Mankind's Lows

        Here are three examples: (1) Coyotes smuggle poor Latin American immigrants into US for a hefty fee (often borrowed money or their entire savings) and abandon them across the border. (2) Recently, thieves looted evacuated homes and stores in Florida during Hurricane Irma. (3) Now, Whole Woman's Health, a reproductive health care organization is offering free abortions to women affected by Hurricane Harvey. Is this compassion? Don't they realize that abortion can affect a women more catastrophically than a hurricane? Abortion also destroys a new life, period. Does it ever occur to these callous people that a hurricane could be God's warning for being anti-life? (In case you missed my post Abortion Horrendous of November 28 last year, you may read it here.) 

Standing by Christ

        In today's Communion antiphon, Luke 22.28-30: Jesus said to his disciples, "It is you who have stood by me in my trials; and I confer a kingdom on you that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom." To stand by Christ in his trials is to know what causes him to suffer and do our best to alleviate his sufferings. This is following the Lord, requiring us to deny ourselves and take up our cross. To stand by him is the duty of and appointed task for all his followers.

True Kindness

        We are kind to others, then they don't care and we get upset. Here is the right and enlightened way. Be kind to others for the sake of Christ only, so you no longer care about if they appreciate you or not. Now you are being truly kind.

All Up to Us

        God always loves us. If we reject him, it's because we choose to do so. God takes us seriously (he even died for us). If we don't take him seriously, it's because we choose to do so. The ball is always in our court.

Two Extreme Cases

        (1) We keep ignoring Christ, time passes quickly and our life is over, over for good. 

       (2) We know that Christ will reward us for everything we do for his glory, no matter how minute. We remain faithful and keep building up our treasures in heaven. When life is over, we'll be where our treasures are.

**Freedom, Peace, and Joy*

        These are the three great gifts (rewards) of union with God. I list freedom first because it is a distinctive feature. It is God, the Truth, setting you free. All other so-called freedoms are man-made, not God-given. Freedom in God is absolute freedom, the freedom to do whatever you want in God's infinite space, resulting from being attached to God alone. Peace follows freedom. This is a deep-seated peace grounded in deep faith with the knowledge that your soul is safe in him. Joy is the joy that surpasses all understanding. It comes and goes as the Lord pleases. When it comes, it is powerful and intoxicating, affecting the soul. To paint a picture of these three gifts, I see peace as a calm lake with hardly any ripples on the surface, freedom as the refreshing air and cool breezes that circulate freely around the lake, and joy as an occasional dazzling light that appears over the lake, brightening the entire landscape.    

*Christian Sorrow

        Today is the Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows. At the presentation of the child Jesus at the temple, Simeon, a righteous and devout man awaiting the consolation of Israel, in the Holy Spirit prophesied to Mary that the child was destined for the ruin and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign of contradiction, and that a sword would piece Mary's own soul (Luke 2.35). Of course, later Mary did eyewitness the sufferings her own son underwent, all the way through his crucifixion. The great sorrow she experienced was a holy sorrow. I used the adjective "holy" to distinguish it from the sorrow of anyone who does not know God and has lost a loved one. In this case, the sorrow is not pure, for the person also feels sorry for himself, lamenting over his own loss. The Christian focuses upon the will of God and the departed. If the soul is heaven bound, sorrow would be lined with joy. If there is any uncertainty, he would share the sorrow with the Lord. Yes, every Christian sorrow no matter how great has a silver lining, provided by the joy of the Resurrection of Christ.

Empowered by God

        Communion experience. The Lord entered me not only to purify and heal my heart but also to give me the power to live a triumphant life in serving him. At the end of Mass, Fr. S. blessed each of us with a relic of the Holy Cross and I felt greatly fortified.

Intention of God Revealed

        Today is the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. In the Gospel reading from John 3, Jesus said to Nicodemus: "No one has gone up to heaven except the one who has come down from heaven, the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life." John added: "God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him." The intention of God is clearly revealed here and we need to know it well.

**Tragedy to Avoid*

        It was tragic that eight elderly residents at a Florida nursing just died from excessive heat and high humidity after Hurricane Irma knocked out the air conditioning system. People die tragically everyday around the world. All of us are going to die, tragically or not. What matters more than the death of the physical body is where the soul goes after death. There is absolutely nothing more tragic than the soul getting separated from God for all eternity!  

*Easy Way With or Without God*

        To sin is easy, no effort required on your part. To become holy, you would need God's help, for only he can take away your sins. You may remain living with your sins; but if you wish to become holy and have the best possible future, make the effort to turn to God for help and he will take over and help you accomplish what you wish for. This effort you need to make is just that initial decision, for the rest is taken care by God. Both ways are easy, so choose wisely.

Humility and Obedience Must-Have!

        To want to be holy, to please God, to get into heaven . . . all these things must be taken seriously. For Catholics, humility and obedience are absolutely necessary. Humility means that we are willing to submit ourselves to God, and obedience means obeying all of the teachings of Jesus and his Holy Church. We may not succeed in reality, but the intention must be in us. Seeking union with God so that he may help us succeed is definitely the way to go.

Made Wholeheartedly Whole

        Communion experience. The heart can be unclean and/or wounded. Jesus enters the heart, washing it clean and healing all its wounds. The soul is now whole when the heart is made whole.

*God Is Ready

        God has already shown his love for us to respond to him. God has already clear the way for us to return to him. God is already merciful for us to repent our sins to him. God is ready to lead us to eternal happiness for us to follow. God is ready to be one with us for us to invite him in. God is ready to teach us for us to open up our hearts. God is already most beautiful for us to discover and enjoy. 

***Right Attitude for Salvation

        I know Christians who choose not to follow certain counsels of Christ. For example, they would not forgive someone they dislike, they just can't. Yes, forgiving your enemy can be most difficult, but deciding not to forgive is going directly against the will of God – certainly the wrong attitude. The smart, right attitude is to tell God it's hard for you to follow his will, but admit that he is right and you need his help. This change of heart exhibiting humility is absolutely crucial to your ultimate salvation.

Motivation Behind Helping

        If you help someone and the person does not show any appreciation, and you get annoyed or upset, then you only helped to please yourself. But if you help anyone for love of God, then, appreciation or no appreciation, you remain in peace, for you only expect to receive your reward in heaven. Anyhow, it's best not to think about your reward now at all and let God surprise you later.

Most Difficult for Mankind

        To change ourselves for the better as a person has to be one of the most difficult things for us to do. Even though we know our faults and sins and wish to change, it's no easy task. Otherwise, the world, the nations, our societies, and all families would be in much better shape. It is the ego, the pride, that grips us. I believe that in general, men are more wont to be their own master than women. The Lord God is the only one who can fundamentally change us – after all he is our creator. But we still need to yield our heart to him first. Again, humility is a must to get the ball rolling. 

*Making God Beautiful

        God remains beautiful as always. Naturally, those who do not wish to look his way do not get to see any of his beauty, but for those who love the Lord, the more they get to know him, the more beautiful he appears to them. Thus, in a way you can say that God can be as beautiful as we make him to be.