Conversion by God

        Today's Reading 1 at Mass came from 1 Corinthians 11. As you know, Paul used to be one of the terrible persecutors of the followers of Jesus and was converted by the Lord himself. In this epistle, he "boasts" of his great labors; imprisonments; beatings; being stoned; numerous brushes with death; getting shipwrecked; facing dangers from rivers, robbers, Jews, gentiles; going through sleepless nights, hunger and thirst, cold and exposure ~ all for the sake of preaching the gospel of God. We must also let God bring about a fundamental change in us, for we cannot do it by ourselves but for the grace of God.  

On Killing Others

        It's sad that you hear about suicide bombing happening almost every day in various parts of the world. To sacrifice oneself for some cause may be regarded by some as worthy or even noble, but if it involves killing other innocent people, even children, then it has to be misguided and wrong. God has clearly commanded us not to kill, so carrying out such attacks has to be a selfish act. (Abortion is in the same category.) By the way, if you terminate someone's life before that person has had a chance to repent before God, then you are also responsible for the possible loss of that soul! 

Best Spiritual Journey

        It should be obvious to all that once you are in paradise, with the Father wiping away every tear in your eyes, you will no longer remember your past. Therefore, the best spiritual journey would be one in which you never look back on the past, but focus only upon living for the Lord, making every present moment the beginning of your journey. Remember our journey can make us look good or bad before the Father, so travel the best one.

Most Incredible Father

        God loves all of us. He sacrificed his own Son so that we may return to him to dwell with him in heaven forever. I knew all that, but this morning I particularly saw this love as being very special, that I was so favored by him, and that I belong exclusively to him. This is how he can make all of us feel. It's time to proclaim that we have a most incredible heavenly Father, worthy for us to worship, adore, praise, love, and obey! 

Letting Go in Christ

        Today's Communion experience. I wanted to abandon myself in the light of Christ ~ a totally letting go. He is to be trusted.      

Living the Secret Life in God

        In today's Gospel from Matthew 6, Jesus taught his disciples to do all righteous deeds, to give alms, to pray, to fast, ... never with the intention to be seen or known by others. Indeed, I see living a secret, hidden life in God as the most beautiful way of living. It shows that your faith is genuine, that you are humble and want to glorify God alone, and that you abandon yourself to him. The reward is interior peace. 

Jesus, the Light We Need

        Burglars shy away from bright lights. In general, sinners feel more comfortable in darkness when they are not seen. If something you do in darkness you wouldn't do in broad daylight, it must be sinful. But if you have Jesus as the light of your life, his light will shine upon you at all times and you'll remain holy night and day. 

A Major Concern

        Went by a large cemetery yesterday. I immediately saw that every single one of us is just passing through, so our major concern should be where we're heading after this life. And this is precisely the Lord's major concern too. With us sharing the same concern, it can certainly be resolved through cooperation.

Stop Hurting the Lord

        Yesterday's Communion experience. I saw how sinning hurts and repulses the Lord and we shouldn't sin, not even for a nanosecond. Seek refuge in the Lord and you'll be shielded from all evil and protected from all temptations.

God Asks for Perfection

        In yesterday's Gospel reading from Matthew 5, Jesus really raised the bar ~ he commanded his disciples to love their enemies so as to be perfect. The Lord always challenges us and is ready to lift us up to his level, the highest possible level. Yes, he asks us to become one with him, so that we may be perfect.  

Union Recommended Again

        Accepting and believing in Christ is just the beginning. To truly get to know the Lord, you must get inside of him, and seeking union is the way to that discovery and fulfillment. 

We Do Need Christ

        Before morning Mass began yesterday, I was reminded in prayer that we are all dust, and we are at the mercy of God as dust is at the mercy of the wind. Like all things of the world, we are here today and gone tomorrow. Since both we and the world are passing, there is no point in talking about security in this life. However, dust or no dust, passing or permanent, the one who has entrusted himself entirely to Christ already has his eternal life anchored in God.

God Proved Himself

        Yesterday I prayed the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Holy Rosary. As you know, the mysteries are Agony in the Garden, Scourging, Crowning with Thorns, Carrying the Cross, and Crucifixion. The fact that Jesus, an innocent man, went through his life and these extreme sorrows without any complaint and still forgiving everyone, his persecutors included, to the very end is inhuman, as no ordinary human can achieve that. This further proves to me that Jesus is indeed our loving God.

On Finding Our Center

        Today I watched Part 1 of Fr. Robert Barron's DVD on "Blessing, Three Paths to Holiness" at my church. It was on Finding the Center. I totally agreed with and understood what he said. That is, without Christ being our center, life is stormy and directionless and we get pulled in all directions by forces of the world and our own desires. When we have Christ at the center, all is calm because we are in harmony with God. It's the difference between Martha and Mary. It's the contrast between the disciples getting terrified at sea when a violent storm came up and the Lord sleeping calmly in the stern. So many people now are living a disordered life oblivious to God's existence until one day some personal crisis finally wake them up. Here we have crises and suffering manifesting the mercy of God.  

Good Question

     Today's Communion antiphon from Psalm 27.4: There is one thing I ask of the Lord; only this do I seek: to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life. What is the one thing you would ask of the Lord?

Love Not to Be Held Back

        Today's Gospel reading at Mass, Matthew 5:38-46. Jesus talked about turning the other cheek to the one who strikes you on one cheek; handing your cloak to the person as well who wants to go to law with you over your tunic; going that extra mile if anyone presses you into service for a mile; and not turning your back on one who wants to borrow. The Lord gave these specific instances to teach us that we must not let anything upset us; instead, we must be loving always. Retaliation is out; patience and compassion must reign. Love held back is no love at all.

Loving God Becomes Easy...

when you let God love you.

Lord, Save Us All

        Communion wish. After receiving the Lord, his great love made me want every single soul in this world to be saved! Knowing that nothing is impossible with God, I fervently pray for this. 

God Easy to Please

        Today's Gospel reading from Luke 7 was about the Lord pardoning a sinful woman who showed great love for him. He said to all present, "Her many sins have been forgiven; she has shown great love." It seems that if we concentrate upon loving the Lord, we needn't be too concerned about our sins. You could say that love pleases God so much that he forgets your sins.

What Are You Waiting For?

        God's intention for us is to be back with him in paradise after the fall of Adam and Eve. Jesus had come, died for us, making this amply clear. Ask to return to God and we can be back where we belong. 

My Best Advice (Urgent)

        In Luke 16, Jesus told to his disciples the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. Both men died. Lazarus who used to be poor was carried away to the bosom of Abraham. As the rich man was suffering torment in the netherworld, he saw Abraham far off with Lazarus at his side. He cried out to Abraham for help, but Abraham replied, "My child, remember that you received what was good during your lifetime while Lazarus likewise received what was bad; but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented. Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is established to prevent anyone from crossing who might wish to go from our side to yours or from your side to ours." 

        Let's look at the message of this parable. What we receive in this life is nothing compared to what we shall receive after we die. We want to make sure that we receive the good later, not now. The separation between heaven and hell cannot possibly be greater. There is no crossing from either side to the other and the separation is for all eternity! Do not be so concerned about health insurance, life insurance, financial security, your burial plot and all that, but believe in and love the Lord Jesus to get you eternal future settled now. This is absolutely the best advice you can possibly get from anyone.

"Dissolve" Is the Word

        Today's Communion experience. The Lord lets me see that through the Holy Eucharist, he can dissolve everything negative and impure in my soul. I let him do whatever he wants to accomplish.

Accepting Inconveniences

        One of the nose pads on my pair of glasses was gone. This means I must wait until Monday, the day after tomorrow, and go to my optician to get it repaired. No big deal, but still time-consuming. Then I saw that life is a life of inconveniences ~ it's one thing after another to be taken care of. Seeing this as a reality, I no longer feel bothered. Even if I can't get the repair done, it's all right too because life is also a life of unfinished businesses. Let loving God be our primary occupation.

Criticizing or Judging

        Here is the difference between criticizing people and judging them. The test is whether you get angry or not. You can criticize others, often for their own good, and still have compassion for them. But if you get angry, then you have judged them. 

"Live Begins at Conception"

        Another news story about a child triggered these thoughts. "Life begins at conception" ~ this is a truth which should be obvious to anyone with an open mind, whether you are scientific or not. The fact that the conceived child starts growing right from the beginning is proof enough. Yet the pro-abortion people don't want to hear anything of it ~ how blind and dumb can you get! To pretend that you are blind and dumb in this case is even worse.

Signs of Secularization

        I  briefly saw a TV news clip on a "Star Wars" wedding. It seems that "Star Wars" has become a popular theme for weddings. At this particular wedding, the couple managed to get a photo showing the bridal party getting chased by three AT-AT walkers, four-legged assault vehicles used in some of the Star Wars movies. A quick search on Google shows that another newly-wed couple had actors dressed up as "Stars Wars" Storm Troopers greeting guests at the reception. While all these things may be considered cool, I can't help thinking that they are rather frivolous, reflecting the secularization of our society.

The Free Will Test

        Whether your free will can free you or not depends upon what you do with it. As long as you hold onto your free will as your own, you cannot be free. But if you offer your free will up to God to let his will alone prevail in you, then you become free! It seems that the Lord gave us the free will to test us. Give it back to him and you pass.

Fear of Surrendering to God

        Surrender to God means surrender to God completely. This is not easy because one fears that if he surrenders to God, the Lord is going to make him do all kinds of things not palatable to him (essentially, he's still holding onto his own will). But it doesn't work out like that. First of all, God would never want to instill fear in you. If he does, that would defeat his purpose of drawing you to him. Therefore, such fears are all self-imposed. Once you surrender and get to know the Lord, all fear begins to dissipate or vanish as your will begins to conform to his. And you realize how baseless your apprehension or worry has been.

In a Secure Dwelling

       The Communion antiphon from Psalm 18 reads: The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer; my God is my saving strength. This was exactly how I felt after receiving Holy Communion. Evildoers stumble and fall because they are not in the light. By contrast, with the Lord dwelling in me, I knew I was dwelling most securely in him. 

Power of the Incredible

        Seeing how incredible the love of God for you is will help you believe in him.

No Shrinking from Suffering

        To want to avoid suffering is a human instinct, but in today's godless world sins have caused so much suffering among so many. As Christians, we must look to Jesus as our example and likewise accept any suffering that comes our way. And we should even rejoice when we suffer persecution for the sake of the Lord! Remember that the crown we receive for following Jesus at any cost is the Lord himself.

Hypocritical Catholic?

      Jesus criticized repeatedly the hypocrisy of the Pharisees and the Scribes. Hypocrisy is the difference between what one appears to be and what he actually believes in or practices. Therefore, a Catholic who outwardly goes to Mass faithfully, but does not believe in or practice some of the teachings of the Church, is being hypocritical. It is just as displeasing to the Lord as being lukewarm, if not more so. 

Praying for "Equality"

        Today is the Memorial of St. Anthony of Padua. He is the saint of finding things and lost people. In my experience, I have always found things lost after I ask him to intercede. After receiving Holy Communion today, I felt so blessed and began to see the disparity or divide between those who have possessed or belong to the Lord and those who have rejected or are not interested in him. It is my fervent prayer that the latter will come to know the joy and peace of following Christ. The love of God wants to embrace all!

Satisfied with God

        Today's Communion experience. I have the most extraordinary God. He is the greatest find, surprise, revelation, fulfillment, joy, and treasure of my life. I am more than completely satisfied. 

Empty Motions

        I saw a Rick Steve travel video on PBS, showing changing of the guard at the palace in Monaco with tourists lining up on all three sides to watch the ceremony. It struck me that the guardsmen are just going through empty motions and watching empty motions is empty too. I don't mean to spoil people's fun; besides, you could argue that I was doing something empty by watching the video. What I really want to say is that we'd be so much better off if we all spend more time on storing up treasures in heaven as Jesus has taught.

Eliminating Spiritual Warfare

        I see the spiritual warfare we're engaged in as a tug-of-war between God and Satan with us choosing the side we want to be on. If you choose right, there will be two winners and one loser; and if you choose wrongly, there will be one winner and two losers. (Note that if God wins, you win, and if he loses, you lose; while if Satan wins, you lose, and if he loses, you win ~ all this showing that God is always with us and Satan, always against us.)  This contest exists only because we haven't made our choices yet ~ much like the undecided voters being sought after in an election. The smart thing to do is to choose God and stick with him at the outset, then there won't be any tug-of-war to be concerned about. When you are safe with God, as in union, you are beyond Satan's reach.

An Obedience Test

        In God's presence, before the tabernacle at church or in the dark of a quiet night, think of someone you have difficulty forgiving. Be totally open and not holding back anything, ask God to show you clearly the problem. If you were partly at fault, admit it. Putting all pride aside, ask God for the courage to bring about reconciliation. Then follow up! In the case you cannot contact the person anymore, at least pray for God's blessings on the person and forgive him or her from the bottom of your heart for the glory of God. If you experience great freedom and peace afterwards, then you'll know that you have passed this test of obedience. Rejoice because you have overcome yourself and greatly pleased God. 

No Greater Mercy

        The other day I heard on NPR an interview with a girl in Ireland who had an abortion. She felt so guilty about it and became afraid to face God. She's also worried that her fellow parishioners would harshly judge her should they find out. As a result, she stopped attending Mass altogether. It's such a sad story that I wish I could tell her that God's mercy is infinite. Today I've been made especially aware of this great mercy. God has indeed reached his limit, for there can be nothing greater than infinity. Our Heavenly Father is ready to forgive us, take us back, no matter how sinful we are, at any time! The door is wide open for us our whole lifetime. He is making it as easy as possible for us to return to him ~ any difficulty we have has to be placed there by us. It would be disastrous for us if God were just a tad less merciful. He has died in our place and is just waiting for us to accept him. I am not telling you anything new; I just want you to really think about it until you see it. 

Beauty and Power of God

        There are many videos by Fr. Barron posted on YouTube. You can also go on his website wordonfire.org to find lots more. After watching the five videos I just posted and a few others, Jesus became more "true" and awesome than ever. At morning Mass when I heard the Gospel read, it's like hearing the Lord speak in person to me. Then later I received Holy Communion and his loveliness so overwhelmed me that I simply wanted to serve him with all of me and that my soul was ready to ascend to him. Such is the beauty and power of God. 

Key to Joy

Again, I am letting Fr. Barron tell you about detachment.

The Real Presence

Christ is present in the Holy Eucharist ~ all Christians should watch and listen to this video.

Who Is Jesus?

Fr. Barron says so much better what I have more or less said. These are great comments.

The Problem of Evil

Here's Fr. Barron's insightful observation of God, the tsunami, and the problem of evil.

Fr. Barron on Abortion

Many of you probably know about Father Robert Barron, the creator of the groundbreaking 10-part documentary Catholicism. He is a gifted speaker, knowledgeable, logical, and clear-thinking. I like his comments on various topics on YouTube. Here is one video on "Abortion: Shocking Numbers out of New York."

Surrender Deepens Peace

        Today's Communion experience. After I received the Lord, I knew that the more I surrender to him, the deeper my peace will be.

The Yearning Process

        When you start to yearn for the Lord, you are getting closer to him. It's interesting that when you are in union with him, your yearning becomes so great that you miss him terribly. 

We Affect God

        Everything we do affects the world. I wave my hand and the movement sets the surrounding air molecules into motion, causing them to collide with other neighboring molecules. In theory the whole universe is affected, although in this case the effect becomes infinitesimal moving a few feet away from the source of disturbance. Everything we do affects God too ~ he will feel either joy or sorrow. And whatever we've done will remain on the record until Judgment Day.   

Continued Praying

        Even though we follow Christ in peace, we still have the various crosses and burdens to carry. In fact, we feel them acutely because they are the crosses and burdens of Christ. However, with trust in the Lord, they no longer bother me. When people offend me, I don't take it personally either, as everything one does, one does it to the Lord. We are to continue praying for those who offend him, even after we get into heaven, as the saints are doing.

Following Christ in Peace

        Followers of Christ are easily satisfied: they follow his will, trust in him, and leave it at that, knowing that the outcome is in his hands.

Heart Makes the Difference

        Those whose hearts are pure are delighted by the Lord dwelling in them, while those whose hearts are unclean feel the misery because the Lord could not enter them.