A Lamp of Jesus

person standing on shoreline beside gray tubular lantern — Photo by Alan Cabello on Pexels.com

The Lord Is My Chef Breakfast Recipe-Prayer

Monday//24September2018//Week XXV//Year II

Proverbs 3:27-34///Luke 8:16-18

God our Father, it is again a Monday. Thank you for the gift of life, the gift of work, the gift of responsibilities, the gift of one another. Give us the grace to always do whatever is good and remain humble before you through others (Prov.3:35).

Open our eyes to see more of the many things we can learn instead of seeing the many faults and failures of others as well as shortcomings in many situations we find ourselves in. The world is one vast classroom with so many wonderful things to enjoy and cherish!

Make me a lamp of the light of your Son Jesus Christ to dispel the darkness not only in the world but most especially within each one of us. Make me a lamp that would reveal the truth of our being your beloved children, sanctified and forgiven in Christ Jesus. Let us all gain more of your love and mercy, more of your justice and peace, more of you in the power of the Holy Spirit. AMEN.Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II, Parokya ng San Juan Apostol at Ebanghelista, Gov. F. Halili Ave., Bagbaguin, Sta. Maria, Bulacan 3022.

When We Treat Others As Entity Than Family

The Lord Is My Chef Breakfast Recipe-Prayer

Tuesday, 11 September 2018, Week XXIII, Year II

1 Corinthians 6:1-11///Luke 6:12-19

Merciful Father in heaven, we look up to you today praying for those people who have died in “9/11”.

Until now we still feel the pain of how such a horrific event could happen on the first year of the new millennium. More than 2000 years ago, you have sent us your Son Jesus Christ to bring us together as brothers and sisters, praying that we may all be one – “ut unum sint” (John 17:21).

Unfortunately, we would more often go on our own separate ways, refusing to see one another as a family but instead as an entity. Like the Corinthians during the time of St. Paul, we could not resolve amicably our many issues and differences that end in tragedy. St. Paul noted so well how we have forgotten our being sanctified by the Holy Spirit to abide with justice and respect in spite of our differences.

Give us the grace, O God, to look more on Jesus Christ than with each other like the Apostles. Give us that grace of seeing more of Jesus Christ like the Twelve so that in the process we may see our very selves being called not because we are qualified but out of your immense love for us. Give us the grace to see our worth as a person amid our diversity in color and creed. Amen.Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II, Parokya ng San Juan Apostol at Ebanghelista, Gov. F. Halili Ave., Bagbaguin, Sta. Maria, Bulacan 3022. Photo from CBS.News.

Choose Good, Choose What Is Beautiful!

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The Lord Is My Chef Breakfast Recipe-Prayer

Monday, 10 September 2018, Week XXIII, Year II

1 Corinthians 5:1-8///Luke 6:6-11

God our Father, it is Monday again. For most of us, it is the start of another week of work or studies or both. For some of us like our retired parents and friends, it is another week of emptiness in their empty nests. For the sick, it is another week of patient waiting. Every Monday, some of us dread the many decisions and choices we have to make for this brand new week.

Give us the grace amidst these Monday blues to think more of the good things in life. Give us the grace to choose what is good no matter how difficult it may be. Make us positive of the many good choices available for us despite the many darkness and problems that surround us in the family, in our relationships and in our work or school.

Like St. Paul in the first reading today, let us not give in to immorality, that “old yeast” within us, “the yeast of malice and wickedness; but, let us celebrate this new week with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth found in Christ Jesus.” (1Cor.5:7-8) Every day is your day, O Lord, a sabbath – a day of doing good, of saving lives, of healing wounds (Lk.6:9) through Jesus Christ. 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, Betania-Tagaytay, 23 August 2017.

Our Being of Forgetfulness

Photo by Fr. Nick F. Lalog II at the Sacred Heart Novitiate (Novaliches), July 4-6, 2018.

The Lord Is My Chef Breakfast Recipe-Prayer

Friday, 17 August 2018, Week XIX, Year II

Ezekiel 16:59-63///Matthew 19:3-12

Another question again, O Lord Jesus Christ from us: “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any cause whatever?” (Mt.19:3)

Another question from us not seeking answers but justification for our own beliefs; another question not seeking the truth but a changing of order and rules.

Sorry Lord for the many times when we clearly know the answers deep in our hearts yet we keep on pretending we are confused or simply could not get it. Or, would not want to accept it at all because of the “hardness of our hearts.” It has always been like that as you beautifully narrated to Ezekiel of your experience with Israel who was like a little girl you have cared for since birth, lavished with so many good things until you took her as your bride and then disregarded your covenant.

A philosopher explained that we are all beings of forgetfulness that too often we lead inauthentic lives. Probably. I don’t remember.

But, one thing I always remember, O Lord, is that despite all our infidelities and hard-headedness, you have remained faithful, always reminding us to remember your love, your covenant. Give us the grace to “re-member” you, to make you a member and part of our present lives again. Amen. Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II,Parokya ng San Juan Apostol at Ebanghelista, Gov. F. Halili Ave., Bagbaguin, Sta. Maria,Bulacan 3022 .

Jesus Transforms First Our Questions to Transform Us

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The Lord Is My Chef Breakfast Recipe-Prayer

Thursday, 16 August 2018, Week XIX, Year II

Ezekiel 12:1-12///Matthew 18:21-19:1

Dearest Lord Jesus:

Every day we come to you with so many questions, an endless series of who, why and why not, and how. As I prayed today’s gospel, I realized you seldom give straight answers to questions given to you in many instances like when Peter asked you about how many times should we forgive a brother who sins against us. In many occasions in the gospel like today, you answer questions with a parable. It is as if you first transform our questions in order to transform us eventually with the answers we can glean from your parables.

As I dwelled on your parable of the unforgiving servant, I have realized one important aspect with our questions to you, Lord Jesus. And that is our being so fearful of many things in life, especially of being loving and merciful like you.

We try to be specific like Peter, asking in a numerical form “how many times should I forgive… seven times?” The other day, we asked “who is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven?” Once we have asked you “who is my neighbor?” or “Lord, are you going to establish your kingdom now?” In these instances, you never gave in to our questions because you knew very well we asked these while bounded by fears. We lacked freedom. Or, we refused to be free to be who we really are as beloved children of a very loving Father in heaven. Because we doubt your love and mercy.

And so, you give us parables like today’s unforgiving servant to assure us that we are loved and forgiven by the Father. Give us the grace to fully embrace this truth, that we would always listen to your gentle voice within to forgive and to love with all our hearts. Amen.Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II,Parokya ng San Juan Apostol at Ebanghelista, Gov. F. Halili Ave., Bagbaguin, Sta. Maria,Bulacan 3022 .

*Photo by Fr. Nick F. Lalog II, still life experiment, September 2016.