The Eucharist Effect

        As I received the Body and Blood of the Lord at Mass, I felt that I was given the passport to or the password for entering heaven...more than that, I was being directly connected to heaven...no, more that that, I was already in heaven since and Jesus and I were one now. I just didn't want to sin anymore ~ I simply lost all interest in sinning. 

Jesus, Greater than the Prophets

        In today's Gospel reading from John 6, Jesus pointed out one of the prophecies he was fulfilling. Of course, he fulfilled all the numerous prophecies in the end ~ this shows that what he said would all the more be fulfilled. And here he said, "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draw him, and I will raise him on the last day" ~ you can count on that. Then "I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever" ~ you can count on that too.

Still More on Forgiving Others

        In today's Reading 2 from Ephesians 4, Paul asked his brothers and sisters to forgive one another as God had forgiven them in Christ. To forgive is not always easy; but if we don't forgive others, we really don't have any good reason to ask God to forgive us who might have committed even worse sins. To not forgive is to not want to be like Christ, amounting to rejecting him. It is basically also being judgmental and you'll never have peace that way. Once you forgive (let go), you will feel the unburdening and experience new freedom and know that you had done the right thing. Think of forgiving others as the freeing of yourself.          

Choose Your Surroundings

        We get affected very much by our immediate surroundings. When we are in the mountains, in the forests, or on the lake, the beauty of nature relaxes and inspires us. When we watch an entertaining show, the story or display can move or dazzle us. Therefore, let us surround ourselves with the glorious Holy Trinity and all the angels and saints and be inspired, moved, dazzled, and uplifted by them. 

Prepare for Soaring to God

        When we want to soar to God, we find that we can only do it in spirit, as our body is earthbound. It is like a chick who wants to fly but its wings are not quite ready yet. So, this would be a good time for us to prepare ourselves for soaring to God without delay the instant we shed our body. (By the way, I know that I am I, never I am my body. This to me is clear that I have a soul, besides my body.)

Beware of Comfort

        When a person feels comfortable in life, he does not think of God anymore ~ he is then in a dangerous state. It's like a pig wallowing comfortably in mud, but it is most filthy. 

God, Our Source of Love

        Without God, our own love can easily become self-centered. Only by letting God love us first and experiencing his pure love at first hand can we then transmit this love to others. Love is not LOVE unless it is perfect, and God is the source of perfect love. 

God Sweetens Our Life

        I definitely don't want to sound mushy, but I must use the word "sweet" to describe the many things about the Lord. I feel this way about his teaching ~ every single word that comes out of his mouth is sweet to the ear. His mercy is absolutely most sweet to the soul. Then there is the unspeakable, sweet joy the Holy Spirit gives as he wishes. I must also include the sweet healing of the soul we receive from the Lord.  

Why We Need Jesus

        (1) We are sinners and need salvation.

        (2) We are mortal, but wish to live.

        (3) Jesus is the only one who can remove our sins and give us eternal life. 

        Out of pure love, he came into the world precisely to fulfill these needs of ours.

Sowing and Reaping

        We reap what we sow ~ this is like a law of nature. In today's Gospel reading from John 12 at Mass (Feast of St. Lawrence), Jesus said to his disciples, "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." Here, the falling to the ground and dying is the sowing and the production of fruit, the reaping. The Lord is the master sower ~ he sows good seed in our hearts and reaps good fruit from us. Let every thought, word, and deed of ours sow something good so that he may harvest rich fruit from us. Laboring for God is always rewarded manyfold in both this life and the next. 

Humility and Feeling of Inferiority

        Being humble is entirely different from feeling inferior. Being humble is a response to God's calling, while feeling inferior stems from not knowing God's love. Humility is a strength and any inferior feeling, a weakness. A humble person is "proud of" his humility, but anyone who feels inferior is afraid of being humiliated. In both states, the common feeling is inadequacy, yet in one case the spirit is lifted up high and in the other, insecurity and nervousness reign. The deciding factor here is played by the presence of the love of God in one's life.       

Delight and Sweetness

        Today's Communion verse, Wisdom 16.20, reads: "You have given us, O Lord, bread from heaven, endowed with all delights and sweetness in every taste." When I think of the Holy Eucharist, the first words that come to my mind are also "delight' and "sweetness." 

If God Is to Be Number One...

in your life, then (1) think about him more than you think about anybody else, (2) talk to him more than you talk to anyone else, and (3) perform all deeds for his glory. 

Consider Another's Intention

        Here's a lesson I just learned. Someone out of kindness advised me strongly  to do something which was to me obviously unnecessary, so I felt annoyed ~ it's clearly a case of two people assessing the situation differently. Then I realized that the Christian way is to listen calmly, explain why I saw things differently, and thank the person for being caring, which I forgot. I know that God looks at our intention (from the heart) first and the act that follows second ~ this is what we should do too.  

The Old Must Go

        Thoughts right after Holy Communion: To dwell in God perfectly, I must let God thoroughly renew me, for whatever is old in me has no place before him.  

Faith Moves God

        Today is the Memorial of St. Dominic. The Gospel came from Matthew 15 ~ Jesus at first tested a Canaanite woman by not paying attention to her begging for pity on her, for her daughter was tormented by a demon. Then her great faith and persistence finally won him over. How good it was for her to hear the Lord say, "O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish." That last line is pure music to the ears. How good it is to know that faith can move the heart of God! 

Never Stop Praying

        It happens often and we would pray for something and God doesn't seem to pay any attention, then we get discouraged and stop praying for other things ~ this is a big mistake! God can answer (1) right away, (2) later, (3) in an unexpected way, or (4) with a no because what we ask goes against his will. Since he always hears us and we do not know how he is going to answer us, we should never stop praying.                

Thinking About the Holy Spirit

        Jesus and the Father are easy to grasp because Jesus was born into our world and he told his disciples that whoever had seen him had seen the Father. As to the Holy Spirit, I had difficulty in relating to him in the early days of my spiritual journey. Finally, as I experienced him, I felt comfortable and fell in love with him. He is easier to feel than to describe ~ all I can say is that he conditions my heart and forms my conscience, and is the source of my spiritual joy. When you are in union with him, you know you are in union with God, the Holy Trinity. 

God Prepares the Soul

        I had to be home early, so I went to an earlier morning Mass at the seminary. Again, I happened to be the only attendant; received an extra portion of the Eucharist and was elated. God touched and rescued our soul, preparing it further for entering heaven. What an excellent way to start the day!  

God Most Radiant

        Today is the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord. During the supernatural change, Jesus' face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light ~ a glimpse of his divinity. To me, this is as glorious as his Resurrection. After receiving Communion, I prayed that his resplendent radiance would thoroughly cover and penetrate my heart and soul to forever change me.

My Funeral Wishes

        (1) The cheapest coffin is good enough for the body. Wasting money on anyone, dead or alive, is wasting money.

          (2) Eulogy is inappropriate; only God deserves praise.

        (3) The service should be a celebration for the beginning of a new life in paradise with the Holy Trinity, the fulfillment of my most ardent wish. Any tears shed should be tears of joy.

        (4) Only prayer can help the deceased; elaborate or fancy services satisfy only the living, not the deceased.

         (5) A simple tombstone should say something that glorifies God.

The Horror of Abortion

        Today I attended the 10:30 Sunday morning Mass. This Mass usually draws many families, but today I saw even more children wandering away from their parents and making noises. When I saw these beautiful young creatures, the horrible thought of abortion came to my mind ~ millions of other equally beautiful God-given lives had been snuffed out before they even had a chance to be born, in this country alone ~ it's the horror of horrors! How do we expect God to forgive us if we do not repent and turn around? How kind of future will this country have? I agree with Mother Teresa who said that the greatest destroyer of love and peace is abortion. Do your part to end this crime against God and humanity.

Learning While Serving

        In serving God, we do good not only to others, but also to ourselves because God shapes and teaches us in the process. I always learn something when the Lord shows me how I could have done the job better, and that means I should be a better person in some way. When God makes you a better person, you become a happier person too.   

Knowing Jesus Makes a Difference

        This morning I attended the funeral service of the decease friend I mentioned a few posts back. He was a good man, volunteering for a lot of good causes, so the turnout at the service was quite impressive. Since he was not a religious person, God was never mentioned. And on top of that, the large room in which the service was held was rather dimly lit. As a result, I couldn't help feeling some gloom. In no way I was judging him, for God is perfectly fair and just and I had prayed for his soul to rest in peace; nevertheless, I couldn't help feeling that I was living totally in light, seeing my life and soul in great clarity. This is the difference knowing Jesus has made.  

Proper Prayer Focus

        People who exercise with weights are advised to put 100% of their effort in lifting the weight and not waste any energy on exhibiting any strains in their face. Piano players are also advised against exaggerating their playing gestures. There is a point here which I can apply to praying. If there is something that weighs heavily upon our heart, the intense emotion we feel while we pray to God is best channeled 100% into putting our trust in God, thereby relieving the burden on us. It is, instead of trying hard to want to lighten the load by ourselves, concentrating upon letting God do it for us.      

Ashamed of Jesus?

        In Matthew 10, we learn that Jesus said to the twelve disciples before sending them out, "Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father. But whoever denies me before others, I will deny before my heavenly Father." Fair enough. I should think that being too embarrassed to let others know that we have faith in him is basically denying him. Timidity is a sign that we have not given the Holy Spirit free rein yet. A timid Christian is an unfit one, for he cannot bear much fruit. Since the Lord always spoke the truth, we must take his words seriously. Not paying attention to the above-quoted sayings can bring about dire consequences.

The True Born-Again Experience

        During Communion time at Mass, I want to die in Christ, so that I can live for him. 

That Independent Feeling

        At Mass this morning, I feel for the first time that I am independent of the world, which will have no influence on me, and that I can stand tall and straight on my own in God. 

Know When Satan Shows Up

        Being human, sinful thoughts do pop up in our minds. If we discard them right away, no sin is committed. But if you feel the temptation to dwell upon them, know that this is when Satan has found you and you must turn to the Lord instantly to avoid being drawn into sin. If you are in union with the Lord, you are secure in him and these occurrences are merely little annoyances you can easily disregard.  

Faith Makes Life Extraordinary

        Gospel reading at today's Mass came from Matthew 13. Jesus did not work any mighty miracles in his own native place because of the lack of faith of the people there. That is why the people who have no or little faith find their lives quite ordinary, while those who strongly believe in God experience great wonders and are always amazed at how the Lord works in their lives.

A Perfect Request

        If you truly love the Lord, then ask him to make you perfect. You do it for his sake and not at all for your own. We owe everything to God, so let's not shortchange him. Not asking for this favor is not believing that he can make you perfect. Look at all the saints he has made and you know that he can make you one too. It's the perfect way to show your faith in him and love for him.  

Why I Want to Go to Heaven

        I want to go to heaven only because I want to go home, back to my creator who loves me, and to dwell with him, my Lord and God, forever. Putting it humorously ~ without him, it's just no fun.

Knowing God Is Knowing the Future

        If one does not know God, then the future to him would be just the later years of his life. To plan for his future is merely to plan for better living as he ages. To him, this is very much long-range planning. Now, for someone who seriously believes in God, the future is the next life for which he plans now. He knows that his present life is extremely short and planning for it alone is planning for something that will soon vanish. It just shows that when you know God, he gives you vision and wisdom to keep you on the right path.

Pope Benedict & Teresa of Jesus

       A deacon friend just sent me Pope Benedict's reflection on the spirituality of St. Teresa of Avila on the occasion of the 450th anniversary of the Carmel Reform movement. I would like to quote some sayings by the Holy Father and some by the Saint the Holy Father quoted. They are beautiful and inspiring (any emphasis is added by me.)

       Pope Benedict: "Holy people are those who humbly let Christ penetrate their soul and act through them, who truly allow him to play the lead in all their actions and aspirations, inspiring every project and sustaining every silence."

     St. Teresa: "A life of prayer consists in being on terms of friendship with God, frequently conversing in secret with him who, we know, loves us."

        St. Teresa: "The friends of God should be strong, in order that they may support the weak."

        Pope Benedict: "Following in the footsteps of Teresa of Jesus allow me to say to all who have their future before them: may you too, aspire to belong totally to Jesus. Do not be afraid to say to Our Lord, as she did, 'I am yours; I was born for you, what do you want to do with me?'" 

        There is nothing I can add.

Following God Faithfully

        Life as a whole is a big opportunity for us to practice trust in God. We are often unsure about what we are supposed to do, but these are the perfect moments to remain patient and wait for the Lord to speak to or lead us. We don't question, just follow. Later, when we look back, everything will be clear to us. What we are sure of is that following God faithfully is heading toward heaven.

Ego Is Up to God

        I recognize again that ego is one of most difficult things for us to annihilate because it grows easily and can be deeply grounded in us already. Nevertheless, it has to go if we truly love God and want to become humble. Its removal would be a huge battle for us to fight alone; but with God's help, it can become relative easy. The amount of ego we have is inversely proportional to how much we submit ourselves to God.  

God in Contrast to Man (Us)

        Yesterday I saw a short 1948 British classic film clip on Classic Arts Showcase on TV. It reminded me of the old Alfred Hitchcock and many other movies. It's quite obvious that everything was staged for maximum dramatic effect. I thought of other shows in the entertainment business and the many artworks created by man ~ they all seem so contrived and artificial. The crop of contemporary classical music compositions is to me also more craft than art, cleverly written but sounding mechanical and sometimes repetitive after you listen to the musical greats, such as Beethoven and Brahms. I am not downgrading these man's creations because they are achievements, interesting and pleasing many ~ I am only stating what I feel. Then I turn to our God, who is totally natural, genuine, and pure ~ how refreshing, invigorating, and inspiring for a change.  

Most Endearing Words of Jesus

        During the Eucharist Prayer at Mass, when the priest was repeating Jesus' words: "Take this, all of you, and eat of it: for this is my body which will be given up for you." I underlined "my" because when I heard it, it was so personal that I stopped right in my track and felt that such love and sacrifice absolutely deserved my complete surrender to him. Soon later, the priest repeated again Jesus' words: "Take this, all of you, and drink from it: for this is the chalice of my blood, the blood of the new and eternal covenant, which will be poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this in memory of me." These words were so endearing that my joy overflowed.

Making Love Mutual

        The Gospel reading at Mass came from Matthew 13. Jesus likened the Kingdom of heaven to a treasure or a pearl of great price. Once a person finds it, he is so joyful that he goes and sells all that he has and buys it! Do we feel it that way? Do you know that to God we are his treasures and precious pearls? God and we are really made to love each other! If this feeling is still not mutual, then we ought to work hard to redress any imbalance.

Belonging to the In Crowd

        Today is the Memorial of St. Alphonsus Liguori. The Gospel Acclamation John 15.15b reads: "I call you my friends, says the Lord, for I have made known to you all that the Father has told me." What an astounding statement! We are definitely in! Through Jesus, we know what the Father is like! This knowledge should keep us happy and deeply satisfied!

To Fathom God's Thoughts & Ways

        Isaiah 55.8, 9: "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, my thoughts higher than your thoughts." Then what we should do to learn God's thoughts and ways. Seek union with him and you will begin to know his thoughts and see his ways. This should be a journey full of exciting discoveries.

Realist Wins Out

        One who knows and has experienced the love of God cannot possibly be a pessimist. And he is not an optimist either because an optimist only expects a favorable outcome and is never certain about the future. So what is he? He is a realist, for he knows exactly what he is doing, where he is heading, and is certain about his future (with God). 

Honors and Dishonors

        The late Penn State head football coach Joe Paterno and the US Olympic swimmer Mark Phelps have been in the news. The statue of Paterno was removed from outside the football stadium for his involvement in the cover-up of sexual assaults by his one-time assistant Jerry Sandusky, while Phelps has just won his 19th gold medal at the London Olympics and people are already asking if he is the greatest all-time Olympic athlete ever. One was dishonored and the other honored. How important are honors and dishonors? They may be important to the living, but not necessarily to God. I am sure that some of those we honored as great human beings in the past might not have made heaven, while among those who were persecuted, calumniated, or stripped of honor are saints now with the Lord. In any case, let neither honor or dishonor you receive in this world affect you the slightest. 

Ways of Seeking Happiness

       When people of the world are unhappy, they compensate by seeking happiness somewhere, hoping to get cheered up and forget their troubles. Going to drink at a bar or seeing a movie are just two examples. The problem is that what they seek are still things of the world, which provide only temporary escapes and have no healing effect. By contrast, the one who believes in the loving God turns to him when his heart is troubled. God alone can heal the soul and restore inner peace. It's a case of "To the one who has, more will be given" (Matthew 13, 25; Mark 4). 

Causing Others to Sin

        Today is the Memorial of St. Ignatius of Loyola. Gospel reading during Mass came from Matthew 13. Jesus in explaining the parable of the weeds of the field to his disciples mentioned himself (the Son of Man), the Evil One (the Devil), the angles, and the Father. At harvest time (the end of the age), Jesus will send his angels to collect all who cause others to sin and all evildoers to be punished. 

        I am struck by the separate category in which those who cause others to sin are placed. Normally, we are aware of our own sins, but we don't often think about whether they might cause others to sin. For example, if a father uses bad language, he doesn't think about how his son might pick it up from him. Obviously, the more people we cause to sin, the more severe our punishment will be. The best policy, of course, is to be aware that any sin displeases God and to stop sinning. 

Trusting in God to Keep Going

        Blogging has been great for me to learn to trust in the Lord. Earlier for quite some time, I couldn't help wondering what I was to blog next because I didn't have a clue. Then eventually, I let the Lord do whatever he wants ~ I'd be happy with a million ideas or zero. So far, he has been putting thought buds in my head at various times of the day. To be honest, I don't even recall exactly what I posted in the last couple of days; but each posting has been an enjoyable learning experience for me. Let's trust in God and keep going. 

Real Spiritual Success

        To become holy is the best way to love God because when you are holy, you automatically (this seems to be my favorite word) start to love others as Jesus does and serve God with joy. Spiritual success is not measured by how many external, visible deeds you do, but by how much internal love you have for God and how much humility you have in serving others.

Going Extreme in Jesus

        If you feel like going all out to do something, how about doing it in Jesus? When you go to the extreme in him, there is absolutely no downside risk, only great rewards. Here's what you could do. Love him to the extreme; trust him to the point of looking foolish; abandon yourself, all your possessions, and your concerns to him recklessly; forget totally about yourself and see only Jesus; and seek union with him at all costs.

Suicide Is a No-No

        Read in a local newspaper online about someone who just committed suicide. I know that this is also the tragedy that happens to many war veterans who suffered wartime traumas. My heart goes all out to them. If you ever contemplate ending your life on your own, please hold off a moment and give the Lord Jesus, the true God who loves and died for you another chance. I want to shout as aloud as possible to you that once you know him, you will want to live, live, and live; to live in him, with him, and for him. To die in him, yes; but never, never to die on your own without hope. To die in Jesus is to live, but to die without hope is to die forever. Please do not make your God weep for you! Make him love you instead. He has a special love for the weak, the poor, the destitute, the disadvantaged. That was exactly why he stooped low to become one of us. [Feel free to ask me questions by using the Post-a-Comment box. If you wish me to respond in private, include your email contact. You comment will not be shown on the blog.]

God Satisfies Us Fully

        At Communion time during Mass, I felt that God had satisfied all my inner needs and granted all my life wishes, fulfilling "The LORD is my shepherd; there is nothing I lack" (Psalm 23). I remained at great peace.