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Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Tuesday in the Eleventh Week of Ordinary Time, Year II, 16 June 2026 1 Kings 21:17-29 <*[[[[>< + ><]]]]*> Matthew 5:43-48
God our loving Father, grant me the grace to love you more, to follow you more closely, to be like you, "perfect" and "holy"; I feel so sad especially these days as I continue to grapple with your mystery, of your immense love for us all, even ton our enemies and oppressors.
Jesus said to his disciples: “You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father… So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:43-45, 48).
What is most difficult for me, O Lord, is when your "anger" subsides, when your mercy prevails on those who do evil against us like King Ahab in the first reading; oh yes, Father, sorry but it is true, we enjoy you "castigating" evil doers like King Ahab; but, why Oh why, after he had realized his sins and be sorry, you suddenly change your mind? Then the Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite, "Have you seen that Ahab has humbled himself before me? Since he has humbled himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his time. I will bring the evil upon his house during the reign of his son" (1 Kings 21:28-29).
Forgive me, Lord Jesus Christ when sometimes I see vengeance as a form of justice, forgetting your lesson yesterday; but, help me learn and realize to embrace fully your words that are so extravagant, asking far more than anyone might ever think possible not only in loving our enemies, or doing good to our persecutors but mystery of all mysteries is when perpetrators of evil seem to get away with their sins like King Ahab by simply being sorry?
But, on deeper prayer as peace and tranquility take over my anger, then I realize your call Jesus to be perfect like the Father is also a call for me to be vulnerable like him in offering kindness because he is a Father, not because of any worthiness of anyone among us for we are all sinners; indeed, we do not deserve anything at all but because of your love, you have made us deserving.
May we find your love and kindness and mercy in us, Jesus, instead of look for these on those who hurt us for indeed, what good is it really if I can love only those who love me or hate those who hate me? With you dwelling in my heart, Jesus, it's no good at all, no good at all for what is truly good is to love like you: help me Jesus to bear witness to your loving presence in the world. Amen.
