God Will Let You Know

        Once you belong to God, he shapes, molds, nudges, and illuminates you to his heart's content continuously ~ you just know it and feel great joy.

Transcendental Living

        Jesus chooses us out of the world so that we no longer belong to the world. If you belong to the world, you'll always have that sinking feeling because the world is sinking. When we respond to God's call, he lifts us out of the world to live in freedom. This is transcendental living, for we have triumphed over the world.   

Jesus Is Peace

        Jesus is the way, the life, and the truth. He is also the light of the world. In essence, he is love. Then he is also our only hope and true joy. "Peace be with you" is what he said often to his disciples. Today at morning Mass, I realized that since he had given me so much peace, he is peace as well.  

Urgent Reminder

        Life is all about dealing with sins. We are living in a world drowning in sins ~ shocking daily news, family members not getting along, Christians being unforgiving . . . the list goes on and on. Since only God can forgive sins and make us holy, all the more we need to cling to him for life. If you do no feel the urgency, then you should wake up because your eternal survival is at stake.    

We Are Also Responsible

        If we are not 100% holy, then we are also partially responsible for all the evil existing in the world.

On Loving Our Enemies

        This image came to my mind during Mass. All of us were created by God the Father, so we are all siblings to each other in a big family. If there are those who have stepped out of line and become our enemies, we must not hate them but pray for them as our siblings.

Jesus' Challenging Claim

        In today's Gospel reading from John 6, what Jesus said to the crowds included this statement: "For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life, and I shall raise him on the last day." He was making a huge claim. This saying challenges each of us to the core to believe that he either spoke the truth or didn't know what he's talking about. You decide.

Selfless Serving

        Sometimes I wonder if I have done anything important for God, then I realize that this thinking cannot have come from the Lord because it's still self-centered. What matters only is what's important to God, and whatever we do following his will is all he asks of us.

To Know God Is True

        Instead of looking at the many positive, wonderful things about Jesus and how he has changed so many lives for the better, nonbelievers, not knowing any truth, aim to discredit or dismiss him as if they know more than God. To know God, you must surrender to him first, then he'll let you know that he is true in every way. This is almost impossible for me to convey to anyone, but is the best witness I can possibly give.

Union the Straight Path

        In today's Gospel reading from John 6 at Mass, after Jesus had fed the five thousand men, the disciples saw him walking on the sea. The next day, the crowd went looking for Jesus and found him across the sea. Jesus said to them, "You are looking for me not because you saw signs but because you ate the loaves and were filled. Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you." Jesus teaches us to seek the kingdom of God first and all other things will be given us besides (Matthew 6.33). To put all this into practice, seek union with him first, then everything of life will assume its proper importance. Union takes one straight to God, bypassing all the obstacles and pitfalls of the ordinary spiritual journey.

Relating to the Father

        Today's is the Feast of Saints Philip and James, Apostles. In the Gospel reading from John 14, Jesus said to Thomas, "If you know me, then you will also know my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him." Philip said to him, "Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us." Jesus said to them, "Have I been with you for so long a time and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show me the Father'?" Like Philip, we also want to know more, see more, and be assured more. The fact is that the Father is our creator ~ without him, we wouldn't be breathing now. Furthermore, nothing can happen without his permission and everything that happens to us is a calling from him to go closer to him. Therefore, never for a moment should we forget the Father's presence nor forget to relate ourselves, everything that happens to us, everything we do, to his love for us.

Fast Track to Holiness

        To improve our physical condition, we need to eat right and exercise. To improve our knowledge, we must study, read, and learn. To grow holier is a different matter because it involves God's doing. We initiate by prayer, reading the Gospel, doing penance, etc., but real changes can only be effected by God. In fact, the less we "struggle," the more God takes over. Hence, surrender and trust is the fastest way to holiness. 

Putting Free Will to Rest

        God gave us our free will to choose between good and evil, between obeying him and disobeying him. Once we decide to surrender to God, we put our free will to its best use. Now God's will and ours become one and we no longer need to exercise our free will anymore.

Superior Journey

        There are many seminars, workshops, conferences, etc., featuring upbeat, dynamic speakers who can encourage and inspire you or even set your heart on fire for God temporarily. This is all good, but nothing coming from outside of you can compare with what comes from within yourself. The superior journey is to seek union with God, then God will change you from the inside permanently with no more need for any outside boost.  

On Praying for Others

        We pray for loved ones who have died. If they are in purgatory, prayer and Mass offered can surely help. But the best time to pray for others is when they are still alive ~ taking preventive measure is always better than having to do the rescue later, if it's not already too late. Therefore, pray for your loved ones and all God's loved ones daily without ceasing for the greatest good.     

Easily Overlooked Warning

        This morning's Gospel reading at Mass came from John 3. He wrote: "For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God." I was struck by the last verse which I have italicized. It seems that not believing in Jesus as the Son of God is a serious sin, serious enough to be condemned. I can think of many who believe that they are basically good people, but do not take Jesus seriously and think nothing of it. They'd better read this verse and reconsider their position. 

Having God's Conscience

        I don't want to say that the Holy Spirit is God's conscience, for I may be treading on theological ground. But this I know: when one is filled with the Holy Spirit, God's conscience becomes his conscience.

All I Know

        In John 9, we read that Jesus opened the eyes of the man born blind. The Pharisees, disbelieving that he was blind, told him that Jesus was a sinner and kept questioning him. He then relied, "If he is a sinner, I do not know. One thing I do know is that I was blind and now I see." I like his response. Like the Pharisees the majority of the world do not believe in Christ and many even attack him and question his existence, but they do not affect me. All I know is that Jesus has set me free, filled my life with meaning, quenched my thirst, given me hope, joy, and peace, and shown me his love, beauty, and majesty! This is more than enough. To all those who disbelieve or discredit him: let Jesus open your eyes too.