Category: acceptance

Rejoicing in the Time of Corona

40 Shades of Lent, Sunday Week IV-A, 22 March 2020

1 Samuel 16:1, 6-7, 10-13 +++ Ephesians 5:8-14 +++ John 9:1-41

Photo by author, Laetare Sunday 2019, Parokya ni San Juan Apostol at Ebanghelista, Bagbaguin, Santa Maria, Bulacan, Philippines.

Today is the Fourth Sunday of Lent known in its Latin verb form “Laetare Sunday” when the liturgy calls us to rejoice because Easter is fast approaching.

But how can we rejoice in the midst of an “enhanced community quarantine” or lockdown, when we cannot even come to church to celebrate the Sunday Mass together, when so many people are dying while millions of others face uncertainties with the widespread disruptions and problems in life caused by COVID-19 worldwide.

On this date is also my 55th birthday – but, no worries, the more I rejoice in the Lord almost alone. Thank you for all the greetings that have been pouring since yesterday. As I was telling you last Sunday, COVID-19 has brought some blessings or good news too for us.

Let us rejoice in the Lord today because he has not left us, the more we feel him present with us, thanks or no thanks to Corona virus.

As Jesus passed by he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “Neither he nor his parents sinned; it is so that the works of God might be made visible through him.”

John 9:1-3

Our “blaming game” vs. light of Christ

More than ever as we suffer through this pandemic of COVID-19, many of us have again resorted to that old myth that whenever something bad happens to us, especially sickness, it is always taken as a punishment from God.

It is totally untrue because nothing bad can come from God. Many times in our lives, we become artificially blind that despite our gift of sight we fail and even refuse to see the truth and realities in us and around us, even in front of us!

What happens is our tendency to blame others like in that question to Jesus, who sinned – the parents or the man himself that he was born blind?

This is the problem with our “blaming game” : we are blinded from taking responsibilities for our acts that we would rather blame others even God for everything bad that happens to us. There are more times that there is no one to be blamed at all like our genes or Mother Nature; we just have to accept things as they are.

And that’s one lesson we must learn fast: there can be no rejoicing when there is no self-acceptance.

How funny and sad that less than a week since our Luzon-wide lockdown, many of us have been quarreling on-line on almost everything we see and hear on TV and the social media that has led to bashing and nasty exchanges of words, even breakdowns. Very funny, and tragic when we focus on non-essentials, almost forgetting COVID-19.

How tragic that some chose to hide facts and truths that have caused the lives of others, too. This is the dark reality of our blaming game – we never admit anything wrong about us.

See beyond external things. Try seeing also how God is working in our midst as Jesus offers us in this holy season of Lent the best way to deal with our present situation by returning to him, by believing in him.

Photo by author, Baliwag, Bulacan (25 February 2020).

Have you noticed the many little miracles happening in some families now together, praying together, staying together?

One reason for rejoicing this fourth Sunday of Lent is perhaps everyone’s hope that after this COVID-19 episode, we all start a new chapter of renewed relationships and bonds, of fresh outlooks after rediscovering the value of life and every person again.

Jesus spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva, and smeared the clay on his eyes, and said to him, “Go wash in the Pool of Siloam”- which means Sent. So he went and washed, and came back able to see.

John 9:6-7

Here again is the presence of water like in last Sunday’s story to remind us of the Sacrament of Baptism which is closely tied with the season of Lent. St. John had translated the meaning of Siloam as “Sent” to stress that Jesus is the Christ, the One sent to cleanse us and wash away our blindness caused by sins and evil.

Another reason to rejoice this Sunday! Most especially now many of us realize the value of the Holy Mass, especially the Sunday Eucharist we used to take for granted before. Every time we celebrate the Mass, we perfect the Baptism we have received when we are washed and refreshed anew in Jesus through his words and Body and Blood.

It is only when we stop blaming others when we begin to see our true selves, when changes finally begin to happen in us.

Like God, let us try to see things and persons beyond what is physical. In the first reading, God chose David over his elder and better brothers who would later defeat Goliath to become Israel’s greatest king from whose lineage came Jesus Christ.

Jesus on the Cross, our true joy

Photo by author, Lent 2019, Parokya ni San Juan Apostol at Ebanghelista, Bagbaguin, Santa Maria, Bulacan, Phils.

The moment we remove Jesus in our lives, when we refuse to acknowledge him as our Lord and Savior, that is also when we are blinded by sin, especially by pride.

Do we not see this so true that led one way or the other to this pandemic?

We have totally turned away from God and his ways, following our greedy paths of power and wealth. We have long been distant from one another despite the great advances in modern communications that have also brought us farther away from God as we spend more time with our gadgets.

We can never rejoice for ourselves and for others when we are far from Jesus Christ. In his very unique manner of looking at things, St. John presents to us some funny contrasts in the story of the man born blind that we also see happening in this COVID-19 pandemic.

Our Tabernacle, Laetare 2019.

First is when the people doubted the man healed by Jesus was himself the one “who used to sit and beg”, despite his clear declaration of “I am”. We have experienced this so many times when others doubt we can rise and become better.

How sad these past days we have seen how some people have been so mean especially with younger and newer leaders who have risen against the threats of COVID-19, shooting down their efforts, even to the point of maligning and even threatening them. It is as if they are the only “anointed ones” with whom God can work with.

Second is the attitude of the parents of the man born blind: betrayers are the worst kind of artificially blind people. Like the parents of the man born blind, they refused to vouch for his identity and healing for fears of being banned from temple worship.

Ouch! for us in the church with our “holier-than-thou-attitude” especially with those closest with us like family members and friends. Like Judas Iscariot, sometimes those supposed to be dearest to us are blinded by money, power, and fame that they also betray and dump us.

Where has all the love gone for one another, for the country?

In the sacristy, Laetare 2019.

Lastly, there are those supposed to be learned ones but unfortunately blinded simply by lack of faith in God like those Pharisees who refused to believe the man born blind’s story of healing as well as to recognize Jesus as the Christ.

Observe the attitudes of the Pharisees who claimed to know “this man, Jesus, is a sinner” because he healed on a Sabbath while the man born blind retorted “I do not know (Jesus) but how come he had healed me?”

What a tragic comedy! It is the root of the mess we are into today of so many learned men and women pretending to know so much but totally incompetent and ignorant of the realities going on, who do not care at all with the plight of the masses!

Both the whole world and our country are in deep darkness today with so many blind leaders and followers alike. Let us heed St. Paul’s reminder not to be blinded, to stop blaming others and to start confronting ourselves in the light of Jesus Christ.

“Take no part in fruitless works of darkness; rather expose them, for it is shameful even to mention the things done by them in secret; but everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for everything that becomes visible is light.”

Ephesians 5:11-14

Rejoice for an enlightened Sunday and new week for everyone despite COVID-19. Amen.

Pagkakataon… ng COVID-19

Lawiswis ng Salita ni P. Nicanor F. Lalog II, Ika-17 ng Marso 2020
Larawan ay kuha ni Angelo Nicolas Carpio ng krus ng aming parokya, Enero 2020.
Pagkakataon.
Ito ang kataga 
na tumimo sa akin 
mula sa Ebanghelyo ngayon.
Wika ng alipin sa kanyang panginoon
"bigyan ninyo ako ng pagkakataon
mabayaran mga utang sa inyo"
at siya nama'y pinagbigyan nito.
Ngunit nang masalubong
kapwa alipin may utang
hamak maliit kaysa kanya,
pinagkait pagkakataon bagkus ipinakulong.
Kaya nang siya ay sinumbong
sa kanilang panginoon
tinawag siyang "napakasama" dahil
pagkakataon binigay sa kanya, pinagkait sa iba.
Larawan kuha ng may-akda, Kuwaresma 2020.
Pagkakataon.
Ito ang kaloob sa atin ngayon
ng pagkukulong sa mga tahanan 
at maiwasan pagkalat nitong COVID-19.
Sa mahabang panahon
tinalikuran natin Panginoon
nang sariling pamilya binalewala
di pinansin, ang iba inaway natin.
Kay inam na pagkakataon
mabuklod mga pamilya ngayon
bilang isang tahanan at pamayanan
na pinagmulan noon ng ating simbahan.
Habang walang pasok
mga magulang at anak
balikan katesismong binaon 
unahin mga panalangin nilimot.
Basahin din at limihin
Banal na Kasulatan ating tinalikuran
sapagkat ito ang siyang gagabay
sa buhay natin sa gitna ng karimlan.
Kuha ng may-akda, Parokya ni San Juan Apostol at Ebanghelista, 2019.
Pagkakataon.
Marami tayong pinalampas noon
binalewala Panginoon at kapwa
kaya tayo ganito ngayon.
Hindi ito parusa ng Panginoon
kungdi kasalanan at pagkukulang
nating lahat sa mahabang panahon
Diyos at kapwa hindi natin nilingon.
Kaya ngayon sa gitna nitong hamon
kinakaharap natin sa pagkakataon
tama narinig kong nawika 
ng punong ministro doon sa Italya:
"Maghiwa-hiwalay muna tayo ngayon
upang mayakap ang isa't-isa sa kinabukasan"
kaya naman pagyamanin natin itong
pagkakataon makulong sa iisang bubong!

Divine sighs, human signs

The Lord Is My Chef Breakfast Recipe for the Soul

Monday, Week VI, Year II, 17 February 2020

James 1:1-11 ><)))*> 0 <*(((>< Mark 8:11-13

Photo by author, Laguna Lake, Los Baños, Laguna, 13 February 2020.

How often does it still happen today, Lord Jesus Christ, that like in our gospel today you would “sigh from the depth of your heart” after we, your people, would ask you for more signs from heaven?

Have mercy on us, Lord, for our lack of faith in you after all these years.

Forgive us for being “unstable in all our ways” with you, always “a man of two minds” as St. James would describe us (James 1:8) in seeking wisdom and things from you.

Forgive us for those moments we doubt your presence and power especially when we fail to win your favor, to get your blessings for our particular prayers and supplications.

The fault is really on us, Lord.

If sighing is your way of keeping your patience with our being so stubborn, teach us to reach out to you in the depths of our hearts, to remember those countless occasions you have saved us.

That instead of asking for signs from you, we may just sigh deep inside us to experience you again. Amen.

Thanking God

The Lord Is My Chef Breakfast Recipe for the Soul

Thursday, Week 3, Year 2, 30 January 2020

2 Samuel 11:1-4, 5-10, 13-17 ><)))*> ><)))*> ><)))*> Mark 4:21-25

Photo by Alan Cabello on Pexels.com

Every day, every night, we thank you Lord for so many blessings you have showered upon us. But, every time we thank you Lord, I wonder if we have rightly thanked you?

Saying thank you is not only being grateful for anything given or shared with us; saying thank you is more than recognizing the goodness of the giver, especially you, O Lord our God.

Saying thank you, Lord, is being like David giving his very self wholly to you, for your praise and glory, in the service of your people.

Thanking you, O Lord, is most of all bringing out to share whatever gift you have given us.

The best expression of gratitude especially to you, O Lord, is to be a lamp giving light to others, leading others to you, reminding others of your light and guidance.

Help us, O Lord, to come closer to you to become like you so that it is our life becomes a thanksgiving and praise to you always. Amen.

Photo by Emre Kuzu on Pexels.com

Every good seed is from God

The Lord Is My Chef Breakfast Recipe for the Soul

Wednesday, Week 3, Year 2, 29 January 2020

2 Samuel 7:4-17 ><)))*> ><)))*> ><)))*> Mark 4:1-20

An oasis near the Dead Sea, Israel. Photo by author, May 2017.

God our Sower, every good seed is from you.

Thank you very much in giving us the best seed of all, your Son Jesus Christ, the “Word who became flesh”, himself the very fruit of the “seed” you promised to King David long, long ago.

That night the Lord spoke to Nathan and said: “Go, tell my servant David, ‘The Lord also reveals to you that he will establish a house for you. And when your time comes and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your heir after you, sprung from your loins, and I will make his Kingdom firm. It is he who shall build a house for my name. Your house and your kingdom shall endure forever before me; your throne shall stand firm forever.'”

2 Samuel 7: 11-13, 16

Cultivate us, O Lord, to become good soil who will be open to receive your seed to make it sprout and grow and bear fruits.

So many times in our lives, we choose to be like the “path” where seeds fall and we do not mind at all. Likewise, we sometimes choose to be like the rocky ground who joyfully received Jesus for a while but when trials come, we give up on him because we have not taken him into our hearts to take root in us.

There are those among us, O Lord, who choose to be among the thorns, who choose to believe in science and technology, in materialism that choke the word in us until it dies out and bear no fruit.

In all instances, the problem is with the soil, never with the seed that is so good if given a chance to grow on rich soil would surely be fruitful.

Teach us to be a rich soil, one who is patient and still, willing to wait for your coming each day sowing us the good seed who value silence, and most of all, who uphold the sanctity of life itself so that YOU, O Lord will grow in us, be nurtured by us, be loved and embraced by us.

Show us anew the beauty of your words, O Lord, so we may immerse ourselves in you, be still in your presence to receive and digest your words as food that delights us and strengthens us. Amen.

Prayer against jealousy

The Lord Is My Chef Breakfast Recipe for the Soul

Thursday, Week 2, Year 2, 23 January 2020

1 Samuel 18:6-9; 19:1-7 ><)))*> ><)))*> ><)))*> Mark 3:7-12

Photo by Mr. Jim Marpa, Carigara, Leyte. 2019.

Praise and glory to you O God our loving Father in heaven!

Today, I just want to bask in your immense love for me, to let myself immerse in your love, in your grace, in your mercy.

Please, loving Father, let me be assured always of your love through your Son Jesus Christ.

As I prayed today’s readings, I realized that next to pride, the most sinister sin we have is jealousy that silently creeps into our being, making us forget your enormous love for each one of us. It is something we never outgrow that actually worsens as we age!

Saul was very angry and resentful of the song, for he thought: “They give David ten thousands, but only thousands to me. All that remains for him is the kingship.” And from that day on, Saul was jealous of David.

1 Samuel 18:8-9

Jealousy is more than an insecurity of being less worthy or fear that we are loved less.

At its worst, jealousy is something we have always “nurtured” within us, part of our lack of faith and belief that we are loved, that we are cared for.

That is why jealousy can easily arise within us because it is an enemy we “host” within us!

The Pharisees and the scribes were jealous of Jesus Christ because they have always lacked belief in themselves that is why they kept on quarreling among themselves, competing who would be most admired and accepted by the people.

But the people who came to follow Jesus, seeking healing from him, felt so assured of his love and mercy. No one among them was jealous of others being healed because they felt Jesus loved them all!

That is why I pray today, O Lord Jesus, to let me dispose of that inclination to be jealous always, of wrongly believing and fearing of being denied of your love that is boundless and immense for each one of us. Amen.

With God at every step of our way

The Lord Is My Chef Breakfast Recipe for the Soul

Tuesday, Memorial of St. Agnes, Virgin and Martyr, 21 January 2020

1 Samuel 16:1-13 ><)))*> ><)))*> ><)))*> Mark 2:23-28

Photo by Mr. Jim Marpa, 2019.

The Lord said to Samuel: “How long will you grieve for Saul, whom I have rejected as king of Israel? Fill yor horn with oil, and be on your way. I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem, for I have chosen my king from among is sons.” But Sameul replied: “How can I go? Saul will hear of it and kill me.” To this the Lord answered: “Take a heifer along and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I myself will tell you what to do; you are to anoint for me the one I point out to you.” Samuel did as the Lord had commanded him.

1 Samuel 16:1-4

How many times have I found myself, O God, in the same situation as Samuel? You know very well how I felt so afraid to do your work, so fearful for my reputation and most especially of other people who might harm me in doing your work.

But what really makes it so difficult in obeying you, O God, is when I doubt if you are the one truly speaking to me, when I doubt myself if I get it right from you to do something opposite the way and thoughts of most people.

Oh… how sweet it is to remember those days when I just threw myself to your will, when I just did and say whatever you willed!

It was very scary, Lord, but we did it!

You did it very well, every step of our way!

Thank you, so much, O God! Thank you!

Send us your Holy Spirit to center our lives in your Son Jesus Christ like the disciples “who began to make a path picking heads of grain one Sabbath day” (Mk.2:23) and the Pharisees lambasted them.

Surely, the disciples would have not done that without seeking permission from Jesus. And even if Jesus had allowed them to go and pick heads of grain, I am sure there were some who still doubted him giving the permission to do it!

So nice that they trusted Jesus, like the young and lovely St. Agnes who remained adamantly faithful to him in the face of death. May I be given that same faith and courage today, Lord, to find you in every step I take. Amen.

Rejoicing the presence of God

The Lord Is My Chef Breakfast Recipe for the Soul

Monday, Week 2, Year 2, 20 January 2020

1 Samuel 15:16-23 ><)))*> ><)))*> ><)))*> Mark 2:18-22

“Sleeping Sto.Niño” at our altar, 19 January 2020. Photo by author.

Praise and glory to you, O Lord Jesus Christ!

Let me rejoice this first day of work and school in your divine presence, O Lord. Let me celebrate your coming in my life! Let me live in your divine presence most especially when everybody feels and thinks you are not with us, that you do not care at all.

Forgive me, Lord, when I act like Saul in the first reading: obediently fulfilling your will and instructions and yet, insisting on my own ways as if you are not aware of what is in our minds and hearts.

Like Saul, I always confuse your will with my “good intentions”, with what I think as good and the best for you and for others when in fact, I am playing God, “presuming” you will approve and like whatever I deem best for you and others.

But Samuel said: “Does the Lord so delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obedience to the command of the Lord? Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission than the fat of rams. For a sin is like divination is rebellion, and presumption is the crime of idolatry.”

1 Samuel 15:22-23

Help me, sweet Jesus, to always “pour new wine into fresh wineskins”, to always see something new daily in you, to find you present among people and things I take for granted.

Refresh me, Jesus, in your presence! Amen.

Sunday flower arrangement, 19 January 2020.

Rejection and Sin

The Lord Is My Chef Breakfast Recipe for the Soul

Friday, Memorial of St. Anthony, Abbot, 17 January 2020

1 Samuel 8:4-7, 10-22 ><)))*> ><)))*> ><)))*> Mark 2:1-12

Grotto, Baguio City, January 2019.

Thank you very much, O God for another week of work and school about to close this day. Most of all, thank you for for the rest you have given us these past few days from our restive Taal Volcano. Continue to keep everyone safe and ready for any worst eventuality.

Today we pray, O Lord, for those people who have rejected us, those who have rejected our friendships, those who continue to reject our peace offerings, those who still reject the mercy and forgiveness we have given them.

Our lives have all been marred with so many rejections. Too often, we do not complain and just take them as part of life, the risk in any relationships, though, deep inside, we are hurt.

But, so often, we also forget how we have always rejected you, O God, in our lives. Of how we would rather choose our own ways that often lead us into sins and destruction, rejecting your wonderful plans that simply ask us to trust in you, to believe in you, and to rely in you.

Samuel was displeased when they asked for a king to judge them. He prayed to the Lord, however, who said in answer: “Grant the people’s every request. It is not you they reject, they are rejecting me as their king.”

1 Samuel 8:6-7

Teach us, O God, to open up to you again. To be open to your love and mercy, to your mercy and forgiveness brought to us by your Son Jesus Christ.

Help us to break this cycle of rejections we within that lead us to sin.

Every time we reject you, O Lord, or our brothers and sisters in love and mercy to insist on our own ways, our own ideas and thoughts, and beliefs, that is when we often sin.

Help us to be like St. Antony who left everything in life to be a hermit in the desert in order to find you and follow you. Help us find our own desert of desolation where we can always be alone with you to rely only in you, to accept your truths to guide us in our daily life. Amen.

St. Anthony the Abbot, a.k.a. the Great, pray for us!

Thinking kindly of others

The Lord Is My Chef Breakfast Recipe for the Soul

Tuesday, Week 1, Year 2, 14 January 2020

1 Samuel 1:9-20 ><)))*> ><)))*> ><)))*> Mark 1:21-28

Inside our church from the altar table. Photo by author, November 2019.

Hanna replied to Eli, “Think kindly of your maidservant,” and she left..

1 Samuel 1:18

While praying over your words, O Lord, of that scene at the temple when Eli mistook Hannah to being drunk while praying intensely to you for a child, it reminded me of Taal Volcano’s restive behavior, of her spewing ashes and causing tremors.

But despite all these, Taal remains lovely and magnificent.

Sometimes, Lord, that is what exactly we need in life: to think kindly of others always.

The people were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes. All were amazed and asked one another, “What is this? A new teaching with authority. He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him.”

Mark 1:22, 27

Purify our thoughts, Lord, to always think kindly of others.

To always have that disposition for silence and being non-judgmental with others to always listen to them and be open to their thoughts and feelings as well.

Like you, Lord Jesus Christ, enable us to share in the power of your words, to speak with authority by entering into that daily union with you in silence and prayers.

May we learn also from the gentle Taal: to be still and silent, to speak only when necessary so that everyone listens intently to her inner rumblings when she finally “speaks”.

We continue to pray for those severely affected by Taal’s eruptions, most especially that they may remain kind with people and nature alike in this trying moments of a major calamity.

We pray for businessmen to have a heart, to think kindly of those affected by Taal’s eruptions and stop jacking up prices of much needed goods. Amen.

From inqirer.net