Fast and Serious

        At morning Mass, Father Paul mentioned that he was in Southern California last weekend and learned that the sex abuse scandal cost the Los Angeles archdiocese $660 million. He pointed out that such was the wages of sin. But worse than the loss of money is the loss of our soul which, once lost, is irretrievable. Paul said in Romans 6:23 that the wages of sin is death. A couple of days ago, the Lord made me see the beauty of putting our faith in the true God. In the second half of the same verse, Paul said that the gift of God is eternal life in Christ. What a huge difference from sin to faith...from death to life ~ all can happen in a split second!

On Receiving the Eucharist

        A church without the Holy Eucharist in it is like an empty cross with no Jesus on it. Since the Holy Eucharist is the body and blood of Christ, we should never touch it if we are in a state of serious sin. When we receive this most holy sacrament, we should not only let Christ enter to dwell within us, but also ask him to become an integral part of us so that we may become like him. The saying "You are what you eat" has now a new meaning. 

After We Sin...

        Realization at morning Mass today, the Memorial of St. Catherine of Sienna. Having offended God, we feel sad; but there are joys to be realized too: (1) Despite our failure, God's love for us remains undiminished, (2) He is still there for us to love, (3) We're given the realization that we need to change, (4) We have repenting our sin and being welcomed home again to look forward to. 

Humility Scrutinized

        I've found that it's more challenging to remain humble with your family at home than with outsiders, especially if you happen to be the head of the family. I believe it's because your family already knows you well and your feel comfortable remaining the same you. While with others, wanting to make a good impression on them helps motivating you to appear more humble. In either case, we fall short of being truly humble. To remedy this, we need the Holy Spirit to fill us with compassion for all, family members or non-family members. 

Union via Obedience to the Spirit

        Yesterday the retired bishop of the diocese celebrated Mass at my church for the confirmation of 65 young people. He gave a beautiful homily centered upon the Holy Spirit, which made me sense the beauty of obeying the Spirit. If I could do that at all times, I'd be in union with God at all times. Then I would have constant peace because in obedience to the Spirit, one on longer offends God.   

God's Contrary Ways

        God's ways are not our ways. God wants us to be weak in him so that we may become strong; to surrender to him to become free; to die in him to bear fruit; to remain passive to get close to him; to be lowly to get exalted; to serve others to become great; to forget about ourselves to be noticed by him; to give up all to gain him who is everything... 

News to Rejoice In

        In the same reading from Revelation 21 I brought up in my last post, John also heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, God's dwelling is with the human race. He will dwell with them and they will be his people and God himself will always be with them as their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there shall be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain, for the old order has passed away."

        My only comment is a recommendation: Read these verses and be thankful and rejoice in the news!

To Be Adorned for God

        Reading 2 for today's Mass comes from Revelation 21. In his vision, John saw a new heaven and a new earth. He saw a new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. Now, a bride adorns herself solely to please the husband. If we wish to please God, we need to adorn ourselves as best we can too, and that means seeking union with God so that we can become like him. At the end of the reading, John heard the One who sat on the throne say, "Behold, I make all things new." Things definitely are going to work out for us!

Moment of Abandonment

        Communion experience. It's a moment of abandoning myself in God, letting him perfect me.

We Reap What We Sow

        What we receive in our next life depends not upon how much we succeed or fail in this world nor how hard or easy a life we lead in this world, but solely upon how much we love God in this world.

Living the Private Life

        Jesus' sheep recognize only his voice and follow him alone. Under his care they live for him and not for the world. This privacy shields them from all evil and ensures that they will not be lost. It is living the private life in God. 

Jesus Exposes Darkness

        The more you know Jesus, the more you see darkness in the world. Those who do not know Jesus do not see darkness in the world, for they walk in darkness and no longer know where they are going. (Read 1 John 2:11.)

God's Mercy Extends to All

        Today's tragic news is the collapse of a Bangladeshi garment factory, killing at least 273 people. It's believed that neglect and lack of regulation led to the disaster. Since over 90% of the population of Bangladesh are Muslim, it's safe to assume that most of the victims did not know Jesus. So, are they saved or not? Jesus did say, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6). I believe that good people can be saved through Christ without their knowing it. It'd be unthinkable that they are condemned due to no fault of their own by God whose mercy is infinite. To think otherwise is to judge others. If you still have doubts, read the first eight Beatitudes of Jesus (Matthew 5:3-10).

Jesus Is the One

        Communion experience. Jesus completes me. Having him, I lack nothing. He's the one to live and die for with joy.

Being with God Forever

        The Gospel reading at Mass was from John 14. At the Last Supper, Jesus said to his disciples, "In my Father's house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be." How good it is to hear that the Lord wants us to be where he is! By receiving him in the Holy Eucharist, we've already become inseparable from him.

Truth of Christ Confirmed

        "Acts 13:26-33" was the first reading at morning Mass. I am not going to reproduce it here, but what Paul said made it absolutely clear that Jesus did come and was put to death, accomplishing all that was written about him. He then rose from the dead and appeared to many who became witnesses to the people. God had brought to fulfillment what he promised their fathers. Note that Paul used to persecute the Lord. This reading strongly confirms my faith in the truth of Christ.     

Simplified Approach to God

        I tend to see things in their simplified state. I am also a relatively short-winded person. Once I attended a piano workshop on preventing hand injury. As I recall, the entire set of 30+ videos on this method was available for $800. After listening to lectures with demonstration on the piano and watching many videos that weekend, I could summarize the essence of the method in three sentences. Similarly, when it comes to seeking union with God, you can take lessons, courses, or workshops that involve spiritual reading and exercises, learning how to pray, etc. ~ such formation process could take years. What if I am illiterate? What if I don't have access to all the information? Certainly, God wouldn't exclude me from seeking union with him. Again, I see how to achieve the goal the simple way. You surrender to God, put you trust in him, and let him draw you into union with him. God already knows what you desire; total abandonment in him is the only act you need to perform. 

Power and Wisdom

        Today's Gospel Acclamation at Mass, 1 Corinthian 1.23a-24b, reads: "We proclaim Christ crucified; he is the power of God and the wisdom of God." God is love and mercy, but the other aspect of God is power and wisdom. Power because he can transform us; wisdom because he is the truth that can guide us to eternal life. The Lord is what we need and is all we need.