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The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Monday in the Twenty-fifth Week of Ordinary Time, Year I, 25 September 2023 Ezra 1:1-6 ><]]]]'> + ><]]]]'> + >]]]]'> Luke 8:16-18
Thank you, dearest God our Father, in giving us this new day to pick up the pieces of our lives, to become better, to be well, to be fulfilled in you through Christ Jesus. Let me claim this life, Father; let me own and embrace this gift of life to make it good; let me be focus with the present and what lies ahead, to let go but learn from the past. Let me live the life you have meant for me so that when finally I have reached the end of this journey, you may take my whole life as my only offering to you, dear God.
As the psalmist says today, "The Lord has done great things for us; we are glad indeed. Restore our fortunes, O Lord... those who sow in tears shall reap rejoicing. Although they go forth weeping, carrying the seed to be sown, they shall come back rejoicing, carrying their sheaves." (Ps. 126:3,5-6).
May your word guide us as we live our lives, Jesus; let us shine like lamps to make you known to everyone, that you alone O Lord is our life and meaning, our only fulfillment.
We pray also today for those rebuilding their lives - those who are finally set free by all kinds of bondage to sin and evil, those who have finally decided on their own to choose you, to do what is good, those who have finally broke free from vices and every kind of slavery this world has continued to surreptitiously promote to hide its sinister plans; may we find the "goodwill" of the many other "King Cyrus of Persia" you continue to send us, Father, so we too, like your exiled people of old, may start to pick up the pieces of our lives and rebuild our lives in you again. Amen.
