“Land of the Loving” by Dianne Reeves (1986)

LordMyChefSundayMusic//AdventWeekII//09december 2018

Advent Is Creating A Room for God in My Life

The second Sunday of Advent reminds us that it is not enough to be open for the coming Jesus Christ; we have to create a room for God in our hearts, in our lives for Him to truly come inside us. It is only when we create a space for Jesus within us that we can truly experience His “intense presence” not only this Christmas but every day of our lives. Creating a space within us for God means allowing Him to possess us, to dwell and reign within us so that we are transformed into better witnesses of Christ’s coming like John the Baptizer. It is impossible to meet God when we are so filled with things of the world and of ourselves. Like John, we have to withdraw to the wilderness, we need to do some fasting, of self-emptying to create that room for Jesus in our hearts. It is only then can we truly experience Christ’s coming and loving presence, mercy and forgiveness, kindness and grace.

For our Sunday music, we have Diane Reeves lending her soothing vocals to David Benoit’s “Land of the Loving” (co-written with Mark Winkler) from his album This Side Up released in 1986. I have always loved this song, especially after watching David Benoit played the piano for this song in 1990 at the PICC with Ms. Jinky Llamanzares doing the vocals. After becoming a priest, I have always seen a more spiritual meaning in this song that speaks exactly of creating a room for Jesus Christ, of staying inside with Him in my heart, of being possessed by the Lord Himself. It is in being caught in the arms of Jesus, when we let Him possess us right in our own small room inside our hearts when“Finally my life has a meaning of its own; here in the land of the loving I am home.” Follow the lyrics from YouTube and as you immerse yourself into this beautiful music, think also of those days when you felt so blessed, you felt so close with God… rejoice and believe that He is coming again to redeem us. A blessed week to everyone!

*Photo/quote from Google.

Advent Is Creating A Room for God In My Life

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The Lord Is My Chef Sunday Recipe

Advent-2, Year C, 09 December 2018

Baruch 5:1-9//Philippians 1;4-6, 8-11//Luke 3:1-6

I must confess that I am also guilty of getting into the so-called “Christmas rush” that is totally empty of Jesus Christ. No, I am not a “shopaholic” but this early I am already so stressed out with my toxic schedules of activities for the coming Christmas. And that is when God in His amazing ways intervened by totally cutting me off from the “loop” to redirect me to the spirit of Advent that calls us to create a room for Christ’s coming. It started two weeks ago when our internet connection became erratic which we thought was just normal in our country so notorious for its dismal internet services. But when I could no longer connect with the internet for my work last Tuesday and Wednesday for my talks, classes and blogs, we called a technician to fix the bugs, only to be told that the problem is my nine year-old Sony Vaio that needs to be upgraded or totally replaced. My first reaction was to replace the technician but it was the first time I really felt to be out of the web that can be alienating and even debilitating. That was when I realized to pray more, to fast from social media and modern communications, hoping to find Jesus Christ anew in my additional periods of prayer and silence. It was also at that time when my Ninong and Ninang came from the US to celebrate their golden wedding anniversary at the church where they got married with me as the priest-presider. After the reception, they asked me to go with them to their hotel where they surprised me with a Christmas gift, a new laptop computer! See how God works in amazing ways if we give Him a room in our lives; my plan was to get a new computer next year but here is God sending me one from heaven right on my lap in the most perfect time.

“In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysania was tetrarch of Abilene, during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the desert. John went throughout the whole region of the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins (Lk.3:1-3).”

Every time, every moment is a perfect time for God to come but, do we have a room for Him in our lives? Luke presents us today the setting of the first coming of Jesus Christ more than 2000 years ago. Times may have changed but the situation and feelings remain the same to this day when God comes to us right in the midst of our present situation, whether in our personal lives or in our political world or religious set up. There is always that voice in the wilderness calling us to repent and prepare His way, His coming. In the first Sunday of Advent last week, we reflected how this season of preparation is the presence of God which we can truly experience when we dare to open ourselves to Him in prayer and silence. On this Second Sunday of Advent, our readings deepen this reflection of finding the presence of God by having a room or space for Him in our hearts and in our lives.

According to the late American Neal A. Maxwell who was an Elder of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-Day Saints, “Each of us is an innkeeper who decides if there is room for Jesus.” What a beautiful insight that is very true! We need to create a space and room in ourselves – more than just merely opening – to welcome Jesus Christ’s intense presence in our lives these days! With all hyperrevolution now happening in our midst due to modern means of communications that have greatly affected our lives, the more we need to experience Christ’s intense presence so that we are not only informed and formed but most of all transformed like during the time of John the Baptizer. Every year, the second and third Sundays of Advent are always about the preaching of John the Baptist which is essentially about the coming of Jesus Christ.

The key here is the intense presence of Jesus Christ not only in us but also in the world. The detailed reportorial by Luke of the setting of Christ’s coming over 2000 years ago suggests the integration of salvation history with secular history of all peoples. Christ has come and Christ will come again though Christ had never left us but remains with us in the present. We have just celebrated the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception that reminds us of God’s presence amid man’s absence. We become absent to God when we sin like Adam who hid from God after eating the forbidden fruit. We fail to meet and experience God in His power and grace when we are absent to Him as we prefer to spend more time with things of the world than of heaven. We become absent from God when we refuse to abandon our sinful ways or when we have stopped to hope for any change and salvation coming from God with whom nothing is impossible. This Sunday, let us intensify the presence of God by creating a room, creating a space in our hearts and in our lives where Jesus may dwell and reign to direct our lives like John the Baptizer who went to desert to fast and create a space in himself and in his life for Christ. It is impossible to meet God when we are so filled with things of the world and of ourselves. God has many plans for us in Jesus that He sent Him to us but He cannot do anything if we do not let Him into our lives. St. Paul tells us in the second reading that he is “confident” or sure that God will fulfill his promise that every man and woman shall see “the salvation of God” (Lk. 3:6). Let us continue to dare on this second Sunday of Advent to open ourselves to God by creating a room for Him in our hearts and in our lives and allow Him to take possession of us like what Baruch prophesied in the first reading when Jerusalem would eventually be liberated from its conquerors. Look back to your past and see how the Lord has done great things for you; trust Him, hope in Him always for He has come, He shall come and He is come. AMEN. Fr.Nicanor F. Lalog II, Parokya ng San Juan Apostol at Ebanghelista, .Gov. F. Halili Ave., Bagbaguin, Sta. Maria, Bulacan

*Photo by Jim Marpa, St. James the Greater Parish, Solsona, Ilocos Norte, 17 July 2018. Used with permission.

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Advent Is Seeing God Among Others

The Lord Is My Chef Breakfast Recipe-Prayer

Wednesday, 05 December 2018, Advent Week 1

Isaiah 25:6-10///Matthew 15:29-37

Like during the season of Lent, Lord, I have always been amazed with the antiphons and prayers of Advent. Since Monday, we have been praying after Communion for the grace to focus more about things of heaven than of earth. And the most amazing thing about it is we really do not have to look up high to see what is heavenly; we simply have to look at one another just like what you did on the mountain today in the gospel.

After receiving the heavenly food last Monday, we prayed “to love the things of heaven and to hold fast to what endures”; then at Tuesday we implored “to judge wisely of the things of earth and to hold firm to the things of heaven” while today we asked “to be cleansed of our faults and prepare us for the coming feasts” in heaven. These are all calls from you, Lord Jesus, for us to see you among our suffering brothers and sisters.

Stir our hearts, O Christ, and move them into pity like when you worried at the great crowd of people that included “the lame, the blind, the mute, and many others” (Mt.15:30) who have followed you for three days on the mountain with nothing to eat. Make us worry like you for all the sufferings of those forgotten by the society and even by their families. Use our hands to “wipe away the tears from all faces” (Is. 25:28) and let us be the heavenly food and drinks to be partaken by everyone after receiving your words and your Body and Blood in the Eucharist.

Come, Lord Jesus, this holy season of Advent, “illumine what is hidden in darkness” (Entrance antiphon) and let your light penetrate my inner self so I may truly see how far I have been from you and from others, and most especially that I may see you as you are so that in the process I may also see my real self. Renew me this season, Jesus, and let me enter your fullness of life. AMEN. Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II, Parokya ng San Juan Apostol at Ebanghelista, Gov. F. Halili Ave., Bagbaguin, Sta. Maria, Bulacan 3022.

*Photo by Jim Marpa, a former colleague at the Varsitarian of UST (circa 1986). Used with permission.

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“Pangangahas ng Puso Kay Kristo”

Lawiswis ng Salita ni P. Nicanor F. Lalog II, Ika-04 ng Disyembre 2018

Adbiyento… ang apat na Linggong paghahanda sa pagdating ni Kristo

Ngunit kung ating mapagtatanto, umalis ba talaga si Kristo

At dapat nating paghandaan pagbabalik Niyang totoo?

Hindi ba’t lagi naman Siyang naririto at tayo lang ang nalilito

Tuliro sa panahon ng Pasko na ika ng iba Christmas rush kuno

Minamadali ang Pasko pero naiiwan naman si Kristo.

Sa paglipas ng maghapon, ating bang naitatanong

Kung nasaan Siyang ating Panginoon,

Maliban lamang kung tayo’y sumusuong sa mabibigat na paghamon

Dahil mas paniwala tayo sa moderno at usong magugunaw na ang mundo

Habang pilit na sinisiksik sa ating mga isip ng teknolohiya at media

Na wala ng oras, wala na tayong tutuluyan pa kaya ang lahat ay madaliin at pagaanin.

Sa ating pagkahumaling sa ano mang magaling, lahat ay ating sinisikap agad tapusin

Panay naman ating daing na di natin kakayanin gayong lahat ay nalalampasan din

Dahil taliwas sa diwa ng pagdating ni Kristong Panginoon natin

Pinapaalala ng Adbiyento na bagama’t magwawakas itong panahon natin

May sapat na oras at puwang si Kristo para sa atin

Upang tayo ay Kanyang makapiling, mapuspos ng Kanyang blessing.

Ngayong panahon ng Adbiyento, sana’y pangahasan nating

Suriing maigi yaring puso natin, alamin at timbangin totoong pinakamahalaga sa atin

Pangahasan na damhin at ranasin si Kristong nananatili sa puso at buhay natin

Dahil kung hindi natin ito gagawin ngayon din

Kailan ma’y hindi Siya darating

Kung wala Siyang puwang sa puso natin.

*Larawan ay kuha ng may-akda ng kanilang Advent wreathe sa Parokya ng San Juan Apostol at Ebanghelista, Gov. F. Halili Ave, Bagbaguin, Sta. Maria, Bulacan, ika-2 ng Disyembre 2018.

Advent Is Conversion of the Heart

The Lord Is My Chef Breakfast Recipe-Prayer

Tuesday, 04 December 2018, Advent Week 1

Isaiah 11:1-10///Luke 10:21-24

“Behold, the Lord will come, and all his holy ones with him; and on that day there will be great light” (from the entrance antiphon of today’s Mass).

Has this day come, Lord? It is supposed to have been fulfilled a long time ago in your birth, Lord Jesus, after Isaiah had prophesied of how a “shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse, and from his roots a bud shall blossom.” (Is.11:1) But it has not happened yet, remaining only a dream and a sight to behold in our imaginations when there would be peace and harmony at your coming, “when the wolf shall be a guest of the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf and the young lion shall browse together with a little child as their guide, the cow and the bear with their young resting as neighbors, the lion eating hay like ox, and the baby playing by the cobra’s den as he lay his hand on the adder’s lair.” (Is.11:6-8)

It is a beautiful sight, a reality we are all wishing for but has never happened despite your coming to us, Lord Jesus Christ. And we know why: because we have not truly welcomed you in our hearts like children.

Give us the grace to be filled with your Holy Spirit, that we may be childlike so that this blessed season of Advent may dispose us to conversion and single-mindedness in you alone. Fill us with your Holy Spirit so we may attend to our deepest needs and hopes like peace and justice by being more compassionate with those who are suffering like the poor and the weak. Let us bring your light in this world darkened with sin and individualism, marred by senseless wars and petty competitions and rivalries among us. Hear our prayer, Lord, that we learn “to judge wisely the things of earth and hold firm to the things of heaven” (from today’s prayer after Communion). AMEN. Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II, Parokya ng San Juan Apostol at Ebanghelista, Gov. F. Halili Ave., Bagbaguin, Sta. Maria, Bulacan 3022.

*Photo by the author, altar inside our parish sacristy, 03 December 2018.

Advent Is For Discerning The Most Essential

The Lord Is My Chef Breakfast Recipe-Prayer

Monday, 03 December 2018, Advent Week 1

Isaiah 2:1-5///Matthew 8:5-11

Dearest Lord Jesus: Forgive me on this first Monday of December of the first week of the Season of Advent when I joined everyone in the Christmas rush that has nothing to do with your coming at all. Forgive me in feeling it is a time of no room, a time of the end that I have to finish everything, fulfill so many tasks without finding you. Forgive me for being so obsessed with lack of time, lack of space, of having no room even for myself this Christmas.

How sad, and what a shame when I myself forget that Advent in its truest sense as a time of joyful expectation and preparation for your Second Coming is when we must dare to open up for you, when we must create and find more time, more space, and yes – a room in our hearts for you Jesus who is definitely coming again.

Like that centurion in the gospel, grant me that grace to learn and to discern what is most relevant, what is most essential for us individually and communally because with you, there is always plenty of room, plenty of space, and plenty of time for everyone who is welcomed to “climb the Lord’s mountain, to the house of the God of Jacob” (Is.2:3).

May the centurion’s words be my prayer today and always, sweet Jesus: “Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed.” (Mt. 8:8). AMEN. Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II, Parokya ng San Juan Apostol at Ebanghelista, Gov. F. Halili Ave., Bagbaguin, Sta. Maria, Bulacan 3022.

*Photo by the author of the eagle, the symbol of our Patron St. John Evangelist, known for it sharp sense of sight in seeing the details in the life of Jesus Christ. Taken yesterday first Sunday of Advent 2018.

“Good Times” by Edie Brickell (1994)

LordMyChefSundayMusic//AdventWeekI//02december 2018

Advent Is the Presence of God

Today we begin the new year in our Church calendar with the Season of Advent, the four week preparation for Christmas. It has two aspects: today until December 16 our focus are set on the Second Coming of Jesus at the end of time, and from December 17 to December 24, we turn our attention to the first Christmas when Christ was born more than 2000 years ago. According to St. Bernard of Clairvaux, between these two comings of Christ is His Third Coming in the present. And that is why Advent is the presence of God among us in Christ. Advent challenges us to be daring in opening ourselves to Christ’s coming in the most ordinary as well as in the most trying and difficult moments of our lives. It is only when we dare to open our hearts to Christ’s daily coming can we truly experience the giftedness of each moment and day of our lives in God.

Let Edie Brickell help you to be bold in opening to God with her 1994 hit single “Good Times”. Edie’s music is very refreshing and natural but bold in its message and lyrics where we find her openness to the presence of her loved one whether in “good times or in bad times.” That is the challenge of Advent to us: if we cannot dare to open ourselves to God in our good times and bad times, we would never have that space for Him in our hearts where He truly comes every day. Dare to open your heart to God, give a space for Jesus to come and that is when Christmas happens regardless of the date and time.

You don’t even have to try
It comes easy for you
The way you move is so appealing it could make me cry
Go out drivin’ with my friends
In bobby’s big old beat up car
I’m with a lot of people then, I wounder were you are

Good times, bad times gimme some of that (3x) Ooh woo ooh

I don’t wanna say goodbye
Don’t wanta walk ya to the door
I spent a little time with you, I want a little more

Good times, bad times gimme some of that (3x) Ooh woo ooh

And baby really, I don’t have to
I have to go anywhere right now
You want some more, you want some more of this
Anywhere where, were ever you want baby, just,
Say it…. Ah…. Just say it

Good times, bad times gimme some of that (3x) Ooh woo ooh

Now want those good, good ,good times
And got those bad, bad, bad times
I want those good, good, good ,good times
Gimme some that

*Photo by author, Advent wreath at the Parokya ng San Juan Apostol at Ebanghelista, Gov. F. Halili Ave., Bagbaguin, Sta. Maria, Bulacan, 02 December 2018.

Advent Is the Presence of God

The Lord Is My Chef Sunday Recipe

Advent Week I, Year C, 02 December 2018

Jeremiah 33:14-16//1Thessalonians 3:12-4:2//Luke 21:25-28, 34-36

Happy New Year everyone! Today we start our new liturgical calendar in the Church with the first of the four Sundays of Advent symbolized by the Advent wreath that would be blessed and lighted after the homily by the priest. Flowers are minimized at the altar and violet or deep blue is the motif while the Gloria is not sung except during the Simbang Gabi in joyful anticipation of Christmas. The word Advent is from the Latin adventus that referred to the coming or arrival of the Roman emperor known as Caesar. At the height of the Roman Empire (the Pax Romana), the emperor used to visit the different provinces under his rule and there would always be elaborate preparations because he was also considered as god by the Romans. With the fall of Rome, the Church eventually adopted that practice to prepare for the birth of the King of kings. And rightly so if we recall what Jesus told Pilate last Sunday at the Solemnity of Christ the King, “You say I am a king. For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.” (Jn.18:37)

When we look at our liturgical calendar, we celebrate every day in the whole year the Kingship of Jesus Christ who is the presence of God among us. Though Advent has two aspects, beginning today until December 16 when our sights are focused on the Second Coming of Christ and from December 17 to 24 when we focus on His first coming more than 2000 years ago, we celebrate every day in our lives the presence of Jesus in us and among us. St. Bernard of Clairvaux beautifully said that between these two comings of Christ is His third coming in every present time. And that is what Advent is all about: the presence of God. Christmas is more than a date to be remembered but the Person of Jesus Christ. We can never experience His coming at the end of time nor His first Christmas if we do not dare to open ourselves to God, to His presence in every here and now.

“But when these signs begin to happen, stand erect and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand. Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and anxieties of daily life, and that they catch you by surprise like a trap. For that day will assault everyone who lives on the face of the earth. Be vigilant at all times and pray that you have the strength to escape the tribulations that are imminent and to stand before the Son of Man.” (Lk.21:28, 34-36)

Like during the Sunday before Christ the King, our gospel for the first Sunday of Advent invites us to focus on the “end time” or eschaton, the days of fulfillment of God’s promise when Christ comes again which nobody knows when except the Father. Unlike in the movies and the other doomsday scenarios portrayed by some, the end of time should never be taken literally because it is a kind of writing called apocalyptic. Such portrayals should never be imagined as they merely try to evoke the very difficult trials and tribulations peoples would experience and have experienced in different periods of time that continue to this day. Are we not all still groaning in pain as St. Paul described from all the sufferings and hardships we go through today? But here lies the good news of Advent: it is during our moments of trials and sufferings when Jesus Christ comes! The more persecutions, the more hardships we go through, the more we need to pray hardest, to be vigilant, to stand erect and raise our heads because it is during those trying times when Jesus Christ comes, and in fact when He is with us.

The key word here is presence from which came also the word present which is the synonym for the word gift. We need to always dare to open ourselves to God in the most unexpected moments of our lives because that is when we truly feel Him present in us and among us. It is in our daring to be open to God’s presence when we can truly experience the giftedness of each day and each moment of life. Too often, we remember God most when we are too far from Him due to our sinfulness. That is when we look inside, examine our hearts, and turn back to Him, searching for His presence. It is a proof that we can only find meaning in our lives in Jesus Christ and that is why He came. On the other hand, we also feel God’s presence most when we are so blessed. But these are two extremes that do not happen every day. That is why we have to be “daring” or adventurous in being open to God especially during ordinary days. The ordinary days are in fact the trying times for us all to be faithful to God, to feel His presence. Too often, we get so used with our lives that we become oblivious to the presence of God. Even in the midst of problems, disappointments and frustrations we just don’t mind them at all, expecting things would get better soon. And God? We just presume He is in charge but we do not really feel Him. God has become a mere given in life that we pray, do our devotions and other spiritual activities just to fulfill them or get them done. They have become empty because we have closed our hearts and selves to God’s many and amazing ways of coming to our lives, that He is always present in the simplest and most ordinary moments of life.

This is the challenge of Advent: that we always dare to open ourselves to God’s presence through prayers and silence. Jeremiah said it well in the first reading, “The days are coming, says the Lord, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and Judah. In those days, in that time…” (Jer. 33:14,15) God is faithful to His promise and always comes to us, always with us. We need to be daring to open ourselves to His presence to meet Him in our prayers and in silence. To be daring in opening ourselves to God’s presence means being still with Him, “wasting” time with Him by daring to set aside too much social media and gadgets that waste our time and distract us of the more important things in life. On this first week of Advent, let us be daring in opening ourselves to God by doing something different, by being good and better Christians as St. Paul asked us in the second reading. If we fail to experience God during this Advent season, we would never experience Him in Christ coming on Christmas or any time. Be daring and be filled with God this week! AMEN. Fr. NicanorF. Lalog II, Parokya Ng San Juan Apostol At Ebanghelista, Gov. F. Halili Ave., Bagbaguin, Sta. Maria, Bulacan

*Photo by the author, Manor House, Camp John Hay, December 2017.

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