siblings

Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Wednesday in the Seventeenth Week of Ordinary Time, Year II
Memorial of Sts. Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, 29 July 2026
1 John 4:7-16 <*{{{{>< + ><}}}}*> John 11:19-27

Glory and praise
to you, God our Father
for sending us your Son
Jesus Christ who continues
to come to us in various ways:
in nature,
in the events that happen to us
in our lives, both good and bad,
most especially
in persons like our siblings
that this Memorial of
Saints Mary,
Martha
and Lazarus reminds us;
how lovely to remember
how our Lord Jesus
was described as very close
with the blessed sisters and brother
he frequently visited in their
home at Bethany.

We pray for all brothers and
sisters now living apart from
each other due to work
and marriage, raising a
family of their own;
may they never forget each other
as siblings, "magkakapatid"
with invisible bonds that transcend
their physical separations;
keep them mindful of one
another, checking on each others
needs and well-being,
becoming your very presence
in each other especially when
there is sickness and death:
Martha said to Jesus,
"Lord, if you had been here,
my brother would not have died"
(John 11:21).

Like the blessed siblings
of Sts. Mary, Martha and Lazarus,
keep every brother and sister
open to your coming
and visits, Lord Jesus,
that are always in disguise;
make our hearts like theirs
filled with warmth and hospitality,
understanding and forgiveness
for each other so that you may stay
and reign in our hearts,
revealing the face of God
with one another;
most of all, Lord Jesus,
like the three holy sisters
and brother,
may we share
your gift of kindness
of being a kin
to everyone in you,
with you,
through you.
Amen.

Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul, 29 July 2025
Tuesday, Memorial of Sts. Martha, Mary and Lazarus, Siblings
1 John 4:7-16     <'[[[[><  +  ><]]]]'>     John 11:19-27

*“The Raising of Lazarus”, 1311 painting by Duccio de Buoninsegna from commons.wikimedia.org*

What a beautiful reminder to us,
dear Jesus on this day as we celebrate
the Memorial of the Holy Siblings
Saints Martha, Mary and Lazarus:
the only time they are presented as one
and complete was during the raising of 
Lazarus; you were there in their most
sorrowful moment in life as brother and 
sisters because you have always been there
with them in good times when they were
all alive and well.

I pray,
dear Jesus,
for all siblings like
Saints Martha, Mary and Lazarus
to remain one as a family after
their parents have been gone;
so many times in such deep sorrow,
we are like Martha telling you Lord,
"if you had been here my brother -
or sister or parents -would not have
died" (John 11:21); but, your response
to her and to us was so rich in meaning
we can only summarize in love,
"your brother will rise... I am the resurrection
and the life; whoever believes in me,
even if he dies, will live, and anyone
who lives and believes in me will never die. 
Do you believe this?"
(John 11:23, 25-26)

Help me believe
like Martha,
Jesus;
help me believe by being
more loving and caring
with my family while still alive
and well;
help me believe by being
more understanding
and forgiving,
more kind and sensitive
with my brother or sister
while still alive;
please help, Jesus
 the siblings
at odds with each other,
not talking with each other,
grouping together against each other
because of betrayals
and dishonesty in their share
of inheritance;
help them seek your face
to be more just and loving
because "love is of God"
(1 John 4:7);
let siblings be like
Saints Martha, Mary and Lazarus
be one in you, Jesus
in faith,
hope
and love
while still alive
so that in their death
they remain one in you.
Amen.

Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Our Lady of Fatima University
Valenzuela City
(lordmychef@gmail.com)

Tag: siblings

Finding Jesus among our siblings

One in Christ in life, in death