Making God Notice you

        In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 7, Jesus said to his disciples, "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the Kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name? Did we not drive out demons in your name? Did we not do mighty deeds in your name?' Then I will declare to them solemnly, 'I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers.'" The statement I italicized is what you never want to hear from the Lord. Do the will of God so that you may be known to him.

Union, the Fast Track

        I still remember reading the many great spiritual classics and biographies of the saints and their own writings in the past. So much of what I read inspired and taught me. In many of the volumes, I yellow-highlighted all the lines that spoke to my heart. I also attended many spiritual conferences and retreats. My heart was on fire after each time, getting more excited about the Lord than ever. But things have changed. Ever since I started seeking union with God, got to know the Lord intimately, and came to experience his beauty and holiness, all the spiritual books, conference messages, talks by some of the best speakers, etc., no longer uplift me, for all second-hand information loses its flavor when you now learn directly from the Lord himself. Besides, you already have the Lord to yourself ~ you no longer need anything to help you get there.

Seeking Consolation

        Communion experience. Concern about the condition of the world and what might happen in my own country after the presidential election placed a heavy burden on my heart and I rejoiced that I could turn to Christ to seek consolation, for he is the only one who can give me hope and joy.

Shortsighted Living

        The news came that a dear friend of ours has suffered two strokes in a row, but is now recovering. Life is fragile and hanging by a thread. We know that thread is going to break one day, but somewhat we are not impressed as long as it's not happening to us yet. Meanwhile we hang on to things that are even less dependable than a thread. What gives? If we do not pay close attention to all the obvious indicators about the transitoriness of life, how are we going to prepare ourselves for living the eternal life? 

Heavenly Relationship

        Do you know that God becomes the closest, dearest, most intimate friend to anyone who receives him reverently in the Holy Eucharist. This is a relationship made in heaven, a truly awesome achievement brought about by God! 

Classifying God's People

        People either accept or reject Jesus and are either good or bad, roughly speaking. So the four possible categories are (1) good people accepting Jesus, (2) bad people accepting Jesus, (3) good people rejecting Jesus, and (4) bad people rejecting Jesus. Obviously, you should want to belong in the first and not the last category. How about the middle two? I see that a bad person accepting Jesus can easily be saved if he would just repent of his sins and ask for God's forgiveness. But a good person rejecting Jesus risks being rejected by him before the Father, as the Gospel tells us. Naturally, the Lord alone knows why he is not being accepted. Nevertheless, knowingly rejecting Christ will definitely have serious consequences. 

God's Presence in You

        If you hear God speak to your heart, then he is dwelling within you.

Talent, a Blessing?

        God gave us talent not to serve ourselves, make us rich and famous, or make us feel more important to him. No, he gave us talent so that we might glorify him alone. So many talented artists live for the art they have created instead of serving God, or think that they are above others less talented. In such cases, no blessing would be a blessing. 

Sad State of Our Nation

        In this country at this time, godlessness is the root cause of our problems. Political correctness is followed more closely than the teachings of God. In this secular world, if a saint were elected president, he wouldn't last a week. This is how sad the shape this country is in. I hope that Jesus' realistic statement that those who enter through the wide gate with the broad road that leads to destruction are many and those who find the narrow gate with the constricted road that leads to life are few in today's Gospel reading at Mass (see today's earlier post "Best Travel Plan") will at least shock our conscience a bit.

Inseparability

        Today's Communion experience. Receiving the Holy Eucharist confirms that Christ and I are inseparable from each other. Where he is, I'll be. 

Are We Foolish?

        Many of us plan for our security, our retirement, our near future . . . yet do not seem to be concerned about life eternal at all. Isn't here a great imbalance? Don't you also see the ironic contradiction? Have we lost our common sense? Are we asleep or afraid to face death? Jesus' question comes to my mind: "What profit is there for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?" Basically, I think we are just being fools.

Best Travel Plan

        In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 7, Jesus spoke to his disciples, "Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter through it are many. How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life. And those who find it are few." We need to stay sober and pay critical attention to these words of life. Our best policy is to find and follow Christ, then we won't need to be concerned about the width of the gate opening nor the condition of the road, nor where we'll end up. Follow Christ and go carefree ~ my slogan.

*Good Things, Bad Things

        In this life, we have both good and bad things happening to us. Beware that the good things you receive could be the reward you get for being a hypocrite (read Matthew 6) or for the actual good you've done. Anyway, reward received in this world means nothing if you can not get into heaven later. The bad things that happen to you now can actually be blessings if you accept them as part of your purgatory experience after death. I'd accept the bad now and receive the good later rather than the other way around.

State of Joy

        This morning's entrance verse at Mass from Psalm 24: The clean of hands and pure of heart shall climb the mountain of the Lord and stand in his holy place. To have clean hands and a pure heart is to never do anything filthy nor consider any thought sinful. A soul in such a state receives great joy, for its presence is welcomed by the Lord. 

Faith and Hope

        I have two joint injuries that have not healed for many months, but I do not feel down nor sorry for myself. I realize it's because I belief that God can still heal me. Whether he is going to heal me or not is another matter; it is keeping that hope alive that has sustained me. To have faith is to have hope. We often console or encourage others in unfortunate circumstances by telling them to keep up the faith or not to give up. These are not exactly empty remarks, because faith and hope in God do give us the strength and courage we need.

Sweet State of Union

        Psalm 27.4 of David ~ One thing I ask of the LORD; only this I seek: to dwell in the LORD's house all the days of my life. For me today, this is like asking to remain in union with Christ at all times. Indeed, to remain in such union is "home, sweet home" to those who belong to the Lord, for they would feel painfully uncomfortable the moment they "step outside the house." Only dwelling in heaven could be sweeter.

Who Is Jesus to You?

        In today's Gospel reading from Luke 9, Jesus asked the disciples, "Who do the crowds say that I am?" They gave various answers. Then he asked them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter replied, "The Christ of God." He told them, "The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised." The he said to all, "If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it." Peter first recognized that Jesus was the Messiah from God, then Jesus spoke authentically as only God could. 

Sign of True God

        In today's second reading from Galatians 3 at Mass, Paul wrote: Through faith you are all children of God in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free person, there is not male and female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. I do not see another God-centered religion other than Christianity in which all members are treated equally as heirs of God ~ another sign that the God of Christ is the true God.

One Great Joy

        I love my God because every time after I have done something imperfectly or plain wrong, I can go back to him to have him show me how to get it right the next time. Such soul-searching and continuous learning is one great joy of knowing God for me.  

Our Business

        If someone makes another billion dollars, it's not our business. If someone becomes so popular that crowds madly follow him or her everywhere, it's not our business. If someone brings millions of people to Christ, it's not our business. Our business is to follow the will of God in everything we do. This should be something we can easily remember.

Happiness Criterion

        If we are happy in Christ, even though we no longer belong to the world, we still remain happy in the world. If we do not have Christ or are not happy in him, then we won't ever find happiness in the world, for he is our God and Savior. 

Utimate Rest

        Communion experience. My soul experienced the most peaceful rest in Christ. This is the rest you experience when you are completely at peace with God. In this spiritual state, both your mental and physical conditions remain unperturbed, God alone occupying the soul.    

Begging God

        Today's Entrance verse from Psalm 27: O Lord, hear my voice, for I have called to you; be my help. Do not abandon or forsake me. O God, my Savior! Here is David, crying out to and begging God, exhibiting an emotion we can all identify with. Of course, God only knows the human soul too well, plus that he will never abandon or forsake us. As a matter of fact, our Father receives great joy when his children ask for his help, telling him they need him, for he gets another chance to exercise his love.

More on Forgiving Others

        Communion experience. Here's the merciful Lord ready to forgive all my sins, how could I possibly not forgive anyone who had trespassed against me? Jesus only wants to give us peace. But when we disobey him, we lose our peace. Without peace, we do not hear him speak. Forgiving others, being a hard counsel to follow, makes a great start to regain our peace in God.

All About Forgiving Others

        In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 6, Jesus taught his disciples to pray the Our Father, in which we are to ask the Father to forgive our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. The Lord further added, "If you forgive others their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions." The promise and warning can't be any clearer. We know that to forgive our enemies or those we plain do not like is hard, but forgive we must. It helps to know that forgiving them doesn't mean that you are to become fast friends with them or even like them, although that would be nice. To forgive is to wish that God will also save them. If he comes to you and asks you if he should save them, your ready answer should be a resounding yes, since you want to always please him. If God equates whatever we do for one of our least brothers to doing it for him, then surely holding a grudge against anyone would be the same as holding one against him. I've learned that to be at odds with God ever so slightly can deprive us of inner peace ~ thank God for having made us this way. Only complete obedience to God will ensure our own salvation.

Praying for the Impossible

       I pray that every single soul in the world will be saved. Is this praying for the impossible? Not really. To easily see if something is right or wrong, just look at what would happen if everyone does it. In the same way, if everyone would pray for the salvation of all souls, the prayer is clearly answered. So it's not impossible, only improbable. Nevertheless, the faithful should not hesitate to pray for what's not likely to happen, as nothing is impossible (not improbable) for God. 

Pure Satisfaction

        Communion experience. I received and consumed what I love the most!

Greatest Vocation

        As you will to serve God, he prepares you by teaching you, while revealing how he wants you to serve him in due time. He will always lead you to glorify him, fulfilling your purpose of life. It is in serving God faithfully that we can become great in heaven.  

*Important Announcement

        The fact that God gave his only Son to save us so that we might return to him in heaven shows that he desires union with him from us more than anything else, yet we hardly talk about it. In fact, we are neglecting the most important thing God wants to hear about. Know that union with God is within everyone's reach because in seeking union it's God, not you anymore, doing the work! Banish the erroneous thought that union is reserved for the saints only. The wonderful thing is that we all can become saints if we seek union with the Lord. It is not only the fast track to holiness; it also promises to turn living the Catholic life into a most exciting journey.

Between You and God Secretly

        In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 6, Jesus teaches all of us not to perform good deeds, pray, or fast for others to see nor to win their praise. Essentially, we are to live secretly in the Father, proclaiming openly only the gospel. Note that the Father always repays us in secret too. You just cannot glorify both God and yourself!

*Seeing What Matters

        Another wisdom we gain as we age is understanding that only what matters to God matters to us. Once you see it, you start to abandon yourself to God. It is giving in to God, a process of giving yourself up. This should be a joyful prelude to returning to your heavenly Father.

Ultimate Backup

        We instinctively do our best to support our families, maintain our health, etc. But when all our efforts fail, especially as we age, it is such a consolation to know that we always have the Lord God as our backup. In fact, this is the only backup that counts and we truly need. When we are young, we don't think about it. But when we get old, it becomes increasingly clear. Blessed are those who realize this when they are still young.

Eternal Existence Settled

        Communion experience. I had the most private, personal moment with the Lord. This union makes all the difference to my eternal existence!

Eternity Matters

        If we die and become absolutely nonexistent, then life has to be the biggest puzzle of all. But there is evidence that the soul lives on forever. Therefore, where you settle after you pass away makes all the difference ~ it'll be either eternally pleasant or eternally miserable.

Love to Be Our Weapon

        Today is Memorial of St. Anthony of Padua. This is the Gospel reading from Matthew 5. Jesus said to his disciples: "You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil. When someone strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other one to him as well. If anyone wants to go to law with you over your tunic, hand him your cloak as well. Should anyone press you into service for one mile, go with him for two miles. Give to the one who asks of you, and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow." Admittedly, these counsels are most difficult to follow, but the Lord is right. The point: Jesus wants us to use love as our only weapon to win others. Pray that he will not lead us to any test we cannot pass.

Process of Accepting God

        I believe that most people do not believe in God because they fear that they won't be able to do freely what they wish, once God becomes their Lord. They would find excuses to appease themselves. This is running away from God. If the fear is there, God must have attracted you. In fact, it's God calling you, challenging you. If you give in and accept him, you fear will turn into joy, for God is love. 

Close to God

        It's only natural that we do not reveal ourselves too much to those whom we do not know well, but feel free to be ourselves at home around those close to us. Therefore, if you do share everything in your heart with God, rejoice that you have a most close relationship with him.

The World Doesn't Get It

        The current tragic news is the mass shooting at an Orlando nightclub in Florida. Strict gun control might delay some of these violent attacks, but will not remove their cause. As in fighting the drug war, going after the traffickers will not stop the flow of drugs, since the demand for drugs, the cause, is still intact. What causes all the horrendous acts of violence today is the rejection of Christ ~ I don't have to be a prophet to tell you that. The fact that people are not saying this only substantiates my claim. Mankind has fallen far away from God and become self-important and judgmental. The acceptance of abortion in our societies is a good indication of how much Christ is absent from our lives. We reap what we sow.

All I Need to Know

       As I was praying this morning in my bedroom, I looked around and saw the face of Jesus on an Albert Gilles copper piece (as seen on the Holy Shroud of Turin) hung over the headboard of my bed, and a crucifix and a picture of Our Lady of Guadalupe hung on a side wall. I saw all three and realized that I already knew all about life and God my creator ~ I felt great satisfaction and joy.  

Most Valuable Lesson

        In Matthew 20, Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave." Again, in Matthew 23, he spoke to the crowds and to the disciples, "The greatest among you must be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted." Here's one greatest teaching from Jesus. Humility and willingness to serve go hand in hand. You can be a great speaker trying to convert others, but if you lack humility, you still remain a hypocrite. We now have the secret of attaining freedom and being exalted by the Lord.

Will You Be Ready?

        I attended Vigil Mass today. I saw the beautiful flowers adorning the altar. They reflect the beauty of our creator for a few days and are thrown away, having served their purpose. I started thinking about our own lives. After our sojourn on this earth is over, we'll meet the same creator our God. Will we be empty-handed then with no gifts to offer to him? Will there be treasures in heaven we have stored up while on earth? Under our accounts, will the Lord find fruit that we've borne for him? In sum, have we done anything to make us fit to enter the kingdom of heaven?

Gift Most Special

        If you receive something of this world that makes you happy, you either keep it all to yourself or share it with some good friends when you feel like it. What is so special about the love of Christ is that once you receive it and it makes you happy, you become completely selfless and would want everyone else in the whole world to have it too!

*Bridging the Gap Between God and Man*

        Communion experience. The fact that Jesus has instituted the Holy Eucharist for us to receive is proof that he has bridged the gap between God and man.     

*Only One Way to Go

        We know that we are all sinners. We know that God is all holy. We know sin and holiness do not mix. Now, know that that gap has been bridged by God through the giving of his only Son, Jesus. Also know that there are no bridges behind us for us to make any kind of retreat to safety.

*Indispensable Company

        In union with God, you enjoy his company at all times. You enjoy what Paul talked about, the peace that surpasses all understanding. When you sin ever so slightly, you lose that peace instantly and want to get right back amidst the company of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. You know that you'd never survive outside their company. God does "pamper" his children.

To Be Holy

        Communion experience. To receive the Holy Eucharist is to accept the Lord's invitation to become holy by being one with him. Unlimited grace will be bestowed upon you via this Most Blessed Sacrament. To be holy is to be free, to shine in God's sight, and to dwell in God,  

High Standards Our Hope

        In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 5, Jesus said, "You have heard that it was said, You shall not commit adultery. I say to you, everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better...." The Lord has certainly set high standards for us to be perfect, but we do need standards, and low standards are no standards. Rather than bemoan what we have to follow, let us rejoice that God wants us to be holy just like him. These standards give us hope. If we surrender to God, he will make us meet these standards with no sweat.

Hearing God Speak

        In today's Reading 1 from 1 Kings 19, it was read that at the mountain of God, Horeb, Elijah came to a cave, where he took shelter. But the word of the Lord came to him, "Go outside and stand on the mountain before the Lord; the Lord will be passing by." A strong and heavy wind came by, followed by an earthquake, and fire, but the Lord was not in any of them. Finally, there was a tiny whispering sound and Elijah heard the Lord speak to him. God truly speaks to us in a whisper. In fact, he usually speaks silently to our heart, not through our ears, for he wants to reach our innermost. Therefore, we will not hear God speak if we are not used to opening up our inner heart and examine our conscience before the Lord. If you make your heart completely transparent and accessible to the Lord, you are ready to hear his sweet voice speaking to you at any time.

Living to the Fullest

        This is being as holy as you can.

To Be With God Is...

to be filled with God and in God. You have settled down forever, no more looking ahead or back. You are content and free, no need to look out for yourself nor seek fulfillment. God now envelops and occupies you. Finally, you are home.