Playing “GOD”

The Lord Is My Chef Breakfast Recipe-Prayer

Tuesday, 21 August 2018, Week XX, Year II

Ezekiel 28:1-10///Matthew 19:23-30

We praise and thank you our loving Father for this holiday you have given us. Give us the grace to renew everything in Christ your Son, especially our very selves as your servant St. Pius X envisioned during his papacy at the start of the 20^th century.

Until now, like the princes of Tyre of the Old Testament and the other men of the past century when two World Wars plunged the world into darkness, there are still many of us who believe and live as “god”. Everywhere, Lord, we speak and act as if we are god, insisting on what we want, bragging on our achievements, and relying on our strength and power. Everybody is claiming the streets and highway as his or her own sovereignty, feeling like a deity with our vehicles as our “seat of power and might”. We have run out of solons and statesmen in congress and government for all they are concerned with is their own interests.

It is very unfortunate, dear Father, even in your Church, we priests are so lost too in our belief and way of life as being god. Instead of building lives, we have destroyed so many lives with all kinds of clergy abuses that are not only scandalous but very sickening. We no longer smell like your sheep and worst, we have slaughtered many of your little lambs.

In 1983, you sent us Ninoy, believing the “Filipino is worth dying for.” He set aside all his plans, including his very safety and went home to work for peaceful transition. A bullet felled him but not our belief in bringing back democracy in our country. So sad, Lord, how we have easily forgotten YOU who made EDSA a miracle. Many have played gods and destroyed EDSA like Jerusalem of old, making it a symbol of everything that is wrong with us. Primary among these is our belief in being god. We pray to you, our loving Father, in these moments of darkness in our history like at the fall of Jerusalem and at the start of World War I in St. Pius X’s time, give us the grace to renew our love and commitment to You, the only True God for only you who can deliver us. Nothing is impossible with you, especially when we start being human and stop being god. Amen.Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II, Parokya ng San Juan Apostol at Ebanghelista, Gov. F. Halili Ave., Bagbaguin, Sta. Maria,Bulacan 3022

Photo by Fr. Nick F. Lalog II, tree canopy at Sacred Heart Novitiate (Novaliches), 4-6 July 2018.

Memorare

LordMyChef “I-Like-Mondays” Quote, 20 August 2018

Today is the memorial of one of my favorite saints, Bernard of Clairvaux. A devotee of the Blessed Virgin Mary, he wrote the lovely prayer Memorare. For this gloomy Monday due to the weather and whatever troubles that may happen this week especially on our streets, let us pray with St. Bernard:

Remember O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession was left unaided.

Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my mother.

To thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and asnwer me. Amen.

St.BernardBVM

Photo from Google: Painting by Italian artist Pietro Perugino at a church in Florence. St. Bernard was in deep study when the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to him in a vision. The two men beside St. Bernard at Apostles St. John Evangelist and St. Bartholomew whose feast we celebrate this Friday, August 24.

Our Sins of Omission

The Lord Is My Chef Breakfast Recipe-Prayer

Monday, 20 August 2018, Week XX, Year II

Ezekiel 24:18-23///Matthew 19:16-22

Our dearest Lord Jesus Christ: of the many questions we have always asked you, perhaps the young man’s question in the gospel today is the one you have always wanted – and waited us to ask you: “What do I still lack?”(Mt.19:20)

Every day we pray, confessing our sins for what “I have done and what I have failed to do.” It is always easier Lord to think of what I done wrong; but rarely do we really take time reflecting on what we have failed to do, our sins of omission.

The young man in the gospel today must have been dealing with a lot of people, like us today especially in the social media but, we never ask ourselves if we fulfill the requirements of love in these interactions with others. Many times, our dealings these days are mediated by technology, lacking sincerity and love. Like the young man, it is easy to obey commandments even without much love to our own discomfort because it is not right. But, we do not care to reflect more about it because we are so afraid to discover the sins we are not aware of!

Give us the grace, Lord Jesus to identify our sins of omission so we can achieve greater self-knowledge of our selves for it is the surest way to truly love you and others. Help us to learn from St. Bernard of Clairvaux whose we feast we celebrate today that “Love is a great thing so long as it continually returns to its fountainhead, flows back to its source, always drawing from there the water which constantly replenishes it.”(from the Office of Reading)

This is what we really lack, Lord Jesus Christ: the real good we must do of letting go of our selves, giving away our wealth and other valuables, setting aside our plans and agenda so we can follow you more closely daily. Amen.Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II, Parokya ng San Juan Apostol at Ebanghelista, Gov. F. Halili Ave., Bagbaguin, Sta. Maria,Bulacan 3022 .

*Photo by Fr. Nick F. Lalog II, moss at Malagos Garden, Davao City, 10 August 2018.

“Got To Get You Into My Life” by the Beatles (1966)

The Lord Is My Chef Sunday Music//Week XX-B//19August 2018

Body and Blood of Christ, Our Communion With God

Finally… the Beatles in our LordMyChefSundayMusic!

But did you know that the great Paul McCartney wrote this song not for a particular person but as an “ode to pot”? Yes, in honor of marijuana, that holy grass producing holy smoke!

I was alone, I took a ride
I didn’t know what I would find there
Another road where maybe I
Could see another kind of mind there
Ooh, then I suddenly see you
Ooh, did I tell you I need you
Every single day of my life

Sir Paul revealed this only recently in an interview for a book about him and his works (check Google). But again, as I have told you last Sunday, that is the beauty of music: truly a universal language that takes on a life of its own wherein it becomes applicable to every situation. On this penultimate Sunday of the Lord’s “bread of life” discourse, we find this classic Beatle music speaking also of God’s “communion” with us through Jesus Christ’s Body and Blood in the Eucharist: “we find Jesus speaking more boldly to the unfriendly audience by increasing the force of His declaration as “the bread of life” by repeating it eight times in eight verses! Jesus did not budge in the arguments of the crowd and instead slowly spiraled up His discourse as food and drink for eternal life…showing us the direction we have to follow in Him.” https://lordmychef.wordpress.com/2018/08/18/lordmychefsundayrecipe-19-august-2018/

Have to be clear with you, dear reader, I was not into pot and have not read the inspiration behind this song when I wrote my Sunday reflection… but that is indeed the effect of getting into Jesus in the Sunday Mass, beyond compare with weeds or any other drug: Here again is Jesus Christ before us…inviting us to enter into a communion with Him and in Him without murmuring and quarrelling to calmly reflect on this mystery of the Lord as our food and drink to eternal life… let us not rush God like the crowd at Capernaum by demanding spectacular and verifiable things to remind us of His presence. Jesus is with us in the most ordinary things like bread and wine, in the most common experience like the Mass. He speaks to us in the most consistent manner, always repeating the same words of assurances of His love and mercy, kindness and presence. Never doubt for we are making progress every Sunday, from Eucharist to Eucharist. Sooner or later, we shall come to that promised day of eternal life in the Father through Jesus Christ.” Have a hearty lunch with family and friends and God. And music!

The Body and Blood of Christ, Our Communion with God

The Lord Is My Chef Sunday Recipe, Week XX-B, 19 August 2018

Proverbs 9:1-6///Ephesians 5:15-20///John 6:51-58

Our gospel is now getting more interesting as the drama among the Jews and Jesus Christ unfold into new dimensions on this penultimate Sunday of the “bread of life” discourse. Last week, the Jews murmured among themselves when Jesus declared “I am the bread that came down from heaven” (Jn.6:41); today, the Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”(Jn.6:52)

Notice the beautiful interplay of “antes” noted by John in this part of the bread of life discourse: from murmuring, the Jews have turned into quarrelling among themselves in their renewed refusal to believe in Jesus. They have deteriorated from being skeptical into being insidious, reaching its lowest point next week when in their refusal to take the words of Jesus, they would eventually leave Him behind along with other disciples who have followed Him after that episode of feeding of more than 5000 people. Only the 12 would remain with Jesus. On the other hand, we find Jesus speaking more boldly to the unfriendly audience by increasing the force of His declaration as “the bread of life” by repeating it eight times in eight verses! And this time, He would even add that not only His flesh is food but also His blood is drink for eternal life. Jesus did not budge in the arguments of the crowd and instead slowly spiraled up His discourse as food and drink for eternal life. Jesus is trying to establish here a new direction in knowing Him, in following Him. In presenting Himself as our food and drink for eternal life, Jesus is also showing us the direction we have to follow in Him. Remember our reflection last July 15 that discipleship is not destination but directional? And the direction Jesus is taking us in His bread of life discourse is about our Holy Communion in God.

If you have observed in these past four weeks, sometimes the discourse by Jesus seems to be going nowhere, could be vague or ambiguous that it does not seem to progress at all. See how since last Sunday Jesus was repeating over and over His being the bread of life who came down from heaven and that whoever eats His flesh and drinks His blood will have eternal life. Jesus is not trying to get our attention with some fancy thoughts or brilliant expositions; Jesus is inviting us to a more personal experience of Himself in His bread of life discourse. He is asking us to take our time in listening and digesting His words because in the end, His goal is not to fill our minds but to rest in our hearts. Jesus is seeking communion with us, a oneness that can be achieved in the mystery of faith with a certitude deep in our hearts. It is something like our daily prayers and weekly celebration of the Sunday Mass when we sometimes feel nothing is happening; even in our minds, we know we have known everything. Yet, as we try to be open, holding on to our faith in God, we continue to pray and celebrate the Sunday Mass that deep within us we are convinced something had changed, that we have experienced Someone so real and profound. That is communion. When we receive Jesus Body and Blood, we realize and know for a fact we are not one. We have a communion not only with others with similar pains and hurts like ours but most of all with God who became human like us because He loves us so much. Now in Holy Communion, He is one with us, truly inside our body, flesh and blood under the signs of bread and wine. There is now an existing relationship on common experiences inexhaustible in its richness. That is how personal God is with us.

Since the fall of Adam and Eve, God had always longed to restore our union with Him. In the first reading, we have heard how the author of the Book of Proverbs had personified God as Wisdom (a feminine) inviting us to come to her. “Let whoever is simple turn in here; to the one who lacks understanding, I say, Come, eat of my food, and drink of the wine I have mixed! Forsake foolishness that you may live; advance in the way of understanding.”(Prov.9:4-6) Wisdom is God Himself who is at once transcendent and close at hand, very lofty but also in the daily realities of life because He is always seeking a communion with us humans. Note in this passage, God is food and wine – the essentials of life! In the Eucharist, we have the most ordinary food, bread and wine, becoming the most divine presence of God with us in Christ Jesus. It is our common union with God in Christ who became human like us in everything except sin so that we can become like Him who is divine. Observe when the priest prepares the wine during the Mass, he would pause before pouring water to recite the silent prayer, “By the mystery of this water and wine may we come to share in the divinity of Christ who humbled himself to share in our humanity.” I love praying that, especially when I could see that amid the great amount of wine, our human contribution is just a droplet of water because Jesus did everything for us, we just have to believe! Then again while the “Agnus Dei” is sung in preparation of the Holy Communion, the priest pauses in silence as he breaks the bread, takes a little piece of it and puts it into the wine, silently praying “May this mingling of the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ bring eternal life to us who receive Him.”

Here again is Jesus Christ before us, like the scene at Capernaum after the feeding of more than 5000 people, inviting us to enter into a communion with Him and in Him without murmuring and quarrelling to calmly reflect on this mystery of the Lord as our food and drink to eternal life. Let us heed St. Paul’s reminder to the Ephesians today “to watch carefully how we live, not as foolish persons but as wise” (Eph.5:15) more concerned with God and not of the worldly things. Most of all, let us not rush God like the crowd at Capernaum by demanding spectacular and verifiable things to remind us of His presence. Jesus is with us in the most ordinary things like bread and wine, in the most common experience like the Mass. He speaks to us in the most consistent manner, always repeating the same words of assurances of His love and mercy, kindness and presence. Never doubt for we are making progress every Sunday, from Eucharist to Eucharist. Sooner or later, we shall come to that promised day of eternal life in the Father through Jesus Christ. Amen. A blessed week to you!Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II, Parokya ng San Juan Apostol at Ebanghelista, Gov. F. Halili Ave., Bagbaguin, Sta. Maria, Bulacan 3022

*Photo by Fr. Nick F. Lalog II, Church at Tabgha where Jesus is believed to have fed more than 5000 people; at the altar floor is a mosaic of the loaves of bread and two pieces of fish. Taken during our Holy Land pilgrimage April 2017.

Value of Time

LordMyChef “TGIF” Quote, 17 August 2018:

“You must be ruthless with your time. Learn to say no. Having the courage to say no to the little things in life will give you the power to say yes to the big things… Ironically, people will respect you more when they see that you are a person who values his time. They will realize that your time is precious and they will value it.” Robin S. Sharma, “The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari”, page 166.

Photo by Fr. Nick F. Lalog II, Sacred Heart Novitiate (Novaliches), July 4-6, 2018.

Our Being of Forgetfulness

Photo by Fr. Nick F. Lalog II at the Sacred Heart Novitiate (Novaliches), July 4-6, 2018.

The Lord Is My Chef Breakfast Recipe-Prayer

Friday, 17 August 2018, Week XIX, Year II

Ezekiel 16:59-63///Matthew 19:3-12

Another question again, O Lord Jesus Christ from us: “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any cause whatever?” (Mt.19:3)

Another question from us not seeking answers but justification for our own beliefs; another question not seeking the truth but a changing of order and rules.

Sorry Lord for the many times when we clearly know the answers deep in our hearts yet we keep on pretending we are confused or simply could not get it. Or, would not want to accept it at all because of the “hardness of our hearts.” It has always been like that as you beautifully narrated to Ezekiel of your experience with Israel who was like a little girl you have cared for since birth, lavished with so many good things until you took her as your bride and then disregarded your covenant.

A philosopher explained that we are all beings of forgetfulness that too often we lead inauthentic lives. Probably. I don’t remember.

But, one thing I always remember, O Lord, is that despite all our infidelities and hard-headedness, you have remained faithful, always reminding us to remember your love, your covenant. Give us the grace to “re-member” you, to make you a member and part of our present lives again. Amen. Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II,Parokya ng San Juan Apostol at Ebanghelista, Gov. F. Halili Ave., Bagbaguin, Sta. Maria,Bulacan 3022 .

Jesus Transforms First Our Questions to Transform Us

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The Lord Is My Chef Breakfast Recipe-Prayer

Thursday, 16 August 2018, Week XIX, Year II

Ezekiel 12:1-12///Matthew 18:21-19:1

Dearest Lord Jesus:

Every day we come to you with so many questions, an endless series of who, why and why not, and how. As I prayed today’s gospel, I realized you seldom give straight answers to questions given to you in many instances like when Peter asked you about how many times should we forgive a brother who sins against us. In many occasions in the gospel like today, you answer questions with a parable. It is as if you first transform our questions in order to transform us eventually with the answers we can glean from your parables.

As I dwelled on your parable of the unforgiving servant, I have realized one important aspect with our questions to you, Lord Jesus. And that is our being so fearful of many things in life, especially of being loving and merciful like you.

We try to be specific like Peter, asking in a numerical form “how many times should I forgive… seven times?” The other day, we asked “who is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven?” Once we have asked you “who is my neighbor?” or “Lord, are you going to establish your kingdom now?” In these instances, you never gave in to our questions because you knew very well we asked these while bounded by fears. We lacked freedom. Or, we refused to be free to be who we really are as beloved children of a very loving Father in heaven. Because we doubt your love and mercy.

And so, you give us parables like today’s unforgiving servant to assure us that we are loved and forgiven by the Father. Give us the grace to fully embrace this truth, that we would always listen to your gentle voice within to forgive and to love with all our hearts. Amen.Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II,Parokya ng San Juan Apostol at Ebanghelista, Gov. F. Halili Ave., Bagbaguin, Sta. Maria,Bulacan 3022 .

*Photo by Fr. Nick F. Lalog II, still life experiment, September 2016.

Singing Mary’s Magnificat In Our Time

The Lord Is My Chef Breakfast Recipe-Prayer, Wednesday

15 August 2018, Solemnity of the Assumption of the BVM

Revelations 11:19;12:1-6,10//1Corinthians 15:20-27//Luke 1:39-56

Pray for us O Holy Mother of God,

that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray:

We praise and glorify you, God our loving Father, in bringing us back to you though we are not worthy of your love and mercy. In the fullness of time, you sent your Son Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit to a virgin in Nazareth named Mary whom you have assumed body and soul into heaven upon the completion of her mission here on earth.

And so, loving Father, we ask you for the grace to be like Mary, singing her Magnificat not only with our lips and voices but like her, with our lives so that when Christ returns at the end of time, we too would be assumed body and soul into heaven.

Let us always proclaim your greatness, let our spirit rejoice in you alone, not in our selves nor talents nor achievements. Keep us humble to remember everything is a grace from you that we are able to do so many things, great and small alike (Lk.1:46-48).

Let us do your work always, your will be done – not our plans and agenda so that your mercy would pervade in this self-righteous world (Lk.1:50).

Let us show the strength of your arm by working for justice and peace, guided by kindness, even by weakness to shame those who brag of their powers and might (Lk.1:51-52).

Let us find our place in this world to make a stand for what is good and true by keeping a sacred space for you in our hearts and mind so we can stop usurping too much roles and credits to be seen and liked by everyone. Keep us empty like Mary to be filled with your Holy Spirit to become the very presence of Jesus Christ (Lk.1:53-55). Amen. Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II,Parokya ng San Juan Apostol at Ebanghelista, Gov. F. Halili Ave., Bagbaguin, Sta. Maria,Bulacan 3022

*Photo from Google, the famous painting of the Assumption by El Greco.

You are prayed for these rainy days

MossMalagos

14 August 2018

My dearest relatives and friends:

This is the worst rainy season I think I ever have. And it seems more rains are still coming. What saddens me most is the fact that in the midst of these rains and floods, I know many of you are also battling at the same time other storms in life like sickness or death in the family or among friends.

You are all remembered and prayed for especially when heavy rains are pouring. In 1995, I went through serious trials in life and vocation while in the seminary during the entire rainy season. Every time I would pray in the afternoon, I would always look at the trees and plants outside our seminary chapel. And that was when I realized that it is always after the rains and storms when leaves are greenest.

Here are some photos I have taken from the Malagos Garden Resort in Davao City last Friday, August 11, 2018.

Hope they soothe your hearts. God bless you always!

In Christ Jesus,
fr nick f lalog ll

ButterflyMalagos