God's Mercy Depicted

        I am thinking that God's mercy has to be infinite. If it is finite, then who can get to heaven? Where do you draw the line? It just does not work out. The God of Christ will forgive us an unlimited number of times as long as we repent. You may picture that the door of mercy is always open. When we sin, we disable ourselves and can't get to the door anymore. Then we repent and we are healed and can get going again. Basically, God wants to get all of us into heaven. With such mercy, you'll have to turn away from him and choose not to repent to get yourself condemned. Sadly, there are too many doing just that.

Let God Get to You First

        People do not think about God because the world has gotten to them first. Deeply immersed in the world, God is easily forgotten. One day their world is gone ~ for example, they suffer a heart attack or lose all their possessions ~ then they turn to God. To avoid wasting so much of your valuable lifetime, let God get to you first, then you'll be holding onto something permanent, stable, and dependable that will never go away. 

The Trapped World

        On the way back from morning Mass, I saw the modern world as a place full of traps. There is a trap in everything we hear, see, read, and encounter. I say "trap" because it aims to keep us away from God. This is reality as you can see trapped victims everywhere. But the situation is not hopeless, as the Lord is almighty. Once you have grounded yourself firmly in him. you will notice all the traps and be alert enough to bypass them. (Actually, this can be fun!)    

What Attracts Me to God

        After discovering the marvels of science, some scientists choose to believe in the existence of God, while others choose not to. Similarly, after learning about the holy God, some sinners are attracted to him, while others choose to hide from him. For me, what attracts me to God is his perfection in his love and every other way, beautiful beyond words. 

Dying for Each Other

        I used to live near a burger joint advertising that their burgers are so good that they are to die for. Since God has actually died for us out of love, certainly he is good enough for us to die for, be it the dying of the old self or our physical death. Two persons willing to die for each other shows the greatest love between them. When one of the two happens to be God, there'll be no sad ending ~ only glorious, eternal joy!   

Ultimate Transformation

        This morning at church before Mass began, I saw every one of us as an empty vessel. It remains useless as long as it is empty. But after God has filled it with himself (the Holy Spirit), it becomes his glorious vessel fit for heaven. With the Lord as the source, all good things (thoughts, words, deeds) flow outwardly from it. This is the ultimate transformation.

God Is with Us!

        Communion experience. I witnessed the Most High in the consecrated bread and wine elevated by the priest at the altar before distribution. The Lord is above us; the Lord is around us; the Lord is in us ~ God is with us! 

Seek Humility First

        Our pastor in his homily at Mass warned us to be aware of spiritual pride. It became clear to me that to be holy, we must seek humility first. Humility makes the strongest foundation for spiritual growth. And the Lord loves to exalt the humble.

God Following Our Example

        In today's Gospel reading from Luke 6 at morning Mass, Jesus said to his disciples, "Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give and gifts will be given to you... For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you." So if I do my best to help others enter heaven, the Lord will surely do his best to help me enter heaven. 

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.