Our colored lenses

The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Monday, Third Week in Ordinary Time, Year I, 27 January 2025
Hebrews 9:15, 24-28     ><}}}}*> + ><}}}}*> + ><}}}}*>     Mark 3:22-30

Lord Jesus Christ,
take away our colored lenses
that prevent us from seeing 
the real pictures in the world 
and of life; many times, 
our lenses are not only colored
but even defective
that make us see distorted images
as the realities when they are not.

Like the Pharisees,
we wear different lenses
that prevent us from seeing
your true self as full of good,
of love and mercy;
like the Pharisees,
our views of others are
distorted because we see
only ourselves as better
while at the same time,
still like the Pharisees,
we debate truth because we could
not accept others as better than us,
leaving us all trapped in self-condemned 
state of sinning that make us see
everything as hopeless,
worst, nothing is good at all
in the world even in our 
very selves which is the sin
agains the Holy Spirit.

Make us see through
your loving and merciful
lens our selves,
others,
the world around us,
and most especially YOU;
give us your lenses
to see we have been saved
and most of all,
worth saving because
we are loved by
YOU and the Father
in heaven.

Let us rejoice and
relish your saving power,
Lord, when You as the Christ,
"Offered once to take away
the sins of many,
will appear a second time,
not to take away sins
but to bring salvation 
to those who eagerly await
Him"
(Hebrews 9:28).
Amen.