***God's Most Ardent Desire***

        In this morning's Gospel reading from John 17, Jesus prayed saying, "I pray not only for these, but also for those who will believe in me, so that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us," and "Father, they are your gift to me. I wish that where I am they also may be with me." 

        We now realize that we who believe in Jesus are God's gift to him, to whom God has entrusted us! God forbid that we should ever think that we are nobody and that the Lord doesn't care about us. This is confirmed by the fact that Jesus again prayed that we be one with him and the Father. Why isn't there much talk about seeking union with God today? We must not ignore this most ardent desire of our Lord, but embrace it with all our heart and soul! (I still highly recommend reading the book He and I by Gabrielle Bossis.)

*Meet the Soul Specialist

        I see so many people live without inner peace, for they are greatly affected by the usual things that happen to many of us. I realize that we are simply not taking full advantage of the Lord God who can turn each one of us into a mentally healthiest person! There are countless physicians and psychiatrists in the world, but there is only one who can deal with our soul in the entire universe, our God. Have him heal your soul, and your heart and mind would be made well as well.

**Do Be at Ease with God

        It is a common fear to believe that if you listen to God, he might make you do things against your will. This kind of fear or uneasiness is all caused by misunderstanding. You see, God already knows all about you, your strengths and weaknesses, your temperament, your personality . . . your everything! After all, he created you. So he will never want you to handle anything beyond your capability or readiness, for he knows what best suits you. Normally, he teaches you, nurtures you, and in time shows you the way to serve him. It can be a pleasant surprise, not what you would have expected, but he knows now you are ready. Therefore, trust in him always without fear!

Avoid Dying in Sin

        Never die in sin, that is, never die with sins still unremoved. To die when we are committing a sin is also embarrassing, to say the least. Remedies: (1) get your sins absolved as soon as possible and (2) do not sin in the first place. Sound advice: seek union with God to remove your tendency to sin.

Private Joy in God

        Communion experience. Realizing my absolute security in the Lord, I couldn't help smiling a little bit.

*Better than a Grain of Wheat

        Today's Communion antiphon was John 12.24. Jesus said, "Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit." Aren't we all better than a grain of wheat? When we let our old self die in Christ, he will surely make us anew to become abundantly fruitful. As nothing is impossible with God, never limit him or yourself! 

***Breaking Through to God!

        In today's Gospel reading from John 17, Jesus prayed to the Father for his disciples, "Holy Father, keep them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are one" and "Consecrate them in the truth. I consecrate myself for them, so that they also may be consecrated in truth." Here Jesus shows his desire for us to be in union with him and the Father, and that we need to have God consecrate us. It all comes down to offering ourselves up to God – the ultimate move we need to make to break free from the world to belong to God. 

**Preparing for Meeting God

        I believe that when God judges us, he would first see how much time and effort we devote to living for him as opposed to living for ourselves on earth. And he may very well ask us how we died, knowing fully well the answer. Say you died because you got really angry at someone, threw a big tantrum, and subsequently suffered a fatal heart attack – wouldn't you be embarrassed to tell the Lord that's how you died? Therefore, never do anything that would make you look so foolish when you appear before God. And remember that we could leave this world at any time.

No Less than the Apostles

        Communion experience. What I received was exactly what the Apostles received at the Last Supper from the Lord: the Lord himself. 

***My God Forever and Ever

        Today's entrance antiphon came from Revelation 1: Do not be afraid. I am the first and the last, the one who lives. Once I was dead, but now I am alive forever and ever. What attracts me to the Lord is his forever-and-ever-ness. When he settles your problem, it is settled once and for all. When he forgives you, you are forgiven totally. When he promises you eternal life, you can always depend upon him. When you are saved, you are going to live with him in heaven forever and ever! It is the certainty and trustworthiness that draws me to him. How good it is to know that he is and will be my God forever and ever!

**Recipe for Peace

        If you live a self-centered life, that is, you always follow your own wishes, I can guarantee that you'll never have peace. Wanting to have everything your way is to shackle yourself to everything. To follow Christ is to live a God-centered life. Now you are free because you no longer need to play God who is now taking care of you. I am telling you because I've gone through all this and know what I am saying. The peace you receive is worth giving up everything in the world for. Basically, it comes down to the truth that God is worth giving up yourself for.

**Love at Any Cost*

        In meditating upon the sorrowful mysteries of the rosary today, I realized that the Lord had gone through his Passion – so much suffering! – just to make it easy for us to be saved. Love does not count the cost. I pray that we all will realize and appreciate this.

The Healing Lord

        Communion experience. I developed a big cyst on my cheek, probably caused by exposure to sunlight over the years. The doctor operated on it and prescribed an antibiotic for me to take, and healing has taken place. As I received the Holy Eucharist, I knew that Jesus entered me physically and healing was going to take place spiritually.

**Our Greatest Achievement*

        Seeking union with God is the way to know and understand God fully. We become one with the one who made us and knows everything! This has to be our greatest achievement, for we actually cease rebelling against God and let him do what he wishes. It is most satisfying because our deepest desire is also fulfilled. It is beautiful because we are helping restoring order and harmony to the world.     

***Experiencing the Holy Spirit

        In today's reading 1 from Acts 19, Paul found some disciples in Ephesus. He baptized them in the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. The Holy Spirit is to be experienced. If you do not feel anything, how can you be sure that it is the Holy Spirit, not yourself, who prompts you to do something. There has to be come kind of personal connection between the Spirit and you, for the Lord Spirit is the living God. Again, to know that it's always the Spirit motivating you, seek to attain union with God and you'll experience the presence of the indwelling Holy spirit within.

**Lazy Nonbelievers

        People do not bother to believe in Christ, not necessarily because it's hard to believe that he is our Savior, but because it's just so easy to live without any faith. These are the ones who have fallen into the trap of living from day to day, being too lazy to think seriously about life eternal. 

*One Union Benefit

        In union with God, you are always acutely aware of God's presence. Therefore, it's possible to live every moment of your life for the Lord. A great blessing.

***Know Only Jesus

        Today's Communion acclamation, 1 Corinthians 2.2: I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. Jesus is truly the only one we need to know well to give our existence meaning and purpose and hope; everything else relative to him is merely peripheral. My view may be extreme, but I am being completely rational.