Freedom Verified

        Accepting and believing in Jesus leads to the taking away of your sins and thus freedom, but it's in union with him that he verifies this freedom by letting you experience it.

Degrees of Knowing God

        If you know God in your mind only, it's superficial knowing. If you allow God to let you know him in your heart, then you have intimacy.

Being Alive in a New Way

        I attended the Pentecost Sunday Vigil Mass today. I was aware that the Holy Spirit dwells in me, keeping me alive in a new way. Alone, I merely stay alive now and shall die alone one day. With the indwelling Spirit, I am living in God and shall live with him forever. This is the big difference. 

Happy with Authority

        Spiritually, we need an authority to guide us. On our own, as many in the world are, it's easy to follow what we feel like or what everyone else is doing and not question our conscience, which most likely is already muddy or numb due to the lack of guidance. We basically become lost souls. I feel good that Christ and his Church has provided me with clear, authoritative teachings to guide me. The fact that they are hard for some to follow only bolsters their authenticity and truth. Of course, there are many others out there who claim that they have the truth and can guide us, but only Christ laid down his life for us and taught us to love even our enemies. Whoever has the greatest love is the authentic one to follow.

Taking Advantage of God

        I know a fellow Catholic who thinks small, does not trust others much, and always nitpicks or bargains in order to gain some advantage for himself. Most of you probably have run into that type. Once you find out what he is like, you just want to avoid dealing with him again if possible. My point is that God is the one we should take full advantage of, for he has the greatest riches and free gifts to give us. Suppose you want eternal happiness, go to him. How myopic it would is for a Christian to concentrate upon gaining the upper hand in small things and neglect turning to God to ask for what truly matters!  

Peter, Head of the Church

        Before Jesus left our world, he told Peter that he was going to build his church upon him and gave him the keys to the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 16). In today's Gospel reading from John 21, the Resurrected Lord asked Peter to feed his lambs, tend his sheep, and feed his sheep ~ further confirmation that Peter had been appointed to head the church.  

Goal of Living

         Today is the Memorial of St. Boniface. This was what the Holy Spirit laid in my heart as I listened to Father M's homily given at morning Mass.

           Our goal of living should be to defend the Lord, his honor and his glory, and not to follow our own ways at all.

Reason for Rejoicing

        In today's Gospel from John 17 at morning Mass, Jesus prayed for those whom the Father had given him. I rejoice for I have also been chosen by the Father to be protected by Christ and made one with him. My name is already written in the book of heaven that awaits me. Christ will be my joy for all eternity.  

Our Mistaken Cognition

        Do you ever think it is normal that God exists forever with no beginning or end and is infinite in every way? We came along when he created us. Being finite, we mistakenly believe that we are the norm and find it hard to perceive (deal with) God. It's high time we wake up and reverse our cognition. Then we'll find it easy (natural) to submit ourselves to the normal God.  

Benefit from Failure

        If you feel you have failed God in some way, do not be discouraged. Express your sorrow to him and let your failure humble you even more.  

Planning the Journey

        As we age, we are aware of the continuous change in our physical appearance and health over the years. It struck me that we should be even more aware of the status of our soul. If we have not grown spiritually to become a more loving person over the span of all our past years, then we risk heading toward a spiritual death. Living the life after Christ enables us to leave the body at the end as the soul heads straight toward God.

Suffering as a Measure

        How unafraid you are of suffering measures how much you trust in Christ. How willingly you are to suffer for him measures how much you love him.

Logical Thinking

        Thought at Mass this morning. Jesus laid down his life for me ~ how could he not possibly take care of me for a single moment and in all things?

Only Way to Live Eternally,

        I came to see clearly that Jesus had come to show us the only way to live eternally. In heaven, we'll be gladly doing his will for all eternity. By believing in him, listening to him, and starting to do his will in this life, we begin to live our eternal life. There is just not another one who can give us such an authentic message in such a clear and assuring way.   

God's Drawing Power

        Communion experience last Sunday. After receiving the Lord in the Holy Eucharist, I wanted him to totally consume me with his love so that I exist no longer on my own but in him alone. Such is the drawing power of his love.  

Beauty in Letting Go

        Letting yourself go completely always yields the best results. Watch an artist perform and this becomes obvious. When we live for God, we also look the best to him when we completely let ourselves go, and we'll feel good ourselves too, knowing that God is pleased with us..

A Time to Cast Away

        Ecclesiastes 3.1: There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every affair under the heavens. But the right time to cast away anything that keeps us from approaching God is ever present. They include addictions, bad habits, and attachments to worldly things. Once you experience the new freedom and peace, you'll be glad that you've severed the tie. 

What We Must Realize

            I am away from home, so I won't be able to blog regularly for the next two weeks or so. These thoughts came to me three days ago. 

       Only God the creator is infinite. Even though his creative power is limitless, whatever he creates has to be finite, for there can only be one God, one creator. We cannot created anything ~ we simply discover, figure out, make use or take advantage of what has already been created by God. We can never be God and should never try to be him ~ this is what we must realize.