What to Give Up

        In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 19, Peter asked Jesus for all the disciples, "We have given up everything and followed you. What will there be for us?" Jesus answered, "Everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands for the sake of my name will receive a hundred times more, and will inherit eternal life." Father S in his homily mentioned giving up our free will too ~ I saw that would take care of all of what we should give up, for when there's no more need to exercise our free will, we have chosen to go with God all the way.

Becoming Rich

        Jesus is rich because he is completely self-sufficient. We become rich when we possess him and inherit all that the Father has for us later. Enter the kingdom of God and we are rich! 

We the Culprits

        God suffers because we sin against him. We suffer, also because we sin against him. 

Always Hope in God

        If we continue to sin, we lose our inner peace and remain unhappy. The strategy to fight this is to always hope in God as we keep going. With persistence, we can even rise to new heights. Hope and trust in God stubbornly through this brief life of ours and we'll end up resting in God later for all eternally. 

Way of Being One With God

        At Mass this morning, the Lord showed me that the gift of free will from him gives each of us our unique, individual identity. But if we want to be in him as one with him, the only way is to submit ourselves to him.

Abortion, Not a Casual Thing

      Chris Christie, the New Jersey governor who is now running for President as a Republican, said that he used to be pro-choice by default, but became pro-life after he heard his daughter's strong fetal heartbeat during a prenatal visit when his wife was 13 weeks pregnant. This is a beautiful story. Most pro-choice people have never thought about their position carefully. (I know because I used to want to appear tolerant and progressive, seeing nothing wrong with abortion.) What I pity the most are those legalistic people, including many court judges, who would rule that the unborn are not yet persons and therefore have no rights to life ~ what infantile, barbarous thinking! Separation between church and state must never be keeping God out of our conscience. To terminate a human life God has created is a grave sin. And to terminate one that's born out of our sin has to be even graver!

The Living Bread

        John 6.51-58 was the Gospel reading at Sunday Mass. Reading these verses as if you're reading them for the very first time with an open mind, you would not get the impression that Jesus meant eating his flesh and drinking his blood in some symbolic way, for the Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" In this whole passage, Jesus could have added the word "symbolically" in any of the at least five spots, but he didn't. If he did, he probably would've had to explain what that meant and wouldn't likely have said "For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink" later, further confusing the issue. Arguing that the consecrated elements of the Holy Eucharist are not the true body and blood of the Lord is deliberately overlooking John 6 with the intent of saying that the Church got it wrong. It is also my personal belief that this sacrament is God's gift to the Church to keep the gates of the netherworld from prevailing against it.

Enjoying God's Joy

        I attended the Vigil Mass yesterday. The entrance song we sang was "City of God." The refrain of the song goes like this: "Let us build the city of God. May our tears be turned into dancing! For the Lord, our light and our love, has turned the night into day!" I felt overwhelmed by the sweet love of Jesus ~ he is indeed the fountain of pure joy. And I realized that when we live by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God, we get to enjoy his joy too!

Simple Truth

        I see this life providing us with time to prepare ourselves for the next with Jesus as the perfect guide. If you listen to and follow him, he'll surely lead you to heaven. If not, you are just lost, to be blunt about it. I may seem to simplify things a bit, but the truth is always simple ~ not grasping it is then our problem.

Urgent Question

        On this Solemnity of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, I'd like to ask this question: Is Jesus truly our Savior or not? We'll find out for sure after we die, but why wait till then when it'll be too late? He is so prominent that we must answer this question for ourselves now while we're still alive! Another reason why time on earth is so precious.

Settling in God

        Communion experience on this memorial of St. Maximilian Kolbe. It was the settling of the heart in God, letting God envelop you completely to heal your heart and soul ~ an experience only God can give. If everyone experiences Christ thus, there would be universal peace. Indeed, the Messiah is the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9.6).

Love's Challenge

        From Matthew 25.40: Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of the least of my brothers, you did it for me. It's not just "my brothers," but "the least of my brothers." It just shows that we are to love all with no exceptions. This is our challenge: to love unconditionally and non-discriminatorily. 

How Awake We Are

        If there were a scale indicating how awake we are, those who love and trust in God the most must appear at the very top end of the scale.   

Covering Forgiving Others

        In today's reading from Matthew 18 at Mass, Jesus used a parable to teach Peter to keep forgiving a brother who has sinned against him. The lesson is that we should forgive others as God forgives us. In essence, always treat others the way we expect God to treat us. The ultimate goal is then to save all souls by loving them because God loves us all. Mark 8.35, Jesus saying "Whoever loses his life for my sake and for the sake of the gospel will save it" ties in well.   

Communion Desire

        Communion experience. It sounds selfish, but it's not: I desired to absorb the Lord completely into my soul.

Be Open to God

        We are finite and powerless to raise ourselves, but if we remain open to God, he will stoop low to lift us up. To be closed to God is to banish ourselves altogether. So, be open to God to let him exalt you to great new heights! 

Reading the Gospels Right

        The Gospels are to be read as if you are reading them for the very first time. If you assume you already know them because you've heard them read many times before, then you'll miss seeing the wonders of the Lord's life and what he teaches. God remains forever new!

Perfect Relationship

        It's such a beautiful thing to go through life with Jesus ~ you share the same joys and sorrows, going through both happy and hard times together. Through thick and thin, you bond with your God and friend. There's nothing more perfect than beginning your intimate, eternal relationship with God right now on earth!