Doorway to Happiness

         Yesterday I thought I was well enough to attend morning Mass, but I started coughing again. Today I made it on the Memorial of St. Anthony. The Gospel reading from Mark 2 was about the paralytic being let down by his four friends through the roof they had opened up to get near Jesus. The Lord saw his faith, forgave his sins and healed him.

       Before Mass began, the Lord made me see that if we are not willing to accept suffering in this life, we can never be happy. Jesus has suffered so much for our sake, how can we refuse any suffering and still follow him? Being willing to suffer is the doorway to happiness. If suffering in this life is welcome, imagine how great our happiness will be in heaven! 

Peace and Freedom Born

        Communion intimacy. How could I possibly receive the Lord's body and still remain unchanged? How can I return this greatest favor of his entering me? The least and most I can do is let him take over completely so that I may belong to him completely ~ inner peace is now born. Since the Lord has already entered, I am ready to let him take me to wherever he wants me to go ~ inner freedom is now born.

On Knowing the Lord

        Today's Gospel Acclamation, based upon John 10.27: My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord. I know them, and they follow me. You don't need to experience anything supernatural to know Jesus. Seek union, oneness, and you'll know him. If you always follow him, then you already know him. 

Bread of Life

        Communion experience. Finally, I was well enough to attend Mass again. After I received the Holy Eucharist this morning, I knew that this was the bread that's transforming me now and would carry my soul into heaven later.

Going Infinite with God

        An infinite, omnipotent, all-knowing, loving God deserves placing our "infinite" confidence in him.

Jesus Is Lord

        We cannot feel comfortable if we choose to reject Jesus as the Lord. Even if we accept him as such, we won't feel completely comfortable with him until we have surrendered completely to him, for he truly is Lord. 

The Evolution of Faith

        I recall how my faith in God evolved since the early days. In the beginning when I searched for God, I had fleeting moments in which I sensed his existence. Later after I came to believe that Christ is Lord and Savior, I still needed to remind myself from time to time that I did have faith in him. Gradually, the faith grew more secure. When the Holy Spirit took over during my involvement in the charismatic renewal movement, my faith was greatly strengthened by the grace of God ~ it's all his doing. I can see that if I had let go in God a lot sooner, my spiritual growth would have progressed a lot faster. We notice faith only when doubts exist. After I sought union with God, faith became such a natural part of me that I no longer noticed its presence ~ again, it's all God's doing. Now I read about skeptics who do not even believe that Christ ever existed, I can only smile because they do not experience God's doing and will never be able to understand how I feel. What a joy to enjoy God with faith totally out of the picture!

Not Feeling Guilty Again

        I was finally well enough to attend Mass after a week of staying home. Today is Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. It happens to be the hundredth birthday of a parishioner. She, looking remarkably young and fit, was at Mass and we all wished her Happy Birthday. She even received a framed citation from Pope Francis through our parish priest.

         Even though I missed Mass for the whole past week, I do not feel guilty in any way because God knew the reason. I've been thinking that if we trust in God and try always to follow him, we won't ever need to feel guilty again. Of course, we still sin, but as long as the failure is due to our human weakness and not intentional, God understands. Then when we cross the line and experience the struggle within us and the loss of inner peace, we know we are in guilt. What a joy it is not to ever feel guilty again!

We Are Special!

        Still being held hostage by the bug at home, I had the time to wonder what if God had not created us so that there would be only all the other animals and plants living on earth. Of course, the eternal God doesn't depend upon our existence for his own in any way; yet, somehow, I feel that he would miss us. Remember that he created us in his own image so that we alone among all the living things are capable of understanding him and loving him, and that he might have us to love! Intuitively, I also feel that the entire universe with everything in it, including our earth and everything on it, had been created for our enjoyment and needs ~ we are the culmination of his creation! Last, the fact that we can conceive that there is a God our creator only confirms that there is one, for no other can create a mind, especially one that can conceive its creator. In short, we are special, created to know God.

Presenting Mary

        I came across this YouTube video on the Mother of Christ. It's quite a beautiful presentation. 

Test for Our Love for God

        I've been home sick since last Sunday. It's one of those bugs quite a number of us around here has been catching from the cold weather. I just looked at the readings for today's Mass on www.usccb.org/bible/. In Reading 1 from 1 John 4, the Apostle wrote: If anyone says, "I love God," but hates his brother, he is a liar; for whoever does not love a brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. Therefore, if I still hold a grudge again someone, I can't claim that I love God yet. I could only say that I intend to love God, but I fall short of truly loving him. How much we love our brothers and sisters tests how much we love God.  

Life Is Simple in God

        After seeing so many people living a life with so many worldly concerns and complicated relationships with others both within and without their family, I come to see how simple and beautiful life becomes when you go deep into Christ. It's as if Jesus cleans out all the clutter, barnacles, cobwebs, and refuse in your life to set you free. By unburdening us, God simplifies our lives.

A Great Oversight

        Jesus asked, "Why do you notice the splinter in your brother's eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye?" (Matthew 7.3). It's so easy to get upset over things or people because they turn out to be imperfect, and at the same time overlook our own imperfections (getting upset being one). If we are not perfect, how can we expect others to be perfect? It all comes down to "no sinner has the right to judge fellow sinners."

Life as an Assignment

        When a religious, especially one who has pledged poverty, is assigned to  a post, he does his best to perform his tasks. When he is reassigned to a new post, he simply moves on, does the same again, not attaching himself to his or her previous accomplishments in any way. This is also the way to live for us lay folks. We see our roles as assignments from God. We do our best to please him. When we are done, we are happy and move on, not attaching ourselves to what we've done because it's just an assignment from God. This way we'll always feel free and peaceful.   

To Be a Christian...

        To be a Christian is to be a disciple of Jesus is to follow him in all things and at all times is to be preoccupied entirely by Jesus is to live for him alone is to live in union with him is to live Jesus.

Model Prayer for Us in Suffering

         I caught a cold and started coughing. Naturally, I hoped that the Lord would heal me; but still, it must be his will. Jesus' prayer while suffering his agony in the garden before his betrayal and arrest came to my mind: "Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me; still, not my will but yours be done" (Luke 22.42). [Matthew's version, 26.42: "Father, if it is not possible that this cup pass without my drinking it, your will be done!"] This should be the model prayer for all of us in suffering.

A Matter of Life or Death

        Jesus is to be taken most seriously because it's a matter of critical importance. If you don't take him seriously, then you do not know him well enough yet. Who is he to you? Whom do you treat him as? If you acknowledge that your eternal destination depends upon him, then do you even trust in him with your present life? Is your living consistent with what you believe in? To become like Jesus should be our foremost aspiration because it is the highest aspiration for us.

First Order of Business

        Today is the Memorial of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton. After I received the Holy Eucharist, I saw that this bread was not food for my body nor for my mind, it was food directly feeding and nourishing my soul, preparing me for life in heaven, my ultimate home. Healing of the soul must be our top concern for the glory of God!