Reflections of a beloved son

“Two evils have my people done: they have forsaken me, the source of living waters; They have dug themselves cisterns, broken cisterns, that hold no water.” Jeremiah 2:13   Have we forsaken Our God? Have we forgotten the One who calls us His children? Have we made our standards God’s standards and our ways His ways? Have we allowed our pride to blind our hearts and eyes from seeing the Truth? Although our mouths may not have forsaken the Lord, perhaps our hearts have. When our actions no longer reflect what we once professed to believe then we have forsaken our God. When our words are used to hurt, humiliate, judge, and condemn then we have forsaken our God. When our thoughts are used to plot against others or when they are used to objectify our brothers and sisters, then we have forsaken our God. When we have forsaken God we have also forsaken ourselves for all that we are and is comes from Him. Not only have we forsaken God and ourselves but have made ourselves gods. God is o...

“You have been told, O man, what is good, and what the LORD requires of you: Only to do the right and to love goodness, and to walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8 As children, whether at home or at school, we should have been taught what is right and what is wrong. But times have changed. We seem to be confused by what is right and good and what is wrong and evil. What is right and good is now seen as what is conservative and uptight, and what is wrong and evil is now just how we express our individuality. What is wrong will always be wrong – it can’t be justified. Deep down in our hearts we know what is good and what is bad. We have the innate desire to be good because we belong to Goodness. Only the Truth can satiate our hunger. We only need to do what is right, to desire and to love goodness and to clothe ourselves with humility, knowing that we depend on God. So simple yet so difficult. May we ask the Lord for the strength and humility to always choose to do what is right an...

“Do not think that I have come to bring peace upon the earth. I have come to bring not peace but the sword.” Matthew 10:34   What?   Jesus came to bring the sword?   Doesn’t that go against everything that He stands for and is? Why not peace but the sword? The sword that Jesus was referring to is not a sword that cuts people open and kills people for no cause. This sword is the sword of Truth. And the Truth, as we can give witness to today, brings division. There will be people who stand by the Truth and others who say that is not their truth. The reality is that there can only be one truth, and if one thing is really true it cannot be false at the same time. So that “Well maybe that’s your truth but it is not mine” does not work. It’s illogical. If something is true, then it is true no matter how much you dislike or disagree with it. So, Jesus came to bring the sword and not peace because without the sword – without Truth there can be no true, lasting peace. You ...

Nothing worth doing is easy. Success comes from failure. We learn how to get back up by first falling. “Son though He was, He learned obedience from what He suffered.” There are many paths that we can take. Some paths seem easier and lead to temporary joys and pleasures. Some seem more difficult but lead to more lasting joy. On the path of truth and life there will be lies and deaths. These lies will make us doubt our choices and beliefs. These deaths will make us question the meaning of life. The gate and road that leads to life is narrow and constricted not because God does not want people to enter but because the world has made it so. It is hard to enter and difficult to travel on because we have become attached to this world. We have told ourselves that we belong to this world, but we do not. This world is passing, but we were made for eternity. When we cling to what we are not, it will only lead to sorrow, and this sorrow will bring us to despair and hopelessness, and ultimately ...

In one of his sermons, St. Anthony of Padua said, “ Actions speak louder than words; let your words teach and your actions speak. We are full of words but empty of actions, and therefore are cursed by the Lord, since he himself cursed the fig tree when he found no fruit but only leaves.”   We can say many things, but when it comes to living them out, I think many of us fall short – at least I know I do.   Jesus told His disciples to let their “yes” mean “yes” and their “no” mean “no.” Hypocrisy was big then, and it is big now. We can’t say one thing and do another, or better yet, do nothing at all! We see so many people say this is wrong and that is bad but when it comes time to act or show active support, they suddenly become small and fade into the background. Are we like that? Are we “full of words but empty of actions?” God loves us, and even though He had no need to show it, He did.   He sent His only Son.   Jesus died on the Cross.   As it is said in the...

When we close our hearts, we are not only closing ourselves off from giving love but also closing ourselves off from receiving love. Our society has twisted our perceptions and confused our judgments. What is true and good our minds have now processed and determined as insufficient and boring. Our minds have taken falsehood for truth and our hearts have been set on things that will not last. We have allowed our hearts to close and harden.     Our hearts were made for love – true love, love that last and that endures hardships and suffering, love that is eternal.   Since what we truly desire then is eternal, it can only come from something eternal, and we know that only God is eternal. So, what we really desire only God can give to us. Jesus told His disciples, “ Not as the world gives do I give. ” The love and peace that God gives to us is lasting. The world cannot give this kind of love and peace to us.   The Psalmist asks us today, “ How long will your heart...

Aren’t you tired of living in fear and anxiety? Aren’t you tired of feeling incompetent or not good enough? It is time to reject those lies. St. Paul went from persecuting the Christians to dying as one. He encountered the Truth, was moved by it, converted, lived the Truth, and was unafraid doing so. He was not afraid because he heard the Lord say to him time and again, “Take courage. I am here with you.” On our own we cannot cast out those fears that control us but with God we can cast out those lying voices that enslave us. We must not back down. We must go forward in Truth.   We must go forward for God is with us. Pray with me, “ Lord, I reject those lies that keep me from living in the freedom you won for me!   I reject the lie that I am not good enough.   I reject the lie that I am unlovable. I know I am loved. Now, teach me to live in Your truth. You say to me, “take courage,” and so I go forward and won’t back down .”

You were created out of love for love. You are loved not because of what you can do, what you have, or what others say about you. True and genuine love cannot be bought or earned. It can only be received and given. God loves you, but you have to receive it. You cannot really love anyone else, including yourself, if you do not receive love. You can't give what you don't have. The world will tell you that you are loved only to the extent you can perform and that others will love you more or less based on that. That's a lie! You are loved and you have been loved from all eternity. And that is the Truth. We belong to the Truth.  This Truth is so true that God became man for you and me. It's time to receive God's love. Pray with me, "Come into my heart, Lord. I am ready to receive your love."

Anything that is worth doing will take work, and sometimes it will bring about tears. Following Christ in a world that rejects Him will be difficult if we allow it to be. The world may try to bring us down with their hate speech and subjective contradictions, but we must remain defenders of Objective Truth, the truth that sets us free. The Truth is worth it. Christ is worth it. You are worth it. Those walking in darkness and hopelessness are worth it. Those who persecute us are worth it. We must by our example of perseverance and love bring others to this Truth. If we want peace and joy then we must keep the faith and hope burning within our hearts. This peace and joy is already present and it never leaves us, but we must choose receive it, even in the midst of tribulations.

Now is the time to speak up. We must boldly speak Truth in a world that has buried it. The Truth that we have been so loved by the Father who sees us not as our sins or flaws but who loves us as His own children. Now, having been so loved we must speak up and proclaim this Truth and love loudly. It is time to bear witness and bring others to the Father.

When life gets tough, how do we respond? When challenges arise, do we rise to the occasion or do we retreat? Being a good person and bearing witness to the Truth will have its share of difficulties and hardships. Will we grow tired of doing good, and instead fall into the trap and lie of mediocrity and selfishness? Jesus asks, "Do you also want to leave?"

We hear many different things from different people and sources. Some are similar and some opposing. Who can we trust? Which source should we follow? We must allow the Holy Spirit to lead us and guide us in all that we do, think, and say. The primary source must be God and His love and mercy for us. Let us pray for our world leaders and church leaders to be docile to the promptings of the Holy Spirit.  # GodisLove   # BelovedSonMinistry

“See that you not be deceived,” Jesus told His disciples.   Our Lord warns the people of the trials and persecutions that should come upon them (Lk. 21:5-19).  Jesus tells of wars, persecutions, false prophets, earthquakes, famines, and plagues.  He even says that those who we love will betray us and hand us over.  But the Lord encourages them and asks them to not be overly worried, “. ..for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist of refute .”  In other words, we can not handle these trials and persecutions on our own.  Only by grace and through and with Our Lord Jesus will we be able to overcome them and endure them.  At the end of the Gospel passage, Jesus tells them, “ By your perseverance you will secure your lives. ”  Wow. Wars, persecutions, natural disasters, and even betrayal by my beloved ones? That does not sound hopeful.  I mean wars and persecutions and natural disas...

Many people in history as well as today had come together, standing united for or against something or someone.  Let's take the marches that took place during the Civil Rights Movement when people from different religious, ethnic, and societal backgrounds came together and stood together united for the fight to have all people share the rights guaranteed by our Constitution.  More prominently in the Catholic world, since Roe v. Wade , people, not only Catholics, have gathered together to stand against abortion and standing for life - all life and at all stages.  Even more recently in Hong Kong, people - Christian, non-Christian, came together to stand against a piece of legislative amendment (the Extradition bill) that would transfer fugitives to the Mainland China, putting human rights activists, religious freedom activists, journalists, and others in harm's way.  Amidst the protests, Christians came together and began to sing "Sing Hallelujah to the Lord" for hours...

"I have something for you!" "There's something very special in store for you!"  Those are two statements that may rouse up inside of us feelings of warmth, love, and over all feelings of being recognized as someone important and special.  When we were younger teachers may have done something similar to us when they tried to encourage us and motivate us, "Tommy there is a very special mission for you!  You have been called to be a special agent to bring this very important letter to Mrs. Wheatland in the 6th grade.  You must do it with top secret!"  Tommy would usually have felt very much encouraged and would take this task very seriously and execute it with the utmost care.  Have you ever experienced that before?  Or, have you ever used that with someone before? Whether you have or have not in the past, we are being asked to go on a very special, important, and urgent mission right now.  Just as Saul and Barnabas was set apart by the Holy Spirit...

Life gives to us moments everyday to make decisions - some are bigger and more important than others.  Sometimes we need to make decisions that will directly impact and affect another person.  These decisions become increasingly hard to make as one gains places in authority.  Think of the impact of the decision of a judge.  He has the power and authority to change someone's life drastically.  Luckily for most of us, we do not need to make those decisions usually.  However, even though we are not judges, there are big decisions that we need to make everyday. Will we stand up for the truth?  Will we choose to love?  Will we place ourselves in humble service of others?  When we see injustice happening around us, will we respond, " It's unfortunate that's happening.  But that's not for me to worry about. " or " What's happening isn't right. It goes against everything that truth is.  Something must be done.  What can I do? " ...

When people in authority asks us to do something, we either comply because we know if we don't, we will get in trouble or we do it because we believe what they are saying or asking of us is truly for our good.  The Fourth Commandment - "Honor your father and mother" is extended to teachers and other persons in authority.  We must respect and honor our elders and listen to what they have to say, but we must make a decision whether what they are saying is congruent and consistent with what God may be telling us and if what they say point to the true, good, and beautiful.  We are not called to just blindly follow and do whatever persons in authority tell us or ask of us - we must discern it and bring it to prayer.   In the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 5:27-33), the Apostles were again found preaching the Good News and telling people about Jesus and the authority figures said to them: "We gave you strict orders, did we not, to stop teaching in that name."  An...

The Apostles were put into jail for preaching the Good News.  But we are told in the Acts really why they were put into prison: "The High Priest rose up and all his companions... filled with jealousy , laid hands upon the Apostles and put them in the public jail" (Acts 5:17-18).  They were jealous - jealous that even though they had seemingly put Jesus to death - for they denied His Resurrection - the people were still interested in this Jesus and what the Apostles had to say about Him.  They couldn't understand why.  The people were interested in the Truth , and it was this Truth  that attracted the crowds. Even though the Apostles were thrown into jail, they did not lose hope and give up preaching.  In fact, an angel led them through the locked doors and encouraged them to go back to the temple area and preach!  "Go and take your place in the temple area, and tell the people everything about this life" (Acts 5:20).  Just as the tomb was empty,...

We make many decisions on a daily basis - what to drink, what to eat, what clothes to wear, how to respond to questions and situations, etc.  So, there are those everyday decisions about certain instances of our lives, i.e. what to do at this moment, and there are those decisions that we must make that dictate how we live our lives.  We must choose a side. Do we choose to be on the side of good or on the side of evil?  Do we choose to stand with God or with the devil.  Do we choose to turn a blind eye or do we stand up for justice?  Do we choose sin or do we relish in love and communion?  Do we choose life or do we choose death?  We can not be in between on these matters.  As Christians we know we belong to God and to His love, but do we choose to do so? It is essential that we know what we choose because that will dictate how we will live our lives.  If we choose the side of good and life, then our actions will be directed towards that....