Speaking our hearts out

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The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Thursday, Memorial of Sts. John Fisher & Thomas More, Martyrs, 22 June 2023
2 Corinthians 11:1-11   <'[[[>< <'[[[>< + ><]]]'> ><]]]'>   Matthew 6:7-15

Glory and praise to you,
God our almighty and loving Father
for the gift of two great saints,
John Fisher and Thomas More
whose memorial we celebrate today
after giving their lives in defending
the gospel of Jesus Christ
before the powerful king of England
in 1535.

Like St. Paul in today's first reading,
St. John Fisher and St. Thomas More
spoke their hearts out to everyone,
opposing King Henry VIII's divorce
and call to break away from Rome;
for standing for what is true and good
like the sanctity of marriage 
and primacy of Rome,
they were both beheaded.

What a beautiful example for us
to emulate today when so many of us
professing to be Catholics yet 
have turned their backs from
the Church and especially from the Gospel,
choosing to be oblivious 
to you dwelling in our hearts;
like St. Paul, they have taught us
that standing firm on our faith 
is the best expression of our love
not only for God but for everyone;
help us realize that when we allow
ourselves to follow modern trends 
that are contrary to the life and teachings 
of Jesus our Lord,
that is when we do not love at all
because that is when we allow evil and sin
to spread its errors and destruction
of persons and life in general.

But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts may be corrupted from a sincere and pure commitment to Christ. For if someone comes and preaches another Jesus than the one we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it well enough.

2 Corinthians 11:3-4

Forgive us, dear God,
when we would call you "Father"
but could not stand for what is
true and just, good and holy
there in our hearts;
forgive us, dear God,
when we would call you "Father"
but would keep on holding to our
anger and bitterness, 
refusing to forgive
from our hearts;
forgive us, dear God,
when we would call you "Father"
but would always push the lines
and limits in our hearts
until we fall into temptations and sin.

Forgive us Father,
in Jesus' name.
Amen.

St. John Fisher
and 
St. Thomas More,
pray for us!