**A Matter of Awakening

        In today's Gospel reading from Mark 2, some scribes who were Pharisees saw that Jesus was eating with sinners and tax collectors and said to his disciples, "Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?" Jesus heard this and said to them, "Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners." I believe that all of us know that we are not perfect and holy, which means that we are sinners and need God's mercy to be saved by him. This becomes increasingly clear to me as I age. Unfortunately, most people live so much for this life that the need for salvation just doesn't occur to them until things go really badly or their life is under threat. Some awaken early and some later; still, others never do. I hope this message will help awakening those who are still asleep.

**Obedience to God First

        In today's Gospel reading from Mark 1, Jesus healed a leper and said to him, "See that you tell no one anything, but go show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleaning what Moses prescribed." The man went away and began to publicize the whole matter. He spread the report so much that it was impossible for Jesus to enter a town openly. Here is a case of emotion overriding obedience to the Lord. The other instance I recall appears in Matthew 16. After Jesus first revealed to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem, suffer greatly, and be killed and then be raised, Peter rebuked him, "God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you." Jesus turned to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do." We human beings are so used to following our emotion and forgetting what God wants us to do. Self-directed emotion must be set aside to clear the way for total obedience to the Lord.

On Not Accepting Christ

        It is only fair that you do not reject Christ before you even had a chance to taste him. If you see a dish of possibly delicious food served, you'll never know if it truly tastes good or not until you have tried tasting it. But I do suspect that people reject Christ mostly because they are not ready to deal with their sinful state yet.

*Incredible Union

        Communion experience. The Most Holy One entered me to be one with me, a sinner!

**Living the Interior Life*

        In union with God, you commune with the Lord dwelling in your heart. He speaks and you believe. It is cherishing and enjoying the Lord in secret in the most intimate way.

Great Principles of Living

           (1) Focus upon Christ so that you would have no time (desire) to sin.

        (2) Next, abandon yourself completely in him. (That is, rely upon him for all things.)

*Most Beautiful Act

        When Jesus saw Peter and his brother Andrew fishing at the Sea of Galilee, he said to them, "Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men." At once they left their nets and followed him. Likewise he called the two brothers James and John in a boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets. Immediately they left their boat and their father and followed him. Peter, Andrew, James, and John are models for us to follow. Responding to God's call immediately without hesitation is the most beautiful act we can perform this side of heaven. There is nothing more rewarding than pleasing our Father. 

*Our Lovable Lord

      We are simple human, limited in what we can do, while the Lord God is boundless in what he can do and is so high above us that his infinity and greatness are beyond our comprehension. To think that we know so much that we don't need him anymore is sheer folly! Do you keep your own heart beating and your own lungs pumping? If you think so, then how come you have absolutely no control over them?

        If a human friend donates an organ to save your life, you would feel grateful and treat the donor as one of your best friends. Now God has donated his own life so that you may live for all eternity! Shouldn't you at the very least treat him as a friend too?

        Our God is completely approachable. Whatever barrier there is between him and you is set up by you, not him. He has so made us that we can never be truly happy until we find and rest in him. He has really given us all he can possibly give us, and is ready to enter union with us. This is our most lovable Lord.      

**Pay God Full Attention

        I've been advocating focusing upon God alone under all circumstances. Even in petitioning for a favor from God, concentrate upon him and not think about our problem or wonder if, when, or how he is going to grant our request. Do not let anything detract your attention from the Lord one iota.

*God Most Awesome!

        I am most impressed by Christ the Lord who came into the world, but did not treat us as if we were lowly creatures and he was the high and mighty God. On the contrary, he lived among us and suffered for us as the meekest and humblest servant of us all. This is why to me he is awe-inspiring!

Believe and You'll Know

        Jesus Christ is the Son of God who for us and for our salvation came down from heaven and became one of us. If you are not sure that this is true, that's because you do not have faith in him yet. What's amazing is that when you believe in him first, he will let your know in your heart without a doubt that this is true.

***Our Duty

        Today is The Baptism of the Lord/Feast. Reading 1 was chosen from Isaiah 55, containing these two verses, 8 & 9: For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the LORD. As high as the heavens are above the earth so high are my ways above your ways and my thoughts above your thoughts. With this understanding, we should never question the Lord why this or why that, for his understanding and comprehension of all things is infinitely superior to ours. While he knows the past and sees the future, we only think that we know what we can sense at any moment. Our duty is to believe, trust, and follow the Lord, the God of Christ.

Fusing Together

        Communion experience. As the Host melted in my mouth, Jesus melted my entire being with his love. And we fused into one.

***On Loving God

        Since God is infinite and forever, you can never love God enough. But we can love him as much as possible by surrendering ourselves to him as much as possible!

***Only Way to Live

        We can only live in the present, for the past is gone and the future not here yet. Therefore, to ensure that we'll have the best possible future, live every moment now for the sake of Christ the Lord. There's no better way to live!

Enjoying God to the Full

        When you let God into your life, wonderful things happen. He becomes an integral part of you. What a wonderful feeling when he cleanses or transforms you! How sweet it is to hear his voice in your own heart! How soothing it is to be humbled by him and exhilarating to be exalted by him! Let him immerse you completely in his love so that you may enjoy him to the fullest!

**Perfect Rest for Eternity

        Today is the Epiphany of the Lord, commemorating the manifestation of Christ to the gentiles when the Magi paid homage to the infant Jesus. Epiphany means "a showing forth." My personal epiphany today is realizing that in Christ we have our perfect rest. When we rest in him, our sins are removed, our heart purified, our soul healed, our spirit freed, our eternity settled, all our burden lifted, and our peace restored. We fulfill both God's desire and our own secret wish. We are now completed by him.

Tragedy and Loss

        It can be considered a tragedy if you let the time of your life pass without seeking to achieve union with God. And I also consider it a big loss if one never gets the chance to receive the Lord present in the Holy Eucharist.