Making God Notice you

        In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 7, Jesus said to his disciples, "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the Kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name? Did we not drive out demons in your name? Did we not do mighty deeds in your name?' Then I will declare to them solemnly, 'I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers.'" The statement I italicized is what you never want to hear from the Lord. Do the will of God so that you may be known to him.

Union, the Fast Track

        I still remember reading the many great spiritual classics and biographies of the saints and their own writings in the past. So much of what I read inspired and taught me. In many of the volumes, I yellow-highlighted all the lines that spoke to my heart. I also attended many spiritual conferences and retreats. My heart was on fire after each time, getting more excited about the Lord than ever. But things have changed. Ever since I started seeking union with God, got to know the Lord intimately, and came to experience his beauty and holiness, all the spiritual books, conference messages, talks by some of the best speakers, etc., no longer uplift me, for all second-hand information loses its flavor when you now learn directly from the Lord himself. Besides, you already have the Lord to yourself ~ you no longer need anything to help you get there.

Seeking Consolation

        Communion experience. Concern about the condition of the world and what might happen in my own country after the presidential election placed a heavy burden on my heart and I rejoiced that I could turn to Christ to seek consolation, for he is the only one who can give me hope and joy.

Shortsighted Living

        The news came that a dear friend of ours has suffered two strokes in a row, but is now recovering. Life is fragile and hanging by a thread. We know that thread is going to break one day, but somewhat we are not impressed as long as it's not happening to us yet. Meanwhile we hang on to things that are even less dependable than a thread. What gives? If we do not pay close attention to all the obvious indicators about the transitoriness of life, how are we going to prepare ourselves for living the eternal life? 

Heavenly Relationship

        Do you know that God becomes the closest, dearest, most intimate friend to anyone who receives him reverently in the Holy Eucharist. This is a relationship made in heaven, a truly awesome achievement brought about by God! 

Classifying God's People

        People either accept or reject Jesus and are either good or bad, roughly speaking. So the four possible categories are (1) good people accepting Jesus, (2) bad people accepting Jesus, (3) good people rejecting Jesus, and (4) bad people rejecting Jesus. Obviously, you should want to belong in the first and not the last category. How about the middle two? I see that a bad person accepting Jesus can easily be saved if he would just repent of his sins and ask for God's forgiveness. But a good person rejecting Jesus risks being rejected by him before the Father, as the Gospel tells us. Naturally, the Lord alone knows why he is not being accepted. Nevertheless, knowingly rejecting Christ will definitely have serious consequences. 

God's Presence in You

        If you hear God speak to your heart, then he is dwelling within you.

Talent, a Blessing?

        God gave us talent not to serve ourselves, make us rich and famous, or make us feel more important to him. No, he gave us talent so that we might glorify him alone. So many talented artists live for the art they have created instead of serving God, or think that they are above others less talented. In such cases, no blessing would be a blessing. 

Sad State of Our Nation

        In this country at this time, godlessness is the root cause of our problems. Political correctness is followed more closely than the teachings of God. In this secular world, if a saint were elected president, he wouldn't last a week. This is how sad the shape this country is in. I hope that Jesus' realistic statement that those who enter through the wide gate with the broad road that leads to destruction are many and those who find the narrow gate with the constricted road that leads to life are few in today's Gospel reading at Mass (see today's earlier post "Best Travel Plan") will at least shock our conscience a bit.

Inseparability

        Today's Communion experience. Receiving the Holy Eucharist confirms that Christ and I are inseparable from each other. Where he is, I'll be. 

Are We Foolish?

        Many of us plan for our security, our retirement, our near future . . . yet do not seem to be concerned about life eternal at all. Isn't here a great imbalance? Don't you also see the ironic contradiction? Have we lost our common sense? Are we asleep or afraid to face death? Jesus' question comes to my mind: "What profit is there for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?" Basically, I think we are just being fools.

Best Travel Plan

        In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 7, Jesus spoke to his disciples, "Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter through it are many. How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life. And those who find it are few." We need to stay sober and pay critical attention to these words of life. Our best policy is to find and follow Christ, then we won't need to be concerned about the width of the gate opening nor the condition of the road, nor where we'll end up. Follow Christ and go carefree ~ my slogan.

*Good Things, Bad Things

        In this life, we have both good and bad things happening to us. Beware that the good things you receive could be the reward you get for being a hypocrite (read Matthew 6) or for the actual good you've done. Anyway, reward received in this world means nothing if you can not get into heaven later. The bad things that happen to you now can actually be blessings if you accept them as part of your purgatory experience after death. I'd accept the bad now and receive the good later rather than the other way around.

State of Joy

        This morning's entrance verse at Mass from Psalm 24: The clean of hands and pure of heart shall climb the mountain of the Lord and stand in his holy place. To have clean hands and a pure heart is to never do anything filthy nor consider any thought sinful. A soul in such a state receives great joy, for its presence is welcomed by the Lord. 

Faith and Hope

        I have two joint injuries that have not healed for many months, but I do not feel down nor sorry for myself. I realize it's because I belief that God can still heal me. Whether he is going to heal me or not is another matter; it is keeping that hope alive that has sustained me. To have faith is to have hope. We often console or encourage others in unfortunate circumstances by telling them to keep up the faith or not to give up. These are not exactly empty remarks, because faith and hope in God do give us the strength and courage we need.

Sweet State of Union

        Psalm 27.4 of David ~ One thing I ask of the LORD; only this I seek: to dwell in the LORD's house all the days of my life. For me today, this is like asking to remain in union with Christ at all times. Indeed, to remain in such union is "home, sweet home" to those who belong to the Lord, for they would feel painfully uncomfortable the moment they "step outside the house." Only dwelling in heaven could be sweeter.

Who Is Jesus to You?

        In today's Gospel reading from Luke 9, Jesus asked the disciples, "Who do the crowds say that I am?" They gave various answers. Then he asked them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter replied, "The Christ of God." He told them, "The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised." The he said to all, "If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it." Peter first recognized that Jesus was the Messiah from God, then Jesus spoke authentically as only God could. 

Sign of True God

        In today's second reading from Galatians 3 at Mass, Paul wrote: Through faith you are all children of God in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free person, there is not male and female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. I do not see another God-centered religion other than Christianity in which all members are treated equally as heirs of God ~ another sign that the God of Christ is the true God.