Perfect Moment for Union

        Communion thought. What a perfect time to offer ourselves completely to God to achieve union with him right then and there when he was still dissolving in our mouth! 

World in Darkness

        It's still Christmas season. Neighborhood houses and yards are still decked with holiday lights. New York Christmas windows on 5th Avenue must still be all lit up. I read in the news the other day that in the small Croatian town of Cazma, one man adorned his house and estate with an incredible million and a half lights! But, alas, all these lights do not brighten up a dark world. The world is in darkness because all government leaders act like spoiled little kids, threatening and fighting each other to get their ways, caring only about their own reputation and survival. The world is in darkness also because most of its population are selfish, heartless, and revolting against God. The horrendous daily news we read and hear from around the world is evidence. The light the Lord God yearns to see are souls that are holy, pure, and carry Christ in their hearts. Let each of us be that light to dispel as much darkness in our world as we can. 

On Loving God

        We may and can forget God, but God will always remember us, for he created us, knows us intimately, and loves us more than we can ever comprehend. Therefore, be holy in every thought, word, and act, and God will reward you a hundredfold or more in this life and the next. No good deed ever goes unnoticed by God. Loving God uplifts us, putting us in union with him. There is no experience in this life more exhilarating, liberating, and rewarding than loving God.

To Be Transformed from Within

        Communion time thoughts. I want Christ to go deep into my heart, for there can be no transformation without transformation that comes from within. I have heard good messages preached to me perhaps thousands of times, but only those preached from the heart affected me somewhat. I have read perhaps hundreds of spiritual books, but only works of those who knew Christ intimately influenced me. Since my goal is to be transformed by God, there is absolutely no more effective and expedient way than asking the Lord directly to enter my heart to make it happen!  

Abandonment of the Spirit

        Today is the Feast of St. Stephen, First Martyr. The response to David's Psalm 31 read was taken from verse 6: Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit. In Luke 23, before Jesus breathed his last on the cross, he cried out in a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commend my spirit." Today's Communion antiphon Act 7.59 read: As they were stoning Stephen, he called out, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." Such cries from the heart are what we need to be able to make before we go to the Lord. This is ultimate abandonment of our spirit ~ the goal of union with God.

Good Questions

        All God wants to do is to love us, to save us from sin, and to get us to heaven to be with him for all eternity, yet so many of us ignore him, do not take him seriously, or even hate him. Why? Many self-professed Christians follow sport events more fervently than they follow Christ, treat their human friends better than they treat Christ, or love their animal pets or cars more than they love Christ. How come?    

Union with God Is for Everyone!

        There are many well-known Catholic speakers available to speak on a great variety of topics. Interestingly, a quick scan online of their topics shows that no one has chosen to talk about union with God. Is it because it's a subject beyond their knowledge? Is it because they think the subject is beyond the reach of most people? Is it because erroneously they think that union is for saints only? Don't they realize that seeking union with God is the quickest, most effective way to holiness? Don't they know that union with God is what the Lord yearns for from all of us? Don't they see that when you are in union with God, you are able to love God with your whole being? Enough questions. 

Christmas Joy

        Today is the last day of Advent before Christmas. Christmas brings great joy because God has come into the world to declare his great love for all. This good news has to be the best ever because we now know how to conquer sin and enter the kingdom of God. I see the most beautiful scenario: God loves us with all his heart, we embrace his love with all our heart, and both heaven and earth celebrate with great joy.

Going Beyond Union

        Communion experience. Even receiving the Holy Eucharist did not quite quench my thirst for the Lord ~ I desired to go beyond union with God on earth! It seemed that God had made us so that we would not have complete satisfaction until we are in heaven. Such is his drawing power!

Our Role in Life

        The Gospel reading from Luke 1 at Mass tells of the birth of John the Baptist. The angel Gabriel first announced to Zechariah, John's father, that his wife Elizabeth would bear him a son in her old age. Obviously, John had a specific role to play in God's plan. His beheading at the hands of Herod was probably not expected by those who knew him. There is no question that God has a specific role for each of us too. There is no point in wanting to know how specific it might be. Our basic role is to do God's will each step of the way to the very end, and that's specific enough.  

Fooled by Freedom

       Freedom sounds good, but is not always good for us because it gets abused easily. Here is an example. In the news, Sony Pictures was cyber-threatened by some group for planning to release the film "The Interview," a political comedy involving a plot to assassinate the current North Korea leader Kim Jong-un. Sony decided not release the film after many theaters canceled the showing for fear of possible terror attacks directed at this country by North Korea. Many in the entertainment industry objected to the suppression of the film. The latest is that Sony has allowed some theaters to screen the film on Christmas day, with President Obama encouraging all to go see it. This is a case of putting the nation at risk in the name of freedom of artistic expression. In that same name, the entertainment industry has contributed greatly to the erosion of morality and the secularization of this country and the world. Many who believe in free speech think that they can get away with anything they say, even if it might cause others pain or distress. The freedom to abort the unborn has put to death millions of human lives! Our guaranteed religious freedom has enabled a few atheists to curb the rights of the Christian majority.
        All in all, the freedoms we believe in and have given to ourselves have allowed us to be more self-centered and more judgmental. The bottom line is that with God excluded, any freedom we have devised for our sake is false or gets abused. True freedom exists only in God.    

Purpose for Life

       I came into the world, was lost because I did not know what life was all about. Then Jesus called me and showed me the way to go home to my creator, the Father. Somewhat like Simeon who told God that he was ready to go after seeing the infant Jesus, the salvation God had prepared for all, at his presentation in the temple, I too felt that my life had been fulfilled. Knowing where we came from and where we are going is what makes life meaningful. We all need a purpose in life, and returning to God the source of all life has to be primary among all the purposes.  

Good News

    Check out the inspiring, beautiful story of this happy Christian family:  http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-30386348. 

All I Need to Know

        There are infinite things I don't know. Even if God tells me everything there is to know, my finite mind won't be able to absorb all that. This is not a problem for me because I don't need to know all things; what I know is all I need to know to completely satisfy me. Here it is. (1) God loves us. (2) Jesus, the Son of God and God, came and died in our place to redeem us. (3) Whoever believes in Jesus can have eternal life (John 3.16). (4) Jesus established his church on Peter and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it (Matthew 16.18). (5) Jesus gave us the Blessed Sacrament, the Holy Eucharist, at the Last Supper. (6) We are sinners and need to repent to be reconciled to God. (7) God wants us to be one with him through receiving the Holy Eucharist.

True Christmas Celebration

        Christmas is just four days away. People have started celebrating Christmas by having parties, putting up decorations, shopping for gifts, etc. But true celebration is rejoicing in knowing that the Lord, our Savior, has come and will come again to collect his sheep to dwell with him forever in his kingdom. In reality, this celebration is already going on daily in the hearts of all those who have united themselves with the Lord, for they have reached the ultimate goal in their life ~ the union of God and man, a great joy for both. 

Up with God

        If we hold onto things other than God, we get weighed down. Since God always wants to lift us up, if we drop all things and abandon ourselves to God, we can only go up. 

On Latter-Day Prophets

        The prophets before Jesus' time prophesied that the Messiah would come and Jesus, the Son of God, came. When he was in the world, he warned that many false messiahs and prophets would arise to mislead or deceive us (Matthew 24, Mark 11). After he ascended into heaven, numerous so-called prophets have popped up outside the Church claiming to have received new revelations from God that not only conflict with the teachings of the Church, but also among themselves. The proper thing to do is to stick to the Son of God and the Church he had established upon Peter and ignore all the so-called prophets of God that came after the Son. 

Exciting Infinite Space

        How free we are in God depends upon how much we let ourselves go in God. We can become completely free if we can completely abandon ourselves to God. This is the exciting part for us finite creatures ~ that there is no limit as to how far we can advance in God, for he is infinite. 

Dependent Living

        Communion experience. After I receive the Lord, I feel that I am not worthy to do anything for him. It is he who lifts me up always. I now depend totally upon him . . . no more independent living! 

God for All

        God is for all. He loves all of us. He wants to save all of us. Jesus, the Son of God, came down from heaven to die for all. The good news of salvation is for all. Christ gave his own mother to all of us. The Holy Spirit is for all to receive. All are invited to accept and believe in Christ. God wants all to live with him in heaven for all eternity. Do you not want to be one of the all?

The Holy Spirit Stirs

        The first reading from Judges 13 at morning Mass tells the birth of Samson. The reading ends with these verses: "The woman bore a son and named him Samson. The boy grew up and the LORD blessed him; the Spirit of the LORD stirred him." To me, the Spirit of God stirring someone is such a beautiful thing that the one stirred must feel wonderful. The Holy Spirit stirs us in various ways. He may set our heart on fire; keep us alert; make us feel the presence of the Lord, eager to hear his word, or yearn for him; console us in our sorrow or make us cry with joy; stir us to praise God or pray fervently; make us compassionate for others; teach us; humble us; embolden us; help us accept suffering cheerfully . . . it is the Spirit that motivates us to do all these goods things to glorify God. Seek union with the Holy Spirit and he will absolutely transform you without fail!   

Motivation Matters

        The motivation behind your work determines how meritorious it is in front of God. 

God Most Endearing

        Being imperfect human beings, no two persons can possibly get along with each other at all times. Sometimes we feel frustrated when the other person, especially someone close and dear to us, doesn't seem to hear or understand us. No matter, God our Father is always eager to hear from us. Even though he already knows what's in our heart, he still delights greatly in our telling him everything.  

All About Ownership

        Communion thoughts. I now belong to Jesus; I am his. I thought about ownership. There is nothing I can claim to own, since I came into the world with nothing and shall leave without even my own body. It does not make any sense and would be foolish to believe that I own something. God created me; thereby I don't even own myself. In other words, we creatures are not meant to own anything; only our creator can claim to own everything. If we see and acknowledge this truth, the Lord dwells within us, and we are free! We still enjoy all things that are good and beautiful in the world, but are no longer attached to any of them. This, I would say, is classy, cool living.

Superior Way You Must Know

        There must be tens of thousands of good books out there written to help you grow spiritually, but you can safely bypass them all. They are many sins you put on leash to be controlled, but you can forget about them too. How? Go directly to the Lord and seek union with him ~ this is the fast track! When you reach union with God, he deposits teaching, lessons, words, directly into your heart, and fundamentally transforms you from within your heart. Not having to be concerned about your spiritual growth and overcoming your sins, you have all the time to enjoy the intimate company of God. This is the central message of this blog.

God and Our Conscience

        Without God, our conscience invariably gets muddied up. With God guiding us, our conscience is kept clean. It's that simple.

Perfect Father

        My last post mentions that our Father in heaven wants to give us everything he has. I would like to add that in giving, he "manages" never to spoil us, only to perfect us.

Asking from God

        God is exciting to me because he is the source of inexhaustible riches. His love for us "compels" him to give us all he has. In the parable of the lost son told by Jesus, the father said to the older son, "My son, you are here with me always; everything I have is yours" (Luke 15.31). Therefore, we should feel free to ask for all we want that's good for us ~ be it knowledge, wisdom, joy, peace, blessings, or even material stuff. God who is most generous can make all things possible!

Jake Shimabukuro

       Back in August, I mentioned Jake Shimabukuro, the world-renowned, Hawaiian-born ukulele virtuoso. I enjoy watching him perform because he always plays with passion, joy, and humbleness. One of his compositions that's particularly cheery to me is the one entitled "Boy Meets Girl." Here he is in one version on YouTube.    

Back to Belong to the Father

        Communion experience. I feel like the prodigal son returning to his father. Now I fully belong to my Father. 

Healthy Outlook on Life

        As I look around, I see so many unfinished things ~ repairs and improvements to be done on the house, dead plants to be replaced in the yard, computer problems that need to be solved, emails I should send out, things I have to learn to get some digital photo images printed, etc. At morning Mass, I came to see that to be free in God is to be detached from all things of the world and be able to leave this life without hesitation whenever God says, "Come." I am just passing through and my permanent home is where the Father, my creator, is. Yes, one who is ever ready to leave this world at anytime has the healthiest and most realistic outlook on life.         

Offering the Heart

        Communion experience. We must connect to God with our heart, otherwise he would have entered us in vain. Today I again offered my heart to him for purification and safekeeping.

Poison in the Heart

        Today's lesson from the Lord: Always say what is true and just, never with any intention of hurting someone. The existence of such an intention shows that you still have poison in your heart. 

No option Here

        The big mistake Catholics make is not considering the option of becoming a saint. As a matter of fact, it is not even an option; it is a mandate from God (read Matthew 5.48 at the top of this blog page). Saints are not out of our league; they were like us before they become holy. Besides, nothing is impossible with God. Praying to become a saint is exactly what the Lord wants to hear; therefore, he will grant your wish happily and willingly.

Being Unjust to God

        I have no doubt that most of the population of this country, the United States, have heard of Jesus, yet even those who claim to be Christians have not embraced him fully. It's as if you know him somewhat, but you really do not see or hear him. Perhaps it's because we, living in an affluent nation, are too immersed in materialism. How can we be alert and ready for his Coming when we are not even awake? Letting Jesus our God and Savior simply go by is to do him the greatest injustice, turning our own life into a tragedy.

Emily and Alma

        On YouTube, I discovered American music prodigy Emily Bear. She's both a pianist and composer. She plays classical music and jazz beautifully, had composed more than 350 pieces for the piano by 12, and sings too. At 9, she made her debut at Carnegie Hall. You can't help being impressed by her enormous talents. I didn't expect to see another gifted child like her soon, then along came Alma Deutscher of Britain, four years younger than Emily, also on YouTube. When I first saw her, I thought she was Emily, for there was some resemblance. It turned out that Alma plays both the piano and violin beautifully and have composed two operas, and chamber and solo pieces for both instruments (at age 8). Such natural talents are quite stunning. People have compared both girls to Mozart. If you love music and can get on YouTube, check both girls out and be impressed. I post about them because watching them made me realize the great creative power of our God, and I praise him for that. 

Union Is for All 2

       Do you believe that God wants you to be holy? The answer should be obvious.

       Do you believe that as you grow holier, God would stop you at some point to tell you that you are holy enough? If your answer is no, then seeking union with God is for you.
      Being one with your creator, God the Father, is the most beautiful state of existence, in heaven or on earth. How good it would be to let God turn this aspiration (also his wish) into reality!

God Still Incredible

        Communion thoughts. Our God is still amazing to me. He is almighty, yet he is meek and humble. He is the Lord of all, yet he serves us. He is self-sufficient, yet he needs us to be his children. He is holy, yet he enters sinners in the Blessed Sacrament. Any of us with his power would not have acted his way. All this can only make sense if we understand him to be the very embodiment of love, pure and infinite. 

From My Creator Alone

        Whenever I sense deep joy, inner peace, or spiritual freedom within my heart, I intuitively know that my Creator has deposited them there, for no creature would know how to reach the inmost recesses of my heart. Shall I say that only God has the password to my heart?

Union Is for All

        Do not consider union with God to be for the saints only; you should know that saints were not so saintly before they attained union. In fact, God wishes all to become one with him. (Read my posts on the book "He and I.") If you think you are so far away from achieving union, let God surprise you by opening up your heart to him. Well-known Chinese proverb: "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." With God's help, a thousand miles can shrink to a single step ~ trust God (and me) on this!

Secret of Freedom

        Change "leaving all up to yourself" to "leaving all up to God." 

Knowing God's Will

        When you have to think hard on how to serve the Lord, what comes up may just be your idea and not his. If you want to serve him, it's best to wait and listen, then he will deposit what he wants you to do in your heart. In other words, it should be all his doing, with you staying out of his way. In fact, it's more likely that it's his will if you feel like fighting it.  

Heaven, a Reality

        A severe storm was forecast to hit my area yesterday and today. People were advised to be prepared for power outage and flooding. Yesterday the storm arrived later than expected, and the rain and winds were also much weaker than the forecast had predicted. It turned out that the storm, after knocking out power to tens of thousands of households had unexpectedly changed its course. Nevertheless, the small creek to the side of my house did turn into a raging river overnight. As I drove home after Mass this morning, the sun was out, creating a beautiful view of wet green fields, glistening trees, and fresh roads. My thought turned to heaven. Heaven is real since Jesus is real. And I'll be there one day as Jesus is there.    

Full Contentment

         Today is the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Here's my Communion experience. 

       The Lord God, my creator, not only came into the world, but came in the form of bread and wine directly to me to enter union with me! My life is complete and I am ready to return to the Father. Not only I lack nothing, I am totally filled!

Between You and God

        "In the final analysis, it's between you and God." I am bringing up this saying attributed to Mother Teresa again. If you believe it to be true, then what others think of you does not matter anymore. Also, for everyone else, it'll be between them and God. This means that when you pray for the ones you love, you needn't be concerned about what's going to ultimately happen to them ~ for you have done your part, trusting in God, and the rest is to be sorted out between them and God. 

On Lack of Patience

        In Matthew 5.22, Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment." Today people get annoyed easily when things do not go their way. Road rage is no longer uncommon. And swearing when you are upset is even trendy. People are more self-serving than ever. All these things validate the saying "Patience is a sign of holiness."

Rest from Christ

        Communion experience. In Matthew 11.28, Jesus said, "Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest." Rest was what I got after receiving Holy Communion. Christ now sat on a throne in my heart; words cannot describe how peaceful I felt. For today's crowds, Jesus might say, "Come to me, all you who are stressed-out, and I will give you peace." 

A Sorry State

        With Christmas coming up, I think of those who have left the Church or the Catholic faith, but still show up to attend a Christmas Mass just to ease their guilty conscience. I truly feel sorry for them because they are unsettled in a limbo, not quite knowing what to do. Please pray for them.

Settling Policy

      Unsettled things will always be around. What we need to do is to get ourselves settled in Christ and settle all things, settled or unsettled, by letting them go. 

Antidote to Life's Bitterness

        The sweet joy of Christ can overcome all the bitterness of life.