*Mutually Exclusive Worlds

        After hearing today's Gospel reading from John 17, I saw that we either belong to the world or belong to God. Those who belong to the world hates those who belong to God. The distinction or separation between these two classes couldn't be any greater. Again, a mental image surfaced in my mind. I see all those who belong to the world bobbing in an ocean (the world). Many of them are practically totally immersed, while others are still afloat at various depths. Those who belong to God are being held up by him high above the ocean. So it's either you are wet or you are dry.

*God Is My Wall

        Communion experience. It's easy for us to build a wall around us to keep God out partially or completely. Having received the Lord, now he's become my wall. This is not a wall to keep me in, for there is only emptiness outside of it; this is more a wall to keep me safe for me to remain firmly in the Lord.

**How the Holy Spirit Teaches

        Today's Communion antiphon, John 14.26: The Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and remind you of all I have told you, says the Lord. When the Holy Spirit teaches you, you don't need to think hard nor memorize anything – the lesson is right there deposited in your heart. What a delight! And whatever he teaches is always refreshing and uplifting.       

**Ultimate Disorder

        God's infinite mercy is ours for the asking. He waits patiently for us to acknowledge his presence or even just a glance in his direction. And he longs to be in union with us! How do we respond? We ignore him most of the time. Some of us couldn't care less and some even claim that he is dead! Sin has blinded our eyes, poisoned our brains, and fouled our hearts. This has to be the ultimate disorder. Alas, any generation that forgets that it is at the mercy of God is indeed a lost one. 

*Transforming the Heart

        Again, I'd like to reiterate that only God has the power to fundamentally transform us by giving us a new heart. To bring about inner changes in ourselves, we can try hard on our own or seek help from fellow humans, but without involving God, any changes effected are necessarily superficial or short-lived. Since it is sin that causes us to lose inner peace and God our creator is the only one who can remove our sins and reach into our hearts, he has to be the only one who can fundamentally transform us. Naturally, it goes without saying that we must invite him to enter our hearts first before he can bring about any changes.

Worthy to Be Trusted

        Today's entrance antiphon from Revelation 1: I am the first and the last, the one who lives. Once I was dead, but now I am alive forever and ever, says the Lord. I have complete confidence in the one who remains alive forever. Again, it's time for rejoicing!

Perfect Fit

        Communion experience. I experienced the Lord as my perfect fit, for we were most comfortable with each other. 

**Union With God Clarified

        It is wrong to think that in union with God, you are no longer free to do whatever you want to do. On the contrary, in union with God, you are free to do anything you want to do plus that you don't ever want to offend God again! 

*Common Sense Advice

        Two more or less related thoughts. (1) Unless you are certain that Jesus is not trustworthy, you'd better pay serious attention to all that he has said. (2) Since you do not know what might happen to you next, you'd better place yourself completely in God's hands.

*To Remain in God's Love

        Today is the feast of Saint Matthias, Apostle. In the Gospel reading from John 15, Jesus asked his disciples to remain in his love. Attain union with him and you'll be remaining in his love.

***Sign You Are Free

        There are still people who plan their own funeral to make sure that it would be impressive. It only shows that their soul is still enslaved. If you eagerly look forward to meeting God, you are truly free.

Our Primary Concern

        I see people with everything and people with nothing in this world. Life can be so different for different people on this earth. Then I realize that all this in such a short span of time really doesn't matter much, for everyone will enter eternity either to be with God forever or to be separated from him forever. It is the forever part that we need to be primarily concerned about.  

It Will Have to Happen!

      Today we celebrated The Ascension of the Lord in my parish. Now that we know Christ is God our creator, we see that his Resurrection and Ascension just had to happen. And I have no doubt that his coming again to judge us all will have to take place also in time.

**On Carrying Your Own Cross

       Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me." Today the Lord made me see a couple of new things. First, taking up the cross is clearly carrying a burden, but the Lord wants us to do it willingly, even lovingly, and full of hope! Look at Jesus carrying his own cross on the way to Golgotha, he suffered great agony, but he never complained or became depressed. Secondly, some of the crosses we can actually ask the Lord to take away for his glory. For example, a loved one has not opened up to Christ and you feel the heavy burden. Naturally, you pray hard for him for the glory of God; but indirectly, you are asking him to take away that cross. I now see Jesus both as a cross-bearer and a cross-remover.

*Bread From Heaven

        Communion experience. If you believe that receiving the Lord is receiving pure love, then after absorbing and assimilating it you will become more like him.

**Union Privileges

        In today's Gospel reading from John 16, Jesus, with his impending death and resurrection in mind, said to his disciples: "You will weep and mourn, while the world rejoices; you will grieve, but your grief will become joy. I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you. On that day you will not question me about anything." I'd like to testify that once you attain union with the Lord, the joy of his Resurrection overcomes all your sorrows and you experience such contentment that you no longer question him about anything anymore.

Our New Movement

        I don't consider myself a political person. But I now sense a movement that has begun among the black Americans which can potentially turn into a tidal wave, even influencing the world globally. As you know, some 95% of black American today support the Democrats, although they were all Republicans the early part of last century. (To learn about what happened, it's worth listening to some of Dinesh D'Souza's talks on YouTube.) The bright young star of this movement is Candace Owens whom you can also watch on YouTube. The goal of the movement is to make the black Americans see that they should not blindly follow what the politicians on the left (who care only about getting their votes) and the liberal media tell them – which is that they are the victims and the government will always help them. The plain fact under the rule of Democrats has been that more black families break up, go on food stamps, become unemployed, abort more babies, and die from gang violence. They are now beginning to wake up, realizing that they needn't choose to be victims, that they should not always do what they're told, and that they can think for themselves and form their own opinions. This is just the beginning, but the trend is already clear.

         As Christians, we should likewise cut off listening to the world and place our entire focus upon following Jesus Christ. Let this be our new movement.

Whom Can We Trust?

        Really, outside God, whom can we truly rely upon? Our president? Friends? Ourselves? Another human being? I think not. Go through the process of elimination and you can't help ending up with God alone.