The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Wednesday in the Second Week of Ordinary Time, Year II, 17 January 2024 1 Samuel 17:32-33, 37, 40-51 <'[[[[>< + ><]]]]'> Mark 3:1-6
Guillaume Courtois, “David and Goliath,” 1650-1660. Oil on canvas. Image via Wikimedia Commons.
Dear God: Bring out in me the youthful faith and confidence of David your servant who slew the giant Goliath in your most holy name; many times in life I get so afraid of the many trials in life that come my way - sickness and death, problems and difficulties, sufferings and pains, failures and rejections, sins and evil situations that enslave me.
Many times, you know how I wanted to give up the fight, to just quit and leave but thank you for that spark of faith in you from within that reminds me of you, of your abiding love and presence like David before Goliath:
“All this multitude, too, shall learn that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves. For the battle is the Lord’s, and he shall deliver you into our hands.”
1 Samuel 17:47
Most of all, let me hold on to that truth that you sent us your Son Jesus Christ "to do everything that is good than evil, to save life than destroy it" (Mark 3:4); let me do always your work, dear Father, in the way you would want me to do it. Amen.
The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Friday in the First Week of Ordinary Time, 12 January 2024 1 Samuel 8:4-7, 10-22 <'[[[[>< + ><]]]]'> Mark 2:1-12
Photo by Mr. Boy Cabrido, 05 January 2024, First Friday at Quiapo Church.
Praise and glory to you, God our Father, on this twelfth day of 2024 as you continue to teach us some valuable lessons to keep in order to live in communion with you and experience your blessings in Jesus Christ daily for the next 366 days.
In the first reading, we find the persistence of your people in having a king over them just like other nations around Israel which, surprisingly, you did not mind at all! How funny it is that many times, we are insistent on things really not that important, wasting precious time and energy only to be sorry later.
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
Send us prophets, Father, another Samuel who would help us discern what we are asking from you, what we desire in life, what we really want; may we not be insistent nor persistent when our prayers and wishes or objectives contradict your divine plans and set us apart from you and others who truly care for us.
Photo by Mr. Boy Cabrido, midnight at Quiapo, 09 January 2024.
Teach us instead, to be more persistent, even insistent by persevering to get closer to Jesus Christ your Son like those four men who opened up the roof and let down before Jesus the paralytic they were carrying; how funny when we make many excuses to be not insistent and persistent in getting closer to Jesus like going to Sunday Mass, hearing Confessions, or simply praying inside the church or an adoration chapel; many times, we never run out of alibis for not persisting in being kind or being good or at least courteous to others; more often, we simply lack the energy to persevere in cultivating discipline and other virtues because we think more of what others are doing and saying, of what is in, what is in vogue, what is viral and trending.
This 2024, give us the grace of persistence, especially of perseverance in following Jesus, in being like Jesus, in sharing Jesus. Amen.
Photo by Mr. Boy Cabrido in Luneta, 09 January 2024.
The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Tuesday in the First Week of Ordinary Time, Year II, 09 January 2024 1 Samuel 1:9-20 <*((((>< + ><))))*> Mark 1:21-28
Photo by Mr. Jay Javier, Quiapo, 09 January 2020.
Praise and glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ, that today we shift into Ordinary Time in our liturgy that coincides with the annual Traslacion of the image of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo, Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno as you remind us too in our readings true meaning of authority we often relate with power.
Jesus came to Capernaum with his followers, and on the sabbath he entered the synagogue and taught. The people were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority not as the scribes.
Mark 1:21-22
People were astonished with your authority, Lord Jesus, not only because it is all-powerful but most of all, it is most kind, most compassionate, most humane because in your life, in your very self as Jesus Nazareno, you have shown us that authority is not just having power to make thing happen nor lording over others; like in Quiapo today as in Capernaum, we are astonished with your authority not because of its powers of being efficacious but because of your being so close with us who are weak and suffering; true authority for you, dear Jesus, is to be one with the people - in our miseries and anxieties, in our pains and hurts, as well as in our aspirations and dreams; authority is most real, most powerful and most appreciated when that authority is felt as power for the people to be healed and comforted, raised up and inspired like you have shown in your coming to us, in your carrying the cross, of your bearing our infirmities. Like Hannah in the first reading, we beg those authorities above us to "think kindly" of us people; many times, people in authority lord it over us like Eli initially, suspecting Hannah being drunk, scolding us, reprimanding us, worst, judging us without even knowing our plight, so unlike you who became poor like us, most of all, died for us. Amen.
The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, 08 January 2024 Isaiah 55:1-11 <*{{{{>< + ><}}}}*> Mark 1:7-11
How lovely, dear God our Father, that at the start of work and classes this 2024, we heard from Mark the start of his gospel where he told us the baptism of your Son Jesus, the fulfillment of your promises of old announced by his precursor, John the Baptist.
On coming out of the water he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit, like a dove descending upon him. And a voice came from the heavens, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”
Mark 1:10-11
Oh how I love that part of Mark's narration of "the heavens being torn open", so evocative of your power, almighty Father of intervening into our lives, of rending the sky to come down upon us to bring order, to bring peace, to bring salvation in Jesus! At the end of his gospel, Mark spoke anew of how Jesus at his last breath “rending” the curtain at the sanctuary of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom (Mk.15:38).
Everyday you open the heavens for us, dear Father in Christ Jesus, calling us your beloved children, pouring upon us all your blessings not only the material things we need but all good things we need to live fully as you have told Isaiah in the first reading:
Thus says the Lord: All you who are thirsty, come to the water! You who have no money, come, receive grain and eat; come, without paying and without cost, drink wine and milk! Heed me, and you shall eat well, you shall delight in rich fare. Come to me heedfully, listen, that you may have life. I will renew with you the everlasting covenant, the benefits assured to David. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord… so shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth; my word shall not return to me void, but shall do my will, achieving the end for which I sent it.
Isaiah 55:1-3, 8, 11
Loving Father, let us not reject your call and invitation in Christ Jesus to be one with him in this world; forgive us when most often, we think of the difficulties in keeping your commandments without realizing they are "not burdensome" (1 John 5:3) because the more we sin, the more life gets harder and difficult for us.
Let us hold on your assurance of love on this feast of the Lord's baptism, of how your favor rests upon us in Christ Jesus; let us heed your calls so we may see you rending the heavens apart, coming to our rescue, coming to our aid in your loving presence. Amen.
The Lord My Chef Sunday Music by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II, 07 January 2024
Photo by Dra. Mylene A. Santos, MD, in Tagalag, Valenzuela City, 13 September 2023.
It’s the first Sunday of 2024 and we are celebrating in the Church today the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord used to be known as Feast of the Three Kings. Today is the final Sunday of the Christmas season which closes tomorrow with the Feast of the Baptism of Jesus before we go into the Ordinary Time the following Tuesday.
From the Greek word epiphanes that means appearance or manifestation, today’s celebration reminds us that Jesus came for everyone especially those forgotten and unloved, the poor and marginalized, the sinner and those lost.
Most of all, Christ became human like us except in sin so that it would be easier for us to find God who loves us so much without any reservations. In fact, it is actually God who searches for us and always finds us. Whenever we think we are looking for God and have found Him, it was actually God who first sought us and found us.
It was God who moved the magi from the East to search for Jesus Christ born in Bethlehem and they found him. Ironically, it was the people of Jerusalem, especially King Herod along with the scribes and priests who knew where the Christ would be born were the ones who did not find him because they were not really interested in finding Jesus.
Christmas is being “out” with Christ when we think less of ourselves within like the magi from the East who went out of their ways, of their comfort zones and even ivory towers to find Jesus in Bethlehem… Yes, Jesus is out there, manifesting himself daily in so many ways but we could not recognize him because we are locked inside our own beliefs of the Christ, held captive by our many fears like King Herod and the people of Jerusalem.
This is the second time we are featuring on Epiphany Sunday Sergio Mendes and Brasil ’77’s classic “Waiting for Love” composed by Randy McNeill from their 1974 album Vintage 74. One good thing with social media today is how we are able to unearth or discover so many wonderful things about our music in the past like the impressive talents behind this lovely song with vocals from the lovely Bonnie Bowden who collaborated with many other albums later with Mr. Mendes as well as Jazz artist George Duke. Jazz legend Dave Grusin was the conductor and arranger for the orchestra music of the album with some acoustic guitar renditions by another legend Antonio Carlos Jobim.
What we like most with Waiting for Love that rings true to everyone of us is the fact how very often we are so locked inside – with our past pains and hurts, even sins and failures as well as presumptions on everyone and everything that we could not find Jesus and love itself outside in other people.
Was it something in the rain Or a chance of love again That made me explain The secrets of my soul I guess I only needed Someone to hold
But I was gone without a trace And the rain blew away
And it seems I've spent my whole life Waiting for love And when it comes I always run away
Was it something on a dream That touched my memory Or a picture I didn't know I'd seen That made me stop and stare And then I lost him, If he was ever there
Waiting for Love challenges us like the Epiphany to be wise like the magi to recognize and follow Jesus appearing daily in our lives in many occasions and circumstances. Surely, there were other people who have seen the bright star of Bethlehem when Christ was born but why only the three magi from the East came to follow it and search for Jesus?
This 2024, stop being “afraid of being close where I need to be the most”to start following and believing in the bright star of Jesus Christ found in people who come to us daily. Cheers to more love this 2024!
The Lord Is My Chef Sunday Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord, 07 January 2024 Isaiah 60:1-6 ><}}}}*> Ephesians 3:2-3,5-6 ><}}}}*> Matthew 2:1-12
I have been thinking these past days after Christmas at how ironic when we rejoiced on the Lord’s birthday, we also unconsciously left him behind our celebrations. It seemed that the more we celebrated Christmas, the more we think of our very selves, the more we forget Jesus found in other people, especially the little ones.
This is perhaps the problem with our prolonged Christmas season in the country that as we try so hard to be “in” beginning September, the more we actually push Jesus “out” of Christmas! We are so concerned with everything new and beautiful – from our clothes to our gifts and decorations, food and parties when Jesus actually came for what is old and worn out like the sinful, the outcasts, and the marginalized. Christmas is being “out” with Christ when we think less of ourselves within like the magi from the East who went out of their ways, of their comfort zones and even ivory towers to find Jesus in Bethlehem.
This is what Epiphany or Manifestation of the Lord to the Nations of the world is showing us today in this last major celebration in the Christmas season before we shift into Ordinary Time on Tuesday after the Feast of the Lord’s Baptism tomorrow.
Yes, Jesus is out there, manifesting himself daily in so many ways but we could not recognize him because we are locked inside our own beliefs of the Christ, held captive by our many fears like King Herod and the people of Jerusalem.
When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage.” When King Herod heard this, he was greatly troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
Matthew 2:1-4
Photo by author, Jerusalem, May 2017.
If somebody today would come inquiring where is the newborn king or lord and master of Christians, how would we feel? Would we feel “greatly troubled” like King Herod and the rest of Jerusalem?
Don’t you find it odd that when the magi asked about the newborn king of the Jews, Herod and the people were troubled instead of at least first asking for clarifications on who was the king they were looking for? The least they could have done was looked up to see the star that brought the magi there in the first place so that instead of being troubled, they could have felt perplexed or baffled, with the familiar reactions of “what?” or “duh…” or “huh” or as we would always say, “ha, ano daw iyon?”
This is what I meant of Christmas as a celebration of going out to check on others like the magi and their star: Herod and the people of Jerusalem went inside themselves and got locked in their beliefs and presuppositions as well as fears! They were troubled because they felt the status quo would be disturbed that could throw them off their comfort zones. And the biggest irony is that they who have the answers in the scriptures remained locked inside their own selfish worlds, refusing to get out and meet the newborn king!
But there is another side to this reality of our refusal to go out, to meet and recognize Christ in his manifestations. This is a more dangerous expression of being locked inside ourselves when our motivation in asking questions is dubious. Why do we ask and inquire on someone or anything? Is it because we want to learn and know better or is it because we want our beliefs validated and affirmed?
The magi were clearly searching for the truth, for an answer to their queries. They wanted to know because they knew very well that they knew nothing or so little about the newborn king of the Jews that is why they asked questions in Jerusalem. See their sincerity and humility in finding the truth that they they went out of themselves. And they were not disappointed for eventually, they were filled and fulfilled with Jesus.
King Herod on the other hand inquired about the birth of the Messiah because of his sinister plans against him. He was filled with pride and conceit, locked inside himself without any intentions of truly learning and knowing, of relating with Jesus nor with anybody else. He felt he knew everything so well without realizing he knew nothing at all. Herod and the rest of Jerusalem were troubled precisely because they were not interested with Jesus Christ.
It is said that a person is known by the questions he/she asks. Very often, our questions are a manifestation too of who we are.
Let us not be complacent that this happened only to King Herod and the people of Jerusalem more than 2000 years ago for it continues to happen to this day in many instances in our lives, in our families, and in our parishes and the Church when we no longer search for Christ Jesus as we are busy pursuing many other things for personal fame and glory.
How often does it happen with us in our parish, in our Church, in our families that we are so stuck into our old beliefs even traditions that we refuse to go out and meet Jesus Christ Who have come to set us free from all forms of slavery caused by sins?
Jesus fulfills the longings of the people since the Old Testament time as heralded by Isaiah’s prophecy in the first reading which St. Paul beautifully explains in the second reading as “the mystery made known by God to him.” Mystery in this sense is not something hidden but revealed so that in Christ Jesus, the mystery of God, His plan for us is revealed or made known for everyone not only the Jews but for all peoples of the world represented by the magi.
Are we willing to be like the magi who dared to leave everything behind, unmindful of the long and perilous journey to make in order to meet Jesus Christ? In meeting the Lord like the magi, are we willing to give up everything we have especially the most precious ones and offer these to Him? Most of all, upon finding God, are we willing to go back home by “another way” like the magi as instructed in a dream never to return to Herod? The Lord continues to manifest Himself to us in so many ways every day, often in the simplest occasions and things. May we have the courage to meet Jesus Christ so that we may see the light and beauty of this New Year He has for us. Have a blessed week ahead!
“Lord Jesus Christ, give us the courage to leave our baggages of 2023: the pains and hurts, the sins, the failures and disappointments so that we may meet You this New Year 2024. Teach us to give up our worldly treasures so that we could truly ask honest and sincere questions to know You, to love You, and to follow You in Your many epiphanies of truth and realities, of love and kindness, of mercy and forgiveness through the people we meet. Amen.”
The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Friday before the Epiphany of the Lord, 05 January 2023 1 John 3:11-21 <*((((>< + ><))))*> John 1:43-51
Photo by Dra. Mylene A. Santos, MD, at Tagalag, Valenzuela City, 18 November 2023.
How wonderful on this fifth day of 2024, O God our Father, that you amaze us first on what is truly amazing...
"Do not be amazed, then, brothers and sisters, if the world hates you" (1 John 3:13).
Many times we are amazed at the evil men and women do; we are amazed and surprised in the negative sense like shocked, appalled, even embarrassed when others speak and act shamelessly against what is true, good, and beautiful; to be amazed in the negative sense makes us withdraw to examine our very selves if we too have become callous and shamelessly evil.
What is truly amazing, worth of our surprise is when we are amazed in the positive sense like Nathanael: "Can anything good come from Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see" (John 1:46).
Only what is truly good, very true, and really beautiful is amazing; nothing can make our hearts leap even in momentary disbelief and amazement like Nathanael to hear or see or experience something so good and all good; and that is YOU, O God, the most amazing of all now brought nearer to us in Christ Jesus; in him, we have realized and experienced that "God is greater than our hearts" (1 John 3:20) because you, O God, your love and your truth, your mercy and your kindness are all beyond our grasp; nothing can be so amazing, loving Father, for us to experience your love far beyond anything we could expect for ourselves; make us believe, let us be amazed in you. Amen.
The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Thursday before the Epiphany of the Lord, 04 January 2024 1 John 3:7-10 ><]]]]'> + <'[[[[>< John 1:35-42
Photo by author, La Mesa Forest Park at the back of Our Lady of Fatima University-Quezon City, January 2023.
The two disciples heard what he said and followed Jesus. Jesus turned and saw them following him and said to them, “What are you looking for?” They said to him, “Rabbi” (which translated means Teacher), “where are you staying?” He said to them, “Come, and you will see.”
John 1:37-39
Thank you very much, dear Lord Jesus in helping us find new directions in life this fourth day of 2024; your question to Andrew and his companion still echoes to us in this time, confronting us for an answer, for a response.
Lord Jesus, enlighten our minds and our hearts with your Holy Spirit this beginning of the year; we are constantly in search of so many things but mostly not essential; thank you in giving us Andrew and companion as guide on what to look for - you and nobody else!
Teach me, dear Lord, to always first ask that important question what matters most to me that I am looking for because it reveals who I am, where I stand before you, my Lord, and before others. Many times, we merely follow you but when the going gets tough and rough, we leave and stay behind; many times, we merely follow you without truly searching where you stay, where can you truly be found, Lord Jesus because you are never idle nor confined in a book nor a place nor a kind of person; very often, you stay dear Jesus where it is difficult, even agonizing, and disturbing.
Let us come to you, and see you, dear Jesus, to personally experience you even in the most surprising ways for there is no place nor person nor situation where you cannot be found. Amen.
The Lord Is My Chef Sunday Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Feast of the Holy Family, Sunday in the Christmas Octave-B, 31 December 2023 Genesis 15:1-6, 21:1-3 ><]]]'> Hebrews 11:8, 11-12, 17-19 ><]]]'> Luke 2:22-40
Photo by author, 25 December 2023.
After the birth of the Christ in Bethlehem and the visit of the shepherds, Luke tells us how the Child was circumcised on the eighth day and given with the name Jesus. A short while after that, Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to Jerusalem to present him to God in the temple.
And that was when more exciting and wonderful things continued to happen to Mary and Joseph when two elderly people filled with the Holy Spirit, Simeon and Anna, took the Child Jesus and spoke great things about him to his astonished parents.
The child’s father and mother were amazed at what was said about him; and Simeon blessed them… There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple… And coming forward at that very time, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem.
Luke 2:33-34, 36-38
Photo from crossroadinitiative.com.
See again the artistry of Luke in showing to us in this scene how Jesus Christ makes every family holy. In narrating to us the story of Christmas, Luke had earlier shown us that Jesus comes first in every family, in every husband and wife and their children.
Clearly we see Luke’s consistency in telling us that in this season and beyond, our focus must always be centered on the person and mission of Jesus Christ as the Son of God, our Savior who makes every family holy like his! How they unfolded through Mary and Joseph is worth reflecting this Sunday.
I have always been amazed since our 30-day retreat in 1995 with this gospel scene of the presentation of Jesus at the temple. The situation of the Holy Family of Joseph, Mary and Jesus was simply an ordinary one with hundreds of other families making the same journey to the temple with nothing unusual happening.
Then all of a sudden, the unforeseen and unforeseeable take place amid all the crowds in the temple on that day. A great revelation by God not only for people at that time but also for us today is made known which allowed us too to perceive the hidden Jesus coming daily in our lives. See the obedience of Mary and Joseph to their Laws and customs. Most of all, their continuing openness to the many revelations still unfolding about their child Jesus.
Photo by author, Nazareth, Israel, May 2019.
It was not a case of exceptional grace to exceptional couple of Joseph and Mary nor to individuals like Simeon and Anna whom I always wondered how were they able to recognize Jesus as the Christ being offered on that day in the temple.
Again, we are invited to be attuned and opened always to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, of keeping that spark of faith within us like Abraham in the first reading who “put his faith in the Lord, who credited it to him as an act of righteousness” (Gen. 15:6). Here we find how God guides us in our steps and those of others in our long and often circuitous journeys in life to have faith in him in finding Jesus the light of our salvation and fulfillment. But faith is more than simply putting ourselves blindly in the hands of God, just moving on with life with a bahala na attitude.
Faith is more than believing and trusting God and persons. It is entering into a communion, a bond with God as our Lord and Master or anyone we love so dearly like our family. The author of the Letter to the Hebrews stressed this aspect of faith as a communion and a bond in our second reading which we find not only in Abraham but also in Joseph and Mary as well as in Simeon and Anna, too.
Recall those moments when you felt like Abraham who was already too old, when you felt it was already “game over” for our plans in life, the end of your rope or when you felt everything is down the drain that you simply accepted it as the reality when suddenly, because of that firm faith and union in God, something happens like a twist or a turn when everything in your life just falls into its right places!
Remember those moments in the past when we dared to walk in the right direction of Jesus – full of humility amid the pains and sufferings of his Cross – when we find later on how his words jibed perfectly with our experiences, so intertwined with our dreams and aspirations along with other people especially with our family that eventually get fulfilled – if not in us, in those next to us. This is the gist of the beautiful movie Firefly.
From GMA Films and GMA Public Affairs.
Firefly is one exceptional film in every aspect. Everything is so good. Watching it convinced me of a renaissance in Filipino film industry. It is a fantasy movie everyone must see this Season because it is a Christmas story, a Christ-film in fact.
Its main character is a small child named Tonton who lost his mother at a young age and embarked on a long journey to bring his mother’s ashes to her birthplace in an island in Bicol said to be inhabited by fireflies.
All Tonton had was faith and love for his mother played by Alessandra de Rossi. His map was actually his scrapbook of his colorful illustrations of the story narrated to him by his mother. Along the way, he met three individuals living in the darkness of their past, uncertain of their future: an ex-convict heading home, doubtful if he would be accepted by his wife and son; a broken-hearted man cheated by his girlfriend at a loss what to do with her name tattooed on his bicep; and a lovely lady on a backpack trip with a camera and some envelops she used to scam money from people for her supposed outreach programs for kids.
From GMA Films and GMA Public Affairs
They all found the light of life through the life and words of Tonton whom they helped reached his mother’s home island where he too eventually came to terms with his own ghosts of the past.
I won’t tell you any details any more. Do watch the movie and be enthralled with its attention to details, the many symbolisms, most of all, of the good news about the beauty of this life made manifest by the Child who opened our eyes to see the light of love and life. Amen. Have a blessed family in Christ Jesus this new year of 2024!
A short poem I wrote after watching Mallari and Firefly:
Two fantasy movies, One so scary The other a thing of beauty!
The best in cinematography Indeed is Mallari: How they sew together seamlessly Fiction into a true story so eerie Of the evil reality But sadly sank deeply In vicious circle of sin And infamy.
But if you have to see A movie do not miss Firefly Everything is about beauty Despite the ugly reality Of life we all see; The slum by the sea The kid and his bullies The story of his mommy Led him into a journey Intertwined with a many Treading blankly from each one’s past Into their present afraid of what will be Only to see through this kid’s story That many times a fantasy Is in fact the reality We refuse to believe That is why we can’t see; How lovely is the movie Though not about history Or social malady But deep theology Of how a child brought Fire and light And made us see We are loved so immensely So that someday We too can rise and fly High to the sky.
The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Tuesday, Feast of St. Stephen, First Martyr of the Church, 26 December 2023 Acts 6:8-10, 7:54-59 <*{{{{>< + ><}}}}*> Matthew 10:17-22
Photo by author, December 2017.
Every year, dear Jesus, you remind us a day after your birthday to always remember the Cross looming behind your manger in Bethlehem with the feast of our first martyr, St. Stephen; you remind us how in your coming life will be more challenging for us as your disciples.
“You will be hated by all because of my name, but whoever endures to the end will be saved.”
Matthew 10:22
Every year also, dear Jesus, on this day we remember and reflect on the many times life has been so difficult for us, especially in witnessing your Gospel in words and in deeds; but so often, we forget how we ourselves your disciples cause so much pains and sufferings among other disciples when we ourselves are the ones who "hand over" or betray out loved ones with our infidelities, jealousies, and greed; so often we forget how we your disciples "hand over" or betray our own family members to so much agony when couples are unfaithful to each other, when parents disregard thier children for their various pursuits in the guise of loving them, when children quarrel with each other, when children disobey their parents, and so many other sins that make our loved ones not be merry at all especially this Christmas.
For all our sins, of running away from your Cross, dear Jesus, in making others Christmas not merry, forgive us and have mercy. Amen.
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