We are surely living in evil times. So many godless and lawless acts are being carried out by so many people. Three days ago, three of the locked metal mailboxes (one of which was mine) outside my house were pried open by force. Of course, this kind of crime, though serious, is nothing compared to say corruption at various levels of a government or legalizing abortion. Recently, I read some history of the Church and learned that she had certainly gone thru troubled times. The Church had faced persecution, attacks from within and without, and dealt with heresies and schisms. Today you can add corruption and immorality to the list. Then in today's Gospel reading from John 16, we hear Jesus say to his disciples, "Behold, the hour is coming and has arrived when each of you will be scattered to his own home and you will leave me alone." Of course, we know Jesus was going to be arrested, scourged, mocked, and nailed to a cross. Can any act be more godless and lawless? I don't think so. So whether it's two thousand years ago or now, sins have always been around. You can't really say that one time is better than another. To follow Christ is the only answer, regardless of the time you are in. Only by living in him can we be freed from sin and disassociated from the world we live in. I sincerely hope that everyone will see that this is the only way out for us.
Monday, May 22, 2023
****Opportunity for Surrendering to God
When we pray to God, especially in making supplications, we need to submit ourselves to God interiorly first. Can you imagine that we ask God for favors, but haven't yielded ourselves totally to his will yet? Many prayers such as the Rosary and the Divine Mercy Chaplet Catholics say are repetitive in nature. Here I see an excellent opportunity to surrender your will to God each time you say the same prayer. This can really help you achieve union with God through the Holy Eucharist.
Sunday, May 21, 2023
****Life Made Meaningful!
I am so glad that the Lord has made life meaningful to me in this way. Every one of us will appear before him to bring his or her existence to a conclusion. We'll receive either punishment or reward, exactly what we deserve on that day. It's a one-way journey with no turning back. The only time we can change things ahead is the time we have now on earth. After that it'll be all up to the Lord. This may sound somewhat pessimistic, but as long as you are still on earth, bright hope is ever present, for Christ still awaits us with boundless love.
**The World Becoming Boring*
Once you know the LORD deeply, you'll find all the so-called fun things people enjoy in the world becoming boring. That's because by God's design they can never satisfy our spiritual hunger and thirst for him. When you become attached to anything in the world, you're surely to lose your spiritual freedom. Furthermore, know that all things we enjoy in the world do pass, whereas the Lord God exists forever.
***Power of the Truth
Be completely open to the Lord God to let him reveal whatever he wishes to you, and you'll know without a doubt that what you have received is true. The Lord God being the truth himself can only impart truths.
***How to Get Along with God
The Lord God means everything he says always. If we do that also, then we and God will surely get along with each other well.
***How to Not Judge Others
When we are totally willing to let the Lord God judge us, we stop judging others.
Saturday, May 20, 2023
***New Prayer Experience***
I learned of some news who broke my heart. I never thought people could be this evil (demonic is the word), so oblivious of God's love for them. I feel sorry for the people these evildoers hurt, but most of all I feel sorry for the Lord who bears the brunt of all such attacks. I felt called to pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy to atone for our sins. I stood before the Divine Mercy image of the Lord and prayed from my heart and my soul with closed eyes, and I felt the presence of the Lord and knew he heard every word I uttered. This was a new prayer experience because I felt the Lord so close and intimate that it's almost unreal! I thoroughly enjoyed it and will never forget those seven or eight minutes I spent with him. May this be the beginning of a new phase of my walk with the Lord.
**God Tidies up and Completes Me
Communion time thoughts. Before I know Christ, my life was like a pile of jigsaw puzzle pieces not yet put together. After I find Christ, it's like he not only puts all those pieces together, but also turns out himself to be the main piece needed to complete that puzzle. Life changes from a pile of mess to an integral beautiful picture!
***Why Spread the Gospel?
Is this really my business as a Christian? The question is almost as basic as asking why Jesus should come to us. It's all about letting the truth be known. Genuine truth is most compelling. Christians who have been revealed the truth is so filled with joy that it'd be impossible for them not to share it with others, for God's pure love has set them free! Their most ardent desire now is to proclaim the good news to save as many souls as possible for the glory of God.
Friday, May 19, 2023
**Greatest Adventure
The Lord is infinite. By submitting ourselves to him, we receive his peace and power. Then we go deep into him and find the experience to be most exciting with so much to explore and learn. In the process we are transformed into new, holy creatures. Knowing God has to be our most rewarding adventure.
*****How to Defend the Lord Against Evil
***Total Abandonment in God***
This means you focus upon serving the Lord alone and not wonder about how well you are doing or how things might turn out. With ego and pride completely absent, you leave the outcome totally to the Lord. This is also how you preserve you inner peace.
***God Is Great for Us
Whatever God does to us is always thorough and complete. When he secures my soul, it's secured forever! This is one big reason I love and trust in him. So be wise and remain with and in him always. Don't ever make him cast you out.
***Unbeatable Joy Awaits Me
Today's entire Gospel reading, John 16:20-23: Jesus said to his disciples: “Amen, amen, I say to you, you will weep and mourn, while the world rejoices; you will grieve, but your grief will become joy. When a woman is in labor, she is in anguish because her hour has arrived; but when she has given birth to a child, she no longer remembers the pain because of her joy that a child has been born into the world. So you also are now in anguish. But I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you. On that day you will not question me about anything. Amen, amen, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you.” I just know that one day my joy will make me forget all my past pains, for there is no joy that can beat the joy of being home with my God and Father! And this is also the joy no one can take away from me. Knowing all this alone is enough to make me rejoice right now.
Thursday, May 18, 2023
***Making the Right Choice Made Easy
Since we have a sinful nature, what God tells us to do often goes against our grain. But we also have a good part in us that can make us obey him. So making the right choice is the crux of the matter. We can choose to remain sinners or to become saints. Let me surprise you by telling you that to become saints can be a lot easier than to remain sinners if you allow God to make it happen. For nothing is impossible with him. Try getting into heaven on your own and you'll find it impossible. Now let God do it and it's done!
**Most Important Learning from God*
Communion time thoughts. Only from God can we learn and taste what pure love is like. Normally, when we love someone, our love is never that pure. So fall in love with God first, then we'll know how to love others more perfectly.