In today's first reading from Acts 5, the high priest and his companions had the Apostles flogged, ordered them to stop speaking in the name of Jesus, and dismissed them. They left, rejoicing that they had been found worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name. They continued teaching and proclaiming the Christ, Jesus. This is amazing, for no one would normally rejoice about suffering dishonor for whatever reason. Christ is truly amazing that he can turn all our sufferings into pure joy! It's the power of God's love at work here, transforming us fundamentally.
Friday, April 12, 2024
***Our Highest Attainment***
To be on intimate terms with the Lord God, we must be completely open to him to the point of sharing all our thoughts with him, praying to him whenever we can, seeking his guidance in all that we do, and being aware of his holy presence at all times. This state is reached when you attain union with God through the Holy Eucharist. Now you and the Lord dwell in and belong to each other.
*****What Matters Most to the Lord***
The Lord, of course, sees how much good we have done and are doing for his sake, but he made me see that more importantly, he cares about how obedient we are to him.
Thursday, April 11, 2024
***Preaching Just Christ***
Nowadays, most homilies we hear encourage us to love and trust in God. It would be more effective to preach just Christ instead. If we realize how beautiful, how holy, how powerful, and how merciful he is, we'll automatically want to love and live for him. This is in line with going to Christ directly to know him best. It is he alone who can make our lives exciting and joyful.
**Plain Reality**
In John 10:9, Jesus said, "I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved . . ." It is only through Jesus that we get to see the Father. Enter through him and we are heaven bound. Stay away from him and no one can help you anymore.
**Rebirth Through Christ
In John 12:24, Jesus said to Andrew and Philip, "Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit, alleluia." Die in Christ and we are born anew, now living in and for him forever, alleluia.
Wednesday, April 10, 2024
*****God's Soft Spot*
Nothing will make our heavenly Father happier than telling him that we are sorry to have offended him. The moment we repent of our sins, he forgets all our wrongdoings and is ready to take us back to his bosom. Let us realize that he is infinitely merciful and most soft-hearted. To reject him and end up lost forever has to be the most foolish thing we can possibly do. If we get ourselves condemned, it's by our own doing.
*****Most Satisfying Feeling
Communion experience. It's impossible to describer the sublime satisfying feeling of receiving the body and blood of the Lord, so I'll just a list of a number of words or phrases that came to my mind: crowning moment, ultimate exaltation by the Lord, joy completed, final rest, total fulfillment, highest state of existence, exultation, exhilaration, freedom, reaching the summit, and of course, union with God.
*****Letting Christ Save Us*****
I heard from one of Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel's talks that since we were born sinners, if we were left alone, we would all end up in hell. This makes sense to me. Of course, Christ came and completely altered our predicament. Today's Gospel reading from John 3 makes it all clear: God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned . . . Alleluia!
***Only One We Need***
Today I clearly see that the Lord God of Christ is the only one we can absolutely depend upon for our eternal existence. Without him, nothing would make any sense and everything fall apart, this I know.
Tuesday, April 9, 2024
***Appreciating God's Constant Presence***
Anytime the Lord sows thoughts in my heart, I experience great joy, for it's like hearing him speaking directly to me. I now feel his holy sweet, fragrant presence at all times. I no longer know what feeling lonely is like.
***God's Great Mercy
Communion experience. Receiving the Holy Eucharist was a most impressive experience. Here I approached the Most Holy Lord as a lowly repentant sinner and the Lord entered me to bring me into full union with him. The vast gap between us was completely bridged. He reached down to me, making the impossible possible. Such was his great mercy.
***Christians Are Special
When we believe in Jesus, we are freed from sin and become connected to God. Instead of drifting aimlessly toward oblivion, we are now heaven abound! There cannot a changeabout that's more dramatic, fundamental, and joyful. This makes being a Christians truly special.
***Our Only God***
In today's Gospel reading from John 3, Jesus said to Nicodemus, "No one has gone up to heaven except the one who has come down from heaven, the Son of Man." This is absolutely true for every single one of us except Jesus, so we'd better listen to him alone to learn the whole truth. It also shows that the God of Christ is our one and only God. Let us worship, adore, praise, and love him!
**Letting God Enter Your Heart*
If you truly desire to know the Lord and are humble enough to be wide open to him, he will come to you. People say I am open and waiting, and I feel nothing. But have you told him that you truly desire him? God is so much greater than us and knows all about us. If total humility is absent, any pride will block him from entering your heart.
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