The Lord Is My Chef Easter Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Friday in the Third Week of Easter, 19 April 2024
Acts 9:1-20 ><]]]]'> + ><]]]]'> + ><]]]]'> John 6:52-59

Lord Jesus,
today You tell us
how often You write
in straight crooked ways
that always bring us
to the right path in life.
Saul, stil breathing murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, that, if he should find any men or women who belonged to the Way, he might bring them back to Jerusalem in chains. On his journey, as he was nearing Damascus, a light from the sky suddenly flashed around him (Acts 9:1-4).
Of course,
we know by heart this story
of Saul's conversion
who became known as Paul;
but, what is so lovely in his story
is how he persecuted the early Christians
then known as followers of the "Way"
when on his way near Damascus,
You appeared to him, O Lord;
Paul eventually reached Damascus
not to arrest the followers of the Way
but found himself following You, Jesus
the only Way in this life!
Many times, Jesus,
we are blinded like Paul,
going on our own journey
and paths in life;
like the Jews in Capernaum
who were so blinded too
that they quarreled
among themselves
in their inability to grasp
what You meant by
eating Your flesh.

Dearest Jesus,
take away our blindness,
send us our own Ananias
who would guide us to You
like Paul;
thank You, Jesus,
in allowing us to follow
our own path even if it is
the wrong way only to let us
see eventually how blinded
we have been
as You slowly lead us back
to Your path
of faith in You
to enable us to hope
in You until eventually,
we end up serving You lovingly
in others whom we have crossed
path with as You wondrously
write straight our crooked ways
to meet You
in each other.
Amen.
