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The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Tuesday in the Fifth Week of Easter, 09 May 2023 Acts 14:19-28 ><))))*> + ><))))*> + ><))))*> John 14:27-31
Lord Jesus Christ, today I feel it is not enough that we simply pray for peace; before we could pray for peace, let us first understand and embrace the peace that you give.
Jesus said to his disciples: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.”
John 14:27
Dear Jesus, in this time when the world including our families and very selves are beset with tensions and conflicts, the more we keep on praying for peace but the more it has become elusive; worst, on many occasions, peace is often used as a slogan just for the sake of saying something precious and important without realizing the more peace is cheapened and played at.
Let it be clear with us, Jesus, that your peace is not just the absence of war nor of conflicts but the fruit of love as our Church Fathers declared at Vatican II; let it be clear with us that your peace is not like what the world gives based on transactions that often favor the powerful; let it be clear with us that your peace entails sufferings, of "undergoing many hardships" (Acts 14:22) and most of all, calls us to confront our true selves because what troubles us most are those moments and things we insist more on ourselves than surrender ourselves to you and to others; many of our troubles are rooted inside us making peace improbable because we have too much of ourselves, without any room for others and for you.
Teach us, Lord Jesus, that to achieve your peace, we have to be at home with our true selves by accepting our strengths and giftedness as well as weaknesses in order to be at home too with those around us in their own imperfections and talents so that in the end, we all rely only on you, Jesus, as we entrust ourselves to you, our thoughts and feelings, our plans and agenda including our fears so that we all become at home with you because your peace is being at home with our true selves, with others, and with you. Amen.
