Viewing Your Enemies

        If your enemies have sinned against you, do not view them as evildoers but as ones who do not know the Lord yet. Therefore, feel sorry for them and pray for their conversion.

Jesus Challenges

        Matthew, Mark, and Luke all recorded this statement of Jesus: "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away." He again challenges us ~ are we to take him seriously or not? He does not force us nor does he leave us alone ~ he cares about us by challenging us. This is why I believe in him. To ignore him is to ignore the one who created us! To reject him is to reject the one who loves us!

A Chance to Get Happy

        I had a moment in which I was aware that my life was getting briefer than ever. If you have such a moment, I hope you would decide to live every moment for God from that moment on so that you'll be happy the rest of your life. 

Learning Directly from God

       A conference is coming up in my area with a good theme and renowned speakers. I had attended quite a number of such conferences in the past, and I must say that no matter how inspiring the messages might have been, nothing could come near learning from the Lord directly. When you surrender to God with the goal of attaining union with him, he starts to shape your heart, mind, and spirit for you to see, hear, and understand the truth. The lessons are delivered directly to your heart by the Holy Spirit. It's like receiving a college education without having to go through any regular schools.   

Be Weak to Be Strong

        The world teaches us to be strong by believing in ourselves, taking control of our own destiny, and always going for it. But to be truly strong is to be weak in God. The more we acknowledge our helplessness without him, the more he reaches down to help us. Complete trust and abandonment in God results in his doing the tough part of the work for us. It is faith that moves the heart of God our Father. Recall what Jesus said in Mark 11 to the disciples, "Amen, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it shall be done for him." This is our recipe for strength. 

Reality of Life

        Let's face it. The earth is no heaven. We have covered it with our sins, causing us to suffer and struggle with unfulfilled dreams till the day we die. It sounds sad, but it's reality. That's why I set my sight on God and heaven, which go together. This supports me through life with peace, freedom, and joy. Be detached from the passing earthly life and embrace the eternal one in God. Let Jesus be your beginning and end.

God Sets the Purpose

        Today's Gospel acclamation at Mass, John 3.14-15: "The Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life." The Communion antiphon, based upon Luke 24.46, 26: "The Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead, and so enter his glory, alleluia." I italicized "must" and "had to" in these two statements because I realize that I must or have to go through the various experiences and trials in life so as to accomplish the purpose God has set before me. I may not understand it fully, but one thing is sure: the Lord is drawing me ever closer to him (increasing my faith).      

Why We Need God

        Watched on YouTube Oscar Peterson and Oliver Jones playing together at the 2004 International Jazz Festival of Montreal. The performances were amazing ~ you see two genius pianists playing virtually as one ~ there's a deep communion between them. Then I saw that we and God could form a deep spiritual communion too. In fact, it was this beautiful union that made me see that we need God.    

Most Beautiful Love

        For a brief moment this morning, I sensed the infinite beauty of Christ, beautiful beyond words. Immediately, I saw that anyone who sees this beauty would realize how ugly his own life is. I also saw that an awareness of this great beauty can change many lives and bring peace to our world. Yet the world continued inflicting wounds on the Lord. I asked him why he must continue to suffer like that. His clear answer: "I am love."  

To Continue Trusting or Not

        There are times when we need to trust in God completely, but being weak we find it hard to let ourselves go completely ~ so what are we to do? There are just two choices ~ we either quit trusting in God or believe in him even more. It seems that the second choice has to be right. It's because we are weak that we need to trust in God even more. And he loves to help his children who are weak, for it's an opportunity for him to draw them even closer to him.   

Let the Cross Draw You

        The Cross of Jesus draws us to him. We can let our own smaller crosses draw us closer to him too. By bearing them patiently with great trust, we can grow stronger in faith and become more united with the Lord. The process is much like going through purgatory ~ we suffer, but emerge purified. May each cross be a blessing to you. 

Heavenly Intimacy

        Communion experience. When the Lord entered me through the Holy Eucharist, the feeling was that the Father just swooped me up to his bosom. This is fusion with Love.

Self-Driven or God-Driven

        Imagine that you are an engine. If you run it yourself, one day you'll be worn out, out of fuel, or possibly suffer a complete breakdown, as your resource and reserve are limited. If you let God be your driver, you receive all power and guidance from an all-knowing, inexhaustible source and whatever you do is now his doing. It can be seen that you are just going along with the Lord for the ride ~ this is the smart, superior way.

Journey to Union with God

        It's all up to you. Then you make the key decision to surrender yourself to God. From this point on, it's all up to God.

Union with God Reexamined

        If God is holy and pure, and we are sinful and soiled, how can we possibly become one with him? Well, God is light and we are in darkness if we reject him. Do not see union as the blending of the pure and the impure; rather, see it as light wiping out darkness. Our sins cannot stain God, but in the presence of his light, darkness can no longer exist. Therefore, let the light of Jesus take away all your sins, including the sin of not surrendering to him, and you are in union with him.  

Great Christian Joy

        To be forgiven by God ~ experiencing his mercy.

The Full Truth

        Some people say that all religions are the same. This at best is a vague statement, appealing only to those who do not seek the full truth. If it means that all religions can lead you to God, then it's false, for many religions have different conceptions of God or even worship many gods. What I can agree to is that most religions have something good about them. One thing I am sure of: there is only one truth, for God would not give us many different belief systems to confuse us. For me personally, the full truth resides in Catholicism in which Jesus is uniquely not only our teacher, but also my creator and redeemer.   

Settling Our Future Abode

        The best place to be: heaven. The worst: hell. Love Jesus as much as you can and only heaven will be there for you.

Be Honest with Yourself

        In my last post, I mentioned that Jesus' messages could make a lot of people feel uneasy, for they are challenging. If that's the case with you, turning away from him would be a big mistake. Instead you should face the challenge and look inward to find out why you felt that way ~ this is being honest with yourself. If you hide yourself, you'll never be free! Knowing yourself is the key to personal freedom, for it can lead to letting God transform you into a new being.

Why Jesus Not Accepted Readily

      Story #1. Let's assume that you don't know anything about astronomy and I tell you that the earth we live on is a round sphere and the sun is also a sphere but so much bigger that 960,000 balls each of the size of an earth can fit inside the sun, and that there are other planets even larger than the earth all orbiting around the sun, and that the solar system is just a tiny part of a galaxy containing billions of stars, and that there are billions of galaxies out there . . . this would be so mind-boggling that you probably wouldn't believe in anything I've said.

        Story #2. I tell you about a man named Jesus who came to us about 2,000 years ago. He cured the sick, performed many other miracles, and was crucified so that we might be saved from condemnation. Then he was raised from the dead by God and ascended into heaven. You probably would believe in this story more readily than in the first.

       Of course, the reverse is true today. What has happened? I think people believe in the first story now because that see the stars and have learned about the many scientific discoveries, while Jesus they do not visually see and his story is an old one. To the intelligent person, this shouldn't make any difference. But the main reason people do not readily accept Jesus, I believe, is that his challenging messages touch a nerve in all sinners, causing discomfort in them ~ not a good reason, but real.

Standard for Living

        You've heard the saying that we should live each day as if it's our last. To be more precise: we should live to be ready for God's judgment at any time. 

The Time Is Now

        The Gospel reading from Luke 24 at Mass was about the appearance of Jesus after his Resurrection on the road to Emmaus. The two disciples of Jesus' felt their hearts burning within them while the Lord spoke to them on their way to the village. Ask the Holy Spirit to set your heart on fire too right now. The time to follow Jesus is now. The time to choose to inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world (Matthew 25.34) is now. Start journeying toward heaven right now.   

Diametric Ways of Drawing

        This morning after Mass ended at church, an elderly parishioner on her way out, stopped momentarily by me to ask me how my Easter was. That's just a small, kind gesture, but it contrasted sharply with all the evil deeds committed against humanity worldwide. Both God and Satan are drawing people, but their ways are diametrically different. God inspires and uplifts us, while Satan lures and tempts us. God wants to free us, while Satan, to enslave us. God aims to make us selfless, while Satan wants us to be self-centered. God makes us feel clean, while Satan robs us of inner peace. To let God draw us, we remain open and passive; to let Satan draw us, we focus upon fulfilling our own desires. Know clearly who's drawing you and react accordingly. In both Matthew 16 and Luke 9, Jesus has summarized for us: "Whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it."     

Going Home Happily

        This morning's Gospel reading at Mass came from John 20. Mary Magdalene was weeping at the empty tomb, thinking that someone had taken the Lord away. Then Jesus appeared, and said to her, "Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them, 'I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'" Jesus is only Son of God, yet we have the same Father and the same God! Knowing this should make us eagerly look forward to going home to our Father and our God. 

Enlightened Living

        Once you see the hand of God in all things, that he is guiding and molding you every step of the way, you do not mind whatever you are going through anymore.

You Can Not Possibly...

over-love, over-obey, or over-trust God.        

All His

        Communion experience. I am now all his, so he's going to fight all the battles for me.

Stupid Sinners

        In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 28, the guards assigned to watch at the tomb of Jesus were shaken with fear when they saw him raised from the dead. Some of them went and told the chief priests all that had happened. The chief priests gave a large sum of money to the soldiers and told them to say that Jesus' disciples had come and stolen the body at night. The soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. It seems that lying to cover up the truth is such a stupid act. As a matter of fact, committing any sin is being stupid because you think you can fool God. 

Let Joy Be Our Lord!

        With the Resurrection of Jesus giving us so much joy, how can we possibly even think of sinning? Let this joy pervade all areas of our life so that we may remain holy!

Union, a Two-Way Thing

        On this Easter Sunday, I want to enter the infinite space of the Lord entirely to dwell in him, then he lets me see that I must let him enter to occupy me fully by receiving him in the Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist.        

Easter Hope

          Tomorrow is Easter, but my anticipated joy is preceded by sorrow when I watch the world news today. The Mideast has been embroiled in turmoil involving various government troops, rebels, militias, warlords, religious extremists, foreign volunteers, Sunni and Shia Muslims ~ too numerous to mention. Civilians continue to suffer ~ they get slaughtered, kidnapped, raped, robbed, and displaced. I believe this has to be one of the greatest humanitarian crises in history with no end in sight. One headline today: "Iraq Tikrit: looting and lawlessness follow recapture." The picture that accompanies the story shows Iraqi Shia militia, who helped recapture Tikrit from Islamic State, jubilantly displaying the V sign with raised arms. I just wonder what's really there to be happy about. Do all people think this way? Don't people ever feel sorry anymore? I suppose no one expects us to be remorseful nowadays. What is the world coming to? Has it painted itself into a corner? I hope not. The tragedy is that those who do not believe that Christ is the Savior are the ones who need him the most! This is the time to heed the Lord's warning in Mark 4.25: "To the one who has, more will be given; from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away." My fervent hope is that the world will see that hope for all of us is ever present, since Christ is ever present.

Be Extraordinary Now

        Looking back in history, countless humans have come and gone. Where are they now? If we don't do anything different, we'll be like most of them ~ attached to the world, following the world's way, and disappearing into the oblivion. What we should do is something extraordinary. We need to be lifted out of this world, break free of this life, and set our eternal destiny. This is where Christ the Lord comes in. He has already died for our sins and shown us the way, the truth, and the light. There is only one true God and we only have one window in this life to seize him. Do not wait.

Pleasure of Pleasures

        At noon on this Good Friday, I prayed the Stations of the Cross with the congregation at my church. At Station XVI, we recited John 16.22: "I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you." The joy of Christ is indeed our greatest pleasure, which the world cannot give. Once you have this joy, no pleasure of the world will ever be able to satisfy you, plus you'll be able to discern if a pleasure is beneficial or harmful to you. 

The All-Knowing Lord

        I am happy that Jesus knows all about me so that he may mold and shape me as he sees fit, lift me up when I am down, strengthen me when I am weak, and shield me from all evil. 

The Offering Way

        Here is a way to help free yourself to get through life. Offer God your every thought, word, and action. Whatever you must do, pleasant or otherwise, offer it to God. Offer yourself to him as well. In other words, do everything unselfishly for his sake. This will not only free you from being burdened, but also turn you into a saint.  

Sinking in Sin

        It is Holy Thursday. At Evening Mass of the Last Supper, the washing of disciples' feet will be reenacted to show that we are to do for others as the Lord has done for us. This morning the Lord made me see how beautiful the world would be if we didn't sin, for it is sin that has caused today's miseries, pains, and sufferings among us all. The need for surrendering to Christ is greater than ever; would that the whole world senses this urgency! 

Beautiful Way of Finding God

        Read the Gospels and meditate upon the Lord. Let what you read speak directly to your heart. See how amazing, how beautiful, how refreshing he is. Marvel at his intentions, words, and deeds. Then believe in him, follow him, fall in love and give yourself entirely to him. You now know you've been chosen and are on your way home to him, your Father and creator. Peace, joy, and freedom sustain you the rest of your life on earth.

Need for Prayer

        We need to pray to God to praise him, thank him, to show that we love and trust him. Another reason more practical is this. Since everything works through God and nothing can happen without his knowledge and permission, to make good things happen, we need to go straight to his heart with our requests, and prayer directly links our heart to his.

First Things First

        Before we ask the Lord to have mercy on us, we should repent our sins and be ready to be merciful to our brothers and sisters.       

         Before we ask the Lord to grant us peace, we must be willing to do his will.

Following God's Example

        This morning's Entrance Antiphon at Mass taken from Philippians 2 reads: At the name of Jesus, every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on the earth and under the earth, for the Lord became obedient to death, death on a cross: therefore Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. This is such a profound statement. We have the Lord obedient to himself for his own glory! It shows that God will go to any length to accomplish what his love demands. Naturally, he alone deserves to be glorified. What's proper for us to follow is to also let love motivate everything we do to the glory of God our Father.

Sins, Premeditated vs Spontaneous

        In the first part of today's Gospel reading from John 13, Judas' betrayal of Jesus is announced. At the Last Supper, when the disciples asked who the betrayer is, Jesus dipped and handed a morsel to Judas to indicate that he would be the one. In verse 27, we heard read, "After Judas took the morsel, Satan entered him." Satan becomes a partner in crime when one premeditates committing a sin, and that sin will be serious.       

        In the last part of the Gospel, Peter's denial of Jesus is predicted. Jesus told Peter that the cock would not crow before he denied him three times. Peter's denial stemmed from fear and came out spontaneously, not premeditated as in Judas' case, and he repented right afterwards. This is the difference. The goal of union of God is that we don't even commit spontaneous sins.  

Stunning Truth

        Today's Communion antiphon based upon Romans 8.32: God did not spare his own son, but handed him over for us all. This incredible truth still amazes me today. Let it wipe out any negative thoughts or feelings you might have toward God.

Where Heaven Is

        Without God, we are on our own. If someone hits me, naturally I want to hit him back. Then we go after each other perpetually with attacks and counterattacks. This is our world today. With the God of Christ, we get clear guidance to follow. Love becomes our prime motive ~ the only way to break the vicious cycle we are in. Naturally, we must be prepared to suffer if necessary. This is made possible by our God-given faith and vision of everlasting life. Since heaven is where God dwells, there is no heaven on earth except in the hearts of those who are with Christ.

Whom to Pray For

        You know people who turn you off, make you angry, or are plain unattractive. They are the ones whom you want to avoid, love to hate, or feel are hopeless cases or losers. Prayers are called for. Pray first for yourself, then pray for God's blessing on every one of them from your heart. And Jesus in turn will bless you.

Final Judgment Imminent

        It's knowing that we'll be judged by God one day that matters, not when it'll happen. In truth, God already knows everything we've done so far; only the time of pronouncing our sentence has not arrived yet. 

Good and Evil in Contrast

        Holy Week has begun. In today's Gospel reading of John 12.1-11 at morning Mass, I saw the sharp contrast between good and evil. Six days before Passover, Jesus came to the house of Lazarus whom he had raised from the dead. Mary, the sister of Lazarus, anointed the feet of Jesus with a liter of costly perfumed oil. Judas the Iscariot questioned why the oil was not sold and given to the poor. He said it because he held the money bag and used to steal the contributions. Jesus merely said, "Leave her alone. Let her keep this for the day of my burial. You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me." What's good about Jesus was that he knew well that Judas was going to betray him, yet God's will must be done and he never reproached or tried to stop him. By contrast, the chief priests were so bad that they not only plotted to kill Jesus, but also Lazarus just because the fact that he was raised from the dead by Jesus had led many to turn away and believe in Jesus. The world is still the same today.

Tragic Reality

          One may not believe that there is a personal, loving God, but everyone knows that he is a sinner and would need help to get out of that state. Many have found Christ to be the perfect solution for them. We only need to humble ourselves and be receptive to the gospel ~ the process can't be simpler. God has made it easy, yet we still remain closed, not willing to yield. It's taking the easy way out only to find out that it's no way out!

Linked to God

        Communion thoughts. It is still incredible to me that in receiving the Lord in the Holy Eucharist, the finite and the infinite merge together physically and spiritually into one. This is made possible only through God's mercy and love. It's so very, very special!

Sinners Cast in the Same Mold

        I attended the Vigil Mass today for Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion. The Gospel reading, Mark 14.1 through 15.47, covers The Conspiracy against Jesus, The anointing at Bethany, The Betrayal by Judas, Preparations for the Passover, The Betrayer, The Lord's Supper, Peter's Denial Foretold, The Agony in the Garden, The Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus, Jesus before the Sanhedrin, Peter's Denial of Jesus, Jesus before Pilate, The Sentence of Death, Mockery by the Soldiers, The Way of the Cross, The Crucifixion, The Death of Jesus, and The Burial of Jesus. The kind of sins people committed then were exactly the kind people today are committing. For example, plotting to kill someone out of envy; betraying someone good for money; losing faith and denying God; not vigilant enough to keep watch; resorting to physical violence; running away from God out of fear; giving false witness against others; falsely accusing someone of blasphemy; insulting, mocking, and bullying anyone under your power; denying the Lord in various ways; stirring up the mob to achieve your objective; sentencing the innocent to death; being cruel to those who appear weak to you; being sarcastic and abusive... The reading was long but most moving. Hearing it gave me great strength, thanks be to God!

Soul's Highest Attainment

        The Holy Eucharist makes it possible for us to establish the most intimate relationship with God, which is union with God. This is a nearly perfect relationship because God is perfect love and we are not yet perfect. Nevertheless, it is the highest attainment of the human soul.