Do Things More God's Way

        Today is Mother's Day. Many mothers receive good wishes, presents, and special treats. All this is fine. My thoughts are that we almost always follow customs and traditions or do things simply to fulfill our social obligations. But our ways are not usually God's ways. Since God is concerned about saving souls most, it should be proper and fitting that we always do things with the salvation of souls in mind foremost as Christians should.

*No Concern About Heaven*

        If you know you are heaven bound, you are most probably right. If you know you are headed for hell instead, you are most probably correct too. What if you are not sure where you'll end up? You are right again. Play it safe by following Christ closely and you needn't be concerned about heaven and hell anymore?

*Becoming Wise Growing Old

        Some scientists come to believe in God as they discover unending scientific wonders, while other scientists come to believe that science can provide answers to all our questions and we no longer need God. What about us who believe in God and are aging rapidly? I know oldsters who have grown so set in their ways that they no longer wish to change in any way, while other aging believers realize that they would have to rely upon God more and more, and finally start to abandon themselves to God. The latter are surely being wise.

**Jesus Is One with the Father

        In today's Gospel reading from John 14, Jesus said to his disciples, "Whatever you ask in my name, I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything of me in my name, I will do it." Perhaps it would sound more "right" to hear Jesus say "Whatever you ask the Father in my name, the Father will do it" and "If you ask anything of the Father in my name, he will do it." The way Jesus said them only shows that he and the Father are truly one. The Father could have said all that to us.

***Most Beautiful Communication

        John 31B-32, today's Gospel acclamation: If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, says the Lord. When you listen to the Lord and obey him, you get to know him. Since he is the truth, to know him is to know the truth. This is logical. I can also vouch for this truth from my own experience. After I got to know the Lord most intimately, he let me know who he is. When God lets you know something, you just know without any doubt, for he plants it right in your heart as only he as your creator can. You now know that he is in you. This makes you fall in love with him even more! 

*Best Acts of Charity

        People show their love in different ways. Some call you often to see how you are doing; some tell you that they love you or send you presents; some don't say much but always do things for you; still others may donate money or just pray for you. Which way is best? That depends upon the motivation behind the deed. All acts done for the sake of the Lord God meaningful to him would have to be ranked best.

**Opposite Views

       Foolish Living: Going all out to satisfy the desire for pleasure and gain, but living without inner peace. Eternity uncertain.

          Wise Living: Casting aside the desire for worldly things and living a life known and pleasing to God only in peace and joy. Eternity locked in with Christ.

         The foolish ones view the wise ones as boring people and feel sorry for them for not knowing how to enjoy life, while the wise ones think that the foolish ones are, well, foolish, and feel sorry that they don't take care of their own souls.

***Truth Before Our Eyes!

        In today's Gospel reading from John 14, Jesus said to his disciples, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." Wow! This has to be one of Jesus' boldest proclamations. It compels us to listen up. "He is the way" tells us that we must follow him to know where we are going. He is our true guide. "He is the truth" tells us that he is the absolute reality. And "He is the life" lets us know that we can have eternal life through him. We always look for things to satisfy ourselves in this life. Jesus is right here telling us that we only need to seek and follow him to be satisfied for all eternity!

**Reason Jesus Is Not Welcomed

        In logic, if a hypothesis leads to a conclusion, then negating the conclusion would necessarily negate the hypothesis. For example, if it is raining, the grass would be wet. If the grass is not wet, then it cannot be raining. The conclusion is irrefutable. Jesus has said in Mark 2 and Luke 5 that he had come not to call the righteous to repentance but sinners. If we are all righteous, we would have no fear and welcome Jesus. But since so many of us avoid facing him, it must be that they are sinners afraid for themselves. Logic does not lie. 

***We're Being Tested Again

          In today's Gospel reading from John 12, Jesus continued, "If anyone hears my words and does not observe them, I do not condemn him, for I did not come to condemn the world but to save the world. Whoever rejects me and does not accept my words has something to judge him: the word that I spoke, it will condemn him on the last day, because I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and speak."

        These sayings are important for us to understand. Jesus did not come to condemn us. He came to tell us what we should and should not do and left the decision to us. It's like God telling Adam that he's free to eat from any of the trees of the garden except the tree of knowledge of good and evil. When Adam and Eve chose to disobey God, they ended up dying. Now we are being tested again by God. He is giving us a second chance. If we hold fast onto Christ, then we are surely to pass the test. Note that there won't be another second chance this time!

**Jesus as Our Light

        In today's Gospel reading from John 12, Jesus said, "I came into the world as light, so that everyone who believes in me might not remain in darkness." I see Jesus as the light that illuminates my mind, dispels the darkness around me, exposes what's in my heart that should be removed, and reveals the way to union with him.

**In God's Household

        If we believe in Jesus, we must see that he uses us to further his kingdom on earth and attune ourselves to the Holy Spirit. If we presume that the Lord is not going to speak to us, of course, we won't hear from him. But if we are all ears and eager to hear from him, we will hear his voice. It is an honor, privilege, and joy to know that the Holy Spirit is with you and that you belong to God's household.

***The Sin We Must Repent Of

       Historically, the world wars, the Holocaust, revolutions, genocides, dictatorial regimes, etc., have killed millions and millions of lives, and we are appalled. Yet most of us seem to have acquiesced to the even greater nonstop killing of the unborn worldwide. Perhaps because the killing is silent and has been legalized by many governments. But this direct and willful termination of life is undeniably denying that God is the author of life and that he loves us and commands us not to kill. In the case of the unborn, the victim is not only innocent, but also defenseless. This has to be a cruelest sin we can possibly commit against God. For this sin alone, we need to repent to God to avoid any further chastisement and damnation of the soul.  

**The Great Split Warning*

        We are all marching toward death, and when we face death, there'll be two paths waiting for us. One will take us to heaven and the other to hell. I am just putting up a road sign to warn you of what you might run into ahead. Follow Christ now and I'll change the sign to point to heaven only. Warning of the split is no longer necessary. 

***Time for Church to Repent***

        Repentance is the key to entering the kingdom of heaven. Christ teaches that and the Church teaches that. Sadly, the Church is not practicing what it preaches. Shouldn't the authorities of the Church to be our shining example openly repent of their corruption, covering up scandals, being timid in condemning and stopping evil such as abortion, failure in teaching the truth such as the real presence of the Lord in the Holy Eucharist, being lax in evangelizing souls, trying to be political correct instead of following only Christ? I am not here to judge . . . I am only echoing what many faithful Catholics feel about the Church today. Repentance is required of every sinner on this earth, even non-Christians.

***Praising the Lord!

        Today the Lord of Christ lets me see clearly that he is our God, our Light, our Guide, our Model, and our Judge. No one can possibly bypass or hide from him. He is the absolute reality. Blessed are we to have such a God who also loves and understands us. Without him, we are utterly lost. With him, we gain everlasting life. I rejoice that he called me and that following him has been an immense joy. 

**Good News Becomes Great News*

        In today's Gospel reading from John 10, Jesus said, "My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. No one can take them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one can take them out of the Father's hand. The Father and I are one." Knowing that we shall never perish is already such good news. Knowing that no one can possibly take us out of the Father's hand makes the good news even better. That we can become one with the Father and the Son has got to be the best icing on the cake.

**Why Christianity Is not Winning

        In today's first reading from Acts 11, the disciples went as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, proclaiming the Lord Jesus. A great number believed and turned to the Lord. I am wondering why this is not happening today. First I thought that everyone pretty much has heard about Jesus, so it's nothing new to get excited about anymore. Then I realized that it's because of the allure of the the well-developed material society on the one hand and the lack of zeal and spirit in most Christians on the other hand. Ultimately, it is the lukewarm Church that's responsible for the present situation. If we can be as excited and spirited about our faith as the early Christians, the world would be a lot different today. We have not abandoned ourselves in the Lord completely. Perhaps this is also why we do not see that many miracles being performed today. Only a total recommitment to the Lord by the Church and all of us can turn things around.