"Be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect." (Matthew 5:48)

Sunday, October 30, 2022

**Worry or Trust in God

        Worrying shows the lack of trust in God. This is the God who has created our vast universe and also died himself in order to save us, and you believe that he will not take complete care of us? As humans we are weak, but we are capable seeing the truth too. Worrying never improves anything; it only makes you feel worse. All things pass. God is so good that if you trust in him, even if you lose your life on earth, you will live forever in heaven. Abandon yourself totally in God to banish worrying altogether. Yes, God is to be trusted.

Saturday, October 29, 2022

**Great Miracles in Comntrast

        Today I prayed the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary. The 4th and 5th Mysteries are Transfiguration and Institution of the Eucharist. Both are awesome and glorious miracles, yet they contrast with each other. The Transfiguration witnessed by Peter, James, and John was truly dazzling to the eye, while the changing of the bread and wine into the body and blood of the Lord, normally invisible, affects directly the soul of the one who receives the sacrament. (I said "normally invisible" because many Eucharistic miracles have taken place.) 

***Most Valuable Sociable Person

       Some of us are more sociable than others. Being sociable is not good if your intention is not pure, but it can be great if your intention is all good and clean. Do you realize that Christ, who has nothing but selfless love for us, is the most sociable (and friendly) person there is? He's ever ready to communicate with us at the heart level. Yes, he longs to know you most intimately. He'll always listen to you. Since he understands you perfectly, he'll always give you the best possible advice too. He patiently awaits. He's the No. 1 person you should want to know. Once you know him, he'll become the only one you'd want to know, for he is that delightful and endearing. There is a lot more I can say, but it'd be a lot more exciting for you to find out things on your own.

**Great Blessing

        Another reason I feel so good believing in Christ is that he has made my conscience and mind so sharp and clear that I can discern if something is good or evil, right or wrong, true or false . . . easily. This provides an extra safeguard for the soul.  

****God Most Trustworthy

        The triangle is geometrically the most rigid of all polygons. A truss in civil engineering is a structural frame the design of which is based on the rigidity of the triangle, thus providing maximum strength. Also, a table with three legs offers the greatest stability. I thought of the Triune God, comprising the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, three in and as one. Intuitively, I sensed the strength and stability of our God in whom we can fully trust.

**Tasting the Lord

        Communion experience. The Lord is most sweet.

***Our Necessary Choice***

        In today's first reading from Philippine 1, Paul wrote, "I do not know which I shall choose I am caught between the two. I long to depart this life and be with Christ, for that is far better. Yet that I remain in the flesh is more necessary for your benefit." This teaches us that in serving God, we should not do what we wish to do, but do only what is necessary. The key word is "necessary."

***Believe Before It's Too Late

        We face all kinds of problems and try to solve them, but more often than not, they worsen. Personally, I see that solutions to all our problems lie in how much we seek and trust in God's help. With most of us who think that they know best, they'll never learn this truth. Nothing is sadder than finding out that you should have believed and now it's too late. We need to be wise and foresighted. Without foresight (and humility), hindsight just shows how wrong we've been.

***In Critical Need for God

        As sinners, we need the God of Christ for salvation. With evil seemingly prevailing worldwide, we need him now more than ever! It's believe-in-Christ-or-be-banished-forever time.

**Resting in Peace Now

        In Matthew 13, Jesus spoke to the people in parables. He said, "The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls. When he finds a pearl of great price, he goes and sells all that he has and buys it." I bring this up because today I feel that I already own that field and that pearl, and now I can just rest in peace.

Friday, October 28, 2022

**More Shroud of Turin Discoveries

        I have a small Albert Gilles copper piece showing the face of Jesus in 3D, based upon the image on the Shroud of Turin. It's been hanging on the wall over my bed ever since I bought it in Quebec, Canada, many years ago. I just knew that it was the face of Jesus. But today, despite overwhelming scientific discoveries show that the Shroud is most likely authentic, unbelievers still think that it's a fake, so much for the chasm between believers and unbelievers. I have posted about the Shroud quite a number of times. Two of the videos you can find listed under Good websites, Blogs, Videos . . . in the right sidebar of my blog page. I came across this video presenting the many discoveries so far. It's worth watching. Since the presentation goes by rather fast, you may consider setting the playback speed to 0.75. Just click on the Settings gear and choose Playback speed to change. 

***I Am a Hero!

        As you know, we all hold ourselves as prisoners. With Christ's help, I was able to set myself free from me. And now, I have the Lord to myself. So you can say that I have conquered myself and I have conquered God. Glory be to Christ!

**Heavenly Banquet

        Communion experience. I didn't have to go to heaven to attend any banquet; Christ came right to where I was and gave me one. 

**Letting Go of the World

        The world has a hold on you—that's because you are holding onto it. Just let go of your hold and the world is no longer able to hold you. Now give your hand to God and he'll keep you free for good. 

**Reverence Lacking

        Various things at Mass can be disturbing. Some examples: Scriptures read too fast and matter-of-factly; no pause given between readings; homily drawing more attention to the deliverer than to God, music sounding more like a performance, lay people assisting at Mass not dressed properly, people allowed to talk freely right after Mass in church, etc. They are all due to the lack of reverence. To worship God properly, we must not have anything take our attention away from him. Worshipping God is serious business.

**We Are Apostles Too

        Today is the Feast of Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles. They faithfully followed the Lord. We are apostles too, only being called to follow him at a later time. We have the same Lord, and we can know him today as well as the Apostles did then, for time is of no barrier for the Lord. So let's be the best possible apostles we can be today.

**Impressed by God

        The glories of God are most attractive, but his great sorrows also draw me to him. Our God is most holy, full of love, and humble. He is just awesome!

Thursday, October 27, 2022

**Dealing with Infinity*

        Infinity is a concept, not a regular number; so our finite minds, especially those of scientists and mathematicians, have trouble dealing with it. But to those of us who know God well, it's no problem. Our God is infinite in every way. He has always existed, so beginning and end do not apply here. If the universe turns out to be infinitely vast, it doesn't bother me a bit—I can totally accept that. If I can be with my God happy for all eternity after I die, that's totally acceptable to me! An infinite God deserves our infinite trust. Onto infinity!