A strong bond is usually formed between two people who go through some hardship together. Christ loves us so much that he suffers whenever we suffer. Therefore, every time you offer up your sufferings to Christ, he draws you ever closer to him ~ an opportunity you shouldn't want to miss.
Friday, July 17, 2015
Jesus Is God
"For You Are My God" written by Fr. John Foley, S.J., is the song I love to hear sung. My favorite version is the 1973 recording by The Word of God Music Ministry. The Word of God is an ecumenical, charismatic, Christian community in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Yesterday I search for it on YouTube, but did not find it, so I chose the recording done by the St. Louis Jesuits of whom Fr. John Foley was a member. All I can say is that when I listened to it, the Lord just let me know without a doubt that Jesus and the Father are one.
Thursday, July 16, 2015
Assurance From God
Communion experience. Before giving out Holy Communion, as usual the priest raised the consecrated host and cup and proclaimed, "This is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Happy are those who are called to his supper." At that moment, I thought how anyone could possibly dismiss the Holy Eucharist, for to do so would be to refuse life. After receiving the sacrament, I was completely satisfied, for I knew that Jesus now knows that I love him.
Learning Not to Judge
Seeing how so many people in the world have not fared well, whether it's due to sheer bad luck or because they've done things plain wrong, makes me realize that any one of us could have been born any one of them. Were that the case, would I have done better? Since I'm not sure, I must not judge others.
Don't Misunderstand God
When Jesus calls you, you may think that he is going to force you to obey him in everything. No! When you hear him calling, he wants to give you the gift of eternal life!
No Small Act
If you know that you have sinned, the best therapy for your soul is to repent, confess to God, and ask to be forgiven. Then the Father will take away your sins and make you clean again. Know that repentance is a significant act of submitting yourself to God, definitely qualifying as a milestone in anyone's spiritual life. For that alone, God will exalt you.
Wednesday, July 15, 2015
Intentions Count
Since we are finite, we are unable to comprehend the full extent of God's love for us, nor are we able to fully express our gratitude to him. But all will be OK, as the Lord values our intentions.
Remedy We Need
Isaiah 55.8: For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are my ways your ways ~ oracle of the Lord. In Matthew 16, when Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer and be killed and on the third day be raised, Peter rebuked him, "God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you." Jesus turned to Peter and said, "Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do." Of course, it's easy to think as we do and follow our own ways, but we are prone to be self-centered and sin. Remedy: Seek and attain union with God and both our thoughts and ways will be his.
Deep Intimacy
Communion experience. Jesus is my soul in the sense that he is as intimate to me as my own soul.
Be Little to Hear From God
Today is the memorial of St. Bonaventure. In the Gospel acclamation, Matthew 11.25, Jesus exclaimed: "Blesses are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom." Again, to hear God, we need to be childlike, passive, and waiting. People do not find God because they want God to show himself to them. God being so much greater than us, we need to be little before him to stand a better chance of hearing from him.
Our Best Preparation
Doomsday Preppers is a reality TV series that airs on the National Geographic Channel. The program features various survivalists preparing for the end of civilization that might be caused by economic collapse, societal collapse, or whatever. The preppers usually stock ups food, various other supplies, firearms, etc., and fortify their homes. For Christians, I see holiness to be our best, needed defense against evil. It is our weapon as well as shield. Any preparation made without enlisting the Lord's help is already doomed.
Tuesday, July 14, 2015
God's Huge Deals
Today is the memorial of St. Kateri Tekakwitha. The entrance antiphon read: Let us rejoice and exult for joy, for the Lord of all has shown his love for a holy and glorious virgin. It hit me that God showing his love for one of us is a huge deal!
In the Gospel reading from Matthew 11, Jesus reproached the towns whose people had not repented, "Woe to you, Chorzin! Woe to you, Bethsaida!" It hit me that having Jesus say "Woe to you" is a huge deal too.
Last, today's Communion antiphon, Matthew 25.4, 6, read: The five wise virgins brought flasks of oil with their lamps. Then at midnight, the cry went up: Behold, the Bridegroom is coming; come out to meet Christ the Lord." It hit me that meeting the Lord is also a huge deal. As a matter of fact, every encounter with God is a huge deal. Let him impact you to make a huge difference in your life.
Poignant Question
As I was about to park my car outside the church, I saw the familiar daily Mass attendees, my faithful brothers and sisters, already walking toward the entrance. I saw that these were the ones who would walk through the gate of heaven one day and their journeys had already begun. Will there be many others joining them?
Most Beautiful Thing to Do
It was a somewhat cloudy morning as I drove to church for Mass, but parts of the sky unblocked by the clouds still exhibited a beautiful blue. I thought of the beauty of God, of Jesus, of the Blessed Mother and all the other saints ~ they are beautiful because of they are holy. By contrast, the world is ugly because it's filthy with sinners. It should be clear that the most beautiful thing we can do is to be holy so that we may appear beautiful before God, our Father.
Monday, July 13, 2015
Faith-Strengthening Lesson
I had been facing a spiritual crisis which began two and a half months ago, caused by someone with evil intentions. Naturally I turned to my God, asking him for deliverance. Even though I was confident that he had heard me, being human I kept praying hard as if I might not come through unscathed. Yesterday, a last minute development indicated that indeed things could get worse. This morning everything got resolved and I was completely delivered from evil. The lesson learned ~ keep on trusting in the Lord, especially through the worst moments. The popular proverb "When the going gets tough, the tough get going" applies here. Just let the Lord make you tough.
Welcome Challenges from God
In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 10, Jesus said to his Apostles, "Do not think that I have come to bring peace upon the earth. I have come to bring not peace but the sword." He was referring to what would happen after people hears what he had to say next: "Whoever loves father or mother than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." These challenges make up the sword that will separate us. The fact that God challenges us shows that he cares for us ~ he wants us to become worthy of him and be rewarded. By the way, if all of us meet these challenges, there will be peace.
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