I Take Off the Mask

As Christians, we often find ourselves wrestling with a profound tension: How do we live out Christ’s call to selfless love while also caring for our own well-being? Perhaps you’ve felt the ache of this dilemma—wondering if saying “no” to another request makes you selfish, or if sacrificing your time and energy yet again will leave you drained and resentful. Balancing the need for personal boundaries with the Christian call to love as Christ loved can feel like walking a tightrope, but it’s a journey many of us are walk together. The Nature of Christian Love At its heart, Christian love is rooted in the self-giving love of Jesus Christ. St. Paul writes in Philippians 2:3-4: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” This teaches us to prioritize others, to serve without expecting anything in return. However, Christ’s lov...

Have you ever wondered whether you are considered to be among God’s sheep? While Jesus assured us that He searches for the lost sheep, He also warned some people that they are not His sheep. Understanding Jesus’ Words in the Bible From a Catholic perspective, understanding the distinction between the “lost sheep” and those Jesus refers to as “not His sheep” requires careful consideration of the context of Scripture and the Church’s teachings on salvation, free will, and God’s universal call to love and repentance. The Lost Sheep In the parable of the lost sheep (Luke 15:1-7), Jesus illustrates God’s immense love and mercy, showing that He actively seeks out sinners who have strayed. This parable reflects the universal truth that God’s desire is for all to be saved (1 Timothy 2:4). Every sinner is a lost sheep whom God seeks, and no one is beyond His reach when they respond to His grace. Not My Sheep In John 10:26-27, Jesus s...

Discerning God’s will is one of the most profound challenges a believer can face. As Catholics, we are called to live in harmony with God’s plan, aligning our desires, decisions, and actions with His divine will. But how can we know what God wants for us, especially when life presents so many choices and uncertainties? This article offers a Catholic perspective grounded in prayer, Scripture, the sacraments, and the wisdom of the Church. Understanding the Nature of God’s Will Before delving into the practical steps of discernment, it’s essential to understand the nature of God’s will. The Church teaches that God has a perfect plan for each of us, which is rooted in His infinite love and wisdom. This plan, however, is not a rigid blueprint dictating every moment of our lives. Instead, it is a loving invitation to cooperate with His grace and to grow in holiness. God’s will can be understood in two ways: The Universal Will of God : This refers to God’s desire for all people to know, ...

The concept of hell as an eternal reality is a deeply challenging one, both theologically and emotionally. In Catholic teaching, hell is understood as a permanent state of separation from God, and its eternity reflects the gravity of rejecting divine love and grace. This article explores why hell is considered eternal from a Catholic perspective, using insights from Scripture and Church teachings to illuminate this profound doctrine. The Nature of God’s Justice Central to understanding the eternity of hell is the nature of God’s justice. In Catholic theology, God’s justice is perfect and is intimately connected with His infinite goodness. The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains that God respects human freedom even in the context of eternal consequences. As stated in Catechism #1035: “The teaching of the Church affirms the existence of hell and its eternity. Hell’s eternity follows from the divine justice which is itself eternal.” God’s justice ensures that the consequences of hu...

The idea that some people might choose hell over heaven and seeking God’s mercy is a challenging concept, but it’s one that the Catholic faith addresses with profound theological and spiritual insights. At the heart of this discussion is the understanding of human free will, the nature of sin, and the profound gift of divine grace. This article explores why, despite the boundless mercy of God, some may find themselves on a path to hell instead of embracing salvation. The Gift of Free Will The Catholic Church teaches that God has granted humanity the gift of free will. This freedom allows us to choose between good and evil, to follow God’s commandments or reject them. As Pope John Paul II expressed, “Freedom consists not in doing what we like, but in having the right to do what we ought” (Homily, 2002). Scripture underscores the significance of free will in our spiritual journey. In Deuteronomy 30:19 (WEBBE), God says through Moses: “I call heaven and earth to wit...

 In this life we’re living in, it’s so easy to forget and so difficult to keep watch and to stay awake So many things distract us and bombard us with temptations and lies we sooner or later accept as truth and allow to dominate even our subconcious minds Passions, tastes, excitement, hobbies, competition, entertainment, things that entrance us making us believe they’re the only thing there is To such a life even sorrow is a gift if it could awaken us if it could help us realize these are not the end of all our hopes Declare then this paradox and see that none can ever have complete happiness in the present life For to follow the way of comfort all the way, one must succumb to forgetfulness and thus suffer later in one’s path On the other hand, to follow the way of wakefulness one must carry his cross so as not to let the flame of love die out from his heart

Imagine a world where you can’t bring anything you ever owned not one valued possession not a single penny you can toss Imagine a world where titles and status mean nothing where authority belongs not to you Imagine a world where no man stands taller than another and where beauty comes not only from you Imagine a world where you can’t hide anything nor busy yourself with things that make you forget just how empty you are within how angry how insecure or how afraid Imagine such a world And then try to  imagine once more Imagine a world where no one starves nor longs for shelter where no one gets sick and no one ever grows old Imagine no pain and no death ever that would make you weep a world where you need not depart from home from the people you love the most imagine never having to be alone Imagine a world where you are accepted and understood for who you really are Imagine you are loved like you have never been loved before Imagine such a world and then open up your eyes W...

What is the meaning of our life if we are but a mist that quickly goes away? Like a rose that blooms but for a day? What does it matter then that we have ever passed this way? Whatever happens to the smiles we have smiled? to the tears we have cried? Whatever happens to dreams we dreamt and reached? to failures that turned out bitter-sweet? Whatever happens to raindrops that fell if they shall not rise again towards heaven and be made purer than they have ever been? Whatever happens? O whatever happens if your fallen soul shall not be redeemed? By now, I can only pray… I can only believe that everything is not meaningless, that there is reserved a destiny, even for a withered flower, even for mist that quickly goes away…

Pride, even if it be of righteousness, takes us away from love. It blinds us with a false strength and erodes our heart with a fear of losing the things which we attach our self-worth unto, things which can easily be lost. Love, on the other hand, can never be truly lost, but needs only to be found again and again and again…

If we spend the time we waste in sighing for the perfect golden fruit in fulfilling the conditions of its growth, happiness will come, must come. It is guaranteed in the very laws of the universe. If it involves some chastening and renunciation, well, the fruit will be all the sweeter for this touch of holiness. -Helen Keller

I recently read about the high crime rate in South Africa, something about 50 murders a day and 1 rape every minute!  There were many theories for the reason behind such a condition, as the world seems to be perplexed in explaining to its own mind why this could be happening, what with the peace many experience in their own suburbs, away from those crimes, away from such dreaded darkness of the soul. Yet can we really separate ourselves from everything that’s been happening?  Can we always put the blame somewhere else saying unto ourselves we have nothing to do with it all? There is a message our deafened ears need to be hearing, a message saying that when something as dark as this is happening, we should take a look and consider if we might be missing out on something.  Is there something we should have been doing that we have failed to do? 

How can the very rich co-exist with the poorest of the poor and still deem himself holy while doing nothing for the sake of his brother? Seems a bit shocking, but in my country this seems to be the case.  For while beggars roam the streets for food or for whatever garbage to scavenge, the rich proudly and comfortably ride their luxurious cars, making their way every Sunday to Church to attend a mass where they proclaim their holiness as though they and they alone are God’s children, seeing not what suffering his brother is going through. Each of us must illuminate and warm our surroundings. In this cold world we cannot suffice with warming ourselves by donning a fur coat. We must light a fire warming everyone around us.- Rabbi Simon Jacobson

I may not leave lasting footprints when I pass by, but may I pass on a flame that will keep on burning until it reaches another torch that will carry on the radiance of its warmth.

True humility is never seen as clearly as when one is starting out yet another path in one’s life.  In that part of the journey, the soul is as meek as a child, as though learning to walk all over again, yet it is confident enough, knowing that it can certainly do it as he has done so, so many times before.

Life is not at all a game of accumulating everything you need and maintaining a certain level of happiness, for happiness after all cannot be maintained.  Life is a constant flow, of touching and growing and moving on.  Life is either experienced or not, in joy and in sadness, in anger and in despair.  Those who choose not its sorrows choose not its happiness as well; and those who choose not to live fully choose only to crumble and to die.  – www.itakeoffthemask.com

When I was younger, I never thought there would come a time when this bible verse would come true – that there would come a time when no one would be waiting for God anymore.  Yet as I observe our times, I realized that the time may soon come to pass when God would be seeking out his people and no one would be looking back.  Why so? 1. THE RICH Because the rich will have bought the idea of positivism to the extreme to the extent that they have learned to focus only on themselves and their needs, excluding everyone else that may get in the way of their perfectly established lives. The rich would have become indifferent, already possessing everything they thought they needed to live their lives to the full. 2. THE POOR Because the poor would have thought of himself as being unloved, comparing himself to the rich one whom heaven has blessed far beyond the necessities he prayed for.  He would have lost his hope or grudgingly accepted his lot.  The poor would have grown a rage that con...

What keeps a person from receiving a gift, a very precious and significant gift? Given the chance to accept such a gift, a brand new car perhaps a beautiful house and lot a precious jewel, how many among us would refuse something totally for free? Following are some of the things I thought would prevent us from receiving the blessings/ gifts the good Lord has meant us all to receive: 1. Hostility/ doubt towards the giver It doesn’t matter sometimes how beautiful or precious a gift is as long as we do not approve of the giver.  Who would ever receiver a gift from someone she doesn’t trust?  From someone with a vested interest perhaps?  From someone scary?  From a monster?  We are unable to receive many gifts because we do not approve of the giver. 2. Feeling of unworthiness Even if we believe in the giver, we oftentimes refuse our gifts because we do not believer ourselves worthy of them.  We think we do not deserve a new car because we have not studied well, we do not deserv...

Moving On Quotes “I am tired of all the regrets, the shame and the self-pity. I will begin a new phase of forgiveness, of change and of moving on.” “Moving on now, I see how much life has changed, how much I have changed. I am no longer the silly girl I used to be. I am much wiser now, much stronger, and much capable of loving again.” “We can never move on for as long as we keep looking back at the past. Let the past take care of itself. Today is a new beginning for all of those who want to find their joy!” “Dare to live, dare to move on, dare to start again!” “It breaks my heart to move on without you, but I must pick myself up again and start over alone with the dreams we used to believe we could reach.” “Our heavy burdens of guilt and anger keep us from moving on and finding our peace. Let go, let God and let true love and courage show you the way.” It is only by being confident enough to face the present that yo...

I would like to share a beautiful story I read this morning from the works of T.S. Arthur about some of the small things we neglect without full awareness of its effect upon our neighbors: MY WASHERWOMAN. SOME people have a singular reluctance to part with money. If waited on for a bill, they say, almost involuntarily, “Call to-morrow,” even though their pockets are far from being empty. I once fell into this bad habit myself; but a little incident, which I will relate, cured me. Not many years after I had attained my majority, a poor widow, named Blake, did my washing and ironing. She was the mother of two or three little children, whose sole dependence for food and raiment was on the labour of her hands. Punctually, every Thursday morning, Mrs. Blake appeared with my clothes, “white as the driven snow;” but not always, as punctually, did I pay the pittance she had earned by hard labour. “Mrs. Blake is down stairs,” said a servant, tapping at my room...

It used to be so easy to rest, back in those days when “recess” was our favorite subject in school, or when Friday was our favorite day of the week because we’d finally have a hard-earned weekend to indulge in a lazy Saturday afternoon. Yet have you noticed how many people today find no more satisfaction in the simplest activity of all?  We get anxious with our vacant hours and we try to fill our days with as much activity as we can just so we can avoid that time when we have nothing to do but be with ourselves. I recently had colds and it necessitated a leave from work as well as a leave from the many activities I enjoy, including writing.  How I prayed that it be over, how I desired to get back to my normal routine.  But the body it seems, knows when to go on and when to take a pause, when to wake up, and when to get some time to sleep.  It’s the rhythm of life, the ebb and flow, the natural course of nature that keeps everything in balance, and that makes ever...