Trying to publicize my video "Magnitude of Abortion" of Nov. 16, 2018, I searched for pro-life sites online and was greatly impacted by the many excellent contents and presentations I came across, exposing the true horror of killing the most innocent and defenseless of us all, our own children! Right now as I am typing this message, their lives are being snuffed out. Abortion has to be the most horrible sin of our times, and there shall be retribution. Each of us should at the least pray daily for this abomination to end. Lord, have mercy on us! Christ, have mercy on us! Lord, have mercy on us!
Saturday, January 12, 2019
**Overwhelmed by God*
Communion experience. Jesus came to take away my sins! Think about it; this is a huge deal! More than meeting each other, the Lord entered me to be one with me when I received the Holy Eucharist – another huge deal! I love the Lord overwhelming me.
Our Roles Before Jesus
In today's Gospel reading from John 3, John the Baptist said to his disciples, "I am not the Christ; I was sent before him. The one who has the bride is the bridegroom; the best man, who stands and listens for him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice. So this joy of mine has been made complete. He must increase; I must decrease." So John regarded himself as the best man at the wedding. I guess we can take on the roll of flower girl or ring bearer. Rejoice!
**Power of the Holy Spirit*
The Holy Spirit is gentle, but can be overwhelming too. When he permeates you with his peace, you want to rest in it forever. When he fills your heart, he sets it aflame with his burning love. When his joy moves your spirit, its sweetness is irrepressable and you desire to be totally crushed by it. I love my Lord, the Holy Spirit.
**Responsible for Our Own Journey
We all have our free will to exercise. If God had forced us to believe in him, faith would have been unnecessary and become meaningless. The bottom line is that God has shown the way, but we ultimately choose our own journey.
*Heaven Is Good Reason
If you think that the correct reason for believing in Jesus is that he is truly our God and Savior, you are right. I have not heard anyone say directly that he believes in Jesus because he wants to go to heaven. This is also a perfectly good reason. To want to go to heaven is not being self-centered, for heaven is exactly where our heavenly Father wants us to go, exactly why Jesus came to us to tell us in the first place. So, yearn for heaven and believe, and Jesus will take care of you.
**Evolving Lifetime Goal
In my early days, I lived for this life. My goal, like almost everyone else's, was to do something to make a lot of money to achieve security and have a lot of fun in this world. (Wouldn't it be nice to win the lottery?) As I grew older, I became wiser and less myopic. I now finally see that the only worthwhile goal is to serve God, the God of Christ. It doesn't sound very glamorous, but it will get you to heaven. After all, it's only where you'll end up that counts.
***God Most Personal
Back when I first accepted Christ into my life, it was like after hearing a good story, I found it to be exactly what I needed to hear and decided to believe in him, not particularly feeling the presence of God in any way. Fast forward to the present . . . I know Christ as my Lord and God so intimately that he is more real to me than anyone I see or know now in the world – it is most personal knowing. When you and God are in each other, God becomes as real to you as yourself. I enjoy and love it!
Friday, January 11, 2019
*Our Role and God's Role
Remember that we are not God and are powerless in changing people's hearts. We are to serve the Lord by bringing others to him for him to change their hearts.
**What God Thinks of You!
One obstacle in our spiritual life is that we cannot totally accept ourselves yet. This shows that you still have that ego in you. But if you have a pure heart that God cares about the most, you should rejoice and not dwell on your imperfections. It is what God thinks of you, not what you think of yourself, that matters!
*True Abandonment to God
I have heard people say that they don't worry and just leave everything up to God. Is this abandonment to God? True abandonment to God involves total detachment to all things, everyone else, and even yourself, so it goes a lot deeper. Since birth, each of us knows only our own self best. Therefore, transferring trust in yourself to trust in God would understandably be hard, but this is a fundamental, life-changing shift that will set you free to return to God in heaven! It is good to know that once you make that shift, God will make the rest of you way easy and a joy. Let's remember that in both Matthew 10 and 16, Jesus said, "Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it."
Thursday, January 10, 2019
**Living on Borrowed Time*
Time and space all belong to God. With God, time does not exist, for he is eternal. For us, you might say that we exist on earth briefly on borrowed time from God and if we remain obedient to him, we become eternal too after our earthly life ends. Basically, we do not own anything, but can be owned by God as his beloved sons and daughters. Then if we rebel against God, we get ourselves disowned by him in the end. It's all pretty straight forward.
*Blood on Our Hands*
I've been promoting my short pro-life video "Magnitude of Abortion" which I posted on Nov. 16, 2018, and came across the website www.jacksonvilleforlife.org. This is Jacksonville, Florida. If you look in the left column at the statistics on abortion, they are pretty horrifying. I feel that the God-fearing, more civilized, and law-abiding majority of this country have remained too quiet. Before they wake up, abortion has been legalized, same-sex marriage too, and now rich powerful corrupt public figures can literally get away with murder. We have plenty of them committing perjury, treason, violation of others' constitutional rights, etc. We need to get fired up and fight for God with all our trust placed in him. Or we'll have blood on our hands (not from fighting for God, but for not fighting for him) when we appear before him.
**Dissolving Into Each Other*
Communion experience. As the Holy Eucharist dissolves in my mouth, I let my whole being be dissolved by the Lord spiritually. Now that we are one, I feel verbal communication is no longer necessary.
***The Way to Sainthood
Jesus said to us, "Be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect." Do you believe that God want you to become a saint? I believe that you would answer yes because we can't imagine that God would ever say to any of us, "You are good enough for me; you don't need to be holier." So, you agree to become a saint. Now that you have the desire, do you think that the Lord would just leave you alone and let you struggle to be holy on your own? Of course not. He is now so joyful that he would do all the work to fulfill your desire to comply with his wish. You see, the path to saintliness is really straight and simple: you desire and surrender, and God does the work. And it's a beautiful, most satisfying journey. You feel the joy when you give your Lord joy.
Wednesday, January 9, 2019
**Brown Scapular and Miraculous Medal
Many Catholics wear these two sacramentals given to us by the Blessed Mother. In 1251, Our Lady appeared to St. Simon Stock, a Carmelite, in England. She handed him the brown woolen scapular and said, "This shall be a privilege for you and all Carmelites, that anyone dying in this habit shall not suffer eternal fire." In time, the Church extended this privilege to all the laity who perpetually wear it. The Blessed Virgin of Mount Carmel has promised not only to save those who wear the scapular from the fires of hell, but also to free them from purgatory on the Saturday after their death, should they go there before entering heaven. There are certain requirements to meet before wearing the scapular. You can find all about it online.
The Miraculous Medal was created in response to a request from the Blessed Virgin through St. Catherine Labouré in 1830 in Paris. The inscription on the medal reads: "O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee." Mary promised to Catherine that those who wear it around their neck will receive great graces. Again, you can read all about it online. I have worn both the scapular and the medal for decades. The fact that I get to know the Lord so well today has to be one of those graces. The Church does not require us to believe in these sacramentals, but they both are silent prayers. Considering the benefits promised by the Blessed Mother, wearing them is a no-brainer.
Merging With the Holy Spirit
Communion experience. The Holy Spirit and my spirit merge and I am no longer of this world. Let the Lord take you out of this world in spirit now to make your entry into the next a great joy.
*Letting Christ Be Our Guide
This is a world filled with confusion. People follow all kinds of leads, express all kinds of opinions, not knowing where they are going. They are troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd – this was how Jesus described the crowds he saw in his days. Confusion is what Satan loves to sow in our hearts. Therefore, we need to wake up to let the God of Christ into our hearts. He is the exact guide and anchor we need amidst all the confusion. Know Christ and we'll know exactly where we should go and how we should proceed.
**The Lord IS Here With You
I got to church a little early this morning, so I sat in my parked car, looked at the parking lot and saw the trees, the cloudy sky, and noticed the bright sunlight behind the clouds. The Lord made me see that he was right there with me. Indeed, you do not have to reach hard for him, for he sees you, hears you, and knows everything in your heart. You can witness a miracle in an instant if he so wishes and you can communicate with him at any time too. He becomes instantly yours if you give yourself to him. And he can immediately touch your heart when you open your heart to him. He is remote only when you do not believe in him!
***Know God's Mercy
God is so merciful and loving that we can become instantly reconciled to him at any time during our entire lifetime on earth. Even though life is relatively short, every moment is a good moment for us to wake up, repent, and return to the Lord. Purgatory is absolutely necessary for purification of the soul before entering heaven. No matter how much or how many times you have sinned, repentance is the key to entering heaven – remember this! I know what I am talking about because I am old enough and have known the Lord well enough. He is more real and intimate to me than any person I see and know now. Know him, the truth, and you are set free. Amen.
Monday, January 7, 2019
*Fair Exchange
God is ready to give us all he has. If we give all of ourselves to him, we shall receive all he has.
Sunday, January 6, 2019
**Instances of Hypocrisy
If you pray the Our Father and say, "Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us," but do not forgive your trespassers in your heart, you are being hypocritical. If you pray the Our Father to ask him not to lead you into temptation, but have no qualms about going to see an impure movie, you are a hypocrite. Also, if you ask the Father to deliver you from all evil, but still harboring evil thoughts, you are being hypocritical. We must mean what we say and say what we mean.
Saturday, January 5, 2019
***Most Fundamental Petition
To pray for the soul of someone is to pray for the salvation of that person, which means that he or she will have to repent and be reconciled to God. When all souls turn away from evil and to God, we shall have peace on earth. Therefore, I see praying for all the souls as the most fundamental prayer to change the world and to please God. Modeled after St. Gertrude's Prayer for the Holy Souls in Purgatory, I have come up with this succinct prayer:
Eternal Father, I offer you the most precious blood of your Divine Son, Jesus, for the salvation of all the souls, both living and deceased.
Our Shortsightedness
Today there are a lot of gurus on the internet warning us about the impending and possibly the biggest economic collapse in the history of our nation. They may be right or they may be wrong, but many are preparing for it. I thought of the inevitable Second Coming of Christ at which many will no doubt receive the biggest shock of their existence, yet not many even think about it much. Are we so enamored with this world and this life?
*Selfless and Self-Giving Lord
In Mathew 19.29, today's Communion antiphon, Jesus said, "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." Here Jesus again revealed the truth, letting us choose freely to believe in him or not. Obviously, he said it out of love for us and not for his own gain. Here's our most selfless Lord.
*Under God's Watchful Eyes
In today's Gospel reading from John 1, Philip found Nathanael and told him that he had found the Messiah. He then took him to see Jesus. Nathanael believed when Jesus told him that he saw him under the fig tree even before Philip talked to him. I feel blessed that our Lord knows everything about us and me. Knowing that he watches over me, I've never felt so secure in my life.
Friday, January 4, 2019
Problem-Solving Strategy
Trust in God with all your problems. Virtually, you drop all your problems in God's lap. Now, he has them and will solve them for you.
***Most Urgent Warning***
The world is in chaos. The Church is in chaos. If Christians cannot see the light clearly themselves, how can we expect the secular world to see it? This is no time for complacency. In fact, it is time to repent our sins most urgently and surrender ourselves completely to God. Right now, our physical body prevents our soul from leaving this world. Once our soul is free, it'll either rise to heaven or descend into hell. After receiving Holy Communion today, I asked the Lord to wash me clean with his Most Precious Blood. Be ready during these last days for his imminent Second Coming. Don't ever give me the chance to say "I told you so"!
**The Lord Means It
In John 6.51, today's Communion antiphon, Jesus said: I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread I will give is my flesh for the life of the world. If the bread the Lord offered us at the Last Supper and at every Mass today were merely ordinary bread symbolizing his flesh, what he had said would have made no sense.
***Dealing With Hell Now
In the battle against Satan, it is a foregone conclusion that God will crush all evil in the end. For us, there will be either heaven or hell awaiting us. If we are smart, we shall ally with God right this moment. Fr. Mark Goring posted this relevant video today:
Thursday, January 3, 2019
A Spiritual Certainty
Communion experience. Let the Lord God enter to be one with you and great things will happen to your soul!
*Know Where We Are Going
There are people who do not wish to know or understand Christ and tell me that they are happy and feel peaceful the way they are. These are good people and I don't doubt them, but they do not know what the true joy and the deep peace one experiences after being saved by God are like yet. Wait until the moment they are dying and heading into the unknown. Would they still feel the same? I doubt it.
Wednesday, January 2, 2019
***The Eucharist Difference
For me, it is the Real Presence of the Lord in the Holy Eucharist that make you experience his dwelling within you. If ordinary bread and wine (or grape juice as used in some churches) are used to symbolize the body and blood of the Lord, you may still be moved or get uplifted, but I do not believe you can ever experience that great intimacy of union with God, as the Eucharist realizes and seals that union.
**Living the Exciting Life*
It is not good enough not to do anything evil. Often, with a dull or lethargic conscience, we become inactive in serving the Lord. Being lukewarm is most displeasing to God (Revelation 3.16). To wake up on your own is not always easy. This is why I advocate seeking union with God from the very beginning, for the Lord will keep you awake by turning your ordinary spiritual life into exuberant and exiting living.
***Grave Transgression
Satan wants you to believe that Jesus is merely a good teacher, a good man, but not divine. Therefore, it is a grave transgression to believe and claim that Jesus is not God. (Applying this criterion, you can easily spot those religions, denominations, or sects that are false.)
**Know Your Calling and Role
In today's Gospel reading from John 1, John the Baptist testified to himself. He admitted that he was not the Christ, denied that he was a prophet, and said, "I am the voice of one crying out in the desert, 'Make straight the way of the Lord,' as Isaiah the prophet said." We who follow Christ must also know who we are, what our role or calling is. It does not have to be specific, but we should at least know clearly that we are to serve God. In my own case, since 2010 the Lord has made it clear to me that he desires union with us through receiving him in the Holy Eucharist. I will devote myself to spreading this message as best I can for the remainder of my life.
*God Most Understanding and Just*
God is both strict and lenient. He is strict because his words are truth and we must believe and obey them. He is lenient because he is love and will consider our circumstances and intention in each case and modify the rules, you might say, to be fair to us.
Tuesday, January 1, 2019
Alone With God
Communion experience. Only God and I were present. In a church filled with priests and parishioners, there was no one between the Lord and me. It was the most beautiful, private, exclusive moment of union with God.
Three New Realizations
(1) That the Lord knows the future is reason enough for us to trust in him.
(2) To trust in God is to trust in the power of God.
(3) To know God well, be aware that he is most holy first!
Blessed Art Thou Among Women
Today January 1 is the Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God. We all need a perfect mother and that mother is the mother of our Lord whom he has give us to be our mother. When you feel drawn to this Mother, the Lord is drawing you to him. Being most holy and close to the her Son, sometimes I feel that Mary is the only intercessor I need. I love the mother of my Lord, our Mother.
Rejoicing in the Lord Always
Happy 2019 to all! Nowadays you can easily watch the New Year's celebrations around the world online. I sampled a few of them and would guess that Dubai had the most beautiful fireworks display. I wonder why people are so happy to welcome each New Year. Is it because they hope or believe that things will get better for them in the new year? Or is it because they see themselves getting a new start in life? Perhaps they are happy simply because New Year is new? The reason could be a mixture of all three or more. I can't help shifting my thoughts to Jesus, who is forever new to us. What I mean is that he can continuously teach us something new, make us anew, and give us fresh hope at all times. Besides, the happiness he gives is not anticipatory – we actually receive deep, sweet, refreshing joy in our heart that's soul-cleansing. That explains why once you've tasted the Lord, New Year is just not very exciting anymore.
Monday, December 31, 2018
***Yearend Insight
Because we are at the complete mercy of God, the most sensible, intelligent, and logical thing for us to do is to abandon ourselves completely to God. The proof is in the peace and freedom you receive.
Most Fundamental Resolution
Reviewing what I lack spiritually, I see that I need to see Christ in everyone more. Of course, making any resolution on my own will not amount to anything if I do not let the Lord help me adhere to it. Looking at it this way, the most fundamental resolution is clearly to surrender ourselves to God in all things.
***Astounding Truth
The first 18 verses of the Gospel John were read at today's morning Mass on this last day of the year 2018 of our Lord. The words are earthshaking, soul-shaking. I shall reproduce verses 1-5 and most of verses 10-14 below.
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.
He was in the world, and the world came to be through him, but the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, but his own people did not accept him. But to those who did accept him he gave power to become children of God . . . . And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father's only-begotten Son, full of grace and truth.
As the year ends, it is fitting to review how it all happened at the beginning.
Sunday, December 30, 2018
Saturday, December 29, 2018
Start Finding Life Now
Our goal on earth is to find life now and forever in Christ. Therefore, detach yourself from your present life and start living in and for Christ now. Every journey begins with a first step.
Walking in Step With God
I realize that in glorifying the Lord, we mush temper our zeal so as not to interfere with his time table. There is a delicate balance here to achieve. We can sense that by making sure that our ego does not take part and listening quietly to the voice of the Lord in our heart. Seeking union with God is the way to go.
**A Reality to Recognize
All of us came from God and will have to answer to him alone – not to you, me, or anyone else – in the end. This should teach us not to ever judge others or get over-concerned about their salvation. What is proper for us to do is to pray for each other with all our heart and leave it all to God.
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