Proving Our Love for God

        In today's Gospel reading, Jesus also asked Peter three times if he loved him. Each time after Peter answered yes, the Lord asked him to do something ~ they are "Feed my lambs," "Tend my sheep," and "Feed my sheep." It shows that the Lord wants us to assure him that we love him and to prove it by performing works. 

"It Is the Lord!"

          The Gospel reading at Mass came from John 21:1-19. Jesus revealed himself again to his disciples at the sea of Tiberias. While fishing from their boat, the disciples did not at first recognize Jesus standing on the shore. Finally, after he told them where to cast to net and they caught a large number of fish, the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord." 

        It is such a joy to recognize the presence of the one you love! Jesus is not physically with us today, but we can still realize his presence everywhere, in others, and especially in our own hearts. Such realizations should constantly fill us with joy.

Being "Foolish" for God

        Acts 5 continued to be read at Mass. The Sanhedrin ordered Peter and the apostles to stop speaking in the name of Jesus and dismissed them, but they left rejoicing that they had been found worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name. Did the apostles have a warped mind? No, they were elated because they already knew and belonged to God. Once we have the Lord, only what he thinks of us matters ~ this is how we were made.

On Entering God or Not

        With God, either you are in or you are out. When you are in, you enjoy peace, freedom, security, knowing that you are heaven-bound...all the good things I've mentioned numerous times on this blog. These are not things I've cooked up ~ they are actual knowledge. When God lays something in your heart, you just know that it's true. If you are still outside God, can you give one good reason if it's not fear of facing the truth? Outside God, there is nothing. Seek union to enter God to gain everything.

On Securing Life

        Suddenly, I see how vulnerable life is. I am still breathing, typing away this moment, but life can leave me at any time as it has happened to so many of my friends. We are powerless in securing our life in this world, but we can secure our life in the next. Happy are those who have already "arranged" with God for a dwelling place in heaven! Now, they can truly sit back and rejoice. 

On Following the Lord

        Yesterday I gave a presentation for the first time, before a small group at a mini-retreat. The subject was "Seeking Union With God Through the Holy Eucharist," what this blog is about. The urge to spread this message has become so strong that I must go beyond mere blogging. When the Lord wants us to do something specific, he does not want us to be concerned about how it might affect others ~ he wants us to follow him single-mindedly so that his wish may be realized. He alone is to be our focus, our vision, and our guide.

Prayer of All Prayers

        Ask the Lord truly be the lord of your life and he'll take care of you in every situation. This prayer takes care of all other prayers.

Passing the Test

        In today's Gospel reading from John 6 at Mass, when Jesus saw that a large crowd was coming to him, he asked Philip, "Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?" He said his to test him, because he himself knew what he was going to do (multiplication of the loaves, coming up). The Lord tests us too. Let's always remain faithful and watch for a miracle to follow.

Words to Live On

        Today's Gospel acclamation at Mass, Matthew 4.4b: "One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God." How much time do we waste on listening to words spoken by the media and by people we know ~ and on speaking our own words to others? The words of Jesus are all we need to hear. Read the Gospels and let his words of life speak to you. 

A Realist Is...

one who is completely honest with God, sees everything as they are, and does not run away or hide from anything coming to him, for the Lord is with him.

Jesus Perfect for Us

        Communion experience. Jesus is a true treasure because he is the one who can make us perfect!

Reading the Gospel Anew

        I've started reading the Gospel of John in bed every night before I go to sleep. This time I do not read it as a bystander; I see myself at the scene, in the story, and even imagine seeing things from Jesus' point of view. What comes across is amazing because everything becomes real and makes sense now. You see what actually happened and how Jesus spoke and acted as the all-knowing Lord.   

Pray As We Write

        I started reading a couple of excellent books on how to write better. Both authors recommend writing with brevity and clarity ~ no wordiness. Every word should express simply what we want to say. This suggests to me the proper way of praying to God. Sometimes we can be so brief and to the point that no words are needed, and the Lord hears us perfectly. 

Jesus Our Transformer

        At Communion time, I saw the Lord as our transformer. As I had pointed out in the past, we are the only rebellious creatures against God in this universe. If we cease rebelling and start obeying, he will then transform us into the most beautiful creatures existing in this universe ~ that is, one small change of mind resulting in a great transformation! (Neil Armstrong's famous first words, after becoming the first person to set foot on the moon in 1969, come to my mind: "That's one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind.") 

Spreading the Good News

         At morning Mass, Reading 1 was taken from Acts 5. We learned that the high priest and his companions laid hands on the Apostles and put them in jail. Then during the night, the angel of the Lord opened the doors of the prison and let them out, and they went to the temple area in the morning to teach the people again. 

        The voice of the Lord cannot be silenced. We must spread the good news by whatever means at our disposal. A timid Christian is one who still cares more about himself than about God.

Reverse Tactics Works

        At Mass this morning, I desired to possess all of Jesus, and I realized that I didn't need to do anything to achieve my goal ~ I only needed to remain still and let him take possession of me first. In the same way, to gain freedom, I surrender; to live in Christ, I die in him; to be exalted by him, I remain humble; to be courageous, I lean upon him; to be invigorated by him, I rest in him; to be filled with God, I empty myself. God is easy to deal with!       

God's Clear Intention

        At today's Mass, the Gospel acclamation came directly from the Gospel reading from John 3 that followed: "The Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life." God's intention is crystal clear. If we hear it, understand it, but still ignore it, then why?

We Are Sinners!

        If we are not sinners, then hearing the good news of salvation would absolutely mean nothing to us. We would wonder why Jesus even came and died for us. What's he talking about, really? The fact that there are enough of us who were deeply moved by what he had undergone and what he had revealed to us ~ to the point of even willing to die for him ~ proves that we are indeed sinners and need salvation.