Finding Jesus among our siblings

Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Wednesday in the Seventeenth Week of Ordinary Time, Year II
Memorial of Sts. Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, 29 July 2026
1 John 4:7-16     <*{{{{><  +  ><}}}}*>     John 11:19-27

*“The Raising of Lazarus”, 1311 painting by Duccio de Buoninsegna. Photo from commons.wikimedia.org*

Glory and praise 
to you, God our Father
for sending us your Son
Jesus Christ who continues
to come to us in various ways:
in nature,
in the events that happen to us
in our lives, both good and bad,
most especially 
in persons like our siblings
that this Memorial of 
Saints Mary, 
Martha
and Lazarus reminds us;
how lovely to remember
how our Lord Jesus
was described as very close
with the blessed sisters and brother
he frequently visited in their
home at Bethany.

We pray for all brothers and
sisters now living apart from
each other due to work
and marriage, raising a 
family of their own;
may they never forget each other
as siblings, "magkakapatid"
with invisible bonds that transcend
their physical separations;
keep them mindful of one
another, checking on each others
needs and well-being,
becoming your very presence 
in each other especially when
there is sickness and death:
Martha said to Jesus, 
"Lord, if you had been here,
my brother would not have died"
(John 11:21).

Like the blessed siblings
of Sts. Mary, Martha and Lazarus,
keep every brother and sister
open to your coming
and visits, Lord Jesus,
that are always in disguise;
make our hearts like theirs
filled with warmth and hospitality,
understanding and forgiveness
for each other so that you may stay
and reign in our hearts,
revealing the face of God
with one another;
most of all, Lord Jesus,
like the three holy sisters
and brother,
may we share 
your gift of kindness
of being a kin 
to everyone in you,
with you,
through you.
Amen.

*An icon of Jesus visiting his friends, the siblings Sts. Lazarus, Mary and Martha from crossroadsinitiative.com.*

Having love & having been loved

The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Monday, Memorial of Sts. Martha, Mary & Lazarus, 29 July 2024
1 John 4:7-16 <*{{{{>< + ><}}}}*> John 11:19-27

*“The Raising of Lazarus”, 1311 painting by Duccio de Buoninsegna from commons.wikimedia.org*

If you have love in your heart, you have been blessed by God; if you have been loved, you have been touched by God (Anonymous author).

What a lovely Monday
You have given us today,
O God our Father
as we celebrate the Memorial 
of the friends of Jesus Christ,
the sisters St. Mary and St. Martha
with their brother St. Lazarus -
a beautiful 
and most powerful
reminder to us all 
that Jesus comes
first in our family
most especially 
among our siblings.

How sad, dear Father
are the growing number of couples
having only one child
or two the most 
with kids denied of this 
most wonderful experience
of kinship;
on the other hand,
there is the growing trend
of family disintegration
due to divorce and separation
of many couples
with children as main casualties;
likewise, of the growing trend
among young people to selfishly
pursue many things in life
in total disregard of others
beginning in their own family circle.

No one has ever seen God. Yet, if we love one another, God remains in us, and his love is brought to perfection in us (1 John 4:12).

Help us, dear Father,
to rekindle this love 
we first experienced 
in our homes, 
among our siblings
like Saints Mary,
Martha and Lazarus;
let us discover anew
the wonderful
and amazing gifts of
brothers and sisters
in the family
who remind us
of your blessing us
with so much love in our hearts;
let us feel and
experience again
your gift of love in our hearts
in the mere mention of
names of our own brother
and/or sister
who made us first experience
love next from our parents;
refresh our memories
of those times You touched us
with the selfless love,
the unconditional love
freely shared with us
by our brother
and/or sister.

We pray,
most merciful Father,
for all brothers
and sisters separated
from each other
due to misunderstandings,
jealousy,
betrayals and mistrust;
like St. Martha,
let us never lose faith
and hope for estranged
brothers and sisters
to rise anew from their
deaths into sin,
to find again that love
You have given them in their hearts
and most of all,
touch them
so they may remember
and miss anew
those experiences
of being loved by their
siblings in their childhood
to rebuild their ties again
in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

*An icon of Jesus visiting his friends, the siblings Sts. Lazarus, Mary and Martha. Photo from crossroadsinitiative.com*.

Jesus as friend and family

The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Friday, Memorial of Sts. Mary, Martha, & Lazarus, 29 July 2022
Jeremiah 26:1-9 ><}}}}*> + ><}}}}*> + ><}}}}*> John 11:19-27

Glory and praise to you,
O Lord Jesus Christ who 
had come to us not just a 
family but most especially
as a friend you have stressed
during the Last Supper 
(cf. Jn.15:14-15).

And even before that evening
of Holy Thursday came, you have
been a friend to the siblings 
Mary, Martha and Lazarus so 
dear to you, visiting them often,
sharing not only in their meals but
in their lives and death, joys and
pains; what a beautiful imagery 
not only of friendship but of the
neglected ties that bind brothers
and sisters in this time when
family is being destroyed 
by new emerging thoughts
and ways of life.

In this time of the pandemic
you know how, dear Jesus,
we have finally come together 
as families free from all excuses 
of work and studies, of being far and away; 
but sadly, many have ignored and missed
the opportunities to bond together
and mend many gaps long festering
among siblings; instead of fighting and 
rivalries, may brothers and sisters
in every family emulate the love and 
respect among Saints Martha, Lazarus and Mary.

We pray for all siblings to gather anew
as one family in prayers before you, Lord, 
like Saints Martha, Lazarus and Mary;
help them create a space anew for God in our
lives, the surest bond among us despite 
our many differences as we open our ears 
and hearts like St. Mary to your words,
to heed and fulfill them unlike the people 
of Judah who cursed your prophet Jeremiah 
when he spoke to them
of the truth.

Most of all, give us the grace
to be the presence of Jesus Christ
when our siblings are sick and burdened 
with all kinds of sufferings and miseries 
like Martha and Mary present to each other
awaiting Christ’s coming after Lazarus had died:
Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if you had been here,
my brother would not have died."  Jesus told her,
"I am the resurrection and the life; whoever
believes in me, even if he dies, will live,
and everyone who lives and believes in me
will never die.  Do you believe this?" (John 11:21, 25-26)

Like St. Martha, and most likely
her siblings, too, St. Lazarus
and St. Mary who may not have
understood fully your words and teachings,
keep us open to your coming,
to your visits, sweet Jesus;
make our hearts like theirs
filled with warmth and hospitality
to let you stay and reign inside us;
most of all, like the three holy siblings
let us share with others the gift of kindness,
of being a kin to everyone in you, with you.  Amen.