Burdensomeness Is Relative

        Today is the Memorial (optional) of St. Damien of Moloka'i, the Belgium priest who ministered to the lepers in their colony on the Hawaiian Island Moloka'i. He eventually contracted leprosy and died of the disease. I am thinking that if one of us is asked to work among the lepers, he or she probably would feel the assignment to be a great burden. So what's not burdensome to one may be burdensome to another. Mother Teresa is another case in point. To those who always seek to do God's will, burdens no longer exist, for they see performing each task as fulfilling their duty to serve the lord they love. Free of burden, they are joyful. 

God to Watch My Thoughts

        What I felt this morning as Mass started was that the Lord was going to oversee all my thoughts. This gave me no fear but joy. He sees all my thoughts anyway, so for him to supervise them to make sure that they meet his approval is indeed a great blessing I welcome with all my heart. The Lord can help us in all things.   

The Positive Approach to God

        One reason why I love St. Therese so much is because her faith in Jesus' love for her was predominant in her spiritual life. Personally, I also prefer to focus upon the positive. By letting the love, mercy, beauty, and glory of God draw you to him, all the negative aspects such as your sins and all other personal problems are then automatically taken away or overcome in due time. To me this is the joyful, effective way of approaching God. That's why I promote union with God above all. 

Church in Disarray

        The big news on BBC yesterday was that the Association of Catholic Priests, an organization which represents more than 850 priests in Ireland, had been meeting to discuss the future direction of the Church. The Vatican had criticized leading members of ACP for expressing views which contradict Church teaching. I watched the video: one priest spoke up against clerical celibacy and for ordination of women; another said that the educated people have the right to have a voice to be heard and if that voice leads to decisions to challenge the present institution, then that's progress. 

        I was saddened to hear these views expressed. Are the measures suggested by the first priest going to turn the Church in Ireland around and bring disillusioned parishioners back? I doubt it. The second priest spoke just like a present-day unbeliever ~ I just wonder where he got his education. For sure any voice attempting to break up the Church, which is the Body of Christ, could not have come from the Holy Spirit! What all these priests, including the bishops and the cardinals, should do is to get together to repent for all the sins (including the cover-up of child abuses) committed collectively by the clergy and ask the Lord to show the new direction for the Church.

Ultimate Freedom

        I used the phrase "free in God" in my last post. I thought about it and really like it. To be free in God is to feel free in the presence of God; that is, you feel free thinking, speaking, and doing things in his presence. This is like how a good child feels in the presence of its loving parents who are totally pleased with and approves of him or her. This is ultimate freedom!   

True Free Spirit

        One who does God's will is not concerned about what others, the world, think of him while he is alive or after he dies, because his aim is to please God alone. To him, personal accomplishment, reputation, and standing in the world do not exist. He is a true free spirit, free of ego and free in God. (He imitates Jesus.)  

How to Find Peace

        Today's Communion Song, John 14.27: "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you, not as the world gives do I give it to you, says the Lord, alleluia." What the Lord had made me see earlier during Mass was how beautiful it is to follow God and do his will. When you see that the two wills become one and the same, peace and joy pervade your whole being. Again, this is the way the Lord has made us! Only doing his will counts for eternity. Seek and you shall find, so seek his holy will always and you'll find peace. 

Levels of Thought

        This is somewhat related to the previous post. We are what we think, and we think on different levels. If we harbor sinful thoughts, we'll never experience inner peace. Most of the time many of us are occupied with mundane matters, which could also lead to stress and worry. Then we can always uplift our thoughts to God to let the Holy Spirit unconditionally guide our thinking, leading us to experience the greatest possible inner peace.

Jesus Liberates Us!

        In Acts 5 we learn how the angel of the Lord led the imprisoned apostles out of the public jail. In Acts 12, we read that when the angel of the Lord appeared to Peter in prison, the chains just fell from his wrists. He then followed the angel out, passing all the guards and went through the gate which opened for them by itself out to the city. Today when I see so many people carrying the burden of stress, worry, and excessive concern about themselves, they are virtually living in a prison. I want to testify to all that Jesus, our Lord, can completely free us as the angels miraculously led the apostles to freedom. The Lord died for us in order to set us free! He is our last resort, so make it your first. 

Enemies Within the Church

        Disunity and disobedience within the Church tear apart the Body of Christ, pleasing Satan only. We've seen Catholic politicians publicly going against the teachings of the Church. The University of Notre Dame had President Obama speak at its commencement despite outcries from many other Catholics. Now "pro-choice" Kathleen Sebelious, Secretary of the Department of Human Health and Services, has been invited by Georgetown University, this nation's oldest Catholic and Jesuit University, to speak at one of its commencement ceremonies. It's sad that the true sheep of Christ have to fight enemies within as well as without. If you share my viewpoint, consider signing the petition on GeorgetownScandal.com.  

Join God Now

        If you do believe that God exists and we have imperishable souls, then it must be clear to you that there is an ongoing spiritual war waged by Satan against God, fighting for our very souls. Being a given that God cannot be defeated and will be victorious at the end, I am wise enough to side with the Lord right now. If you don't join him in the fight, you only prolong the war and may end up on the loser's side.

God's Love

        The truth "God loves us" is most simple, yet most profound. To us, it's un-imaginable, yet completely logical. We have a rare case of "what seems too good to be true is true."  

Made for Heaven

        In today's Gospel reading from John 14 at Mass, Jesus told his disciples that he was going to his Father's house to prepare a place for them. Even before the Gospel reading, the Lord had made me see that we are truly wonderful creatures made by him. In his eyes, we are worthy to be saved to live eternally with him in heaven! If God so highly thinks of us, then isn't it a great sin to denigrate our own worth, to not hope in him, and to alienate him by continuing our sinful way of life?      

The Best Feeling Is...

knowing that God loves me (you). It touches the soul and heals it, uplifts the spirit high, and is most moving, deeply satisfying, sweet, and intoxicating. If you know Jesus, you'll know that this is true. To be loved by God is to experience God's greatest power!

All God's Love

        Today is the Feast of St. Philip and St. James, Apostles. After receiving Holy Communion, I felt that I was loving God with his love, for he is the source of all good things. Since his love is inexhaustible, the possibility of loving him more is also unlimited.

To Be Detached from Thoughts

        To be detached from your own thoughts is to never have your thoughts put a burden on your heart. This feels the same as being detached from the world, for all things go through the mind first. When thoughts can no longer enslave you, your heart will be light and free. Let Jesus displace all your own thoughts so that you can be so detached and free.

Goose Story with Happy Ending

        Many animals are known to mate for life ~ they are more faithful than humans. I've noticed that the Canadian geese in my area seem to show up in pairs. Recently, as I looked out my home window, I noticed a single goose, sitting or standing out there by the creek, day after day. I surmised that it must have lost its mate, so I felt sorry for the lone bird and wished that it would join some flock and find another mate. Yesterday I looked out the same window and was delighted to see a pair of geese with a gosling walking around them, while pecking at the grass. My initial guess must be all wrong ~ the lone goose was out there because its mate was away sitting upon the egg somewhere hidden for the baby to hatch. So I felt sorry for nothing! Perhaps there are spiritual lessons to be learned here, but I just want to share the surprising story with the happy ending.

God's Ultimate Assurance

        In today's Gospel reading from John 10 at Mass, Jesus told the Jews about the sheep (us) who follow him, "My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. No one can take them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one can take them out of the Father's hand. The Father and I are one." This reaffirms all that I believe. We are assured of eternal life. We are assured of safety in God's hand. How loving the Lord is! What a loving Father! Once you are one with Jesus, you are one with him forever! It's impossible to ask for more than what you get here, the absolute ultimate one could ever desire.

        (Note. The very opposite to being held securely in the Father's hand is being lost with no faith, direction, or certainty.)

Don't Blemish the Universe

        Do you realize that when we disobey God, we are the only creatures in this universe that become blemishes to God? The Lord wants to reign in our hearts, but we have the power to keep him out, thus becoming a blemish. Know that when we submit ourselves to God, we are making this universe more perfect. In the end, all remaining blemishes will be blotted out by the Lord. 

On Praying for Others

        We tend to pray for others not as ardently as we pray for ourselves, especially when the others are people we don't even personally know. Since Jesus wants us to love our neighbors as much as we love ourselves, it dawned on me that we should pray for others just as hard and sincerely as we pray for ourselves.

Essential Questions to Ask

        Before a couple gets married, it'd be good to know how the two answer certain questions to ensure that they are compatible and will be happy to live together. Here are three questions normally not asked, but could prove to be important. (1) Do you like camping? (Imagine that one enjoys camping outdoors and the other much prefer staying at a hotel when they travel together.) (2) Are you a saver or a dumper? (A saver doesn't like to throw away anything, while a dumper doesn't feel good unless everything not needed, not working, or that takes up too much space is disposed of.) (3) Do you like the contemporary or the traditional style? (When it comes to decorating the home, diametric preferences can easily start a war.)

        I brought all this up because we are all going to meet God one day and it would be wise to prepare some questions in advance to make sure that we will be compatible with God and happy to live with him forever. For example, (1) Do I really believe in God? (2) Did I skip Sunday Mass for no good reason? (3) Do I receive the Holy Eucharist with great reverence?...you can think up the rest. We must be very thorough because we are not just marrying and living with someone for a short time, but are going to be considered to live with God for all eternity!    

The Muddy World

        Here are more thoughts on the unattractive world. It's actually a picture I have envisioned. The world is like a really muddy place. We are like pigs that wallow in the mud. We are dirty and filthy, yet we feel good. To enter the realm of Jesus is to get out of the dirty mud and get all cleaned up. Now we feel truly great and know that that's where we should remain.

The Unattractive World

        Since the world conscience is different from the Christian conscience, what seems harmless to the world may very well be offensive to God ~ the world is just not concerned about the human soul. I had lost interest in the attractions and entertainment of the world; in fact, they could be downright boring. I wondered why, then the answer came: Jesus was not in them.

A Matter of Knowing

        Reading 2 at Mass from 1 John 3 mentions knowing Jesus. The Gospel read from John 10 is all about Jesus being the good shepherd. Verse 14-15: "I am the good shepherd, and I know my sheep and they know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I will lay down my life for the sheep." Jesus' love for us is declared here. To know Jesus is to know God and the whole truth!

Belonging to God

        I attended a men's conference yesterday. Over 200 men were present and some of talks were excellent. Of course, the highlight for me was receiving the Lord at the noon Mass said by the local bishop. Right after I received Holy Communion, I heard Jesus say to me, "You are now mine." Joy filled my heart. Today on Good Shepherd Sunday, the same happy message continues. 

Abortion Silences Life

        During the liturgy of the Eucharist at Mass this morning, I heard a child's voice a few rows back behind me. It was a beautiful sound and I instantly thought of the countless children that had been aborted ~ their lives were snuffed out before they could make any sound. May God have mercy on this nation whose highest court legalized abortion.

Real Body & Real Blood

        The Gospel reading at Mass are verses 52-59 from John 6. Read them with an open mind and you won't find the slightest hint that Jesus was talking about eating his flesh and drinking his blood symbolically. We who receive Holy Communion and believe in the real presence of Christ in the Holy Eucharist will live forever as promised by the Lord here.

God Speaks with Love

        In today's Reading 1 at Mass from Acts 9, the story of Paul's conversion was told. After Paul had already inflicted great harm on the Christians, Jesus still called him lovingly and Paul was converted. The voice of the Lord is sweet, for he only speaks the truth, intent on leading us to eternal life. If you hear him speaking to your heart, welcome his voice and pay attention, for he is loving you.

The Duality of God

        Jesus is the king of kings, but he's also the lowest of all servants. He's the most high, yet he's instantly accessible to us. He's the judge of all, but his mercy is equally great. He punishes, but forgives easily. He's the most powerful and at the same time humble and meek. Love explains it all!  

God More than Fair

        At today's Mass, the Communion Song, 2 Corinthians 5.15, goes like this: "Christ died for all, that those who live may live no longer for themselves, but for him who died for them and is risen, alleluia." If Jesus did die for me, then of course, it's only fair that I should live for him. In fact, it's more than fair because I have the easy part, while he took the harder part.   

Opposite Reaction

        The more I read about horrible, sinful acts in the news and see impure, sinful shows on TV, the more I turn to God to ask for his mercy on all, for he is the Lord of salvation. God's power is always there ~ the sole reason why the world is so messed up is because we have ignored or misinterpreted God. Otherwise, Satan would absolutely have no power over us.

Let Only Truth Affect You

        If people say false things about you, do not let them bother you. False things are false, so they do not exist. If someone wants you to panic by spreading the false rumor that the world will end tomorrow, wouldn't you feel rather stupid to let it affect you? So, let only truth affect you. In fact, let only Jesus affect you and you'll always have inner peace. 

Perfect Humility

        Jesus is sinless, yet he suffered so much while he was in this world. Is his suffering just or unjust? From the human point of view, it would seem most unjust to punish anyone who's not guilty. But from God's point of view in the overall scheme of things, anything that happens according to his holy will is just. And Jesus our Lord had the perfect humility to regard all his sufferings to be just.  

The Glorious Mysteries

        Before Mass began, I had some time to dwell upon the first three Glorious Mysteries of the Holy Rosary. Here are some brief thoughts.

        (1) Resurrection. The disciples didn't believe that Jesus was alive until they saw him in person. It must have been such a great joy to them, for after disappointment all their expectations were fulfilled again. Knowing that the Lord has risen, we too are filled with joy. In fact, everything associated with the Lord is a cause for our rejoicing. We can proclaim aloud that "Jesus is our joy!"

      (2) Ascension. I am sure that when the disciples saw the Lord ascending into heaven, they felt sad because they were not going to see him for a while. At the same time, it should be obvious to them that there is a heaven where Jesus was ascending to. Overall, the joy wiped out any sadness. We should feel that way right now.

        (3) Descent of the Holy Spirit. That was affirmation that God did not want to leave us alone ~ the Holy Spirit is our greatest consolation on earth. With him, we should be ready to rock and roll!

         These glorious mysteries are truly joyful ones.    

Catholics Under Attack

        Glenn Beck visited recently the Vatican to observe and be part of the historic ordainment of new cardinals. You may not be one of his fans, but the message of this video report, Catholics Under Attack, by him has everything to do with all Christians, Jews, and other religious groups. Watch it:

 

Deriving Joy

        When one is in union with God, the self exists in God only. All he wishes is to glorify God, who shields him. This is how he derives all his joy.   

Two Beautiful Acts

        When the Lord transforms a heart, it's such a beautiful act, because anything he touches becomes beautiful.

       The lord knows exactly what he is doing, for he is full of wisdom. We are not to question, but to trust. Trusting in the most loving God becomes a most beautiful act. 

         When the Holy Spirit made me see these truths, I was moved to tears. 

The Slow Ones

        The Holy Spirit just made me see this. Jesus came into this world and showed us the power and the truth of God. It has always been us, the finite ones, who are slow to catch on, to understand, and to believe. It takes some a lifetime to see.

Called to Be Holy

         God is all holy. Even if I become a great saint, compared to the Lord, I would still be unholy. I believe that how much we desire to be holy matters a lot. Where we fall short, God's mercy will cover. If you think that being holy is not cool, you've been brainwashed by the world. If you love the Lord and want to follow him, you are called to be holy. If you think that's an unattainable goal, then it's you who are limiting both yourself and God, not God. In Matthew, Jesus said to his disciples, "Be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect" ~ would the all-knowing Lord ask for the impossible from us? 

        In any case, holiness is being Christlike. Holiness is knowing that you are in God's good company. Holiness is refreshing, uplifting, and a joy. It is feeling victorious and secure in the Lord. It is experiencing freedom because the world no longer has a hold on you. When you're holy, God smiles. Being holy is the highest state of human existence. It definitely is cool.

       For Catholics to become as holy as possible, seek complete union with the Lord through receiving the Most Holy Sacrament, the Holy Eucharist.

A Treat for the Soul

        Listening to some nice music played while working helps time pass, but the serious music lover would play, for example, a Beethoven symphony, and listen to it intently with eyes closed, sitting a comfortable chair, for its entire length. Today as I was praying the Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary, I felt that it would be pure joy for me to meditate on the Resurrection, the Ascension, and the Descent of the Holy Spirit. Like the serious music lover, I would contemplate and marvel at these glories of God, with my eyes closed, sitting in a relaxed position. The Lord is always a treat for the soul.  

Accepting Inconveniences

        This morning I was getting ready to go minister to a group. First thing that happened was that a small pouch I needed to use accidentally fell into the toilet bowl. Then I forgot to bring any paper tissues or a handkerchief with me ~ what if I would need to blow my nose in this allergy season? Also, this was the first time for me to use my renewed ID, but the office person who issued it neglected to punch a hole in the card for me to attach a clip to it. Later, I realized that I forgot to bring the list of phone numbers I needed too; but fortunately, I could still recall those numbers. I did my best except that I hurried a little bit and things that can cause inconveniences still happened. The Lord made it clear to me that I should not let any such thing bother me. I got back just fine as if all those things had never happened. If things end well, then nothing really bad has happened. Never dwell on the past.     

What's the Point of Sinning?

         When one applies for a job, his past academic and work records will be examined. When one applies for entrance into heaven, the record of every thought, every word he ever uttered, and every action he ever took will be scrutinized. I mention this because I recall what a friend said a long time ago. We went to the same university and I visited him when he's working in New York. In those days neither of us was a Christian. Naturally, single guys talked about girls. He told me that a lot of guys were picking up girls to have sex with and he could do the same, then he added, "What's the point?"  I still remember that question because after you get some pleasure or fun from doing it, afterwards where does that get you to? It's true with every sin you get something out of committing it, but you end up falling further away from God. If you ever think of making heaven, you're heading the wrong way.

The Day Will Be Here

        Over a month ago, I arranged for a get-together at my home for the group involved in the ministry of visiting the homebound. First a week went by, then another, and another. Finally, the day is here. And I realize that the day we appear before the Lord to be judged will be here too, more certain than that the sun will rise tomorrow ~ it's only a matter of time. The wise would prepare for that day beforehand.   

Resting in Jesus

        Today's thoughts after receiving the Holy Eucharist: I am one with Jesus again. I can now rest perfectly in him.

Thinking About Heaven

        If I believe in God only because I want to go to heaven, I could feel somewhat guilty because it seems that I am being selfish, whereas the right reason should be because I love God. This brought to my mind that in my immature youthful days, I always felt a little uneasy when I went to my bank to withdraw my own money. Of course, I can take out my own money at any time as I wish! We shouldn't feel guilty about wanting to go to heaven either ~ it's where God wants us to go! We are not forgetting God because if he is not there, I don't think we would want to go there. Anyway, it is called heaven because it's where God is. So, I am going to dream about heaven, my destination; but I still yearn for my God, not heaven.

How Souls Look

        Those who attend Mass daily are usually souls with strong faith and devotion. This morning as I watched them returning to their seats after receiving the Holy Eucharist, I saw them reflecting the beauty of Christ. Then I thought of all the unbelievers in the world ~ how did they look to me? And I realized that by not turning to God, they were only hurting themselves and I felt great pity for them.

Power of the Holy Spirit

        The Holy Spirit has unlimited power. Since Jesus' kingdom does not belong to this world, the Holy Spirit exercises his power only in God's kingdom. This means that he can do great things in our spiritual lives.

To Dwell in the House of the Lord

        Psalm 27 is the Responsorial Psalm for Mass today. Verses 1 & 4 are so beautiful that I'll just quote them here without comment.

       "The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom should I fear? The LORD is my life's refuge; of whom should I be afraid? One thing I ask of the LORD; this I seek: To dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, that I may gaze on the loveliness of the LORD and contemplate his temple."

Beautiful Praying

        After Mass was over, the interior lights in the church got turned off, creating two rather dim areas in the back. I was sitting in one praying and someone sitting in a bright spot didn't realize that anyone else was in the church. She started praying aloud in Spanish, which I didn't understand; but obviously, she's talking to the Lord straight from her heart, with nothing held back. Her pleading tone was so sincere and fervent that made me see how beautiful praying can sound to both God and us when it's done with total trust in God. Later on, we talked a little bit, in English, and she told me that she's telling the Lord that she wanted to do his will from now on. So we have beautiful intention, beautiful praying, and beautiful listening.                                                                                               

Being Holy, a Good Feeling

        When the body is healthy, we feel good. Likewise, when the soul is healthy in a pure and clean state, we feel uplifted and carefree. St. Augustine said that "God has made us so that our hearts are restless until they rest in him." It follows that I could say that "God has made us so that we feel good when we are holy." This is our reward for remaining close to God.