Speaking of Crosses

        What makes a cross? Most crosses we endure and suffer are caused by our lack of perfection ~ we distrust and disobey God, are selfish and not loving enough. God does not want us to be afraid or anxious so that we may have peace, but we don't listen and make everything (including ourselves) even more complicated, worsening our burden. The rest of the crosses are those inflict upon us or given to us by God ~ here we must see them as blessings that can benefit us spiritually. It's in our willingness to carry our cross and follow Jesus that we receive strength and joy. In conclusion, all self-created crosses can be eliminated and the rest, lightly carried with God's help.  

On Facing Jesus

        Today's Gospel reading from Mark 8 at Mass truly challenges us. Jesus said to the crowd and his disciples, "Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and that of the Gospel will save it.... Whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this faithless and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels." These are hard words we must face or dismiss. They are either truth or rubbish. Ignoring them does not make them go away. 

Peace Is Born...

as Jesus becomes more and more important and all other things, with the exception of loving others, become less and less important in one's life. 

God Values Us

        Jesus wants us to be perfect as our Heavenly Father is perfect and to think as God does. Apparently, he thinks highly of us, his creation. How do we regard ourselves? We can feel sorry for or even hate ourselves, we can brush aside God and go on our own way, we can halfheartedly follow him ... all these options are wrong because they disappoint God by ignoring the potential he sees in us. As a matter of fact, it is sinful to not believe that God can transform us. We should thank the Lord for wanting to make us holy so that we may enter union with him and be joyful forever from this life on. Therefore, think about not yourself, but what God thinks of you.  

Low to High via God

        Nothing is impossible with God. No matter how hopeless you feel, God can fill your life with hope. No matter how low you have sunk, he can lift you up high. We've seen examples in the lives of many, not all of them saints. I can testify to you that the highest points in my spiritual life followed some of the lowest points. "Never give up" can be foolish, unrealistic advice, but it works perfectly when you involve God, for he loves to help those in low spirits. 

A Humbling Experience

        Today's Communion experience. In the world one can experience highs by riding a roller coaster, winning the lottery, or taking drugs; but the high you get after receiving the Lord is in an entirely different realm, touching the soul deeply. I got the incredible, humbling feeling today after the Lord entered me, putting me in place; he let me know that he is God and I was receiving the greatest possible favor from him. He humbles those whom he loves.

To Think like God

        Also in today's Gospel reading from Mark 8, after Jesus revealed to his disciples openly that he must suffer, be rejected, and be killed, Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. At this Jesus, before the disciples, rebuked Peter for thinking not as God does, but as human beings do. Human beings are good at following their own wishes, which amounts to ignoring God's will. In essence, Jesus wants us to be in union with God so that we may think like God.

Jesus, All-Knowing God

        In today's Gospel reading from Mark 8, Jesus asked his disciples, "Who do people say that I am?" They said in reply, "John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others one of the prophets." And he asked them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter said to him in reply, "You are the Christ." Then he warned them not to tell anyone about him. He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and rise after three days.

        From an objective point of view, you can see that Jesus knew exactly who he was and what's going to happen to him. He first asked the disciples questions to test them. Once they knew that truth, he told them what's going to transpire. Here's nothing other than our all-knowing God being himself.  

More on Surrendering to God

         I thought more about surrendering to God at Mass this morning. I acknowledge that God created me, so all of me belongs to him except the free will he has given me. If I give that up as well, then I am all his ~ this is crucial to having faith in God. To surrender to God is to return to my creator to be united with him forever, as it should be. It's letting God take over completely so that I totally vanish in him. This is the process that liberates our heart, mind, spirit, and soul! We are free only when we are no longer aware of our own independent existence. Perhaps you argue that this way a person becomes like a puppet of the Lord. Then I say that if you play your own god, you are just your own robot. To be a "puppet" of God is infinitely better than being a master of yourself or whatever else you can think of. 

Falsehood Exposed

        Truth exposes falsehood. That's why the more you get to know and learn from the true God, the more you realize that you've been living in falsehood. Therefore, ask the Lord to open your eyes, your ears, and your mind so that you may see exactly how you are supposed to live. The goal of life should be to discover the truth and discard falsehood.  

God's Greatness

        Communion time musings. Although so high above me, God is totally accessible. Although he is far beyond my reach, there are no barriers between us. Today in one act, he and I become one. He can stoop so low because he is so great!

The Christian Journey

        When we are on earth, we need God because we have health issues to deal with, natural elements to confront, and most of all, sins to fight. After we get to heaven, we no longer need God because we already have him, and all the above-mentioned problems no longer exist. The Christian journey skips to its best part right after the first part.  

Faith in God Works

        I am pretty much back to normal and resumed attending daily Mass this morning. As Jesus indicated to his disciples in today's Gospel reading from Mark 8, without faith we can have eyes and not see, ears and not hear. He made me see that if we have faith, everything will be well. This is the theory, logic, also a simple formula that always works. Faith makes us follow God, and since God can never lead us astray, everything works out well at the end. The ultimate example: Faith in Christ leads to eternal life.  

Conscience Examined

        Conscience is like a clear window pane God implants in each one of us at our birth. The pane gradually gets soiled and stained by the sins of our world, losing its clarity over a period of time. Now the person no longer sees clearly what's right and what's wrong. God is the one who can wipe it all clean again if you give him the go-head. While he is at it, ask him to clean out whatever filth and dirt your muddy conscience has allowed into your heart and mind as well, and you'll be clean all over again. This was Jesus' mission when he came into the world, for the Lord specializes in making all things clean.     

To Your Heart's Content

        Communion experience. I was amazed and thrilled to realize what the Lord can do with us. If you let yourself be his entirely, he can mold and shape you until you become a totally happy, free person, enjoying him and the world.

Relaxing in God

        I still have one more day to go on my antibiotic, but my cough is almost gone. I attended Sunday morning Mass, feeling God refreshing me once again. Letting go in God relaxes the body, mind, and spirit. How good it is to have the Lord at our service anytime we wish to relax! 

Plan for Living

       First things first:

       (1) Awareness ~ know that you're only passing through this world. 

       (2) Action ~ make sure you'll enter heaven after this life ends.                  

       (3) Pullback ~ relax and enjoy living.

      Note: People do not enjoy living because they jump to step 3 without going through the first two steps in order.

On loving Others

        The Lord wants us to see him in every fellow human being so that we may treat all with love and respect. I got on this because I saw how easily old folks got ignored by others. It is Jesus' commandment that we love our neighbor as ourselves. One caution though: we love others, but not be attached to them, for we attach ourselves to God alone.