I Take Off the Mask

In the Bible, King David was the only man referred to as the man after God’s own heart. When we read the Bible, however, we’d know that he is the same man who had been guilty of murdering the husband of the woman he coveted to be his own. How could it be? Considering the gravity of his sins, how could he be near God’s heart? Then I saw the image of the Divine Mercy, the image of Jesus pointing towards His heart that had been pierced for our sake. That same heart from which the fountain of Infinite Mercy flows. And then I realized something. David can be the man after God’s own heart not because of his perfection but because of his humility. After his great fall, he sincerely repented from his sins and he sought the mercy of God. He did not doubt His goodness. He continued to believe that despite all of his sins, God can still forgive him. David found comfort in God’s heart. He found solace in His Infinite Mercy. Other people may have been more righteous in following ...

All my life, I’ve felt that I had always been searching for the beautiful and the good. I wanted to find it in this world I’m living in. I wanted to find it in myself. I wanted to find it in other people. Whenever I had a glimpse of it, I feel that my life becomes meaningful. Somehow, I feel that the beauty and the goodness I see transfer a little bit of their substance in me, and I, too, become beautiful and good. It’s like looking at a magnificent sunrise and being showered by its warmth. A warmth that warms not only one’s body but also one’s heart and soul. In that small space of time, as I gaze upon the rising sun, I absorb some of its light, and some of its magnificence. I, too, become a little sun that’s filled with warmth and with light. Oh, that I may also absorb the beauty of Him whose beauty and whose light is beyond measure. May I not neglect those moments of prayer when I become immersed in His goodness and His goodness somehow makes its way upon my soul. “Late have I loved...

Image by Pexels from Pixabay Have you ever experienced those times when no matter how hard you prayed, there was no answer to your prayer? It’s one of the most difficult times you’d ever have. Most of the time, we can resort to either despair or stubbornness. It’s either we lose all hope or we try to force a miracle into happening. What we forget is that there is another way. When there is no answer, we can respect the silence of God. We don’t need to exhaust ourselves as though the answer to our prayer depends upon our strength alone. We can instead let things be. We can instead accept that by ourselves, we can do nothing. We can be still, and we can be still in faith. Yes, faith that believes in God’s mercy and love. Faith that trusts His wisdom and His power. We can have this steadfast and silent faith as we wait. When there is no answer, let us be patient still for God’s reply. Does He not hear the cries of His children? Will He not come for His little ones? Our faith may be little...

Image by Pexels from Pixabay There’s something life changing about knowing that you are loved as you are. You don’t have to pretend like you’re someone else. You don’t have to always try so hard. You don’t need to be anxious each time you mess up, thinking you’d be rejected after all for that. You just live as you are. You laugh as you laugh. You cry like you’ve always cried. And you won’t be judged. You won’t be cast away. You’d just be loved, And you’d be delighted upon Just for being you, For the beautiful And wonderful person That you are. “To be loved but not known is comforting but superficial. To be known and not loved is our greatest fear. But to be fully known and truly loved is…like being loved by God. It is what we need more than anything.” – Timothy Keller

Image by PublicDomainPictures from Pixabay The smell of freshly cut grass, has entered my window somehow. It brought me back in time when I had no worries, when the only thing I thought about was the next day’s adventures. In a moment, I found myself there, there where I was free where I could be me and it reminded me of the things I could still be. Such a little thing, such a small waft of air yet it saved me from despair when it freed me and made me see all the many wonders life still has in store for me.

Image by Jill Wellington from Pixabay “The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quite alone with the heavens, nature and God.” – Ann Frank I was just browsing the internet this morning when I thought I smelled something like newly cut grass. Since I was in my room, I felt I may have just imagined things. It’s been a long time since I was able to freely go out. The pandemic has somewhat confined me indoors. Whether it was just my imagination or whether the smell of grass has somewhat found its way to my room, I’m still grateful. That smell has reminded me of those times I was walking along the park with loved ones, when I was free to move and run and breathe without fear of being sick or infected with a virus. That smell has reminded me of all those wonderful times I was able to travel to faraway places, enjoying the company of friends. It’s amazing what gifts the little things could bring us. Someti...

Photo by Amilcar Alvarez Garcia on Unsplash “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in their hearts…” – Ecclesiastes 3:11, WEBBE Today, whatever you may be going through, try to see things in the light of eternity and of God’s love. In the light of eternity, all your troubles are passing away. All your tears will soon be wiped away. In the light of eternity, all our sufferings are short and would soon give way to joy, a joy that never ends. This is not yet our home, because our home is in heaven. But here, while on our journey, we can still find comfort in each other’s company. Here, we can be friends. We can fight the battles that would yield for us eternal rewards. Here below, we can show how deeply we can love. We can love without looking for anything in return. We can love silently, patiently, wholeheartedly. We can love amidst all pain. We love beyond all our temporary trials. So whatever may happen today, think about the eternal days God can b...