Tag: Joy

In Her Heart

This Lent was the best so far. Well, I don’t mean that other Lents were any less in quality (that would be silly to think), I mean, it was the best for me personally because I have never opened my heart so much before. However, yes, it was my most fruitful experience so far, but I did still fall. I did still break my fast from time to time and of course, I did allow my fallen nature to get the best of me and sinned, more than I hoped not to.

Overall, my lenten journey was a lot more personal. I didn’t really discuss it with others because I tried keeping it intimate with my Lord. I experienced many beautiful things, grown in many ways, and saw God clearer (especially in my struggles). Like Mary, I really made a conscious effort to treasure all these things in my heart.

During Easter Sunday Mass, I was filled with so much joy, so much that I almost came to tears during the readings and especially when we sang “Alleluia!”. It was such a beautiful and intimate experience with my Jesus. I probably would’ve lept all over the place if God did not give me the grace to keep my composure. I expressed my joy by simply saying to others “happy Easter” with a genuine smile.

How beautiful and wonderful it is to treasure joy and every experience with God in our hearts. It is like a wellspring of life overflowing, flourishing with the endless living waters of His graces. His Holy Spirit so alive in us, purifying from the inside out, revitalizing the mind, body, and soul. His treasure in us is His real presence, making our hearts a garden, deepening our roots in Him.

Thank You Lord for all that You are. I praise and magnify You oh God. I pray that all the treasure in my heart may remain, grow, and be added unto, so much that it continues to expand my heart. I cannot truly describe the abundance, but Lord I find comfort in giving You my heart always, for that is where my treasure is also. You are my treasure. Amen.

My Only Love

My Only Love- Matt Maher

The first time I heard this song I was so taken aback by how much the artist, Matt Maher, understood love. Listen to the words. That love, that relationship he sings about, is everything that anyone could ever want. The love that he sings about is true love.

Anyone who knows me that I can show love, but it’s very hard for me to accept love. I get uncomfortable with it. Sometimes I push it away. But I still want to be loved. We all thirst for a lasting, comfortable, filling love. And we all want someone who will be there for us forever. And this song, it knows. Matt Maher sings with the desire of my heart.

If you didn’t know, this song is a love song from God. It’s about how much He loves us. It’s about His undying, never-failing, constant and true love.

And when you hear it, you can’t help but be in awe of His love. His deep commitment to love each and every one of us, as if there were only one of us to love. We may fail each other a million times. And we may fail our God a million times more than that. But He, our good and righteous God, our loving, redeeming, wonderful Saving Grace, He will never fail us. He will never leave us. He will always, always, always, always, love us. Each and every one of us is His one. His only love.

I still want you
Yes, I need you
To have and to hold you,
After all of these years

I will listen to your problems,
Won’t try to fix them,
Just wipe away your tears

And if you need me in the middle of the night my dear
I’ll stay awake ’til morning light, and chase away your fears

So come closer, right here forever, 
Deep in my heart beat.
Together as one
My only love

And if you need me in the middle of the night, my dear
I’ll stay awake ’til morning light, and chase away your fears

So come closer, right here forever, 
Deep in my heartbeat,
Together as one
My only love

This is a happy man

Jesus_crucified

 

I always cry when I see that movie, The Passion of the Christ. To see the amount of suffering our God went through for lowly, undeserving, and ungracious us. It hurts to see someone we love hurt so much.

Sometimes I wonder why I’m still a part of this community – why I still serve to this capacity. It’s tiring work. Many times it’s thankless work. Juggling meetings with people from four different times zones. Mixing all these meetings and assemblies and duties with studying, going to classes, working, spending time with family, friends, significant others. It just seems like too much. You get exasperated.

But then you see that kid who hated YFC before camp become a chapter head. Or that quiet guy you brought to a campus camp becomes a cluster head. Or a girl you met while building houses for the poor goes to the Philippines to become a full time worker for CFC-Youth.

We suffer through our service because of the outcome. We can be the ones who bring others closer to Christ. We can be part of their path that leads them to heaven. We can save souls. But before us, before our suffering, was the One who suffered the most. The One who saved all our souls.

Look at the photo. Our Christ, our Saviour, our Redeemer, our Love, our Strength, our Shepherd and Shield – He looks so pained. He looks so sad. But that isn’t the only thing He felt. His death saved every single person He loves and will ever love. Sheer, unadulterated, lasting, beautiful joy – that is what our Jesus felt when He was crucified on that cross.