Set apart…

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The Lord Is My Chef Easter Recipe by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Wednesday in the Fourth Week of Easter, 24 April 2024
Acts 12:24-13:5     <*((((>< + ><))))*>     John 12:44-50

It was You, dear God,
who started that beautiful
process of "setting apart"
day from night,
darkness from light,
land from water;
and now, You tell us
in Your words how You
set apart some people
for special mission for You.

While they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then, completing their fasting and prayer, they laid hands on them and sent them off. So they, sent forth by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and from there sailed to Cyprus. When they arrived in Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues (Acts 13:2-5).

In our Baptism and Confirmation,
most especially in the Holy Eucharist,
You set us apart, O Lord,
to special mission too
to proclaim Your word,
to make You present 
in this world.

Help us imitate the early Church
of always praying and fasting
to be filled with Your Word
Jesus Christ who became flesh
and dwelled among us;
enable us to set apart 
our own biases and differences
for Your mission;
let us set apart our own words
from Your divine word
to only speak of You
and never about us;
most of all, 
let us set apart
our own glory and interests
so that like Jesus,
we may only "say 
as the Father told me"
(Jn. 12:50).
Amen.