Thousands and thousands migrants were trying to reach Austria and Germany which were willing to take them, but Hungary blocked them from traveling by train; so they started walking the 100 miles from Budapest to the Austrian border. Now a convoy of private cars have crossed from Austria to Hungary to help collecting stranded migrants. The happy news today is that hundreds of migrants, mostly from Syria, have arrived at Munich train station to applause after boarding trains in Austria. There were cheers from a large group of Germans who had come to welcome them, with many handing out sweets and water. Watching the video on BBC News, I was quite overwhelmed to see the happy, smiling faces on these newly arrived refugees. It's the truth that if you make someone happy, you'll be happy too.
Sunday, September 6, 2015
Saturday, September 5, 2015
Shame on Our Government . . .
(1) for not treating our veterans right ~ they lay their lives on the line to defend our freedom and can't even get decent medical treatment after they get home and (2) for not doing anything to help the Christians in Iraq who are being persecuted and facing genocide.
Conversion
Communion experience. I saw myself on my own as a most imperfect creature, weak, timid, often confused, and most of all, prone to sin. Then Jesus came along, opened my eyes, ears, and most of all, my heart, and healed all my infirmities. I was made anew in him by him. It's been a most exhilarating experience!
Playing God
In today's Gospel reading from Luke 6, Jesus made it clear that the sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath. It's equally true that any law should be meant for the wicked and not for the righteous (1 Timothy 1.9). Unfortunately, our Supreme Court has legalized both abortion and gay marriage. Obviously, not all of the nine justices on the court know God. A glaring case of playing God themselves.
Planning for Eternity
As long as things exist, eternity exists because a thing just does not appear from nothing and vanish into nothing. Even nothing is something missing ~ if everything in the universe disappears, the space left behind still exists. When I came into the world, the world was already here. When I leave, it continues to exist. Things come and go, but eternity is a reality. It follows that God must be a reality too. In fact, he is the only logical explanation for all that exists. Had absolutely nothing existed, I wouldn't be here now to talk about it. The only alternative would be that we have God existing for all eternity. The wise one is the one who makes sure that he will have life for all eternity as the soul is eternal.
Friday, September 4, 2015
What Life Is All About
We are to be holy so that we can save as many souls as possible for the glory of God.
When You're With God
Communion experience. I was alone in God, with God ~ an exclusive, private, and most treasurable moment. When you are with God, he is all yours and you are his only audience!
Get Close First
When you see Jesus, you admire him from a distance. He inspires you and you resolve to be a better person. But this won't do you any good unless you get close to him first. To progress, run to him instead and try to get inside of him so that you may get to know him. Just like watching a flying plane in the sky won't get you on that plane, you must go buy a ticket and make a reservation first.
Again, Jesus Is Joy
Luke 5.33-39 was today's reading at Mass. The intent of the parable in the second half of the reading wasn't that clear to me, but I learned from the first half that with Jesus, it's all joy, for he is always new! We should celebrate and rejoice when he is with us. To be in union with him is to ensure that he is with you.
Our Proper Focus
Today being Friday, I prayed the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary this morning and thought of the agony Jesus experienced, the physical and mental sufferings he underwent, the insults and jeers he received, and the excruciating pain he felt on the cross ~ such sorrows were quite unbearable to meditate upon. Then the Lord made me see that all these things he willingly undertook out of love for us and this love perfectly balanced his sufferings. The work of our salvation is now accomplished and it's time for us to focus upon God's love to make his work fruitful.
Thursday, September 3, 2015
Tragic Time
The tragic story of today are the millions of migrants fleeing from the wars raging in the Mideast. These people are migrating to various foreign countries to seek refuge. Along the way, thousands and thousands have perished. May God have mercy on their souls. I do believe God can right everything now if we all believe in and follow him. If we don't, then he'll have no choice but to right everything at the end, which will be a lot worse for many of us. Repent and return to God is always our calling, never more urgent than today. Our not hearing this calling is as tragic as the migrant story, or even more so.
Jesus as Light
Communion experience. I saw Jesus as the light, expunging all darkness in me and illuminating my mind.
How the Lord Affects Us
Today is the Memorial of St. Gregory the Great. In the Gospel reading from Luke 5, Simon and his partners in their boats had worked hard all night and caught nothing, but Jesus with them asked Simon to go lower their nets in deep water and they caught such a great number of fish that their nets were tearing. Astonishment seized all and Simon fell at the knees of Jesus and said, "Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man." After seeing the wonder of Jesus, he was awed and became humble. This is how the Lord affects us. Today the wonder I experienced was again how Jesus instituted the Eucharist. Even though I did not see anything like fish being pulled out of water, I knew from the Lord's words that the bread and wine offered became his body and blood, and whoever receives them will have eternal life. I was equally awed and humbled.
Wednesday, September 2, 2015
Going All the Way
Looking back on your life, you'll see a continuous series of the things you did and things that befell you. This is saying that anyone's life is a series of happenings and events. We all shall die one day, so the important question is whether we move closer to God spiritually through life. To increase our chances of being saved, we must at least make sure that we do not remain stagnant spiritually. Then why not just seek union with God now to secure your eternal life and moot the question how we should live our lives? I say, if you want to go all the way, you might as well do it the fast way.
Serving the Wrong Master
Today's societies are money-centered. The goal of almost everyone is to become rich, so they make money off each other and love is forgotten. In an ideal God-centered society, love would be our only motive. If we would just let love override our money-making decisions, we would have a much more peaceful world to live in. Jesus said, "No one can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon." Let's listen to him.
Going After Jesus
In today's Gospel reading from Luke 4 at Mass, we heard that Jesus healed Simon's mother-in-law who was afflicted with a severe fever and cured all those brought to him who were sick with various diseases. At daybreak the next day, the crowds went looking for him, and when they came to him, they tried to prevent him from leaving them. This is the Lord I also want to follow and to be with, forever. In my case, I am aware that it's his drawing that makes me want to go after him.
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