Lord My Chef Sunday Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A, 21 June 2026
Jeremiah 20:10-13 ><}}}}*> Romans 5:12-15 ><}}}}*> Matthew 10:26-30

God has a most amazing way of consoling us Filipinos when everything is so dismal in the country, sending us athletes who uplift our spirits and make us proud as a nation. In the not so distant past we have had Manny Pacquiao and Olympic gold medalists Hidilyn Diaz and Carlos Yulo cheering us up.

And now, we have the lovely but tenacious and gritty Alex Eala who just made history anew this week with her two upset wins in the ongoing Berlin Tennis Open when she prevailed over WTA number 2 Elena Rybakin Thursday then Friday crushed number eight Elina Svitolina. (Update: Eala lost to Linda Noskova last night.)

Watch her interviews in both victories where Eala mentioned her being “brave” in her games as she described too both matches filled with “grace” – so very much like this Sunday’s gospel where Jesus mentioned thrice the need to be brave!

Jesus said to the Twelve: “Fear no one. Nothing is concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known… And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul… So do not be afraid” (Matthew 10:26, 28, 31).

After choosing and sending his Twelve Apostles last Sunday, Jesus reminds them including us today of the need to have courage in working in the Lord’s “abundant harvests” because the good news goes directly against the ways of the world.

This we have learned at the start of this year in the Lord’s sermon on the mount where he taught us the Beatitudes last February 1, fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Though the Beatitudes like being poor, being hungry and thirsty are not to be taken literally, they still run contrary to the ways of world of power and wealth, fame and convenience.

As the world advances in science and technology, the more it veers away from God and do away with morals that in the process, the Church has always faced many contradictions, some with violent reactions even persecutions for her stance against abortion and population control, divorce and same-sex marriage and other anti-life measures now so widespread through the social media.

It is not only difficult and painful for the Church as an institution but most especially for each of us disciples of Christ that we can easily identify with the Prophet Jeremiah in the first reading.

Of the four major prophets, Jeremiah was the youngest and the only one sent by God to his own people to prophesy. That is why it was so painful for Jeremiah to experience in the hands of his own folks and kin being maligned and rejected, and betrayed just like most of us today!

Jeremiah said: “I hear the whisperings of many: ‘Terror on every side! Denounce! Let us denounce him!’ All those who were my friends are on the watch for any misstep of mine. ‘Perhaps he will be trapped; then we can prevail, and take our vengeance on him.’ But the Lord is with me, like a mighty champion… Sing to the Lord, praise the Lord, for he has rescued the life of the poor from the power of the wicked!” (Jeremiah 20:10-11, 13)

Like Jeremiah, we have complained and even cried to God many times for our sufferings in doing his will to be just and fair, kind and merciful, even charitable; and like him, we could not resist God’s call and mission despite the pains and hurts because we too felt “duped” and “seduced” by the Lord (Jer.20:7) as we felt deep inside us his love and protection. Like all the saints who suffered much in witnessing the gospel, we felt deep inside God as our very strength as we pray more to forge on in the difficult mission of doing his works.

When Jesus asks us to “fear no one”, he is inviting us to primarily fear God most of all for he knows everything and will judge us in the end. It is a kind of reverential fear, not the kind of fear of a slave to a master of being reprimanded and punished.

To “fear no one” and “be not afraid” do not mean that we disregard our fears of being hurt or killed physically and emotionally; it is call to have courage which is facing our fears. Having no fears in life is not normal. As we say in the province, yung walang takot sira tuktok!

To fear the Lord means to recognize the sanctity of life, the blessedness of every person. See Eala’s attitude of being magnanimous in victory and in defeat as she would always praise and recognize the talents and greatness of her opponents. In her we find the truth that the “fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” – that every person is a subject to be loved and cherished, not an object or thing to be used or possessed, without feelings and dignity.

This is the tragedy exposed by the recent deaths of the two Ateneo athletes, and it involves almost all UAAP members these past decades who have given more priorities in winning trophies above all, forgetting the value of every person. True enough, it is a secret slowly becoming known.

Likewise, to be not afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul is to recognize the soul in each one of us, of Christ’s indwelling within us, enabling us to overcome every obstacle in life.

It is like being a pencil: remember the inside is more essential than the outside. That is our identity as God’s beloved child.

Our physical strength actually draws much of its power and stamina from our inner core than merely from our bones and muscles. Hence, the need for prayers and meditation, for conditioning to realize our giftedness and value.

When this happens, the third call of Jesus becomes automatic which is to be not afraid because we are worth more than many sparrows or anything else in this world.

Why? Because God is gracious!

To recognize our fears and vulnerabilities as well as weaknesses is in itself courage, fearing no one except God who alone heals us. Most of all, who alone is our strength in our weaknesses. Let us not be afraid in this life to do what is good, to stand for what is right and just, to proclaim the gospel of Christ’s salvation because God is gracious especially to those who abide in him through Christ. Amen. Have a blessed week ahead! And say a prayer for Alex Eala.