Tag: Set apart

Easter is being set apart for Jesus

Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Wednesday, Memorial of St. Catherine of Siena, Virgin & Doctor of Church, 29 April 2026
Acts 12:24-13:5     ><}}}}*> + ><}}}}*> + ><}}}}*>     John 12:44-50
Photo by author, Bolinao, Pangasinan, April 2022.

While they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then, completing their fasting and prayer, they laid hands on them and sent them off (Acts 13:2-3).

As we move in your Spirit
Lord Jesus Christ,
moving with you
and moving to you,
teach us to be set apart
from the rest like what you did
to Barnabas and Saul;
give us the docility to 
follow your movement away
from others we have been
comfortable with
in order to move where
we may experience discomfort
and be dislocated;
give us the same grace
you gave St. Catherine of Sienna
who saw the whole Church as
her community,
recognizing the need for unity
through reconciliation;
in this time of too much tensions
happening in the Church within
and outside,
give us the courage to be set apart
like St. Catherine to confront
the growing rifts among 
the clergy and the faithful.
Let us realize,
dear Jesus,
that sometimes we need
to be set apart 
to speak your words
that bring light
into the world so darkened
by sins and evil
that many times
I perpetrate.
Amen.
Photo by author, Bolinao, Pangasinan, April 2022.

Set apart…

The Lord Is My Chef Easter Recipe by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Wednesday in the Fourth Week of Easter, 24 April 2024
Acts 12:24-13:5     <*((((>< + ><))))*>     John 12:44-50
Photo by author, Anvaya Cove, 15 April 2024.
It was You, dear God,
who started that beautiful
process of "setting apart"
day from night,
darkness from light,
land from water;
and now, You tell us
in Your words how You
set apart some people
for special mission for You.

While they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then, completing their fasting and prayer, they laid hands on them and sent them off. So they, sent forth by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and from there sailed to Cyprus. When they arrived in Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues (Acts 13:2-5).

In our Baptism and Confirmation,
most especially in the Holy Eucharist,
You set us apart, O Lord,
to special mission too
to proclaim Your word,
to make You present 
in this world.
Help us imitate the early Church
of always praying and fasting
to be filled with Your Word
Jesus Christ who became flesh
and dwelled among us;
enable us to set apart 
our own biases and differences
for Your mission;
let us set apart our own words
from Your divine word
to only speak of You
and never about us;
most of all, 
let us set apart
our own glory and interests
so that like Jesus,
we may only "say 
as the Father told me"
(Jn. 12:50).
Amen.