Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul, 26 August 2025
Tuesday in the Twenty-first Week of Ordinary Time, Year I
1 Thessalonians 2:1-8 <*{{{{>< + ><}}}}*> Matthew 23:23-26
Thang you very much, dear Jesus for the gift of St. Paul your Apostle: yesterday we heard how he encouraged the church at Thessalonica, of how impressed he was with their deep conviction of faith; today he described his approach to starting the church at Thessalonica: so candidly speaking how he did it while still remaining tender and gentle to them, so sure he had taken the right course of action.
You yourselves know, brothers and sisters, that our reception among you was not without effect. Rather, after we had suffered and been insolently treated, as you know, in Philippi, we drew courage through our God to speak to you the Gospel of God with much struggle. Our exhortation was not from delusion or impure motives, or did it work through deception. But as we were judged worthy by God to be entrusted with the Gospel, that is how we speak, not as trying to please men, but rather God, who judges our hearts (1Thessalonians 2:1-4).
As I pray, Lord Jesus on these words of St. Paul, I cannot stop wondering our many excuses and "side trips" today as your apostles; how did St. Paul unwind or recreate in his time compared to our many forms of rest and recreation; so many of us cannot move on with life and ministry from whatever experiences we have had in our previous assignments unlike St. Paul who simply kept the lessons learned from his past experiences at Philippi; most of all, I could feel the intense love of St. Paul to you, Lord Jesus and his ministry with his deep personal relationship in you in prayers so unlike us today with so many excuses in not praying at all.
What I love most is St. Paul's tenderness and gentleness to his church with his tenacious hold on you Jesus.
although we were able to impose our weight as Apostles of Christ. Rather, we were gentle among you, as a nursling mother cares for her children. With such affection for you, we were determined to share with you not only the Gospel of God, but our very selves as well, as dearly beloved had you become to us (1Thessalonians 2:7-8).
Dearest Jesus, may your word be always alive and active in me flowing in my tender and gentle service to your flock so unlike the Pharisees you have condemned again in today's gospel for being blind guides of the people. Amen. Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Our Lady of Fatima University Valenzuela City ([email protected])
