If you want to be a saint, start being one in your own home or with those you knew well if you lived alone. That's because it's easy to show your best side to those who do not really know you yet. A saint at home is a saint anywhere.
Monday, September 22, 2014
Tasting Freedom
Communion experience. Entering Christ through the Holy Eucharist felt like being a fish released into the sea or a bird liberated from its cage. You "swim and soar" to your heart's content.
Be Jealous and Proud
We must jealously guard our sanctity for love of God. It is even more important than guarding our life, for it affects God directly. In today's Gospel reading from Luke 8 at morning Mass, Jesus said, "No one who lights a lamp conceals it with a vessel or sets it under a bed; rather, he places it on a lampstand so that those who enter may see the light." Therefore, we must also be proud of our faith, be proud of having been chosen and called by the Lord. For anyone who's ashamed of Christ, it's better not to follow him.
Short Efficacious Prayers
A short prayer said from your own heart would mean so much more to God than reading perfunctorily some long, wordy prayer composed by someone else. Here are a number of examples that can be said at anytime when you are awake: "Lord, I trust in you"; "I love you, Jesus"; "I need you now"; "I am with you"; "I am all yours"; "Thy will be done"; "Have mercy on me."
Saturday, September 20, 2014
Measuring Love for God
How much you love God is measured by how strong your desire is to save souls.
In Heaven on Earth
Communion experience. In heaven I shall be dwelling in God forever. While on earth, I am in heaven when God enters me to dwell in me as I receive the Holy Eucharist.
On Getting into Heaven
Getting into heaven or is not determined by whether your good deeds outbalance your bad ones. The wonderful thing about God's mercy is that no matter how sinful you are, turning to him in genuine repentance will get you back in God's grace. Otherwise, heaven would be quite empty of souls. When you end up in heaven or in hell, you may be surprised by the presence of souls you had not expected to see and the absence of souls you had expected to see there. As Jesus has said, the last will be first, and the first will be last. Regardless, we must pray hard for the salvation of all the souls, for nothing is impossible with God.
Friday, September 19, 2014
Union Supreme
Studying the Bible, reading a lot of good books, listening to tapes, watching religious programs, attending church missions, going on retreats ~ all these aids can inspire you to holiness, but nothing can beat surrender to God, for in union God becomes your personal help, guide, and teacher.
Easy and Simple
Communion experience. Again, the Lord showed me that to enter him; I only needed to be passive, relaxed, and open ~ no struggle, no striving, no resolution to make. God makes it easy and simple. Right after receiving the Holy Eucharist, it's the perfect time to abandon ourselves to God, resting in heavenly peace.
Like the Sun
I looked out the kitchen window in the early morning and saw the red sun rising in the east, appearing not much larger than the moon. The sun is so much larger than our earth that if the earth stayed a solid ball, you could fit about 960,000 earths into a ball the size of the sun. And of course, the sun is so hot (with temperature estimated to exceed 27 million degrees F at its core) that if it were any closer, we wouldn't be able to survive on earth. The sun reminded me of God because, in a similar way, we do not realize the immensity and infinite warmth of God when we are not close to him.
Simple, Happy Living
Never compare yourself with others. Never envy others. Do everything to please God and not care if you succeed or not. Be holy by keeping a pure heart. It's just you and God, alone-together-always.
All Burdens Self-Imposed
Burdens in life are real. An earthquake can destroy your house. A friend may turn against you. You want to a new car and worry about where the money is going to come from. In the last example, we clearly have a case of self-imposed burden. But once you know and trust in God, the loss of a house would no longer stress you out. If a friend turns against you, you would feel sorry and pray for him, still remaining peaceful. We now see that all burdens are really self-imposed and God can lighten them or lift them from you completely.
Thursday, September 18, 2014
Putting Off God
It seems that many Christians are not looking at God squarely to figure out how they should deal with him. In the back of their mind they know that they should love him with all their heart, all their soul, all their mind, and all their strength, but their heart hasn't learned that yet. So they put off coming to any resolution. This is hiding from God. On the other hand, seeking union with God is going straight to the Lord to ask him to let us live in him.
Expect Disconnect
The Lord challenges us to become holy and perfect. If you accept the challenge, be prepared for this reality: you will face the disconnect between you and the world which in general does not know Christ. Even those who know him but not well may distance themselves from you. Nevertheless, the gain of intimacy with the Lord far offsets all losses.
On Becoming a Saint
To want to be a saint has nothing to do with pride. In fact, it has all to do with humility, for without humility one can never become a saint. So feel free to ask the Lord to make you a saint ~ he would be greatly pleased.
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
Fantastic Invitations
Communion time realization. Receiving the Holy Eucharist is accepting God's invitation to let him love me, invitation for me to love him and to be united with him, and invitation to receive the gift of eternal life from him. A heavenly banquet only God can give!
God's Extra Dimension
God is great for being omnipotent, omniscient, and more, but the fact that he is also love make him totally personable and personal. This is cause for great rejoicing!
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