The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Tuesday in the Sixth Week of Ordinary Time, Year II, 13 February 2024
James 1:12-18 <*((((>< + ><))))*> + <*((((>< + ><))))*>  Mark 8:14-21

On this eve of Ash Wednesday,
help us, dear God, 
to prepare for a
meaningful start tomorrow
of our Lenten journey of
40 days to Easter;
banish from our minds
and hearts all thoughts
and apprehensions
about the coming days
of fasting and abstinence,
prayers and penance,
and alms-giving;
forgive us, Father,
when our attention goes
to the details and technicalities
of Lent that we set aside 
the most essential 
which is to return to you -
our very first love.

Enlighten our minds
and our hearts, Father in your
Son Jesus Christ, 
to understand fully the 
meaning of Lent which is
having less of ourselves
and of the world
to have more of you
and of the Spirit;
until now, we have not
yet understood Christ's coming
and teachings as we are still bothered
by our scarcity and poverty,
never comprehending at all
how despite the affluence and
abundance of material things 
these days, the more we have
become empty and lost in life.

When he became aware of this he said to them, “Why do you conclude that it is because you have no bread? Do you not yet understand or comprehend? Are your hearts hardened? Do you have eyes and not see, ears and not hear? And do you not remember, when I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many wicker baskets full of fragments you picked up?” They answered him, “Twelve.” When I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many full baskets of fragments did younpick up?” They answered him, “Seven.” He said to them, “Do you not still understand?”

Mark 8:17-21

Worst,
we got it all wrong that
our sinful temptations are
from God, not realizing these
come from our own worldly
desires.

Rather, each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his desire. Then desire conceives and brings forth sin, and when sin reaches maturity it gives birth to death. do not be deceived, my beloved brothers and sisters: all good giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no alteration or shadow caused by change.

James 1:14-17

On this Tuesday
before Ash Wednesday,
we pray, O God,
for us to understand
the sources of temptations
and sins within us;
give us the courage
and strength to confront our
true selves,
to be sincere before you
so that we may be
transformed into your 
image and likeness
that Christ had restored
in us.
Amen.