Transforming Life into a Joy

        Life is full of ups and downs and it's the downs that usually get us.  Most recently, a married couple, our friends, is on the verge of breaking up, causing severe emotional stress to themselves and others.  We all experience pains, disappointment, suffer losses of various kinds, receive unfair treatments...  Peoples in many other countries face even more and greater disruptions and dangers of life.  It seems that life is good only temporarily in all those intervals between the "down" moments.  This is reality!  What can you expect when you throw billions of sinners together on a relatively small planet?  So it comes down to how we are to deal with life.  Personally, I believe that believing "Christ is the way" is the way to go.  By following him in this life, we are actually preparing ourselves to live the heavenly life with him for all eternity.  This is how we transform our present life into a joy.       

Lessons for the Troubled Heart

        I've been praying and listening hard because of the burden I mentioned last time. And I have learned the following.

        (1) God does not want us to be affected by any false accusations we face. Don't ever let lies upset your composure. Only what God thinks of you matters.

        (2) If your heart is troubled, go deep into the Lord. Center on him alone and obey him in all things, then you are ready to face any unknown.  

        (3) Any time is the time to start following the will of God. It's never too late to put your trust in him. This is the way to get you out of any mess you're in in time.

        (5) No matter what, never harbor any hatred, bitterness, or resentment toward others.  The peace of God needs to be preserved in your heart for you to hear the Lord speak and for you to be able to think clearly.

        All the above may seem hard to accomplish, but our God is God of the impossible!

    

First Burden of December

        On this first day of December, I have a quite weighty matter on my heart, so I am praying deeply for directions from God. I know which way I would go if I were without faith. But now I must seek God's will no matter how difficult it may turn out to be.  One thing I want to be sure is that whatever action I take will draw those involved (who don't have much faith in God in this case) closer to him or at least not make them go further away from him. May the Lord provide me with discernment and strength.   

Reaping What I Didn't Sow

        When we get to go to school, especially college, we must appreciate the fact that all the knowledge and information that have been found and discovered during the prior thousands of years are there for us to acquire and absorb. In a relatively short time, we are able to reap what we really did not sow, in a way.   

        These thoughts made me think of the good news of salvation that had been revealed to us by Jesus Christ. I feel so blessed that when I was born, the good news was already here.  Everything I needed to know for living a good life and securing eternal life afterwards was laid open before me.  In this case, it's truly reaping everything I did not sow because God had done it all!

Called for a Reason

        Today is the Feast of St. Andrew, apostle. He was one of the first disciples called by Jesus to follow him. Jesus then called the others one by one. When the Lord saw Nathanael, he said, “Here is a true Israelite.  There is no duplicity in him.” Jesus knows each one of us inside out.  When he calls us to follow him, it is for a definite reason and we must respond immediately as the early apostles did.  Following Christ is the most exhilarating, fulfilling, and rewarding life you can possibly lead. 

Jesus Is Our Joy!

        Jesus is already the way, the truth, and the life for us.  In addition, he is the light of the world.  My heart was filled with great joy after receiving him in the Holy Eucharist this morning.  To me now, he is also the joy of the world, our joy.  In him, joy overcomes all sorrows.

Road to Freedom

        No one can set himself free ~ only God can set us free.  Surrender to God to embark on the road to freedom. 

To Be Truly Classy

        There are many vain people in this world who go for name brands. They wear expensive name-brand watches, name-brand coats, and even name-brand underwear. (Speaking of underwear, I will never buy the Calvin Klein brand only because of the company's indecent, sexy ads featuring young, semi-nude men and women.) These wearers think that they are classy, even though others don't think so, let alone what God thinks.  To be truly classy in a class of its own, be pure and humble before the Lord. One is truly classy only when God thinks so. 

Sin Can Be a Curse

        Earlier today, I posted "Sin Is a Blessing." This is true only if you realize that sin is bad. Otherwise, it'd be more like a curse.  When I see someone committing a sin, even a small one, I feel sorrowful because nothing we do can escape God; later that person will have to account for that transgression. Today's Gospel message from Mark 13 is relevant: "Be watchful! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come."

My Greatest Blessing

        No doubt about it ~ it is that God had called me through his Divine Son Jesus.  It is the greatest because there's absolutely nothing else that could possibly benifit me more. It resolved the riddle of my life forever.  Jesus' saying "The truth will set you free" turned out to be true!  

Sin Is a Blessing

        To want to be holy, we must ask the Holy Spirit to sharpen our conscience.  In reality, as you become united with the Lord more and more, the process goes on automatically. With a sharp conscience, a small sin will hurt you a lot, making you lose your peace. This is necessary because a muddy conscience overlooks a lot of sins, making it impossible for you to become holier.  I see sin as a blessing ~ after you remove it through penance, you're holier than ever. The pain of sin spurs us on to new levels of sanctity. 

Good Reason for Meeting People

        To see Christ in each person.

The Holiness of God Is...

the most refreshing thing in the whole universe!

The Mystery of God

        I got up early this morning to go to Mass. It was a beautiful day.  The sunlight was filtering through the mist hovering over the fields ~ it was a quite a mystical scene.  I thought of the mystery of God.  There's so much we don't know or understand about God, yet he has revealed enough for us to return to him in good grace through Christ.  This is sufficient for me now because I can always find out more about him later after I see him face-to-face. 

My Thanksgiving

        Today is Thanksgiving Day. I owe everything to God's goodness. In the Parable of the Lost Son, I shall always remember what the father said to the older son who became jealous and angry, seeing how the father celebrated and rejoiced upon the return of his younger brother, the lost son: "My son, you are here with me always; everything I have is yours." Indeed, everything I have came from the Father in heaven.  Thanks be to God! 

Is Jesus Always Right?

        Jesus is always right.  If you disagree, then show me where he went wrong or why he is not true. When Jesus was brought before the high priest Annas to be interrogated, a temple guard did not like the way Jesus answered the high priest and struck him. And the Lord answered back, “If I have spoken wrongly, testify to the wrong; but if I have spoken rightly, why do you strike me?” So, if you find Jesus wrong or false, just don't follow him. But if you can't, then you have no excuse for not accepting and believing in him.    

On Second Coming

        Recently, a Harold Camping predicted more than once that the end of the world was coming. The predicted day came and went right by. There are many others trying hard to figure out when Jesus will come again. You just can't get more foolish than that! Jesus himself told us that only the Father knows when that day will be.  To me, the Lord had already come and is here, for his last promise was that he would be with us always until the end of the age. Every time I receive the Holy Eucharist, he enters me. The right thing to do is to enjoy him and bear fruit while we are still here.  Wasting time predicting and waiting for his coming will not get you into heaven. 

Most Beautiful Journey

        To discover the great inner beauty and inexhaustible riches of God, one must enter deep into him. Staying on the periphery will get you nowhere. You must go deep enough to taste the Lord first. That's why union with God is the most beautiful journey you can possibly embark on.     

Christ Is Everything and All

        In morning before Mass started, I had the desire to be aware of Jesus alone and oblivious to everything else, saints included. Christ is really the only one you need to know and hold onto. He is everything and he is all. He is Lord God.

Miracles not Amazing

        Miracles are not amazing; it is God who makes the miracles happen that's amazing.

No Other Place I'd Rather Be

         This morning after Mass, I and another person were to visit some of the old, homebound folks. I had nine consecrated Hosts on me and was also holding six more for my partner because she temporarily had to leave to get something done. Imagine having fifteen consecrated Hosts in two pyxes hanging around your neck ~ the feeling was overwhelming! I felt that I was actually embracing the Lord and that there's no other place I'd rather be than being with him. He is where I belong!

Back to the Beginning

        At the beginning, God created Adam and Eve and a perfect relationship existed between them and God. Then they sinned and were exiled from paradise. Now, Jesus has come and redeemed us. This is the perfect time to restore that perfect relationship with God (unless you prefer to remain banished forever).

God the Amazing Creator

        I received these thoughts early during morning Mass. I was amazed that God has made us so that we can come up with the desire to look for him and that we can actually find him and even fall in love with him.  It's like playing hide-and-seek and God is the loser.  The Lord impressed me as a most amazing creator.

Be Ready for God Before...

(1) Jesus' second coming, (2) your life ends, (3) you lose your mind while still living.  Only God knows when these things will or might happen. If you are wise, you'll want to be ready for him at any moment for the unexpected in order not to be shocked later.

Appearance That Matters

        After Mass this morning, I looked at the decorated altar in darker colors, the flowers (artificial) in rather drab vases, etc., I felt that personally, I definitely would like to see fresh flowers and more cheerful colors all around to brighten up the interior. Then others may disagree. At  any rate, the Lord made me see that making the church look good is good, but what matters most is how we look on the inside to him.  I got the message. 

We Are Special!

        We are not just anything. On the contrary, we are special to God. First, we were created in the image of God. Then Jesus let it be known that anyone who keeps the word of God is his brother or sister.  Last, Jesus died for our sins so that we might become adopted sons and daughters of the Father. Low self-esteem has absolutely no place in us. Rather, we should rejoice daily for such favors!

God Is Infinite

        I realize that faith in God can range from very faint to strong and firm with total conviction. Between the two extremes, there must be infinite degrees of faith. If God's mercy were limited, probably not many will get into heaven.  The fact is that I can't think of any way in which God is limited.  For me, the definition of God might as well be infinity.  

Loving the Least Ones

        Today is the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ The King.  In the Gospel from Matthew 25, we read what the Lord said to his disciples, "Whatever you did for one of the least brothers of mine, you did for me.  What you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me."  Jesus identified himself with those in need, the poor, the weak, the oppressed, the disadvantaged.  We must care for all those who have less.  How can we not love them who are loved by our King? 

Jesus Can Calm Us

        On the way home from morning Mass, I experienced a great calm in my heart.  I recalled how Jesus rebuked the winds and the waves and a great calm followed (Matthew 8, Mark 4, Luke 8).  If he could do that, then surely he can calm the winds and waves in our hearts.  

Sin and Peace

        The world has no peace because it is in a sinful state. The same holds true for an individual. For someone in the Lord, the conscience could be sharpened to the point that any sin committed against God becomes so distasteful as to be unbearable. The great saints would rather die than sin against God.  This loss of internal peace is proof that sin and peace cannot coexist. Then, at the opposite end, there are those whose conscience has been dulled to the point that they can easily sweep their sins under the carpet. Even though they look away from their sins, the lack of peace remains in their heart. 

Safe in Christ

        Living our life is like climbing a cliff ~ we are always hanging on precariously because one slip and we can be lost forever.  For the faithful Christian, Jesus has already tethered a cord around him. A slip may slow down the ascent, but he is ultimately safe.

God Is Accessible

        During contemplation after morning Mass, I looked ahead and saw the lit sanctuary lamp signifying the presence of the Blessed Sacrament in the tabernacle behind it. This was the Blessed Sacrament I received just a short while ago. I then realized that our God is totally accessible and personal, not at all distant or aloof.  How can a God who is love be otherwise? Certainly something to rejoice about! 

Nothing Is Free?

        People who work hard to get where they want to be lament the fact that nothing is free.  I do know that the beautiful love of God is absolutely free, unless you consider opening your heart to this love is work.  When you receive this love, you get all the other good things you need to help you live a life full of joy and freedom as well. 

Jesus Is Ours

        Jesus is the way, the truth and the life ~ he is our way, our truth, and our life.  Jesus is the light of the world ~ he is our light in this world.

Our Real Enemies

        In today's Gospel from Luke 19, Jesus mentioned the enemies of Jerusalem that would destroy the city in the coming days.  I started thinking about enemies. There are people who  don't like us because we hold different political views. There are others who still owe us money they borrowed from us.  Some say nasty things about us.  Are they and similar other examples our enemies? I don't think so. In a way, they are blessings from God to test us to see how Christian we are. Of course, we must still love them.

        The real enemies are those who cause us to sin or lure us away from God, thus endangering our souls.  We should love them too, but must fight them at the same time.    

Keeping the Heart Pure

        When God looks at us, he sees the heart first. To delight the Lord, you must have a pure heart. The "secret" to keeping the heart pure is to have the Lord dwell in it.  Where God is, impurities cannot exist. 

Getting Back into Grace

        Adam and Eve fell from grace through pride and disobedience to God. Jesus the Savior had already come to invite us back. Let's seize this opportunity to get back into grace through humility and obedience to God.  

Another Union Advantage

        In union with God, you are totally in the Lord.  Since you are with him, you no longer need to ask him to lead you anymore.  Where he is, you are.  When he wants you go in a certain direction, he will let you know.

An Honest Question

        Can you really manage on your own without God in your life?

Beauty of the Holy Spirit's Mind

        As I was driving to Mass this morning, I sensed the profound beauty and perfection of the mind of the Holy Spirit, which made me want to share it. 

God as Light

        It was a beautiful morning.  As a past photographer, I am very aware of the quality of light. There were a few times when the light was just perfect and made what I saw extraordinarily beautiful. Once I drove along a creek and saw the distant hills with trees on them and clouds overhead to one side of the road, bathed in the late afternoon sunlight after a rain, so beautiful that the image just etched in my mind's eye. I had driven along the same road many times before, but the scene never struck me like this.  So, the presence of the right kind of light is essential to the creation of a great image. All this makes me think of God as light, for the presence of God is absolutely necessary for transforming a human soul into a pure one. As physical light transforms an ordinary scene into one beautiful to the physical eye, God transforms an ordinary soul into one beautiful for him to behold.       

A Golden Thread

        I can recall many pleasant moments in life. For instance, someone was being extra nice to me or I happened upon the best apple strudel in the world. These were all isolated moments. Then there were moments in which the Lord drew me to him, step by step, at different times. Nevertheless, they form a continuous thread, leading to spiritual fulfillment.  If God had already thrown you a thread, hold onto it and let him draw you all the way to his bosom.          

How Close Are You to Union?

        Do you tell the Father everything that's in your heart?  Are you open to anything he may want to reveal to you? Is there free flow or still some kind of barrier between you and God when it comes to communication?  

        You may specifically want to see him, touch him, to be healed by him, to hear his voice, or to dine with him; but the important goal is to achieve intimate union with him in spirit.   

How Good to House the Lord in Us!

        In today's Gospel reading from Luke 19, Jesus chose to go stay at the house of Zacchaeus, the chief tax collector.  Zacchaeus was overjoyed and promised to give half of his possessions to the poor and not to extort anything from anyone.  I got to thinking that I too should be overjoyed because the Lord had called me, come to me, and is now dwelling in me.  I must promise to give all of myself to him and not to sin against him.   

To Stop Offending God

          The best way to prevent us from offending God is to be filled with his love, letting this love be our sole motivator. Secondly, develop an utter distaste for sins as a line of defense. The more we unite with the Lord, the more nauseating sins become.  

Total Immersion in Christ

        The one thought I've been having in these last two days in total immersion in Christ. Like the total immersion in water at baptism, we now immerse totally in Christ (and his love).

Jesus, More Real than Ever

        I feel especially close to St. John the Apostle. I just got Stephen Ray's St. John's Gospel, A Bible Study Guide and Commentary. In the introduction, he talks about the Apostle John.  I am just going to put down the instances in which John was a witness according to how Stephen Ray lists them.

        (1) While John was mending nets with his brother James and their father Zebedee in a boat, Jesus called the two brothers and they immediately left their boat and their father and followed him (Mt 4:21-22). 

        (2) He (John) was at the table when Jesus instituted the Eucharist and in fact, was the one who reclined upon the Lord's chest during the meal (Jn 13:23-25).

        (3) He received the Holy Spirit as Jesus breathed on him (Jn 20:21-23).  

       (4) His feet were washed by the Lord himself (Jn 13:5). 

        (5) As one of Jesus' favorite disciples, he was referred to as "the one Jesus loved" (Jn 13:23; 20:2; 21:20).

        (6) Jesus nicknamed him and his brother, James, Boanerges ~ sons of thunder (Mk 3:17).

        (7) He fell asleep as Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane (Mk 14:32-42).

        (8) He was there when Judas betrayed the Lord, and then followed Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest (Jn 18:15).

        (9) He's the only disciple who stayed at the foot of the Cross, while the others had fled earlier (Mk 14:50; Jn 19:26).

        (10) Jesus entrusted his Mother to John's care and John to his Mother's care (Jn 19:26-27).

        (11) He was a witness to the Resurrection (Jn 20:1-10).

        (12) For 40 days he saw the proofs of the Lord's Resurrection and received further instructions on waiting for the Holy Spirit to come, etc. (Mt 28:16-20; Acts 1:1-10)

        (13) While fishing at dawn, he was the first to recognize the Lord standing on the shore of the sea of Tiberias (Jn 21:7).

        (14) He saw the Lord being taken up into heaven (Acts 1:9-11).    

       (15) He also saw the Blessed Virgin crowned in glory in a heavenly vision (Rev 12).

        John testified to the truth of all that he had written down (Jn 21:24).

        Jesus was already real to me, now after reading St. John's personal witnessing, he is more real to me than ever! 

Everything We Do Matters

        Everything we do affects the whole world (or universe).  Sometimes the effect may be minuscule or barely detectable, but it's there. On the contrary, everything we do, no matter how small, has a great impact on our soul! Every move is known to God and contributes to determining our eternal destination.  

Our Sole Intention Should Be...

to give God glory. All of what we think, speak, and do should be so guided. 

Following the Lord with Trust

        When we follow the Lord, we simply follow and do not know how he is going to lead us and/or how things we prayed about are going to turn out; but we know that he always leads us in the right direction for our best.