Dearest Lord Jesus Christ,
Photos from Google.
Photo by Fr. Nick F. Lalog II, Betania Retreat House, Tagaytay City, 21 August 2017.
O loving Father, today we pray for those who have hurt us, for those who have wounded us so deeply, those we have loved but turned against us. Most especially, we pray for those who have hurt us who are now asking our forgiveness. It is very difficult Lord but it can be done in your Son.
“Knowledge inflates with pride, but love builds up. If anyone supposes he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know.” (1Cor.8:1)
When we use more of our minds, loving especially those who have hurt us becomes difficult, even impossible. We could not get over the pain and the hurts that are so bad enough, worsened by the accompanying shame and embarrassment brought on us when we were disregarded as persons that in turn lead us to think of revenge, of getting even, of demanding “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.”
Thank for the grace, O God, of enabling us to enter into the very heart of Jesus Christ’s teaching which is to love like Him, to love radically that means “loving our enemies, doing good for them, lending without expecting returns and being merciful like you our Father.” (Lk.6: 35, 36) Thank you for the grace, O God, of enabling us to get into the very person of your Son Jesus Christ who is so poor, so empty of Himself with enough space to host everyone inside His heart with nothing to keep except with everything to give within. Amen. St. John Chrysostom, pray for us! 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, St. Paul-Mt. Pico Retreat House, Baguio City, 17 July 2017.
Dear God our Father: we are in the midweek, thank you for enabling us to reach this far. There are still so many things to be done and accomplished, so many sacrifices and sufferings to go through while we savor some sweet victories and achievements, blessings and grace that have come our way.
St. Paul reminds us that “the world in its present form is passing away” (1Cor.7:31) and nothing is permanent, like darkness and light, victory and defeat, including our very dear life. The people who have gone ahead of us in this world like our departed loved ones have taught us this basic truth that nothing stays except change. Grant them eternal rest, O God, while we who are left behind here on earth be blessed to choose and bear the little discomforts of life, of being poor before you, hungering for your love, weeping for justice, patiently doing what is right amidst the evil of so many around us who woefully forget your day of judgement. 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, sunset at Bgy. Taboc, San Juan, La Union, 05 January 2018.
(Simon Sinek “Start With Why”, page 135.)
Photo by Fr. Nick F. Lalog II, Church of Dormition, Jerusalem, April 2017.
Photo by Fr. Nick F. Lalog II, Jerusalem, 19 April 2017.
God our loving Father, another week of work and studies is coming to a close. As we look forward to the weekend rest and recreation, may we not forget the many new things and new realizations we have learned and discovered this week about you.
Your words, O God, today are a mystery, revealing the inverse proportionality of your glory! As I think of the new day, I cannot help but smile that for us to be wise in this age as St. Paul reminds us in the first reading, we have to be fools, “For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in the eyes of God.”(1Cor.3:18-19)
Like Simon Peter in the gospel, we have to be “shallow” by setting aside our expertise, our intelligence or brilliance as fishermen to obey instructions of Jesus the carpenter to “cast their nets into the deep”(Lk.5:4) to catch more fish.
Whenever I look back in my life, I notice how often I felt empty when I tried to be more in control; but, when I surrendered myself to you in faith, that is when I felt fulfilled! Give us the grace, O Lord, to heed the Apostle’s words, “Let no one deceive himself”(1Cor.3:18) because your ways and your glory are inversely proportional to ours. When the world tells us to go up and rise, you tell us to go down to meet you. When the world tells us to have more, you tell us to give and share to be filled by you. And when the world tells us to be famous and popular, you tell us to be simple and hidden to discover true glory and majesty in you. 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 taken last 23 February 2018 during our Stations of the Cross in a barrio. See the warning against stealing or “dukot” with Christ below.
