This thought came to me when I was about to fall sleep last night. We are supposed to get detached from everything and get attached to God alone. In that case, how people think of or treat us becomes irrelevant.
Saturday, March 9, 2019
Friday, March 8, 2019
*"About" Is Not Good Enough
To know about Jesus does not make you a Christian; you remain an outsider. To know Jesus makes you a Christian, putting you on the journey to heaven. It is also true that if you merely preach about Jesus, you won't change many hearts. But if you preach Jesus, you'll have the power to convert souls. Another example to show the difference. I attended a Bible study once and we studied a lot about the peripheral things instead of focusing upon Christ. As a result, I was not drawn any closer to the Lord through this course. To involve the heart, we must always focus upon the Lord himself.
***Take the Fast Track
Again, seeking spiritual guidance directly from Jesus is taking the fast track. If you go to another human being for guidance, he could be getting his guidance from another human being who is doing the same, and so on. This won't be effective in getting you up to the next level. Going to a saint can help, then you might as well go directly to God to whom all the saints go. St. Therese had a spiritual director first, but after she lost him, she headed straight for Jesus always. Your goal is to attain union with the Lord directly. Do this and you can safely skip reading my blog.
Thursday, March 7, 2019
*Being Intolerant of Others
If you cannot change yourself for the better, don't try to change others for (what you think is) the better. Once you see your own shortcomings, others' may not bother you anymore and the world will be a more peaceful place. Unfortunately, without turning to God, everyone thinks that he or she is pretty perfect.
*Most Serious Message
In today's Gospel reading from Luke 9, Jesus said to all, "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?" Here Jesus was challenging us as the Lord again, if we cannot dismiss him as one who didn't know what he was talking about, we must take him most seriously, for our soul is at stake!
Closeness of Christ
I woke up this morning at around 1:20 a.m. It was still all dark and quiet outside and I strongly sensed the closeness of Christ. I just poured out my heart to him and knew that he was taking care of everything for me. More joy of knowing the Lord!
Wednesday, March 6, 2019
*Biggest Problem We Face*
What we must face is the reality of sin. We all know it, even though we don't like to think about it. Ignore our sinfulness is to face devastating consequences later. Jesus came to us precisely to show us how to free ourselves from sin so that we can make heaven. You have to be out of your mind to ignore him!
**Appreciating God's Love
It's Ash Wednesday today. We are to remember that we are dust and to dust we shall return. This is true, but I also know that Christ has changed me into golden dust, and I shall return to God my Father in heaven as his adopted son. What a difference the love of God can make to us! I love the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Glory be to them forever!
Tuesday, March 5, 2019
**No Repentance, No Salvation**
With Lent starting on Ash Wednesday tomorrow, I wonder why so many people find it so hard to repent their sins. Even professed Christians do not do it as often as they should, which means that they are not always clean. To repent is such a joy, knowing that God is making you clean again. Once it becomes a habit, you'll find that you won't have peace until you repent. This is a wonderful blessing. Best of all, you please God the Father the most when you are clean. Repentance is a spiritual breakthrough, the key to salvation. Neglect repentance and you neglect your soul.
*Elementary Message
You see, God wants you to go to heaven to be eternally happy, for he loves you. He's already cleared the way by sending his only Son Jesus to us. You know that you are a sinner and need help. And you know well that this world can never make you truly happy and that heaven would be the ideal destination. You've got all these things going for you; all you need to do is to let God the Father know that you are coming, and you'll be on your way. He will surely help you reach your goal if you follow him faithfully. I apologize if I spell things out as if you were all kindergarten kids. Just ignore me if you already know all this. But if I could reach just one person with this message, it would make at least two people very happy – that person and I. Naturally, God the Father would be overjoyed too.
**We Create Our Own Fears*
Anyone who remains completely in the Lord becomes fearless, proving that all our fears are self-generated. How foolish we are!
Only One You Can Trust
Since God is the only one you can entrust your soul to, he is the only one you can trust.
*Most Intimate Feeling
Communion experience. I received the Holy Eucharist and knew that all barriers between Christ and me are gone – the Lord was completely open to me! I never felt that close to my God! Great joy filled me.
Letting God Power You or Not
Is it hard to obey the Lord at all times? Is it easy to be holy? Of course, nothing is impossible with God, so how hard or easy would depend entirely upon how much you are open to the Lord. Submit yourself to God fully and you'll receive unlimited power. Life not powered by God is dull living at best, while life fully powered by the Holy Spirit is always exciting and uplifting.
**Be First and Remain First
In today's Gospel reading from Mark 10, Jesus says to Peter that no one who has given up everything and followed him will not receiver a hundred times more now in this present age. He added, "But many that are first will be last, and the last will be first." I am thinking: why can't we be first at all times? The Lord makes me see that if we remain in union with him, we'll remain first always.
Monday, March 4, 2019
*Focus Upon God a Bit
If you are immersed in this life with attachment to so many things around you, chances are you don't even think about God. My suggestion is that you look beyond your immediate surroundings to focus upon the Lord, even for brief moments. If you hear him speak to you the slightest, this could be the beginning of a blessed new journey for you. The saddest thing is to cut yourself off from your creator completely who loves you so much.
***Always Acceptable to God
I am sure everyone of us has been rejected for one thing or another in life. I've been rejected to join a team at school, to work at a company, to show my artwork at an exhibition, even to volunteer in a church ministry . . . . . But if you want to join God's family in heaven and belong to the Lord in totality, you will be welcomed to the hilt, for your Father in heaven, unlike any human beings, you yourself included, will never reject you. So go to him as you are and he'll take complete care of you, for all eternity to boot.
Hardened Heart Warning
We can die if our natural heart blocks the flow of blood, but a hardened heart that does not hear the voice of God is a lot worse, for it's a closed, judgmental heart, set to dismiss what might be the truth, thus placing the soul in great danger.
**Rewards Compared
God rewards us for the good we do to others. Even hypocrites get rewarded, but their rewards are usually given for all to see and always short-lived. They are like perishable goods. The rewards you receive from the Lord in secret for doing good in secret are much better, for they do not inflate your ego nor expire. These are like treasures stored up in heaven which do not perish.
Sunday, March 3, 2019
*Keeping God Waiting
God is always there, waiting for us. The walking away is always done by us, not the Lord. The good news is that you can instantly get back to him if you so wish. So stop playing games with him before your time runs out.
*Ask for the Best!
We should feel free to ask God to give us the very best in every way, for he always wants the very best for us. This is a case of perfect understanding between two parties.
Saturday, March 2, 2019
*Miraculous Union
My last thought today. It amazes me that the love of Christ can affect us to the point of surrendering ourselves completely to him with joy. This comes about naturally as if God and we have always been looking for each other and the union becomes a perfect fit. It is truly miraculous. Again, I can only say that God has made us this way. If this hasn't happened to you, it's because you have not opened yourself fully to him yet.
No Complaining About Ourselves?
Here is a thought. We complain to God when something bad happens to us, forgetting that we do bad things to the Lord all the time. Shouldn't we also complain to God about ourselves? I think if we repent, the Lord would be happy with us.
*Going to the Source
If you want to experience love, freedom, peace, and joy, just enter the Lord God of Christ, for he is the source of them all. I am a living testifier. If you don't believe me, you can always find out for yourself.
*Breakthrough in Accepting Truth
In today's Gospel reading from Mark 10, Jesus blessed the children and said to his disciples, "The Kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the Kingdom of God like a child will not enter it." I heard all this before, but today it came to me like a revelation, or perhaps more appropriately, a re-revelation. Naturally, I wouldn't be so naive as to accept everyone I come into contact in the world like a child, but if you are dealing with truth, you should and must believe like a child. And Christ is the only absolute truth out there! So I see accepting and believing in him wholeheartedly as a breakthrough! When you embrace truth like that, it itself is something very beautiful.
Friday, March 1, 2019
***Way to Live!
A summary of what I've been trying to say all these blogging years:
We do what we can and let God do the rest. We let the Lord know everything and get him involved in everything. This shows that we trust in him. Basically, we let the Lord take over and we help him on the side, you might say, to accomplish his will. You no longer worry about anything, since you just follow. This is absolutely the way to live. But if you have trouble letting go, it's not for you yet. Seek to attain union with God (taking the fast track), then you'll be there.
*Settled for Eternity!
Communion experience. Receiving the Lord is not like signing some contract to be with him for a certain period of time; it is to be bonded with him for all eternity! My future is settled forever – how can I not feel elated?
Thursday, February 28, 2019
Challenge to Nonbelievers
To those who still do not believe in Christ yet, I challenge you to write down all the reasons why you do not believe. Then review your reasons to see if they are valid or not and what made you give them. This should be illuminating. When you examine the Lord, you reveal yourself too.
***How to Know God
The Lord made me see that he is everywhere, always waiting for us. If you approach him with the wrong expectation or attitude, you won't find him. Your best chance is to look for him humbly deep in your own heart. We sense or feel his presence only because we are open to him and desire him – that's it. God does not hide from us; it's us who hide from him!
**Our top Priority
Not offending God must take top priority over all other concerns, including whether we offend others or not.
*The Sin Issue*
In today's Gospel reading from Mark 9 (in particular verses 42-48), Jesus makes it clear that we are not to sin. And since we all know what sin is, we'd better take the Lord seriously. Do we really want to offend the Lord all our life? Dealing with sin is our most pressing issue, for sin is the root of all evil, causing unrest, chaos, disorder, and ultimately, the likely loss of our own soul. If we can surrender to Christ, the problem is solved. But people are not willing, so the struggle continues on. The same old story of the fallen human race I am rehashing now in hope of waking more people up.
Wednesday, February 27, 2019
**Contrary Facts
This is bases upon a post of November 10, 2016.
Those who live for the world will die with the world. Those who die for God will live with God.
**Be Warriors for Christ
There are two parts to the spiritual life, equally important. We must not sin and be holy, and we must be fired up interiorly to fight evil and save souls alongside the Lord. It's a double-barreled approach. All warriors for Christ must go all out, pulling no punches, on the battle field.
**All Through Jesus!
Today's Gospel acclamation, John 14.6: I am the way and the truth and the life, says the Lord; no on comes to the Father except through me. Normally, I notice the first part of this verse, but this morning the second half hit me – we all must go through Christ to God the Father. In other words, he is God the Son. Also, Jesus says elsewhere that if we have seen him, we have seen the Father, for he and the Father are one. Rejoice that on earth, we can link completely to our God and become one with him – unbelievable!
Tuesday, February 26, 2019
***No Retreat Possible***
Do you know that we can only march forward toward God to ensure the safety of our soul? There is no place behind us to retreat to except hell.
*Don't Be a Sinner Also
If someone sins against you and you do not forgive him, you become a sinner too.
**Getting Close to God (repost)
I found this post of May 23, 2016. It's worth to be reposted.
"The only way to get close to God when we are still on earth is to remain open to him – we cannot do more than that. The rest has to come from God alone."
**Into the Lord
Communion experience. The Lord defends me! I wanted him to remake me for his (and my) pleasure.
***Putting Both God and Ourselves Down
We talk about and quote the saints a lot. Why don't we talk about that we should and can be saints ourselves?
How to Be Great
In today's Gospel reading from Mark 9, the disciples of Jesus were discussing among themselves who was the greatest. I believe at that time they had followed the Lord long enough to see that he was great, but still did not know what being great truly is yet. Jesus heard them arguing, came over and said to them, "If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all." Now I think they were beginning to get it.
*You Can Be Superior
We have people in the world who are talented, good-looking, have wealth and fame . . . they seem to be in an advantaged position. Know that if you know and have Christ, you should not ever feel that you are disadvantaged in any way. In fact, you are in a superior position. Of course, this is not something to speak publicly about, for it is more or less a secret between you and the Lord. But you must feel happy about it if the Lord is pleased with you.
Monday, February 25, 2019
Prayerful Life Is Must
In today's reading from Mark 9, Jesus healed a boy with a demon his disciples could not drive out. Jesus told them that this kind could only come out through prayer. It shows that prayer is most powerful because God hears us and is most powerful. Pray and trust is all we need to do to get through this life to eternal life.
Always Go to the Lord
Here is Fr. Mark Goring's latest post. I say amen to his message. God and his word are what we should always go to first. Best yet, attain union with the Lord and hear him speak to your heart directly.
Sunday, February 24, 2019
God Lives Up to His Standards
The teachings of Jesus are difficult for us to follow unless you truly know him well, as in union with him. In reading the Gospels, you actually see that the Lord practiced what he preached to the letter. This further convinces me that he is God, even though I already know.
Following the Lord
In today's Gospel reading from Luke 6, Jesus gave the teaching on love of enemies and judging others to his disciples. It showed me clearly that we should love everyone, enemy or friend, and expect nothing back. It goes beyond mere oneway giving, for we are to accept being hated, mistreated, struck, or robbed. This is extremely difficult us to follow. Then I realize that for the love of God, we must at least have the intent to follow him. Doing all this for the Lord is really not that much relative to how much love we receive from him.
Saturday, February 23, 2019
**Eucharistic Miracle
On Nov. 20, 2015, I posted about this miracle which took place in Buenos Aires. The video had been deleted, so I am posting a different one with Fr. Mark Goring reporting. The other video showed photos of the bleeding Host, but Fr. Mark tells the story so well that you do not miss the images.
What Life Is Like (revised repost)
You hear said "Life is like a dream," but I think it's more like a movie. A dream is rather ethereal, whereas a movie is a succession of scenes which you can direct and edit to achieve the desired ending. Watch this Catholics Come Home "Movie of Your Life" commercial to see what I mean.
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