Freedom Choice

        We have the freedom to choose to be free on our own or to be captured by God. The big surprise is that there is no freedom on our own and true freedom only in being a captive of God! (It's dead end vs. infinite open space.)

Know Our Lord

        Today's Entrance Antiphon at Mass: I am the salvation of the people, says the Lord. Should they cry to me in any distress, I will hear them, and I will be their Lord for ever. When God becomes our Lord, it does not mean that he is going to control or manipulate us and we don't have any say anymore. When he becomes our Lord, he becomes the one to watch over us, shield us from evil, guide our way, and help us in distress. And he even lets us, although this would hurt him greatly, leave him anytime we wish. This is our kind of Lord.  

Surrender, a Must

        If we, as Christians, do not surrender to God, then we are not going all out, not getting the most out of our discipleship. Basically, we drag our feet in following God, making it impossible for us to love him with all our heart, all our mind, all our strength, and all our soul. And union with him becomes out of reach too. Know that every time you receive Holy Communion, it's the Lord inviting you to surrender to become one with him.

On Being Truthful

       In parts of Psalm 119 read at Mass this morning, the psalmist asks the Lord to remove from him the way of falsehood. It brought to my mind the importance of being truthful to ourselves, to others, and the Lord. Do we always mean what we say? Do we try to give others the wrong impression of us out of pride? Does our ego prompt us to put on false acts? Do we try not to face God? Do we look deep in our own heart to see if we are hypocritical in any way? Start out by being truthful to yourself, then you'll be truthful to God and others too.

The Born-Again State

        In 2 Corinthian 5, Paul writes: Whoever is in Christ is a new creation: the old things have passed away.... In Galatians 2, Paul writes: I have been crucified with Christ; yet I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me.... This is the born-again state in which the old creation has completely died in Christ ~ it is union with God. 

How God Changes Us

        I am old enough to look back to see the many things, not all pleasant, that have happened in my life. If I had been shown them at the beginning before they happened, I am not sure that I would have wanted to live my life. Once I know God, the past does not matter anymore because all that has happened has lead me to the happiest time of my life. In the same way, joy in heaven would make us forget our life on earth. With God, it's getting better and better.

Aspire to Be like God

        We are never God, but if he inspires you, you can certainly want to be like him, and seeking union with him will help you reach your goal. 

What to Pray for First

        The Lord made me see that if we pray in his will, it will be done for us. Therefore, pray to know his will first.  

The Central Message

        To summarize the central message of these last four years of blogging, I can say that we came into the world and were lost souls. Then there was Christ, the light of the world with his message of love and salvation. Those who have found him are no longer lost; their lives become meaningful and they know where they are going now. Jesus makes all the difference simply because he is God. You will also know this truth if you seek him. And the best path to knowing him is seeking union with him through receiving the Holy Eucharist in the Holy Catholic Church which he has built upon St. Peter and the other Apostles almost 2,000 years ago.  

Clean and Free

        When you are saintly, you get that "clean" feeling. You become detached from the world because the world, being unclean, no longer attracts you. You are now clean and free.  

A Saint Anywhere

        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.

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."

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.

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.