“I Keep Forgettin’ (Everytime You’re Near)” by Michael McDonald

Lord My Chef Sunday Music by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II, 30 March 2025

Glad to be back dear friends with our Sunday music featuring secular music that echoes the good news of Jesus Christ. So excited with today’s feature because it is by one of our favorite musicians, Michael McDonald.

McDonald is that most unique voice in many of Steely Dan’s hits in the early 70’s where he got recognized, thus becoming the most sought partner of other great artists like Christopher Cross before settling with the Doobie Brothers with their signature song What A Fool Believes.

After leaving the Doobies in the early 80’s, McDonald came up with his first solo album called If That’s What It Takes from which came out our featured song I Keep Forgettin’ in 1982.

I keep forgettin' we're not in love anymore
I keep forgettin' things will never be the same again
I keep forgettin' how you made that so clear
I keep forgettin'

Everytime you're near
Everytime I see you smile
Hear your "hello"
Saying you can only stay a while

And I know that it's hard for you
To say the things that we both know are true
But tell me how come

While praying over our beautiful gospel this fourth Sunday in Lent (Laetare or Rejoice Sunday), I could hear McDonald singing this lovely song at the back of my mind that became the inspiration for our Sunday homily:

We do not tell God and our family and friends that we don’t love them but our walking away from them tells that so clearly. However, as we refuse to love when we sin, that is also when we deny the love right in our hearts, that we cannot stop loving because whatever we take after we have left are actually the very love of God and of our family and friends! 

There is nothing truly ours in this world and because of God’s Mystery, we never lose His gift of love within us that when things get worst in our lives, it is the same love that gives us the spark to hope and believe again. It was that love that the youngest son missed and realized despite all his dramas as he went home to his loving father just like us too (https://lordmychef.com/2025/03/29/mystery-of-god-mystery-of-sin/).

Can we really forget or delete permanently a love that is especially so true, so great? In the parable of the prodigal son heard in churches this Sunday, Jesus reminds us that every time we sin – that is, when we refuse to love – we deny His very love in our hearts that remains there, only to be recognized or rediscovered by us when we are down like the prodigal son. That love of God we keep denying eventually is the very same love that gives us the spark to hope and believe again when we realized the foolishness we have done with our sins.

In this song by McDonald, we are reminded too of the same truth: we cannot forget nor deny the love we have especially to a beloved sweetheart even if things do not turn out well, when we part ways because our relationship wouldn’t work. The love remains there, is it not? Most often, we simply mature in our perceptions and relationships and yes, love because that love remains there.

How much more with God’s love?

Now, imagine Jesus Chris singing this McDonald hit?

And yes, that’s how He feels for us: God “keeps forgettin’ we’re not in love anymore” when we sin and yet, He keeps blessing us. Because, God simply loves us so much that even if we refuse to love Him, He still loves us, waiting for us to return to him like the loving father in the parable of the prodigal son.

That is why – rightly – the Doobies got another hit called Jesus Is Alright With Me but that’s for another piece perhaps this Holy Week.

Here now is Michael McDonald in his first solo hit, I Keep Forgettin’…. have a blessed, rockin’ week ahead, everyone.