If you are not in union with God, what you want to do for God may not be what he wants you to do – this I would call "rushing ahead of the Holy Spirit." When you are in union with God, what's amazing is that he may want you to do what you would not think of doing – this is exciting, for the Lord shows that he can help you break through your self-imposed limitations.
Saturday, May 18, 2019
***Knowing the Truth
Today's Gospel acclamation from John 8: If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. What Jesus says here is absolutely true: I know the Lord and he has set me free. That the Lord is the truth does not mean that everything else is false; it simply means that he is the most relevant truth essential for us to know, superseding all other truths. I know him to be this truth because he has revealed it to me in my very heart – there is no other way I can explain it. This is how God communicates with us. When he lets you know something, you just know it without any doubt. Very cool!
Friday, May 17, 2019
Being Good, Not Good Enough
Being a good person is not the same as accepting the truth. If you think you are a pretty good person but do not believe that you need Christ to save you, there is no guarantee that you will get to heaven.
***Most Mistreated One***
Jesus came into the world to give us the good news of God's salvation, and people put him to death. He has risen from the dead, but people today still snub him. God came to us purely because he loves us and wants to save us from eternal death, but we just don't get it. We are most precious to him, yet we are so thickheaded that we don't even care. In today's Gospel reading from John 14, Jesus says to his disciples, "In my Father's house there are many dwelling places, and I am going to prepare a place for you. I will come back and take you to myself so that where I am you also may be." Then, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." I hope we all hear him loud and clear. Most urgently, we need to repent of mistreating the one who cares about us the most and to whom we owe our very existence!
Thursday, May 16, 2019
The Holy Spirit Within You
If you feel the urge from your heart to address Christ "My Lord and my God" as Thomas did after he eyewitnessed the Risen Lord, you can be sure that you've been prompted by the Holy Spirit.
Where to Find Your Solution
God should be the solution to all our problems. When you face a problem, don't just focus upon the problem. Instead, focus upon God for your solution. If God is truly your Lord, you must get him involved in every part of your life.
**Don't Just Talk About Jesus
If you only know about Jesus, you can only talk about him as you are still basically you. So, get to know the Lord so well that you become like him, then you can talk like him too.
**How God Overcomes Us*
Today's entrance antiphon at Mass from David's Psalm 68: O God, when you went forth before your people, marching with them and living among them, the earth trembled, heavens poured down rain, alleluia. Look at our world. The leaders, the politicians, the big company CEOs, the pop stars, the entertainers . . . all try to gain a following by making big promises, coming up with enticing products, putting on dazzling performances or shows, etc., in an effort essentially to sell themselves. Now look at Jesus. He is meek and humble, focusing only upon serving and saving us via pure love. In the end, we are willing to offer him both our heart and our soul. Such is his power. And it is God who has designed us this way to be overcome by him. The psalmist is not exaggerating in what he writes.
Wednesday, May 15, 2019
No God More Credible
In today's Gospel reading from John 12, Jesus said, "Whoever believes in me believes not only in me but also in the one who sent me, and whoever sees me sees the one who sent me. I came into the world as light, so that everyone who believes in me might not remain darkness. And if anyone hears my words and does not observer them, I do not condemn him, for I did not come to condemn the world but to save the world. Whoever rejects me and does not accept my words has something to judge him: the word that I spoke, it will condemn him on the last day, because I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and speak." I left out only the last verse. I feel that we must absolutely pay serious attention to whatever Jesus says, for he speaks the truth as God. There is none other like him. He is our most credibly incredible God.
Tuesday, May 14, 2019
Saints Praying with Me
I had the chance to visit St. Antony's Chapel in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, yesterday. It is the biggest reliquary outside of Vatican, containing over 5000 relics. Here's the website. I prayed to all the saints there to intercede for my intentions. As I prayed after Mass at my own church back home this morning, I felt that I was completely moved the Holy Spirit, for my thoughts did not wander in the least. And I did feel that those thousands of saints I prayed to were all praying with and for me. Indescribable peaceful feeling.
*Nothing More to Say
Communion experience. God has chosen me, called me. I now belong to him totally and am being taken care of by him for all eternity. What can I say but feeling gratitude and joy?
**Most Essential Joy
It would be most horrible to think that God does not love you nor want to save you. The God of Christ is our Savior, period. He wants to save our soul and desires us to live with him in paradise after we die. He cannot promise our happiness in this world, but he can promise joy in him – this is a big distinction. Happiness in the world does not guarantee eternal happiness, but joy in the Lord does. Have vision and patience and you will be rewarded with nothing short of God himself for all eternity.
Spreading the Gospel As Jesus Did
Christ has given us solid promises authoritatively. It is only a person with weak faith who would hope what Christ has promised will come true. Like the Lord, we can also spread authoritatively the messages he had already proclaimed with authority. The Holy Spirit is an emboldening spirit.
A Disciple's Perks
I resumed going to morning Mass today, which is the Feast of St. Matthias, Apostle. The Gospel reading was taken from John 15. Jesus first said to his disciples, "Remain in my love." I thought of resting in his love, letting it envelop and saturate my whole being so that his love would not only protect me from evil but also guide and motivate me in everything I do – it was certainly a beautiful image. Then later Jesus said, "It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last." Again, I was impressed by the fact that Christ had chosen me! Of course, he definitely had noticed me and given me my mission. Here's another cause for rejoicing.
**All Can Be Happy in God!
Some people are happy that I have found happiness in Christ and leave me at that; they congratulate me for being so lucky. Why should God say to some that you can be happy in me and to others that you cannot be so happy in me? That's just not possible? He can make all of us happy in him as much as we'll let him – this is the truth! When people say it's not for me, they are already shutting the door in God's face, not realizing that God can make you happy to your heart's content if you give him free rein! God is for all, not just for a selected few! It's nonsense to think that someone is created to be able to receive more happiness from God. Remember that God cares for each of us equally.
If You Want to Be Famous,
skip the world but serve God faithfully and you'll be well known to all in heaven for all eternity.
***How Wonderful Is God?
We experience God differently. But God remains wonderful forever and how wonderful he is depends upon how much you open up to him (how much you are willing to let him into your heart). To those who shares everything openly with the Lord, he becomes absolutely wonderful beyond words!
*To Love with God's Love
To love others is the Christian way of life. You don't have to like the people you love; you simply know that God wants you to love them blindly, not being dictated by any personal feelings. It's God's unconditional pure love.
***Call to Arms
Enjoying God aside, this is no time for complacency. We must put on the armor of God to fight evil in every way on every front and at all levels. There is no time to lose. Pray unceasingly from the depth of your heart, for the survival of many souls are at stakes. It's a fight for God's glory!
**Enjoying God on Earth
God is most enjoyable when you experience the oneness with him in solitude. No words need to be said; you and God simply remain in deep communion with each other, knowing that nothing in the world can possibly lessen this intimacy. It's pre-experiencing a bit of heaven on earth.
***Eternal Union or Separation
In the Gospel reading from John 10, Jesus said: "I give my sheep eternal life, and they shall never perish. No one can take them out of my hand." This shows that those who belong to the Lord are already being separated from those outside the fold. If the latter does not become his sheep, that separation will become a chasm impossible to cross forever – a thought too horrible to contemplate.
**Making the Right Choice
In the first reading from Acts 13 last Sunday at Mass, we heard that the Gentiles who were destined for eternal life came to accept the word of God. Are you destined for eternal life? Accept the word of God and you can be so destined too. Rejecting it is to condemn yourselves as unworthy of eternal life (verse 46). God offers us choices. Are we being smart or stupid? Know that if things do not work out, God is not the one to blame. We cannot avoid being imperfect, but we can definitely avoid being stupid.
**Most Beautiful Process
Peter denied Jesus 3 times, but he loved Jesus, and the Lord forgave him. This is a most beautiful process that can happen to us: we sin, we love the Lord, and we are forgiven.
Love and Trust, Inseparable
You cannot love a God in whom you have no trust, and you cannot trust in a God for whom you have no love. Therefore, to love God and to trust in him are the same.
To Live Gloriously or Miserably
(1) We do good, believe in the God of Christ, and are heaven bound – this is living the glorious life!
(2) We do evil with no faith in the God of Christ and find the pleasures of the world never truly satisfying, not realizing that they are the only reward we are going to receive – this is leading a most miserable existence.
*Simple Fact and Formula
We do not deserve anything good. It is the love of God that saves us. We submit ourselves to him and he makes us holy.
Fountainhead of Love
All love starts with God who is love. It is because we love God that we love all others, saints or sinners, friends or enemies.
**My Agony*
Jesus' great agony was realizing that he would have to go through the Passion for the sake of saving all of us. My relatively small agony is seeing that so many of us today still do not even believe in him.
***Good Rule to Remember
Do not do anything in thoughts, words, or deeds you would not want Jesus to catch you doing when he comes next.
To Conform or Not to Conform
If I choose to conform to the ways and practices of the world, I'd have to compromise some of my principles and not feel free or happy anymore. But if I choose to be individualistic and submit myself to God entirely, I become the freest and happiest person.
**To Be Aware of God's Presence
Even though we profess to be Christians, we may not be aware that Christ is with us. When the need arises, we might ask for his guidance or help; but if things go well, we hardly turn to him. To remedy this common failure, seek union with the Lord. When you attain union with him, you become aware of his holy presence within you at any time. A life-changing blessing!
Saturday, May 4, 2019
Our Great Blessing
Luke 24.35 was the Communion antiphon: The disciples recognized the Lord Jesus in the breaking of the bread. We are so blessed now that we get to receive the Lord in the Holy Eucharist everyday to become one with him! [Dear readers, I won't be able to blog for the next 9 days, so I'll see you after May 13. You can always go straight to the Lord. Once you know him well, you'll only need and want to go to him.]
How Much We Love Jesus
In today's Gospel reading from John 21, Jesus asked Peter "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Peter's answer was "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." The third time Jesus asked the same question, Peter was distressed and he responded, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you." This prompts me to ask ourselves: "Can we also say that Jesus knows that we love him?"
How God Has Made Us
I attended Vigil Mass today. I already know that God has made us so that our life is empty until we find him. After hearing the second reading from Revelation 5, I became aware that God has also created us to worship, honor, and glorify him.
**Giving God All Your Problems
If you trust Jesus, give all your problems to him. Ask and trust him to take care of all your loved ones as well. His mercy can never reject you. When all your problems become his, he will surely take care of them. With God, never hold back; always go all the way. Throw yourself in his path the way the people spread their cloaks and leafy branches on the road as they welcomed Jesus entering triumphantly into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. It's submitting yourself with complete trust in God to be out of his way.
***Living in the Light!
This morning's entrance antiphon, 1 Peter 2.9: O chosen people, proclaim the mighty works of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Yes, Jesus is the light of the world. This is the light that makes us see all our sins, that we need to remove them to get into heaven. This is the light that shows clearly that God is our Father who truly loves us and to whom we can return to be with forever. This is the light that reveals the reality and meaning of our existence, how we should live and can become holy. In this light, there is absolutely no darkness; we see the truth that guides us all the way. To want to live any other way is to go right back into darkness.
Friday, May 3, 2019
*Only God Can Empower Us
Communion experience. I felt my human limitations and saw that the only way to make more spiritual progress is to cease struggling on my own even more, for only God my creator can overcome my limitations to lift me to new heights.
A Way to Preserve Peace
God who loves me will never hurt me. Others in the world do intend to hurt me, but if I haven't done anything wrong, they cannot hurt me, for I only care about what God thinks of me.
**Letting God Prove Himself
In today's Gospel reading from John 14, Jesus said to the Twelve at the Last Supper, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, then you will also know my Father. Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. I am in the Father and the Father is in me." So Jesus is God, but many people today still "amazingly" do not get it. I know that Christ is our Lord and God. I cannot prove it to you in any way, but I knew it without the slightest doubt when he revealed himself to me in our heart. There has been no brainwashing, indoctrination, or coercion of any kind coming from the Lord, so it's been a most satisfying proof for me. If you ask the Lord to reveal himself to you, you'll get your own personal proof too.
Perfect Love
Jesus laid down his life for us, showing God's greatest possible love for us. I call that the perfect love.
Thursday, May 2, 2019
**God Awaiting Us
Know that you are most precious to God and that he can make you holy and beautiful. Therefore, feel good about yourself and do not ever hesitate to go to God your Father to have a heart-to-heart or ask for any kind of help you need.
*Christianity's Uniqueness
In today's Gospel reading from John 3, the Apostle speaks of Jesus as the one who comes from heaven and is above all. We can proudly proclaim that Christianity was started on earth by God from heaven, the only religion (if I may call truth a religion just this time) not started by a man.
Wednesday, May 1, 2019
**Remaining Clean in the Lord
The bishop of our diocese just released publicly a list of priests and deacons who have been credibly accused of abusing minors and young adults over the last seven decades. It is not a short list, including many who have already passed away. I am surprised to have spotted the names of two deceased priests I am familiar with. One I knew very well and had always respected, but his offense was relatively minor. I am sure that if he had repented, he should be with the Lord now. The other I knew not so well and his offenses were a lot more serious. Then I thought of ourselves. I can clearly remember the many times I offended the Lord since I was a young boy. Many of these sins you just don't want to tell anyone except a priest in a confession booth. It's like we all have a secret closet in which we store our sins. The great news is that our Lord Jesus Christ can clean out that closet in no time if we repent and ask for his forgiveness. In fact, when you become one with him, you won't ever need any secret closet anymore.
Tuesday, April 30, 2019
**Getting Ready for Heaven
We enjoy belonging to any group that share the same interest. It was fun when I once belonged to a car club and all members would meet and drive around together to various interesting spots. And I enjoy talking to fellow smartphone photographers now. I would love to share my joy in Christ with others in person, but this does not always happen in today's world. Anyway, I am thinking ahead that in heaven we'll have all the saints as our company. To get ourselves ready for a smooth transition to heaven, now would be the time to seek to attain union with God. Then we'll fit perfectly in with those already in heaven.
Most Comfortable Position
If you are most comfortable with God, you are in the most comfortable position of your life.
***Simple, Direct Path to God***
We are often taught to know our faith, study the catechism, the Bible, learn more about the saints, etc. But if you want to develop a personal relationship with God, acquiring knowledge is pretty much barking up the wrong tree. We can progress spiritually so much faster and most efficiently if we start from God. Go straight and open up your heart to him and he will reveal himself to you and set your heart on fire! Officially, it's known as seeking union with God. You attain union and God becomes your soulmate!
Fr. Mark Goring's vlog today on YouTube backs up my point:
Fr. Mark Goring's vlog today on YouTube backs up my point:
A Simple, Logical Question
Christ and the Father are one. As the Son, he came to us. If we do not even listen to him, how can we ever expect to understand God, let alone know him?
**Personal Relationship Needed
Because we have the communion of saints, we can ask all the angels and saints to pray for our intentions. Holy Mother Mary is usually our first choice. But even if the whole heavenly court prays for you and you do not pray yourself, the Lord will not hear you. So we should start praying ourselves before enlisting others for help. What God desires is a personal relationship with him. Seeking union with God is seeking that most personal relationship that pleases him the most.
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