A prayer on “spy Wednesday”

The Lord Is My Chef Breakfast Recipe, Holy Wednesday, 17 April 2019

Isaiah 50:4-9///Matthew 26:14-25

Today O Lord Jesus Christ is “spy Wednesday” for tonight Judas will strike a deal with your enemies to betray you. Tonight is said to be the night of traitors, of betrayers.

O Lord, we hate being called traitors and betrayers, a Judas Iscariot. And yet, too often, it is true whenever we sin, whenever we turn away from you, when we exchange you for things and people we find more valuable than you.

One of the Twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?” They paid him thirty pieces of silver, and from that time on he looked for an opportunity to hand him over.
Matthew 26:14-16

Please forgive us Jesus whenever we betray you. Most of all, we pray and seek your forgiveness and healing O Lord from this grave sin of betrayal for we do not only do it to you but to those most dearest to us, our family and friends whom we hurt whenever we hand them over to troubles and miseries, to grief and tears.

Help us Lord Jesus to enter into full communion with you, to be filled with your Holy Spirit so that we think and act like you in total obedience to the Father, giving no space in us for satan to trade you off for anything. Amen.

Who fills you?

The Lord Is My Chef Breakfast Recipe, Holy Tuesday, 16 April 2019

Isaiah 49:1-6///John 13:21-33, 36-38

*At the Wailing Wall of Jerusalem, April 2017. Photo by author.*

As we come closer to your Paschal Triduum O Lord Jesus Christ, I try to probe deeper into myself to examine where are in you in my life? There were so many times I have not been faithful to you. There were so many times I wavered, almost gave up following you because nothing seemed to happen.

Who really fills me, you O Lord or the enemy?

So many times I have wallowed into so many complaints and excuses, always doubting if you are really with me, if you have truly called me. Like Peter, I just say so many things, asking you many questions without really understanding and knowing anything at all especially your very words. Worst, there are times I feel like Judas sharing in your sacred meal and yet betraying you when I sin because I have allowed evil to take over me.

Give me the grace to be like you as the faithful, suffering Servant of God so certain and so trusting of the Divine call and mission:

The Lord called me from birth, from my mother’s womb he gave me my name. He made me a sharp-edged sword and concealed me in the shadow of his arm. He made me a polished arrow, in his quiver he hid me. Though I thought I had toiled in vain, and for nothing, uselessly, spent my strength, yet my reward is with the Lord, my recompense is with my God.
Isaiah 49:1-2, 4

Lord Jesus Christ, reign in my heart, fill me with your humility, justice, and love. Amen.

Breaking the cycle of evil

The Lord Is My Chef Breakfast Recipe, Holy Monday, 15 April 2019

Isaiah 42:1-7///John 12:1-11

*Dominican Hills, Baguio City, January 2019 by the author.*

This Monday is supposed to be different from all the other Mondays of the year for it is supposed to be holy. It is a step to your Paschal Triduum, Lord Jesus Christ, that begins on Holy Thursday evening leading to the glory of your Easter Sunday.

Being holy, O Lord, is being filled with you, being like you, Isaiah’s “Suffering Servant”:

Here is my servant whom I uphold…upon whom I have put my Spirit; he shall bring forth justice to the nations, not crying out, not shouting, not making his voice heard in the street. A bruised reed he shall not break, and a smoldering wick he shall nto quench, until he establishes justice on the earth.
Isaiah 42:1-4

Yesterday I found a beautiful quotation from the Facebook page of the Franciscans that I strongly feel making it my prayer this Holy Monday. It is easier said than done, Lord, but it is doable with your grace.

Give us the courage and grace Lord Jesus this Holy Monday to break the cycle of evil in our midst, to act not like some of those people of your time who tried to plot not only against you but also against your friend Lazarus whom you have raised from the dead.

It is very difficult, and even crazy but it is your way as the Suffering Servant, our Christ who broke our cycle of hate and violence. Amen.

Lent is home.

40 Shades of Lent, Saturday, Week-V, 13 April 2019

Ezekiel 37:21-28///John 11:45-56

After forty days, we are finally home in you, God our Father. Finally. But, are we really home? Are we ready for the holiest of all your days, Lord, set to begin tonight with the Palm Sunday of your Passion?

Continue to cleanse our hearts and our souls, Lord.

Continue to guide us into your direction, not like some of the people of your time.

Many of the Jews who had come to Mary and seen what Jesus had done began to believe in him. But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.
John 11:45-46

Lead us home into the Father, Lord Jesus.

Fulfill in us Ezekiel’s prophecy:

My dwelling shall be with them; I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Thus the nations shall know that it is I, the Lord, who makes Israel holy, when my sanctuary shall be set up among them forever.

Thank you Lord for Lent, for the 40 days of journey. May each day be always a journey with you and in you always. Amen.

Lent is persecution

40 Shades of Lent, Friday, Week-V, 12 April 2019

Jeremiah 20:10-13///John 10:31-42

The Jews picked up rocks to stone Jesus. Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from my Father. For which of these are you trying to stone me?”
John 10:31-32

O dear Jesus, my Lord and my God, I could relate so much with you in this episode in your life. Lately, I have been feeling so down, wondering how could people give me in return evil deeds and pains after all the goodness I have shown them? There are still many others out there wondering the same, feeling the same.

We all feel like, you, O Jesus, asking our detractors, our very own relatives and friends, which of the good works we have done to them are they stoning us?

We all feel like Jeremiah too, your the prophet.

I hear the whisperings of many: “Terror on every side! Denounce! Let us denounce him!” All those who were my friends are on the watch for any misstep of mine. “Perhaps he will be trapped; then we can prevail, and take our vengeance on him.”
Jeremiah 20:10

In our distress, O Lord, hear our calls!

Keep us strong and faithful always to you. If life is Lent, then life is about persecutions, about sufferings. We have accepted it Lord but sometimes we cry, we get weak, we want to rest and stop because things are getting too much.

But, Lent has a spirit and character that refresh us, renew us with the thought that before all these persecutions and sufferings came our way, you were there first for us, Lord Jesus to, bear all these pains. Even dying on the Cross. Amen.

Life will always be Lent.

40 Shades of Lent, Thursday, Week-V, 11 April 2019

Genesis 17:3-9///John 8:51-59

Almost forty days ago since we started this journey on Ash Wednesday, we have reflected that “life is Lent”. Today, O Lord, as we nearly conclude this Season of Lent on Saturday morning, we come full circle to that reality.

Life is Lent because it is about being with you, our God, our Father following your direction in Christ Jesus.

With you, God, we find life.

Without you, God, we lose life.

Help us to remain in you, dear God. To always stay with you as you have told Abraham from the very beginning.

God also said to Abraham: “On your part, you and your descendants after you must keep my covenant throughout the ages.”
Genesis 17:9

Help us to remember and keep this always as you remind us too, that Jesus Christ your Son is our Savior primarily because everything he said and done were said and done in obedience to you his Father.

Jesus is the obedient one just like Abraham who first showed us how life is a daily Lent, of being centered on you, always listening to you, always doing your will.

In a few days we shall enter the Holy Week. May we always bring with us the lessons of this Season of Lent, that life will always be Lent, of being with you, staying with you, our God and Master. Amen.

Lent is being free

40 Shades of Lent, Wednesday, Week-V, 10 April 2019

Daniel 3:14-20, 91-92, 95///John 8:31-42

If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.
John 8:31-32

Very often Lord Jesus, when you talk of us being set free, we feel like the people of your time bragging

…we have never been enslaved to anyone.
John 8:33

Very often, Lord, we feel so proud to claim being one with you, truly serving you when in fact we are enslaved by so many pleasures in life.

There are many ways of serving you, of being free for you, of being faithful to you.

But there is only one sure way of being enslaved: when we desire to please our very selves and others.

Like in the first reading, it is very easy to please King Nebuchadnezzar in serving false gods, thinking these would not harm us, that we can control ourselves, that we would not completely fall into it. There are many instances we think that with these modern times with the modern thoughts and modern ways of life sweeping all around us, just a little pleasure would not mean anything at all, would never have a control over us until we are trapped, enslaved, and have lost everything.

Knowing the truth is being one with you, O Lord: remaining in you, staying with you. Loving you, serving you. Through others. Not pleasing myself. Amen.

Lent is accepting, more than understanding

Numbers 21:4-9///John 8:21-30

Loving God our Father, make our hearts bigger to accept you and let our minds be contented when we can no longer understand you. So often we complain of so many things we do not have, failing to see what you have given us, because we always try to understand you and your ways, both beyond us.

From Mount Hor the children of Israel set out on the Red Sea road, to bypass the land of Edom. But with their patience worn out by the journey, the people complained against God and Moses, “Why have you brought us up from Egypt to die in this desert, where there is no food or water? We are disgusted with this wretched food!” In punishment the Lord sent among the people saraph serpents, which bit then people so that many of them died.
Numbers 21:4-6

Forgive us O Lord for complaining so much, forgetting to be grateful for what we have received from you freely. Forgive us most of all for challenging you, questioning you, doubting you. Please forgive us when we forget you are our God, we are your creatures.

How amazing were the poor among those in the temple that day listening to Jesus. So humble, so open to your presence who accepted the Christ while speaking in mysterious ways as a Person that the learned could not understand. How amazing were those poor they recognized the Christ in his pronouncements of the “I AM”:

“For if you do not believe that I AM, you will die in your sins… When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will realize that I AM, and that I do nothing on my own, but I say only what the Father taught me.”
John 8:24, 28

Remind us always, O God, that you are not a concept to be understood but a Person to be loved and accepted. Amen.

*Crucifix at the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception Seminary by National Artist Erwin Castrillo, Guiguinto, Bulacan. Photo by ICS alumnus (Batch 82) Chester Ocampo, November 30, 2014.*

Lent is judgment day

40 Shades of Lent, Monday, Week-V, 08 April 2019

Daniel 13:14-62///John 8:12-20

It is the final week of our 40-day preparation for Easter, Lord, yet your readings today remind us of your coming judgment day. And you know how we feel whenever we hear those words, “judgment day”.

Fear always grips us because we always feel we are not ready.

But when do we really get ready to meet you and face your judgment, Lord?

He spoke these words while teaching in the treasury in the temple area. but no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.
John 8:20

Unlike you, Lord Jesus, we are not God. We really do not know when that hour would come. But we are sure, O Lord, you will always give us the grace and the courage to face that hour that can be happening now. Right now.

Keep us rooted in you always, doing your holy will so that our works are verified in God.

Keep us faithful to your laws, let us practice justice especially among women and the disadvataged. Like the prophet Daniel in the first reading, let us never allow ourselves to be silent where there is injustice going on. Disturb us where people are maligned, rights are disregarded, lives are taken for granted.

O God, let us never allow evil to triumph by doing nothing, saying nothing because today is your judgment day. Amen.

*Batanes sunset after a storm. Photo by Mr. Raffy Tima of GMA7 News, October 2018.*

Lent is praying for the wicked among us

40 Shades of Lent, Friday, Week-IV, 05 April 2019

Wisdom 2:1, 12-22///John 7:1-2, 10, 25-30

We know it deep in our hearts, Lord. We knew it all along because we have felt being the object of their evil thoughts and plans:

The wicked said among themselves, thinking not aright: “Let us beset the just one, because he is obnoxious to us; he sets himself against our doings, reproaches us for transgressions of the law and charges us with violations of our training.”
These were their thoughts, but they erred; for their wickedness blinded them, and they knew not the hidden counsels of God; neither did they count on a recompense of holiness nor discern the innocent of souls’ reward.
Wisdom 2:1, 12,21-22

When will the evil people ever stop plotting all plans against us, O Lord? When will they realize their errors, their mistakes, their sins? When will they ever get tired with the unnecessary burdens of thinking evil against others?

On this first Friday of April, O God, we pray for those who persecute us, for those who malign us, for those who make life so difficult for us without realizing the goodwill we have for them. We pray for the wicked who are bent on crushing us but would never truly succeed because you would never allow evil to triumph over what is good.

So many times, they are all talk because they never have the guts and courage to be true and honest. They are always hiding. Like Jesus openly exposing Himself at the temple area, yet nobody could lay their hands on Him because it was not yet His hour.

Our merciful Father, grant us the courage and strength to endure every evil and lies when our time finally comes to stand up for you like Jesus. Amen.