Author: Miguel J. Javier

Desire for Heaven

Most of the time my problem is not knowing what I need to do, it’s having the desire to do it. The problem is not anyone or anything, not even my circumstances; it’s my heart. I do desire to be in Heaven but am I living in a way that truly shows that?

It’s definitely important to always keep the end in mind because it puts perspective on the now and provides wisdom to live a virtuous life, but I find that I lose focus more often than not. I know that I’m losing focus when I start settling for worldly things and reject inconvenience for the sake of others, and when I settle for being comfortable. If I desire Heaven, then my path should not be one of convenience and comfortability.

If I desire Heaven, then I must keep my eyes on Jesus Christ because He is the only Way to get there. I must keep my eyes on the prize which is the upward calling in Him. More than just seeking, the feet of my heart need to move forward. I must follow Him. However, to follow Christ is to deny myself and take up my cross daily. This is no easy task. The path to Heaven is the path of Calvary.

In Heaven, God is the only desire. He is all in all. I cannot desire anyone or anything else. If I do, then I need to be purified. That is why there is purgatory, to purify us completely to be fit for the perfection of the New Jerusalem. But before purgatory, we have the opportunity here on Earth to unite our suffering to Him and rely on His graces found in the Sacraments. I should not ignore this tremendous gift!

As Christians, we embrace suffering because it purifies our desires. We praise God for suffering because it unites us closer to Him (if we choose). If I do not have the desire to embrace my cross, then I do not have the desire for Heaven.

“Whenever anything disagreeable or displeasing happens to you, remember Christ crucified and be silent.” –St. John of the Cross

My Jesus, fill me with Your joy as I hope in You. Amen.

Beauty Attracts

“Since love grows within you, so beauty grows. For love is the beauty of the soul.” —St. Augustine

Beauty attracts. If I’m living in a way that repels people or if people do not feel comfortable when I’m around, then I really need to take a look at myself and ask “am I truly letting love grow within me?” Do I truly see the other person’s “I”? Do I really consider the other person before and above myself? Am I really “third”?

Sometimes I can fool myself to believing I’m loving the way I should. Sure, I’m praying, going to Mass, and studying the faith, but do I truly love God in others through the way that I speak to them, serve them, consider them, and deny myself for them? Or do I hold back? Do I doubt that the Lord can really change my heart of stone into flesh?

Heavenly Father, help me to love! Help me to get out of myself and stop being so selfish and egotistical. Help me to lose my life for Your sake. Please, O LORD, take my heart of stone, and turn it into flesh. Amen.

True Intelligence

True intelligence is seeking and knowing God’s will, and following it. It is humbly loving as Jesus loves, in our heart, thoughts, words, and actions. Everything else and all other gainz and pursuits are worth nothing. We gain nothing if not for the sake of God’s eternal love.

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful; it is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends; as for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For our knowledge is imperfect and our prophecy is imperfect; but when the perfect comes, the imperfect will pass away. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall understand fully, even as I have been fully understood. So faith, hope, love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

–1 Corinthians 13

Always Finding Treasure

When I first experienced deep personal conversion in my faith, it was a time of great excitement. It really felt like I found treasure and I just wanted everyone to know about it. I read so many books and wrote so many poems and blogs because it was too beautiful not to share. I also slowly stopped listening to secular music and listened to more Christian songs. I realized that all things were made by God and for God including music. I wanted to listen to music that would lift my heart and mind to God and found that only Christian songs did that. I started to appreciate Mass songs more as well. Mass songs are actually the most beautiful. During this conversion, I lost many friends but gained brothers and sisters in Christ. The Lord has truly pruned me and continues to do so (despite my stubbornness).

I need to explore more. I need to empty myself more and pray to God that I may always keep what is true, good, and beautiful in my heart. I want to always be like a child that found the greatest treasure in the world and spend the rest of my life finding and sharing that treasure.

Heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, may I never lose enthusiasm and zeal for the faith …for You. Humble me, Lord, and teach me how to pray. Teach me how to love. May everything I learn and experience bring me closer to You. Help me to love you above all things and to follow Your example of love. Forgive me for all my sins, that I may always have Your peace and presence in my heart. May You be glorified always. Amen.

True Identity

My life didn’t start bearing much fruit until I started to realize who I am in Jesus. I continue to discover who I am through the Lord and it’s giving me more purpose and determination to strive to be the person—the man—God is calling me to be. When I was younger and caught up with the media and society, I didn’t have any real purpose. My identity hinged on what others thought of me, what the mannequins wore, what the pop artists said, and what all the brands of the world was telling me to be. My treasure was the world.

Everything changed when I realized that I am a pilgrim in the world and that my true home—my destination—is Heaven. With this, I have discovered my identity as a son of God. It’s amazing the fruitfulness that comes from knowing our true identity. We start to live authentic lives full of integrity and free from dichotomy. What an awesome journey this is and privilege we have to be sons and daughters of God, with Jesus as our brother.

I pray that I may never forget who I am. Help me, O Lord, to always remember You. Amen.

What Should I Do?

There are times in my life when I feel lost and I really don’t know what to do. As a FTPW my future is very uncertain because I’m going on the anointing of the Lord. I will stop only when He says stop but to be honest I am anxious sometimes at the thought I have no idea what’s going to happen. I guess the Lord is calling me to pray for more faith.

I have realized that the Lord makes it perfectly clear what I need to do and the internal battle is not knowing what it is but accepting it. As a disciple of Jesus, I am called most of the time to deny myself and take up my cross if I want to follow Him. I struggle with the decision because dying to self is always the harder thing to do, though it is what I ought to do.

God has given me free will, though He makes it perfectly clear how He’d like for me to use it.

“For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love be servants of one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ ” —Galatians 5:13–14

In making decisions as Christians, we must ask ourselves: will I, through love, be a servant of another? If I were the other person, how would I like to be treated and shown love?

The answer will always be a call to die to self, thus it will most likely lead to inconveniencing ourselves. This is what it means to be a true disciple. This is what it means to love.

“I have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love.” –Bl. Teresa of Calcutta

Stay

Your voice speaks to me
Your words, eternal life
My heart, empty and free
You fill me with Your light

In the stillness You are near
Absent noisy sounds
Your whisper, ever clear
Your grace in me abounds

Lead me, Lord, in the Truth
Guide me through the narrow way
Consume me, Jesus, in all of You
Holy Spirit, stay