Have you ever felt as though you needed to rush in praying because you still had many important things to do?

I sometimes feel that during my morning prayers. Many times, so many thoughts can’t help but come to mind. Thoughts about the projects I can begin. Thoughts about the tasks that need my attention. Thoughts about the many ideas I can explore.

And to think that I only needed to pray for about 15 minutes in addition to reading the relevant Bible verses for the day.

That’s so short a time to feel the need to think about other things, but I have to struggle sometimes so that I can regain my focus on God.

When I come to think about it, it’s somewhat similar to our encounters with the people that we love. It can be to a child who needs our attention about something. Or it can be to a mother who just wants to ask about how we’re doing. It can be towards a friend who called, seeking some support from us.

While we know how important these people are, there are times when we may feel the urge to shorten our encounter with them. In our minds, we may think that we MUST finish something first. And then we can go about talking with our loved ones and spending time with them. IF ONLY we could accomplish the important things we had in mind, we could then devote ourselves to actually being with the people we love.

Theoretically, that could work. In reality, however, it seldom does.

What often happens is that WORK NEVER ENDS. After we finish something, there is always another task that needs our attention. There is always a new project that can make us busy. And there is always a schedule we must fulfill.

Meanwhile, we fail to spend as much time as we wanted with our children. And we never get to give our parents that little time they needed so they could connect with us again. That friend? We may keep on delaying that call until we forget it altogether.

What we must realize today is that time passes by so swiftly. Before we know it, another year has already passed. After that, ten years could pass by without our knowing.

There is always something to do. It is up to us to prioritize what matters most.

I’m not saying we should act irresponsibly.

What I’m saying is that the day we’re counting on may never even come. All we may have is this day or this moment.

If this were your very last, how would you spend it? What would truly matter in the end?

Love shouldn’t come only after we’ve finished everything else.

“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.” - Luke 10:41–42 (NABRE)

PRAYER

Lord, help me to fix my gaze upon you when I pray. Clear my mind from useless worries and fears. Instead of worrying, let me entrust everything to you.

Help me also to spend my time wisely. Guide me at work but let me not forget the more important things.

May I love as you have loved. Let me begin by being fully present to You and to the people around me. Teach me how important that presence is when it comes to love.

Grant me patience when my schedule is interrupted, wisdom to do what I must and humility to accept that I cannot do everything.

To you I surrender my time and entrust everything. Amen.

“Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain wisdom of heart.” - Psalm 90:12 (NABRE)

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Jocelyn is the author of the Catholic Devotional “366 Days of Compassion.”

Whether early in the morning or late in the evening, or any hour in between, one can read in this Catholic devotional a simple quote like a breath of fresh air in one's busy day. One can silently say a prayer and meditate upon the beauty of Him whose face is happiness itself. One can take a peek at a poem and find in it something like a mirror reflecting the cries of the heart both in sorrow and in deep joy.

Where is God? God is with us, but we often do not know where to look and so we do not see. God is there, pursuing us, waiting for us to take the time to call on Him in our helplessness, in the routine of our daily lives. He is the one who will fill our lives with meaning and our hearts with hope. In Him we find the home we've been searching for, we find a Father who will protect us and provide for our needs. We find a Friend who loves us as we are, who sees the beauty in our souls, who will never leave us even in our worst day.

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Have you ever wondered how we could never seem to be happy? Have you ever wondered why two people who used to love each other could eventually end up bitter and hurting each other the most?

Why Is Love Often So Painful?

Because there are currently so many things that block it. Ignorance, selfishness, fear — such are the things that bring bitterness to something that could have otherwise been so sweet, beautiful and full of happiness.

It is our imperfections that keep us from loving each other without difficulty. It is our imperfections that turn our love into hatred, and that ruins every good thing we wanted to possess.

We are embittered because we cannot fully understand another person’s feelings and thoughts. We do not possess this wisdom. We do not know why they’re doing something that hurts us.

In the same way, our actions have also been misinterpreted many times. People do not know how much we really cared for them. We do something good and even sacrifice a lot for it, only to be rejected and turned away.

God’s Perfection Is Different

God on the other hand is perfect, and with it comes perfect wisdom. He knows us. He knows every detail of our lives, every tear we’ve ever shed, every dream we ever dared to dream. And that is why He is able to understand us. And because He is able to, He can forgive us and love us without end.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could have wisdom like that? Wouldn’t it be great to be able to love like that?

How Can We Love Without Being Perfect?

But how could we ever love perfectly if we can’t be perfect? Unlike God, we possess very limited knowledge and wisdom. We are weak. We run out of strength and of resources. We are insecure and afraid. We worry a lot. We doubt, we fret, we get jealous, we lose hope. We hurt so easily that we put up a million defenses against one another, even against those we love.

The Key of Faith

We may not attain the perfection of God, but a way has been opened for us in order to have access to His perfection, and that is the way of FAITH.

“Faith is the key by which an imperfect man is granted access to the One Perfect God.”

Hence, even if we cannot have perfect wisdom, we can have access to His wisdom. Even if we could not have perfect courage, we can overcome many things, by faith.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.” — John 3:16 (NABRE)

With faith in Jesus, we learn to forgive and give mercy to others because we know that we ourselves are imperfect.

With faith in Jesus, we draw the courage we need in order to love because we believe that God will always be there for us, ready to catch us if we fall, ready to defend us from all evil, even as we walk through the valley of the shadow of death!

With faith in Jesus, our selfishness and insecurities decrease because we believe that God can and will provide for our needs.

With faith in Jesus, our ignorance is healed, because we know that we can always pray for Wisdom to guide us in everything we do.

With faith, we don’t easily give up even if things don’t seem to work out according to our plans. We know that God can make a way even when there seems to be none.

With faith, our lives become meaningful because we believe in God’s wonderful purposes for us.

With faith, we become secure in love because we know Somebody has loved us so much that He suffered and died for our sake so that we may have joy, so that we may be saved… by faith!

A Beauty That Never Fades

I have seen so much beauty in this life.

I have felt overflowing love.

I have been happy, I’ve been filled with so much joy.

But O, I have also seen so much hatred and violence and apathy.

I’ve felt so much sorrow that almost drained my eyes of tears.

I have seen how something so beautiful

could suddenly be corrupted, twisted, decayed and left to waste.

I have seen how something so wonderful

could suddenly end,

and how something so precious

could suddenly be taken away from you,

tearing both your heart and your soul.

What is this life worth then?

What does it all mean?

Why must darkness spoil the light?

Why must love be filled with pain?

Is there a way to restore everything back to wholeness?

Is there some chance that good might not end in evil things?

Only God holds the key.

From everlasting to everlasting

the One who changes not,

whose Light never dims,

and whose Beauty never fades,

He alone can save

and keep what’s good and beautiful and true.

Left to ourselves, we grow weak.

We turn love to hatred,

we hold something beautiful

and it soon withers away and dies.

With God however, all things are kept,

cleansed and made whole.

Sorrow turns to joy.

Suffering turns to strength.

We approach in ignorance

and we leave with wisdom.

We approach in fear,

and we leave with courage.

We live forever in LOVE!

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Lent is a time for reflection and change of heart.

As we strive to grow deeper in faith, reflecting on the mysteries of the Holy Rosary could help us know more about the depths of God’s Love for all of us.

Following are some of my personal reflections on the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary:

First Sorrowful Mystery

The Agony in the Garden

When was the last time you felt such a deep sorrow you felt your heart would almost break into pieces? When was the last time you felt you could hardly contain your tears?

What makes our sadness even worse is the feeling that we are alone. Just like Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, you may have asked some people to watch with you, to just stay where you are. But maybe none of them came, none were able to bear the deepest griefs welling up from within your heart.

As we meditate upon the suffering of Jesus in the Garden, let us remember that He understands where we’re coming from.

He knows what it’s like to feel real pain. He knows what it’s like to be left alone by the people you have counted upon most.

Would you decide to stay with Jesus even for a while? Could you spend a moment today in prayer, joining your heart to the One who knows your pain?

Second Sorrowful Mystery

The Scourging at the Pillar

Few of us today could relate to the pain of being physically scourged. But we can all try to imagine just how painful it must have been for Jesus. Tied to a pillar, He was scourged mercilessly and repeatedly. We have no idea how many wounds He had as His flesh suffered from being whipped. We have no idea how much blood He lost even before carrying His cross.

Emotionally and psychologically, have we not felt being scourged also by other people around us?

Maybe there were times when we received negative comments and our reputation is damaged, all the while suffering without having anyone to help us. Maybe we were blamed for something we never did. Maybe we were punished for crimes we did not commit.

As we meditate on this mystery today, may we remember that no matter how weak we may feel, we can still overcome our struggles with God’s help.

Third Sorrowful Mystery

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The Crowning with Thorns

To be crowned with thorns is not only to feel the physical pain of thorns piercing one’s head. It is to suffer humiliation. It is to be mocked and belittled by those who do not even know who you are or what you’re going through.

Haven’t we felt like that many times in life? As Christians, how many times have you felt that you have already been judged even before you say a single word? How many times have you been considered an outcast by those who are in power?

People like to feel that they are in control, that they have power over others. To do that, they may try to put others down and hurt anyone whoever gets in their way.

In God’s eyes, however, it is not the proud who will be honored. It is the humble man who can please the Lord.

Remember that we are not here to please people. We must do what we think is right and leave all else to God who is merciful and just.

“If all the world hated you, and believed you wicked, while your own conscience approved you, and absolved you from guilt, you would not be without friends.”
– Helen Burns (Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë )

Fourth Sorrowful Mystery

The Carrying of the Cross

How many times have you felt like the weight of your cross is too heavy for you to bear? How many times have you fallen and felt as though you could never get up again?

It’s not easy to carry our cross. Many times, we feel tired. Sometimes, we don’t even know how long we can still go on.

We see others succeed as though they don’t have any burden to bear. People praise them and look up to them. And no one seems to care about the crosses we bear. Worse, we often feel that we are being unjustly punished in life. That we don’t deserve our many troubles.

As we meditate upon this mystery today, let us remember how Jesus carried His cross. Of all people, Jesus never deserved to be punished. For what evil has He done? All He did was help people. He fed the hungry, He gave sight to the blind, He cured the sick, He even made the dead to rise again.

But He willingly took up His cross for our sake, for the sake of Love.

Friends, however heavy your cross may be right now, know that you are never alone. God carries your cross with you. He carried our burdens long before we were even born because He knew what we could never carry on our own.

Don’t give up no matter how many times you fall. Remember how Jesus also fell three times, but He rose again and again to give us hope, and to pave the way for our salvation.

Fifth Sorrowful Mystery

The Crucifixion

Have you ever felt that things were so bad you could never see how they could still turn out right in the end? Have you ever felt that you’ve already given your everything but even that was never enough to accomplish what you wanted to do?

How could the end be so sad when you thought you were just doing the right thing? How could God be silent to your prayers?

Friends, let us remember Jesus when He died on the cross. Who could believe then that things could still turn out fine?

But through His death, Jesus obtained for us our salvation. Through His crucifixion, death has been overcome!

And yet even before this final triumph, Jesus gave everything and surrendered Himself entirely to the Father. He loved to the full and He loved us to the very end.

“Christianity, unlike any other religion in the world, begins with catastrophe and defeat. Sunshine religions and psychological inspirations collapse in calamity and wither in adversity. But the Life of the Founder of Christianity, having begun with the Cross, ends with the empty tomb and victory.” ― Fulton J. Sheen, Life of Christ

“For the little I have understood during these years, I can tell you only that Love is the center of our life. Because we are born from an act of love, we live in order to love and in order to be loved, and we die in order to know the true love of God. The goal of our life is to love and to be always ready to learn how to love others as only God is able to teach you. Love consumes you, but it is beautiful to die consumed precisely as a candle that goes out only after it reaches its goal. Whatever you do will have sense only if you see it in terms of eternal life.” – Chiara Corbella Petrillo, A Witness to Joy

“It’s like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger they were. And sometimes you didn’t want to know the end… because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end, it’s only a passing thing… this shadow. Even darkness must pass.” – J.R.R. Tolkien, The Two Towers

“If you say the Rosary faithfully until death, I do assure you that, in spite of the gravity of your sins ‘you shall receive a never-fading crown of glory.’ Even if you are on the brink of damnation, even if you have one foot in hell, even if you have sold your soul to the devil as sorcerers do who practise black magic, and even if you are a heretic as obstinate as a devil, sooner or later you will be converted and will amend your life and will save your soul, if-- and mark well what I say-- if you say the Holy Rosary devoutly every day until death for the purpose of knowing the truth and obtaining contrition and pardon for your sins.” - St. Louis Marie de Montfort

Pray the Rosary…

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In the parable about the rich man and Lazarus, there is a very interesting conclusion I was in doubt before.

For those who are not familiar with the story, the rich man and a poor beggar called Lazarus both died but while Lazarus was comforted by Abraham, the rich man suffered the fires of hell. The rich man later asked Abraham to send Lazarus back to the rich man’s brothers to testify about the afterlife.

Here is the interesting conclusion I was talking about:

“He said, ‘Then I beg you, father, send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they too come to this place of torment.’ But Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.’ He said, ‘Oh no, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ Then Abraham said, ‘If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.’”
- Luke 16:27–31 (NABRE)

When I was younger, I wondered a little about that conclusion. In my mind, I asked: “Why would anyone not believe the testimony of someone who has risen from the dead?”

In recent times, however, I understood little by little what Jesus meant.

Here’s what other people might say:

“He didn’t really die. Maybe it was a wrong diagnosis.”

“He fooled people into dying. He bribed the doctors that pronounced him dead.”

“Maybe he has a twin. He couldn’t be the one!”

“It’s just a hologram we’re seeing. It’s not real.”

“Someone gave us a hallucinating drug to give us this illusion.”

“Given certain conditions, maybe there is some scientific explanation why some people who died can come back to life (even after 3 days of being dead). But that doesn’t mean we should believe in the afterlife.”

“Everything he saw could just be a dream.”

“Perhaps a virus made his body move like a zombie.

I tell you, there would be no end to the excuses some people would make to deny the truth about someone rising from the dead.

During the time of Jesus, He raised a dead man (also named Lazarus) back to life. For this reason, many people believed. But even with this event, others remained in unbelief.

“If I had not done works among them that no one else ever did, they would not have sin; but as it is, they have seen and hated both me and my Father. But in order that the word written in their law might be fulfilled, ‘They hated me without cause.’”
 — John 15:24–25 (NABRE)

Today, while we may not see anyone rising from the dead, we have the historical record of Someone whose resurrection paved the way for Christianity, the largest religion in the world. Jesus had to die such a public and excruciating death so that there would be no doubt that He died.

In the book “The Case for Christ”, we can read more discussion about how Jesus couldn’t have lived after suffering from all His wounds and torments. He was not only scourged, but crucified and pierced with a lance right through His heart.

The book also mentioned the evidence we now have on the authenticity of the Gospels as compared with historical documents, not to mention how the apostles gave their testimony even to the point of their death.

But all of these proofs amount to nothing for a person who does not want to believe.

His eyes are closed, His heart is calloused, His mind is set on believing something else. For this person, any big proof would be an insignificant idea that merely passes his ears. He would rather believe some small theory somewhere else if that would support something he wants to believe in.

Yes, I am now convinced. Even if a man like Jesus comes today, dies such a horrific death, and rises back to life after three days, many people would still linger in unbelief. They wouldn’t see the truth because they refuse to see it. They cannot be convinced not because of the absence of proof but because of the stubbornness of their hearts.

“So I declare and testify in the Lord that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds; darkened in understanding, alienated from the life of God because of their ignorance, because of their hardness of heart, they have become callous and have handed themselves over to licentiousness for the practice of every kind of impurity to excess.” — Ephesians 4:17–19 (NABRE)

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Jocelyn Soriano is the author of the book “To Love an Invisible God”.

Is it really possible to love a God we cannot even see? Can we really love Him as we love another Person? A Person who can listen to us and respond to us? A Person who can know us far more intimately than any human being ever can.

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I sometimes hear people who have been called to religious life or to certain ministries like evangelization about the demands of their calling.

This calling sometimes requires more time to be devoted to the mission, as in the case of lay preachers who must balance their time between family and their spiritual work.

In the case of priests and nuns, this requires absolute focus on their Godly mission and they must leave behind the thought of marriage and having a family of their own.

God sometimes calls us towards unexpected lifestyles, and to follow Him, we must forgo the normal life.

When we talk about normal life, however, what do we mean exactly?

Because many times, each of us has a different picture in our minds when it comes to what normal means. And because many times, we can get the idea that the normal life is the easy life.

What is the normal life?

In the case of saints who lived on fasting and great sacrifices, the normal life could mean that kind of life when we are not required to practice our faith in such measures.

For religious people like priests and nuns, the normal life can mean the life that we, the laity have. It is a life without their religious vows, a life where we can have families of our own. It is a life where we are called to serve in the world and where we can make a living through our different occupations. Hence, some of us can be writers while others can be entrepreneurs, teachers, accountants, doctors, scientists, craftsmen and other experts in their field.

That seems to be where the majority of people belong and considered to be normal.

Hence, from that perspective, the normal life is a life with family and/or that devoted to a particular work in the world.

But is the normal life the easy life?

Let’s try to envision what each of us may have gone through and perhaps we’d see that there were many difficult days that led us to where we are today.

It isn’t easy trying to find your life partner. No one ever says it’s easy when your heart gets broken or when you feel you could never love again.

It isn’t easy trying to start a family. When you don’t know how you can raise a family considering your limited income, how do you even start?

It isn’t easy to find a job. After late nights studying and even passing examinations to be certified, it isn’t easy being rejected for your job applications while keeping your hopes up for the next job interview.

It isn’t easy fitting in. Whether in school where you were bullied or in the office where your efforts remained unrecognized for years, no one could ever say it was easy.

It isn’t easy when your loved one gets sick and you don’t have the money for their hospitalization.

It isn’t easy when you are fired and you don’t know how to start again.

It isn’t easy when your loved one dies and all you can do is grieve in silence, trying to be brave for those who are still counting upon you.

We all have to take up our crosses each day and ask for God’s grace to sustain us in our journey here below.

None of us is exempt from problems. None is exempt from pain.

And that includes the normal life.

Thinking about it now, I guess that’s what normal means.

It is a life where you must take up the challenges coming your way each day. It is a life that includes joy but also includes sorrow. It is a life that can be wonderful at one moment and then painful the next.

This normal life is the life that God saw us all living and He knew He had to come to us so we may not crumble along the way.

Jesus lived this normal life where He had to eat and rest just like the rest of us. In this normal life, He enjoyed the company of family and friends. He had the pleasure of loving and helping people.

But in this normal life as well, He experienced betrayal and abandonment. He suffered pain and anguish on the cross.

Let us not be afraid because Jesus walks with us in this normal life.

Wherever you may be right now, know that God sees you and He loves you so much! He knows what you are going through.

It is normal to cry, but He is there to wipe your tears away. It is normal to fall, but Jesus will help you to rise again!

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See Jocelyn’s books on Gumroad or Amazon:

God isn’t with you only on days when you are productive.

He is also with you when you feel tired and uninspired and all you could do is rest.

God isn’t with you only on days when you feel happy.

He is also with you when your heart cries out to heaven and you feel as though you’d break apart.

God isn’t with you only on days when you feel so strong in your faith.

He is also with you in your doubts and in your weaknesses.

God isn’t with you only when you feel grateful because you are showered with blessings.

He is also with you in poverty, in hunger and in want.

God isn’t with you only when you are healthy.

He is also with you when you are sick and all you could do is stay in bed all day, enduring your pain.

God isn’t with you only when you are loved by those around you.

He is with you even in times when you feel unwanted, dejected and unloved.

God is with you in good days and in bad days. He is with you through all those years you may not have even known that there is a God.

God is with you still and will always be with you. Even when the rest of the world walks away. Even when you feel judged and misunderstood by everyone else.

God will remain.

He loves you more than anyone else ever could.

Will you also be there when He calls your name?

“Indeed, only with difficulty does one die for a just person, though perhaps for a good person one might even find courage to die. But God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.” - Romans 5:7-8 (NABRE)

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Below is a song I wrote about remembering God’s great love and mercy for us as we look at the cross. You may want to listen to it as part of your reflection this Lent:

When I was younger, I thought it would be easy to be a good person. Things seem to be simpler then. It wasn’t so hard to follow God’s commandments.

As I got older, I understood God’s laws more. I saw more of my sins and I came to see my weaknesses.

I realized how idealistic I had been and how I overestimated my strength. I was like St. Peter who proudly proclaimed to Jesus that he would die for Him. When the time of crisis came, however, he denied Jesus three times.

I can no longer count how many times I failed. And in a way, God must have allowed me to fall so that I may learn some lessons in humility.

Now, I have a greater awareness of my tendencies and how much I need God in every moment.

I knew how I could easily be affected by the physical conditions of my body. I knew how my temper could make me say words that hurt others.

Eventually, however, there.came this undue fear that became like the other extreme of being too confident of myself.

It came to a point when I worried about the situations I may face in life and I feared disappointing God again.

Could I carry the cross I had to bear? What if I turn away from Jesus after everything He has done for me?

God must have known my struggle so He helped me learn more about His kindness, wisdom and compassion.

Eventually, I learned that He woudn’t give me burdens too hard for me to bear.

Why should I be worried when God knows me even more than I know myself?

Why should I live in fear when I can live trusting in His mercy and love?

I have a God who has etched my name upon His hands, a God who was crucified for my sake so I can be saved.

If there is anyone I can trust, that would be Jesus. And Jesus always tells us the truth.

How could I not believe Him when His hands still bear the scars of His love for me?

God loves me and in Him, I can fully trust and rest.

“The everlasting God has in His wisdom foreseen from eternity the cross that He now presents to you as a gift from His inmost heart. This cross He now sends you He has considered with His all-knowing eyes, understood with His divine mind, tested with His wise justice, warmed with loving arms and weighed with His own hands to see that it be not one inch too large and not one ounce too heavy for you. He has blessed it with His holy Name, anointed it with His consolation, taken one last glance at you and your courage, and then sent it to you from heaven, a special greeting from God to you, an alms of the all-merciful love of God.”
― St. Francis de Sales

“No testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it.” - 1 Corinthians 10:13 (NRSVCE)

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Have you ever wondered about how so much evil could happen in the world? How could people plan terrible things and harm those around them?

Even in our personal lives, we may sometimes ask how some people could deliberately try to hurt us. What wrong have we done to deserve such ill will?

Indeed, we live in a world that wounds us. We live in a life that can hurt us and break our hearts.

And yet with God, we need not be afraid. He knows what we're going through. He is aware of the intentions and actions of the people around us. He will not let us suffer anything without having a better plan for our good.

Other people may plan evil things against us, but God can turn even such things around to bless us. From Him comes a far greater good for those who continue to believe in His power, wisdom and goodness.

And what a comfort we have in knowing how wise, powerful and loving our Savior is! Our fate is in His strong and loving hands.

“The Lord is my light and my salvation;
whom should I fear?
The Lord is my life’s refuge;
of whom should I be afraid?
When evildoers come at me
to devour my flesh,
These my enemies and foes
themselves stumble and fall.
Though an army encamp against me,
my heart does not fear;
Though war be waged against me,
even then do I trust.
One thing I ask of the Lord;
this I seek:
To dwell in the Lord’s house
all the days of my life,
To gaze on the Lord’s beauty,
to visit his temple.
For God will hide me in his shelter
in time of trouble,
He will conceal me in the cover of his tent;
and set me high upon a rock.
Even now my head is held high
above my enemies on every side!
I will offer in his tent
sacrifices with shouts of joy;
I will sing and chant praise to the Lord.”
- Psalm 27 (NABRE)

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“But Joseph replied to them: ‘Do not fear. Can I take the place of God? Even though you meant harm to me, God meant it for good, to achieve this present end, the survival of many people.’” - Genesis 50:19–20 (NABRE)

“Let nothing disturb you.
Let nothing frighten you.
All things pass away.
God never changes.
Patience obtains all things.
They who have God lack nothing.
God alone is enough.”
- St. Teresa of Avila

Fasting is one of the ways by which we can enter into a spirit of repentance and conversion of heart. It helps us to detach ourselves from the pleasures of the flesh so that we can focus on heavenly things. It empties us so we can receive the fullness of blessings God wants to pour upon us.

During Lent, many of us decide to fast not only on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday but on the 40 days of preparation for Easter. Here, we give up some of the things that used to bring us comfort and satisfaction.

Some people give up chocolates and sweets. Others give up meat. Many nowadays fast from the use of social media.

While all of these can be good for our souls, we must be careful so that our fasting does not end up yielding the wrong fruits.

Don’t fast if:

1. It’s going to make you irritable

Some people become cranky when hungry. (I think I’m one of them!) As a result, too much fasting can result in losing one’s temper and ultimately, getting into arguments and fights.

Don’t fast on food so much this Lent if you are just going to be so irritable and impatient. Don’t let those around you suffer because of your temper.

What good would fasting do if it makes you hurt the people around you?

2. It’s going to make you bitter

You may fast from coffee and your favorite drinks, but if this only makes you more bitter than coffee or dark chocolate, think again.

Fasting should raise our minds towards heavenly things. It should help us focus on prayer and peace. If you fast but resent every moment of it as though you are being punished or deprived, this kind of fasting isn’t helping you become a better person.

“Fasting is directed to two things, the deletion of sin, and the raising of the mind to heavenly things.” - St. Thomas Aquinas

3. It’s going to make you proud

There are some people who can be so good at fasting that they can start to feel superior to those who struggle at it.

Fasting isn’t meant to be about who has the strongest will. This isn’t a contest or competition you should win.

It would have been better if you tried your best and failed and then repented in humility rather than if you have succeeded but boasted of your own strength.

“The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself, ‘O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity—greedy, dishonest, adulterous—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week, and I pay tithes on my whole income.’ But the tax collector stood off at a distance and would not even raise his eyes to heaven but beat his breast and prayed, ‘O God, be merciful to me a sinner.’ I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
- Luke 18:11-14 (NABRE)

Here are the more important things to fast from:

1. Fast from selfishness

2. Fast from ungratefulness

3. Fast from pride

And here are the fruits that you must look for in true fasting:

1. Charity that cares for one’s neighbor

2. A spirit of gratefulness for God’s blessings

3. Humility and dependence on the Lord

Let Us Offer Everything to God

Let us entrust everything to our Lord, including our Lenten sacrifices. Let us offer to Him our desire to unite with His suffering, repent from our sins and convert our hearts. May our fasts lead to greater humility, charity and gratitude for all of God’s blessings.

Even when we fail, let us offer to Him our weaknesses. His mercy is greater than all of our sins and shortcomings. Praised be the Lord. Let us give thanks to Him at all times with a grateful heart!

“Jesus’ call to conversion and penance, like that of the prophets before him, does not aim first at outward works, “sackcloth and ashes,” fasting and mortification, but at the conversion of the heart, interior conversion.” (CCC 1430)

“Temper all your works with moderation, that is to say, all your abstinence, your fasting, your vigils, and your prayers, for temperance sustains your body and soul with the proper measure, lest they fail. It reminds an honorable person that he is ashes and shall return to ashes.”- St. Hildegard of Bingen

You may also want to read my article on Patheos:

“Is Failing the Ash Wednesday Fast a Sin?”

Let us thank the Lord for His Love and Mercy!

Love is in our daily mess of living. In our small talks and in our household chores. In our daily meals and in our leisure hours. In our busy mornings and in our late-night chats.

Love is there as we go about our work and our play, as we shop for our groceries, as we teach the kids at home, as we care for our sick folks, and as we talk about our plans for the future.

Love survives our times of crisis and our moments of pain. It remains hopeful in moments of misunderstanding and in times of hurt.

Love is in a million words of kindness and in countless acts of goodwill, sacrifice and sharing. It is not just a word or a promise made in time. It is a way of life that we choose to walk daily as we show up every day with all our triumphs and losses, our laughter and our tears.

Love is in the ordinary, in the steady flow of life which leads us ever closer and stronger than before. We may fail to see it for what it really is, but as we look back, we can recognize that extraordinary thread that has kept us together and that has certainly made life worth living for.

“You can pray while you work. Work doesn’t stop prayer and prayer doesn’t stop work. It requires only that small raising of the mind to him: I love you God, I trust you, I believe in you, I need you now. Small things like that. They are wonderful prayers.” — Mother Teresa

We often dream of great deeds that will make our name known throughout the world. We desire to make a big difference in the lives of others. We want to accomplish heroic tasks to prove our worth, to prove that we have lived meaningful lives.

Many times, however, it is the little things that can make a big difference. It is the simple lives that can truly count. And it is the small deeds done with great love that can change the world.

In truth, we avoid the little things because it is the little things that we fear. We know that it is the small things that are concrete and real in our daily lives. And it is the small sacrifices we make that can truly hurt.

To forego small offenses and forgive a hurting word, to give courtesy and respect where it is rare, to give attention to someone who is speaking, to do a tedious chore no one else wants to do, to wake up early so you can pray, to not brag about your accomplishment, to not spread false reports, to keep silent when there is nothing good to be said. These are small things, but may we have the courage to do them and thereby live heroic lives every day.

“Saints are rarely made in the spotlight and often made in the hidden martyrdom of daily sacrifice.” — Christina Mead

Little Deeds of Love

A glance of kindness
To keep the fire burning;
A touch of patience
To keep the love alive.

A word of courtesy,
A nod of gratitude,
A pat of consolation,
To uplift the mood.

A smile,
A quick embrace,
A kiss,
Never miss one deed.

And you know
That all you need
Are these little things
To keep the love alive.

“I can say that my life is a continuous prayer, for everything I do I do it out of love for my Jesus” — St. Teresa of the Andes, (Letter 52)

Have you ever wondered about the difference between being happy and blessed? When do we say that we are happy? And when do we say that we are blessed?

We hear it almost everyday. Many people say that they are blessed whenever they are grateful for the good things they have in life. On the other hand, many people say that they are happy when all is going well in their lives.

When we come to think of it, there seems to be a very fine line between the two. Even the beatitudes in the Bible have used both words in different translations:

In the New American Bible (NABRE), here is what Matthew 5:3-10 says:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit,

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are they who mourn,

for they will be comforted.

Blessed are the meek,

for they will inherit the land.

Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,

for they will be satisfied.

Blessed are the merciful,

for they will be shown mercy.

Blessed are the clean of heart,

for they will see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers,

for they will be called children of God.

Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

- Matthew 5:3-10 (NABRE)

When we look at the Good News Translation, here are the verses that follow:

“Happy are you when people insult you and persecute you and tell all kinds of evil lies against you because you are my followers. Be happy and glad, for a great reward is kept for you in heaven. This is how the prophets who lived before you were persecuted.” - Matthew 5:11-12 (GNT)

What these seem to say is that when you are blessed, you are also happy. And when you are happy, it is because you are blessed!

When we understand it correctly, this is true.

Isn’t it natural to feel happy when one is blessed?

Perhaps the exception to this is when we are blessed, but we fail to recognize our blessings. When we fail to see God’s many gifts, we may feel sad or even abandoned.

Those who are truly blessed, therefore, and also truly happy are those who have learned to be grateful to God and to praise Him in everything.

The kind of happiness that the world knows depends upon our changing circumstances. Thus, we can be happy today for the good weather and then feel suddenly sad the moment the rain starts to pour. We can be happy when we’re recognized at work and then feel dejected when someone else gets the credit. We can be happy when we have all the food we want, but we doubt our faith when we experience financial difficulties.

On the other hand, the beatitudes taught by Jesus Christ proclaim the kind of happiness that can never be taken away. Here, the happiness one has recognizes the blessings amid the trials. It gives rise to hope despite the challenges that come.

Hence, even the poor and those who mourn can be happy. They are happy not because of poverty or grief, but because they shall be blessed in a different way, in a far deeper way that will truly satisfy them in the end.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains how the beatitudes respond to our innate desire for happiness:

“The Beatitudes respond to the natural desire for happiness. This desire is of divine origin: God has placed it in the human heart in order to draw man to the One who alone can fulfill it:

We all want to live happily; in the whole human race there is no one who does not assent to this proposition, even before it is fully articulated.

How is it, then, that I seek you, Lord? Since in seeking you, my God, I seek a happy life, let me seek you so that my soul may live, for my body draws life from my soul and my soul draws life from you.

God alone satisfies.”

(CCC 1718)

God has blessed us even with temporal and material things that can help lift our hearts towards gratitude. Yet beyond these things, God wants us to see the greater blessings He is showering upon us each day.

In the end, all these blessings draw us towards God, the source of true and everlasting happiness. With Him, we find that kind of happiness that fully satisfies our souls and none could ever take away.

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Christmas is hope. And hope is that Light that is born amid the darkness of the world.

In that little manger, a child was born for us. A child whose innocence is an answer to our many sins, whose frailty is a response to our pride, and whose purity is an emblem of healing for all our guilt.

Christmas comes, a day that brings peace and consolation, a moment in time where those who have lost their way could finally be found.

We all have gone astray, but God Himself has searched for us. We have failed even to ask, but He has opened the way so we can find our way home again.

Wherever you may be this Christmas, may you have the light of hope in your heart. Tough times may come and darkness falls. But with Jesus Christ, we have the kind of hope that no one could ever take away.

“In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with God.
All things came to be through him,
and without him nothing came to be.
What came to be through him was life,
and this life was the light of the human race;
the light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness has not overcome it.
— John 1:1-5, NABRE

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That first Christmas, there was no Santa Claus.

There were no reindeers that could have carried the holy family while looking for shelter deep into the night.

That first Christmas, there was no Christmas tree.

There were no adornments to decorate a poor manger where Christ the child was born.

That first Christmas, there were no Christmas parties playing loud music and serving the finest food.

The earth was filled with holy silence then until the angels announced Christ’s birth to some poor shepherds who had no home.

What if you could go back to that first Christmas?

Would you suffer the cold with those shepherds who watch throughout the night?

Would you bear the tiredness and the hunger as you accompany Mary and Joseph while looking for a place for their newborn Child?

Would you bear the silence and the simplicity of the night so you could focus on the little Jesus and gaze at His innocent smile?

If you could go back to that Christmas, you’d bear the loss of many things you now enjoy during this Holiday season.

You’d find yourself poor and small like a little child. But you’d see that star that guided those three wise men towards Christ’s manger. You’d hear the heavenly choir singing praises for their King.

You’d lose the Christmas you have always known but you will find the true Christmas, that first Christmas that gave us the most precious gift of all.

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“The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
Upon those who lived in a land of gloom
a light has shone…
For a child is born to us, a son is given to us;
upon his shoulder dominion rests.
They name him Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero,
Father-Forever, Prince of Peace.”
-Isaiah 9

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When people speak of LOVE and PEACE,
do they really know what they are talking about?

For what is TRUE LOVE?
and what is TRUE PEACE?

Is love a mere congenial feeling of warmth
for your neighbor?

Is peace attained simply
through the absence of wars?

Is TRUE LOVE keeping silent
when someone you love is being harmed
is harming oneself
or is intending to harm another?

Is TRUE LOVE deaf to the cries of your loved one’s pain?
Is TRUE LOVE blind to one another’s malady?
Does TRUE LOVE turn away from every discomfort?
Or does it endure and remain patient to the end?

When your love encounters differences,
which measure does it use to transcend such differences?
Does it ignore these differences
pretending they’re not there for the sake of peace?

Or does it use a Higher perspective
One that can transform both hearts
and give them new eyes to see
new hearts to LOVE
like they have not loved before?

What kind of LOVE is in your heart?
How long can it endure?
How far can it suffer
and bear the load of another?

How true indeed, how true?
What is LOVE?
and what is PEACE?

Do people realize what these are when they speak?

“Love and truth will meet;
justice and peace will kiss.
Truth will spring from the earth;
justice will look down from heaven.
Yes, the Lord will grant his bounty;
our land will yield its produce.
Justice will march before him,
and make a way for his footsteps.”
- Psalm 85:11-14, NABRE

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Lord, In Your Eyes of Love…

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I believe that there is a hunger in each and every person to be loved.

Our question now is, “Why can’t we often feel that?”. Why can’t we fill that hunger to the full? Why can’t we always feel that we are truly loved?

1. Because we are not showing others who we are

Unless we show our true selves, we can’t achieve true intimacy. Even if we get others to love the masks we wear, we would still feel lonely because we know that we are not being loved for who we are.

This is the reason why many books about making someone fall in love with you or getting your ex back doesn’t work. These books tell only half the story. They cater to what the other person wants to see, not in being loved for who you are.

If you want to be loved as you are, you have to have the courage to reveal who you are and to be loved for that, warts and all, strengths and weaknesses, beauty and flaws.

2. Because we are not allowing ourselves to receive love

There are many among us who would rather give love than receive love.

It is good if we are not starving for love ourselves and if we are overflowing with love from a greater Source, from God.

But if we are merely trying to hide that hunger and if we are afraid to ask for what we need, how could we ever receive love? Sometimes, we also have to give others the chance to care for us. Don’t let pride get in the way of receiving love.

3. Because we are not acknowledging other people’s ways of loving us

We may not feel loved because we are not acknowledging other people’s ways of loving us.

Other people may not always say that they love us, but they may show it by their works, or by their loyalty and devotion.

We may not always receive the most expensive gifts, but our loved ones may already be giving us their very best.

There are different ways of showing love, but only we could decide if we are going to receive the love we are shown.

4. Because we devote more time and attention to those who don’t care for us

Why do we spend so much time with people who don’t really care for us?

We build our world around these people and then feel shattered when we can’t receive from them all that we have expected from the start.

When they tell us they don’t care, we say to ourselves, “nobody really cares”, when we know that isn’t true.

Only a few people didn’t care, and their coldness blinded our eyes from receiving what other people around us can still offer us.

Let us learn to let go of those people who don’t love us and let us give more time to those who truly care.

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“The Lord God will wipe away the tears from all faces… “ –Isaiah 25:8 NABRE

There are times when I undergo a crisis in faith and I wonder whether all I believe in is true. Such times prod me to ask myself, “What is real life anyway?” Is it that kind of life which includes God, the angels, heaven, and a hope of a new and better life after this one?

On the other hand, could real life be what many people often talk about? Is it that one made up of our jobs, of finding a partner in life, of thinking about retirement and of the next entertaining thing to do?

It is so tempting to go back to what many people call ‘real life’. It is so tempting to simplify everything and not think about the things we don’t often see with our eyes. Real life, as often portrayed in the movies, seems so glamorous and exciting and… tangible. It also seems so much easier.

However, when I do try to go back to this seemingly normal and real life, I couldn’t make sense of it for long. After the initial excitement and thrill, and after tasting what delights the senses, I soon see the ‘other things’ that make up this real life.

I soon see hopes shattered and thrown away. I see broken hearts. I see betrayal. I see sickness and old age and death. This is real life, too. That part of real life which many people often choose to forget as though it never existed at all. Forgetting doesn’t make all these things go away, however. It just makes us more afraid and lost later on.

It is then that I am able to reconcile what real life truly is. Real life consists of all these things, of the happy and the sad, of our hopes and of our desperation. Real life consists of both the visible and the invisible things, of those that are here, and those that are yet to come. Real life includes even my faith and of all the things I believe in, even if many people won’t allow them to be a part of their own lives.

As for me, I pray for a stronger faith, because only my faith gives me comfort to accept what real life is, with all its fleeting happiness, it’s greatest joys and it’s deepest darkest griefs. With my faith, I can continue to hope that even when real life includes hurts and diseases and death, all these things are not yet the end. My hope allows me to hold on firmly to my belief that God has a real remedy for all the sufferings that I now see, creating joy out of our sorrow and love out of our greatest fears.

“If God does not exist, then life is futile. If God of the Bible does exist, then life is meaningful. Only the second of these two alternatives enables us to live happily and consistently. Therefore, it seems to me that even if the evidence for these two options were absolutely equal, a rational person ought to choose biblical Christianity. It seems to me positively irrational to prefer death, futility, and destruction to life, meaningfulness, and happiness.” -William Lane Craig, Reasonable Faith

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“The world esteems those wise who arrange their life in such a way as to lack none of the things of this world, and such people seek their last end in the good things of this life in contempt of the Good of God which is promised us in another life; whereas the wisdom of the children of God consists in subordinating all the things of the present life to the possession of God in heaven… The last end of each is absolutely different; and it is the last end which rules all in a life.” - Thomas Pegues (Catechism of the “Summa Theologica” of Saint Thomas Aquinas)

Have you ever wondered how easier it is to live today compared to older times? Modern technology has made many things available to us. Information can be downloaded quickly. Even physical goods can be delivered after placing an order online.

But why is it that despite “having it easy” in so many ways, people are still unhappy?

Perhaps it has something to do with the way we let this kind of thinking affect our inner disposition. The way that we have allowed the “easy lifestyle” to shape our hearts and souls.

When you come to think of it, we live in a world where the usual response to temptation is to give in and the usual response to trial is to give up.

Many among us have so little strength that we couldn’t resist the slightest provocation if it involved our comfort, our self-esteem or our need to pour out our triggered emotions.

Contrary to popular belief, this is not the age of freedom but of enslavement.

This is an age that has made pleasure its god and illusion its master.

It has now become so difficult to explain the truth, not because it cannot be found but because people would rather believe in lies than recognize the uncomfortable truth.

Truth reveals one’s flaws and urges those who find it to correct them. Truth prompts one to move, to grow and to be braver than you think you could be.

And not everyone wants to walk that difficult path.

Not everyone wants to walk in the light.

But have you ever thought about what could happen if we choose the more difficult path?

What could be waiting for us on the other side?

What if instead of always giving in to our inclinations, we learn to resist the things that corrupt our hearts?

What if instead of giving up, we learn to persist until the truth sets us free?

A virtuous life is not an easy life, but it is a life worth living. It is a life that leads us to our better selves instead of distracting us with fleeting pleasures.

To pursue happiness is not bad. But we have become so bad at pursuing it.

To find true happiness, we must first choose to be brave.

Choose to seek the truth. Fight for the right things. Set yourself free.

Only the brave can find true happiness because only the brave can ever have the strength to love.

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We often talk about quality time when we think about our human relationships. In our desire to balance our family life and career, for instance, we try to find ways to spend quality time with the ones we love.

But how does this apply when it comes to our relationship with God? Does God also need quality time from us?

From the very beginning, God set a time for rest when He Himself rested on the seventh day after creation. Later on, He made certain that we would devote time to rest also, as we spend time with Him, without whom our souls could never find rest.

God has revealed to us His desire to spend time with Him, quality time.

By quality time, we mean that whenever we attend mass, we should focus our hearts and minds on Him and not let our minds wander to earthly preoccupations. It is the same with prayer time. Rather than saying the rosary only with our lips, doing it like another routine, we must carefully reflect upon the lives of Jesus and the Blessed Mother.

While God understands that we may not always be able to focus well, we must do our best as we seek to be in the presence of God.

There is also one more thing that we should be aware of. While we must be careful in observing quality time with God, we should not make “quality time” an excuse to avoid the “quantity of time” we must spend with God.

Even in our human relationships, no matter how focused we are during those times that we bond with our family, if we only devote so little time with them in the end, we’d still fail to nurture our relationships.

God also wants us to spend more time with Him. He knows that it is by doing so that we can get to know Him better. And by knowing Him better, we can love Him more.

The Holy Hour we spend in the presence of the Holy Eucharist cannot be condensed into 5 minutes, no matter how focused we say we are in prayer. Five minutes is good, but it cannot compare to one whole hour we devote to God.

When Jesus was in agony before His passion and death, He wanted His closest disciples to stay with Him, to spend some time with Him. They, however, fell asleep. They must have been focused for a while, but they have failed to accompany Him longer.

“Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, ‘Sit here while I go over there and pray.’ He took along Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to feel sorrow and distress. Then he said to them, ‘My soul is sorrowful even to death. Remain here and keep watch with me.’ He advanced a little and fell prostrate in prayer, saying, ‘My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet, not as I will, but as you will.’ When he returned to his disciples he found them asleep. He said to Peter, ‘So you could not keep watch with me for one hour? Watch and pray that you may not undergo the test. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.’” - Matthew 26:36-41 NABRE

Jesus’ desire for His disciples to stay with Him was not only because He wanted consolation but also because He knew their weaknesses. He knew the trial they would face once He was arrested and condemned on the cross.

Jesus said that the spirit is willing, but the spirit is weak. We, too, may be willing to be holy and to accomplish God’s will, but unless we allow God to transform us by spending more time with Him, we will eventually falter.

Didn’t the disciples abandon Him later on? Didn’t Peter himself deny Jesus? No matter how well-intentioned they may have been, they were not strong enough to remain with Him to the very end.

Yes, God wants quality time with us. But let us never neglect the quantity of time we spend in His presence. The more time we spend with Him, the more we open ourselves to grace and the more we can be like Him.

Have you noticed how people who spend more time with each other tend to be more alike? That’s the same with Jesus.

Many times, what we need is not more information for our spiritual journey. What we need is the transformation we experience by abiding in God’s presence.

Let us spend more time with God. Therein is the fountain of grace that is always available for us in our journey here below.

“My little children, your hearts are small, but prayer stretches them and makes them capable of loving God.” - St. John Vianney

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PRAYER

Lord, let me use my time wisely on earth by spending it on things that will lead me to heaven. May I be aware that I have only a limited time to gather eternal fruits and because of this, I must not let fleeting preoccupations distract me from spending time with you.

May I be able to spend more time with you each day, learning from you, seeking your presence, and dwelling in the sweetness of your love.

And may the time I spend with you be devoted fully to you, that I may be strengthened and transformed into your likeness. Amen.

When we talk about a psychopath, we usually think about the worst kind of people that could probably exist. At the back of our minds, we may imagine that they are the ones who can go on committing all kinds of evil and not feel a bit of remorse for doing so. If we could be honest with ourselves, we may have concluded long ago that these are the types of people who could go straight to hell. Do they even have souls?

Although recent studies indicate that there is now a broader view about their condition and not all psychopaths turn into criminals, we can’t help but wonder about their nature. Where do they belong in the grand scheme of things? Did God create any human being to have this kind of potential for evil from the very start?

It is very difficult to imagine a person who cannot empathize with another person’s suffering. They cannot feel in the same way that we do. It is also hard for them to feel guilt for their actions.

Considering these things, is it possible for psychopaths to be saved? Can they still love Jesus?

David Wood, a self-confessed psychopath, claims that it is indeed possible. And he proves it by saying that he himself has become a Christian who loves God!

In a YouTube video discussing his faith, David Wood says that contrary to popular belief, love is not all about having that warm feeling towards another human being. If that were so, then psychopaths would be immediately deemed incapable of fulfilling God’s commandment to love. But if love can be defined as more than a feeling, then even psychopaths like himself can fulfill God’s law of love.

According to David, love is an “orientation of the will”. He also recalls that God’s command to love has always been associated with an action. For instance, when God commanded us to love our enemies, He also said that we must pray for those who persecute us. While a psychopath may find it hard to have warm feelings towards his enemies, he can still fulfill God’s command by praying for his enemies.

David’s views have made me realize how the world today often mistakes love for something else. Today, “feelings” take center stage. What’s important is to feel good and to follow your heart. Religion has often been looked down upon because it seems to have so many rules that keep people from simply following their feelings and staying in their happy place.

Even Christians can also get it wrong sometimes. While loving God may indeed bring along feelings of warmth in our hearts, we sometimes falter when that feeling can no longer be found.

We may ask ourselves where we have gone wrong or whether God has abandoned us when in truth, God is only teaching us to be strong in our faith and to persist in holiness eventhough we are not always showered with spiritual sweetness.

David reminds us that despite the absence of feelings, we can still follow God and we can still distinguish right from wrong. It is in these very moments of emptiness that our faith is tested. Do we follow God even when it is difficult and painful to do so?

Love is indeed more than a feeling. It is a decision to seek what is good and to desire and do what is best for others.

May God help us love more by following His will despite the difficulties we face. Persist in prayer despite the dryness. Wait upon God despite the darkness. Love your neighbor not only with feelings of compassion but with acts of charity.

God is Love. And when God commands us to love, He will never command what is impossible for us to accomplish. He will always give us the power to do His will. In the end, nothing can ever separate us from the love of God. And that holds true even for psychopaths!

“For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
- Romans 8:38-39 NABRE

(You can find more information about psychopaths on “A broader view of psychopathy”.)

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Here is the video of David Wood explaining his faith:

You can also learn more about his conversion in this video:

I was listening to an inspiring Christian song when I had this realization about music.

I suddenly thought about romantic love songs. Can you recall the most recent one that really touched you? If not, can you think of a song in your younger years that you sang over and over because you totally agreed to what it’s saying?

When it comes to romantic love songs, there is one thing I have observed. I noticed that many of the best love songs are the sad and tragic ones! Don’t you think so, too?

I mean, can you name many happy love songs that became a hit?

Although we can see a number of happy songs that moved us, they don’t seem to be as prevalent as the sad ones.

When it comes to Christian music, however, I can remember many happy ones.

It’s not that there are more happy Christian/Catholic songs. But the sad ones do not overshadow the joyous Christian music.

What do you think could be the reason for this?

I will not try to do a research about that in this post. And I can’t say that I know all the reasons why. But here is one thing I have realized: though romantic love is one of the most wonderful things we can ever experience in this life, it can never compare to the infinite love of God!

God has made it so that we can have our share of happiness on earth through our relationships, especially with our romantic partners. But the reality is that there is a limit to our human relationships.

No matter how good people may be, they are not perfect. They make mistakes. They can misinterpret your actions. Or they can hurt you eventually. Even good relationships will one day come to an end because of our limited life on earth.

Only God can fill our deepest longings. Only He can never fail.

We thank Him for all the people that we have in life, but we must never forget that true joy, lasting peace and perfect love can only be found in God.

And that is why every Christian song is joyful! For what is there but joy and peace when we come to Him at last!

“O come, let us sing to the Lord;
let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!
Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!
-Psalm 95:1-2 NRSVCE

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Let me also share with you the latest song I published on my YouTube Channel. This was inspired by a silent prayer and yearning in my heart to always be in the sweet presence of God. May God accept this simple offering in His praise.

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“My new song must float like a feather on the breath of God.” ― St. Hildegard