I Take off the MASK!

Grief and Healing - Download the eBook

I desire neither death nor life. Were the Lord to offer me a choice, I would not choose. I will only what He wills, and I am pleased with whatever He does. – St. Therese of Lisieux

There are many times when we each have our own plans we desire to accomplish. We think of the good they could do, both for ourselves and for others. We think that if only God could bless those plans and make them happy, all shall be well and good.

When they don’t happen however, we are filled with all kinds of doubt. We wonder why God didn’t listen to our prayers. What could God be planning all along?

The Lord’s will may not be always visible to us, and we may not always understand. But we can be certain by faith, that God always desires what is best.

Let us make it a habit then to discern first of all our Lord’s will before trying to make our own plans. No matter how good we think they are, they could never match the greatness of God’s own desires.

Whether it was two days, or a month, or a year that the cloud stayed on the tabernacle, remaining on it, the children of Israel remained encamped, and didn’t travel; but when it was taken up, they travelled. At the commandment of the LORD they encamped, and at the commandment of the LORD they travelled. They kept the LORD’s command, at the commandment of the LORD by Moses. – Numbers 9, WEBBE

“What is the real origin of my own anger? Is it the ego defending its territory, or is it something that has its source in the desire for the well-being of all?” – Jean-Yves Leloup, Compassion and Meditation

It is hard to imagine how God, who is Love Himself can ever be angry. But I guess, this is precisely the answer… Love. We often err in our anger because we do not love as God loves. Only by having that kind of love can anger ever be truly righteous.

Let us note further how love is the very source also of that anger. God becomes angry when people sin because they become what they should not be, they hurt themselves and they hurt other people. Love only wants what is best for those it holds dear, what can make them truly happy for all eternity.

Let us compare it with our own anger. How many times do we get angry because of love and not because of envy or pride? Is our love as strong as our anger? Or is it so faint it almost falls into nothingness?

God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the vine?”

He said, “I am right to be angry, even to death.”

The LORD said, “You have been concerned for the vine, for which you have not laboured, neither made it grow; which came up in a night, and perished in a night. Shouldn’t I be concerned for Nineveh, that great city, in which are more than one hundred and twenty thousand persons who can’t discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much livestock?”

-JONAH 4:9-11, WEB-BE

You shall love your neighbor as yourself. – Matthew 22

It is always a challenge whenever we encounter someone who acts in a blatantly wicked way. We know that there is something terribly wrong and yet, the sense of our own guilt hinders us from being too quick to judge. For aren’t we all wicked also in many ways? Aren’t we all struggling to overcome our inner shadows?

On the other hand, merely tolerating such wickedness puts us at a no better place. For when was it ever right to consent to what is wrong?

When we encounter someone who acts wickedly, let us try to treat him as we treat ourselves. In the first place, we shouldn’t condemn ourselves when we make mistakes. There is no hope in that, neither is there any good in it. God Himself does not condemn us, why would we condemn ourselves?

On the other hand, we must not excuse ourselves or ever justify the evil we have done. Evil is always destructive, and if we allow it to reign over us, we would eventually destroy ourselves as well.

Let us do then what God would have us do. Let us seek forgiveness and let us forgive ourselves, casting our hopes not upon our human frailties but upon the infinite mercy of God. At the same time, let us cast away all evil, not tolerating the smallest sin we see, knowing that God is holy, and only the pure can ever see Him face to face.

“With love for mankind and hatred of sins.” – St. Augustine

The world breaks everyone and afterwards many are strong at the broken places. – Ernest Hemingway

Many times, we’d rather hold on and suffer what we deem as lesser pains than let go and be devastated by a far greater suffering. Thus, we hold on to situations and things that slowly sap the life out of us. We hardly notice the bitterness that grows within us each day. We close our eyes to the truth and we build for ourselves cages that keep us from being truly happy and at peace.

Why do we allow ourselves to die slowly when we can be healed? Why go on in a pointless battle headed towards defeat when we can start over and hope for a far better day and a far better life?

Closing our eyes never makes our problems go away. Ignoring our wounds never gets them healed.

Find the courage today to face your fears and to be free from them. Let go. Try again. Gather up your strength for battles that are worth fighting for!

You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free. – John 8:32, WEB

The darker the night, the greater the faith we must have in the morning. – Jocelyn Soriano

There is a kind of night that frightens us, a night without the the light of moon nor stars, a night so cold we almost lose faith in the morning.

And in our great fear, we become angry. We may think this anger is righteous, but many times, it is not. For an anger that comes out of fear is an anger that comes from lack of faith, faith in the goodness and power of God!

Let us take heart then and not let darkness enter our hearts. Let us trust instead in God who is in control of everything, as He has complete control of the sun, the moon and the stars.

Can God ever fear of evil? Can God ever suffer loss?

God knows that the days of evil are numbered. He sits confidently on His throne, His Hands full of justice and of love.

Never will He fail His little ones. Never will darkness have its victory.

God has a plan that overcomes all evil plots. He holds the day of our redemption, and even now, He is already in that glorious future with us. That bright day where we stand triumphant and full of happiness and peace.

With strength, determination, and utter integrity, Christ withstands the forces of evil and all their efforts to undo the Divine purpose. I saw too that our Protector simply laughs at the Enemy’s malice; in God’s eyes, the Fiend is nothing, and God wants us to have this same perspective. – All Shall Be Well