The Little Way

        Be holy in every little way ~ this is the key to holiness. Don't miss a single opportunity to show the love you have for Christ. It's doing the thing, not how big or impressive that thing is, that counts. This is the Little Way of St. Therese of Lisieux. If you are not familiar with it, read her autobiography The Story of a Soul. All her writings had drawn me closer to Christ in the past. 

Beautiful Partnership

        In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 13, Jesus told the crowds around him the parable the sower. A sower went out to sow. As he sowed, some seed fell on the path, some on rocky ground, some among thorns, and nothing grew nor lived. But some seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit, a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold. When we are receptive to what the Lord wants us to do, we are the rich soil, and great things can be accomplished through us for his glory.

*Heaven and Hell Are Real

        If reward and punishment for us are only temporary after death, there would be no reason for us to stop sinning or to be holy. Only if heaven and hell are real can justice be fully served in the end.

Indiscriminate Loving

        Since God loves all of us, his children, we must also love all others, our brothers and sisters, beyond our own immediate family.

Fantastic Promise

        Today's Gospel Acclamation, what Jesus said in John 14.23: Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him. How loving and lovely that God should want to get us so intimately involved with the Father and the Son! It is truly a fantastic promise that we must not forget as long as we live.

The Thread Difference

        Our life hangs precariously by a thread, but faith in Jesus makes that thread unbreakable and we get pulled up to him in heaven when our time is up. Without Jesus, we could drop deep into the unfathomable darkness below when the thread snaps.

Up to the Unbeliever

        Matthew 10.34: "Do not think that I have come to bring peace upon the earth. I have come to bring not peace but the sword." Jesus is the cause of division, as there is a chasm between those who follow him and those who do not. Only the unbeliever can eliminate that separation by turning himself to God.

       Speaking of changing oneself, fundamental change must come from within the heart. We have no power to change anyone fundamentally except through God. To initiate the change, the person involved must again turn to God to ask for it himself.

Losing Jealousy

        Do you know that once you possess Jesus, you are no longer jealous of anyone? 

Inexhaustible God

        Know that God is infinitely rich and deep that we can never possibly exhaust him in anyway. Therefore, confidently ask him for all that you need to be perfect, as he is perfect. Be ambitious and greedy!

Going to the Extreme

        Going to the extreme on your own is always ego-oriented and wrong. Only in loving God is going to the extreme completely justified.

Leaving No Legacy Happily

        We normally think about what legacy we are going to leave behind after we are gone. I thought of all the material things I possess, some of which important to me at one time or another. For example, I was interested in piano music and had acquired a sizable collection of CDs. I am still interested in taking photographs and have now accumulated many quite beautiful personal prints of my works. So what am I going to do with them? I quickly realized that I should not be concerned about what's going to happen to them at all. Knowing that I am returning to the Father who will make me happier than ever, there is no point in ever wanting to look back on anything that's not mine in the first place and will surely pass in time? You know well that eternal joy will easily make one forget all his past.

To Each His Own 😞

        I attended Vigil Mass at my church today. Communion experience. I knew that Jesus was going to take away my sins and be one with me, thus exalting me to the highest possible status as a human being. There's no more desire to be fulfilled. How I wish that everyone would experience peace this way. But whenever I tell others about it, they are happy for me and would congratulate me. It's thanks, but no thanks. They still go their own way, preferring to find peace their way. 

We Need Mercy

        Again, horrific, terroristic tragedy struck the French people, this time in Nice. Whom should we blame? The Lord showed me that all of us who had not loved him and our neighbors perfectly bore some responsibility in allowing such an evil event to happen. For the salvation of all of us, victims and enemies included, let's beg Christ for his mercy as we are all sinners. 

Jesus, Our Anchor

        In this life and world, things come and go so that there is not a thing you can count on. Jesus alone is safe with us. He is our anchor for all eternity.

Mercy vs Sacrifice

        In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 12, Jesus points out to the Pharisees that God desires mercy, not sacrifice. Temple sacrifices are easy to perform. Even if you sacrifice yourself in some way for the sake of pleasing God, it is negative and inferior to loving others for his glory. One who loves exclusively for God's sake can forget about suffering for him. Mercy covers it all.

Christ and Classical Music

        Not many people appreciate classical music. It actually turns many people off. To understand it, you must first show an interest in and then listen to it attentively, letting it sink in. In time you will sense its beauty, be moved by it and become a classical music lover. The best, more abstract classical music can deeply touch one's soul. I bring this up because I see that people pretty much treat Christ like classical music. 

Baptism of the Lord

        I have mentioned that while in Los Angeles recently, I attended Sunday Mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angles, on July 3 precisely. There I saw many wall tapestries designed by the renowned California artist John Nava. The one titled Baptism of the Lord moved me very much. Here's God incarnated, humble and meek, still asking John the Baptist to baptize him, even though he didn't need it. How can we not adore such a magnificent, magnanimous Lord? You may see the image on this page: http://www.johnnava.com/COLA/bap3.html.

A Blessed State

        To be humble is to regard yourself as (not believe that you are) the least of all your brothers and sisters before the Lord. This is not only most pleasing to him, but also enables you, stripped of ego, to get in touch with your true self. You now remain freely in God, being completely selfless and filled with the Holy Spirit.