Jesus, My Physician

        Still away from home, I attended the Vigil Mass of Pentecost Sunday at a local cathedral. After receiving Holy Communion, I felt that Jesus was the perfect physician I needed for an imperfect, sinful, sick, and weak soul like me.

What We Do or Not Do

        As I was praying the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary today, which are The Annunciation, The Visitation, The Nativity, The Presentation, and The Finding of Jesus in the Temple, I realized that all these events are meaningful and significant because they were ordained by God in carrying out his plan. Now, how about the things we do? They may not be as meaningful, but whatever we do or not do does determine our destiny, as they affect our society and most of all God. Therefore, whatever we do, including wasting time by not doing anything, is significant.

Incredible Reality

        We are puny in the universe as finite and sinful creatures. After God chooses us, we become his adopted sons and daughters and heaven bound to inherit everything the Father has. This is the incredible reality that Christ has revealed to us ~ the power of love!

Going Through an Amusement Park

        The world is like an amusement park. This may be an old person's view, but I am old. When one first enters the world, all the rides and fun are found to be exciting because they are new. Seeking to gratify oneself becomes the prime goal. Gradually, fun and enjoyment wear thin, becoming even tiresome. As the time to exit the park approaches, one starts to wonder about the meaning of his whole trip through the park and what awaits him beyond if anything.  

Jesus for the Brave

        From today's Gospel reading, John 17.11b-19, we learn that (1) we who believe in Christ have been given to him by the Father so that we may be one with him as he and the Father are one, (2) Jesus protects and guards us so that we'll not be lost, (3) he wants us to share his joy completely, (4) the world will hate us for not belonging to it, (5) the Father will keep us from the Evil One, and (6) Jesus consecrates himself for us, so that we may be consecrated in truth. Note that he does not say that we won't suffer or be persecuted by the world.

For Fairness' Sake

        If we pray for the ones we love, those who are dearest to us, then to show that we are fair and love God, let's also pray for our worst enemies, those who are most despicable to us in the world. Then the world will be a better place.

On the Holy Spirit

        Today's Communion verse, John 14.26: The Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and remind you of all I have told you, says the Lord. The Holy Spirit is not someone you see or hear, but the spirit that moves and shapes your heart almost imperceptibly until you know that he dwells in you. He is the great teacher, our advocate, and our protector.

God Who Died Once

        Today's entrance verse based upon Revelation 1.17-18: I am the first and the last, the one who lives. Once I was dead, but now I am alive forever and ever. Such awe-inspiring statements! What can I say but to believe in the Lord who died for me with my whole heart? (Today's Gospel reading John 17.1-11a, with Jesus praying as the Son of the Father, was also truly awesome.)

Dangerous Thinking

        Some believe that they are good enough that God is not going to punish them for what they are. This is dangerous thinking, for only God knows how truly good we are ~ we are no judges of anyone, ourselves included. Look at the great saints who considered themselves wretched worms before God. It is Jesus who said, "Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted," and thinking well of oneself is surely exalting oneself. When the humbling takes place, he may be in for a shock, seeing that he is not as good as he thought he was. It would be so much better to humble ourselves now and be exalted later.

God Is Bigger!

        Even though I saw sin as a big thing in my last post, I see even bigger the immensity of God's love, mercy, and willingness to suffer anguish for us. This should move and strengthen us to cease sinning against him. Seek union with him now. 

Sin Is Big!

        After morning Mass at this church I attended as a visitor, I entered the basement chapel to meditate and pray. Afterwards I checked out the Stations of the Cross. At the 7th Station, I read "Jesus exhorts the women to weep not for him but for themselves; weep more for our sins than his sufferings." Jesus really makes a big point here (cf. Luke 23.28). Sin is a big thing ~ it offends God and can destroy us. It is to be avoided at all costs! What we see happening in the world shows clearly what sin can do to us, let alone what it can do to our souls. There is everlasting life and there is everlasting death. The urgency to stop sinning is greater than ever! I am no doomsday prophet, just a present-day realist seeing what Jesus has lead me to see.   

To Follow Jesus

        Today's entrance verse at morning Mass, "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1.8), made me aware that we are to be Jesus' witnesses. The Gospel acclamation, "If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God" (Colossians 3.1), reminded me that we have been raised with Christ. In the Gospel reading from John 16, the disciples said to Jesus, "Now we realize that you know everything and that you do not need to have anyone question you. Because of this we believe that you came from God." So, as followers of Jesus we believe in him, are raised with him, and become his witnesses.          

My Lifeline

        Prayer is my lifeline. Without prayer, I am alone and doomed; with prayer, I am linked to God, my light, my life, my hope and my freedom.

Focusing on Jesus

         If I always center upon Jesus, seek him alone, turn to him for all my needs, letting no one affect my steadfastness, and even if the whole world with all Christians turn away from Jesus, I still remain with him, then I am the most secure person in the whole world.     

Most Significant Change

        Communion experience. When the bread and wine were changing into the body and blood of Christ during consecration, it seemed that all else happening in the world became relatively insignificant.

Jesus Not to Be Dismissed

        I attended a local church nearby for morning Mass. The Gospel acclamation, John 16.28, read: I came from the Father and have come into the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father. The Communion verse, John 17.24, read: Father, I wish that where I am, those you gave me may also be with me, that they may also see the glory that you gave me. I found these two sayings of Jesus impossible to dismiss; we must believe that Jesus knew absolutely what he was saying or not at all. I love the Lord for speaking definitively always, not allowing us to take the middle ground. 

At God's Mercy

        Due to the inferior vision in my left eye, if I do not watch my steps, I am liable to trip over some obstacle and fall. This has happened on the average about once a year in the last five years or so. Once my chest landed on the armrest of a sofa after I missed a step upon entering a darkened living room in someone's house. It took eight weeks to recover from the fall. The day before yesterday again I tripped on the street unexpectedly, bruising and/or scraping both knees, my left wrist and my chin. The concussion caused a momentary loss of the memory, but examination showed that there's no internal bleeding in the brain; so I know I should be all right in a few weeks. Yesterday I got the news that a friend was informed by her doctor that she now has an inoperable brain tumor just weeks after learning that her lung cancer had been brought under control. My stark realization is that everything that happens to us is at the mercy of God. The important thing is when some misfortune or mishap happens whether we will have God with us or not. Without God, we would feel depressed or even devastated; but with God, we can offer up my sufferings and be relieved, consoled or even healed.          

Jesus Unique for Us

        The Lord is the only one in whom we can abandon ourselves and become free.