Communion experience. I felt the intense, burning love of Christ. Nothing else could possibly have made me feel so peaceful and content. I was grateful, but right off couldn't think of something special I'd like to offer him, so I continued enjoying him.
Thursday, April 16, 2015
Viewing Your Enemies
If your enemies have sinned against you, do not view them as evildoers but as ones who do not know the Lord yet. Therefore, feel sorry for them and pray for their conversion.
Jesus Challenges
Matthew, Mark, and Luke all recorded this statement of Jesus: "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away." He again challenges us ~ are we to take him seriously or not? He does not force us nor does he leave us alone ~ he cares about us by challenging us. This is why I believe in him. To ignore him is to ignore the one who created us! To reject him is to reject the one who loves us!
Wednesday, April 15, 2015
A Chance to Get Happy
I had a moment in which I was aware that my life was getting briefer than ever. If you have such a moment, I hope you would decide to live every moment for God from that moment on so that you'll be happy the rest of your life.
Learning Directly from God
A conference is coming up in my area with a good theme and renowned speakers. I had attended quite a number of such conferences in the past, and I must say that no matter how inspiring the messages might have been, nothing could come near learning from the Lord directly. When you surrender to God with the goal of attaining union with him, he starts to shape your heart, mind, and spirit for you to see, hear, and understand the truth. The lessons are delivered directly to your heart by the Holy Spirit. It's like receiving a college education without having to go through any regular schools.
Be Weak to Be Strong
The world teaches us to be strong by believing in ourselves, taking control of our own destiny, and always going for it. But to be truly strong is to be weak in God. The more we acknowledge our helplessness without him, the more he reaches down to help us. Complete trust and abandonment in God results in his doing the tough part of the work for us. It is faith that moves the heart of God our Father. Recall what Jesus said in Mark 11 to the disciples, "Amen, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it shall be done for him." This is our recipe for strength.
Tuesday, April 14, 2015
Reality of Life
Let's face it. The earth is no heaven. We have covered it with our sins, causing us to suffer and struggle with unfulfilled dreams till the day we die. It sounds sad, but it's reality. That's why I set my sight on God and heaven, which go together. This supports me through life with peace, freedom, and joy. Be detached from the passing earthly life and embrace the eternal one in God. Let Jesus be your beginning and end.
God Sets the Purpose
Today's Gospel acclamation at Mass, John 3.14-15: "The Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life." The Communion antiphon, based upon Luke 24.46, 26: "The Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead, and so enter his glory, alleluia." I italicized "must" and "had to" in these two statements because I realize that I must or have to go through the various experiences and trials in life so as to accomplish the purpose God has set before me. I may not understand it fully, but one thing is sure: the Lord is drawing me ever closer to him (increasing my faith).
Saturday, April 11, 2015
Why We Need God
Watched on YouTube Oscar Peterson and Oliver Jones playing together at the 2004 International Jazz Festival of Montreal. The performances were amazing ~ you see two genius pianists playing virtually as one ~ there's a deep communion between them. Then I saw that we and God could form a deep spiritual communion too. In fact, it was this beautiful union that made me see that we need God.
Most Beautiful Love
For a brief moment this morning, I sensed the infinite beauty of Christ, beautiful beyond words. Immediately, I saw that anyone who sees this beauty would realize how ugly his own life is. I also saw that an awareness of this great beauty can change many lives and bring peace to our world. Yet the world continued inflicting wounds on the Lord. I asked him why he must continue to suffer like that. His clear answer: "I am love."
To Continue Trusting or Not
There are times when we need to trust in God completely, but being weak we find it hard to let ourselves go completely ~ so what are we to do? There are just two choices ~ we either quit trusting in God or believe in him even more. It seems that the second choice has to be right. It's because we are weak that we need to trust in God even more. And he loves to help his children who are weak, for it's an opportunity for him to draw them even closer to him.
Friday, April 10, 2015
Let the Cross Draw You
The Cross of Jesus draws us to him. We can let our own smaller crosses draw us closer to him too. By bearing them patiently with great trust, we can grow stronger in faith and become more united with the Lord. The process is much like going through purgatory ~ we suffer, but emerge purified. May each cross be a blessing to you.
Heavenly Intimacy
Communion experience. When the Lord entered me through the Holy Eucharist, the feeling was that the Father just swooped me up to his bosom. This is fusion with Love.
Self-Driven or God-Driven
Imagine that you are an engine. If you run it yourself, one day you'll be worn out, out of fuel, or possibly suffer a complete breakdown, as your resource and reserve are limited. If you let God be your driver, you receive all power and guidance from an all-knowing, inexhaustible source and whatever you do is now his doing. It can be seen that you are just going along with the Lord for the ride ~ this is the smart, superior way.
Thursday, April 9, 2015
Journey to Union with God
It's all up to you. Then you make the key decision to surrender yourself to God. From this point on, it's all up to God.
Union with God Reexamined
If God is holy and pure, and we are sinful and soiled, how can we possibly become one with him? Well, God is light and we are in darkness if we reject him. Do not see union as the blending of the pure and the impure; rather, see it as light wiping out darkness. Our sins cannot stain God, but in the presence of his light, darkness can no longer exist. Therefore, let the light of Jesus take away all your sins, including the sin of not surrendering to him, and you are in union with him.
The Full Truth
Some people say that all religions are the same. This at best is a vague statement, appealing only to those who do not seek the full truth. If it means that all religions can lead you to God, then it's false, for many religions have different conceptions of God or even worship many gods. What I can agree to is that most religions have something good about them. One thing I am sure of: there is only one truth, for God would not give us many different belief systems to confuse us. For me personally, the full truth resides in Catholicism in which Jesus is uniquely not only our teacher, but also my creator and redeemer.
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