On Forgiving Your Enemy

        Forgiving others can be the most difficult thing for many of us. Let's look at the matter this way. Here's someone you dislike or even hate, and get angry about. Now think of hell, such a horrible place, where one is cut off from God and suffers for all eternity ~ would you honestly wish that your "enemy" be condemned to hell? If you do have a heart that hard, which I don't believe you do, then perhaps you should reconsider whether you deserve to go to heaven for God loves your enemy as much as he loves you. If your answer to the question is no, then simply forgive your enemy. 

How God Leads

        In leading us, God does not show us every little thing we need to do; he usually brings us to the point where we finally realize on our own what he wants us to do. This is good learning because it teaches us to remain patient and trust in him always. 

The Only Sin

        I thought of Adam and Eve who committed the original sin and got banished from Eden. And that sin was disobedience to God. To this day, this has been the same sin that alienates mankind from the Lord. Start obeying God now is the only but sure way of returning to the state of grace.  

God's Way of Love

        St. John of the Cross spoke of dark night of the soul. We all have or had our own dark nights. Mother Teresa had hers that lasted for decades! Whether it's the feeling that God is totally absent, sickness, or any other form of suffering, I see all of them as proof of God's existence or his love. It's because God exists so that we notice his absence. It's because God loves us that he sends us trials and suffering to purify us, readying us for joining him in heaven. We must welcome whatever the Lord sends our way.

Saints Can Help

        I just finished reading Colleen Carroll Campbell's My Sisters the Saints. She is a gifted writer and I enjoyed reading this spiritual memoir of hers. Even though I am already familiar with the saints she grew to love, it's good to read about them again, knowing that we are in communion with all the saints and they can definitely inspire and help us in our spiritual journeys.

Our Only Business

        Common things out of order: (1) Casting stones at others when we have plenty of our own sins. (2) Judging others when we don't see our own faults. (3) Asking for God's blessing when we don't even fully obey him. (4) Asking God to protect us from external evil when we neglect to ask for deliverance from our internal evil. Our only business should be to become saints before God. 

God's Great Promise

        In today's Gospel reading from Mark 10, Jesus tells his disciples that anyone who has given up everything for his sake will receive a hundred times more in the present age, with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come. It's clear that giving up all to follow Jesus does not mean that all our problems will be gone. It only ensures that we'll get through this life safely to eternal happiness. This is plenty good enough for me.

God Does It All

        This morning's Entrance Antiphon, based upon Psalm 18.19-20: The Lord became my protector. He brought me out to a place of freedom; he saved me because he delighted in me. How good to read these verses! God protects me; he freed me; he saved me and loves me ~ everything is true. All he expects from us is to love him back.

The "In God" Difference

        Nonbelievers get their strength and courage in themselves, whereas believers get the same in God. Nonbelievers with troubled hearts find their escape in alcohol and other distractions of the world, whereas believers take their trouble to God and "escape" in him for solace and guidance.

Love Is Being Considerate

        If you love someone and that person does not pay any attention to what you say to him or her, you feel hurt. Therefore, listen to others who have good intentions, even though what they say might be inappropriate or difficult to accept.

Great Consolation

        Communion experience. The Lord gave me the consolation I needed. After I received him in the Holy Eucharist, I heard him whisper, "You already have me; I am yours." I felt great joy.

Faith Dispels Fear

        The Gospel reading at Mass, Matthew 6.24-34, is a great one. Again, it's exactly what I needed to hear today. When Jesus told his disciples not to worry about life, I understood that he doesn't want us to worry about anything in this life, that is, he doesn't want us to worry, period. He's really telling us to have faith in him. Where faith is, fear can not exist. 

All About Judgment

        An excerpt from today's Reading 2 at Mass from 1 Corinthians 4: It does not concern me in the least that I be judged by you or any human tribunal; I do not even pass judgment on myself; I am not conscious of anything against me, but I do not thereby stand acquitted; the one who judges me is the Lord. I needed to hear these words today. I don't want to judge anyone nor be concerned about others judging me; I trust only in the Lord's judgment of me.

How to Leave This World?

        Here are two examples with completely different focii to help you decide: (1) I want to leave my mark on the world and want the world to always remember me. (2) I want to reconcile with everyone, be completely detached from all worldly things and sufficiently pure to go home to my Father without trepidation.     

One to Hold Onto

        Reading the news today, I am greatly saddened by the horrible things happening all around the world. At the same time, I feel the love of those close and devoted to me. But good or bad, everything is passing. Whatever is good I cannot hold onto because I am passing myself. It becomes crystal clear that only God is forever and never changing, and he is the one we should hold onto.           

Feeling Secure in God

        Communion time thought. If I am God's, who can harm me? (Echoing Romans 8.31.)

Reality Check

        This is our generation. When we are young, we don't think about death and believe that we can solve all our own problems. We are confident or even cocky, but that's because we are ignorant and shortsighted. Reconciliation with God remains unsettled and hidden in our conscience. As we age or have a crisis in life, we finally begin to feel it gnawing at us. God, the ultimate reality, can never be wished away. 

How to Gain Wisdom

        The first reading at daily Mass has been coming from James. This Epistle is full of wise counsels which the Apostle must have learned from the Lord. We can also gain divine wisdom by listening to God and stop thinking on our own.