Do Not Misunderstand God

        Today's Communion antiphon, John 3.17: God did not send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world may be saved through him. So, relax. Jesus came to save us! Be afraid only if you reject him.

***God Challenging Us for a Reason

        John 5:17-30 was today's Gospel reading at Mass. Jesus succeeded in incensing the Jews, for he called God his own father, making himself equal to God. Reading the 14 verses confirms that the Jews heard him right. Jesus truly challenges us here again: we must say he is either equal to God or someone who doesn't know what he's talking about. There is no way out; we are cornered and must make a choice. We can evade everything else, but not this matter pertinent to our eternal survival. This is how compelling God can be for the sake of our salvation.

Let God Make You Beautiful

        It is most beautiful to let God transform you into a new spiritual being, beautiful for him to behold. The world worships physical beauty which can be a curse, for it can inflate the ego, fostering pride. When God makes you beautiful, you are beautiful indeed. And it's only what he thinks of you that matters. 

*Being Open-minded or Not

        In today's Gospel's reading from John 5, Jesus cured a man who had been ill for 38 years. The day was a sabbath. The Jews found out about it and instead of being curious about the miraculous healing, they began to persecute Jesus for doing it unlawfully on a sabbath. People who always find some fault with Jesus are the ones who do not want to believe in him in the first place. I met one person once who said that he could not believe in Christ because he referred to himself as the Son of Man, not as Son of God. This is something you can easily explain away. Anyway, to those who want to believe, everything comes together and there are no stumbling blocks. 

**Don't Ignore God

        God is not limited by time nor distance. He lives forever and is everywhere. As long as you open your heart to him, he enters to dwell within you. You could have been one who followed Christ while he was on earth 2,000 years ago; but if you hadn't allowed him to enter your heart, he remains outside of you. On the other hand, if today you who haven't even seen the Lord open your heart to him, he is all yours. God is always there, but we pass. Therefore, grab him while we can or we'll leave this world empty-handed.

Up to Us First

        We need to leave all things up to God, but it's up to us to make it happen or not – we hold the starting gun.

**Great Partnership

        In serving God, he accomplishes his will through us and we accomplish ours through him.

**One Great Feeling!

        Being aware that the Lord actually dwells in you in complete union with you.

**To Know God's Will

        We need to be patient for God to reveal any specific will he has for us. He does not want us to be anxious about anything, including knowing his will. More often than not, the revelation evolves over time and in the end, you know what he wants you to do and you feel right and comfortable about it. This is your reward for trusting in him. God is love, joy, and also peace.

Nosiness and Contentment

        Of these two, one is undesirable and the other desirable. The definition of nosiness is undue interest in the affairs of others; prying. The motivation here is not pure, so we must avoid wasting time being nosey about the affairs of others lest God is displeased. Contentment is feeling that you no longer lack anything after you already possess God. If you are still not happy with yourself or life, you are not happy with the Lord yet. 

God Makes the Big Difference

        Today I realize that Christ Jesus has made everything in life significant and meaningful for me; for this I am most grateful, not to mention a host of other much greater benefits or blessings. 

**Intention Over Execution

        Communion experience. I knew that my execution to be perfect was imperfect, but my intention to be perfect was good enough for the Lord and saved my day.

**A Question We Must Respond To

        We are all sinners and only God our creator can take away (forgive) our sins to make us clean again. Do we want to remain in sin and die with sins unforgiven or take care of them before we die? We must respond to this simple but critical and no-nonsense question before we die, the sooner the better.

***Complete Abandonment to God!

        The desire to be a saint or a martyr can originate from the ego too. The intention sounds good, but is it pure? If you wish to be a saint because you love God, that would be fine. On the other hand, if you want to be a martyr, God may wish you to live a long life instead! Therefore, the best attitude to assume is to desire the Lord's will only – you just trust in him and accept whatever he wishes you to do or be. This is total obedience and abandonment, the perfect Christian way, simple and most beautiful.  

*To Be Restored to Perfection

        We may not be addicted to something as bad as gamboling or narcotic drugs, but we can be addicted to things such as cussing, getting impatient, fishing, golf, video games, etc. In general, I do believe that we are all addicted to my own ego and acquiring material goods. In other words, we are all shackled or enslaved to various degrees, one way or another. Here's where we need God to enter our life (heart) to free us from all our shackles. We need to be restored to the way we should be as God's perfect children. Since nothing is impossible with God, it's up to us to make it happen.

*Most Incredible Mercy

        Again, today is Friday and I prayed the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary. I thought about Jesus who came into the world and got himself killed. Those who did it not just killed another human being, but unknowingly killed one who is the Lord God, our beloved creator! Jesus knew that this was going to happen to him, as he carried out the Father's plan of salvation for us. On the cross, he even prayed for those who put him to death – "Father, forgive them, they know not what they do." If they had repented, they would have been saved too. The mercy of our God is truly incredible!

*Bearing False Witness*

        In today's Gospel reading from Luke 11, Jesus drove out a demon that was mute and the mute man started to speak. Some in the the crowds falsely believed that it's by the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that the Lord drove out demons. This reminds me of today's leftist main stream media and politicians who knowingly ignore the facts and keep on accusing falsely those on the right they do not tolerate. This is a clear violation of God's 8th Commandment: You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. I pity those who keep on doing this relentlessly without repentance, for they doom themselves. 

**Our Big Folly*

        Communion time thoughts. Here's our living, eternal, holy God who is our creator and knows all about us. Here are also all of us, finite and sinful, who think that we'll do just fine on our own. Don't you see the utter folly of our posture? We are no better than those who crucified the Lord for whom he prayed on the cross, "Father, forgiven them, they know not what they do." We are a big bunch who does not know what we do either. (Note: Not all of us are like that – I am just trying to make my point.)