A Creation Secret

        The more we give ourselves to God, the more we experience freedom. How so? Answer: God has created us this way.

*In God's Light

        Today is the Epiphany of the Lord. In reading 1, Isaiah speaks of God as the light that shines upon us. Today, if you are not in the light of Christ, you are still in darkness, for only in him is your path to eternity made crystal clear! 

*Sorrow Lined With Joy

        Is the death of Jesus a tragedy? No, because the love of God triumphed. Of course, I feel sorry for the suffering Christ underwent, then I am even moved more by God's love for me. So it's great sorrow lined with greater joy.

*A Plea to Turn to God*

         What hurts me the most is to see so many of us continue to ignore God and go their own way, sinning as if there would be no consequences. To them I address the following questions and remarks. 

       Don't you know that you are hurting the very Lord, your creator and Father, deeply? What has he done to deserve all this? All he wants to do is to love you and give you eternal life! He has already died for you on the cross, so why do you continue to wound him mercilessly and unceasingly? Don't you realize that you are returning love with ingratitude, thus cutting off the only hope of your life? How cold and hard can your heart possibly get? Instead of offering it to the Father as you should, you have killed it. He is weeping for you, while you should be weeping for yourself. His mercy is infinite, but it's useless if you reject it all. Know that if you choose not to turn to him, you choose to be lost forever. Creating a tragedy with yourself being its protagonist is tragic indeed! 

*Have Jesus, Have Your Way

        Communion thoughts. Once you have Jesus, what you want is always what he wants, and you'll have all you want.     

Need to Involve God

        There are many human teachings out there advising you on how to think positively, to fulfill your personal goals, to live without stress, to make friends, etc., but without the involvement of God, they are basically self-centered and all efforts must still come from you alone – think of trying to pull yourself up by your bootstraps. Only by doing whatever with God's help and for his sake will you have the best chance to succeed and have joy too.

Blessed During Consecration

        During the consecration of the bread and wine when the Lord transformed them into his own body and blood at Mass today, I felt blessed to be present at this great miraculous happening.

*What to Associate with Jesus

        This morning at Mass when I heard announced that the opening hymn would be #110 in the song book, Beethoven's great Op. 110 piano sonata popped into my mind, as it was one of my favorite piano compositions. So I wondered what we would quickly associated with the name "Jesus" when we hear it. I dare guess that many would say "love" or "forgiveness of sins." But there is one more perhaps less abstract thing we should always remember to associate with Jesus, and that is "eternal life." Jesus came into the world precisely so that everyone who believes in him might not perish and have eternal life! (John 3.16.)

*Exciting Spiritual Life

        Is the spiritual life a tranquil life? An exciting life? I would say both. Tranquil, because you enjoy the peace of God. Exciting, because God speaks to your heart, teaching and guiding you. What spices up the spiritual life are the surprises the Lord springs upon you at various times, showing that he is with you and capable of doing wondrous deeds. This adds extra joy to the spiritual life. 

Changed Outlook on Life

        As we age and our physical health deteriorates, we can see that life overall is not as happy a thing as we thought it could be when we were young. But those who have Christ would see that he is the bright light in their lives and knowing him far outweighs all the other sad parts of life. In addition, they know that their yearning for the Lord will soon be fulfilled ~ a joy that no sadness on earth can touch. 

God's Forgiving Mercy

        There is no question that only God can take away our sins. It follows that only God can make us totally forgive someone we find it most difficult to forgive on our own. Since God's mercy knows no bounds, let that mercy infiltrate our hearts first so that we may be merciful to all others, friends and enemies. 

*Let God Transform Us

        I remember in my youth, I rode with a friend in his British racing green MGB sports car. What impressed me more than the car was the manner in which he drove it. I had expected any sports car driver to push the vehicle hard, test its road-hugging capability, and enjoy the swift rush through the open air. But somehow my friend went the opposite way: he was polite at every turn, never revved the engine for speed, and made my ride silky smooth. He actually became a perfect English gentleman! This effect of the car on him has remained with me to this day. It gets me thinking that if we are clothed with Christ, we should also let the Lord transform us into his perfect disciples, showing love, humility, and more. If we are willing, certainly the power of the Lord can be greater than that of any car.

The Saving Eucharist

        Communion thoughts. Receiving the Holy Eucharist is more than being in God's presence ~ we have God actually entering us for union. Whoever receives this sacrament with great reverence will be saved!

God Speaking

        Matthew 19.29 is today's Communion antiphon: Everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands for the sake of my name will receive a hundred times more, and will inherit eternal life, says the Lord. This saying would've been astounding if it had come from a human. But as it had been uttered by God, it completely makes sense.

Love We Must

        In this morning's first reading at Mass from 1 John, St. John the Apostle urges us to always love and never hate others. Jesus laid down his life for us, so we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. These are strong words. God has shown us the power of love and that only love can save us and the world. Saying all this sounds hackneyed, but it is the truth. Here we have the secret of peace and our salvation – there is no other way out. Since God is love, we must let love rule our hearts.

On Getting Up in the Morning

        When you wake up every morning, what is your mood? Are you grumpy? Do you have anything to look forward to or would you rather go back to sleep some more? During one past period of my life, I did not look forward much to waking up each morning to face the day, for I hadn't let God completely take over my life yet. But now I am always joyful in getting up as early as possible with only doing what the Lord wants me to do, while leaving everything in his hands, on my agenda. I am acutely aware that for our happiness, we were created to love God alone. This has expelled all anxieties from and brought great peace to my heart – I thank the Lord for that.

*Being Self-Centered?

        How important are your various desires to you? Even if all your desires are fulfilled, what do you really gain? Anyway, if your desires are more important than God's will, you are still living a self-centered life. 

*Remaining Free

      Do not let yourself be enslaved by anything on earth so that you may freely embrace your Father in heaven for all eternity!

Know Where We Are Headed

        We should live with a clear vision of the overall scheme of things – how we got here, what our existence means, what life is all about, where we'll go after death ... – never live from one little thing to another, not knowing where we are headed. 

Liberation Is . . .

shedding your ego, dying with Christ, and living for God as a new creature. 

Clear Vision of Life

        First, realize that you are just passing through the world and will never be able to solve all the problems of your lifetime. Next, know that heaven is definitely where you want to be after you leave this earth. Then it should be clear that you should be content to live an unknown life devoted to serving and loving God only. 

The Divine Christ

        When we first believe in Jesus, our faith is weak. Then as we come to know him better, we come to believe in him more. Finally, when we attain union with him, all doubts vanish and we are more sure than ever that he is the Lord and God. So, if your faith is still not that strong yet, do not give up, for you are on the right path. By the way, anyone who tells you that Christ is not divine is being deceived by Satan ~ have nothing to do with them.

*The Bread of Life

        Today is the Memorial of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton. John 6.51 was the Communion antiphon. Jesus said, "I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world." There is no doubt that the Holy Eucharist I receive at Mass each time is truly (not symbolically as many Protestants believe) the real flesh of the Lord. (If not, then the Apostles, the early fathers of the Church, the great saints throughout history, and all Catholics to this day have committed the sin of idolatry for worshipping a piece of bread!)

To Be Like Jesus

        This morning I am thinking about how Jesus, the king of the universe, with whom nothing is impossible, came to us simply preaching the truth and performing great miracles with no hoopla or hype whatsoever, never bragging once about himself and remaining meek and humble through his death on the cross – this alone should inspire us to follow him. To be like him is to be like God and to be with God – there is no higher goal for us. Reach for him to help you succeed! 

*Life on Fire

        If your yearn for the Lord, then he has set your heart ablaze. Let the sweet flame totally engulf and consume your whole being to maximize your enjoyment of the Lord in this life!

Huge Blessing

        Communion experience. Receiving the Holy Eucharist is one of the biggest possible blessings God can bestow upon us! Appreciate and treasure the opportunity with all your heart!

Hunting Down the Ego

        The ego is most stealthy; sometimes you have to be like a detective to find it. For instance, I am happy blogging because I hear the Lord speaking to my heart, which brings me great intimacy with him. But if I am not watchful, the ego can fool me into thinking that I am the one doing a great job of spreading the message. As a matter of fact, I should leave the life of the blog entirely in God's hands, not ever wanting to keep it going in order to make me feel good. Being ego-free is being truly free indeed.

Christ, Our Must-Have

       In John 15.5, Jesus said, "I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing." This is absolutely correct. Without Christ who is God, whatever we do can not get us any closer to God. It is through bearing the right fruit with him that we can get to heaven.

*Humility Needed

        Many of Christ's counsels are difficult to follow, depending upon how much we have surrendered to him. Nevertheless, we must be willing to do our best to follow, even though we may not succeed. It is this willingness that counts. If you say outright that you can't do it, then you are being outright rebellious. Only admitting that God can help you can help you.   

Great Start for Each Day

        Check that you and God are in each other as one.

*Unique Creatures

        While the Lord gives his thoughts to those in union with him, all thoughts expressed through each recipient still bear the imprint of that person, for each of us is a unique creature of God. We do not become God's puppets; we just become parts of him.

*Heart for the Lord

        Early this morning in bed, when I was still not quite awake, I sensed myself amid a huge crowd of the very rich, the famous, and the most learned. The Lord made me see that I should never feel inferior, for he looks only at our hearts. I already knew this, but the mental scene further impressed me. Anyone with a pure and clean heart can stand tall and be grateful before the Lord.

End of Search

        Communion experience. I have found the one worthy for me to live and die for – my life is now meaningful, fulfilled, and made whole, and my joy complete. 

Escaping Enslavement

        How to gain freedom from enslavement? You can run away, but this does not eradicate what enslaves you. Also, if you are enslaved by yourself, it becomes even harder. Conquering what enslaves you may even be less feasible with you in your enslaved condition. That leaves the best and only way out: run to God and seek refuge in him (or surrender to him). This way you are shielded by him from all evil and become absolutely free.

*Get Baptized by the Holy Spirit!

        You may wish to read my post "Be Einstein as Christians" of Dec. 31 again, for a key thought slipped my mind when I posted it. It has now been revised.

       When I was actively involved in the Catholic Charismatic Renewal movement in the 1970s, I underwent baptism by the Holy Spirit in my prayer group and it changed my life. The presence and power of the Spirit became palpable. I now recall that in all three synoptic Gospels, John the Baptist when he was preaching, proclaimed to the people, "I am baptizing you with water, but one mightier than I is coming. I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals. He will baptize you with the holy Spirit and fire." So if you want the Holy Spirit to set your heart ablaze, why not ask Jesus directly to baptize you with the holy Spirit and fire? Ask straight from your heart and wait for beautiful things to happen! (It would be wonderful to hear your personal experiences. Feel free to share them as comments.) 

*A Lost Soul Is . . .

one who believes in himself more than in God.

Just You and God

          I see God our Father at the center and billions of us his children around him. The relationship between God and each one of us is what matters the most, for it determines our eternal destiny. This relationship is tested by how well we follow his commandment to love our neighbors. Ultimately, it comes down to how well each one of us obeys the Father. Therefore, think of just you and God, with you alone to maintain a good relationship with him as best as you can through obedience. Nothing else matters.

*Chasing After the New

        We have a new year, 2017 in the year of the Lord. The world just celebrated with fireworks and partying. Why do we welcome anything new? I believe that we are not satisfied with the old and hope that the new will bring us better things. That is why we buy new cars, move into new houses, get married again, look for new jobs, etc., hoping that things would improve to make us happier. In reality, it never works out this way. The truth is that we are imperfect and will never be satisfied until we are perfect ourselves. Here is where God comes in, for he alone is holy and perfect and is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13.8), thereby remaining forever new and refreshing. When we become his obedient children and return to him, we'll be perfect and new like him. Only then will we be completely happy and satisfied with ourselves.

A Last Challenge

        As the year is ending, I am throwing out a challenge to all. Beginning with the new year, live completely as an unknown to the world. That is, live for God alone in secret and receive joy from him in secret. And never forget to spread the good news and hope of Christ every chance you get. May God bless and reward you all abundantly!      

*Be Einstein as Christians

        To me, Einstein is one greatest thinker who has ever existed. He believed in an ordered universe, thought above the ordinary human level and came up with the beautiful and profound general theory of relativity. I wonder if we Christians can possibly reach the height in the spiritual realm comparable to that Einstein had reached in the realm of physics. The answer came in today's Gospel reading from John 1. I'll just quote the first five verses: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came to be through him, and without him nothing came to be. What came to be through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race; the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." This knowledge is revelation from God to the Apostle John, and it is most beautiful and profound. We can also reach our height by achieving union with God. For in union, God's thoughts become ours and all things begin to make sense to us. We see that the Lord is in control and knows exactly what he is doing. And experiencing God at such an intimate level is definitely also beautiful and profound.

In Our Last Days

        In today's first reading at Mass from 1 John, the Apostle wrote: "Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that the antichrist was coming, so now many antichrists have appeared. Thus we know this is the last hour." On this last day of 2016, we can also be sure we are in the last days before the Second Coming of Christ. We do not know when it will happen, but we know that it is imminent. This will be the most joyful and saddest day of all time. The true believers do not think about it much because they leave all up to God. The unbelievers do not think about it because of their unbelief. Nevertheless, it's always wise to be ready for any of God's surprises.

*Rejoicing Together in Each Other

        John 3.16: God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. In Luke 15, Jesus said that there would be rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents. We see that God's joy lies in loving us and in our acceptance of his love. Therefore, let our joy lie in letting him love us to his heart's content, showing that we love him too. In this way, we and the Lord rejoice together in each other!

Year-End Advice

        Some Catholics do not like to go to confession. There can only be two reasons: (1) They are quite holy and all their sins are minor or (2) they are afraid of facing God with their sins. The right thing to do after you sin is to go immediately to God, repent, and ask for his forgiveness. In this way you keep yourself pure and clean most of the time. If you avoid facing God with your sins, your are being extremely foolish, for your spiritual condition can only worsen. As the year ends, this is the perfect time to go to confession to start the new year with a clean slate.

*Best New Year's Resolution

        It's time for making New Year's resolutions. If this is what you traditionally do, may I suggest the best possible resolution for anyone: surrender yourself to Christ 100%. You will find out what God is really like (how beautiful he truly is) after you have fully surrendered to him.

*Only Thing That Matters

        Whether you believe in God or not, or believe in him a little or a lot, the only thing that matters is how much you have surrendered yourself to him. Rejecting God and living in union with him illustrate the two extremes.

Focus Is the Message

        Any message that focuses upon the listener to tell him to love God is necessarily weak and ineffective, for the listener is a finite being himself. To be powerful and effectual, the message must focus upon the power of the infinite God who can transform us and draws us all the way to union with him! In general, to live the spiritual life par excellence, you also always focus upon the Lord and not yourself, letting him transport and do the work for you.

We Rise or Fall

        Today we heard the presentation of the Jesus read from Luke 2. When Joseph and Mary took the child Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem, the righteous and devout Simeon saw them there. He in the Holy Spirit said to Mary, "Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed." Simeon's prophesy has come true, for those who do not welcome Christ in their hearts will fall and those who do will rise in the end. This is the division Jesus himself said he had come to establish on the earth. It has to be so because the world is in sin and needs salvation. This division exists as long as sin exists among us.

If Only We Can See . . .

        Sins are blemishes on our soul. If only we can see them as God does, we would see how filthy and ugly we are and never want to judge others anymore.

Joy of Following the Lamb

        Today is the Feast of the Holy Innocents. The Communion verse based upon Revelation 14.4: Behold those redeemed as the first fruits of the human race for God and the Lamb, and who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. I love the words "follow the Lamb wherever he goes," for I sense its beauty. It means we shall always be with him, no more parting and no more sorrows.

*Blessings

        People thank God for having given them good health, long lives, strong marriage bonds, etc., but poor health, short lives, family problems, etc, can be blessings too. In fact, God blesses us all in drawing us to him. If we let all the things we receive from the Lord draw us closer to him, then they all become blessings.