The Coming-Home Process

        When I first accept Christ into my life, I searched for a Christian church to join.  I knew there's the Catholic Church, but since there were just so many more Protestant churches around, it seemed that the Catholic Church was an oddball among the many Christian churches. As a brand new convert, I just didn't know much ~ a Christian church is a Christian church. I even looked into Christian Science. Once I found a friendly church with a pastor that gave good sermons, I joined and became a member.  I was happy, so I just never wondered why the various Protestant churches belonged to different denominations or if there was an original church that started from the time of Christ.  Happy people are content where they are and don't search or look elsewhere. It's only after I noticed some of the questionable practices and disunity among the Protestant denominations that I began looking outside Protestantism.  I believe that's how it happens to most Protestants who have come home to the Catholic (meaning all-embracing) Church.  The oddball church, usually the last choice on the would-be convert's list, turns out to be the one and only choice.     

Responding to God

        In today's Reading 1 at Mass from Romans 11,  Paul writes: "Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!  How inscrutable are his judgments and how unsearchable his ways!"  After I heard that, it struck me that God is truly awesome that to exalt ourselves before him would be sheer folly and the only sensible course for us to take is to remain humble and obedient, period! 

Interior Freedom Matters

        Today I saw hundreds of sea gulls circling in the sky with great ease and freedom.  The sight made me wish that I could fly too.  Ironically, it happened over a large prison facilities with all the inmates housed in massive concrete buildings with narrow windows that looked almost like slits.  I asked myself if I preferred physical freedom over imprisonment.  The answer: One choice is not necessarily better than the other if one doesn't have any interior freedom in the Lord.  In fact, there are inmates who are grateful that imprisonment has brought them back to God.  Being imprisoned with interior freedom is definitely better than being outside of prison without interior peace. 

Formula for Spiritual Success

       I am reading the Gospel from Matthew 23 for tomorrow's Sunday Mass in preparation for a service I'll be conducting.  In it Jesus says, "Whoever exalts himself  will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted."  Here is the formula for spiritual success.  If I exalt myself, I may win some temporary admirers, but I'll never win any hearts.  I'll never be content either, for discontent is the reason for self-exaltation.  The very reason we follow and adore the Lord is because he is humble and meek and he serves others.  The Lord knows how to win hearts, so let's listen to him.  

God to Be Accepted in Toto

        It comes to my mind again today that we must accept God in toto.  Truth is truth only because it's true as a whole.  If we accept God in all, then we must likewise accept the Church he built upon Peter, our Catholic faith, and her teachings.  Thus, to accept only certain teachings and reject others is to not believe that God is the whole truth.

On the Road to Suicide?

        Patrick Buchanan's new book is entitled Suicide of a Super Power: Will America survive to 2025?  I have not read the book nor am I a follower of Buchanan ~ the title just caught my attention.  I remember that in the 50's in Ohio, most people didn't even lock their front doors when they went out.  Those who'd been divorced kept it quiet because it's not something to let everyone know about.  Look at today how bad crimes are and how people go on TV to tell all the sordid details of their lives.  We have come a long (wrong) way in a short time.  Abortion is now legal.  Couples living together is nothing to be ashamed of.  The latest news ~ Catholic University of America is being sued by one individual over having crucifixes on classroom walls considered to be "offensive" to the Muslim students.  What ridiculous charges next?  The alarming fact is that one frivolous person can now make all the rest suffer.  People are becoming gods ~ is this what freedom is all about?  We are now absolutely in a moral crisis.  You'd better believe that this nation is well on the road to suicide!  God is our last and only hope, but it's hypocritical to ask God to bless us when we really don't have any true desire to repent and return to him.  It's not too late to turn around, but the time is getting short.

The Love of Christ

        In today's first reading from Romans 8, Paul is convinced that nothing can possibly separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.  He's very emphatic about this and I am willing to go along with him.  Knowing that someone cares for you is always a consolation.  Knowing that God loves you should bring great elation to the heart!  The gift of the Holy Eucharist instituted by the Lord affirms his love for us, and I received it this morning with a special joy and appreciation.  Would that the world were aware of the everlasting love of Christ for us!  

Existing for God

        In the dark and quiet of the night when I am awake with nothing to distract or disturb me, I particularly sense the presence of the Lord.  I can easily contemplate him, pray to him, tell him what's in my heart, or just ask him questions. 

        Now, in darkness imagine that all that is around you is gone ~ the bed, the whole house, the earth, and all the stars.  What's left is just you in the empty space, which is nothing.  In the absence of gravitational pulls, you become weightless.  There are absolutely zero reference points around you, so the question whether you're stationary or moving is pointless.  The only thing you're aware of is that you exist, as a point in nothingness.  Since God transcends both time and space, it's also pointless to ask where he is at any time.  He is the alpha and omega.  He simply exists, so he is present everywhere at all times.  Without God we are truly lost in space and exist for nothing.  On the other hand, with God we can celebrate our existence, for we have God to exist for ~ our best reason for living.                       

A Better Traveling Picture

        These thoughts are a continuation of my post yesterday, Just Passing Through.  I see the Father in heaven as the goal of my journey, my destination.  The Holy Spirit is my GPS as I travel forward.  The Mass I attend is a stop for rest along the way.  At each stop, Jesus refuels and invigorates me.  As long as I don't look back, it should be smooth sailing all the way. 

Just Passing Through

        Today I was standing in my home living room and realized that one day I wouldn't be seen in this room (or the entire house for that matter) anymore.  I clearly saw that I was just passing through and I resolved to travel light, not to let any baggage weigh me down on my journey.  I recalled that when Jesus sent out the seventy-two on their mission, he told them to carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals (Luke 10).

God Frees Us

        In Reading 1 from Romans 8 at Mass today, Paul talks quite a bit about living according to the flesh and living according to the spirit.  I went through all that myself, going from darkness to light.  Now that I am so joyful living in the light of Christ, I have trouble believing that I was actually that "stupid" to be a slave of sin for so long.  I was stupid all right, but it's through God's mercy that I was brought out of slavery into freedom.  Just let God take over and your day will just keep getting better and brighter forever (because heaven awaits at the end).

The Beauty & Perfection of Jesus

        This morning during pre-Mass prayer, I sensed the great beauty of Jesus radiating from his perfection.  This beauty due to perfection is too profound for words.  I just knew that he's all one could desire.  The soul enjoys a moment like this more than reading through volumes of spiritual classics.  

Humility Still Most Pleasing

        After receiving Communion this morning, this picture formed in my mind. Earlier at Mass, I saw that the Lord was my refuge.  Now I see that he is a solid, protective wall encircling me with me safe and secure at the center of the circle.  Any praises, compliments, flatteries... coming my way simply bounce off the wall and disappear.  God loves us already.  What pleases him the most is still our humility before him.

God, My Rock and Refuge

        The solid feeling I had during prayer before Mass started this morning was that God is absolutely my rock and refuge.  I am free to go to him to unload a thousand concerns in my heart and he would gladly listen to them all.  Should I slip or stumble and fall, he'll be there to catch me.  I lean on him as much as I want and the support will always be there.

A Lesson in Humility

        Muammar Gaddafi was killed today and his demise was wildly celebrated by many Libyans shouting "God is great!"  I started to wonder ~ if God loves everyone, would it be OK to rejoice when someone is killed and praise God at the same time?  At any rate, the lesson here for us as followers of Christ is that we must learn to read the signs and have the humility to accept God's will, no matter how contrary it may be to our own.          

Nothing Besides God

        If God cannot satisfy you, nothing will and you remain unhappy forever.

Jesus Is Our Test

        In today's Gospel from Luke 12, Jesus told his disciples that he had come to establish division rather than peace on earth.  The division is cause by the fact that not everyone will choose good over evil or put his or her faith in Jesus.  This is proof that evil exists and Jesus came as a test to challenge us.  Faith in the Lord is then made meaningful. 

Jesus Is the Bridge

        We are sinners, and when God gave us his Divine Son Jesus, he laid down a bridge made of love, linking us to him for us to walk toward him.  Those who seek union with God will want to walk all the way to the other end to touch him.