Praying to be better, not bitter

Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul, 10 July 2025
Thursday in the Fourteenth Week of Ordinary Time, Year I
Genesis 44:18-21, 23-29; 45:1-5   <*{{{>< + ><}}}*>   Matthew 10:7-15

“Come closer to me,” he told his brothers. When they had done so, he said: “I am your brother Joseph, whom you once sold into Egypt. But now do not be distressed, and do not reproach yourselves for having sold me here. It was really for the sake of saving lives that God sent me here ahead of you.” (Genesis 45:4-5)

Dear God our Father:
give me that magnanimity
of Joseph to his brothers,
give me that same kind of 
attitude of being better
than bitter with life's many
trials and difficulties caused
by others especially those closest
to us; what a tremendous grace
for Joseph after all those years of
pains of being sold and lost in a far-away
country, he remained faithful to you
and you gifted him the wisdom
to save not just a nation
but the whole region.

*Photo by author, Alfonso, Cavite, 2024.*

Teach us to be empty always
to never carry so many
baggages and luggages,
so many wealth and
extras in life journeys
whether they be positive
or negative because in life,
it is always that attitude of
emptiness for you and your plans
that matters for us to fulfill your
mission, everything else is
incomparable to you as our
most cherished gift
and treasure;
for those going through
many trials these days
especially when the days
are dark and rainy,
teach us to have fun
and celebrate life
with much love in you.
Amen.

Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Our Lady of Fatima University
Valenzuela City

Angry Jesus, magnanimous Jesus

The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Wednesday, Memorial of St. Vincent, Deacon & Martyr, 22 January 2025
Hebrews 7:1-3, 15-17 <*((((>< + ><))))*> Mark 3:1-6

Dearest Jesus:
Your words today are
so difficult;
I cannot imagine 
you angry 
as you looked
at the Pharisees 
"with anger and grieved 
at their hardness 
of heart" (Mark 3:5);
but, as I imagined your face, Lord,
I experienced deep in me 
what made you angry enough
to do something so drastic like healing
the withered hand of a man
on a sabbath:
it was purely love,
it was not anger due to
hate and bitterness
but magnanimity
or generosity despite
and in spite of everything
because you are indeed, 
Jesus our High Priest forever 
according to the order 
of Melchizedek:

Melchizedek, king of Salem and priest of God Most High… His name first means righteous king, and he was also “king of Salem,” that is, king of peace. Without father, mother, or ancestry, without beginning of days or end of life, thus made to resemble the Son of God, he remains a priest forever (Hebrews 7:1, 2-3).

Let me examine myself
what is it about you, Jesus
 that I am so afraid of you
and made me many times
 like the Pharisees
be so hardened against you;
take away my stony heart,
dear Jesus and give me a
natural heart that beats with
firm faith, fervent hope,
and unceasing love and charity
for others especially those
in need and
those lost.

Like your deacon
and martyr St. Vincent,
the first martyr of Spain,
fill me Jesus with your peace
and tranquility
to bear all sufferings that
his jailer repented
and was converted;
make me magnanimous,
Jesus, like you
especially in this time
when losers refuse
to accept defeat
that they insist on their
wrongful ways
due to hardened hearts.
Amen.

*Photo by author, Sakura Park, Atok, Benguet, 27 December 2024.*

Praying for magnanimity

The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Tuesday in the Fourth Week of Easter, 10 May 2022
Acts 11:19-26   ><]]]]'> + <'[[[[><   John 10:22-30

*Photo by Ms. Jing Rey Henderson in Taroytoy, Aklan, 30 April 2022.*

God our loving Father,
it has been almost a day
since we had perhaps our
most hotly-contested elections
so far that have divided us not
only as a nation but also as
family and friends, and sadly
as followers of your Son,
Jesus Christ.

How sad that long before
the start of the campaign period
many among us have forgotten
being Christians; it was the opposite
that have happened lately, Christians
persecuting fellow Christians simply
because they belong to different 
camps in politics.

Those who ad been scattered by the persecution that arose because of Stephen went as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to no one but Jews. The news about them reached the ears of the Church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to go to Antioch. Then he went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he had found him he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the Church and taught a large number of people, and it was in Antioch that the disciples were first called Christians.
Acts 11:19, 22, 25-26

Though there was the sad note
of persecution at the beginning of the Church,
it turned out to be a blessing for it helped
spread fast the good news to more
people in more places; what is most
wonderful, dear Father is the virtue of
magnanimity among the disciples and early
followers.
As they gained followers
with strong footholds especially
at Antioch where they were first called
Christians, they have always been
magnanimous in their successes.

Teach us all to be magnanimous,
Lord, especially the victors in these
elections though it is still too early;
may our words and deeds, especially
our behavior and attitudes testify
to our being Christians; enough with
our sanctimonious stance with
those opposed to us; may we 
imitate Barnabas is reaching out
to others, of being open, of
being converted daily in Jesus
our Good Shepherd.  Amen.