The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Friday, Feast of St. Luke, Evangelist, 18 October 2024 2 Timothy 4:10-17 <*((((>< + ><))))*> Luke 10:1-9
Photo by Dra. Mylene A. Santos, MD, an orange-bellied flowerpecker (Dicaeum trigonostigma), December 2023.
Beloved: Demas, enamored of the present world, deserted me and went to Thessalonica, Crescens to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia. Luke is the only one with me… (2 Timothy 4:10-11).
Lord Jesus Christ, I pray on this beautiful Friday for those friends and dearest ones who are like St. Luke to me: "the only one with me" in my moments of darkness, of trials and sufferings, when everyone was so busy and never noticed me, of my need for company and comfort, most especially who reminded me of your fidelity and love.
Thank you, Jesus for those people You sent me like St. Luke, "the only one with me" in prayers as I journeyed through life's many adventures and misadventures; "the only with me" who readily saw my points of view; "the only one with me" who cheered me up and let me cry; "the only one with me" in poverty; "the only one with me" who truly sought to understand everything to bring out the best in me, to find the Christ in me.
O dear Jesus, I pray for the other St. Lukes You send us daily, "the only ones" who care and stand for women and children still taken for granted in this world; "the only ones" who work to uplift the marginalized like the poor and widows, the sick and those old people living alone and dying; most especially, "the only ones" still believing in You and your Church, still praying and still proclaiming your Gospel, still remaining in Your side amid the many lures of this selfish, and godless world. Amen.
The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Wednesday in the Twenty-eighth Week of Ordinary Time Year II, 16 October 2024 Galatians 5:18-25 ><))))*> + ><))))*> + ><))))*> Luke 11:42-46
Photo by author, Fatima Ave., Valenzuela City, 25 July 2024.
Lead and guide us, O Most Holy Spirit; set us free from "the works of the flesh: immorality, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, rivalry, jealousy, outbursts of fury, acts of selfishness, dissensions, factions" (Galatians 5:19-20); cleanse our nation now facing the realities of the truth of what we have long suspected of filth and evil that have shrouded the past administration's drug war; so many lives were lost and destroyed not only by the deaths but all the lies that were glorified; be the courage and strength, O Holy Spirit, of those finally given the chance to stand for what is true so that never again such reign of darkness and terror be repeated.
Woe to us and everyone who continue to overlook the good of others!
Let your Spirit, dear Jesus, bear fruit in us with "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control" (Galatians 5:22-23); fills us with your Spirit today, Jesus, so we may be more loving, thinking always of the good of others above all. Amen.
Photo by author, Fatima Ave., Valenzuela City, 25 July 2024.
The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Tuesday, Memorial of St. Teresa of Avila, Virgin & Doctor of the Church, 15 October 2024 Galatians 5:1-6 ><]]]]'> + ><]]]]'> + ><]]]]'> Luke 11:37-41
Photo by author, somewhere in Pampanga, August 2024.
What a wonderful Saint You have gifted us today, dear Jesus in St. Teresa of Avila; what a wonderful saint we need so much these days to guide us in your Church, one who has "faith working through love" (Galatians 5:6).
In this time when people laugh at our traditions of old, when liberalism is so adored, modern thoughts highly praised and so embraced that many of us are so concerned in "cleansing the outside of the cup and dish while inside us are filled with plunder and evil" and pride, so highly speaking of freedom, inclusivity and sensitivity that in the process we forget You, Jesus; like St. Teresa of Avila, lead us back to our faith working through love that seeks You in deep prayer by detaching ourselves from the trappings of this modern world like social media's very alluring style of story-telling that's empty inside because of all outside as "palabas" - one big show, a circus.
We pray to You, Jesus, through St. Teresa of Avila for the grace of a contemplative spirit in a world so active that frees us from the slavery of one's own passions and fantasies so that we can be more free to become a loving person who sees You in others we must serve. Amen.
Photo by author, 21 August 2024, St. Scholastica Spirituality Center, Tagaytay City.
The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Monday in the Twenty-eighth Week of Ordinary Time, Year II, 14 October 2024 Galatians 4:22-24, 26-27, 31-5:1 <*((((>< + ><))))*> Luke 11:29-32
Photo by Ms. April Oliveros at Mt. Pulag, March 2023.
While still more people gathered in the crowd, Jesus said to them, “This is generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it, except the sign of Jonah… and there is something greater than Jonah here” (Luke 11:29, 32).
Your words today, O Lord Jesus are so striking - so destabilizing on a Monday morning but looking back to our lives, we deserve them because they are true!
More than the evil of the sins we have committed that have hurt us all, strained our relationships, and destroyed our environment is the evil of our continued disregard for You; if sin is a turning away from You, dear Jesus, more evil is our rejection of You like those people in your time.
How sad until now we keep on seeking signs of God's presence among us, of God's love and mercy for us without realizing You are God-is-with-us, the Emmanuel.
Worst than our sins against each other and You Jesus is our refusal to recognize You because we cannot let go of our own convictions that are self-centered and self-serving, thinking it is freedom.
Forgive us, Jesus in our never-ending lists of signs we ask from You to prove us your love, your presence, your approval not realizing that the life we now have, and continue to waste, is more than enough of your loving presence.
Let us realize, Jesus, as St. Paul reminds us in the first reading today that You have come to set us free from the slavery of sin and evil in order to be free to love and be faithful to You. Amen.
The Lord Is My Chef Sunday Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B, 13 October 2024 Wisdom 7:7-11 ><}}}}*> Hebrews 4:12-13 ><}}}}*> Mark 10:17-30
Lately in my prayers I have felt so drawn on the “face” of Jesus, trying to imagine and feel how He looked at the various people He met in the gospel accounts. Most of all, of how Jesus looks at us too (https://lordmychef.com/2024/10/09/to-his-face/).
Consider our gospel this Sunday that shows us how Jesus has that “look of love” to everyone. No matter how bad and sinful we may be, He is full of love and mercy, compassion and joy in seeing us. The problem is often the way we look at Him like that man who approached Him as well as the disciples conversing with Him who were all so much like us.
Photo by Mr. Jim Marpa, 2019.
As Jesus was setting out on a journey, a man ran up, knelt down before him, and asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus answered him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments…” He replied and said to him, “Teacher, all of these I have observed from my youth.” Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him, “You are lacking in one thing. Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” At that statement his face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.
Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” The disciples were amazed at his words. So Jesus again said to them in reply, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!” It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of the needle than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” They were exceedingly astonished and said among themselves, “Then who can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “For human beings it is impossible, but not for God. All things possible for God” (Mark 10:17-27).
Photo by author, Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches, QC, 20 March 2024.
Jesus, looking at him, loved him... his face fell, went away sad, for he had many possessions.
We readily identify with this man because all of us have the same question deep in our hearts to Jesus, wondering there must be more to keeping the commandments, of being good, of a better way to get into eternal life that is not necessarily a shortcut.
In fact, we have to rejoice, dear friends if we ask the same question because it is a grace that can only come from God, so unlike the Pharisees who asked Jesus last Sunday on the legality of divorce because they wanted to “test” Him. See how Jesus like last week brought us all back to the Sacred Scriptures, the very word of God expressing His will in human terms. The question was a sincere longing for God like the Psalmist, “Your testimonies are my delight; they are my counsellors”; “I observe your precepts and testimonies; all my ways are before you” (Ps. 119:24, 168).
Jesus looked at the man with love because He saw a great opening for more grace in him that is why He told him to sell everything he had, give it to the poor and follow Him. At that moment, like most of us, his face fell and went away sad because he had many possessions.
Are we not this man too who can’t look at Jesus with the same love because we probably love somebody or something else than Him found among those in the margins of our lives?
Photo by author, Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches, QC, 20 March 2024.
Jesus looked around... the disciples were amazed.
If Jesus did not care at all and has no love for those around Him, He would have not looked around after that man had left. Here is the lovely thing with Jesus: His look is always filled with love for us His disciples, a look so penetrating, so luminous because He is divine.
What is amazing is not only that it is difficult for us to enter the kingdom of God due to our many attachments, sinfulness and weaknesses, but, despite all these, Jesus still speaks to us, conversing with us because He simply loves us so much! Jesus never looks on qualifications but instead qualifies His call so we can follow Him. Most of all, look at Him too!
Consider the amazing grace for us to remain in Jesus, albeit hiding that question in our hearts so afraid to ask because we know His answer would be so unexpected like in this scene and yet, here is Jesus looking around, looking at us with love sincerely telling us it is not easy at all. Remember the bread of life discourse of how Jesus talked straight because He was sincere and truthful to us that it is difficult to follow Him to the Cross which is what discipleship is all about. Just keep following Jesus, keep looking at Him no matter what!
Photo by Mr. Jay Javier, Quiapo Traslacion 2020.
Jesus again said to them... they were exceedingly astonished.
Wow…! See the style of Mark who was not contented in writing how astonished the disciples were by describing them as “exceedingly astonished”. See his attention to details, so wonderful and beautiful because what is exceedingly astonishing is Jesus Christ’s love for us, not just His words!
Here, Jesus was already telling the disciples what would happen on Good Friday, of how Jesus would do everything for us all – that is, in doing the impossible that is only possible with God because He loves us so much.
Like what St. Paul had extensively reiterated to the Galatians in the weekday readings last week, Jesus did everything for us to be saved. Salvation is a gift, a pure grace from God. It is never our work; stop playing God, or a Messiah! There is nothing we can really do to be saved except to be like a child as Jesus had reiterated these past two Sundays.
To be like a child is to completely trust Jesus every step of the way especially on His way to Jerusalem. Now we see the importance of having that child-like attitude to belong in the kingdom of God as Jesus identified what await His disciples in following Him: “houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come”(Mark 10:30).
Photo by Mr. Jim Marpa, 2019.
Don’t be sad now. Mark had a purpose in writing the persecutions that await every disciple of Jesus because these shall purify us, give more depth and meaning to our lives and existence.
Mark knew so well how everyone is like the author of the Book of Wisdom who lived in a time similar with ours with all the affluence around us that deep inside us we still feel and know for sure that life is more than comfort and pleasures. He knew too the story of King Solomon like us so blessed with that consciousness that more than the material wealth and fame the world offers us, what matters most in life is wisdom to discern what is right and good.
These are difficult indeed for us, like getting married threatened by divorce then and now; but, again Jesus proposes an ideal, inviting us to remain in Him in prayers. After all, Jesus is the word of God who became flesh is “living and effective” among us found in the Sacred Scriptures (second reading) to guide us closer to Him.
Let us not worry because Jesus had done everything for us to be saved. Stay in the Lord, and let our face shine with His love! Keep looking at Jesus who looks at us full of love today and always. Have a blessed week ahead!
The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Friday, Memorial of St. John XXIII, Pope, 11 October 2024 Galatians 3:7-14 <*((((>< + ><))))*> Luke 11:15-26
Photo by author, Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches, QC, 20 March 2024.
Lord Jesus Christ, fill me with your Holy Spirit, enliven my faith, hope and love in You; in this age of so many divisions when we are being pulled by the strong forces of the past to go back to what was before due to the excesses of modern time, let us look for your Cross, O Lord, to let the "finger of God" work in us to cleanse us of all evil and filth that make us "scatter" than "gather".
“But if is by the finger of God that I drive out demons, then the Kingdom of God has come upon you… Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. When an unclean spirit goes out of someone, it roams through arid regions searching for rest but, finding none, it says, ‘I shall return to my home from which I came.’ But upon returning, it finds it swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and brings back seven other spirits more wicked than itself who move in and dwell there, and the last condition of that person is worse than the first” (Luke 11:20, 23-26).
Let us realize, like what St. Paul tells us in today's first reading that we who "have faith in You are the children of Abraham, that the blessing of Abraham might be extended to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith" (Galatians 3:7, 14).
Let us embrace that truth, Jesus, that You have done everything for our salvation, for our freedom, for our being children of the Father; You have cleansed us, come fill us with your Spirit for us to see our similarities not differences to build a more humane society here on earth; fill us with your Spirit, Jesus, let not the bonds and shackles of sin hold us, isolated from others, always competing that prevent peace in finally happening.
Help us imitate your faithful servant St. John XXIII who convened the Second Vatican Council to open the windows of the Church and welcome this modern age so we may find You Jesus ever more present in this changing time; most of all, to share You, Jesus who is still most needed in this troubled age.
You have done everything for us, Jesus. Let us rest on that by remaining in You, doing your work and make us stop playing god, savior of the world. Amen.
Photo by Ka Ruben, new stained glass of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, Valenzuela City to be blessed on Sunday, the 107th anniversary of the last Apparition of the Virgin Mary in Fatima, Portugal.
The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Wednesday in the Twenty-seventh Week of Ordinary Time, Year II, 09 October 2024 Galatians 2:1-2, 7-14 ><]]]]'> + <'[[[[>< Luke 11:1-4
Photo by author, Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches, QC, 2017.
And when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face because he clearly was wrong… (Galatians 2:11).
For so long, I have always wondered how You look like, Lord Jesus, of what or how your face looks like really; your face deeply in pain on the Cross has always been the face I have known when thinking of You; how I wished I could see your face moved with pity with that widow of Nain or how your face looked full of love to the rich young man whose face fell after You asked him to sell his belongings, share them to the poor and follow you.
St. Paul's account of "opposing Cephas to his face" invites me today to see face in a more deeper sense than something physical; as I immersed into the scene, I could sense and picture the courage and sincerity on St. Paul's face in telling St. Peter into his face his double standards in dealing with early Christians, that is, of having two faces: one with Jewish converts and another with Gentile converts!
The lithography of Sts. Peter and Paul in Missale Romanum by unknown artist with initials F.M.S (19. cent.) printed by Typis Friderici Pustet. (Renáta Sedmáková | us.fotolia.com)
How sad, dear Jesus, that until now, we your disciples are like St. Peter before: many of us are not only double-faced but even multiple-faced with one another, never our true selves at all! Worst, many of us can't even show our true face as we put on masks that literally in Greek are called hypokritein --- hypocrites!
Teach us, Lord Jesus, how to pray, that is, to be single-faced in our prayers: to face up before our Father as His children forgiving each other's debts, living as brothers and sisters; teach us, Lord Jesus, to face up our prayers, of living out what we pray not with many faces nor with masks on our face; teach us, Lord Jesus, to face You more often in prayers to transform our face into your face that is truly an image and likeness of God, radiating with your loving presence. Amen.
Photo by author, CAS Chapel, Our Lady of Fatima University, August 2023.
The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Tuesday in the Twenty-seventh Week of Ordinary Time, Year II, 08 October 2024 Galatians 2:1-2, 7-14 ><000'> + <'000>< Luke 10:38-42
Photo by Ms. Ria De Vera at Banff, Canada, August 2024.
O Lord, you have probed me and you know me, you know when I sit and when I stand; you understand my thoughts from afar. Truly you have formed my inmost being; you knit me in my mother’s womb. I give you thanks that I am fearfully, wonderfully made; wonderful are your works (Psalm 139:1-2, 13-14).
Thank you, loving God our Father for this brand new day! Like the psalmist today, I am at awe with your creation, beginning with me at how you have formed my inmost being that enables me to connect with You through your wonderful creation!
In forming my inmost being, You have made me yours, enabling me to realize my connection with You, O God, my Creator as well as with your entire creation; and if I am lost or had gone astray, it is still my inmost being You have formed in me that enables me to reconnect with You and myself and others.
Photo by Ms. Ria De Vera at Banff, Canada, August 2024.
Brothers and sisters: You heard of my former way of life in Judaism, how I persecuted the Church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it… But when he, who from my mother’s womb had set me apart and called me through his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me, so that I might proclaim him to the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult flesh and blood, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were Apostles before me: rather, I went into Arabia and then returned to Damascus (Galatians 1:13, 15-17).
How lovely and so true like St. Paul, You have formed our inmost being so that we may remain connected or be reconnected with You when we are lost and separated.
Grant us O God the gift of discipline in cultivating a prayer life, a life centered in You so that we remain connected in You through Jesus Christ like Mary sitting beside Him at His feet, listening to His every word; let us be aware of your precious gift of our inmost being by cultivating a prayer life to make our connections stronger; You created us, O God to be connected always with You, our self, and with others; keep us strong in resisting temptations to sin, to separate and be isolated from You and others by destroying our connections, disregarding our inmost being. Amen.
Photo by Ms. Ria De Vera at Banff, Canada, August 2024.
The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Monday, Memorial of the Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary, 07 October 2024 Acts 1:12-14 <*{{{{>< + ><}}}}*> Luke 1:26-38
Photo by author, Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches, QC, 20 March 2024.
God our loving Father, You are the God of History: nothing happens without your knowing as You ensure that despite setbacks, history is always directed to your Divine Plan.
As we celebrate today the Memorial of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary, we remember too how You answered our prayers in that decisive victory of the Spanish Armada against the more and better-equipped navy of the Ottoman Turks at the Battle of Lepanto Bay in 1571 that finally stopped the Moslems from occupying Europe.
Photo by author, St. Scholastica Retreat Center, Baguio City, August 2023.
We pray, O God, that in a similar way, teach us to "lose" in order to "win": like the Blessed Mother Mary, grant us the grace to lose ourself to You in Jesus Christ; how lovely to think Mary was a "loser" of her self to You when she told the Archangel Gabriel, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word" (Luke 1:38); it was in losing herself to You, dear God, that Mary became your instrument for our victory of salvation through her Son Jesus Christ.
Teach us, O Lord, to be like Mary in submitting our total selves to the Father's will and plans, ready to endure sufferings and trials in life that many times we feel we are at the losing end; when we are patient and understanding, when we are forgiving of others sins, when we bear all pains because we love, that is when we win as we lose ourselves and begins to be filled with Jesus like Mary in the gospel.
Photo from canningliturgicalarts.com, painting of the Battle of Lepanto Bay with our Lady of Victory or Rosary.
Remind us always,
God our loving Father,
that when we feel losing
many battles in life
like when we stand
for what is true and good,
that is actually when we win
the war against evil and sin,
the greatest victory Christ
had gifted us, first with His
Mother Mary - salvation!
Blessed Mother of the Rosary,
continue praying for us sinners
now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.
The Lord Is My Chef Sunday Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B, 06 October 2024 Genesis 2:18-24 ><}}}}*> Hebrews 2:9-11 ><}}}}*> Mark 10:2-16
With our student sacristans in our San Fernando Campus in Pampanga during the Mass of the Holy Spirit last year.
One of the joys of my ministry as chaplain in a university and a hospital is the daily interaction I have with young people who keep me young like them, always updated with the many trends happening among them especially in the languages they speak. In them I continue to find the many faces of Jesus Christ who continues to pass by even in this modern world so swiftly changing due to social media.
Two terms I have recently learned from them are “love language” and “situationship”. Let’s just talk about “love language” this Sunday that is more appropriate with our gospel and reserve that other word “situationship” when the setting is more apt. Lately I have noticed the term “love language” mentioned quite often in social media posts and reels. I never bothered to know it until somebody asked me what is my “love language” that threw me off balance with many wild things rushing into my mind, thinking what is it!
It turned out that “love language” is a term coined in 1992 by Baptist pastor Gary Chapman in his book of the same title where he identified five love languages we give and (prefer) to receive: words of affirmation, acts of service, receiving gifts, quality time, and physical touch. It was an amazing moment of learning from me when I realized that everyone – including us priests – has a favorite love language in expressing our love to everyone. And in our gospel today, we find that even God who is love Himself has a love language in the very person of His Son Jesus Christ!
The Pharisees approached Jesus and asked, “Is it lawful for a husband to divorce his wife?” They were testing him. He said to them in reply, “What did Moses command you?” They replied, “Moses permitted a husband to write a bill of divorce and dismiss her.” But Jesus told them, “Because of the hardness of your hearts he wrote you this commandment. But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. So they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, no human being must separate” (Mark 10:2-9).
Photo by author, 2024; I have loved mosses that thrive even with little sunlight, reminding us of God’s grace especially when we are in darkness and tribulations.
Jesus and the Twelve continued their journey to Jerusalem with His teachings not only getting more exciting but actually more difficult and hard as He addressed the thorny issue of divorce which continues to divide us in this modern age.
Interestingly enough, this scene happened while Jesus and the Twelve were in Judea, the province governed by King Herod who had John the Baptist arrested and later beheaded upon the instigation of his wife Herodias. John spoke against Herod’s taking of Herodias as wife because she used to be the wife of his own brother Philip then governing another province. One can just imagine the grave danger the Pharisees have exposed Jesus in discussing divorce right in the turf of an evil ruler living with an adulteress!
As usual, Jesus did not fall into the test by the Pharisees because He had no intentions of joining our endless debates about divorce as He knew very well that it is something so complicated that has continued to ruin human relationships as a result of the “hardness of our hearts”. Recall too similar instances when Jesus was asked for an opinion in politics like the paying of taxes to Caesar and the settlement of disputes among brothers regarding their inheritance. See how Jesus would always make it clear that His mission is not to settle our disputes in economics and politics nor personal relationships but to always reveal to us the will of God.
Instead of giving a simple answer of “yes” or “no” on the lawfulness of a divorce or the paying of taxes to the Romans, Jesus would always bring us to God our Father, the very core of our being and relationships. It is only in being rooted again in God when we realize personally, existentially why we have to strive in choosing what is true, good and beautiful no matter how difficult it may be.
This Sunday, Jesus is not offering compromises to us weak human beings about divorce but rather proposes the ideal of marriage by going back to its very source and beginning, God Himself who is love.
That is why our first reading was taken from Genesis to remind us and make us realize that everything, most especially man and woman – is created by God. Everything in this world was from God, especially our desire for union and communion which we also find expressed even by trees and plants as well as animals.
However, what makes us distinct from the rest of creation as we see in other parts of Genesis is God breathing on us His breath of life that gives us the consciousness of our oneness, of that transcendent otherness called humanity that makes us realize our deeper reality in the “I-Thou” relationship. Plants and animals do not have that consciousness.
Photo by author, St. Scholastica Retreat Center, Tagaytay City, August 2024.
The creation of a woman as suitable partner of man is not a result of an after-thought of God as if He never knew man would never be fulfilled without a woman. The creation of woman being taken from one of the ribs of man cast into a deep sleep by God reminds us of each person being a gift to everyone. No pet nor plant can bring that kind of ecstasy and joy of finding somebody like us, of bringing unity in every one who is incomplete in one’s self.
See how Jesus repeated the Genesis account “that is why” or “for this reason” a man leaves his father and mother and be joined with his wife to become one.
This tendency of ours towards one another, a consciousness of then other person, is a gift and a grace indicating our origin who is God who always relates with us. Every time we destroy this unity, whenever we upset this complementarity among us in God, that is when disorder happens, generating competitions among us that lead to our endless conflicts that only leave us with more pains and sorrows. Hence, back in the house again towards the end of our gospel scene this Sunday, Jesus reiterated the example of the child after His disciples drove them away.
Photo by author, statue of the Child Jesus hugging St. Joseph, Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches, QC, March 2024.
How lovely and ironic that despite the weaknesses and incompleteness of children, we find in them all five love languages too. What a joy to play and converse with children, especially carry babies despite their lack of language skills we find each one a love language in himself/herself – exactly like Jesus Christ, the love language of God who gave us everything to experience oneness in love.
God knows everything that He created us in His own image and likeness. Nothing, not even sin could ever destroy His grand design for us since creation so that right after the Fall, God right away promised salvation fulfilled in Jesus Christ whom He had sent to remind us anew of His wonderful plan for us.
I have a similar image like this in my room, my most favorite statue of St. Joseph as protector of the Child Jesus and Mary. But most of all, we find Jesus being the love language of God even in his childhood with His all-encompassing love that reached its highest point at the Crucifixion.
God knows everything, especially our weaknesses in keeping our relationships. Jesus is not judging us and knows very well the pains many are enduring as a result of separation and divorce. The Letter to the Hebrews we heard in the second reading tells us how Jesus in suffering death has become like us in order to share with us the grace we need to keep our human relationships strong.
Every Sunday, I visit our patients in the hospital to give them Holy Communion, hear their confessions and often, anoint most of them with Oil for the sick.
Whenever I meet couples especially those already old and with debilitating sickness, I praise God for the tremendous grace he gives them. In them I always find God so truly present among us, especially in every husband and wife lovingly serving each other in sickness and in health. Let us pray for all couples that they may cooperate with God’s grace in keeping their marriage alive. Amen. Have a blessed week ahead!
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