On Searching the Lord

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Thursday, 08 November 2018, Week XXXI, Year II

Philippians 3:3-8//Luke 15:1-10

Today, O Lord, I am searching for the meaning of the word…search.

The psalmist sings in our responsorial psalm today, “Let hearts that rejoice who search for the Lord.” In the gospel, you tell us the parables of the lost sheep and lost coin that were both searched and eventually found.

We search for something that is missing, for something or somebody lost. We search for something and someone very important. That is why we search. Therefore, in life, we must first lose everything to realize the most precious ones we must have!

The shepherd searched for the lone sheep because his flock would never be complete without that single, missing sheep. And so did the woman who lost one coin and searched for it because the ten coins would never be a whole without that cent.

St. Paul lost everything and had to start anew in his life to gain you, O Lord Jesus Christ. He had the best of everything like family and lineage, education and position in life. And when he had lost everything in a flash on the road to Damascus, he searched and found you.

We always have you, Lord, but as we grow and mature, and prosper in life, we gained more of the world and start to lose you that sooner or later in life during hardships and trials, we then search for you.

But what is truly amazing and wonderful, O Lord, it is you who is searching for us when in fact you never ever lost us. Besides, it does not really matter if you lose us because you would always be God. Thank you for searching and finding me, O Lord, that made me realize also my true value. Without you, I am nothing.

So, let me always search you even if I have already found you. AMEN. Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II, Parokya ng San Juan Apostol at Ebanghelista, Gov. F. Halili Ave., Bagbaguin, Sta. Maria, Bulacan 3022.

*Photo from Google.

Allowing God to Work In Us

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Wednesday, 07 November 2018, Week XXXI, Year II

Philippians 2:12-18//Luke 14:25-33

Bless me, O Lord, when sometimes I feel tired in trying to follow you. When I feel tired not really of the cross I have to carry but of living “in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation.” (Phil.2:14)

How can some people follow what is wrong, believe in what is false, rejoice in what is offensive and disrespectful, and still project themselves as better and truthful? Where have all our values gone like honor and dignity?

I am not complaining, Lord. I just feel so sad at how things are going on.

Give me the grace to keep on following you, to do your work by holding on to your word of life without grumbling or questioning so that I may shine like a light in the world covered with darkness (Phil.2:13-15). AMEN. Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II, Parokya ng San Juan Apostol at Ebanghelista, Gov. F. Halili Ave., Bagbaguin, Sta. Maria, Bulacan 3022.

*Images from Google.

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A Prayer For Those Who Love Like Christ

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Tuesday, 06 November 2018, Week XXXI, Year II

Philippians 2:5-11//Luke 14:15-24

Lord Jesus Christ, I praise and thank you today for your gift of kenosis, your self-emptying love for us all that even “though you were in the form of God, you did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, you emptied yourself, coming to us as a human, humbling yourself in obedience to death on a cross.” (Phil.2:6-8)

Today Lord Jesus, I pray for all the men and women, including the children from all walks of life who imitate you in their own little ways of self-emptying to express their deep love and concern for others. First among them are the rescuers and relatives coming to Natonin, Mountain Province.

When I first saw the story of how Raffy Tima and his team, along with the rescue workers and relatives of residents walked more than seven hours to the site buried by the landslide, I was moved by their great sacrifice and love to go there when it is already empty of life. Theirs was also a kenosis, an emptying of themselves of so many things to communicate your love for people wiped out by the landslide.

Every day Lord, there are also countless people who dare to walk despite the dangers and discomforts so we can all have a good morning like those who delivered various goods and services during the night, those who have to cut short their sleep and leave their families so we can have fresh vegetables and meat and fish, newspapers to read and newscasts to watch and listen, doctors and nurses to monitor our loved ones in the hospitals, and so many others who do many things that can never be compensated by any amount of money.

I pray most specially Lord Jesus for those closest to us, our family and loved ones, including our helpers who never get tired of patiently walking up to us, emptying themselves even of their dignity and honor, sacrificing everything just to take care of us, to tend our wounds and sickness, to listen to our woes and endless complaints, bearing all our insensitivities.

Bless them, Lord Jesus, in their kenosis or self-emptying to fill many of us empty of respect and dignity within. Bless them Jesus that they may always heed your call to come to your banquet of loving service for others by setting aside their own comforts and concerns like in your parable today. AMEN. Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II, Parokya ng San Juan Apostol at Ebanghelista, Gov. F. Halili Ave., Bagbaguin, Sta. Maria, Bulacan 3022.

*Photo by Mr. Raffy Tima of GMA-7 News, early Sunday morning at Natonin, 04 November 2018. Used with permission.

A Prayer To Make Our Joy Complete

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Monday, 05 November 2018, Week XXXI, Year II

Philippians 2:1-4//Luke 14:12-14

Heavenly Father, today I join St. Paul in the first reading in praying that our joy may be complete “by being of the same mind, with the same love, united in heart, thinking one thing.” Help me to “do nothing out of selfishness or vainglory; rather, humbly regard others as more important than me, as I look out not for my own interests but also for others.” (Phil. 2:2-4)

Most of the time, we cannot share with the “complete joy” your Son Jesus Christ promised us when He said He is the true vine and we are His branches (Jn. 15:11) because we keep on separating from Him. Worst of all, like in His parable today, we have created divisions among us when we chose to associate only with those who look like us, think like us, expecting like us for rewards, of being repaid for any good things we do unto them (Lk. 14:12).

Let me be the one to make that first move of completing our joy, and your joy too, O God, by reaching out in love to those in the margins like the poor and suffering, the sick and the dying, and those we see as different from us in so many other things whom we take for granted.

Let me bring joy to even just one of them, to let them feel we are one, hoping they can have a brighter Monday today. If I can brighten just one person today, then both of us would be completely joyful! The more joys are completed among persons, the world becomes brighter. And that is when our joy, your joy become truly complete for that is when we live as one in Jesus Christ. AMEN. Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II, Parokya ng San Juan Apostol at Ebanghelista, Gov. F. Halili Ave., Bagbaguin, Sta. Maria, Bulacan 3022.

*Photo by Dra. Mai B. Dela Pena, Tokyo, Japan 2018. Used with permission.

Praying for Our Beloved Departed

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Friday, 02 November 2018, Commemoration of All Souls

2 Maccabees 12:43-46//Romans 5:5-11//John 6:37-40

On this second day of November, O God, before praying for the souls of our dearly departed ones, let me praise and thank you for the gift of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI whose reflections on hope led us to the beauty of eternal life with you. For my prayer today, I have borrowed his reflection and teaching on Purgatory found in “Spe Salvi” (47-48):

Lord Jesus Christ, you are the fire which burns and saves us as our Judge and Savior. In the Purgatory, it is still that encounter with your love that our faithful departed are purified so they may enter heaven.

You have showed us how our lives are involved with one another, linked together through innumerable interactions. You have taught us and shown us while here on earth that no one lives alone, no one sins alone, and no one is saved alone. Indeed, no man is an island.

The lives of other people continually spill over mine, in what I think, say, do, and achieve. And conversely, my life spills over into that of others, for better and for worse.

Let me continue, O Lord, to pray for the poor souls in Purgatory even if my prayer can only play a small part in their purification. Let my prayer express my interconnectedness with God our Father and with one another, here on earth and in the hereafter. It is never too late to touch the heart of another, nor is it in vain. Let me continue praying for the departed, O Lord, like Judas had instructed his army in the second book of Maccabees for our hope is essentially also a hope for others too.

Remind me always that I shall never limit myself to asking how I shall be saved but also what can I do that others may be saved too so that in praying for all the souls in Purgatory, then I have done my utmost for my own personal salvation as well. AMEN. Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II, Parokya ng San Juan Apostol at Ebanghelista, Gov. F. Halili Ave., Bagbaguin, Sta. Maria, Bulacan 3022. *All images from Google.

spesalvi

Holiness is Living the Beatitudes

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Thursday, 01 November 2018, Solemnity of All Saints

Revelation 7:2-4, 9-14//1John 3:1-3//Matthew 5:1-12

O loving and merciful Father in heaven, on this glorious solemnity of all the saints, I pray to you borrowing the third encyclical of your servant Pope Francis, Gaudete et Exsultate (#63-94) issued last March 19 of this year to remind us of your call to holiness. Therefore, I implore you to:

Help me, O God to become holy by being poor of heart for Jesus said “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” (Mt.5:3) Let me take a deep look into my heart to see where I truly find security in life. Forgive me when I cling more to wealth that ensures nothing and leaves no room to love you and others that make me miss the most important things in life.

Help me to mourn with others, O God, for indeed, “Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted.” (Mt.5:4) This is easier said than done for the world tells exactly the opposite that entertainment, pleasure, diversion, and escape make for the good life. Let me see things as they truly are so I may sympathize with those in pain and in sorrow, only to be comforted by your Son Jesus Christ.

Help me, O God to become holy by being meek (Mt.5:5). I know this is very difficult because it is the reign of pride and vanity in my heart that makes me think I have the right to dominate others. Give me the grace to trust in you more, not to be upset and impatient with others that leave me drained and weary always. Let me surrender everything to you, my only Lord and Master.

Help me, O God to hunger and thirst for righteousness (Mt.5:6) so that I may be holy by being filled with you. Hunger and thirst are intense experiences because they both involve basic needs and our instinct for survival. Let me be intense in working for your justice by being faithful to your words even if it is very attractive to join the train of winners through corruption. Let me be faithful to you even if I will not see in my lifetime the fruits of my fighting for justice.

Help me, O God, to be merciful (Mt.5:7) like you which is reproducing in our lives some small measure of your perfection which gives and forgives superabundantly. Teach me to be giving and forgiving like you.

Help me, O God, to have a clean heart (Mt.5:8) so that I may see you more clearly and follow you more clearly in love. Give me the grace to keep my heart free of all that tarnishes love.

Help me, O God, to be a peacemaker and truly become your child (Mt.5:9). When I think of this beatitude, I see the many endless situations of war in our world and yet, too often, I must admit that I am also the cause of some conflicts or at least of misunderstanding around me! Teach me how to sow peace all around me as I try to embrace even those who are a bit odd, troublesome or difficult, demanding, different, beaten down by life or simply uninterested. It is really hard work on my part, O God, demanding creativity, serenity, sensitivity and skill.

Living out the Beatitudes by your Son Jesus Christ is accepting the daily path of the Gospel, even though it may cause me problems, most especially persecution. But whatever weariness and pain I may experience in living the commandment of love and following the way of justice, the cross remains the source of my growth and sanctification. That is why “blessed are those persecuted for righteousness’ sake for there is the kingdom of heaven.”(Mt.5:10) No holiness can ever happen without pain and suffering for the path to heaven is always through the way of the Cross of Christ. AMEN. Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II, Parokya ng San Juan Apostol at Ebanghelista, Gov. F. Halili Ave., Bagbaguin, Sta. Maria, Bulacan 3022. *Photos from Google.

holinessdontbeafraid3

Narrow Gate, Hallowed Parents and Children

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Wednesday, 31 October 2018, Week XXX, Year II

Ephesians 6:1-9///Luke 13:22-30

Dearest God our loving Father: it is the last day of the month of October, the eve of the feast of All Saints – the Hallowed or Holy Ones now with you there in heaven. How sad that people today, especially from those so-called advanced countries have wrongly chosen to honor what is evil and abominable, to celebrate death and damnation. How sad that there are still so many benighted souls among us who would rather believe with witches and monsters than with a loving and merciful God like you we have experienced with our departed relatives and friends?

How wonderful are the words of St. Paul today reminding us of your fourth command to “honor your father and your mother”, your only commandment with a promise of blessing at old age. How wonderful of St. Paul to remind us also of our relationships with one another, to always revere each other, to “hallow” one another for we only have one Master in you our God.

Give us the grace to see more clearly your path which is a “narrow gate” of holiness (Lk. 13:24) where everyone is welcomed with their good works, enjoying your sacred presence than the scary darkness of evil now glorified in our midst in various forms.

Give us the true sense of Halloween, of having a hallowed, holy evening and eve for all our loved ones who have gone ahead of us into heaven we have all loved and revered while here on earth until now as we hope them to be in your presence as saints. AMEN. Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II, Parokya ng San Juan Apostol at Ebanghelista, Gov. F. Halili Ave., Bagbaguin, Sta. Maria, Bulacan 3022.

*Photo by the author, Jerusalem, April 2017.

Power of Greatness Is In Being Small

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Tuesday, 30 October 2018, Week XXX, Year II

Ephesians 5:21-33///Luke 13:18-21

O loving Father, you are such a joy to be with, filled with life and humor!

Yesterday through St. Paul you asked us to “live as children of light” and today through him again you are asking us to “be subordinate to one another out of reverence for Christ.” (Eph.5:21)

Being children, being subordinate are both calls to become small, to be little. In a world where size always matters, when we talk more about being bigger and biggest, we have always taken for granted being little, being small. For some, life is measured in terms of power and reach, influence and domination while respect equated by with strength and humility with weakness.

How ironic that the most powerful weapons in the world are called “atomic” that harness the power of the smallest particle of everything, the atom. Moreover, some scientists have recently borrowed your name to designate the minutest particle that makes up an atom as “god particle” only to show that to be atomic, to be powerful is to very, very small.

How could we forget, even disregard, this basic lesson of the universe, still unaware and unconvinced with your example of sending us your Son Jesus Christ who was conceived by the Holy Spirit in Mary’s womb, born as an infant like everyone, grew and matured like any child in Nazareth except in sin? Eventually, in conquering death, He fully emptied Himself by dying on the Cross in total weakness and surrender, so small in the eyes of the world when in fact He got the whole world in His hands?

Help us, O God, to keep in our hearts Christ’s teaching that your kingdom is like the small mustard seed that becomes a large bush or the little yeast that leavens the dough. Help us realize, O God, that for us to be truly great, we have to be small before you our Creator, to always subordinate ourselves with one another in Christ like husband and wife deeply in love. AMEN. Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II, Parokya ng San Juan Apostol at Ebanghelista, Gov. F. Halili Ave., Bagbaguin, Sta. Maria, Bulacan 3022.

*Photo by Mr. Raffy Tima of GMA-7 News, Iceland, October 2018. Used with permission.

Children of Light

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Monday, 29 October 2018, Week XXX, Year II

Ephesians 4:32-5:8///Luke 13:10-17

Thank you, loving Father, for reminding us on this blessed Monday to “live as children of light” (Eph.4:32) as I still remember yesterday’s beautiful story of the blind Bartimaeus, of how I sometimes live in darkness, of being blinded by my selfishness and sin.

Help me to be kind as St. Paul tells us in the first reading.

Being kind is the first step in living as children of light because to be kind is to consider everyone as my kin, a relative or someone not different from me. There are times, O God, that I am blinded even by your commandments like in the gospel that I no longer see you among people most especially the sick, the elderly, and the poor.

Thank you for being so kind, merciful Father, in sending us your Son Jesus Christ to become one of us – a kin, a brother who clears our vision that we may see more of the other person as a brother and a sister created in your own image and likeness. It is only when we see everyone as a kindred that we begin to see you on the face of every person and start living as children of light. AMEN. Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II, Parokya ng San Juan Apostol at Ebanghelista, Gov. F. Halili Ave., Bagbaguin, Sta. Maria, Bulacan 3022.

*Photo by Dra. Mai B. Dela Pena inside St. Jacob’s Church in Rothenberg, Germany 2014. Used with permission.

Blowing In the Wind

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Friday, 26 October 2018, Week XXIX, Year II

Ephesians 4:1-6///Luke 12:54-59

It is a beautiful Friday, loving Father in heaven! As I prayed over your words for today, I can’t help singing the last stanzas of Bob Dylan’s Blowing In the Wind:

Yes, ‘n’ how many times must a man look up
Before he can see the sky?
Yes, ‘n’ how many ears must one man have
Before he can hear people cry?
Yes, ‘n’ how many deaths will it take till he knows
That too many people have died?
The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind

The answer is blowin’ in the wind

We have always considered the weather as very erratic that we spend so much time studying everything about it to make a more accurate prediction of how it is going to be the following day. And we have been succeeding all these years, especially with the help of modern technology. Yet, Jesus Christ’s observations 2000 years ago remain true to this day: “we can interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky, but we cannot interpret the present time.” (Lk.12:56)

We have always been so concerned with the world outside us, forgetting your “call within each of us to live in unity with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through love.” (Eph.4:1-2)

Most of the time in our lives, we are more erratic than the weather. We destroy our unity rooted in your Son our Lord by refusing to see for ourselves what is right (Lk.12:57). We always insist to look more at outside appearances that we miss the more essential within us, our “one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” (Eph.4:5-6)

Teach us to reflect more on what we believe because it is our faith that determines what we do, regardless if the weather would be fair or stormy, warm or cool at any given day. AMEN. Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II, Parokya ng San Juan Apostol at Ebanghelista, Gov. F. Halili Ave., Bagbaguin, Sta. Maria, Bulacan 3022.

*Photo by Mr. Raffy Tima of GMA-7 News, Batanes before typhoon Ompong, 14 September 2018. Used with permission.