What Must I Ask

        What will I do if I won the lottery?  I would buy everything I have been dreaming of to have, like the finest of everything.  If I wore the most expensive brands, I think it has to follow that I would need to project a different persona too.  Maybe I would be a bit snobbish, distant, in tune to what I have and I would want to require respect from people, especially those below me.               Wealth is extremely desirable,  especially in quick terms like a lottery, or just be the richest as possible in whatever one is doing.   I think, I would not want to be rich, if it would mean I will have to be a different person and would label people as below me, condescending attitude makes war.  Birds of different kinds all fly in the same sky.  People all live in the same world with differing aspirations.   A life consciously lived in the presence of God is a perfect life, He provides everything, there is no need to ask for more.

1 Kings 3:5,7-12

The Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream at night.  God said, "Ask something of me and I will give it to you."  Solomon answered:

"O Lord my God, You have made me, Your servant, king to succeed my father David, but I am a mere youth, not knowing at all how to act.  I serve You in the midst of the people whom You have chosen, a people so vast that it cannot be numbered or counted.  Give Your servant, therefore, an understanding heart to judge Your people and to distinguish right from wrong.  For who is able to govern this vast of Yours?"

The Lord was pleased that Solomon made this request.  So God said to him: "Because you have asked for this--not for a long life for yourself, nor for riches, nor for the life of your enemies, but for understanding so that you may know what is right--I do as you requested.  I give you a heart so wise and understanding that there has never been anyone like you up to now, and after you there will come no one to equal you." in j

Easter Born

In Japan, picnic under the beautiful cherry blossoms means Spring, when among the sun glistening a golden tint, the prettiest of flowers in bloom, and the greens of nature radiating at its finest, is the sound of  people in celebratory moods.  Coincidentally, in Christian countries, the blissful spirit in spring has a more accurate origin, Easter!

I surmised that people, knowingly and unknowingly sense the rebirth of their own being in Easter.  It is The Lord's Resurrection but the reality is, it is ours, He died for us and for us, He rose again.  In defeating death, He redeemed our salvation, naturally, our souls celebrate.  This is why nature show off its best in spring, it beams as The Lord God is risen, the whole of creation lives again, forever.

Romans 6:Easter3-4, 8-11

Brothers and sisters:

Are you aware that we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?  We were indeed buried with Him through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live in newness of life.

If, then, we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him.  We know that Christ, raised from the dead, dies no more; death no longer has power over Him.  As to His death, He died to sin once and for all; as to His life, He lives with God.  Consequently, you too must think of yourselves as dead to sin and living for God in Christ Jesus.
 

Undeserving

It took me months to write another post.  I write so I may contemplate on the words of God, on writings about Him. God's words are meant for everyone, an extension of His breath that can resuscitate a dying spirit, of listless mind and callous heart.  When I can convey my reflection, I also have shared a coziness not felt by the body, but of the soul.

How little I do, how undeserving of the great love of The Lord Jesus Christ.  He died and rose from death, then He went about showing Himself.  How glorious it must have been to see His Face, the same face once covered in blood, with wounds and blows, of saliva that was spat on Him, a distorted visage from indescribable pain,  now gleaming, smiling, immaculately clean.  Could there be a more beautiful face?  I will die to see.

Beatific Vision is the time when we can see God face to face,  the perfection of happiness.  When God takes back the breath that sustained us in our temporary journey,  there is one question to answer if we could see His face, "where did we let His breath take us in life?".

1 Corinthians 15:1-6  (A reading from the letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians)

I am reminding you, brothers and sister, of the gospel I preached to you, which you indeed received and in which you also stand.  Through it you are also being saved.  If you hold fast to the word I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. 

For I handed on to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures; that He was buried;  that He was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures;  that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.

After that, Christ appeared to more than five hundred brothers at once, most are still living, though some have fallen asleep.  After that He appeared to James, then to all the apostles.

Last of all,  as to one born abnormally, He appeared to me.  For I am the least of the apostles, not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.  But by the grace of God,nI am what I am, and His grace to me has not been ineffective indeed.  I have toiled harder than all of them, not I, however, but the grace of God that is with me.

Therefore, whether it be I or they, so we preach and so you believed.

Sunrise

A country and its people are being erased from history and existence, Palestine, the place Jesus as a man was born.  Their unfathomable suffering and cries are being covered and spun by Jesus' nemesis, Satan.   He has brought forth death, destruction, darkness, and his legion of devils.  They have taken the mind and souls of many people, who do not feel for the Palestinians anymore but rather rejoice from the gain they are taking, money and power, nothing they can cling to when their death arrives.

Palestinians who are being ethnically cleansed, recognize Jesus and instinctively, live the beatitudes as if they are the people Jesus referred to as, "Happy".   God works in mysterious ways, in manner incomprehensible to human minds. In spite of the indescribable misery happening in Palestine, He is there, the Light and Hope that shine.  The rest of the world, unable to do something for them, most strangely, are the ones being helped by the Palestinians.  People are uniting for causes that lean to justice and compassion, awakening.  Sunrise is coming, it will be bright again, all because of the Light that was born and the Beatitudes that are lived, in Palestine.

Matthew 5:3-12

Seeing the crowds, Jesus went up the hill.  There He sat down and was joined by His disciples.  Then he began to speak.  This is what He taught them:

1. How happy are the poor in spirit; theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 
2. Happy the gentle: they shall have the earth for their heritage. 
3. Happy are those who mourn: they shall be comforted.  
4. Happy those who hunger and thirst for what is right: they shall be satisfied.  
5. Happy the merciful: they shall have mercy shown them. 
6. Happy the pure in heart: they shall see God. 
7. Happy the peacemakers: they shall be called children of God.  
8. Happy those who are persecuted in the cause of right, theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  

Happy are you when people abuse and persecute you and speak all kinds of calumny against you on my account.  Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven."

Portal to Life

Many people when empowered with opportunities forget that one day, breath will cease.  Enablers of genocide are gaining wealth and power, feasting on the returns from having sold their souls.  How foolish are the slaves of Satan, they never looked beyond their present world, just busy playing might, living the sensation that they are above the rest, their lives of opulence and privileges have closed their conscience, the portal to life after death.  Those whose lives were destroyed, whose resources were unjustly taken, their souls will live the best of forever, with The Judge Our Father in heaven.  To the elites who sow destruction to people, animals, and nature, wait till you die, your souls will answer for your most offensive transgressions against The Almighty God.

Wisdom 3:1-5

The souls of the just are in the hand of God, and no torment shall touch them.  They seemed, in the view of the foolish, to be dead; and their passing away was thought an affliction and their going forth from us, utter destruction.  But they are in peace.  For if before men, indeed, they be punished, yet is their hope full of immortality, chastised a little, they shall be greatly blessed because God tried them and found them worthy of Himself.

Flow

When praying is so hard, not knowing what to say or not finding the time to pray,  the opportunity for a spiritual cleansing is missed, that bathing of the soul. Our soul, it is us, without the physical body that slowly wears, it is the foremost duty to our very self to keep it cleansed by the Water.  In praying, as thoughts of bad and good, emotions of ups and downs drift, the stream flow to the source. Sometimes, the water overflow and trickle down the eyes, the burden diminished, this world has hope, smile is painless... the prayers have arrived at The Source!

Luke 10:38-42

Jesus entered a village  where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed Him. She had a sister named Mary who sat beside The Lord  at His feet listening to Him speak.  Martha burdened with much serving, came to Him and said., "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving?  Tell her to help me."  The Lord said to her in reply, "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."

When praying is so hard, of not knowing what to say or not finding the time to pray,  the opportunity for a spiritual cleansing is missed, that bathing of the soul. Our soul, it is us, without the physical body that slowly wears, it is the foremost duty to our very self to keep it cleansed by the Water.  In praying, as thoughts of bad and good, emotions of ups and downs drift, the stream flow to the source. Sometimes, the water overflow and trickle down the eyes, the burden diminished, this world has hope, smile is painless... the prayers have arrived at The Source!

 

Hearts Beat

It was still and quiet when I sniffed on a flowery scent, so subtle and inviting my nose followed the fragrance.  My eyes instinctively closed to breathe it, imbibe the whole of it, wishing that it can take a form so I may reach, and touch, and comprehend.  Be one with it. Is it Your presence Lord?  You come in intangible ways, but the heart beats in profound palpitations when I become aware of Your presence.  You have always been right beside me, even when I don't see, even when I lose care, even as I choose to ignore, forgive me,   My faith is weak but Your love for me is so strong that I can live.  No one can care so much for me, but You!

Luke 9:11-17

Jesus made the crowds welcome and talked to them about the kingdom of God; and he cured those who were in need of healing.

It was late afternoon when The Twelve came to Him and said, "Send the people away so that they can go to the villages and farms round about to find lodging and food; for we are in a lonely place here."  He replied, "Give them something to eat yourselves."  But they said, 'We have no more than five loaves and two fishes, unless we are to go ourselves and buy food for all these people."  For there were about five thousand men.  But He said to His disciples, "Get them to sit down in parties of about fifty."  They did so and made them all sit down.  Then He took the five loaves and two fishes, raised His eyes to heaven, and said the blessing over them; then He broke them and handed them to His disciples to distribute among the crowd.  They all ate as much as they wanted, and when the scraps remaining were collected, they filled twelve baskets.