Finding God

Trying to find God while in this materialist world...

[Finding God @WhatWorld21]

I hope this short prayer that I created can benefit you throughout your days. As you are making the sign of the cross, please say the prayer accordingly.

God, the Father, enlighten me.
God, the Son, love me.
God, the Holy Spirit, guide me.

Nothing more, nothing less, nothing else.
Amen.

[Finding God @WhatWorld21]

@RobinhoodApp @vladtenev theres still an error today as I open exactly at 7:30PM CT/6:30PM ET and said I missed the gift. Look at my screen shot and timestamp. This is getting ridiculous imo and not doing any good for RH publicity.

[Finding God @WhatWorld21]

We are deeply honored and incredibly grateful to receive a donation of $200,000+ from a company (wishing to be anonymous) to further our mission in aiding underprivileged children obtain education. This generous gift will be invested wisely to ensure the promise of a brighter future for the children we serve. Thank you for your generosity and belief in our cause.

If you are interested in contributing to the mission of Ascendant Charity, please reach out to John Dang or email us at [email protected].

Ascendant Charity Foundation is a 501c3 nonprofit (EIN: 88-0806716). All donations are tax deductible and 100% of all proceed goes toward our mission.

[Finding God @WhatWorld21]

After retiring from Wells Fargo and managing my nonprofit, I had the privilege of returning to Vietnam to shift my focus on our mission at Ascendant Charity Foundation. There, I watched underprivileged children live in extreme poor conditions while trying to attend school and work street jobs in order to make ends meet. This experience has reaffirmed Ascendant’s commitment to helping these children pursue a higher education through financial aid and support.

This year, Ascendant Charity has achieved the following:

1. Donated over $5,000 in matching grant to help poor children in Vietnam.
2. Awarded our first $1,000 renewable scholarship to a deserving student within the Latino community.
3. Awarded 5 one time $500 scholarships to first/second generation immigrate students attending college/university.
4. Offered our first $500 grant towards a STEM project relating to AI, Data Analytics and financial investments. 5. Established a fund in Vietnam to ensure future charity work can develop and remain sustainable.

Many thanks to all those who has supported and encouraged us throughout this journey.

Best regards,
Ascendant Charity Foundation is a 501c3 nonprofit (EIN: 88-0806716)

[Finding God @WhatWorld21]

Today’s gospel reflection - Isn’t it ironic that Jesus gave up everything and took on the flesh of man to save all of our souls, yet many of us are willing to sell our souls for worldly pleasures/wealth?

The holy gospel according to Luke 9:22-25

Jesus said to his disciples:
"The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised."

Then he said to all,
"If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. What profit is there for one to gain the whole world yet lose or forfeit himself?"

The Gospel of the Lord.

#DailyGospel #SPIRITUAL #SpiritualGrowth #GospelOfTheDay #Reflection #JesusCalling #FindingGod

[Finding God @WhatWorld21]

Today’s gospel reflection - Today marks the commencement of the season of Lent with Ash Wednesday. When we give alms or do a charitable act - do we do it in public so that others will recognize us or do we do it in secret like what Jesus has commanded us to do? Perhaps in today's culture, we tend to want the attention and the publicities.

The holy gospel according to Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18

Jesus said to his disciples:
"Take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father. When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to win the praise of others. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing, so that your almsgiving may be secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.”

"When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners so that others may see them. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.”

"When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites. They neglect their appearance, so that they may appear to others to be fasting. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you may not appear to be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you."

The Gospel of the Lord

#DailyGospel #SPIRITUAL #SpiritualGrowth #GospelOfTheDay #Reflection #JesusCalling #FindingGod #AshWednesday

[Finding God @WhatWorld21]

Today’s gospel reflection - Are we willing to give up everything to follow Jesus or are we so attached to this world that we would give up eternity?

The holy gospel according to Mark 10:28-31

Peter began to say to Jesus, 'We have given up everything and followed you."

Jesus said, "Amen, I say to you, there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands for my sake and for the sake of the Gospel who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age: houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come. But many that are first will be last, and the last will be first."

The Gospel of the Lord

#DailyGospel #SPIRITUAL #SpiritualGrowth #GospelOfTheDay #Reflection #JesusCalling #FindingGod

[Finding God @WhatWorld21]

Today’s gospel reflection – what would you do if Jesus calls you to feed the hunger – physically and spiritually? In life we may be so blessed that we wasted food our resources and not sharing with those who are less fortunate or those who need a friend. What if we each give here and there when we can pr pray for them, wouldn’t that help make the world a better place to live?

The Holy Gospel according to Mark chapter 8 verses 1-10

In those days when there again was a great crowd without anything to eat, Jesus summoned the disciples and said, "My heart is moved with pity for the crowd, because they have been with me now for three days and have nothing to eat. If I send them away hungry to their homes, they will collapse on the way, and some of them have come a great distance."

His disciples answered him, "Where can anyone get enough bread to satisfy them here in this deserted place?" Still he asked them, "How many loaves do you have?" They replied, "Seven." He ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground. Then, taking the seven loaves he gave thanks, broke them, and gave them to his disciples to distribute, and they distributed them to the crowd.

They also had a few fish. He said the blessing over them and ordered them distributed also. They ate and were satisfied. They picked up the fragments left over–seven baskets. There were about four thousand people. He dismissed the crowd and got into the boat with his disciples and came to the region of Dalmanutha.

The word of the Lord.

[Finding God @WhatWorld21]

Today’s gospel reflection – why did Jesus ordered the crowd not to talk about his miracles? Why is it that when we achieve something we want the whole world to know? Why not Jesus?

The Holy Gospel according to Mark 7:31-37

Jesus left the district of Tyre and went by way of Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, into the district of the Decapolis. And people brought to him a deaf man who had a speech impediment and begged him to lay his hand on him. He took him off by himself away from the crowd. He put his finger into the man’s ears and, spitting, touched his tongue; then he looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him, “Ephphatha!” (that is, “Be opened!”)

And immediately the man’s ears were opened, his speech impediment was removed, and he spoke plainly. He ordered them not to tell anyone. But the more he ordered them not to, the more they proclaimed it. They were exceedingly astonished and they said, “He has done all things well. He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”

The word of the Lord.

[Finding God @WhatWorld21]

Today’s gospel reflection – are we even worthy to receive the scraps that’s fallen off the Lord’s table? Have we ever asked ourselves, what have I done to deserve all the blessings and grace that He has bestowed upon me?

The Holy Gospel according to Mark 7:24-30

Jesus went to the district of Tyre. He entered a house and wanted no one to know about it, but he could not escape notice. Soon a woman whose daughter had an unclean spirit heard about him. She came and fell at his feet. The woman was a Greek, a Syrophoenician by birth, and she begged him to drive the demon out of her daughter. He said to her, "Let the children be fed first. For it is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs."

She replied and said to him, "Lord, even the dogs under the table eat the children's scraps."

Then he said to her, "For saying this, you may go. The demon has gone out of your daughter." When the woman went home, she found the child lying in bed and the demon gone.

The word of the Lord.

[Finding God @WhatWorld21]

Today’s gospel reflection - have you ever deeply into your heart and your inner souls to recognize what defile you and perhaps those around you? Have you ever though of cleansing yourself so that you are more worthy to be with those you love and offer yourself as a spotless person to those you love?

The Holy Gospel according to Mark 7:14-23

Jesus summoned the crowd again and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand.
Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person; but the things that come out from within are what defile.”

When he got home away from the crowd his disciples questioned him about the parable. He said to them, “Are even you likewise without understanding? Do you not realize that everything that goes into a person from outside cannot defile, since it enters not the heart but the stomach and passes out into the latrine?” (Thus he declared all foods clean.) “But what comes out of the man, that is what defiles him.
From within the man, from his heart, come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly. All these evils come from within and they defile.”

The word of the Lord.

[Finding God @WhatWorld21]

Today’s gospel reflection – Have you ever been lost and just like a lost wandering soul? Have you ever asked Jesus for help to redirect your life with a purpose? Perhaps today is the day to consider asking for his guidance.

The Holy Gospel according to Mark 6:30-34

The Apostles gathered together with Jesus and reported all they had done and taught. He said to them,
"Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while."
People were coming and going in great numbers, and they had no opportunity even to eat. So they went off in the boat by themselves to a deserted place. People saw them leaving and many came to know about it. They hastened there on foot from all the towns and arrived at the place before them.

When Jesus disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.

The word of the Lord.

[Finding God @WhatWorld21]

Today’s gospel reflection – If you were given the same power as the disciples – how would you use it? Or would you abuse it. Today we have seen way too many corruptions in society. Will you be the one to fall or stand up for justice?

The Holy Gospel according to Mark 6:7-13

Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over unclean spirits. He instructed them to take nothing for the journey but a walking stick –no food, no sack, no money in their belts. They were, however, to wear sandals but not a second tunic.

He said to them, “Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave from there. Whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you, leave there and shake the dust off your feet in testimony against them.”

So they went off and preached repentance. The Twelve drove out many demons, and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.

The word of the Lord.

[Finding God @WhatWorld21]

Today’s gospel reflection – Do you feel at times, it’s so hard to convince your love one of what is right while they blindly marching forward? Yet no one believe in you.

The Holy Gospel according to Mark 6:1-6

Jesus departed from there and came to his native place, accompanied by his disciples. When the sabbath came he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished. They said, “Where did this man get all this? What kind of wisdom has been given him? What mighty deeds are wrought by his hands! Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James and Joseph and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?”

And they took offense at him. Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and among his own kin and in his own house.” So he was not able to perform any mighty deed there, apart from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them. He was amazed at their lack of faith.

The word of the Lord.

[Finding God @WhatWorld21]

Today’s gospel reflection – Is our faith and belief as strong as the woman in today’s gospel? She said, “If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured.”

The Holy Gospel according to Mark 5:21-43
When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered around him, and he stayed close to the sea. One of the synagogue officials, named Jairus, came forward. Seeing him he fell at his feet and pleaded earnestly with him, saying, “My daughter is at the point of death. Please, come lay your hands on her that she may get well and live.” He went off with him and a large crowd followed him.

There was a woman afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years. She had suffered greatly at the hands of many doctors and had spent all that she had. Yet she was not helped but only grew worse. She had heard about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak. She said, “If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured.”

Immediately her flow of blood dried up. She felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction.
Jesus, aware at once that power had gone out from him, turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who has touched my clothes?” But his disciples said to him, “You see how the crowd is pressing upon you,
and yet you ask, Who touched me?” And he looked around to see who had done it. The woman, realizing what had happened to her, approached in fear and trembling. She fell down before Jesus and told him the whole truth. He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be cured of your affliction.”

While he was still speaking, people from the synagogue official’s house arrived and said, “Your daughter has died; why trouble the teacher any longer?” Disregarding the message that was reported, Jesus said to the synagogue official, “Do not be afraid; just have faith.”

He did not allow anyone to accompany him inside except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James.
When they arrived at the house of the synagogue official, he caught sight of a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. So he went in and said to them, “Why this commotion and weeping?
The child is not dead but asleep.”

And they ridiculed him. Then he put them all out. He took along the child’s father and mother and those who were with him and entered the room where the child was. He took the child by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum,” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise!” The girl, a child of twelve, arose immediately and walked around. At that they were utterly astounded. He gave strict orders that no one should know this and said that she should be given something to eat.

The word of the Lord.

[Finding God @WhatWorld21]

Today’s gospel reflection – Are there things in life that prevents you from moving forward such as an addiction that feels like a huge burden? How can we cleanse ourselves and be better?

The Holy Gospel according to Mark 5:1-20

Jesus and his disciples came to the other side of the sea, to the territory of the Gerasenes. When he got out of the boat, at once a man from the tombs who had an unclean spirit met him. The man had been dwelling among the tombs, and no one could restrain him any longer, even with a chain. In fact, he had frequently been bound with shackles and chains, but the chains had been pulled apart by him and the shackles smashed, and no one was strong enough to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and on the hillsides he was always crying out and bruising himself with stones. Catching sight of Jesus from a distance, he ran up and prostrated himself before him, crying out in a loud voice,

“What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me!” (He had been saying to him, “Unclean spirit, come out of the man!”) He asked him, “What is your name?”
He replied, “Legion is my name. There are many of us.”

And he pleaded earnestly with him not to drive them away from that territory. Now a large herd of swine was feeding there on the hillside. And they pleaded with him,

“Send us into the swine. Let us enter them.”

And he let them, and the unclean spirits came out and entered the swine. The herd of about two thousand rushed down a steep bank into the sea, where they were drowned. The swineherds ran away and reported the incident in the town and throughout the countryside. And people came out to see what had happened. As they approached Jesus, they caught sight of the man who had been possessed by Legion, sitting there clothed and in his right mind. And they were seized with fear. Those who witnessed the incident explained to them what had happened to the possessed man and to the swine.
Then they began to beg him to leave their district. As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed pleaded to remain with him. But Jesus would not permit him but told him instead,
“Go home to your family and announce to them all that the Lord in his pity has done for you.”

Then the man went off and began to proclaim in the Decapolis what Jesus had done for him; and all were amazed.

The word of the Lord.

[Finding God @WhatWorld21]

Today’s gospel reflection – can we be like the mustard seed, the smallest of all seeds but becomes the largest of plants? What can we do to evanglize the good news?

The Holy Gospel according to Mark 4:26-34
Jesus said to the crowds:

“This is how it is with the Kingdom of God; it is as if a man were to scatter seed on the land and would sleep and rise night and day and the seed would sprout and grow, he knows not how. Of its own accord the land yields fruit, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. And when the grain is ripe, he wields the sickle at once, for the harvest has come.”

He said,
“To what shall we compare the Kingdom of God, or what parable can we use for it? It is like a mustard seed that, when it is sown in the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on the earth. But once it is sown, it springs up and becomes the largest of plants and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the sky can dwell in its shade.”

With many such parables he spoke the word to them as they were able to understand it. Without parables he did not speak to them, but to his own disciples he explained everything in private.

The word of the Lord.

[Finding God @WhatWorld21]

Today’s gospel reflection – There are times in our lives where we need to shine and be the beacon of hope. Like Reagan said, “we need to be like the shiny city upon a hilltop.” Are we as Christian living up to certain standards as expected by Jesus Christ?

The Holy Gospel according to Mark 4:21-25

Jesus said to his disciples, “Is a lamp brought in to be placed under a bushel basket or under a bed,
and not to be placed on a lampstand? For there is nothing hidden except to be made visible; nothing is secret except to come to light. Anyone who has ears to hear ought to hear.”

He also told them, “Take care what you hear. The measure with which you measure will be measured out to you, and still more will be given to you. To the one who has, more will be given; from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”

The word of the Lord.

[Finding God @WhatWorld21]

Today’s gospel reflection – When we hear the Good News, how do we receive and interpret the Good News? Did it goes in one ear and out the other?

The Holy Gospel according to Mark 4:1-20

On another occasion, Jesus began to teach by the sea. A very large crowd gathered around him so that he got into a boat on the sea and sat down. And the whole crowd was beside the sea on land. And he taught them at length in parables, and in the course of his instruction he said to them,

“Hear this! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Other seed fell on rocky ground where it had little soil. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep. And when the sun rose, it was scorched and it withered for lack of roots. Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it and it produced no grain. And some seed fell on rich soil and produced fruit. It came up and grew and yielded thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold.”

He added, “Whoever has ears to hear ought to hear.”
And when he was alone, those present along with the Twelve questioned him about the parables.
He answered them, “The mystery of the Kingdom of God has been granted to you. But to those outside everything comes in parables, so that they may look and see but not perceive, and hear and listen but not understand, in order that they may not be converted and be forgiven.”

Jesus said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? Then how will you understand any of the parables? The sower sows the word. These are the ones on the path where the word is sown. As soon as they hear, Satan comes at once and takes away the word sown in them. And these are the ones sown on rocky ground who, when they hear the word, receive it at once with joy. But they have no roots; they last only for a time. Then when tribulation or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.
Those sown among thorns are another sort. They are the people who hear the word, but worldly anxiety, the lure of riches, and the craving for other things intrude and choke the word, and it bears no fruit. But those sown on rich soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.”

The word of the Lord.

[Finding God @WhatWorld21]

Today’s gospel reflection: There are times in our lives where we tend to take the easy way out and not listen to our conscience or do what is right. Thus we may have to ask ourselves are we doing the will of God or our actions honor Him?

The Holy Gospel according to Mark 3:31-35

The mother of Jesus and his brothers arrived at the house. Standing outside, they sent word to Jesus and called him. A crowd seated around him told him, “Your mother and your brothers and your sisters are outside asking for you.”

But he said to them in reply, “Who are my mother and my brothers?”

And looking around at those seated in the circle he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers.
For whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”