The Lord Is My Chef Breakfast Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Monday in the Fourth Week of Easter, 26 April 2021 Acts 11:1-18 ><)))'> ><)))'> ><)))'> John 10:1-10
Thank you very much, dearest God our Almighty Father in answering our prayer last Friday for more conversions among us, especially those in power in the government and the military who kept on maligning the movement on community pantry. Some of them have finally accepted the beauty and the truth about community pantries.
Today we pray, O God, for the continuous conversion of those among us in the Church, especially our shepherds of soul, bishops and priests, religious and sisters, and most specially the lay people who comprise the majority of Christian faithful.
Vatican II had clearly called for “Ecclesia semper reformanda” or “The Church must be constantly renewed”, that we must read the signs of the times, and always be open to the leading and promptings of the Holy Spirit.
Your first reading today shows us this important turning point in our Church history when mission to the gentiles began with Peter sharing meals and then baptized the whole household of the Roman centurion named Cornelius. The “circumcised believers” or Jewish converts to Christianity criticized Peter for entering the homes and sharing meal with uncircumcised pagans who were later baptized to be added to the growing number of followers of Jesus Christ.
Peter began and explained it to them step by step, saying, "As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them as it had upon us at the beginning... If then God gave them the same gift he gave to us when we came to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to be able to hinder God?" When they heard this, they stopped objecting and glorified God, saying, "God has then granted life-giving repentance to the Gentiles too." (Acts 11:4, 15, 17-18)
Open our ears and our hearts, Lord, so we may hear you speaking to us.
Most of all, grant us the courage to make known to others your voice, your will even if it may be disturbing and uncomfortable to others, especially our fellow leaders and shepherds of the flock.
Forgive us, dear Jesus, when there are times when “we do not realize what you are trying to tell us” (Jn.10:6) because we are so preoccupied with our very own ideas and traditions being challenged by changing times and shifting views.
Forgive us, most of all, Lord Jesus, when we your shepherds hold on to positions and power, thinking more of prestige and wealth that we have become the biggest obstacle to new developments and growth in the Church and among Christians. Amen.
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