Remaining in Jesus

The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
First Friday, Fourth Week in Ordinary Time, 07 February 2025
Hebrews 13:1-8     ><}}}}*>  +  ><}}}}*>  +  ><}}}}*>     Mark 6:14-29

Keep me faithful and true
to you,
Jesus
because 
you are 
"the same yesterday,
today, 
and forever"
(Hebrews 13:8);
it is I who forgets
all the time,
who chooses to turn away
from you and be unloving,
unkind,
unforgiving.

Forgive me, Jesus
when you tell me
"Let brotherly love continue"
(Hebrews 13:1)....

...but many times
I can't look or even consider
 each one a brother or a sister
because of our many differences.

"Do not neglect hospitality,
for through it some have unknowingly
entertained angels"
(Hebrews 13:2)...

...I think,
more than the angels
but on many occasions it was
you whom I have turned away,
Jesus because I am
so suspicious of others
who come to me for whatever
needs.

"Be mindful of prisoners
as if sharing their imprisonment,
and of the ill-treated as of yourselves,
for you are also in the body"
(Hebrews 13:3)...

I'm sorry,
Jesus for the many times
I have imprisoned others
in my narrow mind
of many biases
 and prejudices.

"Let marriage be honored
among all and the marriage bed
be kept undefiled"
(Hebrews (13:4)...

what a shame,
Jesus in our age when
marriage is no longer honored
and just taken for granted
with many couples
defiling their bed.

"Let your life be free
from love of money but
be content with what you have"
(Hebrews 13:5)...

alas!
my dearest Jesus,
save us your priests
our diocese so in love
with money,
with the rich
and powerful with whom
we are so close
and identified with,
totally neglecting
the poor and the suffering
among us with our
many excuses and alibis,
always at their beck and calls.

Yes, Jesus,
many times we feel like
Herod: bothered
only by the gospel,
bothered only of your
presence among the poor
and suffering
but so much like Herod,
we never bothered ourselves
to truly find you
and follow you.
Amen.