Beautiful Journey

        This is following Christ, always moving forward and never looking back.        

The Gift of Suffering

        When you undergo suffering and truly realize how much Christ has suffered for your sake, you are drawn into deep union with him. In such a state, you become totally dependent upon him and acutely aware of good and evil. In the depth of God, all impurities are cleansed from your soul. Since these effects are permanent, accepting sufferings for the sake of Christ can definitely lead one to holiness.    

Uncertainties Are Blessings

        Uncertainty about what is going to happen to us always makes us feel uneasy. If you know that some evil might materialize to crush you, you begin to experience what the Lord must have felt when he went through the agony in the garden. This would be the perfect time to get on your knees and abandon yourself entirely to God until you feel the deep union between you and him. So uncertainties are blessings. And, you know what, God always shields and delivers you from evil and restores your peace at the end. 

Dying Honorably for God

        On January 8, I posted How We Die Matters on the recent mass killing at Charlie Hebdo in Paris. I mentioned that I wouldn't feel comfortable telling the Lord that I got killed for making fun of others. Today I thought I would feel the same if I died of a heart attack because someone made me angry or deliberately hurt me emotionally. Therefore, I would remain forgiving by placing my entire trust in the Lord. Dying as the result of my own sin is not dying for God. 

God's Presence

        As I was taking a morning walk, praying the Luminous Rosary on a beautiful day, I saw that if I were walking behind Jesus, I would be absolutely fearless knowing that he was right with me. Then I asked myself why shouldn't I feel this way, knowing that he was with me in spirit. His spiritual presence, of course, is independent of his physical appearance.

Never Get Discouraged

        In today's Gospel reading from Mark 7 at morning Mass, a Greek woman whose daughter had an unclean spirit came to Jesus and fell at his feet. She begged him to drive the demon out of her daughter. He said to her, "Let the children be fed first. For it is not right to take the fool of the children and throw it to the dogs." She replied and said to him, "Lord, even the dogs under that table eat the children's scraps." Then he said to her, "For saying this, you may go. The demon has gone out of your daughter." Sometimes the Lord just tests us, and we mustn't get discouraged. In fact, we should never be discouraged, for the Lord holds all our hopes in him. 

Most Important Safety Measure

        If we keep our heart clean and pure, evil cannot touch us and our soul is safe. This is our most important protection. Now we can let everything else go and let God take care of our body and mind as well.

Dealing with the Heart

        In today's Gospel reading from Mark 7 at morning Mass, Jesus said, "What comes out of the man, that is what defiles him. From within the man, from his heart, come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly. All these evils come from within and they defile." We can say that God deals with the heart. We are daily dealing with the heart too. For our own heart, as long as we keep it clean, we should have no fear of evil. To convert anyone, it is the heart we should aim at.  

Not to Shock You

        With the world abounding with evil, unexpected shocking things can happen to anyone. If you cling to the Lord, you'll come through safe. But there is one shock that's absolutely the worst which you'll never get over, but is preventable if you think ahead: that is the shock of finding yourself in hell.  

Drawing the Line

        It's OK to feel sorrowful, but not OK to be bitter.

Suffering, an Opportunity

        When things go hunky-dory, it's easy to trust in God. The test comes when things no longer go well ~ this is the time to trust him even more. No one knows suffering better than the Lord himself and he will pull your through with him.

Going After the Lord

        In today's Gospel reading from Mark 6 at morning Mass, people recognized Jesus and quickly brought in the sick to him. They begged him that they might touch only the tassel on his cloak; and as many as touched it were healed. What's clear to me here is that those people had faith. When we pray for someone for healing, we often do it out of duty without conviction. I see and believe that the Lord wants us to truly desire what we ask for and ask for it with no reservation. It's going after the Lord intensely. When you have faith, you don't even think about it. 

God Is Huge!

        In today's Gospel reading from Mark 1 at Mass, Jesus healed Simon's mother-in-law who was sick with a fever. Later in the evening, he cured many who were sick with various diseases as well as drove many demons out of those who were possessed. Obviously, the Lord can do anything. Without him, there would be nothing. With him, wonders and amazing happenings abound. The following are all huge events: his coming into the world, revealing his love for us, his Resurrection, Ascension . . . we just can't take them for granted. He is Alpha and Omega. As the center of our universe, and he also wants to be your center. If God does not appear huge in your life, then you must be living a pretty mundane life.  

Supernatural Encounter

        Communion experience. Christ lifted me out of this world ~ he changed my spiritual status and set my destiny. There's nothing more I could ask for.

Identifying the Bad Guys

        In today's Gospel reading from Mark 6 at morning Mass, Jesus saw the vast crowd and his heart moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd. Today's world is in the same situation, as vast numbers of its population drift through life not knowing where they are heading. God does not change: he is still moved with pity for us. If there is going to be any hope for our salvation, we must realize that we are the ones stubborn and rebellious, remaining blind and deaf to the Lord. 

Best Friend

        If you agree that how good a friend you have is measured by how well you and your friend know each other, then God absolutely has to be the best possible friend you can ever have, for he knows you through and through and you know that he is forever trustworthy and unchanging in loving you.

Feeling the Need for God

        We do not feel the need for God because we live in a busy world ~ there are the numerous, necessary chores to perform just to stay alive and the myriad material, secular distractions surrounding us, vying for our attention. We even forget that everything is passing. Now, when you have a chance to be in solitude, forget all about the things that keep you busy and distracted and see yourself alone, existing in the vast space of the universe for the time being, which is reality. If you feel that life as such is empty, then you need God, who is ready to house you in a heavenly place for all eternity!

Secret of Peace Stated

        Another insight received during the Holy Hour. The secret of peace can be stated thus: Have no desire of your own; only follow the Lord.