Walking in the light of the Lord

The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Monday in the First Week of Advent, 04 December 2023
Isaiah 2:1-5   ><}}}}*> + ><}}}}*> + ><}}}}*>   Matthew 8:5-11

Advent is walking in your light,
O Lord, when we brave life's
many darkness that envelop us,
when we trust more in you, O Lord,
and dare to follow your will
even if it goes against
conventional wisdom.

How sad, dear God,
that as we reel from the effects
of the recent pandemic,
we begin our Christmas countdown
still in the midst of a grave war
right in the Holy Land;
help us find ways to fulfill
Isaiah's prophecy:
"In the days to come,
the mountain of the Lord's house
shall be established as the highest
mountain and raised above the hills.
They shall beat  their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks;
one nation shall not raise the sword
against another, shall they train for war again.
O house of jacob, come, let us walk
in the light of the Lord!
(Isaiah 2:2, 4-5)

To walk in your light, O Lord,
especially this Advent is to
first of all admit how we have gone
astray from your path, O Lord;
of how we have relied more on
ourselves and technologies
that we have forgotten not only 
you O Lord but also one another;
to walk in your light O Lord is
to be in touch with our fellow humans,
to find you present in each one of us
despite our many differences
like that centurion who approached
you, Jesus, to heal his sick servant;
this Advent season as we walk
the streets with cool winds blowing
and sun rays touching our skins,
may we have time to go to your
house, O Lord, to pray,
to listen to your words,
to simply be present before you
and allow you to take us where
you want us to be.
Amen.