**Heart-to-Heart With God

        God is all over the universe at the same time. Therefore, when you pray, enter your own heart and speak to him there in your heart. You want to be in greatest possible intimacy with your Father, so make it heart-to-heart in your heart!

God Desires Our Surrender

        In today's Gospel from Matthew 6, Jesus taught his disciples how to pray: the Our Father. Do you realize that when you say this prayer, to really mean what you say you must surrender yourself to God?

Planning for Remaining Years

        Life is short, so some people would cram in as many enjoyable activities as possible, while others might turn to God exclusively in their remaining time. I think the sensible, balanced plan is to establish priorities. Serving God must not be put off, while all other things can be attended to at the proper, appointed time.

Learning From the Turkeys

        This morning as I drove to my church for Mass on a countryish road, a surprise awaited me. Right as I was about to hit a peak in the road, I saw on the other side three wild turkeys in my lane. If I had driven a bit faster and/or the birds were just a few yards closer, I would not have been able to stop in time to avoid a collision. Both the turkeys and my car would have been damaged for sure. And I would have missed Mass too. By the way, these three were just separated from the rest of the flock which I spotted in the front yard of the house to the left. What I learned was that life is full of surprises which could turn nasty, and I must expect and not be surprised by them. (These turkeys with spread tails were quite beautiful – I was glad that none of them got hurt this morning.) 

Stern Reality to Face

         Do you know that you are not perfect and have sinned in words, thoughts, and deeds? Do you know that you would have trouble entering heaven as you are? Do you want to go to heaven? If your answer is yes to all three questions, then you must turn to Christ for salvation, for there are no clear alternatives out there. Dismissing Christ is equivalent to believing that he had come and died for nothing and that he was basically a phony.

***In Complete Sync

        Communion experience. Even if you have attained union with God, you still won't be content until you get to heaven and attain complete spiritual union with him. This is how God has made us. Attaining union with him on earth is just the first stage. Because God is so beautiful, you won't be satisfied until he is completely yours. In the same way, God loves us so much that he won't be satisfied until we are completely his. In heaven, both God and you will be completely happy together.

Intention Plays the Part

        In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 25, Jesus foretold the judgment of the nations to his disciples. On that day, those who showed love for others in need are blessed by the Father and will inherit the kingdom prepared for them from the foundation of the world (wow!), while those who didn't will be sent off into the eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his angles (ouch!). Of course, since none of us can love perfectly in this world, how do we know that we'll pass the test? It won't be like taking a test to make sure that we score higher than some preset passing mark. I believe here's where our intention plays the big part. Our intention should always be to love for the sake of God. Just follow it and not be concerned about how well we'll succeed.

Love Is God

        In today's first reading from Leviticus 19, the Lord instructed Moses to tell the whole Israelite community that they should love their neighbor as themselves. God was, is, and will always be love. Christ came and confirmed that for us. It is love that can overcome all problems, achieve peace in our world as well as in our hearts, and lead us back to our creator in heaven. Love is our weapon to vanquish evil and the secret to eternal life. All because love is the true God.      

Reasons for Rejoicing

        Think about it. We have God our loving Father awaiting us in heaven, Jesus our Lord and brother guiding us through this life, and Mary the mother of Christ and our mother praying for us incessantly. How can we not rejoice?!

Great Life Attitude

       Truly believing that nothing is impossible with God will bring you courage, hope, and peace to your life. And God will see your faith and reward you.

*Enjoying God

        Your cannot enjoy God while being egotistic. You can enjoy God fully only if your ego is absent.     

Formula for Having Life

        In resisting the devil during his temptation, Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 8.3: "It is written: 'One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.'" This is also today's Gospel acclamation. We are to hang on to every word Jesus says, then we'll not only live, but live forever with God.

*Fear of Union With God

        In today's first reading at Mass from Genesis 2, the LORD God formed man out of the clay of the ground and blew into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being. God is the great creator. He is love and also has the power to transform us. I've been spreading the message that the Lord wants to draw all to union with him through the Holy Eucharist ever since he made it clear to me more than 6 years ago. Looking at the pageviews number on my blog, I can't really claim that I have been very successful, but what's successful in God's eyes is different from how we see it. It does appear that many among Catholics are just not ready to respond to such a call yet. After all, facing up to God is never easy for anyone, and seeking union requires presenting yourself to him squarely. Nevertheless, this is what the Lord desires the most from us, for out of love he longs for the greatest possible intimacy with us! Therefore, any fear or hesitation you feel is unhealthy and should not be justified. In fact, in seeking union with him, you'll experience amazing progress in spiritual growth with increasing peace, freedom, and joy. His transforming power will displace any struggle on your part! It'll truly make living your Christian life exhilarating and exciting!

Delightful Lord

        Communion experience. Jesus was pure delight I wished to keep forever!

Living the Christian Life

        Living the Christian life must be heartfelt, not to be babbled about. Let Christ the Lord be at your center first. Seek union with him and all things that come forth from your heart will be right.

*On Loving Sinners

        In today's Gospel reading from Luke 5, Jesus said in reply to the Pharisees and their scribes who complained about Jesus eating and drinking with tax collectors and sinners, "Those who are healthy do no need a physician, but the sick do. I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners." Hearing this from Jesus makes me see the beauty of loving the unlovely, those who normally turn us off. It teaches us never to judge to anyone. It saddens me to see that politicians lie about and condemn their opponents in any way they can. Even their so-called Christian supporters picture whomever they do not like already doomed to hell. God being love is such a simple truth, yet so difficult for so many to grasp! What gives? 

Taking Care of the Soul

        Since I made it clear in my last post that our soul is our most precious possession, we should take the best care of it by keeping it pure, as sin defiles and rots the soul. Happy is the one who lets the Lord take away his sins and make his soul whole and clean! Everyone should try this at least once, then you will never want to return to your old filthy state again. Anyone who neglects his soul is in my book being foolish to the extreme.

*Preparing for the Worst*

        The wisest always prepare for the worst, and the worst that could possibly happen to us is losing our soul. Properties, material possessions, fame, health, friendship, etc., are nothing compared to the soul, for they all pass, while the soul lasts for eternity. If you know your are dying and repent to God in the last second, you may still be saved, but what about losing your life suddenly and unexpectedly, which happens often enough to many? The Lord wants us to settle our eternal destiny first and not worry about living the earthly life, and we should wise up to this most beneficial, loving piece of counsel. 

*Responding to God Properly

        God is to be worshipped, for he is holy. God is to be adored, for he is gorgeous. God is to be praised, for he is perfect. To worship, adore, and praise him, we need to submit ourselves to him without reservation with all our heart, with all our mind, and with all our soul. 

The Jesus Effect

        Communion experience. Jesus is holy, perfect, and beautiful. In union with him, we progress in becoming holy, perfect, and beautiful.

Another If Only

        If only we'd do everything to honor God and not ourselves, we'll have a lot more peace in our hearts and in the world.        

If Only

        Nowadays, people of all ages spend so much time texting each other and using social media to communicate with others. If only we would spend just much time sharing our thoughts with our Lord and our God, then we'll surely have a drastically better and more peaceful world to live in!

Joy of Having Jesus

        In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 9, when the disciples of John the Baptist asked Jesus why his disciples did not fast as they and the Pharisees fasted much, Jesus answered them, "Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast." Since the Risen Christ did promise his disciples that he would be with them always, and those in union with him do sense his invisible presence in their heart, anyone who is one with Christ can only experience unadulterated joy with no mourning. 

*No Reason Not to Believe*

        I think we are all familiar with the story of the woman caught in adultery from John 8. When the scribes and the Pharisees thought she should be stoned according to the law of Moses, Jesus said to them, "Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her." Jesus was being completely logical! If any of you do not believe that Jesus is your Lord and your God and are as holy as he is, then maybe you have the right not to believe in him – I am being logical too. Of course, you still have to deal with all the miracles he performed and the Passion he went through, which I did not bring up.

Ultimate Fulfillment

        Communion experience. Since Jesus is love, love entered me. I absorbed all of him and the union with him was sealed. On this side of heaven, this was the ultimate fulfillment. 

*Compelling Sayings

        In today's Gospel reading from Luke 9, Jesus said to his disciples, "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 will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. What profit is there for one to gain the whole world yet lose or forfeit himself?" These sayings of Christ show clearly that he spoke as God or you must dismiss them as nonsense. The last question he asked was so sensible and to the point that anyone with a sane mind should remember it as long as he or she is still living. To read them all and put them aside would surely be a mistake that can make you regret for all eternity! God is so compelling that we are forced to choose to listen to him or not at all.

Fulfilling Love

        We are made by God to be needy for love. People are lonely because love is lacking in our self-centered world. But human love is never pure enough to fulfill our need for love in the first place; only the love of God is pure and great enough to transform us spiritually. Once you know that you are loved by God, you are never lonely again.

Most Blessed Position

        Communion experience. God had made known to me everything I needed to know and sheltered me completely under his wings.

*Ashes to Saints

        In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 6 on this Ash Wednesday, Jesus teaches that we must live for God alone with zero ego. Let's remember that we are dust and unto dust we shall return. Yet the most amazing thing is that God can turn us into glorious saints if we let him. His teaching of today actually gives us the recipe. If we do everything for God with great humility and love, then we become saints. This is exactly what both Saint Therese of Lisieux and Saint Joseph Marello have learned from the Lord.

Sword of Mercy

       God's mercy is a two-edged sword. If you trust in it, you are saved. But if you reject it, you are condemned.

*Somber Thought

        The Lord gave me this somber thought on this first day of March, an Ash Wednesday: Anytime you judge someone, you endanger your own soul.

*God to Mend Our World

        We live in a world full of imperfections, but we can let God mend that part for us to make the world ideal for us!

*Salvation Depends Upon Us!

        Even though God is our Savior, salvation of the world absolutely depends upon us! Jesus said to his disciples, "The harvest is abundant, but the laborers are few." As God's instruments, we must work hard to spread the good news, as the time is more urgent than ever! There is no time for snoozing, none to waste. Not harvesting for God is committing a serious sin of omission. The least one could do is to pray daily for the salvation of the world.

Unfair to God

        I was at a shopping mall. You could hear the loud music playing through the sound system and see the crowd busily shopping or eating at the food court. I was also aware that God was lovingly watching over us and hoping to get some attention from us. Yet how many shoppers even turn their thoughts to him for an instant? Probably very few. This is an unfair world.

Not Bored Anymore

        It's common to find people getting bored after retiring from work. I am retired and sometimes people ask me what I do with all my time. Besides attending Mass daily and blogging, I do not have enough time to do all the various other things I need to do. Anyhow, if you live for Christ, it's impossible to ever get bored. On the contrary, life becomes more exciting than ever – God had filled all the voids of life and made living purposeful. You are now on call, ready to serve the Lord when he calls you, and he does need as many servants as possible to help him save the world! It's a big task that comes with a big reward. 

A Personal Prayer

        I love you, Lord. Therefore, take away my sins; make me pure, make me strong, and make me yours.

Extra Appreciation

        When you are sick with fever, praying to God becomes difficult. Therefore, I appreciate extra when I am well and can pray to him from my heart with a clear and cool mind.

*One More Beatidude

        In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gave us the Beatitudes, all blessings. From my point of view, I also feel "Blessed are they who fall in love with the Lord and become one with him."  

Maker of Beautiful Things

        Know that saints are made by God. Our future resurrection is also made possible by God. The special joy we feel for him is given to us by him too. The list goes on and on and on – God is the maker of all beautiful things!  

Classy Calling

       In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 5.38-48, Jesus certainly raised the bar high in teaching his disciples about retaliation and love of enemies. He concluded by asking them to be perfect as their heavenly Father is perfect ~ it had to be a great honor to receive such a classy calling from the Lord. And certainly he wishes to honor each one of us thus too.  

Sign of Abandonment

        The closer you get to know God, the more clearly you see how everyone is journeying toward God at various stages and become more tolerant of all believers or nonbelievers. This is a sign that you are abandoning yourself more to God.

*Crux of My Existence

        I woke up early in the morning and it was still dark outside. Again, I felt that I was not alone and it was the existence of my creator that matters most and only to my existence. Therefore, my relationship with my creator becomes the crux of my existence.

Perfect Rules

        Never let anyone's imperfection influence you to be more imperfect. Rather, let God's perfection alone inspire you to be even more perfect.

A Sweet Feeling

        It's a sweet feeling when you truly forgive someone from the heart, knowing that you've stopped playing God to let God be the sole judge.

*What Matters to Life:

Knowing and accepting that God is love.

Life Needs God

        First of all, without God we wouldn't be alive breathing and with a continuously beating heart. Then, without the Lord we wouldn't know how to live a joyful life in spiritual freedom. Last, without him we won't find the way to heaven.

**Moment of Creation

          Communion experience. The famous fresco painting The Creation of Adam done by Michelangelo on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel shows God about to touch Adam to give him life. Anyhow, as I received the Lord in the Holy Eucharist, it was also a moment of creation when God imparted a new spiritual life on me. Such is the power of the Blessed Sacrament.

         [Dear readers, as I'll be on the road for the next two weeks, please check back next month for new postings. God be with you all!]

Testing the Heart

        Communion experience. I was in awe of God's love and mercy. If he hasn't won you over yet, your heart must be too hard and cold.

*Begging Question

        Jesus has nothing but love to offer us, for he is love. Please tell me why you still stay away from him, please, please...

*God's Perfect Balance

        In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 5, Jesus taught his disciples about the law and a host of other subjects, and he was demanding. I love the Lord for being merciful and demanding at the same time. If he is only merciful, then we don't even need to be good to be saved. On the other hand, if he is only demanding, then who can possibly be good enough to be saved? Being both gives the perfect balance and I rejoice in that.