Jesus is meek and humble, selfless, gentle, inspiring, most loving. At the same time, since he holds all the keys to the kingdom of heaven and will judge every one of us, he commands our greatest respect. He is our creator, our Lord and also our brother and our servant. What stands out the most is his love, so overwhelming as to make us fall in love with him. We have a most amazing multifaceted God ~ praise be to him forever!
Monday, May 11, 2015
Most Horrible Feeling
I am sure that we all know that terrible guilty feeling we get after we did something wrong, which can be crushing, depending upon how serious the sin was. Rejecting God in one form or another is, of course, a most serious sin. I can (can't) imagine how terrible it would be for a soul in hell to feel its guilt intensely for all eternity! May all souls be saved for the glory of God.
Uptight Living
This is living without God. When you don't have God, everything that happens to you affects you, often disturbingly so. But if you have God with you, you'll be able to remain calm and composed through all things. Shall we say that you now have "relaxed living"?
Sunday, May 10, 2015
Union for Love
God has loved us with the greatest possible love. It's up to us to love him back as much as possible. This becomes possible with the help of his love and we get maximum help when we are in union with him. Therefore, seeking union with God is expressing our greatest desire to love him.
Love and Suffering
Father M gave a beautiful homily at Mass. He talked about love, suffering, and joy. Naturally, I cannot express what he had presented as well. Basically, he showed that love cannot be separated from suffering or pain, and it's for love that we become willing to suffer. Clearly, Jesus is our supreme example. And at the end of our experience, joy is born. This message makes life worth living.
Enjoying My Joy
In Philippians 4.7, Paul mentioned the peace of God that surpasses all understanding. The indescribably sweet joy of God is also in that category. At Mass this morning, I desired to enter deep into the Lord to enjoy my joy.
Saturday, May 9, 2015
All for Jesus
I have advocated doing everything for Jesus, that is, in his name. Everything means everything. It could be large or small, significant or trivial, noble or lowly, pleasant or nauseating, enjoyable or painful, asked or unasked, for yourself or for others. This is following the Spirit of Jesus, the Holy Spirit, freely, with yourself no longer in the way. I've found it especially helpful in going through trials and tribulations.
No Envy, Only Pity
I no longer envy anyone who drives a fancy, fast sports car. If my next door neighbor wins the billion-dollar lottery (assuming that there is such a one), I would be happy for him and hope that he would put the money to good use. Since I already have Jesus, all other attractions have paled. He has replaced envy with pity in me. Feeling how peaceful it is to know Jesus, it's now easy for me to feel sorry for those who do not know him yet. Jesus does make the difference.
The God Difference
When we were young, it's easy to think that we were going to live a beautiful life. As we age, we begin to realize that surviving is not always easy and can at times feel like struggling to stay afloat while sinking. Without God, we cope with problems on our own and seek escapes whenever possible. With God, it's not so much that bad things do longer happen as that God actually changes our attitude and outlook. Trust in the Lord now replaces our struggle and his support removes all that sinking feeling. So it's either sinking on our own or rising with God.
Friday, May 8, 2015
Communication Essential
Since God knows everything about us, the stupid thing to do is live as if he does not even exist. The smart thing is to open up to him to let him help you see everything about you and in you for him to make you clean and holy. Open communication is always a good thing, but communicating with the Lord is essential for living the eternal life.
Love Draws
Communion thought. I am a sinner on his way to heaven ~ such is the drawing power of Christ!
Jesus More than We Need
John 15.12-17 was today's Gospel reading at Mass. Jesus told his disciples that no one has greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends and they were his friends because he had told them everything he had heard from his Father, and that it was he who chose them and appointed them to go bear fruit so that whatever they ask the Father in his name he may give them.
As Jesus' disciples, we now know that he has shown the greatest love for us by dying on the cross for us. Also, we are his friends knowing all we need to know from the Father and his chosen ones who will bear fruit so that we'll receive whatever we ask the Father in Jesus' name. This is fantastic to say the least! Truly, "there is nothing I lack" and "my cup overflows" (Psalm 23).
Practicing Abandonment
Every time you address God as "Lord," pray the Our Father and say "your will be done," or petition "Lord, have mercy" at Mass and really mean it, you practice abandoning yourself to God and will find rest in him.
Thursday, May 7, 2015
Tremendous Responsibility
Communion thought. Since God has entered me, I bear the tremendous responsibility to make sure that his dwelling within me be comfortable and enjoyable.
Humbling Love
In today's Gospel reading from John 15, Jesus said to his disciples, "As the Father loves me, so I love you. Remain in my love. I have told you this so that your joy might be complete." Jesus actually telling us that he loves us! ~ this should bring us great joy. When other humans tell me that they love me, I would feel that I am in demand and get a big boost in my self-esteem. But when the Lord tells me that he loves me, I actually feel humbled because we have the Mighty One loving a weakling or the Holy One loving a sinner.
No Escape from God
Since God has created all things, and we are nothing without him, we might as well put our trust in him in all things from start to finish. This is being plain sensible and realistic.
Our Move
God has offered us salvation. Christ came and died in our place, so the work had been done. The next move is ours. We must be willing to accept the good news and believe in it. And the Lord is waiting. The correct use of our free will is to choose eternal life for the glory of our creator. It's that simple.
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