*Taking Communion Seriously

        Communion experience. When I received Christ in the Holy Eucharist, he entered me to claim me as one of the sheep the Father had chosen to give him, and he was to reside in me. What an honor, blessing, and joy! This is serious business. Sadly, I have seen Catholics no sooner receive the Blessed Sacrament than they walk out the church. One should never receive the Holy Eucharist out of sheer obligation. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 11.27: "Whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily will have to answer for the body and blood of the Lord." Catholics beware. 

Thanks to the World

        Because of the chaotic and disordered condition of the secular world I live in, I was driven to seek refuge in God more and more, culminating in seeking union with him. 

Harvesting for God

        Today is the Memorial of St. Francis Xavier. In today's Gospel from Matthew 9, at the sight of the crowds, Jesus' heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest." How can we help with harvesting? First, to make your task easy, get to know the Lord like the disciples of his time who followed him everywhere. Then spread the good news every chance you get. It could be just making a phone call or performing some small chore to show the love of God for us. The task doesn't need to be taxing; only diligence is required. You'll fine laboring for the Lord to be a great joy.

Ego Involvement

        If you feel inclined to do something that shows off your ego, that prompting can only have come from the evil one and not the Holy Spirit. Let only God bestow any glory on you. All glories that affect you ego are false ones, for they are bestowed on you by Satan. Do not contradict the Lord and you'll have peace. Safeguard the sanctity of your soul and dismiss your ego entirely.

Happy Progression

        I am artistic in nature and have found myself to be able to express myself through taking photographs. The images I capture identify me as the photographer well; as a matter of fact, you could say that they are me. So I feel good about that and am satisfied with my work. There is somewhat a parallel in following Christ. Abandon yourself in the Holy Spirit and you come to know and understand yourself well. As you become one with God, what you do is exactly what God wants you to do. And you are joyful and happy that you fulfill the will of God always.

*Greatest Gift Offer Ever!

        Do you know that through Christ, God wants to bestow eternal life on us? How foolish would it be for us to ignore this offer! Let us prepare ourselves for receiving this fantastic, most precious and desirable, and once-in-a-lifetime offer in the remaining time of our fleeting life. Better late than never. In this case, better would be infinitely better and never would be infinitely worse.

Refill Time

        Arriving at church for Mass this morning, I wanted to empty myself completely for the Holy Spirit to fill me again. Then all in me would be from God, with God, and for God. 

Resting in God

        Communion experience. I was in complete harmony with my beloved Lord and my heart felt a great stillness. St. Augustine's saying came to my mind again: "Thou hast made us for thyself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it finds its rest in thee."

*Secret of Spiritual Growth

        The speakers you hear in church, on TV, at conferences, during retreats, and contemporary writers on spirituality advise, encourage, or inspire you to grow holier, to love God more, but none exactly tells you how to do it. Good intention, but ineffective messaging. The secret is to let God do the work for you. This means that you open up to God to let him in first. Then you ask him directly to transform you. In short, the formula for success: Surrender to God, attain union with him, and all you desire is yours. 

Fidel Castro's Death

        The Cuban leader passed away recently and Cuban Americans continue to celebrate his death. It is understandable that they are happy that the one who had oppressed them is now gone. But we also need to realize that God hates only the sin, never the sinner. If we acknowledge that God is the judge of all, we must also mourn the death of anyone sinful whoever he might be. After all, praying for the salvation of all souls, living or deceased, is the duty of all Christians.

Pure Love

        When we say we love someone or something in the world, that love is not selfless, as it always involves our receiving some form of gratification. Whereas the love of God for us is pure because it is unconditional ~ the Lord just wants to help and save us. Our love for God can be pure too, for when we truly love him, we happily let him do whatever he wants with us. 

Soul in Safety

        Communion experience on this Feast of St. Andrew, Apostle. When you are in Christ, you soul is absolutely safe and you can let everything else go.

Obedience Benefits

        When we obey God always, he takes care of all our foibles and tendencies to sin, preparing us for our journey back to him. Great joy for all!

Going to Extremes

        God goes to extremes in loving us.  So, as his children, we must also go to extremes in obeying him. "Like Father, like son," right? With God, it should be all or nothing. Otherwise, life loses its meaning.

Tug-of-War Life

        Life is a game of tug-of-war between you and God with you trying to tug away from him constantly. Once you realize that you cannot win and stop struggling, war ceases and peace prevails. Wise advice: Always let God win. 

Secret of Freedom

        Willingly give yourself and all you have for the sake of God and you soul will be burden free, ready to soar to God.

Letting-Go Time

        Communion experience. What a perfect time to hand myself and everything else over to God!

Same Union, Different Roles

        We are all different beings, each living in his own unique life situation. When we all become one with God, we shall all experience the intimacy of God, but continue to lead our lives differently. Each of us is called to serve God in a unique role. Let us trust in the same Lord and let him shape and lead each of us the way he knows best. All in God and all for God.