Secret to Greatness

        Today's entrance antiphon from Philippians 2: At the name of Jesus, every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on the earth and under the earth, for the Lord became obedient to death, death on a cross: therefore Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. The Communion antiphon from Matthew 20: The Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many. These verses give us the complete secret of being exalted by God. All we need to do is to be obedient to the Lord and serve him.

Reverse Outlook

        We don't happen to be here on earth somehow and then want to find God somewhere. Do you know that God knew us before we were formed in the womb? that we were created in his image? that we actually belonged to him? that we had strayed away from him and he had redeemed us again through Christ? that now we can return to him? and that we is awaiting us?

More Serious Sin

        Do you realize that when you idolize a pop star or any other human being, you also help building up his or her ego, thus making you sin even more serious?

*Even Greater Feeling

        I have said that it is a great feeling to know that you and God are on good terms. But it's an even much greater feeling to know that God has completely occupied you and you are now all his!

Infinite Kindness

        Communion experience. I felt as Peter did when he was awed by the power of Jesus, fell at his knees and said, "Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man." Yet the Lord came to me, asking me to receive and consume him.

Avoid Sinning

        I attended the Vigil Palm Sunday Mass. The long Gospel reading came from Matthew 26 and 27, telling about the betrayal by Judas, preparation for the Passover, the betrayer, the Lord's Supper, Peter's denial foretold, the agony in the garden, the betrayal and arrest of Jesus, Jesus before the Sanhedrin, Peter's denial of Jesus, Jesus before Pilate, the death of Judas, Jesus questioned by Pilate, the sentence of death, mockery by the soldiers, the way of the cross, the Crucifixion, the death of Jesus, the burial of Jesus, and the guard at the tomb. The Lord made me see that every sin we commit against him hurt him, and that we must avoid sinning with all our heart, all our mind, and all our soul.

The Human God

        The response at Mass was what Jesus cried out from the cross: "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" This completely revealed the human side of Jesus ~ so beautiful, so moving. Thanks and praise be to him forever!

*Sinner's Joy

        I am glad that I am a sinner. How so? You see, it's the realization that I am a sinner that makes me love Jesus my Savior!

Peace Eternal

        Attended Vigil Mass at St. Peter's Church in a city. I saw that once you are in union with Christ, the peace you experience in him is eternal. 

Who's the Boss?

        Before you know God, it's all up to you because you play him, controlling your own entire destiny. After you know and surrender to him, it's all up to him as he directs and leads you. It's from "all up to you" to "all up to God." It's all about "who's the boss?" 

Seeing It Both Ways

        If you encounter misfortune and ask God why it should fall on you, then you should also ask him the same question when good fortune comes to you. 

*How to Be Perfect Is . . .

the same as how to love God.         

God's Will Over Emotions

        As humans, we tend to follow our emotions and not our will. Since we can never go wrong by following God's will, it would be wise for us to do that exclusively to avoid being misguided by our own emotions.

Progress

        Once you have graduated from college, attending kindergarten would no longer be fun. Similarly, once you have known the heavenly Christ, the world becomes boring.

Home-Sweet-Home Feeing

      I used to pursue pleasures of the world, but now I feel good that God is my home. We all know that home-sweet-home feeling. But if your home is where God dwells, that has to be the sweetest home-sweet-home feeling. Indeed, there is no place like heaven, being home with God.

*Unforgettable Joy

        Communion experience. I was ready to let Jesus take me. It was an unbeatable upbeat and breathtakingly beautiful feeling! Now I knew why we should be so happy in heaven: because God feeds us with joy!

*Trust in God's Doing

       I attended Vigil Mass today. In the Gospel reading from John 11, we heard the raising of Lazarus. When Jesus heard that Lazarus was ill, he did not go to him for two days. Then when he arrived, Lazarus had already been in the tomb for 4 days. Both sisters of Lazarus said to Jesus, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died." Nevertheless, Jesus ordered that the stone be taken away from the tomb and cried out in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" The dead man came out, tied hand and foot with burial bands, and his face was wrapped in a cloth. Jesus knew all along that the illness of Lazarus was not to end in death, but was for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified through it.

        The important lesson here. We do not always know what God is doing, but we only need to know that he always knows what he is doing!

A Very Good Question

        If God came down from heaven to be born as one of us and then die in our place so that we might be saved and have eternal life, and we reject him, do you think that we still deserve heaven?