Wait for one another

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The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Monday, Sts. Cornelius, Pope, and Cyprian, Bishop, Martyrs, 16 September 2024
1 Corinthians 11:17-26, 33     <*((((><  +  ><))))*>     Luke 7:1-10

Therefore, my brothers and sisters, when you come together to eat, wait for one another (1 Corinthians 11:33).

Lovely words, 
God our Father, 
for this lovely, 
cold Monday 
of overcast skies
most likely with a lot of
rains ahead.

Wash us clean, O God,
with your rains of mercy
and wisdom: 
it must be so easy to understand
what St. Paul meant that we
"wait for one another"
when we come to eat together
but that is exactly what has
become a rarity these days;
forgive us, Father,
for like the Corinthians
we have become like pagans,
so unChristian in our lives
especially at the Eucharist of
your Son Jesus Christ;
we no longer "wait"
for one another as in 
we do not celebrate as one
due to factions and selfishness
that come in all forms;
we no longer "wait" 
not serving each other
truly as brothers and sisters;
worst of all, we live for the 
present moment alone,
being so unwise like unfaithful
servants not "waiting" 
for Christ's return.

Let us "wait" for you,
Jesus, like the people in 
Capernaum:
the locals "waiting" for the
centurion as they "strongly urged" you
to help him because of his kindness
to Jews; lovely was how
the centurion "waited"
for you, sending emissaries 
asking you Jesus for the healing
of his slave; but, most wonderful of all,
was the centurion's faith in you, Lord
as he described how his slave
faithfully "waited" on him,
prompting him to tell you:

“Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; but say the word and let my servant be healed. For I too am a person subject to authority, with soldiers subject to me. And I say to one ‘Go’, and he goes; and to another, ‘Come here,’ and he comes; and to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and he does it” (Luke 7:6, 7-8).

Indeed, dear Jesus,
to "wait" is to serve;
to "wait" is to be one
with others and with you;
to "wait" to find myself always
not worthy to receive you
but you chose to "wait" for us
in the Cross
with your words of mercy
and forgiveness
that we are all healed,
we are saved.

Pray for us,
holy martyrs Pope Cornelius
and Bishop Cyprian
who both waited faithfully
for their flock
especially those who have
lapsed in faith,
those who have sinned
and erred.
Amen.