Tag: saints

Prayer to take away our fears

The Lord Is My Chef Breakfast Recipe for the Soul

Monday, Dedication of the Basilicas of Sts. Peter and Paul, 18 November 2019

Acts of the Apostles 28:11-16, 30-31 ><)))*> Matthew 14:22-33

High Altar of St. Peter’s Basilica

My dearest Lord Jesus:

It is again the start of work and studies.

How I pity Monday!

It is perhaps the most hated day of the week primarily because of the many fears it brings upon us.

Inner and outer fears that lead us to doubt our selves, our talents and abilities, even people around us.

And worst, of doubting YOU.

There are times we are like the Apostles who could hardly see you coming to us in times of darkness and storms in life.

Though you keep on calling us, assuring us of your presence, to be not afraid, we still choose to be afraid that we sink deeper into sin and evil.

Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught Peter, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”

Matthew 14:31

Hardly a day passes in our lives, Lord, without our experience of so many fears, doubts, apprehensions, and anxieties that drain us of so much energies to do more good things for you through others.

Some of us have long been held captive by this dark power of fear within and without that we hardly experience true freedom!

As we celebrate the dedication of the two Major Basilicas in honor of your two great Saints and Apostles, Peter and Paul, teach us to come home to your dwelling place of love and freedom, not of fear and doubts.

Teach us to be at home with you, to always find you even in the midst of darkness and giant waves of uncertainties. Amen.

St. Paul with a sword in front of the Basilica in his honor in Rome. From Google.

Let your mystery, God, embrace me…

The Lord Is My Chef Breakfast Recipe for the Soul

Tuesday, Memorial of St. Josaphat, 12 November 2019

Wisdom 2:23-3:9 ><)))*> ><)))*> ><)))*> Luke 17:7-10

Our altar at St. John Evangelist Parish, 12 Nov. 2019.

Let your mystery embrace me, Lord.

Better, let me be wrapped in your mystery, Lord!

So many times, I have always tried to analyze everything – myself, my life, including you, O God.

And I have realized that most of the time, this is because I cannot trust you completely.

I am afraid of being lost, of being hurt, of failing.

Those who trust in him shall understand truth, and the faithful shall abide with him in love; because grace and mercy are with his holy ones, and his care is with his elect.

Wisdom 3:9

Dearest God, help me to live life, instead of analyzing it.

Reflect on its wonder and mystery but eventually, let me be wrapped in their beauty despite its incomprehensibility, knowing you will never abandon me.

Remind me always that I am just like “the unprofitable servants” of the Gospel today who does what we are obliged to do. No need to please or be affirmed by anybody for you alone is our life.

Give us the courage, Jesus, to be like St. Josaphat to strive working for unity in ourselves, in you and with one another. Amen.

St. Josephat (+1623) was an Orthodox bishop who worked hard to unify the Ukrainian Church and Rome for which he was attacked and shot to death by local fanatics while he was praying. We pray for his intercession this coming 2020 dedicated by the CBCP as the year of ecumenism and inter-religious dialogue in preparation of our 500th year of Christianization in 2021.

Aral ng kapa ni San Martin ng Tours

Lawiswis ng Salita ni P. Nicanor F. Lalog II, Ika-11 ng Nobyembre 2019

Larawan mula sa Google.
Madalas ilarawan
itong dakilang kawal ng Diyos
si San Martin ng Tours sa France
hinahati kanyang kapa
upang bihisan dukhang matanda
nakasalubong sa daan.
Kinagabihan 
kanyang napanaginipan
Panginoong Hesus sa kanyang paanan
tangan-tangan
kapang ipinahiram
sa matandang tinulungan.
Ito ang katuparan
ng Ebanghelyong sa atin ibinalita
mismo ni Hesus na ano man
ang ating gawin sa kapwa natin
siyang ginagawa din natin
sa kanyang Panginoon natin.
Kapilya ng Santisimo Sakramento sa UP-Diliman. Kuha ni Bb. JJ Jimeno ng GMA7 News, 2019.
Kay gandang pagnilayan
isa pang aral nitong kapa
ni Martin na Banal:
lingid sa kaalaman
ng karamihan, dito rin nagmula
kataga ng pook na munting dasalan. 
Sinasabi sa kasaysayan,
noong bagong Kristiyano si Martin
kanyang iniiwan mga tauhan
para manalangin sa kagubatan;
hinuhubad kanyang kapa 
upang makapanalangin ng taimtiman.
Kaya tuwing siya ay hahanapin,
tanging tutuntunin 
saan nakasampay o nakalagay 
hinubad niyang kapa, na kanilang tinuring 
sa wikang Frances na "chapelle" 
na naging chapel, o kapilya sa wika natin.
Ang “Ecce Homo” ni Murillo. Larawan mula sa Google.
Hindi ba natin pansin
itong Panginoong Hesus natin
nang siya ay dumating sa atin
hinubad kanyang pagkadiyos
upang makatulad natin,
matubos sa mga pagkakasala natin?
Hari ng mga hari,
tunay na makapangyarihan
ngunit nang nilibak
sinuutan ng purpurang kapa,
pinutungan ng koronang tinik
at hindi umimik hanggang makamit kaligtasan natin.
Kay sarap pagbulaybulayan
halimbawang iniwan sa atin
nitong si San Martin:
ating kapa ng kapangyarihan at pangalan
ating hubarin upang ang Diyos
ay ating makamit at siya ay makatulad natin.

Saints are life-givers

The Lord Is My Chef Breakfast Recipe for the Soul

Friday, Solemnity of All the Saints, 01 November 2019

Revelation 7:2-4. 9-14 ><}}}*> 1 John 3:1-3 ><}}}*> Matthew 5:1-12

“Mary with the Child and the Angels and the Saints” by Duccio Di Buoninsegna (d. 1319).

Glory and praise to you, O Lord our almighty and loving Father in heaven!

Thank you very much for this celebration of the Solemnity of All Saints — of those all ahead of us and have died now enjoying your company in heaven.

Whenever we think of holiness, we always think of men and women not committing sins, of moral exemplars.

Remind us always that holiness is being filled with you, O God, and that saints are givers of life.

“Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God.”

Matthew 5:8

Fill us with your Holy Spirit, Lord, cleanse us of our sins and evil desires and inclinations as we strive to bear all pains and sufferings to lead holy lives.

It is in purifying our hearts, our very selves, when we are able to truly offer our lives for the loving service of the poor and needy so that while still here on earth, we may already see your face, Lord, among the people we meet until that day we are one in you in eternity. Amen.

Panalangin sa dalawang makabagong San Juan ng Simbahan

Lawiswis ng Salita ni P. Nicanor F. Lalog II, Ika-22 ng Oktubre 2019

San Juan Apostol at Ebanghelista, Patron ng Bayan ng Diyos sa Bagbaguin, Santa Maria, Bulacan. Larawan ay kuha ni Bb. Jo Villafuerte, Pistang Pasasalamat 22 Setyembre 2019.
Minamahal naming Patron na Banal, 
Juan Apostol at Ebanghelista po ang inyong ngalan
ngayo'y aming ipinagdiriwang sa buong Simbahan 
dalawang bagong Banal, kapwa pastol ng kawan, 
nang manungkula'y pangalan mo ang hiniram.
Nauna'y si San Juan Beinte-tres 
nang sa kanyang katandaan tulad mo,
sinikap maging makabuluhan at buhay na palatandaan ng Diyos
ang Inang Simbahan sa gitna ng makabagong panahon
nang kanyang simulan ang Ikalawang Konsilyo sa Vatican. 
Kasabay niyang tinanghal bilang Banal 
ang tinaguriang Dakilang San Juan-Pablo Ikalawa
labis na pagtitiis ang kinamit sa kanyang sakit, 
krus ay sinapit, katulad mo’y naging malapit
sa Ina ni Hesus kaya’t “Totus Tuus” ang kanyang awit.
Itulot mo aming Mahal na San Juan Apostol at Ebanghelista,
kaming iyong mga anak sana’y matularan
pinagsikapan ng dalawang bagong San Juan:
pamilya’t sambayanan mabuklod sa kaisahan
katulad ng dalangin ni Hesus sa Huling Hapunan. AMEN.
San Juan Ebanghelista, ipanalangin mo kami.
San Juan Beinte-tres, ipanalangin mo kami.
San Juan-Pablo Ikalawa, ipanalangin mo kami.



Our two humanity

The Lord Is My Chef Breakfast Recipe for the Soul

Tuesday, Memorial of St. Pope John Paul II, 22 October 2019

Romans 5:12. 15. 17-19. 20-21 ><)))*> Luke 12:35-38

From Google.

Praise and glory to you, O God our loving Father!

Thank you very much in giving us the great St. John Paul II.

When I think and remember him, the more I feel the reality of St. Paul’s words today:

Where sin increased, grace overflowed all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through justification for eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 5:20-21

Yes, you made us experience your loving presence among us O God in Jesus Christ during the pontificate of St. John Paul II. He lived in our own time when there was so much sin and evil in the world that he courageously battled head on with his life and preaching.

How true were the words of St. Paul today: there is that part of our sinful humanity in Adam still thriving in the world with its “culture of death” as St. John Paul II would always say.

On the other hand, St. John Paul II showed us in his life, words and examples our redeemed humanity in Christ, especially when he would always insist we can only find fulfillment in you, O dear Jesus.

Reawaken within us O Lord today on this memorial of St. John Paul II his favorite quote from you when he was elected St. Peter’s successor on October 16, 1978 – “Be not afraid!”

Let us “gird our loins” to continue to proclaim you, Lord Jesus Christ into this new millennium the way St. John Paul II envisioned when we crossed into the great jubilee of 2000. Amen.

From Google.

Befriending Jesus

The Lord Is My Chef Breakfast Recipe for the Soul

Tuesday, Memorial of St. Teresa of Avila, 15 October 2019

Romans 1:16-25 ><)))*> ><)))*> ><)))*> Luke 11:37-41

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

“If Christ Jesus dwells in a man as his friend and noble leader, that man can endure all things, for Christ helps and strengthens us and never abandon us. He is a true friend.

Many, many times I have perceived this through experience. The Lord has told it to me. I have definitely seen that we must enter by this gate if we wish his Sovereign Majesty to reveal to us great and hidden mysteries. A person should desire no other path, even if he is at the summit of contemplation… All blessings come to us through our Lord. He will teach us, for in beholding his life we find that he is the best example.

St. Teresa of Avila, from the Breviary

Many times in our lives we have always believed that holiness is just for a few people you have chosen, O God. We feel excluded from holiness, from being a saint.

Because we refuse to try to get near you, doubting you despite our belief in you as God!

“For what can be known about God is evident to them, because God made it evident to them.

They exchanged the truth of God for a lie and revered and worshipped the creature rather than the creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.”

Romans 1:19, 25

Sometimes we have tried befriending you through Jesus Christ your Son.

And like the saints, we have indeed experienced your presence, your reality, your blessedness but unfortunately we stopped striving further as St. Teresa tells us.

O dear Jesus, you always come to me, you always make me experience you but I always try explaining everything, letting my mind work more than my heart and soul that I fail to feel and experience you inside me like those Pharisees bent on finding faults in you.

Give me the grace to be silent and still in you, to wait for you as a friend full of love and trust like St. Teresa of Avila. Amen.

Prayer for those persecuted

The Lord Is My Chef Breakfast Recipe for the Soul

Friday, Memorial of St. Pope John XXIII, 11 October 2019

Joel 1:13-15; 2:1-2 ><}}}*> <*{{{>< Luke 11:15-26

Photo by author, Holy Family Chapel, Sacred Heart Novitiate in Novaliches, 2016.

Dearest Lord Jesus Christ:

Today I thank you for consoling those persecuted when in the gospel episode after you have driven out a demon, some of the crowd said:

“By the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons, he drives out demons.”

Luke 11:15

Very consoling, Lord, because despite your exercise of divine power, some people still maligned you, accusing you of working with the devil?!

How could we not feel consoled when we have done nothing that can be compared close to your exorcism and yet we are also falsely accused of so many things?

I really wonder, Lord Jesus, what evil had possessed so many among us that they can fabricate so many lies, insist on their myopic views of things and events, and totally disregard the truth without any qualms at all?

From cbcpnews.net

From the ordinary verbal rumours spread by backstabbers daily everywhere to cyberbullying by trolls to spurious whistleblowers and state officials silencing those standing for what is true and just, more and more people are persecuted like you.

It is very disheartening, Lord, and we have no one to turn to except you whom the psalmist describes as the one who “would judge the world with justice”.

“Gird our loins, Lord, as we weep” (Joel 1:13), trying to bear these persecutions in your name. Help us to persevere for we know “the day of the Lord is coming” (Joel 2:1).

Through the intercession of St. John XXIII who helped so many Jews persecuted during World War II and called for world peace (Pacem in Terris) when he became the Pope in 1958, we pray in the most special way for those persecuted in our country especially our Bishops and priests, as well as professionals like doctors and teachers silently serving your flock.

Keep them close to your heart, Jesus, because you told us

“Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me.”

Matthew 5:10-11

St. Pope John XXIII, pray for us. Amen.

From Google.

Ang mabuting balita ng karukhaan

Lawiswis ng Salita ni P. Nicanor F. Lalog II, 04 Oktubre 2019

Mula sa Be Like Francis Page sa Facebook.
Minsan daw ay nagimbal
kaibigang Kardinal ni San Francicso
na banal 
nang kanyang malaman
dukha nilang pamumuhay
na sa kanyang palagay
labis na kahirapan hindi naman
dapat nilang pagdaanan.
Katuwirang ipinaliwanag
ni San Francisco kay Kardinal Hugolino
kay gandang pagnilayan 
sa malalim nitong kahulugan:
"kung tayo'y maraming kayamanan,"
aniya ng ating banal
"kakailangan din natin mga sandata 
upang mga ito'y ipaglaban at pangalagaan." 
Sa kanyang isipan 
at banal na kalooban,  
ang pag-ibig ay namamatay 
kapag tao'y nagkamal maraming ari-arian;
hanapin kanyang paliwanag
kung masasagot kanyang mga katanungan 
na tila bugtong di lamang sa isipan
kungdi pati na rin sa puso at kalooban:
"Mapagnanakawan mo ba
na tao na walang ano man?
Maari mo bang gutumin 
ang nag-aayuno?
Mayroon ka bang sisirain
sa taong namumuhi
sa parangal at pagkilala?
Ano nga ba magagawa sa taong aba at dukha?"
Para kay San Francisco
ang mga dukha ang tunay na malaya
kayang ipaubaya lahat
pati sarili sa Bathala
upang makagawa 
ng kabutihan sa kapwa
na siyang simula ng ating kapatiran 
at ugnayan pati sa kalikasan.
Mula sa Reuters.
Sa ating panahon ngayon
karukhaan ay pinag-uusapan 
batay sa kawalan 
ng ari-arian na kabaligtaran
ng kung ano mayroon 
ang mayayaman na kadalasan 
mga bagay nabibilang 
at nabibili gaya ng kapangyarihan. 
Ngunit kung ating pagninilayan
ano mang mayroon ang mayaman
ay wala pa rin o "NOTHING"
kung Inglesin natin
dahil ang higit na mahahalaga
ay hindi nakikita 
ni nabibili o nabibilang 
gaya ng pera at iba pang kayamanan.
Gayun din naman
hindi masasabi ng sino man
na siya ay dukha
at "walang wala" ika nga
dahil kung tutuusin natin
ang lahat ay palaging mayroon pa rin
o "SOMETHING" 
kung Inglesin din natin.
Harinawa'y mapagtanto natin
sa pagdiriwang ng kapistahan
ni San Francisco na butihin
ito mismong buhay natin
ay dakilang kayamanan 
na dapat ipagpasalamat natin
sa karukhaan ng loobing maialay 
gaya ng Panginoon Hesus natin.
Ang Krus ng kapilya ng San Damiano na isinaayos ni San Francisco batay sa tinig na kanyang narinig habang nananalangin doon. 


	


	



			
				


			

			
To listen like St. Francis of Assisi
		
	
	

		

The Lord Is My Chef Breakfast Recipe for the Soul





Friday, Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, 04 October 2019





Baruch 1:15-22  ><)))*> 0 <*(((><   Luke 10:13-16





One of the scenes from Benozzo Gozzoli’s series of frescoes from the life of St. Francis (1450) that captures the saint’s “Sermon to the Birds” and the dedication of his basilica at Assisi.  Photo from Google.





Praise and glory to you, Lord God our loving Father for this week about to close with the celebration of another great saint, Francis of Assisi.





Two things I wish to thank you in giving us St. Francis of Assisi.





First is his total dedication in listening to you alone.  





St. Francis accomplished so much for you and had so much impact not only to the Church but for the whole world until now because he intently listened to your voice, to your calls, and to your instructions.










It does not really matter if he got your words literally or figuratively speaking like when he was praying inside San Damiano chapel and heard your voice saying, “Go, Francis, and repair my house, which you see, is falling into ruins.”





Or, when St. Francis finally found his vocation in life after listening to Matthew 10:9 in the Mass and felt you Jesus speaking directly to him to go preach the kingdom of God without extra clothes and money that right after that, he threw everything away to preach penance, brotherly love, and peace.





How ironic that in this world of modern means of communications, the more we have become fragmented than ever because we have lost the values of silence, prayer and listening to self, others, and you, O Lord.





Jesus said to them, “Whoever listens to you listens to me.  Whoever rejects you rejects me.  And whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.”
Luke 10:16





Teach us, dear Jesus to be poor and empty like St. Francis so we may always open our ears and our hearts to seek your voice, to listen to your words, and most of all, to follow your will.





From Be Like Francis at Facebook.





Second thing I am so grateful with you Lord in giving us St. Francis is his deep sense of gratitude to you that he was able to see our universal brotherhood in you God our Father.





Did he really preach to hundreds of birds and told them to be thankful to you dear God for their freedom and for your care to them?  I believe it must be true because where there is gratitude, there comes peace and serenity that attract than dispel people and animals alike.





Teach us to be grateful with whatever we have, Lord because the moment we learn to thank you and anyone here on earth, then we we realize our being one.  In his gratitude for your wonderful gifts to him, St. Francis not only embraced you Jesus on the Cross but also saw everyone as family with brother Sun and sister Moon, brother Wind and sister Water.  And even cousin Death.





Again, O Lord, in this age of affluence, the more we feel empty and lacking as we tend to acquire more of material things.  Teach us to repent for our sins like St. Francis and Baruch in the first reading, to acknowledge everything we have including our sins.





It is only in being thankful that we are able to realize who truly reigns in us like St. Francis.  Amen.