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The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Tuesday in the Ninth Week of Ordinary Time, Year I, 06 June 2023 Tobit 2:9-14 ><]]]]'> + ><]]]]'> + ><]]]]'> Mark 12:13-17
I am not going to sing, Lord, but Burt Bacharach's old tune "Make It Easy on Yourself" is one consoling song that must have come only from you.
Many times, our worst enemy is our very self; many times we are so hard on ourselves, unforgiving, unkind and uncharitable not only to ourselves but also to those dearest to us. Like Tobit who refused to believe the goat brought home by his wife Anna was a gift, not stolen as he insisted.
Yet I would not believe her, and told her to give it back to its owners. I became very angry with her over this. So she retorted: “Where are your charitable deeds now? Where are your virtuous acts? See! Your true character is finally showing itself!”
Tobit 2:14
Forgive us, loving Father for the many times we ourselves indict us for wrongdoings we accuse others of doing like those Pharisees and Herodians who tried to ensnare Jesus with the question about paying taxes when they themselves handed him a denarius they were not supposed to bring in the temple area, a clear sign of violating their own laws, of bringing false images in the house of God!
Teach us, O God, to be easy on ourselves, to be kinder, to be softer with our weaknesses and shortcomings for we are not gods like you; most of all, teach us to be easy on ourselves so we may be also easy on others and to you too! Amen.
