Maling habag

Lawiswis Ng Salita ni P. Nicanor F. Lalog II, Ika-26 ng Nobyembre 2025

*Larawan mula sa Catholic News Agency, 22 Nobyembre 2025.*

Tawag pansin at higit sa lahat ay nakatutuwa ang pahayag ng Santo Papa Leo XIV kamakailan mula sa Roma na mag-ingat aniya ang lahat sa maling habag at awa.

Nagtipon sa Roma noong isang linggo ang mga bumubuo sa court of appeals ng Simbahan kung tawagin ay Roman Rota na siyang humahawak sa mga kaso ng marriage annulment. Heto yung pambungad na bahagi ng balita mula sa Vatican:

In a firm call to avoid “false mercy” in marriage annulment proceedings, Pope Leo XIV reminded that compassion cannot disregard the truth.

During a Friday audience with participants in the legal-pastoral training course of the Roman Rota, the Holy See’s court of appeals, the Holy Father read a lengthy speech in which he recalled the importance of the reform of marriage annulment processes initiated by Pope Francis 10 years ago. (Mula sa ulat ni Almudena Martinez-Bordiu ng Catholic News Agency)

Noon pa mang mahalal na Santo Papa si Leo XIV, marami na siyang pahayag na nakakatawag pansin hindi sapagkat kakaiba o nakakagulat katulad ng sinundan niyang si Papa Francisco.

Pagmasdan palaging malinaw at ayon sa turo ng Simbahan at kanyang mga tradisyon ang mga pahayag ni Papa Leon. Walang malabo na nagbibigay daan sa maling pagkaunawa o interpretasyon. At sa lahat ng kanyang binitiwang salita, ito ang pinaka-nagustuhan ko dahil totoong-totoo. Hindi lamang sa larangan ng pagsusuri sa mga kaso ng annulment ng mga kasal kungdi sa ating buhay mismo.

Bagaman mahalaga ang maging mahabagin na siyang pinaka tuon ng pansin ni Pope Francis noon, niliwanag ngayon ni Papa Leon na hindi maaring puro na lang awa at habag.

Tunay naman na maraming pagkakataon lumalabis ating habag at awa habang nakakalimutan ang katotohanan. Lalo na sa ating mga Pinoy na puro na lang awa at bihira gumana ang batas kaya naman palala ng palala ang ating sitwasyon na nawawala na ang kaayusan dahil bihirang bigyang pagkakataon ang gawi ng katarungan.

Sa tuwing nasasantabi ang katotohanan at nangingibabaw ang pagkaawa, ito ay nagiging maling uri ng habag dahil hindi maaring pairalin ang awa kung walang katotohanan. Ipinaliwanag ni Papa Leon noong isang linggo na palagi sa lahat ng pagkakataon na hanapin at tingnan muna ang katotohanan sa mga bagay-bagay na kinokonsidera ukol sa mga kaso ng sa kasal. Idiniin ng Santo Papa na dapat maunang hanapin at panindigan ang katotohanan dahil ito mismo si Jesu_Kristo na nagsabing “Ako ang daan at ang katotohanan at ang buhay” (Jn. 14:6).

Gayon din sa buhay. Ang maging maawain sa gitna ng kawalan ng katotohanan lalo na namamayani ang kasinungalingan ay maling-mali sapagkat sa tuwing nauuna ang awa at habag kesa katotohanan, nasasantabi rin ang katarungan kung saan mayroong tiyak na napagkakaitan nito. Hindi nagiging patas ang kalagayan kung puro awa at walang katotohanan.

Kasalan sa binaha na simbahan ng Barasoain sa Malolos City, 22 Hulyo 2025; larawan kuha ni *Aaron Favila ng Associated Press.*

Sa tuwing nauuna ang pagkamaawain sa gitna ng kawalan ng katotohanan, lalo tayo nagiging walang awa o merciless sa dapat kaawaan habang hinahayaan natin ang pag-iral ng kasinungalingan. Balang araw, lulubha at lalala ang kamaliang ito kaya higit na marami ang mahihirapan.

Hindi maaring pairalin ang habag at awa kung mayroong mali at kasamaan. Iyan problema sa ating bansa: lahat na lang kinaawan at pinatawad maski walang pagsisisi ni pag-amin ng kasalanan kaya wala ring napaparusahan ni nakukulong! Magtataka pa ba tayo wala tayong kaayusan at higit sa lahat, wala tayong patunguhan?

Kinabukasan ng halalan noong 2019 habang almusal, nagsabi ng sorry sa akin ang aming kasambahay sa kumbento. Bakita ika ko? Kasi daw binoto niya pa rin si Bong Revilla bilang Senador sa kabila ng pagsasabi ko na huwag iboto; paliwanag niya sa akin ay “nakakaawa naman kung walang boboto kay Bong”.

Hindi ko malaman noon kung ako ay tatawa o magagalit. Sabi ko na lang sa kanya, puro ka awa kay Bong e hayun siya pa isa sa mga maraming nakuhang boto bilang senador, dinaig mga karapat-dapat! Ano nangyari mula noon hanggang ngayon? Sangkot diumano sa mga kaso ng pandarambong si Bong Revilla, hindi ba? Kasi nga binalewala ng mga botante ang katotohanan ng dati niyang kaso ng corruption kay Napoles at higit sa lahat ang kawalan niya ng kakayahan bilang mambabatas.

Ganyan nangyayari sa buhay saan man kapag isinasantabi ang katotohanan at pinaiiral palagi ang awa at habag. Kay rami nating mga mag-aaral na nakakatapos at guma-graduate na walang alam dahil kinaawaan lang ng guro. Tama nga tawag sa kanila, “pasang-awa” pero sino ang kawawa kapag bumabagsak ang tulay o lumalala ang pasyente?

*Larawan kuha ng may-akda, 20 Marso 2025, Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches.*

Walang natututo ng ano mang aral sa paaralan o sa buhay man nang dahil lang sa awa. Hindi titino ang bansa kapag lalaktawan ang mga batas dahil kaaawaan palagi ang mga lumalabag.

Reklamo tayo ng reklamo na namimili ang batas o selective kung saan mayroong mga pinapaboran at hindi kasi naman mas pinipili natin palagi ang awa kesa katotohanan na mayroong mali o kulang.

Kailan natin haharapin ang katotohanan? Kaya nga sinabi ni Jesus na “ang mapagkakatiwalaan sa munting bagayay pagkakatiwalaan ng higit na malalaking bagay, ang hindi tapat sa munting bagay at hindi rin mapagkakatiwalaan sa malalaking bagay” (Lk.16:10-14).

Hindi tayo nagiging maawain o merciful bagkus ay nagiging walang awa o merciless nga tayo kapag maling awa ang umiiral sa atin dahil malayo tayo sa katotohanan. Katotohanang muna bago habag at awa. Veritas et Misericordia gaya ng motto ng aming pamantasan. Naawa ni Jesus sa mga makasalanan tulad ng babaeng nahuli sa pakikiapid, kay Maria Magdalena at kay Dimas dahil umamin silang lahat sa katotohanan na sila nga ay nagkasala. Gagana lamang ang habag at awa ng Diyos kapag mayroong pag-amin at pagtanggap sa katotohanan. Huwad ang ano mang awa kapag walang katotohanan dahil tiyak wala ring katarungan na umiiral doon.

Walang bansa ang umunlad dahil lang sa awa, lalo na sa maling awa kungdi sa pagsasaliksik at paninindigan ng katotohanan.

Higit sa lahat ay nakakabuhay ng pag-asa ang pahayag ni Pope Leo para sa Simbahang Katolika lalo na dito sa Pilipinas. Nakakahiya at nakakalungkot kaming mga pari na gayon na lang kung makapula sa mga politiko at upisyal ng gobyerno sangkot sa anomalya ngunit kapag kapwa pari ang may katiwalian at alingasngas… ano laging hiling namin maging ng mga tao?

Patawarin. Kaawaan. Hayaan na lang.

Bakit ganoon?

Bukod na ang pari ay dapat larawan ng kabutihan, kami rin siyang dapat tagapagtanghal at tagapagtanggol ng katotohanan. Hindi lang ng awa. Iyong tama na awa gaya ng sinasaad ni Papa Leon. At ng Diyos.

Ang masakit ay, palaging pakiusap at sangkalan ng mga pari ay awa kahit na mali ang ginawa o ginagawa. Kaya malaking aral sa Simbahan ang yumanig na sex scandal noon. At diyan natin makikita walang katanda-tanda ang ilang pari at obispo dito sa Pilipinas: kapag pinag-usapan kaso ng mga paring sangkot sa sex at money scams, kaagad-agad ang hiling nila ay “awa”.

Kawalan ng katarungan at isang kasinungalingan kapag mga kaparian sa pamumuno at pangunguna ng obispo ay puro awa habang winawalang bahala ang katotohanan. Nakakatawa at nakaka-inis maringgan mga pari at obispo nasisiyahan sa mga kuwentong Maritess pero kapag ang paksa ay katiwalian ng isang pari, ni hindi man lamang alamin, suriin kung totoo o hindi upang maituwid. Kaya sa kahuli-hulihan, maraming pari at obispo lumalakad may ipot sa ulo dahil kitang-kita ng iba ang kamalian at kasinungaligan na sila ang ni ayaw tumingin ni umamin.

Sa mga nangyayari ngayon sa bansa, ito rin ang hamon sa amin sa Simbahan: magpakatotoo, huwag pairalin maling awa o false mercy wika ni Pope Leo upang si Kristo ang tunay na maghari sa ating buhay upang makamit tunay na pag-unlad sa lahat ng larangan ng buhay. Ano ang iyong palagay sa sinabi ni Papa Leon ukol sa maling awa? Mag-ingat at baka mayroon ka rin niyon. Amen.

Discipleship is loving more

Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul, 18 September 2025
Thursday in the Twenty-Fourth Week of Ordinary Time, Year I
1 Timothy 4:12-16     <'[[[[><  +  ><]]]]'>     Luke 7:36-50

*Photo by author, Manila Club, BGC, June 2025.*

Your words today 
surprised me again,
Lord Jesus:
so many times I find
myself like Simon the Pharisee,
always welcoming you
into my home,
into my life,
into my meal
and many times too
like him,
I am shocked,
becoming judgmental
at times like the others
when a sinner comes
like that sinful woman 
who gatecrashed
to get near you,
Lord.

When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, that she is a sinner.” Jesus said to him in reply, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” “Tell me, teacher,” he said. “Two people were in debt to a certain creditor; one owed five hudnred days’ wages and the other owed fifty. Since they were unable to repay the debt, he forgave it for both. Which of them will love him more?” Simon said in reply, “The one I suppose, whose larger debt was forgive.” He said to him, “You have judged rightly” (Luke 7:39-43).

Forgive me, 
Jesus,
when I fail to see
my own sinfulness,
my past where I came from
before being with you
as a disciple:
I, too, am a sinner
like that woman who
broke all protocols 
and conventions
just to get close to you,
to touch you
and be restored by you
in your mercy and forgiveness;
let me heed Paul's call to Timothy
to be "absorbed" 
in your love
because 
discipleship is more
than knowing you
and following you
but most of all,
loving you most
especially among 
the unloveable 
for we were once 
like them.

Like that sinful woman,
let me go in peace today
by rejoicing 
in your infinite mercy 
for us all,
not just me.
Amen.

Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Our Lady of Fatima University
Valenzuela City
(lordmychef@gmail.com)

God in light & shadows

Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul, 18 July 2025
Friday in the Fifteenth Week of Ordinary Time, Year I
Exodus 11:10-12:14     <'[[[[>< + ><]]]]'>     Matthew 12:1-8

*Photo by author, Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches, QC, 20 March 2025.*

How lovely are your words
today, O God,
on this dark, rainy Friday
with many light and shadows
that show life's many contrasts
with you still remaining 
with us,
in us,
and among us.

Although Moses and Aaron performed these various wonders in Pharaoh’s presence, the Lord made Pharaoh obstinate, and he would not let the children of Israel leave his land (Exodus 11:10).

You know everything,
dear God that is why you
set the stage for the first passover
at "evening twilight" just in time
for the people to see the light
of freedom in you;
you sometimes allow storms
to happen but 
you already have
provisions for us
beforehand:

Jesus was going through a field of grain on the sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began ton pick the heads of grain and eat them (Matthew 12:1).

What a beautiful contrast
is today's gospel!

How did it happen
the Twelve were hungry
while with Jesus
who had fed more than
5000 people with just five
loaves of bread and two pieces
of fish?

Right there under
the glaring light
and heat of the sun
on a Sabbath
when you "fed" on the Twelve
with grains in the field;
moreover,
when criticized by your
enemies,
you defended the Twelve!

You are a God of
mystery, Jesus!
Truly "greater than
the temple" for you are
the Christ,
the Son of God
who became human like us
to show us you are with us,
in us,
and among us
when everything seems
so dark or so bright
that may blind our sights;
incline our hearts to you, Jesus
who "desires mercy,
not sacrifices"
 so that when we grapple
in light and shadows,
it is solely you whom we hold on.
Amen.

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

*Photo by author, Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches 20 March 2025.*

Why be perfect like God?

Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Tuesday in the Eleventh Week of Ordinary Time, Year I, 17 June 2025
2 Corinthians 8:1-9 ><]]]'> + ><]]]'> + ><]]]'> Matthew 5:43-48

*Photo by author, Archdiocesan Shrine of Nuestra Señora De Guia, Ermita, Manila, 28 November 2024.*

Your words struck me hard
again today, Lord Jesus:
can we really be perfect
just as our heavenly Father
is perfect?
(Matthew 5:48)

Jesus said to his disciples: “You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust” (Matthew 5:43-45).

When I recall your mercies,
Jesus as you spared me 
from the bad things I deserved
due to my many and repeated sins,
the more I must be loving 
and perfect like the Father;
when I think, O Lord, 
of your many graces poured 
upon me, of the many good things 
that are mostly I never asked 
and certainly I never deserved,
it is but natural that I must be loving
and perfect like the Father;
when I examine my life
and experience how you have filled
and blessed me, Jesus,
with all your mercy and grace
despite and in spite of who I am,
the more I am convinced 
of my need to be perfect
like the Father.

Dearest Jesus,
we are all undeserving of your
love and grace,
mercy and blessings
but you simply showered us with
these all because you love us;
let our love for you be genuine
with our concern for others
like you who became poor
for us so that we may become rich
for God through others
(2 Corinthians 8:9).
Start in me,
Lord Jesus,
a revolution of love
in tenderness
and kindness
in a world that has
become so harsh
and inhospitable.
Amen.

*Photo by author, sunflower farm, Benguet Province, 12 July 2024.*

Lent is being shamefaced

40 Shades of Lent by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Monday, Second Week in Lent, 17 March 2025
Daniel 9:4-10     + + +     Luke 6:36-38

*Photo by author, Canyon Woods Resort, Laurel, Batangas, 15 March 2025.*

Lord Jesus Christ,
on this first working day of
Second Week in Lent,
give me the grace
to be
 shamefaced;
give me the sense of
embarrassment,
the sense of sinfulness,
a sense of humanity.

Yes, Lord,
we have been so
callous
and numb,
so thick-faced
as in "kapal"!

“Lord, great and awesome god, you who keep your merciful covenant toward those who love you and observe your commandments! We have sinned, been wicked and done evil; we have rebelled and departed from your commandments and your laws. We have not obeyed your servants the prophets… Justice, O Lord, is on your side; we are shamefaced even to this day… O Lord, we are shamefaced, like our kings, our princes, and our fathers for having sinned against you” (Daniel 9:4-7, 8).

Do not let us sink deeper
into sin and misery 
like your people
in the time 
of your Prophet Daniel,
Lord, for us to be shamefaced 
in admitting our sins,
our treachery against you;
our nation is so divided these days
with no one having any sense of shame
at all with the decadence we have sank
into like excessive profanities,
rampant fake news,
overt personalisms,
too much politics
without any regard
at all with what is right
and wrong,
with what is evil
and what is good
and worst of all,
without any respect
for one another
and for life in general;
many of us have 
discarded your image and
likeness in us as we have lost
our sense of sinfulness
and shame.

Let us be shamefaced
like Daniel, Jesus;
mahiya naman kami, Lord!

Before we can be merciful with
others, let us be shamefaced
first; let us be shamefaced,
Jesus, so we can be generous
with others for without any 
shame at all like with what
is happening now 
in our country,
we are sinking deeper
into the pit of destruction.
Amen.

From our “ark” of life into God’s “house of mercy”

The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Wednesday, Sixth Week in Ordinary Time, Year I, 19 February 2025
Genesis 8:6-13, 20-22 <*0000>< + ><0000*> Mark 8:22-26

I really wonder,
dear God, 
how it felt to be inside
Noah's Ark for 40 days?
The feeling of restlessness,
of anxiety and uncertainty
of the future,
so unsure of what was to come
while at the same time
filled with hope
praying for the best.

How was the boat too?
How did it look like?
What was the smell inside,
the feeling inside that big ark,
the sounds from all the animals
and everything within and
outside?

We have been there many times,
Father, in that big ark called life;
we have passed through many floods,
have waited many times for the waters
to recede,
for the sun to shine,
for life to return to normal.

Through it all,
you never left us, Lord;
send us Noah 
who would stand with
us inside the ark for
40 days and 40 nights,
stay afloat,
stay alive
wherever direction you bring us.

Help us, dear Father
to be patient even if we can't
see right away the distant shore
like that blind man healed
by Jesus at Bethsaida;
lead us, Father
in this ark of life
away from the idolatry of
modern world,
away from the trappings
of easy and comfortable life,
away from sin and evil
to be closer to your mercy,
to your "beth hesda" -
to your house of mercy.
Amen.

*Photo by author, Cathedral of St. Catherine of Alexandria, Dumaguete City, November 2024.*

Entering God’s rest

The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Thursday, Memorial of St. Anthony, Abbot, 17 January 2025
Hebrews 4:1-5, 11 ><]]]]'> + ><]]]]'> + ><]]]]'> Mark 2:1-12

*Photo by author, sunset in Atok, Benguet, 27 January 2025.*

God our Father,
let us enter into your rest,
let us go back to you in Jesus Christ
and enter your rest like in Paradise
before the Fall;
spare us of your wrath like with
the Israelites in Meribah and Massah
when they challenged and provoked you
and thus be prevented from entering
your rest, the Promised Land.

Let us be on guard while the promise of entering into his rest remains, that none of you seem to have failed. For in fact we have received the Good News just as our ancestors did. But the word that they heard did not profit them, for they were not united in faith with those who listened. Therefore, let us strive to enter into that rest, so that no one may fall after the same example of disobedience (Hebrews 4:1-2, 11).

With Christ's coming,
you have opened anew heaven
to us, enabling us to enter your rest
like what happened in the
opening of the roof above him
to lower a paralytic;
in Jesus,
that rest you have after creating
everything in Genesis
has become a reality
with his gift of forgiveness
and reconciliation
to everyone as experienced by
the paralytic in today's gospel;
O dearest Lord Jesus,
help me to rise again
by picking up the pieces of my life
made whole in you again
filled with your breath,
filled with your life,
soundly at rest
in your love
and mercy.
Amen.

Grace & joy, together. Always.

The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Thursday in the Twenty-fourth Week of Ordinary Time, Year II, 19 September 2024
1 Corinthians 15:1-11 ><))))*> + <*((((>< Luke 7:36-50

*Photo by author, St. Scholastica Spirtuality Center, Tagaytay City, 21 August 2024.*

Praise and glory
to you, God our loving Father!
Thank you for your unending
gifts of grace for us
despite our many sins
and our being undeserving.

Truly like St. Paul,
we too feel so small, 
"the least" for our so many sins
yet you never denied us with
that immense grace of 
mercy and forgiveness,
redemption and new life in
Christ Jesus our Lord
that we so often forget.

Let us affirm 
and be grateful
by cultivating this great grace
you have given us in Jesus
be who we are in your sight,
never making your grace "ineffective"
like the Pharisees in today's gospel 
who could not stand 
the sight of Jesus 
interacting with a sinful woman,
of Jesus speaking to a sinner,
of Jesus forgiving so great a sin.

May we keep in our
heart and mind your tremendous
gift of grace to be near you,
to be like you,
to be filled with you
by living out your grace
in grateful witnessing 
of loving and joyful service 
to others.

Help us remember 
that like in the Annunciation
to Mary, rejoicing and grace
are always together:
from the Greek words 
charis for grace and
chara for rejoicing,
rejoicing and joy
are clearest signs of
grace anywhere 
like that woman
who washed 
and anointed
the Lord's feet.
Amen.

Wait for one another

The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Monday, Sts. Cornelius, Pope, and Cyprian, Bishop, Martyrs, 16 September 2024
1 Corinthians 11:17-26, 33 <*((((>< + ><))))*> Luke 7:1-10

*Photo by author, Alfonso, Cavite, 21 April 2024.*

Therefore, my brothers and sisters, when you come together to eat, wait for one another (1 Corinthians 11:33).

Lovely words, 
God our Father, 
for this lovely, 
cold Monday 
of overcast skies
most likely with a lot of
rains ahead.

Wash us clean, O God,
with your rains of mercy
and wisdom: 
it must be so easy to understand
what St. Paul meant that we
"wait for one another"
when we come to eat together
but that is exactly what has
become a rarity these days;
forgive us, Father,
for like the Corinthians
we have become like pagans,
so unChristian in our lives
especially at the Eucharist of
your Son Jesus Christ;
we no longer "wait"
for one another as in 
we do not celebrate as one
due to factions and selfishness
that come in all forms;
we no longer "wait" 
not serving each other
truly as brothers and sisters;
worst of all, we live for the 
present moment alone,
being so unwise like unfaithful
servants not "waiting" 
for Christ's return.

Let us "wait" for you,
Jesus, like the people in 
Capernaum:
the locals "waiting" for the
centurion as they "strongly urged" you
to help him because of his kindness
to Jews; lovely was how
the centurion "waited"
for you, sending emissaries 
asking you Jesus for the healing
of his slave; but, most wonderful of all,
was the centurion's faith in you, Lord
as he described how his slave
faithfully "waited" on him,
prompting him to tell you:

“Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; but say the word and let my servant be healed. For I too am a person subject to authority, with soldiers subject to me. And I say to one ‘Go’, and he goes; and to another, ‘Come here,’ and he comes; and to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and he does it” (Luke 7:6, 7-8).

Indeed, dear Jesus,
to "wait" is to serve;
to "wait" is to be one
with others and with you;
to "wait" to find myself always
not worthy to receive you
but you chose to "wait" for us
in the Cross
with your words of mercy
and forgiveness
that we are all healed,
we are saved.

Pray for us,
holy martyrs Pope Cornelius
and Bishop Cyprian
who both waited faithfully
for their flock
especially those who have
lapsed in faith,
those who have sinned
and erred.
Amen.

Knowledge inflates, love builds

The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Thursday, Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time, Year II, 12 September 2024
1 Corinthians 8:1-7, 11-13 <'[[[[>< + ><]]]]'> Luke 6:27-38

Brothers and sisters: Knowledge inflates with pride, love builds up. If anyone supposes he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know. But if one loves God, one is known by him (1 Corinthians 8:1-2).

O dear Jesus,
how lovely are your words
today through St. Paul;
so timely like during his time
when so many of us today 
have become so proud and
arrogant in knowing so much
that have bloated their egos,
seeing only themselves 
unmindful of others around them,
losing their personal touch,
forgetting their humanity,
miserably failing to love
at all.

Dear Jesus,
remind us anew of that
basic truth that true knowledge
is when we realize we know
so little,
that we must learn more
not only from books 
but most of all from persons;
let us be more loving
so that we can build more
lasting and fulfilling relationships;
let us be more loving
so we can build more trust
and understanding when we
learn to love our enemies;
let us be more loving
so we can build more goodwill
and fellowship by being more
merciful like the Father in heaven;
let us be more loving
so we can build persons
than destroy them by being
non-judgmental of one another;
let us be more loving, Jesus,
so we can build and overflow
with more grace and gifts
as we give more of Jesus Christ.
Amen.