At the presentation of the child Jesus at the temple, after Simeon saw the child and knew that he was the Messiah, he was ready to go to God in peace. We who already know Jesus personally as our Savior should likewise rejoice and be ready to go to God in peace.
Thursday, February 10, 2022
Wednesday, February 9, 2022
***The Simple Truth and Fact
In today's Gospel reading from Mark 7, Jesus said to the crowd, "Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person: but the things that come out from within are what defile." Later he explained to his disciples that all evils come from within the man, from his heart, and they defile. We see that we are all potential evildoers and we need the Lord to cleanse us so that we may have eternal life. This is what life, our existence, and our survival are all about. See this and all your life problems are solved. There's nothing more urgent to know.
***Mary, Pray for Us All*****
Mother Mary's favorite prayer is what's inscribed on the Miraculous Medal she gave us: "O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee." Recently, as I was praying this prayer, it dawned on me that those who have no recourse to her yet would need her to pray for them even more. So I started praying "O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for those who do not have recourse to thee."
***Praise and Understanding
Do not seek praise for yourself. At my funeral service, I want no eulogy, not a single word of praise for me. How about seeking understanding? If there is any misunderstanding between you and someone, clear it up if it's proper and possible, but ego must not play a part. It it doesn't work out after you have tried your best, just let it go. After all, you have the Lord understanding you perfectly and that should be more than sufficient for you. So, do not seek any human praise but accept all God's understanding.
*****The Divine Mercy Devotion
If you wish to know more about Jesus' Divine Mercy and St. Sister Faustina, watch this documentary. I read her diary many years ago and started praying the Divine Mercy Chaplet daily, sometimes more than once for specific intentions. After watching the video, I am inclined to read her diary again. I have not been attending daily Mass since the pandemic started, but I am now drawn to resuming that practice since I feel the benefit of praying right before the tabernacle. There is nothing more consoling and satisfying than pouring your heart out in close proximity to the Blessed Sacrament. Trust in God's Divine Mercy and we'll have life in God and be able to save the world.
Tuesday, February 8, 2022
Yet Another Reason We Need God
Obviously, we need God just to remain alive. Then I saw that there are always pressing problems we don't know how to solve yet. Another reason we need God.
***Most Inspiring Love
I thought more about how Jesus suffered for us. Abortion is today's most horrific crime, killing the unborn who are innocent. But Jesus was not just innocent, he was in fact doing all the good deeds and preaching the kingdom of God, with the sole aim of saving us from death! So they killed the one who loved them the most. This is even more unjust! But I suppose that was God's plan to show that he was even willing to sacrifice his own Son to save us from sin. This revelation alone should uplift our spirit and inspire us to love God and all others as much as he loves us.
**The Lord's Agony Then and Now
I was praying the first Sorrowful Mystery of the Holy Rosary, the Agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, and recalled that the disciples couldn't stay awake to keep him company as Jesus underwent it—I suppose they did not quite know what the he was going to pass through yet. We now know exactly how the world is still causing the Lord agony, so we need to remain awake and do all we can to alleviate his suffering and console him.
***Not to Be Dismissed
It struck me today that the forgiveness of sins is a big deal! God can actually take away our sins to make our soul clean again! It is astounding that God can and is eager to do this for us so that we may enjoy heaven for all eternity. Unless you have no sin, how can anyone not care about the forgiveness of their sins?
Monday, February 7, 2022
***Another Union Benefit
God does everything properly according to his plan, but we always struggle with making choices. One advantage of having attained union with God is that we know and follow his will, eliminating all struggles. And this is a great joy!
**Acknowledging the Lord*
To know our place before the Lord, we need to realize that we are made in his image and he loves us, that we, having inherited the original sin, need salvation, and that God the Son had already come down to earth to die for our sins so that we might have eternal life in heaven.
***Christ Foremost
Once we believe in Christ and decide to follow him, we must not look back or even sideways. That is, we must not let anything of the past or the present make us lose our concentration upon the Lord. There are just so many things of interest around us that are distracting. Of course, we should dismiss outright anything that can cast doubts on our faith, but we shouldn't let any alleged prophesies and miracles get much of our attention either. Keeping our eyes on the Lord alone is the safest way to proceed.
***Christ's Lofty Stature!
Today's realization while praying the Joyful Mysteries of the Holy Rosary. Christ Jesus is the humblest and meekest of all beings, yet he is the Lord we, the whole world, must answer to. He is most merciful, but if we do not repent of our sins before we answer to him, we become the most foolish of all beings.
Sunday, February 6, 2022
**Desiring the Impossible
After Mass this morning, I had the tremendous desire for God to know me. I knew that he already knew me, so I suppose basically I desired to be loved by him even more, which of course is impossible.
**How to Love
Give yourself to God first, then you will know his love. With this love, you'll know how to love others.
***Receiving the Greatest Gift
Communion experience. Fr. Steven recalled the words of Jesus at the Last supper during consecration of the bread and wine: "TAKE THIS, ALL OF YOU, AND EAT OF IT: FOR THIS IS MY BODY WHICH WILL BE GIVEN UP FOR YOU" and "TAKE THIS, ALL OF YOU, AND DRINK FROM IT: FOR THIS IS THE CHALICE OF MY BLOOD, THE BLOOD OF THE NEW AND ETERNAL COVENANT, WHICH WILL BE POURED OUT FOR YOU AND FOR MANY FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS. DO THIS IN MEMORY OF ME." When I heard these words, it's the Lord giving himself up for us—this is absolutely a huge deal! I was going the receive the greatest possible gift, the Lord himself, shortly!
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