Protecting the Lord

        At Mass this morning, I felt the Lord dwelling within me and I wanted to protect him within me. Of course, I am the one who needs his protection, but I could protect him in the sense that I'll do my best to draw others to him so that he would be offended less by sins. This should be the desire and goal for all his disciples. 

Faith Necessary for Finding God

        Read about Jesus in all the Gospels. If you believe that he is truly God, then everything you read would make perfect sense to you. But if you start out believing that he is not divine, then all the stories would absolutely make no sense and you end up knowing even less. In a way, this shows that Jesus is the truth and that faith or at least some faith is necessary for finding God. 

Soul over Body

        God can heal our soul and our body. The soul is more important than the body because the soul does not perish, but the body has no life of it own. When we ask the Lord to heal our soul, he readily complies as the soul is what he loves and a healed soul is a saved one. Our request for healing of the body is granted only if it'll help us spiritually toward saving our soul or give God glory in some other way, as the body, whether healed or not, will perish soon one day.

Cause for Joy

        This morning's Entrance Song, Matthew 25:34, at Mass: "Come, you blessed of my Father; receive the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world, alleluia." As I read that, my heart leapt for joy. The Response to the Psalm (#105) echoed my feeling later: "Rejoice, O hearts that seek the Lord."

Keeping the Lord

        As St. Paul points out in Romans 8, neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. To reject this love is indeed to be foolish to the extreme. On the other hand, if we do accept this love, then neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to take our Lord away from us.

Being Cut to the Heart

        Today's Reading 1 comes from Acts 2. On the day of Pentecost, Peter said to the Jewish people, "Let the whole house of Israel know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified." Now when they heard this, there were cut to the heart. I think that every Christian should feel at least once in his lifetime cut to the heart. Let the Holy Spirit do the cutting, causing a sweet pain most beneficial to the soul.   

Jesus' Promise Confirmed

        Jesus told his disciples that he is with them always, until the end of the age. As I received the Lord in the Holy Eucharist today, once again his promise was confirmed.

Honesty Is Best

        Today's Gospel reading comes from Matthew 28. To cover up the fact that Jesus had risen, the chief priests gave a large sum of money to the soldiers guarding the tomb to spread the rumor that the disciples came and stole the body while they were asleep. This was to satisfy the governor in case he hears about the news and to keep themselves out of trouble. And the false story was circulated among the Jews. So there were a cover-up, bribery, deceitfulness, self-preservation above all else, and the misleading of others ~ hypocrisy all around. By contrast, when Jesus saw Nathanael (Bartholomew), the soon-to-be Apostle, coming toward him, he said, "Here is a true Israelite. There is no duplicity in him." How blessed it is to be as honest and straightforward as Nathanael was to the Lord!

Prayer for Loving God

        To answer my own question posed in the preceding post, I propose that at the start of performing anything, we pray humbly to the Father: "All for you; all in your hands."

Easter Joy

        When Jesus rose from the dead and ascended into heaven, God made the definitive statement that we have hope in him and that hope is Christ. So, Lord, filled with Easter joy how can we love you even more?

God Calling Us by Name

        It's Holy Saturday. I had some time and watched The Redeemer, a film I prerecorded on EWTN earlier. It's an old production filmed in Spain. Throughout the film, you only see the back of Jesus. I didn't care for the voice of Jesus used ~ it was too husky and sounded Hollywoodish. Nevertheless, the film does have some poignant moments. I was moved watching Peter's face right after he denied Christ for the third time and the cock crowed. I shed the most tears when Jesus cried out aloud on the cross "Father, into your hands I commend my spirit" just before he breathed his last. Then Thomas didn't believe that Jesus had risen and the Lord showed up and called Thomas to him to check out his wounds. That's when I knew that the Lord calls us too ~ how good it is to hear him calling us by name!   

Sweet Sorrow

        I attended the Good Friday service, the Passion of the Lord, at my church. This was a solemn service for the fact that Jesus underwent so much agony, suffering, and unimaginable pain for our sake. Yet, the sorrow he experienced and that we feel for him are both tinged with sweetness, for in his sorrow Jesus accomplished his work of salvation and in ours, we receive faith and hope. For the Christians, joy is ever present, on or beneath the surface.

The Love of Christ

        I attended the Holy Thursday evening Mass at which the washing of the feet was performed after the homily to represent the service and charity of Christ. I strongly felt the love of the Lord for us. It's indescribably sweet and powerful. This love emanating from his Most Sacred Heart can melt our heart, effecting a union of the two hearts. Taste this love, absorb it, and be intoxicated by it. The love of Christ is what makes life beautiful.

Responding to God's Love

        God loves us. Let's look at this from his point of view. We needed to be saved, so he sacrificed his only Son to redeem us. This was a tremendous price to pay, showing that he had loved us with the greatest possible love. He created us and knew each one of us intimately. All he wanted was to bring us back to his bosom; not for a single instant did he ever think of letting us go. So, how would you advise someone to respond to this much love? I think the answer is clear just by logic or reason alone. Then advise yourself the same.        

Me First?

        We hear said "Faith is a gift from God." Does this imply that God gives this gift only to selected ones? I think the word "gift" simply means that this faith is ours if we are open and receptive to it. The fact is that so many people do not possess faith or have only a weak faith. I believe that it's because they, out of pride, put themselves ahead of God, and will probably remain so until their dying moment. Jesus said it so clearly: "Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." "Me first" has no place before God. Perhaps the saying of Jesus "The last will be first, and the first will be last" applies here too.

Salvation for All!

        I believe that we all have a part of us that makes us want to do good. It's impressive that when a natural disaster strikes, many volunteers show up to help, even at the risk of losing their own lives. Today I thought of the disaster of hell fires. The thought of eternal separation from God is so horrifying that anyone with a little heart should want every single soul to be saved. Therefore, no more enemies, no more judging of others, and no one we cannot forgive. Let God's love reign in all hearts. All this is in accordance with his will, as Mary requested us to add this prayer to the Rosary: "Oh my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of Thy mercy. Amen."   

The Extreme God

        God is extreme in many ways because he is infinite. His love for us is extreme, sacrificing even his own Son to redeem us. Then the Resurrection is extreme too, a complete reversal from death to Ascension into heaven. And we who have been called will be yanked from this burdensome world to dwell with him, not for a limited period of time, but for all eternity in heaven. I love my extreme God!

Afraid of Jesus?

        How can one not love Jesus the Savior, unless he is afraid of him? Anyone who is afraid of him is basically afraid of himself, afraid of examining himself. Only one who is in darkness wants to hide or run away from Jesus, the most loving Lord. The more afraid one is, the greater the urgency for him to reconcile with God. Know that God's peace displaces all fear.

Power of the Holy Eucharist

        As I went up to receive the Eucharist at Mass this morning, I noticed the perfectly round shape of the Host held before me. It signified to me that this Holy Sacrament can make us perfect spiritually.

The Christian Example

        At the Last Supper, Jesus asked us to take Holy Communion in memory of him. Besides this, we should do every other thing in his name. This is the Christian example.

Overruling God

        We so often do what we want to do, even when it goes against our conscience. This happens most likely when the action we plan to take does not seem to hurt anyone, at least not right away or directly. We feel the guilt, but we sweep it aside and go ahead anyway. Splurging on something expensive but not really needed or beneficial to us spiritually is one example. I consider this a case of overruling God, strictly speaking, a sin. If the number of times we overrule God exceeds the number of times we listen to him, then we'd better make amendment, for God is to be welcomed, not ignored. 

The Way to Know God

          First Reading at today's Mass was from Isaiah. I started thinking about how amazing it was that the Old Testament prophets and the psalmists consistently believed in one God and spoke and prayed to him with such intimacy ~ God must have communicated with them. Then Jesus showed up and fulfilled all their prophecies, so Jesus must have been sent by God. 

        I am just applying my common sense, not trying to prove that the one God exists. First of all, admitting that I am a creature by God, I am already acknowledging his existence. Besides, I know that a lesser being is in no position to prove anything about a greater being. Just wanting to seek such proofs is being arrogant and would render faith meaningless. God is to be believed in and trusted! Any other way will not gain me entrance.

On Following Jesus

        First thoughts at mass. As long as I follow Jesus through the teachings of the one and only Church built on Peter by Christ and not pay any attention to any other teachings given by another human being who heads his own church or denomination or sect, I am safe in following the Lord as the Apostles were.      

Only God Is Forever

        My wife is temporarily away for a few days, so my life feels somewhat different. I know that one day either I'll be gone first or she'll be the one, then life will be different again. This teaches me to never hold onto anything in this world. The best, proper, and healthiest thing for us to do is to hold onto God alone so that we'll have him with us forever. This is basically the gospel Christ brought to us.

God Delivers Through Union

        Just got back from the retreat. In small groups sharing, I learned that many had personal imperfections they wanted to overcome in order to love Jesus more. That was admirable, but they found it hard to succeed in practice. Since the goal of this blog is to lead all to union with Christ through the Holy Eucharist, here's my chance to give it another plug. The most effective way to overcome sins, imperfections, and hang-ups is to go straight to the Lord to seek union with him first through receiving him in the Holy Eucharist. Once he's united with you, he will transform you effortlessly and you needn't struggle hard on your own anymore. Ask and he delivers.  

Christ Alone Satisfies

        I am attending an end-of-the-month retreat at a local retreat center. I wasn't getting much out the presentations until Mass this morning at which I was overwhelmed by receiving the Lord in the Eucharist. It's as if nothing can satisfy me anymore except the Lord himself. I expect a lot more to come from him!

A Mutual Feeling

        If you feel at home with God, then he will feel likewise dwelling in your heart. 

We Need the Holy Spirit

        The Holy Spirit is double-edged. He is a gentle breeze, soothing and refreshing your spirit; but he is also a passionate flame, burning away all your impurities and kindling in your heart the fire of his love.

How to Show Love

        If you love God, don't try to remember specifically what you should or should not do; instead, let your love for him be your sole guide. You should feel perfectly natural in wanting to reflect God's love in all your actions. 

God's Just Mercy

         God's mercy is so great that he wants to save us in any way he can. He checks us thoroughly to see if there is any redeeming good in us, no matter how small. He wants to make absolutely sure that if anyone gets condemned in the end, it'll be entirely due to that person's own fault.

The Ultimate Relationship

        I am impressed by the most personal relationship between God and us. Psalm 18 is the Responsorial Psalm for today's Mass. In it the Lord was addressed by the psalmist as his rock of refuge, his fortress, his deliverer, his shield, the horn of his salvation, and his stronghold. Then Christ came to us and further strengthened this relationship, as the Entrance Song, 1 Peter 2.24, states: "He himself bore our sins in his body upon the cross, so that, free from sin, we might live for righteousness. By his wounds we have been healed." Each of us is now the Father's favorite child. In receiving the body and blood of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist, we attain union with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Our God is not far away! On the contrary, he died for us and is now in us who believe. It's impossible to get more intimate than that. 

Joy in the Holy Eucharist

        Going to morning Mass to receive Jesus in the Holy Eucharist felt like attending a banquet held in heaven. If this feast does not make you happy, then nothing in the world will.

The Imperishable Soul

        In today's Gospel reading from John 8, Jesus said to the Jews, "Whoever keeps my word will never see death." Obviously, Jesus was not referring to the death of the physical body ~ he was talking about what happens to the eternal soul. Since the soul is imperishable, it's what we should pay attention to.       

Heaven Is Different

       You hear the advice "make the most of your life or the situation you're in or what you've got." This makes sense because we live in a world in which everything passes and you want to use every opportunity to your greatest advantage while you're around. Then it struck me that in heaven, this advice is no longer relevant, for there you'll have the best to the full and have it for all eternity to boot. 

See What God Can Do with You

        Since nothing is impossible with God, whether you are shy or outgoing, awkward or adroit, physically weak or strong, clumsy in speech or eloquent, unlearned or well educated...these things do not matter. In fact, it's often the poor, the weak, and the wretched that the Lord delights in choosing to be his servants, hands, or instruments to do the work for his glory. Many great saints are such examples. Therefore, always try to see yourself as what God can do with you. If you like it, then he will fulfill your desire.      

God's Mercy One-Sided

        As I received the Holy Eucharist, I just felt my unworthiness and that God is being too good to me. His mercy is all one-sided!

The Divine Beauty

        Prior to receiving Holy Communion at Mass today, I sensed the blinding, dazzling beauty of the Lord. Such beauty compels one to seek union with him.

Counterweight to Sorrow

        Learning about the horrific sins committed against God throughout the world nonstop surely brings tears to anyone who loves Christ. But we do have a counterweight ~ the joy and hope we have in Christ restore our trust and peace in him, and our tears stop flowing.

Sweet Freedom

        Today's Gospel reading came again from John 8. I was thirsty for it like parched land. A couple of Jesus' sayings are: "If you remain in my word...you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." "Amen, amen, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin." 

        How simply true these statements are! To sin is to become a slave ~ that's why a sinner has no peace because he is not free. (You might say that he's like one who lives in a fish tank.) But Jesus frees us because he is the truth! I place freedom ahead of peace and joy, not because it's more important, but because peace and joy cannot come unless you are freed first. 

God Is Holy!

        As I posted before, the Holy Spirit sharpens our conscience. Not only that, it purifies the heart to the point that sinful thoughts can no longer originate from it, let alone take root in it. This is a great gift from God. It makes you acutely aware that the Lord is holy! He truly deserves all the glory. 

God Is Instant

        During Mass, I thought about how instant God can be. When I repent, my sins are taken away without delay. He's already anticipating what I'm going to say before I start to pray. He's instant because he's ever ready to please us. Yes, to please us by sending his only Son to us to serve and save us ~ this is our God!   

Challenging Sayings

        The Gospel reading at Mass was taken from John 8. Jesus couldn't have been clearer. He is "I AM" and those who do not believe in him will die in sins. He also said that he was sent by the Father and the Father was with him. The sayings are all pivotal and so challenging that they need to be fully accepted or fully dismissed. At the time, many came to believe in him. You are not dealing with another ordinary human being here.
        Last thought. We must accept what's presented to us by God as is and not keep looking for what's palatable to us.

Best Job to Fill

        The Christian as a worker has the best boss he can possibly work for. The boss is most kind and merciful, and provides all that the worker needs to do his work and to live on. His fellow workers are all members of the same loving family. After he retires, he'll receive a permanent dwelling place in paradise. Better yet, when you apply for such a position, you don't need to compete against other applicants, for there are always welcoming vacancies. Furthermore, you won't be screened for academic qualifications or health, and it's never too late to apply as long as you are still living in this world. As a worker, you fulfill a most urgent need. Overall, it's the best and most rewarding job there is.     

God's Will Brings Joy

        Today is the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord. The angle Gabriel was sent from God to Virgin Mary to announce her conception of Christ. Mary's final response was: "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word." The response to Psalm 40 at Mass read: "Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will."

        What a joy it is to be ready to do God's will! What a joy it is to hear his will made known! And what a joy it is to actually do his will! These three consecutive stages continuously fill the whole of the Christian life with joy. Enjoy our God!

Mother Teresa

        I watched a documentary on Mother Teresa. Most memorable saying of her was, when she told others why she's doing her work, "All for Jesus." One of the commentators, Dan Rather, also said something memorable. Let me paraphrase him: "In contrast to the simple, humble, little woman who did truly great work, people in the world with big egos who try hard to accomplish their dreams are living in illusion." After seeing how Mother Teresa loved others, the love of Jesus is more beautiful and more glorious than ever. 

Dying like a Grain of Wheat

        I attended vigil Mass today and the Gospel reading was taken from John 12. Most memorable sayings from the reading: "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be." 

        As I received the Lord in the Holy Eucharist, I saw the opportunity to ask to die in him like the fallen grain of wheat so that I might serve him and be with him always.

Wrong Expectation

        Sometimes we expect God to fit our specifications of him ~ how unreasonable! Instead, we should find out what he is truly like and fit ourselves to what he requires of us.

Joy Doubled

        In doing the Stations of the Cross after Mass, at one place John 16:22 was read: "But I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you." My heart was already rejoicing. Hearing that no one will take my joy away from me simply doubled my joy!  

Beyond Touching Jesus

        As I received the Holy Eucharist at Mass this morning, I felt more than seeing, touching, and embracing the Lord ~ I felt the total physical and spiritual union with him.

Sweet Isolation

        As one is drawn deeper into Christ, he necessarily feels his isolation from the world more. But what sweet isolation! for God is so much more interesting that the mundane world.