Between You and God Secretly

        In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 6, Jesus teaches all of us not to perform good deeds, pray, or fast for others to see nor to win their praise. Essentially, we are to live secretly in the Father, proclaiming openly only the gospel. Note that the Father always repays us in secret too. You just cannot glorify both God and yourself!

*Seeing What Matters

        Another wisdom we gain as we age is understanding that only what matters to God matters to us. Once you see it, you start to abandon yourself to God. It is giving in to God, a process of giving yourself up. This should be a joyful prelude to returning to your heavenly Father.

Ultimate Backup

        We instinctively do our best to support our families, maintain our health, etc. But when all our efforts fail, especially as we age, it is such a consolation to know that we always have the Lord God as our backup. In fact, this is the only backup that counts and we truly need. When we are young, we don't think about it. But when we get old, it becomes increasingly clear. Blessed are those who realize this when they are still young.

Eternal Existence Settled

        Communion experience. I had the most private, personal moment with the Lord. This union makes all the difference to my eternal existence!

Eternity Matters

        If we die and become absolutely nonexistent, then life has to be the biggest puzzle of all. But there is evidence that the soul lives on forever. Therefore, where you settle after you pass away makes all the difference ~ it'll be either eternally pleasant or eternally miserable.

Love to Be Our Weapon

        Today is Memorial of St. Anthony of Padua. This is the Gospel reading from Matthew 5. Jesus said to his disciples: "You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil. When someone strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other one to him as well. If anyone wants to go to law with you over your tunic, hand him your cloak as well. Should anyone press you into service for one mile, go with him for two miles. Give to the one who asks of you, and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow." Admittedly, these counsels are most difficult to follow, but the Lord is right. The point: Jesus wants us to use love as our only weapon to win others. Pray that he will not lead us to any test we cannot pass.

Process of Accepting God

        I believe that most people do not believe in God because they fear that they won't be able to do freely what they wish, once God becomes their Lord. They would find excuses to appease themselves. This is running away from God. If the fear is there, God must have attracted you. In fact, it's God calling you, challenging you. If you give in and accept him, you fear will turn into joy, for God is love. 

Close to God

        It's only natural that we do not reveal ourselves too much to those whom we do not know well, but feel free to be ourselves at home around those close to us. Therefore, if you do share everything in your heart with God, rejoice that you have a most close relationship with him.

The World Doesn't Get It

        The current tragic news is the mass shooting at an Orlando nightclub in Florida. Strict gun control might delay some of these violent attacks, but will not remove their cause. As in fighting the drug war, going after the traffickers will not stop the flow of drugs, since the demand for drugs, the cause, is still intact. What causes all the horrendous acts of violence today is the rejection of Christ ~ I don't have to be a prophet to tell you that. The fact that people are not saying this only substantiates my claim. Mankind has fallen far away from God and become self-important and judgmental. The acceptance of abortion in our societies is a good indication of how much Christ is absent from our lives. We reap what we sow.

All I Need to Know

       As I was praying this morning in my bedroom, I looked around and saw the face of Jesus on an Albert Gilles copper piece (as seen on the Holy Shroud of Turin) hung over the headboard of my bed, and a crucifix and a picture of Our Lady of Guadalupe hung on a side wall. I saw all three and realized that I already knew all about life and God my creator ~ I felt great satisfaction and joy.  

Most Valuable Lesson

        In Matthew 20, Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave." Again, in Matthew 23, he spoke to the crowds and to the disciples, "The greatest among you must be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted." Here's one greatest teaching from Jesus. Humility and willingness to serve go hand in hand. You can be a great speaker trying to convert others, but if you lack humility, you still remain a hypocrite. We now have the secret of attaining freedom and being exalted by the Lord.

Will You Be Ready?

        I attended Vigil Mass today. I saw the beautiful flowers adorning the altar. They reflect the beauty of our creator for a few days and are thrown away, having served their purpose. I started thinking about our own lives. After our sojourn on this earth is over, we'll meet the same creator our God. Will we be empty-handed then with no gifts to offer to him? Will there be treasures in heaven we have stored up while on earth? Under our accounts, will the Lord find fruit that we've borne for him? In sum, have we done anything to make us fit to enter the kingdom of heaven?

Gift Most Special

        If you receive something of this world that makes you happy, you either keep it all to yourself or share it with some good friends when you feel like it. What is so special about the love of Christ is that once you receive it and it makes you happy, you become completely selfless and would want everyone else in the whole world to have it too!

*Bridging the Gap Between God and Man*

        Communion experience. The fact that Jesus has instituted the Holy Eucharist for us to receive is proof that he has bridged the gap between God and man.     

*Only One Way to Go

        We know that we are all sinners. We know that God is all holy. We know sin and holiness do not mix. Now, know that that gap has been bridged by God through the giving of his only Son, Jesus. Also know that there are no bridges behind us for us to make any kind of retreat to safety.

*Indispensable Company

        In union with God, you enjoy his company at all times. You enjoy what Paul talked about, the peace that surpasses all understanding. When you sin ever so slightly, you lose that peace instantly and want to get right back amidst the company of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. You know that you'd never survive outside their company. God does "pamper" his children.

To Be Holy

        Communion experience. To receive the Holy Eucharist is to accept the Lord's invitation to become holy by being one with him. Unlimited grace will be bestowed upon you via this Most Blessed Sacrament. To be holy is to be free, to shine in God's sight, and to dwell in God,  

High Standards Our Hope

        In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 5, Jesus said, "You have heard that it was said, You shall not commit adultery. I say to you, everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better...." The Lord has certainly set high standards for us to be perfect, but we do need standards, and low standards are no standards. Rather than bemoan what we have to follow, let us rejoice that God wants us to be holy just like him. These standards give us hope. If we surrender to God, he will make us meet these standards with no sweat.