The Good News!

       In today's first reading from Acts 14, Paul and Barnabas proclaimed the good news to the city of Derbe. This good news has to be the best news we can ever have: that we can get our sins forgiven and enjoy eternal life with our Father in heaven! It remains fresh, for truth does not change ~ but we must also be aware that we have only this lifetime to make the good news good for us.  

The Numbing of Conscience

       This morning on BBC News, it was somewhat of a shock to read this report on the Syria conflict: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-32581007. Next I saw and read this news story on the Met Ball and got almost another shock because it contrasted so sharply to the first report: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-32586993. 

God Has Set the Standard

        Jesus has commanded us to love even our enemies, showing God's greatest love by dying on the cross himself for all of us. Therefore, any religion that teaches otherwise or falls short of this standard could not have been originated by God.

The Spirit of Harmony

        When we let the Holy Spirit fill us, we become obedient to God. Our heart hears him speaking to us and we follow what he prompts us to do. We are in perfect harmony with God. The Holy Spirit makes this ideal state real for us.

Thought Discernment

        Any thought of yours that inflates your ego cannot possibly have come from the Holy Spirit.

Self Comes First

        Before attempting to convert he world, convert yourself first. That is, be holy yourself first. Then let your own family or community be your testing ground. If you are a saint to them, you are ready to convert the world for the Lord. Take care of yourself and you take care of the world.        

No Substitute for Christ

        When I was young, I had many dreams I wanted to realize. I was full of hope, believing that I could make everything happen. At an advanced age, I can now look back and get a good look at the past. There had been happy times and sad times, but the best thing that has ever happened to me is without a doubt knowing Christ. Whether my past was happy or not becomes irrelevant, since I already have the very best of all things. Living for anything else is only a temporary crutch, useful for those who do not know the true God. If you have not begun with Christ yet, you must consider ending with him.   

On Loving Jesus

        Communion experience. After receiving the Lord, I asked him what he wanted me to do ~ he asked me to love him. I now realize that this is all I need to do ~ this should be my sole concern and only goal. Loving Jesus is the purpose and fulfillment of life. It is central, while everything else is at best peripheral. We are made for it so that we might live forever.

What We Can Do Matters

        President John F. Kennedy's most famous quote came from his 1961 inaugural address: "Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country." Christians could easily challenge themselves by replacing "your country" with "God" in Kennedy's words. Sadly, as we get older we are more concerned about what we can do to enjoy life more before we die. Taking vacation trips and finding a good retirement home in advance are commonly expressed. It seems that in the increasingly shorter time we have left in life, we should be concerned about how we can love and serve God more, for getting ready to enter heaven to meet God is no casual affair.  

Union with the Apostles

        Communion impact. I heard the exact words the Apostles heard at the Last Supper and received exactly what they received at the Last Supper ~ I am one with them.

All God or No God

        In today's Gospel reading from John 14, Jesus said to his disciples: "In my Father's house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be. Where I am going you know the way." Thomas said to him, "Master, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?" Jesus said to him, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." If these grandiose words were spoken by someone else, I would've instantly dismissed them as coming from someone who didn't know what he's talking about. Then if God had spoken them, every word makes sense and is trustworthy. Again, Jesus is all God or no God.

Give Jesus a Chance

        In today's first reading from Acts 13 at morning Mass, Paul came to Antioch and spoke to all in the synagogue: "To us this word of salvation has been sent. The inhabitants of Jerusalem and their leaders failed to recognize him, and by condemning him they fulfilled the oracles of the prophets that are read sabbath after sabbath. For even though they found no grounds for a death sentence, they asked Pilate to have him put to death...." The people of today are exactly the same ~ they hear Jesus mentioned again and again, but they just tune him out. To be open-minded does not mean that you should accept him ~ it merely gives him a chance. And giving him this chance may very well be giving yourself the chance to discover how you can live happily forever! 

Gentle Lord

        God is so gentle that when he teaches us, he simply opens our eyes so that we may see the truths for ourselves.

Strength from Union

        Communion experience. Receiving the Lord to be one with him gave me great strength because I felt all his pains and that any attack from the evil one on me is an attack on him. 

God or Mammon

        In both Matthew 6 and Luke 16, Jesus made it clear that we cannot serve both God and mammon. If we do not choose to serve God, then we're surely going to end up serving mammon, as that's the easy way to go. Only in serving God will we find serving mammon distasteful. So the important thing is to decide as soon as possible whom we wish to serve or we'll be drifting through life being slaves of mammon.  

Jesus Our Comfort

        Let's look at our situation. We are bound to a planet of finite size and live only for a limited time. We may be actively looking for happiness or just sit around for happiness to happen. We keep ourselves busy to escape from facing reality. We see that whatever good we do will become history and be forgotten. To make life meaningful, we need is to latch onto something that's permanent and can make us live forever and be happy. This is where Jesus comes in, fulfilling what we desire. He is the one whom the Father has sent, the Perfect One, our Comfort. 

*Checking Jesus Out

        If you do not know Jesus yet, but are interested in checking him out, I propose that you do it this way. First, empty your mind of all prejudices, preconceived notions ... in fact, everything you have learned about him so that you may remain open-minded and objective. Then shut out all distractions and read any or all of the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) as if you are reading it for the very first time. At the end you should be able to conclude either he is the true God or the most remarkable false teacher that had ever existed. But note: If you come to the latter conclusion, you'll also have to conclude that all authors of the books comprising the New Testament had been deceived by Jesus or they simply wrote fiction ~ all in all, even more incredible!

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!