Actually, God is always with us, so this question basically becomes "How well are you aware of his presence?" You can have the Lord dwell right within you or make him into an unknown altogether. Again, it's all up to you. (By the way, our free will is given by God. Hope being aware of that can help you make the right choice.)
Monday, February 28, 2022
**God Awaits Our Move
If you want God to change you for the better, no problem at all, as long as you are willing to let him do it. God, our greatest healer, is ready, so it's your move.
****To Be Rich in God
It's the last day of February and I am resuming attending daily Mass after the hiatus caused by the pandemic. I went to Mount St. Joseph Seminary in nearby Loomis for Mass. The chapel there was where I attended Mass for years before our parish church was built. I went there before my blog started in 2009. It's a very peaceful place in a beautiful setting. After each Mass, I used to remain about 40 minutes, opening myself up to the Lord. It's during that time that he started drawing me ever closer to him and eventually made me fall in love with him. The desire to seek union with God thru the Holy Eucharist ensued. It seemed that I was entering the final phase of my spiritual life. After attending the Mass there again this morning, I had the feeling that the Lord's not done with me yet—he's going to make my last phase even better. The Lord has so much to offer us that we can just let him improve and refine our spiritual life every single moment. He can truly make us as rich as we want to be in him.
Sunday, February 27, 2022
****Where God Is
Where God is, evil cannot be. It's my belief that once we get to heaven, original sin will be completely removed from us and we'll be in ideal union with God, enjoying perfect peace and contentment.
***To Rejoice in Christ . . .***
you live in him and die in him. And the rejoicing continues on forever!
***Sweetest, Momentous Moment
Communion experience. Receiving the Lord in the Holy Eucharist—it's a momentous moment of life, yet most sweet.
**Happy Is the One Who . . .
is in a state of grace, being pure, clean, and fully ready to receive the Lord in the Eucharist.
***Two Essential Realizations
At the time of receiving the Holy Eucharist, I knew that I'd be receiving the body and blood of Christ and this Most Blessed Sacrament was going to lead me into union with the Lord.
**Start with Yourself First
In today's Gospel reading from Luke 6, Jesus said to his disciples, "Why do you notice the splinter in your brother's eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own? You hypocrite! Remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter in your brother's eye." So you should always start with yourself first. Before you wish someone to be holy, be holy yourself first. Before you convert anyone, convert yourself first. Before you want others to surrender themselves to the Lord, you do it first. You must be spiritually strong yourself before you can effective help others. When you are a good example, not only you'll inspire others, the Lord will also be more attentive to you too.
**How to Listen to Christ
When Jesus speaks, our only proper response is to prostrate ourselves before him and listen to every word from his mouth with all our heart. For his words reveal the truth that sets us free for all eternity.
***Pray for Dominican Republic***
Yesterday I heard the sad news that the Dominican Republic, the only abortion-free country in the Caribbean, is now being pressured by the Biden administration to legalize abortion. The bishop there is pleading for help. You can watch the whole story here and consider helping the people here. I feel the heavy burden and just want to go to Christ my Lord to cry my heart out at his feet, begging for mercy. Only he can console me and that's what I need now.
Friday, February 25, 2022
***Our Greatest Oversight
I have already quoted the famous saying of the French novelists Léon Bloy on this blog: "The only real sadness, the only real failure, the only great tragedy in life, is to not become a saint." This totally makes sense, which leads me to think that our greatest oversight in this life is to not take eternal life seriously. We live from day to day, planning for this life and not thinking about the afterlife. It's as if since it's an unknown, we don't want to waste time thinking about it. Of course, this is a serious mistake. It amounts to treating Jesus as someone who came, died for us, rose from the dead . . . all for nothing.
**Our Situation Before God
From today's Psalm 103, I read these verses. "The Lord pardons all your iniquities, he heals all your ills. He redeems your life from destruction, he crowns you with kindness and compassion. Merciful and gracious is the Lord, slow to anger an abounding in kindness. He will not always chide, nor does he keep his wrath forever. For as heavens are high above the earth, so surpassing is his kindness toward those who fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has he put our transgressions from us." The Lords knows that we have inherited the original sin, that's why he is so understanding. As long as we do our best not to sin against him and repent after we sin, he'll always forgive us. But if we choose to sin against him, we reject his kindness and mercy and incur our own condemnation. It's all very clear.
Thursday, February 24, 2022
*****The Only One Trustworthy
In the many decades of living in this world, I have met people who can change in a split second and become an entirely different person (usually when money is involved). As for the public figures you read about a lot in the news, there are those who appear to be totally upright and trustworthy until you learn what they are like in private, not the image they project in public at all. (Some of them had a dark past too, but that doesn't bother me as much.) The lesson leaned: We cannot trust too much in any living person, but should place all our trust in the Lord Jesus Christ alone, the one who has proven to us that he truly loves us.
**Getting Ahead in This World Unimportant
There are many pushy, aggressive people out there, They are the ones who would cut in line to get ahead of others if they can. This kind of behavior shows up in other circumstances too. The thought came to me today that if you know you are going to heaven, you are already way ahead. So just let them get ahead in this world and pray that they will know Christ and see things your way too.
Wednesday, February 23, 2022
**Seeking Understanding Not Essential
When people don't understand us, we feel frustrated. When we are misunderstood, we feel even worse. Do not seeking understanding from the world. First of all, what good is it for others to understand you if not to boost your ego? Would having them understand you bring you any closer to God? Anyway, God already understands you well. When Christ was on earth, he just did the Father's will and never bothered with seeking understanding from others.
*****Process of Knowing God
When you first encounter the Holy Spirit, he sets your heart afire. The Scripture comes alive and you yearn to know the Lord. You want to let whole world know about Christ. Because you are so happy in the Lord, you don't think about yourself too much. Then eventually the Lord withdraws, wanting to make you strong enough to stand on your own feet. Without him, you become more aware of your weaknesses, shortcomings, and minor sins. The desire for perfection leads you to seek union with God thru the Holy Eucharist. Falling deeply in love with Lord begins. Once you attain union, God, more beautiful than ever to you, is now your perfect soulmate.
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