The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Tuesday, Memorial of St. Cyril of Alexandria, Bishop & Doctor of Church, 27 June 2023
Genesis 13:2, 5-18 ><]]]]'> + ><]]]]'> ><]]]]'> Matthew 7:6, 12-14
Photo by author, the narrow door into the Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem, the Holy Land, 2019.
Lord Jesus Christ,
teach us to be generous
by choosing to enter
through the narrow gate
that leads to life (Mt. 7:13);
let us realize that generosity
is choosing which is more
difficult, which is less,
forgetting one's self
in order to give others better
chances,
better choices,
better portions.
Like Abraham
in today's first reading,
generosity is being able
to give the best freely
when we completely trust
God's generosity;
God promised to bless
Abraham more abundantly
not only with wealth but
most of all of being the father
of all nations with descendants
more than the dust of earth
after Lot had chosen
the plains of Jordan with
its abundant water
not realizing the wicked
inhabitants of Sodom.
Above all,
generosity is thinking more
of persons than objects
like when Abraham felt the
need for him and Lot to part
ways lest their slaves
quarrel.
Remind us, dear Jesus,
to be always generous
not only with our goods
but most of all with
persons because
we can only find you
and fulfillment
in others we
consider as
brothers and sisters
in you.
Amen.
The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Tuesday, Memorial of St. Aloysius Gonzaga, Religious, 21 June 2022
2 Kings 19:9-11, 14-21, 31-35, 36 ><]]]'> + <'[[[>< Matthew 7:6, 12-14
Photo by author, Jerusalem, May 2017.
God our loving Father,
thank you in giving us many
examples of people who have
chosen to take the narrow road
like our very young saint today,
Aloysius Gonzaga; despite his
being born into a wealthy family,
he insisted on becoming a Jesuit
to lead a simple life; most of all,
despite his youth and very poor
health, he chose to care for the
the sick during a plague in Rome
that led to his death in 1591 at a
young age of 23.
In this age of affluence when everything
is invented to make life so comfortable,
more and more are being lured to take
the wide road of greed and self-
centeredness, lies and deceits,
even violence that have destroyed
so many beautiful lives.
Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter through it are many. How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life. And those who find it are few.”
Teach us to focus only on Christ,
to take his narrow and
difficult road of charity and love,
justice and mercy, truth and freedom,
sacrifice and self-giving; let us be
persevering in having discipline in
choosing the narrow road because
it is the only one that leads to life
and fulfillment, and redemption as
experienced by Hezekiah, the king
of Judah when you saved them from
the Assyrians. Amen.
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