*****Harnessing the Power of the Holy Spirit

         Thought about the Holy Spirit this morning while walking outside. The Holy Spirit is most powerful, yet most gentle. You can easily shut him out, for God respects your free will. But if you open up to become completely receptive to him, he will totally overwhelm you to make you most powerful. This makes living for God truly exciting! 

***Bishops Get Slammed

         Another courageous priest speaking up against the bishops. Decades ago, I was in a different parish then. When the idea that we should recognize gay marriage first came up, the parish priest was brave enough to put an ad in the local newspaper along with the signatures of many parishioners who supported him, announcing that marriage is intended by God for uniting a man and a woman only. With no strong support coming from the higher hierarchy, the effort fizzled out  quickly. The same pretty much happened to the charismatic movement within the Church. It did not get the support it deserved and gradually died down. I believe that my many bishops have already made up their mind on many issues and become closed to the Holy Spirit. Hope that I am wrong.

***Forgiving Others a Must

         Today's Gospel reading comes from Matthew 18. Peter asked Jesus how often he must forgive his brother who sinned against him. Jesus then told him the parable of the unforgiving servant (vv, 23-35). The lesson is clear: We must forgive others as the Lord forgives us. No way out. Whether we succeed or not, we must try our best. But if you surrender yourself to God, it becomes a cinch.

**Eternal Life, a Must Consideration

        Today I heard someone say "She's got a whole life ahead of her," referring to some young woman. Of course, the speaker was thinking about life on this earth only, so the statement didn't mean much. It becomes significant when we understand life to mean our whole existence, including the part after death. So eternal life is not to be ignored, making believing in Christ a must.

*Pride Our Big Stumbling Block

         It is so very clear that what we do shapes what God does to us. That we reap what we sow and that we have a conscience prove beyond a doubt that God is real. If we believe in and obey him, we'll have peace and prosperity. And if we ignore him, we'll be punished in this and/or the next life. It's so simple and clear, but our pride prevents us from seeing or accepting the truth.

***Our True Destination

        As sinners, we need to return to God, our Father and creator, as lost sons and daughters to reconcile ourselves to him. Whether the last days are approaching or not, we need to live Christ, think Christ, breathe Christ, and even consume his body and blood. This is how we can be purged of our sins, made clean, and have eternal life to inherit all that the Father has for us.

**Not Following Any Trend

        The more I hear about prestigious, high-powered people who have earned great recognition and mass admiration in some secular field, the more I see that only whether we get to heaven or not matters. I don't follow any trend and care only about what God thinks of me. Take God seriously and you take care of everything.

***God's Power & Wisdom Ours for the Asking

        In today's second reading from 1 Corinthians 1, Paul wrote that to those who are called, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. For us who have access to the Lord, we can receive all his power and all his wisdom. Absolutely fantastic! We'll be able to overcome evil and know how to live a holy life. Remember that nothing is impossible for God. When it comes to getting ourselves transformed, it's right up his alley. After all, he created us.

*If You Are Suffering . . .

read what Peter wrote in 1 Peter: The God of all grace who called you to his eternal glory through Christ Jesus will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you after you have suffered a little. God saves the best for last for all of us who love him. 

*Myopic Fools

        This morning as I was taking a walk outside the house, the temperature was perfect and the skies clear and blue. Flowering trees have started to bloom. I could hear the small birds chirping happily in the trees and geese flying overhead honking. Yesterday I even heard a woodpecker working hard on a neighbor's tree. Then I couldn't help asking myself why so many people are blind to all these beautiful things and seek only to take control of all others around them? You can't help but feel sorry for them. 

*Why We Don't Get Uplifted

        As long as we think or talk more about ourselves than about the Lord, we won't get uplifted by him.

***Faith Is Good Enough

        Communion experience. I attended Vigil Mass today. Possessing only a finite mind, I could not comprehend how the elements of bread and wine consecrated in the Eucharist could change into the body and blood of the Lord, yet I could believe without a doubt that it did happen. This is having faith: we do not comprehend, yet believe. This is how we finite beings connect with the infinite God. We are to depend upon him in all things. 

***God Our Perfect Corrector

          In today's Gospel reading of the parable of the lost son from Luke 15, you'd understand why the the older son got angry if you read what he said to the father after his lost younger brother had returned. Here it is: "Look, all these years I served you and not once did I disobey your orders; yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends. But when your son returns who swallowed up your property with prostitutes, for him you slaughter the fattened calf." He was jealous. This is normal human reaction. But the Lord can perfect us. I have mentioned that God is the greatest psychiatrist there is and that remains true. Once we have him, we have the best we can possibly have, and we no longer admire, envy, or get jealous about anyone anymore. Finally we are set free by the truth and become like the Lord himself. So you can say that God is our secret formula, our perfect corrector, or our ultimate defender.

**Making Heaven Happy

         Luke 15:21 is today's Gospel acclamation. This is what the lost son in the parable of the lost son said to his father upon his return: "Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you." This is all we need to say to our heavenly Father to get back in his good graces. Why should it be so difficult for us to say it? God awaits to hear from us. Say it and the whole heaven rejoices! Nothing can be more heartening than knowing that you've made heaven happy!

**Lamenting Extreme Polarization*

        We have Catholics in union with the Lord; they obey his every will and don't ever wish to offend him in the slightest; then we have those who are Catholics in name only. They are anti-life and pro-same-sex-marriage and spread lies. In fact, many of them are holding top positions in our government now! They are today's Pharisee and scribes. At the same time, the Church is facing a similar division internally, causing many to leave the faith. But I know this will pass, for Jesus had already told us that the gates of the netherworld should not prevail against his church. For the time being, I am crying more for those who have betrayed our Lord than my country or my church, as the Lord's most ardent wish is to save all souls! 

***Going Directly for the Lord*****

        As an aficionado of piano music, I used to attend various piano festivals and events. Once, I attended a weekend workshop in Portland, Oregon, not too far from my home here in California. I was going to learn about a method of playing the piano that would minimize the risk of injuring your hands. To buy the whole set of videotapes, it would cost around $800, as I recall. After watching many sample videos and listening to a number of lectures, I pretty much learned what the technique is all about. There were basically three principles you need to know, which I could explain and demonstrate easily in a few minutes. We often spend way too much time and effort trying to reach a certain goal, not realizing that we can get there faster and more surely another way. For example,
        We all wish to grow closer to the Lord, but many people are not going about doing it the right way. They attend many conferences. workshops, Bible studies, and retreats, listen to many speakers, and read a lot of books. Why not go directly to the Lord to get to know him? The Lord is instantly accessible to you at any time, no matter where you are. Communicating with him is easier and faster than any modern mode of communication. When you open yourself up to him, he's ready to reveal himself to you. Then you start learning everything from him directly. To strengthen your personal relationship with him, you don't need to go through other fellow humans anymore. They can only help you know more about the Lord. Only the Lord himself can draw you to make you know him. Seeking him without focusing mainly upon him is a waste of time. Head straight for the Lord who wishes to be one with you!

**When To Receive What's Good

        Today's Gospel reading from Luke 16 tells the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. After both the rich man and the poor Lazarus died, Lazarus was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham, while the rich man landed in the netherworld and suffered torment in flames. The rich man saw Abraham with Lazarus at this side. He cried out to Abraham for help. Abraham replied, "My child, remember that you received what was good during your lifetime while Lazarus likewise received what was bad; but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented. Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is established to prevent anyone from going from our side to yours or from your side to ours." So what we think is good during our lifetime may actually be bad if that's all the comfort we are going to get. Aim for receiving what's truly good all in your next life. No instant gratification! It comes down to choosing what's only good for now or what'll be good forever later. It should be a no-brainer. 

**God's Omnipotence, a Joy or Terror?

        In today's first reading from Jeremiah 17, The LORD says, "I, the LORD, alone probe the mind and test the heart, to reward everyone according to his ways, according to the merit of his deeds." God knows our mind and heart and our ways and deeds thoroughly. We are completely transparent to him! Don't ever think for a moment that you can hide or escape from him. He knows exactly what your are thinking and what's in your heart at any time. Your ways and your deeds are shaping your own destiny every moment of your life. Knowing this could be a joy to some or a terror to others. Hopefully, once you realize how omnipotent God truly is, you would rejoice!