have the fallen angels rebelling against God. On earth, we are doing the same thing, except that we are given a chance to be reconciled to God. See this clearly so that you can take advantage of this opportunity to get out of your precarious position as your eternal destiny hinges on your decision.

God Is Wide Open

        Today's great Gospel reading came from Matthew 7. In it Jesus said to his disciples: "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you." This means that God is wide open to us. We should ask to know him, to experience him, to be filled with his love, to be healed, to be saved, and for joy, peace, freedom, union with him in this life and heavenly dwelling with him for all eternity in the next. Actually, all these things are already ours. Claim them while there is still time.

So Much Love!

        God is love, but it's easy to deny that when you are not happy. Find out first why you are not happy as it is impossible to know God and not be happy. Read the Gospels and you'll see love written all over Jesus ~ so many invitations, so many promises, so much mercy shown in the kind deeds he performed and so much suffering on his part for our sake. For me, a believer, I get to touch him and be united with him everyday in receiving the Holy Eucharist. That love is ours for the asking.       

Facing Each Day

        If we are unhappy in life, we normally don't feel good about getting out of bed to face another day each morning. I once was like that when I didn't like my job and nothing else "exciting" was happening in my life. But now, because I do have interior peace and the external world no longer has anything exciting for me, I actually look forward to waking up early to start the day with Mass. Today the thought came to me that if we are ready to die for Christ, then certainly we would welcome each new day and be ready for anything coming our way. 

True, Beautiful Living

        Jesus taught us to do good in secret, to pray in secret, so that only the Father sees us. Likewise, we should carry our cross in secret to show our willingness to follow him. Living a hidden life in Christ is true, beautiful living! 

In a Life-and-Death Struggle

        The International Pilgrim Statue of Our Lady of Fatima is traveling through our area this month. At Fatima, the Blessed Mother warned that if people did not stop offending God, there would be wars, famines, persecution of the Church and annihilation of nations. All had come true. The big war was World War II. It seems that historically, God's warnings usually went unheeded. Why? It must be that people are too steeped in sin and/or they don't know the true God yet. What the world most urgently needs to do is to repent if it wishes to be saved. And it's just as urgent for those who know God to spread the good news. All of us are involved in a life-and-death struggle.

The Perfect Perfectionist

        Some people are very fussy and particular ~ they want everything they do come out right or perfect, or they would feel terrible. Others keep their material possessions in top shape, such as making sure that their cars are scratch-free and spotless. I had a friend once who kept all the original boxes the things he bought came in and placed all things exactly where he thought they should be ~ I was afraid to touch or move anything in his house. I really think all these people so afflicted are in fact imperfect. The perfect perfectionist is one who wants to be as perfect as possible before God and is not discouraged or disturbed if he turns to be not quite perfect ~ he or she simply accepts the fact and tries to do better.