covenant

The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Thursday, Sixth Week in Ordinary Time, Year I, 20 February 2025
Genesis 9:1-13 <*{{{{>< + ><}}}}*> Mark 8:27-33

Jesus and his disciples set out for the villages of Caesarea Philippi. Along the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” They said in reply, “John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others one of the prophets.” And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter said to him in reply, “You are the Christ.” (Mark 8:27-29)

You are always on the move,
Lord Jesus:
you are always moving,
crossing the lake,
hiking in the mountains
and most often,
walking the streets.

What a lovely imagery
of you, Jesus,
always on the road 
with me following you,
watching you,
observing you,
sometimes stopping
because of being tired
but you are always there
waiting for me.

And now,
what a lovely scene
of you back on the road again
but this time asking those closest
to you - including me! -
with that most personal question
of all: "But who do you say 
that I am?"

Who are you for me, Jesus?

So many, actually.
I may not be as eloquent
like Peter, but no doubt about
who are you for me, Jesus:
my life,
my meaning,
my love,
my hopes,
my fullness.

But,
very often along this
road,
on these streets we walk
and cross,
dear Jesus
when that who are you for me
is shaken,
is tested,
even doubted
like Peter:
how could you allow 
yourself and us your followers
suffer and cry,
and die?

He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and rise after three days. He spoke this openly. Then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him (Mark 8:31-32).

Let us think always
as God does, Jesus,
not as human beings do
seeking fame and prestige,
comfort and wealth,
self and ego;
let me walk closer with you
Jesus on the streets,
on whatever road
you take
upholding that covenant
of God with Noah to
uphold and respect
human life by
"accounting for human
life" (Genesis 9:5);
more than the colorful
rainbows of the skies,
may we always see in your
outstretched arms on the Cross
the true and new covenant
of God with us sealed in 
your blood.
Amen.

*Photo by author, St. Scholastica Spirituality Center, Baguio City, August 2023.*

Graffiti: a writing or drawings on a wall
or other surface, usually without permission
and within public view.

Writings on the wall: an idiom that means
to say something will fail or something
unpleasant will happen like during the time
King Belshazzar when there appeared
writings on the wall of Babylon's impending
end (see Daniel 5:1-30).

How lovely,
O God our Father,
You chose to write your covenant
on our hearts-
not on the walls
nor documents
that often spell danger
and disaster
or doom and endings;
how lovely
to simply just look
inside our hearts to find
You and your covenant,
O God;
no need to look out
or look up
or look down
and see dirt
and chaos.

Your writing
on our hearts is simple,
noble and reassuring:
You shall be our God,
we are your people;
when Jesus came,
He gave us His heart
to visibly make
that writing,
that covenant
simply the word LOVE.
Many times,
we cannot find
your laws,
your writing on our hearts
because we have covered
them with so many other gods;
very often,
Jesus comes to us
asking us the same question
to the Twelve,
"But who do you say
that I am?"
but we are so busy
with our many pursuits in life,
reading the many writings
on the wall and pavements
of our sick world.

Cleanse our hearts, Lord
to truly give You our
sincere answers
and remember your
covenant of love
written on our hearts.
Amen.

Category: covenant

Jesus on the street

Written in our hearts