Highest Calling

        Today is the Memorial of St. Catherine of Siena. As I received the Lord in the Holy Eucharist, I felt his calling for me to be one with him. It seemed unthinkable that we would receive this greatest gift of heaven, but not want to give more of ourselves to him!

Love of Enemies

        The Beatitudes Jesus proclaimed in the Sermon on the Mount in the Gospel of Matthew include this one: "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God." It follows that if we are to make peace, we must pray for the conversion of our enemies, not their destruction. Indeed, later Jesus did teach, "Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you."

More Ave Maria Videos

        I have posted Ave Maria by 4 different composers (listed under Good Sites, Blogs, Web Pages... in the right margin). I am now replacing the Bach/Gounod video in the list with this version featuring Deborah Sasson, also with Andre Rieu. I think Sasson sounds a little bit more musical and polished than Skota.

              

        I am adding this Schubert's Ave Maria sung by Mirusia Louwerse, again with Andre Rieu. Barbara Bonney, already listed, may be more pure, but Louwerse is more expressive.

Love Bridges the Gap

        Communion experience. I felt totally unworthy to receive the Lord, for he is holy in heaven and I am sinful on earth. Then I saw the sun whose light and warmth still reach us even though it is almost 93 million miles away. In Jesus' case, his great love for us has bridged the gap. 

Superior Spiritual Life

        Repentance is absolutely necessary for salvation, since sin can only be forgiven through repentance before God. Surrender lifts one out of the ordinary pathway and makes one holy, thus greatly reducing the need for repentance. Therefore, repent but aim for surrender to live the superior spiritual life.   

Comforting Words

        In today's Gospel reading from John 10, Jesus said to the Jews, "My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. No one can take them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one can take them out of the Father's hand. The Father and I are one." Since the words of Jesus will not pass away, even when heaven and earth pass away (Matthew 23, Mark 13, Luke 21), these words were a great comfort to hear again at morning Mass.  

Why God Wants Us to Be Holy

        Perhaps the post should have preceded the last one. There is no doubt that God wants to be one with us because he loves us. And this is why he wants us to be holy, for if we are filthy and soiled, how would it be possible for him to dwell within us? 

Letting God Make Us Holy

        God wants us to be holy and that's a high goal indeed, but no worry. Since he sets the goal, all we need to do is say yes to him and he'll make us holy without the need to crawl and struggle on our own ~ it's all up to us and all up to him, again with him doing the work. Note that all miracles are performed by God and surrendering to him makes us see miracles.

Ready to Follow Jesus?

        In Matthew 4, we read that as Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Peter and Andrew casting a net into the sea. He said to them, "Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men" and they at once left their nets and followed him. Then he saw the two brothers James and John in a boat with their father, mending their nets. He called them too and immediately they left their boat and their father and followed him. A good test for us to see how willingly we are to follow the Lord is to ask ourselves how we would respond should he ask us to leave the world to go to him. Would we hesitate or comply instantly?

Giving Up the World Easy

        To give up the world and embrace God ~ it just seems so hard to accomplish. The smart way is to embrace God first. Then once you find how attractive he is, the world just fades away without your having to detach yourself from it. It's a win-win situation to let the Lord do the work for you

Christ Our Only Hope

        Two most saddening incidents occurred. First, a 27-year-old Afghan woman named Farkhunda was brutally beaten to death near a shrine by a mob of men after being falsely accused of burning the Koran. Then in Pakistan, Sabeen Mehmud, a leading female human rights activist was targeted and killed in a drive-by shooting. Jesus must be shedding tears now while we should weep for ourselves. All the more I see the bright, shining light of Christ as our only hope, who alone wants to save us by dying for us, murderers included.

Growing in Faith and Trust

        Faith and trust do not miraculously increase; they are gained through experience. When you let the Lord draw you close to him, he uses every experience of yours, pleasant or painful, to help you grow in faith and trust. And you know it when it's happening. 

My Sins Removed

        Communion experience. Again, it was crystal clear to me that Jesus could take away the sins of the world and he was taking away mine.

Jesus Speaking Unequivocally

        It seems that what I read in the Gospels now takes on new meaning for me. In today's reading from John 10, Jesus said, "I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I will lay down my life for the sheep. This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own. I have power to lay it down, and power to take it up again. This command I have received from my Father." Of course, I have read these verses or heard them read many times before, but today I heard them and just knew that it's unequivocally the Lord God speaking ~ there were no other possibilities. 

Hardened Hearts

        Horrible, terrible headlines! Two days ago, Chile's Calbuco volcano suddenly erupted, forcing the evacuation of thousands of people. Today, Nepal just had its deadliest earthquake in more than 80 years, killing already over 1,000. I see loud and clear that both are signs among numerous others that God wants us to turn to him. If you don't believe it, then you probably wouldn't believe that God is calling you even if you received a personal email from him. I suppose hardened hearts do not soften; they only break.

Making Salvation Easy

        God's mercy is constant and he has set the same rules for all ~ Jesus spelled out clearly in the Gospels how one can be saved. Therefore, how easy it's done would depend much upon that person's response. Sometimes though, it can turn out that salvation is harder than you think. Take the Protestant who believes that once saved, he is saved forever. Recall that Jesus warned that "not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 7.21). So we have simplistic thinking here. Now take the Catholic who thinks that he is a pretty decent person and should have no trouble getting into heaven, yet he does not see all his imperfections. This reminds of the Pharisee who thanked God, telling him how good he had been and ended up going home not justified by God (Luke 18). Respond to God's calling and never exalt yourself, then you should do OK.

Feeling "Lucky"

        Communion experience. I felt rich, full, and content because I have Christ. As Psalm 23 reads: "The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I lack." I can honestly say that I am the luckiest person in the whole world. But, of course, there is no luck involved; it's all by God's mercy. 

Suffering for Christ

        The Crucifixion of Jesus teaches us to accept unavoidable sufferings that come our way. In doing so, we are united with the Lord and gain merit which we can offer to him for the salvation of souls. Seen this way, suffering is not only to be reconciled to, but also welcomed, for suffering for the sake of Christ does glorify God.