Stir Me Within, O Lord

The Lord Is My Chef Breakfast Recipe-Prayer

Friday, 23 November 2018, Week XXXIII, Year II

Revelation 10:8-11///Luke 19:45-48

Lately Lord I have felt some intense feelings within me. You seem to be too far, even elusive, yet I feel so drawn to you. Is it love? Am I growing? Am I maturing?

Since Sunday all your words from the first reading to the gospel have all been directed to the end of time, to the fulfillment of everything as you have promised. I know deep in my heart it is easier said than done but that is how I feel – I am looking forward to it. No, I am not ready to die yet, Lord; you know how fearful I am of so many things.

But the more I pray and listen to your words, the more I discover you within me. Like John, I could taste the sweetness of your words in my mouth but once they get down deep within me, they turn sour, they upset my stomach. There are some inner stirrings within that invite me to listen attentively, intently, intensely to you within me.

What they are, at the moment, I do not know, Lord. They are disturbing but at the same time comforting. It is like Luke’s version of your cleansing of the temple that is more sober than the other evangelists’ narration of the same event. It is not so much of your anger but of the stirrings of your words that“all the people were hanging in your words” (Lk.19:48).

Continue to stir me within, O Lord Jesus, let me hang in your words too so I may be cleansed within, washed from my sins, healed of my pains and hurts that you may reign supreme in me. 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.

When Our Cries Become a Prayer

The Lord Is My Chef Breakfast Recipe-Prayer

Thursday, 22 November 2018, Week XXXIII, Year II

Revelation 5:1-10///Luke 19:41-44

Lord Jesus Christ, you taught us in your sermon on the mount that “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted” (Mt.5:4).

Thank you for blessing our crying, our weeping and most of all, thank you very much for crying with us, for crying for us: “As Jesus drew near Jerusalem, he saw the city and wept over it” (Lk.19:41). In our first reading today, your beloved disciple John “shed many tears because no one was found worthy to open or examine the scroll” (Rev.5:4).

Thank you for the gift of tears, Jesus. I pray for those crying, especially those who cry in silence, those who cry alone. Crying is praying. Tears are some of the sweetest prayers we can all offer to you because when we cry, we are blessed to be truly poor and helpless before you, relying only to your saving and healing powers. When we cry, we are so blessed because we can sympathize and suffer with those who are suffering. When we cry, our tears cleanse not only our eyes but also our hearts, slowly washing away the pains and hurts sins have left in us.

The world refuses to cry, trying to hide or cover pains and hurts including sins with pleasures and other forms of diversion. I pray also for them, Lord Jesus, that they may stop hiding their tears because when we refuse to cry, we deny your Holy Cross.

Give me the grace, Lord Jesus Christ, to see things as they truly are. Let me sympathize with those in pain and suffering, to “weep with those who weep” (Rom. 12:15) that together, you may all comfort and console us with your abiding love and mercy, might and presence.

Let us join the choirs in heaven saw by John to sing the new hymn, “Worthy are you to receive the scroll and break open its seals, for you were slain and with your Blood you purchased for God those from every tribe and tongue, people and nation. You made them a kingdom and priests for our God, and they will reign on earth” (Rev.5:9-10). 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 of the church Dominus Flevit (Latin for “the Lord wept”) with roof shaped like tears outside Jerusalem taken in April 2017. It is believed to be the site where our gospel scene today took place.

LMC

Prayer of Presentation of Self to the Lord

The Lord Is My Chef Breakfast Recipe-Prayer

Wednesday, 21 November 2018, Memorial of the Presentation of the BVM

Revelation 4:1-11///Luke 19:11-28

Lord Jesus Christ, the skies are hazy today. There’s a typhoon down south of our country. The readings for today are so beautiful and yet we also celebrate the memorial of the presentation of your Mother to the temple. So many things are in my heart, in my mind.

Thank you Lord for accepting me into your family of disciples (Mt. 12:46-50). Thank you Jesus in calling me like John the Beloved to see of the things to come, to see the four winged creatures symbolizing the evangelists (Rev. 4:1ff).

It is always good to serve before you, to help others in need, to touch others with your love and kindness, mercy and forgiveness. These past two days, I have prayed for more love, life and conviction from you to follow you more closely.

As we celebrate today the memorial of the presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, I pray for the grace to wholly offer myself anew to you. I am a sinner. Like the people gathered before you during your time, I sometimes refuse to believe in you, to accept you. Like that servant in your parable today, I have kept the gospel in myself, I have not used it wisely and have not prospered so well to bear fruits in me and in others.

Cleanse me, Jesus, my Lord and my God. You are the Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Like your Mary your mother and our mother too, cleanse me and give me the grace of docility, of humility, and fidelity to be like her, the “daughter of Zion” prophesized by Zechariah so that you may dwell in me and your kingdom come in me. 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.

LMC

Prayer to Live in Love

The Lord Is My Chef Breakfast Recipe-Prayer

Friday, 16 November 2018, Week XXXII, Year II

2 John 4-9//Luke 17:26-37

Today O God I join the psalmist in singing praise to you, praying to live in love:

“Blessed are they whose way is blameless, who walks in the law of the Lord.”(Ps.119:1) You only have one law, O God, which is to love you and to love others.

“Blessed are they who observe his decrees, seek him with all their heart.” (Ps. 119: 2) To follow your love is to live in love, to desire only love in my heart.

“With all my heart I seek you; let me not stray from your commands.” (Ps.119:10) To have love in my heart is to be blessed by you, O God. Fill me with more love.

“Within my heart I treasure your promise that I may not sin against you.” (Ps.119:11) To sin is a refusal to love as you have commanded us. Fill me with more love.

“Be good to your servant, that I may live and keep your words.” (Ps.119:17) Let me not be deceived, O God, to remain faithful in Christ’s teaching of love.

“Open my eyes, that I may consider the wonders of your law.” (Ps.119:18) To be loved is to be touched by you, O God.

Open my eyes, O God, to see the many instances you have loved me, you have touched me through the kindness and goodness of others. Open my eyes to see how much you love me in the wonderful turn of events no matter how difficult or painful these may be. Open my eyes to see those around me needing your love, who could not see you or feel you because we who have been filled with your love as too selfish to share your love with them.

It is only when I begin to live in love that I come to terms with the end that comes in every here and now. It is only when I live in love when I am truly alive, when I am truly present in you and with others, seeing your daily coming like in the time of Noah. AMEN. Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II, Parokya ng San Juan Apostol at Ebanghelista, Gov. F. Halili Ave., Bagbaguin, Sta. Maria, Bulacan 3022.

*Photo by author, SCTEx-Subic, October 2018.

Growing In Holiness In Jesus

The Lord Is My Chef Breakfast Recipe-Prayer

Wednesday, 14 November 2018, Week XXXII, Year II

Titus 3:1-7//Luke 17:11-19

Lord Jesus Christ, it is the middle of the week and because of your mercy and love, I have overcome many obstacles as well as accomplished many things since Monday. It is pure grace from you that I am still well, whole and complete physically, mentally and emotionally.

What could possibly be my adequate response to your gifts of love and mercy, Lord Jesus?

More than expressing my gratitude to you like that Samaritan leper you have healed in today’s gospel, help me to grow in holiness in you by going back to you, by being rooted in you.

Growing in holiness in you Jesus is being filled with you.

Growing in holiness in you Jesus is being led by you, my shepherd (Ps.23:1).

Growing in holiness in you Jesus is more than avoiding sin and evil, but doing what is good and just as I walk in this valley of darkness (Ps.23:4).

Growing in holiness in you Jesus is being “obedient and open to every good enterprise (Titus 3:1).”

Growing in holiness in you Jesus is “slandering no one, being peaceable, considerate, exercising all graciousness toward everyone” (Titus 3:2).

Thank you Jesus Christ in giving me with so much; I know I have given so little. Help me to give more of myself, give more of my presence with others, and most especially to give more of you dwelling in me. AMEN. Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II, Parokya ng San Juan Apostol at Ebanghelista, Gov. F. Halili Ave., Bagbaguin, Sta. Maria, Bulacan 3022.

*Photo by my former student at ICSB, Arch. Philip Santiago at the Fatima Square, Portugal, September 2018. Used with permission.

Living In the Lord

The Lord Is My Chef Breakfast Recipe-Prayer

Tuesday, 13 November 2018, Week XXXII, Year II

Titus 2:1-8, 11-14//Luke 17:7-10

Lord Jesus Christ, your birthday is fast approaching as the weather is getting better with chilly mornings, warm sunshine during the day tempered by cool breeze blowing to remind me of the changing of seasons, of the coming end of the year.

What a beautiful reminder to us all of living in your presence, growing and maturing in your loving service, O Lord!

Like Titus in the first reading, help me “to say what is consistent with sound doctrine” (Titus 2:1) based on your teachings. Help me to live as older men and women of faith who are “temperate and reverent in behavior, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, love and endurance.” (Titus 2:2-3) Help me to be “a model of good deeds in every respect, living temperately, justly, and devoutly in this age.” (Titus 2:7, 12)

Let me take delight in you O Lord Jesus Christ, my Master, faithfully doing what I am obliged to do like the “unprofitable servants” in your parable today (Lk.17:10). 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.