Prayer to Live in Love

The Lord Is My Chef Breakfast Recipe-Prayer

Friday, 16 November 2018, Week XXXII, Year II

2 John 4-9//Luke 17:26-37

Today O God I join the psalmist in singing praise to you, praying to live in love:

“Blessed are they whose way is blameless, who walks in the law of the Lord.”(Ps.119:1) You only have one law, O God, which is to love you and to love others.

“Blessed are they who observe his decrees, seek him with all their heart.” (Ps. 119: 2) To follow your love is to live in love, to desire only love in my heart.

“With all my heart I seek you; let me not stray from your commands.” (Ps.119:10) To have love in my heart is to be blessed by you, O God. Fill me with more love.

“Within my heart I treasure your promise that I may not sin against you.” (Ps.119:11) To sin is a refusal to love as you have commanded us. Fill me with more love.

“Be good to your servant, that I may live and keep your words.” (Ps.119:17) Let me not be deceived, O God, to remain faithful in Christ’s teaching of love.

“Open my eyes, that I may consider the wonders of your law.” (Ps.119:18) To be loved is to be touched by you, O God.

Open my eyes, O God, to see the many instances you have loved me, you have touched me through the kindness and goodness of others. Open my eyes to see how much you love me in the wonderful turn of events no matter how difficult or painful these may be. Open my eyes to see those around me needing your love, who could not see you or feel you because we who have been filled with your love as too selfish to share your love with them.

It is only when I begin to live in love that I come to terms with the end that comes in every here and now. It is only when I live in love when I am truly alive, when I am truly present in you and with others, seeing your daily coming like in the time of Noah. AMEN. Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II, Parokya ng San Juan Apostol at Ebanghelista, Gov. F. Halili Ave., Bagbaguin, Sta. Maria, Bulacan 3022.

*Photo by author, SCTEx-Subic, October 2018.

The Works of the Lord

The Lord Is My Chef Breakfast Recipe-Prayer

Friday//12October2018//Week XXVII, Year II

Galatians 3:7-14///Luke 11:15-26

On this weekend, I join the psalmist in giving thanks to you, O Lord, for “great are your works, exquisite in all their delights.” (Ps. 111:2) As I prepare myself for the welcome break of Saturday and Sunday, I look back with joy for all the wondrous things you have done to me this week.

I am contented with my life, O Lord; there is no need for me to join those long lines to super lotto betting stations. Your majesty and glory are enough to delight me of the beauty of life while your justice assures me of eternal rewards. Most of all, you have always provided me with everything I need as you always remember your covenant forever (Ps. 111:3-6).

Forgive me O Lord for the many times I doubt your fidelity, when I am like the Galatians who feel your works are not enough as if our works could amount to something at all. Give me that strong faith, like Abraham’s, to believe in you and your promise. Cast away my doubts, O Lord, so I may not be like the Jews of your time who thought you have the power of Beelzebul or asked you for signs to prove your divine omnipotence. Make me whole in faith, hope and love in you, never be divided lest I fall prey to evil and sins. AMEN. Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II, Parokya ng San Juan Apostol at Ebanghelista, Gov. F. Halili Ave., Bagbaguin, Sta. Maria, Bulacan 3022. E-mail to lordmychef@gmail.com.

*Photo by Mr. Raffy Tima of GMA-7 News, Iceland Northern Lights, October 2018. Used with permission.

Pleasing People or Pleasing God?

The Lord Is My Chef Breakfast Recipe-Prayer

Monday//08October2018//Week XXVII, Year II

Galatians 1:6-12///Luke 10:25-37

Lord, this Monday I feel like St. Paul, wondering at why many people would rather believe and accept fake people who are so good at putting up a show just to please them. Sometimes it can be so sad and even frustrating when most people would prefer clowns with all their gimmicks and antics than apostles and workers who are truthful and faithful to your Words.

“Am I now currying favor with human beings or God? Or am I seeking to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a slave of Christ.” (Gal.1:10)

Like in the parable of the Good Samaritan, how sad that many people with authority and responsibilities are more concerned with the superficialities of their positions than the task of making you felt and known by those at the side of the road.

Teach us, O Lord, to please you more than to please others by getting down from our high seats of power and pride like the good Samaritan so we may uplift those badly beaten down the road and forsaken. Teach us, O Lord, to be more acceptable before you than with others by our willingness to stand for what is true and good, by standing firm at the foot of your cross always. 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.

On Being Small and Little

baby holding human finger — Photo by Wayne Evans on Pexels.com

The Lord Is My Chef Breakfast Recipe-Prayer

Monday//01October2018//Week XXVI//Year II

Job 1:6-22///Luke 9:46-50

We praise and thank you Lord for this brand new month of October! Indeed a new beginning for us as we come closer to closing another year of many blessings from you though we must also confess that after eight months, we still have not matured that much before you.

We are still so preoccupied with petty things, always disturbed on who is the greatest, who is the most powerful, who has the most.

Teach us to emulate the modern saint and Doctor of the Church, St. Therese of the Child Jesus. Teach us to live with her “little way” of loving and serving God in others by giving our very best. Teach us to trust you more, to realize like Job that “naked we came forth from our mother’s womb, and naked shall we go back again. You O Lord gave, and you O Lord has taken away. Blessed is your name!”(Job 1:21) AMEN. Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II, Parokya ng San Juan Apostol at Ebanghelista, Gov. F. Halili Ave., Bagbaguin, Sta. Maria, Bulacan 3022.

“Good Times” by Bobbi Humphprey (1978)

LordMyChefSundayMusic//Week XXIII-B//16September2018

Realizing Who Jesus Is

We rejoice this Sunday that Super Typhoon Ompong is finally out of our country, hoping and praying that it would have not caused so much casualties and damages in areas it directly hit yesterday. As we start the brand new week overcoming so many storms in life, here is American jazz artist Bobbi Humphrey’s “Good Times” from her 1978 album Freestyle to soothe your soul, supporting our Sunday reflection on realizing who Jesus is. It is only through His Cross can we truly realize and know who Jesus Christ is because it was there where He not only revealed Himself to us but also made us experience God’s immense love for us. By suffering and dying on the Cross, Jesus did not remove but joined us in our pains and difficulties in life so that we may be one with Him in His glorious Resurrection. In our relationships with others, it is only during hard times that we truly get to know who our friends are, who really love us because they are the ones willing to suffer with us and even suffer for us so we could have “good times” as Bobbi tells us in her lovely, jazzy song. .

You and I have traveled life’s uncharted courses

We’ve been tossed around at many times on dark and stormy seas

But now the clouds are parting and the sun is shining through

It feels so good to know… you’re here with me,

To share the Good Times, that we waited for so long

I know the Good Times, will prove we weren’t wrong

To hold on to the dreams of how we knew it could be

We worked so hard at easin’ all the pain and misery

Until the Good Times had come ‘round for you and me

And now they’re here, now they’re here

I remember all the hard times when there wasn’t much to eat

And the longest coldest winter, when we didn’t have much heat

But we had all we needed with love enough to spare

Cause more than money we had what I knew would get us here

Bridge: We fought and won each battle that we had to fight

Made it through the darkness when we couldn’t see the light

And deep inside I guess we always knew that we were right

To try and catch that star….’cause baby here we are. (Let’s share Good Times…. )