Daily Mass Attendance

        Communion thought. What draws me to daily Mass is the real presence of the Lord in the Holy Eucharist. Would you turn down a chance to attend the Last Supper?

Earthly Pleasures vs Heavenly Joys

        All pleasures derived from the world or the flesh are enslaving and over time become nauseating, but all joys received from God or the Spirit are liberating and forever refreshing.

Recognizing Our Foolishness

        Today is the Memorial of St. Ignatius of Antioch. In the Gospel reading from Luke 12, Jesus told  the crowd the parable of the rich fool. In the story, the rich man decided to tear down his barns and build larger ones to store all his bountiful harvest and other goods. Then he planned, after having so many good things stored up for many years, to rest, eat, drink, and be merry, not knowing that his life would be demanded of him that very night. The lesson was that the one who stores up treasure for himself is not rich in what matters to God. Anyway, I instantly recognized that we all were that rich fool at one time or another.

Jesus in Our Way

        John spoke about Jesus in John 1.3: All things came to be through him, and without him nothing came to be. And Paul in Colossians 1.16: For in him were created all things in heaven and earth, the visible and the invisible; all things were created through him and for him. Jesus himself said in John 14.6: I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. And since we also know he will be our judge on the final day, it would be utter foolish for us to think that we can sneak by him unnoticed in anyway. Jesus, the way, is always in our way so long as our eternal destiny is not settled yet.

God Most Personal

        Since God knows everything about his creations, it does not matter if you are the only human existing or one among billions of fellow humans, God knows you most personally and cares about you. You are one of his most beloved creatures.

Jesus Is Joy

        Communion experience. The joy of waiting in line to receive the Holy Eucharist is not unlike the joy of waiting in line to enter heaven, for receiving the body and blood of Jesus is letting joy enter to fill you.

Call to Persist in Prayer

        After hearing the parable of the persistent widow read from Luke 18 at morning Mass, I was encouraged to ask the Lord to keep this nation from sliding into worsening immorality, corruption, hypocrisy, suppression of religious freedom, and disrespect for the sanctify of human life for the sake of those who are faithful, righteous, and laboring hard for his glory. I ask you to join me in this prayer if you feel so prompted by the Holy Spirit.

Way to Salvation

        I see living in Jesus, with Jesus, and for Jesus as the only certain way to salvation.        

*Whom You Live For

        The severity of sin is proportional to how much you live for yourself. To hope to be saved, you must at least live for God more than for yourself.

Act of Will

        Jesus said to Thomas, "Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed." We can also be sure that Jesus will bless those who do not feel like praying and still pray or do not feel like helping someone they don't like and still help. It's the act of will that matters.

Thinking Like the Holy Spirit

        Keep the motivation pure and always have compassion for others.

Two Union Effects

        In union with God, you no longer need God to lead you on, since you are already with him, resting in him. And you do not derive strength from yourself, but through your intimate trust in God. 

Filled by God

        Communion experience. The Lord has completely filled the void of my life.

A Warning to Heed

        Today is the Memorial of St. Teresa of Jesus, Doctor of the Church. In the Gospel reading from Luke 12, Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before others the Son of Man will acknowledge before the angels of God. But whoever denies me before others will be denied before the angels of God." What Jesus had said here should be alarming to both believers and nonbelievers, but is fair and square, for he spoke as God. 

Two Fundamental Questions

        Are you truly aware that God loves you? If so, do you respond appropriately to him?

World in Darkness

        As I woke up from sleep this morning, I saw Jesus alone as the light of the world, brightening my day, for the world was enveloped in darkness. The world will brighten up instantly if every one of its inhabitants starts to repent and beg for mercy from the Lord.

Putting Selves Aside

       We ourselves are always the greatest obstacles between us and God. Therefore, great things do not happen to us interiorly until after we hand ourselves and all other things over to God. Hereby is revealed the secret of joy and freedom.

Great Moment of Life

        Communion experience. It was God and I alone together in union ~ the most private and intimate moment of life.

Giving-Back Time

        During the liturgy of the Eucharist at Mass today, I saw that Jesus had given himself to unite with us by instituting the Holy Eucharist. Of course, he was going to complete his giving by dying on the cross for us later. If we do believe that we are created in the image of God, it is time now to give ourselves completely back to him.

Amazing God-Man

        Jesus as God is amazing when you examine the many wonderful miracles he performed and how death had no power over him. Today I see that Jesus as man is equally amazing. His mercy, compassion, humility, and teaching has inspired so many of us to become holy and willing to live and die for him with joy. 

Just What We Need

        Communion experience. How good and blessed it is to be loved by a God who died for me in order to save me. This God of infinite mercy is just what every one of us needs to complete and perfect our life.

Our Awesome Responsibility

        In today's Gospel reading from Luke 11, we continued to hear Jesus denounce the Pharisees and scholars of the law for their evil deeds. The thought came to me that we essentially determine our own destiny, depending upon whether we hear and obey God or not.  

Total Commitment

        If we truly love Jesus, believing that he is the life, the truth, and the way, then we must follow his commands and live a holy life, not concerned about how foolish we might look in the eyes of the world. And our reward will be great in heaven.

Truth Over Feelings

        Somehow, we came into being and wonder what life is all about. And we start to search for answers. If you just look for something you feel comfortable with, most likely you would skip over Christianity. But if you want to find the truth, putting aside all subjective feelings, then Christianity has to be the select choice. 

What to Crave For

        Communion thought. The peace of Christ is something every Christian should covet.

Abandonment Test

        If you have abandoned yourself completely to God, you'll be able to say to him, "Do whatever you want with me, Lord" with ease and in peace. It's the "Thy will be done" test.

Burden of Sorrow

        In union with Christ, the burden of sorrow you feel can be great, but that further solidifies the union. And the sweet consolation you receive from the Lord always makes it worthwhile. 

Time Lost

        Our days of living on earth is numbered. Each day we live without God is a day lost forever!

Greatest Sign and Miracle

        In today's Gospel reading from Luke 11, Jesus considered his generation to be an evil one because it sought a sign. He pointed out that he himself was a sign to his generation. Jesus is indeed the greatest sign to all of us, the only sign we need to see. To those who chase after miracles, you only need to look at Jesus to see that he is also the greatest and only miracle we need to see. If he is not good enough for you, no other sign or miracle will be.

Christianity Unique

        There are religions which believe that they alone hold the truth and do not tolerate anyone who does not accept their faith. And there are religions which never so claim and leaves everyone alone. Christianity is the only religion which claims that it holds the authentic truth and gives everyone the freedom to choose to believe in it or not. This makes it possible for all its followers to develop a meaningful faith.  

Most Powerful Love

        Let the perfect love of God make you pure, beautiful, fearless, and perfect.

Deep Peace in Christ

        It's good to be back home to resume attending daily Mass again. Today's Communion experience: the Lord made me see that if I am truly in him, I would always have peace unperturbable by any sorrow.   

Gain Christ and Everything

        If you have no God in your life, you are essentially a lost soul having no idea where you are heading. But if you belong to Christ, you know exactly where you are going, inheriting everything he has.

Great Pity

        What a pity that so many of us treasure the many things of the passing world, the safety of our temporary stay on earth, and our own physical health, but neglect completely the state of our eternal soul!

Saving Faith

        In today's Gospel reading from Luke 17, ten lepers asked Jesus to have pity on them. Jesus told them to go show themselves to the priests and they were cleansed on the way. Only one returned to Jesus, fell at his feet and thanked him. Jesus said to him, "Stand up and go; your faith has saved you." None of us is perfect, but it's good to know that as long as we believe, our faith can save us.

How to Stand God

        Today's entrance antiphon at Mass from Psalm 130: If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, Lord, who could stand? But with you is found forgiveness, O God of Israel. If God pronounces us to be guilty, we are doomed. Since God is forgiving, we can repent our sins unceasingly to remain in a state of grace always. 

Complete Trust in God

        Trusting in God completely is abandoning ourselves to God. By so doing, we fulfill "Thy will be done" as the Lord had taught us to pray.

Desire for God

        Since God first loved and loves us, he is our most precious jewel to be worshipped and praised. Let's not forget that we must also desire him with all our soul. It's this desire and longing for him that he treasures, for his love desires union with us.

2016 Presidential Prayer

        With this year's presidential election day just about a month away, please join me in saying this short and concise prayer sent to me from a friend.

        

Merciful Jesus, 

with firm faith relying solely on You, 

we entreat You to raise up a suitable candidate 

for the office of the president of the United States of America. 

O Jesus, we surrender this to You. 

"Thy Will Be Done!"

      Amen.       

God Essential to Us

        The following thoughts clearly entered my mind. (1) Everything we enjoy in this world except the Lord God is temporary. (2) We cannot exist in any way without God. (3) Only Christ, our God, can fundamentally change our inner self and we absolutely need to be transformed.

Unique Teaching

        It is unique in Christianity that God directly teaches us in our hearts in addition to through others.

Forever With God

        Habakkuk 2.4, from Reading 1 of Oct. Mass: the just one who is righteous because of faith shall live. When God says we shall live, it means we shall live with him and forever. This is exactly what Jesus has come and promised. When God settles something, it's settled forever. 

Dream Living?

        Those of the world who dream only about achieving success in the world are living in a dream world, and their dreams will evaporate in time into nothing.

Appreciate God

        To look for a husband or wife or a friend, there are virtually millions of candidates out there for you to choose from. But to choose a Savior, there is only one candidate, Christ.  

Unappreciative Hearts

        God's most profound message of salvation is to be understood by the simplest of all hearts, yet we make it so far-fetched as to be irrelevant, not realizing that we are all prodigal sons and daughters who need to wake up and return to the Father.

Fulfilled by Christ

        Today's Communion experience. How good it is to have Christ the Lord complete my joy so that I lack nothing!

Why Love God?

        Reason enough for us to love God with all our heart: he has created us out of love.

Perfect Departure Time

        Communion experience. It was the perfect time to go to Jesus right after receiving him in the Holy Eucharist.

Why Make God Wait?

        I heard from a priest who served in South Korea that only about 20% of Catholics there attended Sunday Mass regularly. Then one year when they thought North Korea was ready to launch an attack on the South any minute, he heard 500+ confessions (I wasn't sure if that happened in one day or not). I am thinking that if you got there late, you might not reach your turn to confess if the attack did materialize. 

On Hurting God

        We can easily hurt our family members or friends who are close to us if we do not treat them kindly. Imagine how we hurt God, the closest one to us of all, when we sin against him!