God Does Speak to Us

        In today's Gospel reading at Mass from Matthew 13, Jesus used parables to explain the kingdom of heaven to the crowds. God has also uses various signs, including dreams, visions, etc., to convey messages to his people. Basically, what I want to say is that God always speaks to his people through different means, both extraordinary and ordinary. What we must do is to remain alert, hear, discern, and interpret what comes our way. All what God wants us to know or understand is important and most beneficial to us.

What Jesus Did Promise

        Hearing some Harry Potter film music played brought magic to my mind, which in turn reminded me of the preaching of some non-Catholic Christians ~ they essentially preach that if you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, he will bless you with money, good jobs, and all the other good things in life. (Like magic, this just sounds too good to be true.) When things don't go well, such believers then blame it on their own weak (not erroneous to them) faith. Anyway, Jesus never promised such things as such preachers claim. What he did promise were inner peace, freedom, and eternal life. If that last item is not good enough for you, then Jesus is not good enough for you either. 

The Coming of Jesus

        Christmas is celebrated in the secular world, including even many basically non-Christian countries, but is this true celebration? Even for a Christian, if Jesus has not come into his or her heart yet, what is the point of celebrating his coming into the world? It is true that he came once almost 2,000 ago, but he is also ready to come into our hearts any time we open up to him. This coming or entering calls for true celebration because when it happens, you spread joy around the entire heaven! Revelation 3.20: "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will enter his house and dine with him, and he with me." I will never forget the Lord's loving invitation for me to dine with him ~ naturally, it is still open for everyone.

Jesus Is My Proof

        I was reminded that evil is real when I saw the signs posted along a road that leads to a prison, warning all drivers not to stop or turn around. Actually, it should be obvious to anyone whenever you listen to or watch the daily news. If there is evil, then there is also God because his love and beauty are manifested in so many ways among and around us. I might have relied upon my common sense or intuition, but Jesus had made it an absolute certainty for me. Against him, all the true and all the false are exposed. Against him, all good and all bad are to be measured.

God Makes All Things Easy

        We are advised to do good deeds, be kind and forgiving, and love others by our pastors, well-meaning friends, self-help books, etc., but we don't always find it easy. Doing it is often like going through a mechanical motion with not much heart put into it. To be successful in what we are advised to do, forget all about it and concentrate instead upon knowing Jesus. Once you get to know him well or better yet, have fallen in love with him or best yet, achieved union with him, all these things come automatically ~ very much like the shedding of all your sins. God now takes over and all things mechanical become natural. Here's another wonder of God.   

An Overwhelming Feeling

        I went to Mass this morning and it turned out that I was the only person attending. It's like I was invited alone to be at the banquet from heaven given by Fr. M for the Lord. I also attended the vigil Mass at 5:30 p.m. in lieu of tomorrow's Sunday Mass and received the Lord again in the Holy Eucharist. The feeling was so overwhelming that I thought that God had "annihilated" me or swallowed me up; but there was no fear, only the feeling of great intimacy and security. To disappear in God, to be in him, to be absorbed by him...it seemed such a natural thing for us. It's going home all the way! He made me want to love him even more. 

Being What God Has Made Me

        Thoughts at mass this morning ~ "I am no longer my old self with all the weaknesses and blemishes; I am what God has remade me into, a new creature."  

To Be in Top Spiritual Form

        Summer Olympics is underway in London, England. It's a known fact that athletes train day and night for years just trying to make the Olympic team. It's definitely hard work that calls for much sacrifice to put yourself in top form. Is it equally hard to put yourself in top form spiritually? Well, that depends upon your tactics. If you struggle on your own, no matter how good your intentions are, you'll not find it easy. In fact, making decent progress may seem impossible. If you change tactics and acknowledge before God that you need him and desire his help, placing your entire trust in him and yourself at his disposal, then all becomes easy, for he now does the work in you for you.  

Bearing Fruit for God

        In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 13 at morning Mass, Jesus explained the parable of the sower. Basically, the seed sown on the path, on rocky ground, or among thorns bears no fruit. Only the seed sown on rich soil, the one who hears the word of the kingdom and understands it, bears fruit and yields a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold. It's indeed amazing to see how vegetables in the right soil in my planters grow so fast from tiny seeds into mature plants, bearing fruit along the way. Zucchini and cucumber practically double in size in a few days. When we hear the word of kingdom and understand it, we can be rich soil too. Then we can amaze God by bearing fruit manyfold. Let us be used by God to do great works.

Checking Jesus Out

        Assume that Jesus is not God. You'll find what you read from the four Gospels contradicting your assumption. If you still don't believe in him, then assume that he is God, and you'll find that everything you read in the Gospels makes sense and supports your assumption. Perhaps now you'll believe!   

God and Life

        Today's Response to Psalm at Mass: "With you is the the fountain of life, O Lord." Life cannot be separated from God, for God is the life. There can be no life without God. I have life because of him, and I shall have eternal life because of him too. Life is consciousness, life is vitality, for God is the originator. Our duty is to be thankful for the gift of life by keeping it sacred and unblemished. 

Minding God's Business

        Don't mind someone else's business is good advice only if that someone is not God. To follow God, we must be totally involved with him; yes, even to the point of "butting in" or badgering him. We want to know what the Lord's will and plan for us are. We should find out as much as possible by communicating constantly with him. He must have our full attentiveness. Yes, we must be about God's business at all times.

Mary's Obedience to Jesus

        This morning as I was praying the second Luminous Mystery of the Holy Rosary, the Wedding of Cana, I thought of what Mary said to the servers when Jesus was told that the wine ran out: "Do whatever he tells you." Of course, Mary could be spoiling her son or was afraid of him to say something like this, but I don't think so. I believe that she already knew that Jesus was divine, the Son of God.

Prerequisite for God to Respond

        Before we ask God to take away our sins, we must repent first, this being a prerequisite. In the same way, before we ask God to give us something, we must admit our need for it. For example, if you need more courage and strength, you must admit to him that you are timid and weak, thereby needing his help. Then he will answer you. Again, if you want to find God and just ask him to reveal himself to you, it won't work. You must first admit that you are lost and need him to guide you, then he will do just that. Similarly, if you want to belong to him, you must surrender first. I think I have made the point clear. Remember that for God to come, we must be completely "out of the way."

All About Love

        Following Jesus is following love; is letting God love you; letting yourself fall in love with him; is to live, rest, and rejoice in his love; to let love transform you; to spread his love among all to glorify God... ~ it is all about love.

To Serve or Not to Serve

        The Gospel Acclamation at Mass read was John 15.16: "I chose you from the world, to go and bear fruit that will last, says the Lord." In the Gospel reading from Matthew 20, Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you shall be you slave. Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many." The message is very clear ~ we must go and bear fruit that will last, that is, to serve.

        The people of the world just do the opposite...they bear fruit that does not last and lord it over others. They strive for top honors, prestige, position, power, wealth, and control. And the world admires, honors, or even worships them for it. All you do is look at the statues erected in the public squares, parks, and even on university campuses such as Penn State (in the news lately). At any rate, to enter the kingdom of God, humankind must pay close attention to what Jesus has said above.

When God Calls You...

        Today is the Feast of St. James, Apostle. The Entrance Song was taken from Matthew 4, combining verses 18 & 21. "As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, Jesus saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother mending their nets and he called them." It's all about calling. I could not suppress my joy when I realize that I have been called too. What a great honor and grace! Being called; Jesus wants you; God has chosen you; God entering your life, wanting you to experience his love; your name is indeed written in the book of heaven; your future is all set; you are bound for heaven to live in eternal happiness with the Father ~ how can one not feel happy?

Ego to Be Annihilated

        I do a certain ministry at a place where one must pass a guard at the gate. Many guards know me and they simply wave me in, but this last one who was new to me was very strict with procedure ~ I had to show my ID, sign in, etc. I felt somewhat offended, but I also realized that he's merely performing his duty, so I tried to dismiss my negative reaction. There were also times when someone unintentionally said something that seemed to put me down, again I must not let that bother me. Overall, we should remain undisturbed whether our ego gets kicked or stroked, for it should not have been present in us in the first place.   

One Family in God

        The Gospel reading at morning Mass was from Matthew 12. While Jesus was speaking to the crowds, the mother and brothers of Jesus appeared outside. Jesus, stretching out his hand toward his disciples, said, "Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is my brother, and sister, and mother." This confirms the fact that our present families are only families on earth. In spirit and in heaven, all believers are absorbed into the one large family of God's people. This also adds meaning to the Catholic belief in the communion of saints. "Praying" to the saints is nothing more than talking to family members.

Sensing God's Love

        During morning Mass, I again felt the infinite love of God for us and thought that you have to have a heart made of stone not to be moved by it. Perhaps the mind  gets in the way? At any rate, if you don't sense God's love, pray for the necessary grace so that he may open up a whole new beautiful world for you to enter. 

Never Mind that You Are Ahead

        These thoughts follow my last posting. Since we live and die at God's mercy, we should always remain humble. It would be plain foolish to think that I have better health, more wealth...better this or more that than others. I may feel that I am ahead; but Matthew 20.16, "The last will be first, and the first will be last" may apply here too. 

Ready for Death?

        Two friends just passed away. One I only heard about yesterday. The first one was known to be a Catholic, who went through a long bout with cancer. The death of the second was totally unexpected, sending shock waves through many of his friends. I don't believe that he had any firm belief in God. The news got me thinking again that we are totally at God's mercy. I see each of us linked to God by a cord. As long as we are connected to him, we have life. When he disconnects us, we die. While living, we alone are able to choose to believe in God fully, somewhat, or not at all. The wise, ready for death, live each day as if it is their last. Live in peace now and you don't need to worry about RIP for later.    

Following God Closely

        As various problems in life constantly pop up, I feel the need to pray to God even more and harder to ensure that things are working out according to his plan. This really strengthens me. You can count on the fact that courage and peace always come to those who follow the Lord closely.    

Jesus the Greatest Sign!

        Today's Gospel reading at Mass came from Matthew 12. The scribes and Pharisees wished to see a sign from Jesus. It's the same today when people want to see a sign before they would believe. I know people who prayed to God, did not hear anything, and stopped searching or believing. Don't they see that the greatest sign is Jesus himself? Don't they read about how he healed the sick, the lame, the blind, the possessed, and even raised the dead? He changed water into wine, multiplied fish and bread, walked on water, and performed numerous other miracles. He even rose from the dead himself? What greater signs do they possibly need? What blind eyes and hardened hearts!

Say the Right Word to God

        It is the love of Jesus for us that makes him so attractive. It is because of this love that he wants to remove our sins. All we need to let it happen is to say yes to him. Why making life so complicated? 

The Soul Exists!

        During meditation before Mass started this morning, I had an awareness of Jesus within me so strong that it's impossible to think that I have just the body and no soul. The existence of the soul eternal had never been made this clear to me. Being aware of Jesus is being aware of life eternal. 

Failure in Relating to Jesus

        One contributing reason I believe why people do not come to believe in Jesus when they read the Gospels is because they feel as if they're reading a 2000-year-old story in an unfamiliar setting ~ there is a fictitious quality to it. They fail to see that the Gospels recorded the actual events reflecting the culture and customs of those days. If Jesus were to come today, the people 2000 years in the future may have the same trouble relating to him since they will see us as living in a society or world unfamiliar to them.      

God's Beautiful Silences

        Many music compositions have rests written into the score. They mark the intervals of silence. It's been said these silences between notes are just as musical as the notes. God is silent too at times and his silences are just as beautiful as when he is speaking to you. So remain patient and treasure these moments of silence, for the voice of God will be even sweeter and lovelier when you hear him next.  

Why Not Accepting Jesus?

       If you have not accepted Jesus into your life yet, why not? As I said before more than once, with Jesus you just have to decide if he is true God or false man ~ there is no third choice. If you don't believe, then it boils down to either he is right and you are wrong or he is wrong and you are right. A better question: What is your true reason for not accepting him? Be honest and your answer may change your mind.

Boring Happiness

        The Pursuit of happiness in our secular world, especially the entertainment sector, is downright much ado about nothing. Once you know Christ, anything that does not uplift the soul and spirit becomes utterly boring. This is a good test of how much you belong or not belong to the world.

Doing God's Will Right

        Doing God's will is a serious undertaking and there is to be no cutting corners about it. Whatever we do, we should see as carrying out an assignment from God, our duty and an honor. Half-heartedness has no place in serving God.

A Great Analogy

        I love Jesus calling us his sheep and himself our shepherd. Indeed, although we can still manage to survive without him, we'd be in constant danger and not knowing where we are going. With him we are safe and know exactly where we are heading. It's such a great analogy! To be his sheep or not to be his sheep, that shouldn't even become a question.

God for Our Relaxation

        Matthew 11:28-30 was read at the July 19 Mass. Jesus said, "Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. ...my yoke is easy, and my burden light." Since we are weak and God is strong, it's logical that we should rely upon him in all things and at all times. To word things a little differently, God is for our relaxation.

Why We Sin Easily

        I've been thinking that we try not to catch the flu, a cold, or any virus. If someone is down with a contagious disease, we stay as far away as possible. Yet when it comes to sin, not only often we don't run away from it, we even embrace it despite knowing that sin is harmful and its consequence can even be deadly. Why so? Perhaps it's because we see how sickness or a disease directly affects us and we don't quite see how sin stains the soul. It should help to realize that sin directly grieves God!

Let God Do the Rest

        I am still lagging behind in posting. The Gospel reading on July 18 was Matthew 11:25-27. Jesus praised the Father for having hidden these things to the wise and the learned but revealed them to the childlike. He also said that no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him. So, it is God who does the revealing. Our priest at Mass told the story how another priest worked hard on a homily, but it still came out rather flat and he felt dejected. Then a woman told him after Mass how the sermon had deeply moved her. It seems that all we need to do is to do our best and let God do the rest.

Taking Criticism the Right Way

        How do we take criticisms from others? It's easy to feel offended if we don't control our ego ("Who are you to tell me what to do?") Recently, an older lady gave me some constructive suggestions as to how I could have performed a certain task better. I realized that she meant to be helpful and what she said was to the point and exactly I needed to know. I felt that God used her to communicate to me. When the Lord wants to speak to you, he doesn't care whether he offends your ego or not. I am grateful that he continues to groom me for what he wants me to do.          

No Escape from Reality

        In John 8, the Jews said to Jesus, "You are not yet 50 years old and you have seen Abraham?" Jesus said to them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, before Abraham came to be, I AM." What an awesome answer! To me, Jesus is the eternal reality. Reality, being real, exists and there is no escape from that. Those who do not believe in the Lord live in a virtual world and will have to face him inescapably in the end. 

Getting the Right Help

        I started my last post four days ago, then my computer malfunctioned. A couple of months ago, the computer was cleaned by Microsoft for virus and malware infections. Then I had the so called "stop error" or "blue screen." Since it's a Sony computer, I contacted Sony for support. Both Microsoft and Sony do all the work by taking remote control of my computer at their end. Sony used the Iolo System Mechanic tool to check and repair the problems uncovered, inexcusably ignorant of the known fact that this tool messes up Window Vista in various ways ~ in my case, the Windows Installer. As a result, I could no longer install any new software ~ it was definitely a serious blunder! Online I couldn't find an easy solution to this particular problem. Finally, I got a local 30-year experienced person to come to my home and he amazingly fixed the problem in a simple way. Moreover, he removed even more viruses and malwares. The lessons I learned: (1) Online fixing is not good enough and even risky, (2) There are many softwares such as Iolo System Mechanic, which you can download free or are low-cost, but you can't be sure that they are both safe and effective, and (3) You can't beat having someone who's experienced and can personally come out to you check out the problem. (I would avoid using any big chain that employs many repairmen available for different locations because you don't know whom you are going to get.)

        These lessons point to the truth that for spiritual healing, we should choose God and appeal to him for help. 

Fortified by God

        During the Communion Rite at Mass on July 17 (4 days ago), when we prayed "Lamb of God...have mercy on us" and "Lamb of God...grant us peace," I felt that mercy and peace were perfectly for us to ask from God for. Then just before Communion, we asked the Lord to heal our souls. I saw that shielded from evil by the mercy of God, with our soul healed and in peace, we should be ready to face anything coming my way.

Judgment Day Warning

        In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 11, Jesus made it clear that there is a judgment day for all. This gave me comfort because the fact that there would be closure just made life meaningful. Of course, judgment day, also known as doomsday, does not spell doom for those who follow and love the Lord, but for those who don't, this is a warning to be heeded.

God Must Come First

        This is a sequel to the excerpts quoted from Matthew in my last post. Jesus makes it clear that God must come first and be the only one to attach ourselves to. The time to follow him should be the moment we hear his call. And if we respond with "not yet" after we hear his voice, we only prolong the time we won't have inner peace. We all (should) know that God commands and pursues us because he loves us, so any problem has to come from our hardened hearts.  

Only God Can Speak Thus

        In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 10, Jesus gives many commands to his Twelve disciples with great authority. Some excerpts: "Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me." This is clearly God speaking, all right!

We Too Levitate

        Levitation is defined as the rising of a body in air by supernatural means. Historically, there have been many levitating saints. In a way, we also "levitate" as we get to know the Lord. At the beginning, we are deeply immersed in the world and attached to the many things of the world. The result is that we feel heavily weighed down and tired. As we know God through Christ more and more, the burden gets lighter and lighter until finally, we are in union with him and feel like being lifted up into air in total freedom. So it is like levitation, but the rising just took a lot longer.

Being One in God's Love

        Today is optionally the Memorial of Our Lady of Carmel, so I thought of Mary Our Mother. As Mass was starting, I felt that I really knew and was most close to her, St. Therese, as well as all the other saints. This is made possible through the love of God, for in his love there is no separation, only oneness. It's all understood and felt in the hearts of both the saints and mine ~ one of the numerous delights of knowing God.  

Cana Miracle Amazing Wonder

        I mentioned "wedding ceremony" in my last post. Now I am bringing up the wedding at Cana which Jesus attended. I often thought about the first miracle Jesus performed there ~ changing water into wine. Someday our scientists probably can figure out a way to achieve this, but they'll have to add or do something to the water to change the chemistry, while Jesus just had the empty jars filled with water and out comes the wine. This instant powerful transformation is evidence enough for me to believe that Jesus is God. 

How Union Attracts Us

        During a wedding ceremony, a couple promises to be true to each other in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, to love and honor each other all the days of their lives. I brought this up because once we are in union with Christ, whether we are in good times or in bad, in sickness or in health ~ it doesn't matter anymore! All external circumstances and conditions will no longer affect the union. Such is the attraction of God.

God Grooms Us

        When God wishes to use us in some way, he prepares us for that specific task. This may take some time, especially if we are not quite up to it yet. Therefore, patience is needed. Actually, we are not even sure what he really has in mind for us, but we sense that he is grooming us, building us up slowly, and we just trust along. Knowing that we are following his will whatever it might be is of great comfort. 

Happy to Awake

        I now get up in the morning around 5:30. I remember that years back for a time, I always slept late in the morning because I didn't feel like getting up to face the day ~ there wasn't much to look forward to. Today I am happy to get out of bed early, because in my waking hours I am aware of Christ's presence. I can contemplate him, talk to him, tell others about him...in general, enjoying our oneness.  

From Heart to Mind

       When the heart is at peace, the mind is uncluttered and any thought that comes to it will be orderly. But when the heart is in turmoil, the mind will be restless and the thoughts, disorderly. As Jesus said, it's what comes out of the heart that defiles a person; that's why the first thing God looks at is our heart. It makes all the sense to let God enter our hearts so that we may have peace. 

Jesus for One

        I attended morning Mass in the small chapel at the local seminary and found myself to be the only lay person there (besides one regular religious Brother). I felt that the Mass was said just for me, then I thought of Jesus who would have died just for me too. I just want to live in his love, the most beautiful place to be.