*Unavoidable Decision

        All of us who have heard enough about Jesus face the challenge whether to accept him as our Lord and Savior or not. There is no escape from this, for Jesus says in John 14.6, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." Putting aside your decision is tantamount to rejecting him.

Satan's Best Friend

        As long as you remain humble, you can forget about Satan. But if you have an ego, he notices it right away and you become his target.        

Amazing God

        Today, the Incarnation of Jesus struck me as something quite stunning, that God the Son should descent into the world, assuming human form. This may be familiar news, but the fact that he came down to die for us to save us from sin is a big surprise and should remain fresh in our mind. All I can say is that our Lord is truly amazing. As a result, following him also becomes an exciting journey. 

To Know God is Real

        How do you know that God is real? Ask him to change you, to become holy. Then it happens and you know.

Our Business

        Communion time thoughts. Mary Magdalene was a great sinner, and because of her love for Jesus, she was transformed into a saint. Our business as sinners is to let God transforms us also into saints, not to continue living selfishly for ourselves if we want to be with God for all eternity.

Perfect Example

        Jesus, besides coming into the world to die for us, he also came to show us how to live and love others. He is our perfect example.

Cleansing Joy

        I feel extra clean today because I experienced great joy at Mass and the joy from the Holy Spirit always cleanses one's heart.

Carried by God

        Today's Communion antiphon from 2 Corinthians 5: The love of God impels us, so that those who live may live no longer for themselves, but him who died for them and was raised. So it's "Jesus died for us and we now live for him." This is completely logical and fair. With God helping us to live, we practically get the whole ride free.

Most Endearing Knowledge

        Today is the Feast of St. Mary Magdalene. In the Gospel reading from John 20, the Risen Lord, appearing to Mary Magdalene outside the empty tomb, said to her, "I have not yet ascended to the Father, but go to my brothers and tell them, 'I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'" It's most endearing, assuring, and such a joy to know that we and Jesus share the same Father and the same God. Heaven is our home-to-be!

*Knowing Jesus

        We can believe that Jesus was historically a real person through reading about him. Applying logic and reasoning, we may even believe that he is truly divine. But we still don't bother to know him, and we won't know him until we ask God to make us see, hear, and understand. We can never completely know someone in the distant past, but let me witness to you that this is not the case with Jesus. If you sincerely seek him, he will reveal himself to you for you to know him more than anyone else on earth. The fact that time is no barrier to him further confirms that he is God. There is no relationship more perfect and satisfying than knowing the one who created you and knows you the best.

Defining Moment

        Communion experience. If the host I had received was just symbolically the body of Christ, then receiving it was nothing more than contemplating the Lord. Since the Holy Eucharist was truly the body and blood of Christ, receiving it became a defining moment, the moment at which God and I were united both physically and spiritually.

Perfect State of Existence

        Union with God is the perfect state of existence. In that state, you abandon yourself completely to God with the Holy Spirit filling you to the full. You are now carefree, joyfully communing with, serving, and loving the Lord. 

Free Will the Key

        In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 13, Jesus told his disciples that knowledge of the mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven had been granted to them, but not to the crowd, and that he spoke to them in parables because, quoting Isaiah the prophet, they look but do not see and hear but do not listen or understand. Is there a mystery here? Predestination? Can the Lord make us see, listen, and understand? I believe that our free will plays a big part. If we choose to be interested in the Kingdom of heaven, then God will reveal its mysteries to us. There is always hope for anyone who turns to God. 

Only Perfect Friend

        We are always interested in knowing more about well-known personalities. If it happens to be someone of the past, we make conjectures about him or her. I thought of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Here's someone who came 2,000 years ago. While I have not understood any other human being completely, I have come to know him intimately as my most trusted friend ~ no ambiguity here. Not only does he know all about me, he reveals himself to me constantly to bring me closer to him. God is absolutely personal, the only perfect friend you can have and need.

No Waiting

        Communion experience. About 4 dozens of parishioners were at morning Mass today, so the lines to receive Holy Communion were not so short. The thought came to me that when you enter heaven, there will be no lines to delay you, which suits me fine.  

The Little Way

        Be holy in every little way ~ this is the key to holiness. Don't miss a single opportunity to show the love you have for Christ. It's doing the thing, not how big or impressive that thing is, that counts. This is the Little Way of St. Therese of Lisieux. If you are not familiar with it, read her autobiography The Story of a Soul. All her writings had drawn me closer to Christ in the past. 

Beautiful Partnership

        In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 13, Jesus told the crowds around him the parable the sower. A sower went out to sow. As he sowed, some seed fell on the path, some on rocky ground, some among thorns, and nothing grew nor lived. But some seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit, a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold. When we are receptive to what the Lord wants us to do, we are the rich soil, and great things can be accomplished through us for his glory.

*Heaven and Hell Are Real

        If reward and punishment for us are only temporary after death, there would be no reason for us to stop sinning or to be holy. Only if heaven and hell are real can justice be fully served in the end.