Again, on this Friday I prayed the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Holy Rosary. Jesus was hurt so much by those who falsely accused, scourged, ridiculed, insulted, and crucified him. Do you know that every time we sin, even though we do not hurt him physically, we likewise cause pain and agony to his heart? What basically hurt the Lord the most are ingratitude, not taking him seriously, hardened hearts, and disobedience.
Friday, January 19, 2018
Thursday, January 18, 2018
***Our Ideal Journey
I see God as a wonderland for us to lose ourselves in, as it's an infinite space to explore, discover, and enjoy. Ideally, we should be aware of the Lord's dwelling in us and our dwelling in him and let the Holy Spirit initiate all our actions. Then everything will come forth from us naturally, following God's will. Of course, as humans, we always fall short. We fall asleep even as we pray or our thoughts wander even during Mass. Again, intention counts. I don't like to say that we should "strive" to be perfect, because the effective and right approach is to rest in the Lord even more, giving him the freedom to mold and shape us. This is taking advantage of the fact that nothing is impossible with him. Following Christ is truly exciting and relaxing at the same time. It's a unique journey.
Wednesday, January 17, 2018
*To Be Perfect
Today's alternate Communion antiphon, Matthew 19.21: If you would be perfect, go, sell what you have, give to the poor, and follow me, says the Lord to the young man who wished to gain eternal life. If we do not actually do as advised by the Lord, we should at least be detached from all material goods to the point that we would be willing to give them up if need be. Again, intention comes into play.
Pitiful Generation
In today's Gospel reading from Mark 3, the Pharisees watched closely to see if Jesus would cure a man with a withered hand on the sabbath so that they might accuse him. He asked them, "Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?" But they remained silent. Looking around at them with anger and grieved at their hardness of heart, Jesus restored the hand of the man. The Pharisees went out and immediately took counsel with the Herodians against him to put him to death. The generation today is like the Pharisees. Their hearts are hardened to the point that they no longer listen to reason. They act as if they are the righteous ones knowing more than God. How foolish can you be?
Intention, Not Words
Jesus healed so many who were sick and disabled. None of them who asked to be healed used too many words; they just said, "Have pity on me," "I want to see," or something like that. It shows me that intention and faith count, not how many words we use. It's so good that the Lords knows our intention right away (all along).
Tuesday, January 16, 2018
**Who Is Jesus?*
Our church is running the Alpha program. It consists of 11 sessions. Each session starts with a video presentation, followed by discussion in small groups. Today's second video presentation "Who Is Jesus?" is quite powerful. In fact, one participant commented afterwards that it hit him like a ton of bricks! If you are still not convinced about Jesus, watch this video to be challenged intellectually.
Our Return to God on Earth
Communion thought. Receiving the Holy Eucharist and attaining union with God is reaching an endpoint in life. It ends our return to God on earth.
Our Heart's Concerns
In today's reading 1 from 1 Samuel 16, God sent Samuel to Jesse of Bethlehem to find the future king among his sons. The Lord told Samuel that while man judges from the appearance or lofty stature, he looks into the heart. While Samuel was impressed by the appearance of some of the seven sons present, the Lord did not chose any of them. Then Samuel had Jesse send for the youngest son, David, who was tending sheep. When he was brought to them, the Lord said to Samuel, "There – anoint him, for this is he!" Observations. First, God already knew whom to pick for what role. Secondly, God looked into the heart. Therefore, we must (1) trust in God's role for us and (2) make sure that our heart is presentable to him.
Monday, January 15, 2018
*What's Most Beautiful
There are many beautiful sights to see and beautiful sounds to hear, but what's most beautiful is the love of God which can touch our innermost soul.
***The God You Must Know***
The love of God is crushing yet most sweet. And when you yield yourself totally to him, you experience the greatest possible freedom! This amazing God, the God of Christ, you must seek out, get to know, fall in love with, and hold onto forever!
No Room for Sins
Communion experience. In receiving the Holy Eucharist, the Lord filled my soul to the full, dispelling all my sins.
Good Enough to Know
We do not understand many things well, the Lord God himself included, but it is good enough for us to know that the Lord God understands us and loves us.
God's Tireless Arms
Here is another mental picture I see. God full of love has his arms tirelessly outstretched, waiting patiently for us to go to him to be embraced by him. Many of us couldn't care less and don't even glance his way. Again, it is us who resist or ignore God, the God of Christ. Do not blame Satan. For Satan is an opportunist and sees you as a target only when you make yourself noticeable to him. Let God embrace you and you become invisible to Satan. My advice: Run to God while you still can!
No Melancholy Christian
In today's Gospel reading from Mark 2, people came to Jesus and asked, "Why do the disciples of John and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not?" Jesus answered them, "Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast. But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast on that day." We now know that Christ is with us always until the end of the age (read the last verse of Matthew), and we realize this especially when we receive him in the Holy Eucharist. Therefore, as disciples of the Lord, we experience constant joy. Anyone who is melancholy cannot be possibly be a genuine disciple.
*Perfect Justice
Each one of us comes from a different background, receives an individual upbringing, and lives in a unique set of circumstances. When God, the only one who knows our soul, judges us, he takes all that into consideration and whatever we receive is exactly what we deserve. Therefore, his justice is perfect.
Sunday, January 14, 2018
How To Change the World
Someone I know suffers greatly in an unhappy marriage. The thing is you cannot make anyone live up to your expectations, as only God can fundamentally change a person. To make it happen, you must petition God, and before that, you must ask him to change yourself first if you wish to be taken seriously. The reason the world, the nations, the cities, the communities, and the families are in such chaos and disorder is because the interior of so many individuals is in chaos and disorder. Almost everyone nowadays is so busy judging and blaming others that hardly anyone bothers to examine his own conscience anymore. Here is another awakening we need to bring peace to the world.
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