Fooled by Ego

        Having a big ego is like clutching onto yourself for dear life, but you should know that only God, not you, can save you.

Rising Above Ourselves

        Learn to see the good in everyone, which could be the saving grace God looks for. This will help you not to judge others, and God will be lenient in judging you too. We must rise above ourselves.

Our Greatest Danger

        Being close-minded ~ ignoring the gospel and not looking beyond this life. 

Christ Our Confirmation

        We are all born with a conscience, which proves that there are good and evil, which proves that God must exist and be the ultimate good, which is love. Christ came and confirmed it all. 

Have Passion & Become Awesome

        This video featuring the Japanese yo-yo world champion Black is inspiring because his found his life's passion and truly gives an awesome performance here. We can also love God with passion and become awesome, to God, that is. 

Most Urgent Prayer

        The conversion and salvation of the entire world.

Mistaken Belief

        Today's Communion Antiphon at Mass, John 6.56: Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. Does it sound like Jesus was merely talking about eating his flesh and drinking his blood symbolically? Sadly, many Protestants believe so by glossing over John 6.

What Makes a Saint?

        Following Christ all the way without reservation.

Doubly Tragic

        I watched some short episodes on the Smithsonian History Channel. They were on World War II, sinking of the Titanic, the Great Train Robbery, etc. It made me realize how short-sighted mankind had been. As history repeats itself, we have not gained any foresight. We still keep on living as if there is no God, no eternity, but only ourselves and this life. It's doubly tragic we don't even realize that we are already "acting" in a tragedy.

Love Unconditional

        You know that God loves you, but know also that he loves the one you find it hard to forgive just as much as he loves you! This is why we should love even my enemies.

Most Special Moment

        Communion experience. Just God and I, alone together in union ~ it had to be the most intimate, private exclusive privileged moment of my life.               

Ultimate Level of Trust

        In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 11 at Mass, Jesus said: "Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened.... Take my yoke upon you and learn from me... and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light." Notice that Jesus does not promise to remove your burden, but will make sure that it will be light enough for you to carry as he walks with you. Normally, we do go to God for help and relief when we are burdened, but it's difficult to completely let ourselves go when we don't know how things are going to turn out. In theory, if we totally trust in the Lord and know that our soul is safe, we should feel completely at ease. This is possible only if we are detached to all our possessions and ourselves ~ it will be total abandonment, the ultimate level of trust. With God's help, we can rise to that level like the many saints. 

"Alone" with God

        Since God alone is perfect, let us imitate him alone. Since he alone is love, let us love him alone.

Better than Confession

        It's good to go to confession often enough to keep yourself pure and clean, but it's even better not to commit any sin that will make you go to confession. 

Great Awareness

        When you are aware that the Lord who is holy, pure, and the light of the world dwells within you, you know you are blessed and he fills you with joy, gratitude, and humility.

Peace Killer

        As long as we sin, we shall not have inner peace within us and external peace in the world.

Necessary Awareness

        Today is the Memorial of St. Bonaventure. In the Gospel reading from Matthew 11, Jesus reproached (quite severely) the towns where most of his mighty deeds had been done, since they had not repented. To get to know God, the very first awareness we need to have is that we are sinners! Otherwise, there will be no repentance. It is such an obvious necessity, yet so many of us have not awakened to it. This explains why so few go to confession regularly. It follows that those who don't see their own sins become great sinners in time, and those who are acutely aware of their sinfulness become saints in time.

Saving the World

        Seeing how the world is such a terrible state, you wonder what you can do to improve the situation. My advice is that we consecrate ourselves to the Lord, offering him everything ~ every thought, word, action, experience, joy, sorrow, talent, possession... ~ so that he may apply whatever merit we acquire to saving more souls.