Tag: god

That “Gut” Feeling About God

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The Lord Is My Chef Breakfast Recipe-Prayer Monday
30 July 2018, Week-17/Year-2 Ordinary Time
Jeremiah 13:1-11///Matthew 13:31-35

            It is again a Monday, Lord, and we are all so busy going back to work, to the normal “grind” of the week.  And your words drive home to us something very close, literally speaking, hitting our guts, our loins:  “This wicked people who refuse to obey my words, who walk in the stubbornness of their hearts, and follow strange gods to serve and adore them, shall be like this loincloth which is so good for nothing.  For, as close as the loincloth clings to a man’s loins, so had I made the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah cling to me, says the Lord; to be my people, my renown, my praise, my beauty.  But they did not listen.”(Jer.13:10-11)

            How shameful indeed Lord, as we start each day, freshen up ourselves, put on our best clothes but deep inside, very close to our guts, we have “a good for nothing loincloth” – rotting and dirty that permeates deep into our very person.  That gut feeling that even if we pretend to be so good, so holy, deep inside, down in our guts, we know something is terribly wrong.

            Teach us to go back to you, to be more docile in the Holy Spirit, to follow our “guts” wherever you are leading us.  May we give your little voice, your words like the mustard seed to be sowed and grow in us so we can experience your glory, your beauty, and your goodness.  So often, we take little things for granted, forgetting that like the “loincloth”, these are the ones closest to us that truly give us comfort and confidence as a person, as a believer, as your follower.  Amen.

             St. Peter Chrysologus, pray for us.Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II,Parokya ng San Juan Apostol at Ebanghelista, Gov. F. Halili Ave., Bagbaguin, Sta. Maria,Bulacan 3022 .

*About the photo:  the flower of the mustard plant I have taken during our Holy Land Pilgrimage April 2017 at the Ein-Karem area on the way to the Church of the Visitation.

Holding On To God

Hope
The Lord Is My Chef Breakfast Recipe-Prayer Tuesday
24 July 2018, Week-16/Year-2 Ordinary Time
Micah 7:14-15,18-20///Matthew 12:46-50

            I cannot believe everything that is happening in the country, God.  Are you kidding us?  Have you forgotten us?  At first, I thought it was only due to the weather that I felt so low, desolate.  And now, in our country.

            I feel like one of the remnants in prophet Micah’s time: those few left behind holding on to you with their little faith being shaken by the majority who seem more blessed and better off amid their infidelities and evil ways – and inanities as well.  I feel like praying with the remnants of Israel of old, “Shepherd your people with your staff – the flock of your inheritance – that dwells apart in a woodland in the midst of Carmel.  Let them feed in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old.  As in the days when you came from the land of Egypt, show us wonderful signs.”(Mic.7:14-15) 

              Keep me strong in my faith especially at this times everything is sagging in our country:  our morals, our honor, our values, our leaders.  Teach me to keep on following your Son Jesus Christ as His “brother and sister and mother”(Mt.12:50), striving to fulfill your will despite the many odds and temptations to be on my own, to join the mob with their truncated views on life and people.  You are so merciful in forgiving my sins, and letting me go of my past.  How can I leave you now in the middle of many storms, Lord?  May these days of darkness past, and leave me standing before you faithfully.

              I pray also Lord to those severely affected by the rains and floods.  May they never lose faith and hope in you as we who were spared share more love and charity to them.  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.

Putting God on Trial

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The Lord Is My Chef Breakfast Recipe-Prayer Monday
23 July 2018, Week-16/Year-2 Ordinary Time
Micah 6:1-4,6-8///Matthew 12:38-42 

            God our Father, you never cease to surprise me with your creativity.  Like a dedicated teacher, you never run out of illustrations of how much you love me despite my many sins.  Today you present me with a court-room drama that I used to see in many TV series I have followed.

            “Arise, present your plea before the mountains, and let the hills hear your voice!  Hear, O mountains, the plea of the Lord, pay attention, O foundations of the earth!  For the Lord has a plea against his people, and he enters into trial with Israel.  O my people, what have I done to you, or how have I wearied you?”(Mic.6:1-3)

             Despite the many good things you have done for me, I continue to live in sin.  I have turned away from you that no amount of worship and offering would suffice except “Only to do right and to love goodness, and to walk humbly with you, O God.”(Mic.6:8)

            The saddest thing in this courtroom drama is how we have refused to rest our case, always putting you on trial with our sins, asking for signs even up to this time.  Let us rest the case for you have dismissed it in our favor by sending us your Son Jesus Christ.  Teach me O Lord Jesus, to seek no more signs from you.  Help me to open my eyes and my heart to see in your Passion, Death and Resurrection that you are my life and my salvation.

              In a special way, Lord I pray for our brothers and sisters severely affected by the continued rains that have caused widespread floods especially in Pangasinan and Bataan provinces.  Give them something to eat this morning and keep them safe.  Amen.Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II,Parokya ng San Juan Apostol at Ebanghelista, Gov. F. Halili Ave., Bagbaguin, Sta. Maria,Bulacan 3022 .