I just saw on EWTN the welcome ceremony at the airport for the arrival of the Holy Father in Brazil for World Youth Day. He was greeted by the president of Brazil and a children's choir, among many others. The joy all around was palpable. I couldn't help thinking how much joy the disciples of Jesus must have felt when they personally saw the Lord teaching, healing, and performing all the great works of mercy. My heart sensed that the sweet love of God can truly melt one's heart so that one feels nothing but joy. How I wish that we all experience this!
Monday, July 22, 2013
Jesus Restores Peace
Communion experience. I felt Jesus to be my center. After receiving him in the Holy Eucharist, inner peace was completely restored.
Same Father, Same God
Today is the Memorial of St. Mary Magdalene. The Gospel reading was taken from John 20. The Resurrected Lord appeared to Mary Magdalene outside the empty tomb. Before he departed, his last words to her were: "Go to my brothers and tell them, 'I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and you God.'" How good it is to hear that Jesus' Father is our Father and his God is our God! This is what communion of the saints is all about ~ a Christian is never alone.
Sunday, July 21, 2013
Perfect Feeling and Knowing
Communion experience. Before receiving the Holy Eucharist, I felt that I was the luckiest person in the whole world. After receiving the Lord, I knew that he's the one worth dying for.
Being Perfect in Christ
In Reading 2 from Colossians 1 at Mass, Paul proclaims Christ to them so that he may present everyone perfect in Christ. This echoes Jesus' command for us to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect. Come to think of it, there is no way to become perfect except in Christ, for he alone is perfect and has the power to make us perfect.
All in Light of Love
In Matthew 9 and again 12, Jesus quoted Hosea 6.6: I desire mercy, not sacrifice. I believe that the Lord wants us to love first and consider everything else in light of love. I also believe that we are to detach ourselves from all things of the world, but not necessarily to renounce them unless we are called to do so in light of love. I believe that we are to enjoy God foremost and all else in light of love. Last, we are to suffer for God in light of love.
In the Name of the Lord
Paul in Colossians 3.17 advises: Whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord. To me, it means do everything for the glory of God or from a practical point of view, do everything to draw others to Christ. Nowadays we do so many things, individually or as a group, in public or private, without taking this into consideration due to the lack of faith in God. We end up doing what we think we should do and not bearing any fruit for the Lord. The change must start with each one of us in the name of the Lord.
On Facing Death
Death is imminent for all of us. We can shrink back, be afraid, and try to hold onto this life, but this is being weak in faith and unrealistic. The healthy, proper attitude is to welcome death and look forward to meeting our most beloved Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Luke 9.62: Jesus said, "No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the kingdom of God. This saying applies here too. Death is not a dead end (pun not intended). Prepare yourself right and death becomes you gateway to freedom and eternal bliss. Following Jesus means willing to go through anything after him, and he did die.
Saturday, July 20, 2013
No More Knowing Each Other
My elderly neighbor across the street has 26 grandchildren, so he has trouble keeping straight who's who. Our heavenly Father will have no such problem with us. I don't even need a name. He knows me and I know my sonship. As Jesus said in John 10, he knows his sheep and they know him. No words need to be exchanged. Then when you reach union with God, he and you become one and knowing becomes irrelevant.
Friday, July 19, 2013
A Small Heaven
Communion experience. Heaven is where God dwells. When the Lord entered me in the Holy Eucharist, I felt that he's going to transform his dwelling in me into a small heaven. So I have Jesus in heaven in me ~ I was overjoyed!
For God Alone
People are not always trustworthy. I have known some who completely change their personality or demeanor in test situations. Others who you think are friends can instantly become your enemies. Most people hide their true self behind a facade ~ I suppose this is due to the lack of mutual trust. The good thing is that we have God to trust in. The title For God Alone implies that we can not only trust in God alone, but also live in him, love him, listen to him, serve him, and do everything for him alone. It means that we only care about what he, not anybody else, thinks. This is how we gain freedom and peace. [Note: As only God can forgive sins, only he can give this kind of freedom and peace.]
Thursday, July 18, 2013
Do You Hear Jesus Calling?
The 4th Luminous Mystery of the Rosary for today is The Proclamation of the Kingdom. Jesus called the Twelve to be his Apostles and they followed him immediately. Just the same Jesus is calling us today. Read the Gospels and you'll hear him calling you. If you don't hear it, then you won't hear it even if he appears today asking you in person. It's not how or when he calls you that matters, it's how you respond to his call.
"True" Sins
God fully understands us. Many times we fail because we are spiritually weak, not because we deliberately want to hurt him. Peter's denials of Jesus are prime examples that should be encouraging to us. The "true" sins are committed when we look away from the Lord and choose to do what we want to do.
On Loving Jesus
Communion time reflection. Here's the humble and meek Jesus who loved and died for us. We care for our dogs and cats a lot, so how could we possibly love the Lord even less? After receiving the Holy Eucharist, I knew that we must love Jesus so much never to offend him again!
Our Wondrous God
I thought about God before Mass began. His power and knowledge are without limit, and his holiness and perfection awe-inspiring ~ I tremble before him. Yet his beauty is so delightful and his love so tender that I want to run to him, yelling "Daddy." I do not see him, yet he watches over me. Even though he fills the whole universe, he enters me in the Holy Eucharist. Such are our wondrous God.
Making Sense to an Unbeliever
A friend of mine didn't wish to believe in Christ. His good friend was losing the battle with cancer, so I took the chance to reason with him like this. We are all sinners and if there is God, he has to be holy. As sinners, we cannot enter heaven where the holy dwell. He agreed with me so far. Many people like to clear their conscience before they die, but telling another human being about their sins is useless because the sins remain. To get our sins forgiven, we need to confess and repent to God and then we shall be saved. Therefore, we need to believe in Christ. It seemed that I made some sense to him.
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
Grateful for God's Mercy
Four days ago, I got up in the morning and saw a big black spot of irregular shape, roughly half an inch wide, through my right eye. It's fixed in space, unlike one of those tiny floaters I notice once in a while. About five minutes later, it's gone. So I went in to see my eye doctor today. He thought that what I had was most likely an ocular migraine, not something of major concern; but he did find the pressure in my right eye too high and see signs of glaucoma. I am now using an eyedrop to control the high pressure which can cause blindness if unchecked. I see that the Lord gave me the migraine sign to get me to see the doctor. Otherwise I might not go visit one for another few years. So I just want to thank the Lord for his ever present mercy, our greatest treasure. We only need to recognize it.
The Greatest Good
God who is love and all-knowing will always bring about the greatest good out of any situation you're in. And that greatest good can be the spiritual transformation of yourself.
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