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The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Tuesday in the Twenty-fifth Week of Ordinary Time, Year I, 26 September 2023 Ezra 6:7-8, 12, 14-20 ><))))*> + ><))))*> + ><))))*> Luke 8:19-20
God our loving Father, thank you for the gift of the sense of belonging; every one of us long to be one with others, to belong and be accepted in one's own family, circle of friends, and in various groups and clubs that help us grow and mature as persons.
Sad to say, many times our sense of belonging is hinged on its physical and outside appearances.
The mother of Jesus and his brothers came to him but were unable to join because of the crowd. He was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside and they wish to see you.” He said to them in reply, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it.”
Luke 8:19-21
More than our blood relationships and other basis of ties as family and friends, as peoples and a nation, make us realize dear Father that our belongingness is more in our hearts; true belonging is when our hearts are linked together feeling and believing in you through Jesus Christ.
Teach us the same lessons learned by your people who were exiled and have to rebuild the temple of Jerusalem upon their return: nothing indeed is permanent in this world except change; only you, O God, who does not change!
May we continue to change into a better person, a more loving and kinder fellow, more understanding and faithful to family and friends in you through Christ; we pray for our beloved family and friends whose hearts have been far from us because of hurts and misunderstandings in the past; we pray for those physically present with everyone yet emotionally and spiritually absent, living so far away from those by their side.
Enable us to open our hearts anew to your Holy Spirit that we may be healed of our hurts and begin to feel one again with others in faith, hope and love in Jesus. Amen.
