Category: Prayer/Spirituality

Prayer against jealousy

The Lord Is My Chef Breakfast Recipe for the Soul

Thursday, Week 2, Year 2, 23 January 2020

1 Samuel 18:6-9; 19:1-7 ><)))*> ><)))*> ><)))*> Mark 3:7-12

Photo by Mr. Jim Marpa, Carigara, Leyte. 2019.

Praise and glory to you O God our loving Father in heaven!

Today, I just want to bask in your immense love for me, to let myself immerse in your love, in your grace, in your mercy.

Please, loving Father, let me be assured always of your love through your Son Jesus Christ.

As I prayed today’s readings, I realized that next to pride, the most sinister sin we have is jealousy that silently creeps into our being, making us forget your enormous love for each one of us. It is something we never outgrow that actually worsens as we age!

Saul was very angry and resentful of the song, for he thought: “They give David ten thousands, but only thousands to me. All that remains for him is the kingship.” And from that day on, Saul was jealous of David.

1 Samuel 18:8-9

Jealousy is more than an insecurity of being less worthy or fear that we are loved less.

At its worst, jealousy is something we have always “nurtured” within us, part of our lack of faith and belief that we are loved, that we are cared for.

That is why jealousy can easily arise within us because it is an enemy we “host” within us!

The Pharisees and the scribes were jealous of Jesus Christ because they have always lacked belief in themselves that is why they kept on quarreling among themselves, competing who would be most admired and accepted by the people.

But the people who came to follow Jesus, seeking healing from him, felt so assured of his love and mercy. No one among them was jealous of others being healed because they felt Jesus loved them all!

That is why I pray today, O Lord Jesus, to let me dispose of that inclination to be jealous always, of wrongly believing and fearing of being denied of your love that is boundless and immense for each one of us. Amen.

Choosing Jesus

The Lord Is My Chef Breakfast Recipe for the Soul

Wednesday, Memorial of St. Vincent, Deacon and Martyr, 22 January 2020

1 Samuel 24:3-21 ><)))*> ><)))*> ><)))*> Mark 3:1-6

Cross atop our Parish church, 19 January 2020. Photo by Gelo N. Carpio.

Dearest Lord Jesus:

Today I realized something new, something different: that biblical term “hardness of the heart” may not be totally wrong at all.

It sounds negative but may mean two things also like of hardness of the heart for God or a hardness of the heart against God and others.

Hardness of the heart for God: When King Saul was trying to dissuade the young David from facing the Philistine giant Goliath, David explained:

“The Lord, who delivered me from the claws of the lion and the bear, will also keep me safe from the clutches of this Philistine.”

1 Samuel 17:37

Would it really matter, O Lord, if we face a great or little obstacle in life if we have that complete faith and trust in you, if like David we would have such heart so hard for you?

David was very insistent on fighting Goliath – he knew and was convinced that no matter what, God will fight his battle! He had a hard heart for you, O God. Very adamant in fact.

When we have total faith and trust in you, O Lord, there is no one or nothing we should be afraid of.

Hardness of the heart against God: When Jesus confronted his enemies during a sabbath at the synagogue regarding the healing of the man with a withered hand there, they chose to be silent than make a stand for what is good and right.

Then Jesus said to the Pharisees, “Is it lawful to do good on a sabbath rather than do evil, to save life rather than destroy it?” But they remained silent. Looking around at them with anger and grieved at their hardness of heart, Jesus said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out and his hand was restored.

Mark 3:4-5
St. Vincent, Deacon and Martyr,
pray for us!

Lord Jesus Christ, remind us always of the beautiful imagery of your Cross, of you always standing in our midst, presenting yourself before us to always choose you, side with you in making choices in life.

Give us the grace and courage like with St. Vincent, the first martyr of Spain who bore all forms of torture with silence and grace, remaining faithful to you.

Give us that grace to give you a chance to work in us.

Harden our hearts for you.

Incline our hearts for you. Amen.

With God at every step of our way

The Lord Is My Chef Breakfast Recipe for the Soul

Tuesday, Memorial of St. Agnes, Virgin and Martyr, 21 January 2020

1 Samuel 16:1-13 ><)))*> ><)))*> ><)))*> Mark 2:23-28

Photo by Mr. Jim Marpa, 2019.

The Lord said to Samuel: “How long will you grieve for Saul, whom I have rejected as king of Israel? Fill yor horn with oil, and be on your way. I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem, for I have chosen my king from among is sons.” But Sameul replied: “How can I go? Saul will hear of it and kill me.” To this the Lord answered: “Take a heifer along and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I myself will tell you what to do; you are to anoint for me the one I point out to you.” Samuel did as the Lord had commanded him.

1 Samuel 16:1-4

How many times have I found myself, O God, in the same situation as Samuel? You know very well how I felt so afraid to do your work, so fearful for my reputation and most especially of other people who might harm me in doing your work.

But what really makes it so difficult in obeying you, O God, is when I doubt if you are the one truly speaking to me, when I doubt myself if I get it right from you to do something opposite the way and thoughts of most people.

Oh… how sweet it is to remember those days when I just threw myself to your will, when I just did and say whatever you willed!

It was very scary, Lord, but we did it!

You did it very well, every step of our way!

Thank you, so much, O God! Thank you!

Send us your Holy Spirit to center our lives in your Son Jesus Christ like the disciples “who began to make a path picking heads of grain one Sabbath day” (Mk.2:23) and the Pharisees lambasted them.

Surely, the disciples would have not done that without seeking permission from Jesus. And even if Jesus had allowed them to go and pick heads of grain, I am sure there were some who still doubted him giving the permission to do it!

So nice that they trusted Jesus, like the young and lovely St. Agnes who remained adamantly faithful to him in the face of death. May I be given that same faith and courage today, Lord, to find you in every step I take. Amen.

Rejoicing the presence of God

The Lord Is My Chef Breakfast Recipe for the Soul

Monday, Week 2, Year 2, 20 January 2020

1 Samuel 15:16-23 ><)))*> ><)))*> ><)))*> Mark 2:18-22

“Sleeping Sto.Niño” at our altar, 19 January 2020. Photo by author.

Praise and glory to you, O Lord Jesus Christ!

Let me rejoice this first day of work and school in your divine presence, O Lord. Let me celebrate your coming in my life! Let me live in your divine presence most especially when everybody feels and thinks you are not with us, that you do not care at all.

Forgive me, Lord, when I act like Saul in the first reading: obediently fulfilling your will and instructions and yet, insisting on my own ways as if you are not aware of what is in our minds and hearts.

Like Saul, I always confuse your will with my “good intentions”, with what I think as good and the best for you and for others when in fact, I am playing God, “presuming” you will approve and like whatever I deem best for you and others.

But Samuel said: “Does the Lord so delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obedience to the command of the Lord? Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission than the fat of rams. For a sin is like divination is rebellion, and presumption is the crime of idolatry.”

1 Samuel 15:22-23

Help me, sweet Jesus, to always “pour new wine into fresh wineskins”, to always see something new daily in you, to find you present among people and things I take for granted.

Refresh me, Jesus, in your presence! Amen.

Sunday flower arrangement, 19 January 2020.

Rejection and Sin

The Lord Is My Chef Breakfast Recipe for the Soul

Friday, Memorial of St. Anthony, Abbot, 17 January 2020

1 Samuel 8:4-7, 10-22 ><)))*> ><)))*> ><)))*> Mark 2:1-12

Grotto, Baguio City, January 2019.

Thank you very much, O God for another week of work and school about to close this day. Most of all, thank you for for the rest you have given us these past few days from our restive Taal Volcano. Continue to keep everyone safe and ready for any worst eventuality.

Today we pray, O Lord, for those people who have rejected us, those who have rejected our friendships, those who continue to reject our peace offerings, those who still reject the mercy and forgiveness we have given them.

Our lives have all been marred with so many rejections. Too often, we do not complain and just take them as part of life, the risk in any relationships, though, deep inside, we are hurt.

But, so often, we also forget how we have always rejected you, O God, in our lives. Of how we would rather choose our own ways that often lead us into sins and destruction, rejecting your wonderful plans that simply ask us to trust in you, to believe in you, and to rely in you.

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

Teach us, O God, to open up to you again. To be open to your love and mercy, to your mercy and forgiveness brought to us by your Son Jesus Christ.

Help us to break this cycle of rejections we within that lead us to sin.

Every time we reject you, O Lord, or our brothers and sisters in love and mercy to insist on our own ways, our own ideas and thoughts, and beliefs, that is when we often sin.

Help us to be like St. Antony who left everything in life to be a hermit in the desert in order to find you and follow you. Help us find our own desert of desolation where we can always be alone with you to rely only in you, to accept your truths to guide us in our daily life. Amen.

St. Anthony the Abbot, a.k.a. the Great, pray for us!

Wanted: Prayer from the heart!

The Lord Is My Chef Breakfast Recipe for the Soul

Thursday, Week 1, Year 2, 16 January 2020

1 Samuel 4:1-11 ><)))*> ><)))*> ><)))*> Mark 1:40-45

Altar of the Church of All Nations beside the Garden of Gethsemane in Jerusalem where Jesus prayed before his arrest on Holy Thursday. Photo by author May 2019.

Lord Jesus Christ, our Master and Divine Teacher, please teach us how to pray like you. Teach us how to truly pray that is pleasing to the Father not in the social media as many of us seem to be doing these days amid the eruptions of Taal Volcano recently.

May we be reminded of the experience of the Israelites in the first reading that despite the presence of God’s Ark of the Covenant in their battle with the Philistines, they were defeated.

Worst, the Ark of the Covenant was captured and among those dead were Eli’s sons, Hophni and Phinehas (1Sm.4:10-11)!

Remind us that it is the Holy Spirit within us who prays and calls out to you, O God, because we do not really know how to pray. Dispose ourselves unto your will, O God, like that who came and knelt to beg before Jesus, saying,

“If you wish, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, Jesus stretched out his hand, touched the leper, and said to him, “I do will it. Be made clean.” The leprosy left him immediately, and he was made clean.

Mark 1:40-42

Dear God, may we heed the calls of Pope Francis in Laudato Si that each of us seriously change our own ways of living, to have a shift in our lifestyles that respects nature as part of your creation, part of our lives.

We have long disrespected you and nature, O God.

Cleanse our hearts, strengthen us in facing Taal’s fury and heed her voice hereafter to take care of her. Amen.

Lessons in prayer

The Lord Is My Chef Breakfast Recipe for the Soul

Wednesday, Week 1, Year 2, 15 January 2020

1 Samuel 3:1-10, 19-20 ><)))*> ><)))*> ><)))*> Mark 1:29-39

Photo by author, Grotto chapel, Baguio City, January 2020.

Thank you very much, O God, to your inspired words today that teach us some important lessons about prayer especially at this time of calamity from Taal Volcano’s eruptions.

Once again, you remind us to always have you first in every situation:

Simon’s mother-in-law lay sick with a fever. They immediately told Jesus about her.

Mark 1:30

Forgive us, O Lord Jesus especially in this time of social media, we have adored and followed our smartphones as our new gods, replacing you in prominence and importance.

Forgive us that upon waking up, the first thing we do is immediately check our messages, count our likes than kneel and thank you for the gift of life.

Teach us to be like Simon and his companions to always think first of you.

Most of all, teach us to center our lives in you through prayers like Jesus your Son who always went out of the way to pray before and after every ministry.

Give us that attitude of being open to you, of willingly presenting ourselves before you to listen and obey your words, O Lord, like Samuel.

Samuel answered, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”

1 Samuel 3:10

Today we pray for all travelers whose work have been seriously affected by Taal’s eruptions as we continue praying for the people of Batangas and Cavite affected by the calamity. Amen.

Thinking kindly of others

The Lord Is My Chef Breakfast Recipe for the Soul

Tuesday, Week 1, Year 2, 14 January 2020

1 Samuel 1:9-20 ><)))*> ><)))*> ><)))*> Mark 1:21-28

Inside our church from the altar table. Photo by author, November 2019.

Hanna replied to Eli, “Think kindly of your maidservant,” and she left..

1 Samuel 1:18

While praying over your words, O Lord, of that scene at the temple when Eli mistook Hannah to being drunk while praying intensely to you for a child, it reminded me of Taal Volcano’s restive behavior, of her spewing ashes and causing tremors.

But despite all these, Taal remains lovely and magnificent.

Sometimes, Lord, that is what exactly we need in life: to think kindly of others always.

The people were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes. All were amazed and asked one another, “What is this? A new teaching with authority. He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him.”

Mark 1:22, 27

Purify our thoughts, Lord, to always think kindly of others.

To always have that disposition for silence and being non-judgmental with others to always listen to them and be open to their thoughts and feelings as well.

Like you, Lord Jesus Christ, enable us to share in the power of your words, to speak with authority by entering into that daily union with you in silence and prayers.

May we learn also from the gentle Taal: to be still and silent, to speak only when necessary so that everyone listens intently to her inner rumblings when she finally “speaks”.

We continue to pray for those severely affected by Taal’s eruptions, most especially that they may remain kind with people and nature alike in this trying moments of a major calamity.

We pray for businessmen to have a heart, to think kindly of those affected by Taal’s eruptions and stop jacking up prices of much needed goods. Amen.

From inqirer.net

Prayer to find meaning this 2020

The Lord Is My Chef Breakfast Recipe for the Soul

Monday, Week 1, Year 2 of Ordinary Time, 13 January 2019

1 Samuel 1:1-8 ><)))*> ><)))*> ><)))*> Mark 1:14-20

Photo by the author, Taal Lake, July 2019.

Almighty God and Father, we implore your love and mercy today as we start the Ordinary Time to help us find the more essential things of life this 2020.

May the eruption of Taal Volcano yesterday remind us of the need to seek always the meaning of life which is more important than anything else because everything is passing.

How wonderful it is to recall from today’s gospel how your Son Jesus Christ had called his first four apostles at the shores of the Lake of Galilee, something very similar with the setting of Taal Lake and Volcano.

At this trying time of a major calamity, may we also hear his voice, follow his call to be his disciples and find the true meaning of life in you as we pray for the safety of all people affected by Taal Volcano’s eruption. Amen.

From Inquirer.net, 12 January 2020.

Jesus our life

The Lord Is My Chef Breakfast Recipe for the Soul

Friday after Epiphany, 10 January 2020

1 John 5:5-13 ><)))*> ><)))*> ><)))*> Luke 5:12-16

Flowers at our Altar, Epiphany Sunday 2020. Photo by author.

Dearest Jesus Christ:

Today we pray for those losing hope in life, for those about to give up living because they are saddled with so many problems and sufferings.

And most especially with sins and guilt feelings as carryover of the troublesome 2019.

We pray for those who cannot move on with their lives due to so many heartaches and losses and wrongs last year that they see themselves so dirty like the leper in the gospel today, refusing to aspire to become better, refusing to dream again of good things in you.

It happened that there was a man full of leprosy in one of the towns where Jesus was; and when he saw Jesus, he fell prostrate, pleaded with him, and said, “Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.”

Luke 5:12

“Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean…

Forgive us Lord when sometimes we seem so hopeless.

“Kung ibig ninyo… kung ano po ang gusto ninyo… bahala na po kayo.”

Flowers at our Altar, Epiphany 2020. Photo by author.

Help us remember St. John’s reminder in the first reading that you, O sweet Jesus, is our life because you are the only one to whom “there are three who testify, the Spirit, the water, and the Blood” (1 Jn. 5:7-8) that refer respectively to your divine nature, human nature, and death on the cross.

You are the only one, Lord Jesus, who has overcome death because you are indeed Life itself!

Thank you very much for always willing the best for us and may we reclaim your wonderful gift of life to us daily. Amen.