I only know that I came into the world and am now here. Before, I knew nothing because I was nothing. Realizing that I owe all my existence to God my creator, I must stay close to him for without him I'd be lost, not knowing where I'm going ~ just like not knowing how I came into being previously. Jesus showed up and clarified everything. Now I am on course to where I came from. This has to be the most exciting going home trip I'll ever have!
Sunday, October 6, 2013
The Lord's Call
Morning Mass Communion experience. I heard the Lord say, "Be engulfed by me and I'll make you holy." Let's take the plunge and immerse ourselves in his love.
Saturday, October 5, 2013
"Defending" the Lord
Willing to suffer for God is willing to "defend" him from sinners' assaults. Although we are powerless to shield him from all harms, the least we could do is to stand by him and suffer along with him.
Telling Sign You Need God
You may enjoy driving fast cars, partying, fishing, playing the piano, or being an atheist (to do what you feel like doing), but if you really don't want to do any of these things for all eternity, then you need God.
Faith in God Justified
God, being infinite, has to be all-knowing. Therefore, he sees, hears, and knows all about us. This realization should help us put all our faith in him. Not doing so is virtually denying his existence or saying that he is not all-knowing, which is impossible and illogical.
We Are What We Think
We won't have inner peace if our mind is filled with improper, sinful, and wasteful thoughts. When Christ makes us new, all these thoughts are replaced by holy ones and we enjoy inner peace. Such is the gentle power of God.
Jesus Our Best Friend
Jesus, being love so tender, is the gentlest friend you can ever have. As Lord, he will never lord it over you. So relax and make him your best friend.
Friday, October 4, 2013
Concern About God's Indwelling
Today I sensed that there were still some conditioned responses or reactions to certain people or things in me. I must ask the Lord to eradicate them if I want him to indwell me fully.
Ways of Serving God
Letting God do everything through you is the right way, whereas wanting to do everything for God on your own is definitely misguided.
Simple Logic
Jesus willingly gave himself to us through the Cross; surely he'd be eager to give us everything he has for our good. Ask.
Resigned to God
You may feel that you can never do enough good for God. In that case, you might as well surrender to him and let him do everything through you, with you, and for you. What a golden opportunity!
Wonderful God
This is the first Friday of the month and we had the usual morning exposition of the Blessed Sacrament after Mass. I adored, praised, and petitioned the Lord. I felt that he was there for me, all for me, and the Holy Spirit filled me to overflowing ~ the Lord is just too much, too much.
Generous God Simplifies Life
Two of the many things I've so far learned halfway through reading Garbrielle Bossis' He and I: (1) God wants us to "go higher and higher" because what he can give us is inexhaustible! What is his is all ours for the asking! This is most encouraging. (2) The Lord used the word "at-oneness" with Gabrielle. He wants us to be at one with him so that we don't just do things for him, we do it with him! It's as if when I go buy a gift for him, he goes with me to pick out the gift. I love at-oneness because it greatly simplifies our life.
Big Risk Gambling
Gamblers playing at casinos lose most of the time. If you don't think that they are being smart, then how about the atheists? The most a casinos player can lose is all his money, but an atheist risks losing his soul if he turns out to be wrong!
Spiritual Discrimination
The law of the country prohibits workplace discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. Yet in praying to God, we freely discriminate against people we don't like. Do we ever pray for those we cannot forgive? for all our enemies? How can we not care about anyone whom God loves?" How can we ask the Father to love us while we don't love our brothers and sisters? This is hypocrisy at its worst because we also tried to "limit" the mercy of God.
Realistic Living
Live with the belief that God is infinitely more awesome in every way than we can possibly imagine. This is being realistic because God is infinitely more awesome in every way than we can possibly imagine.
Centering on God
We must center on God and never on ourselves. Even when we ask for things for ourselves, we must not think that we deserve anything, but focus upon his love, mercy, and generosity.
God and Devil Exist
Two stories hit the headlines today. On this Memorial of St. Francis of Assisi, Pope Francis lays flowers and prays at his namesake's shrine, urging the Church to strip itself of all "vanity, arrogance, and pride" and humbly serve the poor in society. At the other end of the news spectrum, pop icons Miley Cyrus and Sinead O'Connor mock and accuse each other through the media, escalating their ongoing row. Everyday the news shows clearly that both God and the devil exist.
Thursday, October 3, 2013
Seeing Others Correctly
When we see someone, we instantly get an impression and form certain ideas, often negative without any basis, about the person. In a way, we are judging already. The right way is to see each person through the eyes of Jesus. He would only see a being he deeply loves and wants to save at all costs.
Loving God Thoroughly
At Communion time, I realized that the closest parts of us are our soul, our heart, our mind and our body, in descending order of importance. Then I remembered Jesus' first commandment for us: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your soul, with all your heart, with all your mind, and with all your strength" ~ he covered it all!
A Trusty Recipe
Put no trust in yourself and all your trust in God, then God is greatly pleased and makes you super strong.
The Only Tragedy in Life
I have quoted Leon Bloy (1846-1917): "The only tragedy in life is not to be a saint," previously on this blog. Interestingly, Gabrielle Bossis' entry on February 11, 1943, in her journal recorded Jesus' saying to her: "The only tragedy in life is not to love God." Since both Bloy and Bossis were French, at first I thought perhaps Bloy had read Bossis' journal. Then the dates clearly showed that it's not possible, for Bloy died before Bossis began recording in 1936. Bloy definitely had said the right thing.
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
Pray for Courage
Pray that we'll listen to God alone and have the courage to obey him, overriding all other considerations.
Following Jesus' Example
Today is the Memorial of the Holy Guardian Angels. In the Gospel reading from Matthew 18, Jesus called a child over, placed it in their midst, and said to the disciples that whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the the kingdom of heaven. I saw that the Lord, being humble and the greatest in the kingdom of heaven, was indirectly talking about himself. Therefore, we are to follow his example.
Purpose of Resurrection
As I continue reading He and I by Gabielle Bossis, I am impressed by what Jesus told her about his Resurrection. He said that he did not do it for his glory, but so that she might believe and live in the hope of her own resurrection.
God Always Does It Better
We love God, but he loves us so much more. We finally decide to seek union with him, but he has always desired to be one with us. While we hardly pay him much attention, he yearns intensely for us. We often get unhappy, but he is so easily pleased even if we just look in his direction. Sometimes we don't feel like seeing anyone, but he welcomes our approaches at anytime. Who always waits for whom patiently? God outperforms whatever you expect of him.
Our Dual Role
It's necessary to be Martha in life, although it's more enjoyable to be Mary. If we'll just do everything with love for Jesus and in Jesus, offering it as our prayer, then we are Martha and Mary at the same time.
Getting Hit in Heaven
We know God loves us, but with our finite mind it's impossible for us to fully comprehend his great love. Then we get to heaven and finally realize and the infinite magnitude of this love and it will be like being hit by the sweetest tsunami.
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
God the Generous Giver
Today is the Memorial of St. Therese of the Child Jesus, the beloved saint.
Every time I brought someone closer to Jesus, I felt great joy. God is the source of this joy. We cannot love others without God wanting to express his love for them through us. We cannot feel joy without God wanting to share his joy with us. We cannot achieve union with him without God desiring union with us. He has given us everything, and when we give it back to him for his glory, he gladly gives us more.
Monday, September 30, 2013
How to Please Jesus
WWJD stands for "What Would Jesus Do?" ~ many Christians ask this question to guide them in their actions. I thought of HTPJ this morning, standing for "How To Please Jesus." This helps me look for ways to please him at any moment of the day. It might be "smile at someone," "refrain from uttering a harsh word," or "turn to Jesus and say 'I love you, Lord.'" Life is made up of many little things and we can make all of them count.
Union with God Assured
Our desire for union with God comes from God because he desires union with all of us! God being the eternal love, this desire of his is so much stronger and more powerful than any such desire on our part. Knowing this, we can remain passive and confidently let the Lord draw us all the way into him and success is assured.
Any Room in Your Heart?
Jesus told Gabrielle Bossis that the Holy Trinity is in each one of us, more or less according to the room that we allow it. Yes, if we don't allow the Lord any room, we can receive him in the Holy Eucharist everyday and still remain the same old person. But if we give him all the room we have in our heart, we'll be transformed into new, holy creatures in union with Christ.
Sunday, September 29, 2013
Taking Advantage of Sin
Every sin we commit, no matter how minor, can make us realize how holy the Lord is and how weak we are. This is a perfect opportunity for us to grow humbler.
Saturday, September 28, 2013
All for God's Glory
For those of us who love God, whatever happens to us is for our best and for his glory. In other words, for those of us who love God, what's best for us and what's best for God are the same thing!
Jesus Not Perfectionist
If Jesus were like the perfectionists I mentioned in the last post, he would have chosen to ignore us. But it's precisely our imperfection that attracts him! While we're still imperfect, it's the perfect time for him to come to restore us.
The Perfect Perfectionist
Perfectionists in the world demand perfection of others, seek the most perfect material goods to own, and want things turn out perfectly for their own sake; but they easily overlook their own imperfection. The "perfect" perfectionist is one who is concerned about his own spiritual imperfection first and foremost.
Hidden in Christ
I want to live hidden in Christ; but if I am still eager to tell others about myself, still care what others think of me, or still curious about what others are up to, then I have not yet succeeded.
Friday, September 27, 2013
A Life-Changing Testament
On September 25, I posted about Garielle Bossis' book He and I. I am reading the newly translated and condensed version by Evelyn M. Brown. Let me add that the French author was a single woman and a nurse during World War I and in her later years became a playwright and touring artist. The book documented her "simple talks" with Jesus in her journals. I have only read the first 46 of the 307-page book and already consider it to be one of the most beautiful and uplifting books I've ever read. Every read page has many lines I've highlighted. After finishing reading the book, I definitely will go over the highlighted parts again ~ there is just so much of what Jesus had said to remember and savor. You'd be bowled over to learn how much God loves you. It is hard to imagine how happy we'll feel in heaven when we experience the full impact of his love!
Why Seek Union with God?
Here are just two important reasons: (1) God desires it ~ doing it will give him great joy. (2) Union lets God restore us to perfection.
Soulful Thoughts
Before Mass began, I was thinking: Jesus is as close to me as my own soul and my union with him is the union of two soul-mates.
Thursday, September 26, 2013
Why Trust in God
Do I have any idea how I came into the world? No. Did I know earlier that I was going to end up where I am now? No. Do I know what might happen next in my life? No. Can I be sure that nothing bad will befall me? No. Will I always be able to help myself as I age? No. Am I really in control of my life? No. Do I want to continue to be unrealistic? No. Then the only sensible and logical way out is to put all my trust in Almighty God and not worry about a thing on my own.
What God Asks of Us
Since I am not doing anything big or prominent in bringing others to Christ, I asked the Lord how I could do better. The clear answer I got back was that he only wanted me to do every little thing for him alone. This means doing what I normally do with love, patience, and even joy. Complaining, getting upset, procrastination... ~ all have no place in serving God. This is not really asking much from us, especially with his help available. I can't say that the Lord is demanding since he only wants the best for us. He is our loving Father!
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
Power of the Heart
The mouth can pray to God, but if the heart is not involved, its prayer will be in vain. The mind can unlock the secrets of the universe, but it cannot pray to God. With mind alone, no matter how brilliant it may be, you won't find or know God. Only the heart steers the soul and can pray and unlock the heart of God, making prayer truly heart-to-heart with God.
Praying Inward
I have finished reading The Secret Diary of Elisabeth Leseur and started on He and I by Gabrielle Bossis (1874-1950), also French. Their life spans overlapped 1874-1914. While Leseur wrote her own thoughts in the diary, Bossis recorded her interior conversations with Jesus in her journal. What Jesus said to Gabrielle was remarkably succinct and to the point and that suits me fine. One day when she was talking to the tabernacle on the altar in church, Jesus reminded her that he was in her heart. This morning I pray to God dwelling in my heart after Mass and experienced greater intimacy.
Linking to God
Communion experience. After receiving Jesus in the Holy Eucharist, I knew that God the Holy Trinity dwells in me, for the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are one. Therefore, my link to God is complete and final.
Seeing What's Beautiful
God is beautiful. Having faith in God is beautiful. If you see both, God has made you beautiful.
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