Jesus sacrificed himself for the purpose of saving everyone. Today suicide bombers have sacrificed themselves to kill others who do not accept their faith so that they themselves might get to heaven. Both Jesus and the suicide bombers supposedly have followed the will of God. You figure that out.
Sunday, November 29, 2015
A Beautiful Moment
I have a big maple tree outside my bedroom window. Just a week ago, the leaves turned into a beautiful red color before they gradually fell off the tree, getting ready for renewal in the spring. This symbolizes to me that we are beautiful when we are about to give ourselves up to God to be born again as new creatures in Christ. I did not photograph the richly-colored red leaves in the sun when they were still all on the tree; but a year ago, I did capture this image of a leaf in more subdued red, stuck on one bedroom window screen on a wet, windy morning.
Saturday, November 28, 2015
*We Can Know God
We can, because God the Father is real, Jesus the Son is real, and the Holy Spirit is real. If you are closed to God, then of course, it'd be impossible to know him. But if you are open completely and desire to know him well, he will let you know of his existence and presence. So it all depends upon you. Seeking union with God is the best way of knowing him intimately. In union, the Lord lets you feel and experience him in your heart, and anything the heart receives becomes part of you. Once you know God, you know him for ever.
A note. There is the so-called dark night of the soul some saints experience. During such a period, you no longer sense the presence of God ~ it's as if God has withdrawn altogether. This does not mean that you no longer know the Lord. To illustrate, you can have an intimate human friend with whom you are no longer able to communicate, but of course, you still know him well. Anyway, beginning seekers of God will not experience dark night of the soul and may never experience it. God grants it only to advanced souls for specific reasons.
Joyful and Peaceful State
In the state of union with God, you do not do any work for God ~ it is he who does all the work through you. Naturally, you don't ever worry for the Lord, for he takes care of all things. You merely remain open and be out of the way. That's why union is such a joyful and peaceful state.
Great Intimacy
Communion experience. I experienced an intimacy with God that's out of this world, literally.
First Thing(s) First
In life, we must set priorities. For the Christian, making Christ number one must be the top priority, overriding all other considerations. After that, nothing else matters much. You must settle the question if Jesus is your Lord in truth or in name only. In Matthew 6.33, Jesus confirms this priority: "Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides."
A Union Advantage
One big advantage (a joy) of being in union with God is that your conscience becomes so clear and sharp that you are instantly aware of any sin you have committed.
Exhortation to Be Vigilant
In today's Gospel reading from Luke 21, Jesus told his disciples to stay awake and be alert. He said, "That day will assault everyone who lives on the face of the earth. Be vigilant at all times and pray that you have the strength to escape the tribulations that are imminent and to stand before the Son of Man." If you believe in Jesus, you must take what he said seriously. A Christian must be ready for death and judgment, the two things that can catch you by surprise like a trap (Jesus' words). Obviously, the world in general which does not pay Jesus much attention is in for the biggest shock ever. The least we can do is to pray for all souls (living and deceased) unceasingly.
Start Living in Heaven
If we aim for getting to heaven, we should starting living as if we're already there now. In heaven, we shall fully enjoy the Lord, praise him, worship him, pray for the world, and be completely his. Attain union with God and we can do all these things. Then when we arrive in heaven, we won't face much of a change in routine, except that everything would be made easier.
Friday, November 27, 2015
Jesus in Your Life
If you believe in Jesus, is he (1) in your life at all, (2) just part of your life, or (3) all of your life?
On Loving Yourself
Anyone who knows and loves God, even though he realizes his own wretchedness, still loves himself because he knows that he is precious to him. Therefore, anyone who hates himself cannot possibly know God well. One can be happy only if he loves God and is happy with himself.
Forever With God
God exists forever. He will love us forever. He wishes us to be with him in heaven forever. His words will remain with us forever. God will remain faithful to us forever, but we only have a short lifetime in which to decide whether we want to be with God forever.
Required for Salvation
In the Gospels, Jesus has said to many after he had healed or forgiven them, "Your faith has saved you." It seems that believing that Jesus can help us is the minimum requirement for our salvation.
Extreme Opposites
You are in union with God, one heart and one mind, and understand everything the Lord says. You do not know God; you are lost and what comes out your mouth is venomous, divorced from any truth.
Special Relationships
I am saying a novena to God the Father. I am particularly moved when I read the following in saying the prayer. (1) "I love You in union with Jesus Christ, Your Son . . . ." ~ Loving God while in union with him is special. (2) ". . . Mary Immaculate, Mother of God and our Mother." ~ Special that God and we share the same Mother. (3) ". . . thank You for making me Your child in Baptism." ~ another special relationship. (4) "Give me your Holy Spirit to enlighten me and to guide me in the way of Your commandments and holiness . . . ." ~ The Holy Spirit is here to help us in all things! (5) ". . . to appease Your justice provoked to anger by so many sins, and to offer You worthy atonement for them . . . ." ~ We are in such a special position that we can do these things!
Wednesday, November 25, 2015
God Calling
During a quiet, dark night, it's easy to realize that you are all alone. During the busy day, learning about all the horrific things that happen around the world, you realize that the earth is not your home. God is calling.
True Concern
If you truly love someone, you would want to do your utmost to help the person get to heaven.
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