Our incurable wound, grievous bruise

Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Tuesday in the Eighteenth Week of Ordinary Time, Year II
Memorial of St. John Mary Vianney, Priest, 04 August 2026
Jeremiah 30:1-2, 12-15, 18-22     <*{{{{>< + ><}}}}*>     Matthew 15:1-2, 10-14

Your words today, 
O Lord sound harsh
but I do not mind at all
because you speak as an
honest friend who truly loves
and cares for me;
you speak the truth always
that hurts us because every 
mess we are into this life is
a result of our own making,
of our pride and sinfulness
like Israel and Judah 
conquered and banished 
from their own country
by the Assyrians and the Babylonians:

Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Incurable is your wound, grievous your bruise; There is none to plead your cause, no remedy for your running sore, no healing for you. All your lovers have forgotten you, they do not seek you. I struck you as an enemy would strike, punished your cruelly; Why cry out over your wound? Your pain is without relief. Because of your guilt, your numerous sins, I have done this to you (Jeremiah 30:12-15).

Today we also celebrate the feast
of our Patron Saint,
John mary Vianney,
your most holy priest
who bore so much pains
and sufferings not because
of his sins but by the sins of many
around him; we your priests,
O God, have sinned a lot
against you, O God,
through your people,
the flock you have entrusted 
to us: we have hurt them so bad
their wounds are incurable,
their bruise so grievous with some
leaving the Church; 
forgive us, Lord for being too
far from the heart of your Son
Jesus, the Good Shepherd;
cleanse our hearts and make us
realize priesthood is victimhood
like Jesus; let us bear the wounds
inflicted to us by the sheep rather 
than us wounding them.

Deep within your harsh 
words today, Lord,
we feel your deep desire
to heal us,
to free us,
and to renew us;
cleanse our hearts,
Lord, your priests,
purify us to bear all pains
for your people,
to be truly prophetic
so that your people may
realize you are in their midst
and eventually be like you
in Christ Jesus.
Amen.