***A Buddhist Found God

        The video is over 36 minutes long, but it's worth watching. And I particularly like the ending.

***World versus Christ

        In today's Gospel reading from John 15, Jesus said to his disciples, "If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own; but because you do not belong to the world, and I have chosen you out of the world, the world hates you." If you do not know Christ, naturally you would want to fit yourself into the world so that you may be loved. But once you realize that Christ is the truth and can save you from sin, you would want to follow him only. In fact, I would go so far as to say that if the world still loves you, you haven't given yourself to following the Lord completely yet.
          How does the world hate you? Commonly, people try to distance themselves from you. Of course, there have been much worse instances, depending upon where you live and the circumstances. This is the price a Christian must pay. Jesus has said to his disciples, "What profit is there for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?" (Mark 8:36). In turn, I can ask "What loss is there for one to be hated by the world for a little while and gain eternal life?" The answer is clearly "practically nothing."

***To Be More like Christ

         Again, it's Friday, the day to pray the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Holy Rosary. The allergy of the season has affected me; my itchy throat has made me want to cough. I stopped attending daily Mass in order not to disturb others at Mass. This little bit of discomfort has started to annoy me. I thought of how Jesus suffered in order to save all of us. What I am feeling compared to what he underwent is virtually zero on any scale. So I really started to appreciate my Lord. I must accept all my sufferings patiently as he did if I ever hope to become more like him. He never complained about anything. When we are unhappy about so many things, we are unhappy with God, showing our lack of trust in him. 

**Unique Union with God

        This morning I am thinking that the God of Christ is unique in that we can achieve union with him, especially through receiving the Holy Eucharist. So God is not only external, he can dwells in us too. I don't believe that such intimacy exists in any other religion. 

*God Always in Control*

        Today I realize that we finite creatures lose control of ourselves easily. We become perturbed and nervous when we are under stress. We want to hit anyone who hits us back. When things go badly, we get depressed and can no longer think clearly. Then I see our infinite Lord who never loses his composure and cool, and always thinks and acts rationally. We can be sure that everything is under his control, even thought we see chaos. We need to remain patient and follow him with faith. This marks us truly as being his disciples. If God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31b)

**Knowing Your Future

        Most people still seem to focus on living in this world and are not too concerned about what the next life will be like, even in old age. To me, this is living precariously. I am so happy about knowing Christ because even though I am still in this world, I already know where I'll be going after I leave here. When that'll happen is not relevant. This is a tremendous advantage and a great blessing.

***Transcending Worldly Enslavement

        Looking at the current ongoing brutal war in Ukraine, we see people killing each other as if human lives don't mean much anymore. They are locked in fighting for a small area on this planet. Others are deeply immersed in finding happiness in this world. Christians can transcend all that to reach God and secure their eternal life! This is not escaping—instead, it's facing the reality that's open to all of us. For God is our Savior who can set us free for good, irregardless of whether you believe or not!

*Love vs. Hatred

        God's love is most beautiful. It is what we need to become like him and to bring peace to our hearts and the world. This makes hatred, the total lack of love, most horrible. Clearly, hatred can only come from the Devil. Unfortunately, our world is filled with hatred, even hatred of things that are all made up. You can realistically say that our life is made of all the moments requiring us to decide whether to love or to hate. Anyway, love will triumph in the end, as God is love.

***God Most Personal

        The Lord knows each of us thoroughly. He knows my thoughts, my feelings, my joys and sorrows, my pains and fears, what I need . . . things I don't even know about myself. This makes him my most personal friend. From him, I can get all the guidance I need, help, protection from evil, and the power to transform myself. It'd be utter folly to think that you can survive by yourself without him.  

***How to Love Each Other

        In today's Gospel reading from John 13, Jesus said at the Last Supper after Judas had left to his other disciples, "My children, I will be with you only a little while longer. I give you a new commandment: love one another. This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for oner another." How can we love each other as Jesus has loved us? The only way I can see to achieve that is to let the Lord love us so that we may know his love. This will give us the strength to love everyone else. We trust in God's mercy; we need to trust in his love too.

**How We Are Measured*

        As we journey through this life on earth, we are measured entirely by how much we love God. It would be ideal that our love for God increases as time passes, reaching a peak at the time of our departure from earth. 

**Living a Special Life

        In my last post, I see being chosen by the Lord to follow him as a most special calling. It follows that everything he sends our way is special too. This teaches us to accept all things he allows to happen to us and to bear fruit in all circumstances. We are called to live a most special life in Christ! Hallelujah!

***Most Special Calling

         Today is the Feast of St. Matthias, Apostle. In the Gospel from John 15, Jesus said to his disciples, "It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you." So if you are already a believer, know that he has chosen you! This is a most special calling we need to appreciate, treasure. and fulfill by bearing fruit that do not perish. 

**Cause for Rejoicing*

        Today's Communion experience. The Lord called me and entered me, I am completely in!

**How God Overwhelms Us

        As you get to know Christ the Lord, you receive freedom, peace, and joy, more or less in that order, although they often blur together. As the Lord removes your sins, you experience spiritual freedom. When you are free, peace naturally follows. Joy, though it's now just the icing on the cake, can be most overwhelming. So God frees your spirit, sets you heart at peace, and fill you with heavenly joy. Plenty enough for us prior to entering heaven.

***Two Greatest Callings from God

        (1) Repent our sins and follow Jesus. (2) Become holy and attain union with God through receiving the Body and Blood of Christ in the Holy Eucharist.

**Division Among Us a Reality*

        Jesus said that he would cause division among us. So has this happened, as we have those who believe in and follow him and those who don't. This division is no small, temporary separation. In fact, if not mended, it would last for all eternity! The main thing is that you want to be on God's side. Attain union with him to insure that you'll never be separated from him.

***Jesus Most Personal

        You may know about Jesus or even believe or know him to a certain extent, but that is not good enough. You must worship him, live and die for him . . . that is, loving him with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. Why? Because he is your Lord, your creator, your most loving Savior who has died for you so that you may have eternal life. He is your most personal God.