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The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Wednesday in the Fourth Week of Ordinary Time, Year I, 01 February 2023 Hebrews 12:4-7, 11-15 ><]]]'> + ><]]]'> + ><]]]'> Mark 6:1-6
Jesus departed from there and came to his native place, accompanied by his disciples. When the sabbath came he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished (Mark 6:1-2). How nice, O Lord, that you never stop to come home with us, to be with us, to be one of us. And too often, we are astonished with your works. Just like your local folks back then at Nazareth.
So often, it all ends that way with us with you, Jesus: we are astonished, surprised, amazed, and wowed by your works. But rarely by your person that we cannot see you anymore in ordinary things and most especially, when things become difficult.
Forgive us, Jesus, when like your town folks, we also "took offense at you" (Mk. 6:3), questioning you, daring you with your powers; make us realize the beauty of you being a Brother, a Friend to us, someone we can come to, someone we can rely on as being present with us always, and most of all, our life and salvation for you are our Lord and Master.
Help us also endure our trials as a discipline like what the author of the Letter to the Hebrews exhorted us in the first reading today; let us enter into a personal relationship with you, Jesus, so we may also experience our being children of the Father who disciplines us with the trials that come our way.
At the time, all discipline seems a cause not for joy but for pain, yet later it brings the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who are trained by it. So strengthen your drooping hands and your weak knees. Make straight paths for your feet, that what is lame may not be dislocated but healed.
Hebrews 12:11-13
On this first day of February, open our eyes and our hearts to you dear Jesus that we may find you always in ordinary and difficult times of our lives for that is when you are most present in us and among us. Amen.
