*Alive in Jesus

        Communion experience. When you have Jesus dwelling in you, you are as alive as can be.

*Jesus Can Be Trusted

        If you read the Gospel about Jesus with an open mind, you should at least be able to see that he is someone who can be totally trusted, rain or shine.  

God Watches over Us

        Today is Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul. Both had been freed from prison by the Lord. Peter was arrested and put in prison, secured by double chains and placed under heavy guard, by King Herod. On the night before he was to be brought to trial, the angel of the Lord appeared by Peter and the chains fell from his wrists. Then the angel lead Peter through all the guards, came to the iron gate leading out to the city, which opened for them by itself. In Paul's case, he was beaten with rods and imprisoned by the people and magistrates at Philippi. He was placed in the innermost cell with his feet secured to a stake. About midnight, there was suddenly a severe earthquake that the foundations of the jail shook, and all the doors flew open and the chains were pulled loose. Trembling with fear, the jailer surrendered.

        These two recorded happenings are solid proof that God does rescue us at the right time of his choice. It is good to know that he is always there, fully aware of our situation, and will rescue us as he sees fit. 

***Something Beautiful

        1. There is something beautiful about being honest.    

        2.     "     "         "               "           "     fulfilling your duties.

        3.     "     "         "               "           "     working to earn your own living.

        4.     "     "         "               "           "     keeping your marriage vows.

        5.     "     "         "               "           "     helping anyone who needs help.

        6.     "     "         "               "           "     never looking down on others.

        7.     "     "         "               "           "     respecting life as God's precious gift.

        8.     "     "         "               "           "     living unselfishly.

        9.     "     "         "               "           "     being faithful and obedient to God.

        There are still so many more things you can do to make life beautiful. You can even make yourself beautiful by letting the Lord do whatever he wishes with you!

***Communion Revelation*

        When an imperfect one meets the Perfect One upon receiving the Holy Eucharist and yields completely to him, he becomes perfect too.         

**Free Is the One Who . . .

looks forward only to meeting his Lord and God, never looking back on his past. When it's time to depart from this world, he has absolutely no attachment to any of the things he'll have to leave behind, nor any concern about whether he had made any mark on earth.       

*Happy Is the One Who . . .

knows where he or she is going. More specifically, happy is the one who knows that he or she is returning to the Father in heaven.      

*God Calling You

        When Jesus called Paul, Paul heard the Lord saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?" Now, if you haven't believed in Christ yet and turn your thoughts honestly inward to listen for his voice in your heart, you should hear his voice calling your gently by name and asking "Why are you running away from me?" or "Why are you hiding from me? or "Why are you rebelling against me?"

The Blessed One

        In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 7, Jesus said to his disciple, "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." To me, it is a basic principle that we should take whatever the Lord says to us most seriously, for he speaks only the truth. So, blessed is the one who always obeys the Lord. 

Something Beautiful!

        Leaving everything behind and abandoning yourself completely in God to experience true freedom.       

Truth to Realize

        Think carefully and you may realize that life is meaningful only if you stop serving yourself and start living for God. Plenty of lessons are there for us to learn our whole life, but our self-serve hearts normally remain closed. Self-serving leads you to nowhere but yourself, a dead end. Serving God by letting yourself go is the way to freedom.

Breakthrough in Attitude

        If you fully realize that one day you'll have to leave all things behind on earth and return to God, you would no longer let anything in this life bother you much anymore! Of course, if you are not sure about returning to God, then you'd be mired in problems of your life all the days of your life.

Soul's Longing Fulfilled

        Communion experience. I find everlasting peace in Christ, exactly what my soul longs for.

**Light of Life!

        In John 8.12, Jesus said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." He spoke the truth, for he revealed his infinite love for us and illuminated the path to living with him in paradise for all eternity most clearly. How he lived his life on earth is living proof that he is trustworthy. Our life is precious because it is only in this lifetime are we able to choose to follow Jesus and settle our eternal destiny. 

***Intention Over Law-Abidingness

        Here is a true story. A landlord replaced the kitchen floor for her tenant who happened to be a lawyer, with nice new tiles. Unfortunately, the foundation of house shifted, resulting in a crack in the new floor. The tenant carelessly walked over the crack in bare feet and had his foot cut on some shards in the crack. The landlord's insurance company took care of his claim and had to pay out $50,000 to settle the case. Yes, the tenant should be compensated for his injury, but to receive that large an amount for a minor injury seemed way out of line. The point I want to make is that following the law is no guarantee that one's intention is pure. The fact that some criminals beat the court with good lawyers is a case in point. Just know that when God judges us, he looks at our intentions, not how well we follow the law.     

**Biggest Yes or No*

        This is your most consequential response to God when he asks you if you would let him love you.       

**Fear of God

        If you fear God because you know that you are a sinner and if you reject him, you'd be lost forever – this is good, justified fear. But if you are afraid of God because you fear he'd take over and lord it over you in all things, this would be bad, unhealthy fear. Give in to God and he'll remove your good fear completely. Reject him and your bad fear remains with you forever.       

*Joy of God's Greatest Gift

        Communion experience. Recalling John 6.54: Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day, I have eternal life!

*Being Hypocritical to the Max

        From today's Gospel reading at Mass from Matthew 7, Jesus said to his disciples: "Stop judging, that you may not be judged. Why do you notice the splinter in your brother's eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye? You hypocrite, remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will bee clearly to remove the splinter from your brother's eye." This is the exact hypocrisy that runs rampantly in America today. People judge and accuse others unfairly and harshly, calling those who disagree with them names with vengeance. They even make up fake splinters they claim to see. They say they uphold high morals, despite being corrupt and highly immoral themselves. They say they fight for human rights, yet support unrestrictive abortion at any stage of the life of the unborn infant. You've got to be blind or kidding! 

Goodness of the Lord

        How good it would be to sit at the feet of Christ the Lord, basking in his light, listening to his sweet words of life, and enjoying his fragrant presence forever and ever. 

Let God Have Some Joy

        God loves us so much that he wants us to return to him after this life to dwell happily forever in his house. Anytime one of us realizes this and decides to go home like the prodigal son, the Father would be so overjoyed that the whole heaven rejoices. Do you still want to be a party pooper?

The Knowing Standard

        Until you love Jesus more than anything else, you do not know him well enough yet.

**God Absolutely Trustworthy

        In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 6, Jesus mainly wants us not to worry about life or tomorrow, but to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all our needs will be provided besides. You will know that this is true if you believe and live it. This is in line with the principle that if you lay down your life for the Lord, he is bound to raise you up.

**Life Is No Dead End

        I was looking at my own body this morning, aware of my existence. I knew I was I and no one else. What if I die and become nothing? In that case, how should I live from now on? What should I do tomorrow? I wouldn't know, because life is now meaningless. But I did hear about Jesus with his message of salvation, loud and clear. Over time, I've gotten to know him quite well. This alone has made my life worth living, filling me with hope and even overwhelming me with great joy at times. And it's no delusion, for God touched my soul through my heart, bypassing my mind altogether. 

**All for Us!

        Today Friday I prayed the five Sorrowful mysteries of the Holy Rosary. Jesus went through the agony in the garden, got scourged, was mocked by being crowned with thorns, had to carry his own cross, and finally was crucified. These tragic scenes would surely appear most dramatic to any spectator or bystander, but the important thing is to ask why he underwent such excruciating suffering and pain? The answer is that he did it out of love for all of us, you and me, all sinners, so that we might live forever with him!     

**On Forgiving Others Again*

          In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 6, Jesus taught his disciples how to pray by saying the Our Father, the most appropriate and beautiful prayer there is. He emphasized the importance of the forgiving-others part by further adding: "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." 

        We must absolutely take this last saying gravely. Forgiving others is often most difficult for us to do. We could decided not to forgive the person, which amounts to shutting the door in God's face – outright disobedience. Or we could admit to God that it is difficult for us, and so we need his help – this is keeping the door open. These two opposing stands display the fundamental difference! Should you choose not to have the Father forgive your transgressions, you have to be the biggest fool in the whole universe! 

Soul-Changing Difference

        Communion experience. Catholics believe that the consecrated bread and wine are the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, while most Protestants perceive them as only symbolically true. The difference is huge. When I receive the Lord in the Holy Eucharist, I know that it has the power to actually change my soul! If the bread and wine had remained as ordinary bread and wine, I would be merely going through a ritual to help me remember the Lord's death and resurrection.  

Hiding Our Righteousness

        Today's Gospel reading came from Matthew 6. Jesus taught his disciples not to perform righteous deeds in order that people might see them. We are to keep all our righteousness hidden for the Father to see only, and Jesus promised that the Father would repay us. Again, care only about what God thinks about us. The immediate reward of such selfless living is inner peace. 

**Formula for Holiness*

        If we want to excel in anything we do in this world, we must work hard. To get better grades in school, to be a better pianist, to make your garden more beautiful . . . all require time, energy, and gumption. But when it comes to becoming holy, it doesn't work that way, even if you're so determined that you grit your teeth and tell yourself a thousand times each day to be holy. In fact, you should do just the opposite. That is, you drop all your guard and relax in the Lord as to let him do all the work for you, for only he can take away your sins and heal your soul to make you holy. 

One God, One World

        Communion experience. I am now living in the world of God – my world is now his world.

**Conscience Over Feeling

        In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 5, Jesus continued to teach his disciples; this time, about loving their enemies. Yes, he wanted them to be perfect as the heavenly Father is. We all know right from wrong if we are courageous enough to sweep aside our emotions and pride, and examine our conscience objectively. Then we must follow our conscience, not our feelings, to show the Lord that we aim to be perfect as he had commanded.  

**Infinity Beyond Finiteness

        Since our life began at a certain time in this world, we are all finite beings. It dawned on me that this is why we have trouble perceiving infinity. When scientists searched for how the universe began, they came up with the big bang theory which had a beginning. But what came before that? When I was a little kid, I wondered if I would ever run into a wall if I kept flying into the sky. If I did hit one, then what'd be on the other side? I gave up. You see, our mind is incapable of dealing with things that are infinite. Since God by definition has no beginning and no end, we with the finite mind have trouble in believing in his existence. Naturally, if you were God, infinity would be the norm. I hope I have hit on something that can help you believe in God more readily.

*Birth of Freedom

        What weigh us down are our selfishness, ego, attachments to worldly things and pleasures – in general, all our sinful ways. When we surrender ourselves to God, all these things are lifted off us and we become free.

The Peace Process

        When you surrender yourself to God, you and God come into perfect harmony and inner peace is born.

***Do You Know That . . .

when you ask God to take complete care of you, you show your greatest love for him?       

*Let Nothing Bother Us*

        In today's Gospel reading from Mark 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 your tunic, hand him your cloak a well. Should anyone press you into service for one mile, go with him for two miles." If it sounds like Jesus wants us to be less human, that's because he wants us to be like him. Basically, the Lord wants us not to let anyone who bothers us bother us. Losing our peace only shows that we still have not trusted in or surrender ourselves to him completely yet. 

*Becoming Mighty Through God

        Today's Gospel reading came from Mark 4. Jesus compared the kingdom of God to a mustard seed, the smallest of all the seeds. Once it's sown, it springs up and becomes the largest of plants and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the sky can dwell in its shade. This parable presents a beautiful picture to me. We humans are small like the mustard seed. When we allow God to do all the work through us, we accomplish mighty deeds in his glory.

**Learning Abandonment in God

        God does not always answer our prayers right away. As we wait, we tend to get discouraged and lose heart. That's human nature, right? Then I see that God wants us to learn patience and have complete faith in him, that is, to be less human and more like him. The Lord is infinitely patient and never gets anxious or lose peace. Christ always advised his disciples not to be anxious and wished them peace. Therefore, pray hard and let God work all things out. Total abandonment in God is the way to go. No more anxieties nor loss of inner peace!

*Only One True Father

        Today is Father's day. To me, there is only one true father and he is God the Father who created all of us. On earth each of us has his own father and many of us become father ourselves too. But when we go before God, we are all equal as his children. That is why I say that we have only one true father. 

Ultimate Intimacy

        Communion experience. Receiving the Holy Eucharist goes beyond meeting the Lord, shaking hands with him, or being embraced by him. It is becoming being in each other, inseparable!

A Sharpened Conscience

        Today's Gospel reading came from Matthew 5. Jesus told his disciples not to swear at all. And  that they should let their 'Yes' mean 'Yes' and 'No' mean 'No,' and anything more is from the evil one. It is easy not to be aware of what comes from the evil one and what comes from God. A sharpened conscience is what we need, and we get that as we grow more in union with the Lord.

**All About Letting God Win

        Life is more battling God than battling Satan. When Satan tempts us, we do not experience any direct threat, for he is tricky. With God, we always feel whether we should obey or go our own way. So you can say that life is all about whether you let God win or not. We become perfect when we let the Lord win each time, and the reward is most satisfying – we receive peace, freedom, and joy, contrary to what we'd expected. When we let God win, we win big too!

**Most Important Appointed Time

        Ecclesiastes 3.1: There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every affair under the heavens. Beginning with "a time to give birth, and a time to die," the author provides 13 more lines of examples. Let's realize that certainly there is an appropriate time for us to detach ourselves from the world and give ourselves completely over to God.

Great Calming Moments

        Communion experience. Receiving the Lord in the Holy Eucharist calmed my entire being. During those moments in which the Lord was being absorbed by me, I was completely worry free. And I realized that in heaven, I would be worry free forever. 

God Expects Our Perfection

        Most teachings we learn from the world are self-centered without consideration of God's will. In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 5, Jesus wants to us to do better by going beyond what we have heard that it was said. In fact, he wants us to be perfect. His ways are based upon love exclusively. Because our love is not great enough, our ways fall short of what he wishes. Now that we know his teachings, we know how we should live to be perfect before God. Since we cannot become perfect by ourselves, here is a calling for us to put our trust in God completely.

To Hear the Lord's Voice

        In today's first reading from 1 Kings, when Elijah went on the mountain to wait for the Lord to pass by, there was a strong and heavy wind, followed by an earthquake, and then a fire, but Elijah did not find the Lord in any of them. Finally, he heard a light silent sound through which the voice of the Lord came. To hear the Lord speak to us, we must get away from the constant bustle and hustle of the world at times to acquire some quietude for ourselves. Believe me, if you truly want to hear his voice, you will hear it in your heart. Get in touch with him first and eventually, you'll be ready to ask him to come to dwell within you. Life without our loving God is not worth living.

How to Possess God

        Communion experience. Jesus is the life. Possess him and you have eternal life. And the best way to possess him is to let him possess you by surrendering yourself to him.

*Facing the Inevitable Wisely

        We face judgment by God after we die or at the time of Jesus' second coming. Therefore, it is wise to live as if today is your last day on earth or the day of his coming.

Finder of Lost Articles

        Today is the memorial of St. Anthony of Padua, venerated as the Patron Saint of lost articles. In my past, I have lost things many times. After praying for his help, I always recover what I've lost, sometimes in an unexpected way. I ask the saint to intercede for my other intentions too.

Fulfillment Time

        Communion experience. I received my Lord and my God and we became one; I was completely filled and fulfilled, lacking nothing.