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

Sunday, September 3, 2023

**Beware of Dementia

        Recently, quite a number of old folks I know have developed dementia. This should be a warning to all older persons who have not considered accepting Christ yet. My advice is to look into Christ when your mind is still clear, no matter what age you're at, as he is our only Savior and the one who can give you eternal life. Accepting him has absolutely nothing to lose and everything to gain.

***Most Appropriate Prayer

        Sept. 2. Asking for God's mercy greatly pleases the Lord and benefits ourselves.         

***Blessing in Disguise

        Sept. 1. Do not complain about your suffering. Accepting it for the Lord's sake will unite you with him and make you strong.

***A Warning to Remember***

        September 1. In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 25, Jesus tells the parable of the ten virgins. The five foolish ones were not ready when the bridegroom arrived and got locked out of attending the wedding feast. They knocked on the door, asking the Lord to let them in. But he said in reply, "Amen, I say to you, I do not know you." Therefore, we must stay awake at all times. It would be the worst nightmare of our whole existence should that ever happen to us! 

**Liberating Thought

        August 31. I became aware that I was "trapped" on earth; basically I was limited to traveling over the surface of this planet only. Then death would set me free from my physical body, enabling my spirit to soar toward my loving creator.

***Living Right

        August 31. This I've said before and became extra clear to me. It always comes down to be between God and us, never others and us. So make sure that you are always on good terms with God and pray for others instead of blaming them.

***A Form of Self-Slavery*

        August 31. The Lord made me see that feeling hurt is a form of self-slavery! We must ask the Lord to deliver us from that. 

*Spiritual Progress Necessary

        August 30. When Christ underwent his Passion on earth, he faced his sufferings squarely, never complaining nor shrinking back, in carrying out the will of the Father. I look at myself and see that when things don't go my way, I easily lose patience, get upset, start complaining, or even pity myself. Shame on us who do not follow the Lord's example perfectly. But things do get easier as we surrender ourselves more to him. Progress we must if we are not to remain lukewarm.

***Unimaginable Burden

        August 28. I felt the burden when I saw that most of the world did not know or had forsaken God, the God of Christ. And I realized how infinitely heavy the burden the Lord God must be carrying when he looked at the ungrateful world. It was unimaginable for me!

***How God Has Made Us

          Nothing but God can truly satisfy us. I enjoy listening to music, but I definitely don't want to do that forever. God hasn't made us to live for this life only, and I am glad that my time here is limited. To live with the Father in heaven forever is what I desire and was made for. Above all, it's the Father's wish. He loves all of us, understands our deepest desire and knows exactly how to satisfy us. Aim heaven high is the way to go.

***Our Perfect Soulmate*****

        On Aug 27 I realized the following. Since we are all unique and different from each other, finding a perfect soulmate is nigh impossible. Then there's the Lord God. Not only he understands each of us perfectly, he can also transform each of us. Submit ourselves to him, receive him in the Holy Eucharist, and we attain union with him and become like him. Now we and the Lord God are soulmates with each other!

**Fundamental Revelation

        At the Vigil Mass on August 26, in the Gospel reading from Matthew 16, Jesus asked his disciples, "Who do you say that I am?" Simon Peter said in replay, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Jesus said to him in reply, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father." It dawned on me that many of us also believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, without any doubt, so it's the same heavenly Father who has revealed that to us.

**God Totally Trustworthy

        I am back after I last blogged on Aug. 25. On Aug. 26, I boarded a plane flying to another city very early in the morning. The window shades on the plane were all lowered, so I couldn't see a thing outside. As the plane was getting ready to take off, I only sensed that it was moving in a certain way. Minutes later, we're airborne. I trusted in the pilot that he would get me to my destination on time. Then I realized that this is how we should trust in God, even more so, for he is infinitely more knowledgeable and reliable than any human pilot.

Friday, August 25, 2023

**Being Open to God While Being Unclean*

        As long as we are open to the Lord, he'll come to us even if we are unclean, for he is most merciful. In fact, the more unclean we are, the more we need to be saved and the more "anxious" he is to come to us. (Note: I'm going to stop blogging for a week or so, as I shall not have a computer to use. I expect to resume blogging on Sept. 3 or 4. God continue to bless all of you!)

**Ego Our Enemy

        Every time we promote ourselves to feed our ego, we receive demerits from heaven. Once we earn enough of them, we can be barred from entering it.

Thursday, August 24, 2023

***Never Looking Back***

        Once you've found Christ to be the most beautiful being, you'll want to follow him all the way, leaving everything behind and never looking back. This is the kingdom of heaven! Not choosing to follow him makes one the biggest fool.

*****Cause for Rejoicing!

        Today I again realize how wonderful and amazing that we can form the the most beautiful permanent bond with God the Father. And we can actually gain eternal life through this relationship. It's impossible not to rejoice in the Lord always!

Wednesday, August 23, 2023