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The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Wednesday, Memorial of San Roque, Healer, 16 August 2023 Deuteronomy 34:1-12 ><)))*> + ><)))*> + ><)))*> Matthew 18:15-20
God our loving Father, today we thank you for the gift of another popular saint among us, San Roque or St. Rock of France; he was like Moses, Joshua, and our Lord Jesus Christ who primarily worked for the "healing" of our community, of your chosen people. Invoked in time of pestilence like in the recent pandemic, San Roque cared and cured many sick people infected during a plague in Italy in the 14th century; when he caught the disease himself, he hid in the woods to die so that others may not be infected through him; but, in your divine providence, O Lord, you sent him a dog that licked his wounds and brought him bread until he was saved by its owner until he could finally get home to settle the disputes among his relatives when an uncle usurped his position and inheritance from his late father, the former governor of Montpellier.
Today you remind us, O Lord, to always care for the unity of our community that includes our family, our church, our school even our office where you call us to gather as one; like Moses who spent all his life keeping your chosen people united in you, may we also work for the common good of our designated community. What a beautiful sight to behold of Moses seeing the Promised Land from Jordan! More than our home here on earth, give us a glimpse of your heavenly dwelling, dear God, by continuing your works of leading our community close to you like Joshua who succeeded Moses.
Teach us to forgive and correct those who sin and err with humility and sole concern of being good and holy like you, O God, never to put others into shame nor to look as better than others; in the name of Jesus Christ your Son, help us to work for our unity so that "whenever two or three of us are gathered in his name, he may truly be in our midst" (Mt.18:20), reflected and mirrored in our community as we live in justice and mercy, love and kindness and holiness. Amen.
