Our song, our music – our self

Lord My Chef Simbang Gabi Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Monday, Simbang Gabi-VII, 22 December 2025
1 Samuel 1:24-28     <*((((><  +  ><))))*>     Luke 1:46-56

*Photo by author, Church of Visitation, Ein-Karem, Israel, 2017.*

One of the most beautiful and touching sites in the Holy Land I have always loved is the Church of the Visitation at Ein-Karem outside Jerusalem where Mary visited her cousin Elizabeth.

It sits atop of a hill and there’s no other way to get there except by foot due to the narrow road but, it is worth all the effort for anyone going up there with the beautiful scenes all the way with cool breeze soothing your face and lovely flowers delighting your eyes and senses. It somehow gives every pilgrim a taste of the great love and joy of Mary pregnant with out Lord Jesus Christ visiting her cousin Elizabeth on the sixth month of her pregnancy with John the Baptist.

*Photo by Ar. Philip Santiago, Church of Visitation, the Holy Land, October 2025.*

Perhaps we could say the Visitation was the first Christmas party in history as Luke tells us today how Mary rejoiced in God singing the Magnificat after Elizabeth praised her:

“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my savior. For he has looked upon his lowly servant. From this day, all generations will call me blessed: the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name. He has mercy on those who fear him in every generation. He has shown the strength of his arm, and has scattered the proud in their conceit. He has cast down the mighty from their thrones and has lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. He has come to the help of servant Israel, for he has remembered his promise of mercy, the promise he made to our fathers, to Abraham and to his children forever” (Luke 1:46-55).

Aside from this beautiful bronze statues of Mary and Elizabeth at the patio of the Church of the Visitation are the translations of the Magnificat in different languages, including in our very own Filipino which is one of the most popular songs we often sing in our Masses.

But, do we really realize the meaning of this song of Mary?

Actually, the Magnificat was composed by Luke that he placed on the lips of Mama Mary. It is part of his artistry, of putting songs on the lips of some of his Christmas characters like Zechariah after John’s circumcision (the Benedictus) and later on Simeon (Nunc Dimittis) at the Presentation of Jesus in the temple.

Why? Because singing, like dancing, is the highest expression of our feelings to the one we love. Mothers sing lullabies to their infants, suitors compose and sing songs to their beloved, and we Filipinos sing and dance in whatever mood we are wherever we may be! There is always music in us from the simple gesture of washing the dishes, ironing of clothes to driving and taking a shower. When we sing and dance, we not only show what’s inside us but most of all who we are!

In singing the Magnificat which St. Luke patterned after a similar song by Hannah at the birth of her son the Prophet Samuel who’s story we heard in the first reading, Mother Mary expressed her joy and gratitude in the nearness of God among us not only with the coming birth of her Son Jesus Christ but also through her!

The late Fr. Raymond Brown, one of the great biblical scholars of our time noted in his classic “Birth of the Messiah” that Mary as the first Christian is teaching us in her Magnificat the essential task of every disciple of the Lord which is, after hearing the word of God and accepting it, we must share it with others, not by simply repeating it but by interpreting it so that people can see it truly as the good news.

Here we wish to mention something we have read recently about singing and dancing that the best singer or best dancer is one who can listen or hear – and fill the silent gaps in every piece of music. That’s amazing because singing and dancing are not about having super beautiful voice or precise steps. Singing and dancing are more of attitude, of claiming and owning a piece of music as yours. That’s why it is called an interpretation or as young people these days refer to as “cover”.

As we have mentioned earlier, one of the most popular Mass songs in the country is Mary’s Magnificat called Ang Puso Ko’y Nagpupuri but does it reflect our spirituality as a Christian nation?

Have you noticed how this 2025 that we heard so little of Mr. Jose Mari Chan his Christmas in Our Hearts?

I feel sorry for Mr. Chan when suddenly this 2025 he is more heard and seen in the McDonald’s commercial shouting “George!” to a fellow senior citizen. We as a nation momentarily forgot about Mr. Chan’s classic line “whenever I see girls and boys selling lanterns” because we as a nation is so disgusted with the ghost project scams of flood controls. We could not even emphatize with the family of the former Undesecretary of DPWH who had died of an apparent suicide because of the “breadth and depth and height” of their corruption running into trillions of pesos. They have cheated on us big time and we really wonder why the big “congtractors” and senators are not yet in jail?

But God has been so good to us this Christmas that we can all sing with conviction the Magnificat for indeed, “the Almighty has done great things for us” like putting into jail in a far away land the former president who called God as stupid not once nor twice but multiple times on television. That is aside from ordering the bloodiest anti-drug campaign he shamelessly likened to Hitler’s Holocaust of Jews in World War II.

The Lord invites us to make this 2025 as the last Christmas we allow corrupt and inept people get elected, that we finally put an end to political dynasty, and stop the stupidity and callousness of people in government who set a budget of 500pesos for people to enjoy noche buena.

This Christmas let us sing like Mary, as faithful disciple of Christ, sharing Jesus, always Jesus and only Jesus in singing the Magnificat in our daily witnessing to the Gospel, making Jesus come in our life of loving service to everyone especially those in need. Let us actively cooperate with Jesus like Mary his Mother to make these lines a living reality in our midst – “he has mercy on those who fear him in every generation, showing the strength of his arm by scattering the proud in their conceit, casting down the mighty from their thrones, lifting up the lowly, filling the hungry with good things, sending the rich away empty, coming to the help of Israel, for he has remembered his promise of mercy”.

More than a song and hymn, the Magnificat reveals us as the signs of the Christ, the Emmanuel, God-is-with-us! Amen. A blessed week ahead of everyone!

The Holy Rosary for Conversion & Peace

Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul, 07 October 2025
Tuesday, Memorial of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary
Jonah 3:1-10     <*{{{{><  +  ><}}}}*>     Luke 1:26-38

On this day of the Memorial of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary, our bishops have rightly set this as the National Day of Prayer and Public Repentance in the light of the grotesque corruption and its investigations along with the natural calamities that have hit our country recently.

For hundreds of years, the Rosary has always been used to intercede for peace and conversion not only in Church but also world history. In fact, this feast has its origin in the victory of Christian forces against the Ottoman Turks in the Battle of Lepanto Bay in 1571 that decisively stopped the Moslems from occupying Europe. The first Dominican Pope, St. Pius V attributed that victory to the recitation of the Holy Rosary that further led to its popularity and devotion that greatly spread when subsequent other victories in various parts of the world like the La Naval in the Philippines were attributed to our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary.

From Facebook post by Dr. Tony Leachon, “*KLEPTOPIROSIS: When Corruption Becomes a Public Health Crisis”, 08 August 2025.*

At this time when our country is again at the crossroads of great dangers and threats to its democratic institutions, it is very timely that we celebrate this feast with deep devotion and firm resolve to be converted.

Although we have a proper reading on this celebration, we have preferred to use the first reading of the day from the Book of Jonah when God sent the reluctant prophet to Nineveh to call on its people to be converted lest God destroys the city. Notice the immense love of God in this beautiful story of conversion: God never gave up on Jonah, calling him to go to Nineveh to proclaim his message.

Jonah began his journey through the city, and had gone but a single day’s work announcing, “Forty days ore and Nineveh shall be destroyed,” when the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast and all of them, great and small, put on sackcloth. When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, laid aside his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in the ashes. When God saw by their actions how they turned from their evil way, he repented of the evil that he had threatened to do to them; he did not carry it out (Jonah 3:4-6, 10).

*Photo by Aaron Favila, Associated Press, Barasoain Church, Malolos City, 22 July 2025.*

Remember, God never gives up on us. That is why he keeps sending us the Blessed Virgin Mary Mother to appear on various occasions especially these past 120 years to keep on reminding us of his call for our conversion essential to having peace.

See how in all of these apparitions of Mama Mary, there has always been the praying of the Holy Rosary. At her final apparition on October 13, 1917 at Fatima, she revealed herself as the Lady of the Rosary, proving once more the great power and lessons of this devotional prayer that has proven over and over again that indeed, “More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of” (Lord Alfred Tennyson). How?

*Photo by author, Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches, 20 March 2025.*

At the center of our Christian faith and spirituality is the invitation of God for us to “lose” ourselves to him, to trust him more than ourselves.

Jonah had to lose himself literally from the ship to be swallowed by the whale and spitted out after three days. And of course, the people of Nineveh from the king down to the poorest of the poor among them have to “lose” themselves by admitting their sinfulness and being sorry for them to be converted that resulted in God foregoing his plans to destroy their city. They actually won and did not lose in the process despite their sitting on ashes and wearing sackcloth.

In the gospel, we saw how Mary had to “lose” herself so that Jesus Christ may finally come by being born through her into the world when after the angel had explained to her the plan of God, she humbly said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed her (Lk.1:38).

Mary “lost” herself to God and eventually became an instrument for our victory in the salvation through her Son Jesus Christ who also “lost” by dying on the Cross only to emerged gloriously victorious after three days when he rose from the dead to win over death and sin for us.

In life, it is when we “lose” that we actually “win”, something we often fail to realize, especially the corrupt government officials and lawmakers. The only peaceful path to resolving all this mess we are into and preventing further escalations of the anger of the people is for those in powers to finally “lose” themselves in humility, to repent and be converted. Snap elections will never restore the confidence of people with them unless those tainted with corruption take the high road of stepping down as a first sign of their decency and statesmanship.

Residents of Hagonoy Bulacan walk their way to flooded portions of premise surrondings St. Anne Parish as they protested following exposes of flood control anomalies. Bulacan has been under scrutiny for receiving multi million worth of flood control projects but still suffers severe flooding. (Photo by Michael Varcas)

Let us pray for their conversion; let us pray for the judges and justices of all courts be fair and just in evaluating the evidence against these people blinded by money and power. Let us pray for them to realize that for a moment, they may “lose” face and money but eventually win salvation and peace. Only God knows what awaits them, if they repent and be converted or remain proud and sinful.

Let us pray for the conversion of Sec. Recto and government economists of the need for the State to “lose” in order to “win” especially the people by cutting our so many taxes. It is about time for the government technocrats to reduce our taxes that have mostly gone to corruption without serving truly the people who have contributed these with their blood and sweat. We are the most taxed country in this part of the world while our neighbors have shown how reducing taxes actually leads to more spending by the people that partly keeps a more vibrant economy.

Let us pray also for ourselves, for one another to realize the need for us to lose ourselves for higher values than material things that are eventually lost. We as a nation, like the Prophet Baruch our bishops have cited must admit our own sins to be “flushed with shame” (Bar.1:15) that all these mess we are into is due to our sins, to our turning away from God as we focused more in pursuing power, wealth and fame that now come so easily via social media.

*Photo by Pete Reyes, Sr. Porfiria “Pingping” Ocariza (+) and Sr. Teresita Burias praying the Rosary to protect mutineers during the EDSA People Power Revolt in February 1986.*

When we “lose” in God, for God, it is always a “win” in everything. Of course, it is always a difficult path to take that calls for daily conversion in Christ with Mary.

The praying of the six Our Fathers, 53 Hail Mary’s and six Glory Be’s are invitations to the Rosary’s rhythm of daily conversion by meditating the joyful, luminous, sorrowful, and glorious mysteries of the life of Jesus Christ with his Blessed Mother. That is not what not Jesus referred to as “meaningless repetition” of prayers (Mt.6:7); the Rosary is also a prayer method that helps us enter into union in Christ with Mary as guide.

The Rosary, though clearly Marian in character, is at heart a Christocentric prayer. In the sobriety of its elements, it has all the depth of the Gospel message in its entirety, of which it can be said to be a compendium. It is an echo of the prayer of Mary, her perennial Magnificat for the work of the redemptive Incarnation which began in her virginal womb. With the Rosary, the Christian people sits at the school of Mary and is led to contemplate the beauty on the face of Christ and to experience the depths of his love. Through the Rosary the faithful receive abundant grace, as though from the very hands of the Mother of the Redeemer (St. John Paul II, Rosarium Virginis Mariae, #1).

True, a lot often we may seem to “lose” many battles when we try to stand for what is true and good but in the end, we actually “win” the war against evil, the greatest victory Christ had gifted us, our salvation. That is why in Marian prayers like the Rosary as well as in hymns in her honor we ask her prayer for us sinners to be saved from hell and be brought to her Son Jesus Christ in eternity. That’s the final victory we all hope for in praying and living out the Holy Rosary with Mary. But first, lose ourselves to Jesus like Mary, even Jonah. Happy feast of our Lady of the Holy Rosary! Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II, Our Lady of Fatima University, Valenzuela City (our email, lordmychef@gmail.com)

*Artwork by Mr. Darwin Lance Arcilla, Campus Ministry, OLFU-Valenzuela City.*

Rebuild, repair, create in God

Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul, 24 September 2025
Wednesday, Twenty-Fifth Week in Ordinary Time, Year I
Ezra 9:5-9     <*((((><  +  ><))))*>     Luke 9:1-6

Residents of Hagonoy Bulacan walk their way to flooded portions of premise surrondings St. Anne Parish as they protest this was following exposes of flood control anomalies. Bulacan province has been under scrutiny for receiving multi million worth of flood control projects but still suffers severe flooding. (Photo by Michael Varcas)

God our loving Father,
today I feel like Ezra,
praying filled with
shame
sadness
and hopes
at how we can
rebuild,
repair
and create
in you something good
for our country.

“My God, I am too ashamed and confounded to raise my face to you, O my God, for our wicked deeds are heaped up above our heads and our guilt reaches up to heaven… And now, but a short time ago, mercy came to us from the Lord our God, who left us a remnant and gave us a stake in his holy place; thus our God has brightened our eyes and given us relief in our servitude… in our servitude our God has not abandoned us; Thus he has given us new life to raise again the house of our God and restore its ruins, and has granted us a fence in Judah and Jerusalem” (Ezra 9:6, 8, 9).

Like Israel of Ezra's time,
your know so well,
God our Father
how our country
the Philippines
had always been guilty
of putting into power
corrupt and evil men and women
without any respect for you and
your people especially the poor
and suffering;
as a nation, we have always
been fragmented
not only among each other
but within ourselves,
doing things contrary
to your precepts
that corruption in government
had sunk deeper
into wholesale looting
of government money and resources
at the expense of the poor
and suffering.

Scene at a wedding inside the flooded Barasoain Church in Malolos City, 22 July 2025; photo by *Aaron Favila of Associated Press.*

We are all angry.
Very angry, God our Father
for the shameless
people tasked to provide
us with infrastructures
and services that are
either non-existent or
substandard
because they have
looted the funds!

But, help us,
Lord,
how we shall go from
here in
rebuilding our nation,
our government,
our institutions 
including the Church
where some parishes
as well as priests
are beneficiaries
of the stolen money;
how can we repair
not only the buildings
but the lives of those
destroyed and humiliated
and how can we create
a more just
and humane
society in Christ Jesus
so that this systematic
corruption
is finally 
put into end.
Amen.

Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Our Lady of Fatima University
Valenzuela City
(lordmychef@gmail.com)

Seek the face of God

Lord My Chef Sunday Recipe for the Soul, 21 September 2025
Twenty-Fifth Week in Ordinary Time, Cycle C
Amos 8:4-7 ><}}}}*> 1 Timothy 2:1-8 ><}}}}*> Luke 16:1-13

Our readings today are so timely like today’s headlines of rampant corruption – actually looting – of tax payers money by DPWH officials in connivance with some lawmakers and contractors.

The scriptures are very challenging for us, especially the first reading from the Prophet Amos.

Hear this, you who trample upon the needy and destroy the poor of the land! “When will the new moon be over,” you ask, “that we may sell our grain, and the sabbath, that we may display the wheat? We will diminish the ephah, add to the shekel, and fix our scales for cheating! We will buy the lowly for silver, and the poor for a pair of sandals; even the refuse of the wheat we will sell!” The Lord has sworn by the pride of Jacob: Never will I forget a thing they have done! (Amos 8:4-7)

*Photo by author, Malagos Garden Resort, Davao City, 2018.*

The Prophet Amos is telling us something so true today that he had noticed in his own time almost 3000 years ago.

More than the growing economic disparity among the rich and the poor as well as the growing consumerism during his time still happening today, Amos is not promoting a political agenda nor advocating a revolt against the wealthy and powerful. Moreover, Amos is not like other demagogues encouraging the people to turn away from Money that has become the new god of so many in his time and today.

Amos is a prophet because he speaks in the name of God, denouncing what is inside the hearts of the greedy rich, of their perverse intentions that they keep hidden while observing religious rituals and celebrations – a hypocrisy so rampant even these days. But, with a new twist as it is happening inside the church, among us the clergy.

Workers of a new subcontractor of a flood control structure in Barangay Sipat in Plaridel, Bulacan, lay cement and steels on September 6, 2025 amidst the downpour of rain. Photo by Michael Varcas / The Philippine STAR

In the midst of these shameless flood control scams drowning us, let us take a closer look this Sunday where Amos is directing his strong preaching.

It is not merely to the abusive rich and powerful people but also to us inside the Church – we the priests and bishops and volunteers as Amos warns us how religious practices are easily used by everyone to cover one’s selfish motives especially those inside the church.

How sad that our own diocese is so late in denouncing the flood control scams when the DPWH office that orchestrated the shameful looting is right here in our province of Bulacan, under our pastoral care.

Except for the National Shrine of St. Anne in Hagunoy that is worst hit by the floods, it came out way ahead with a call to action that culminated in a rally on their flooded streets this Saturday led by their Parish Priest, Fr. Rodel Ponce prophetically leading his flock in their town’s flooded streets. Another Amos in our midst the other day was Msgr. Dars V. Cabral who led an ecumenical prayer rally in Malolos City with a letter that is bolder than our statement against the corruption.

Why we find the preaching of Amos directed to us in the church are the many connections and links of the involved DPWH officials with so many priests who have asked them for donations in their parish projects, asking them to be the fiesta hermano and donors of funds for church construction which is all over social media.

Check every treasury office of any LGU in the province and city and surely one could find “receipts” or photos of local executives and politicians with priests and bishops on vacation in expensive resorts or dinner in five-star restaurants. And that’s not just once or twice with some of them acting exactly like the nepo babies in flaunting the “good life” in social media, oblivious to the many implications of their actions like the many poor people who are denied of a decent funeral Mass for their departed loved ones when we are always out with politicians and the rich.

Amos reminds us too in the church of our double standards when we are so quick in condemning corruption and sins of those in government and society but we are so slow, even protective of our own brothers involved in sex and financial scams. And just like in the news, we are willing to sacrifice our lay people to take all the beatings just for the sake of our brothers in cloth lest they be put to shame.

The most pathetic double standard we have in the church is when we patronize politicians friendly to our crusades like pro-life and anti-divorce but ostracize those on the other side of the fence.

What a shame! Are they not all tainted with graft and corruption, not to mention immoralities we are so quick to point out in the church? Why can’t we stop asking politicians for favors? Why can’t we be contented with what we have and what we can?

If there is one thing we in the church must stop right away is asking politicians for any favors because that give them the reason, no matter how askew and flimsy, to commit graft and corruption. When we in the church like priests and bishops keep on pleasing the rich and powerful we teach them the wrong notion that corruption is acceptable, that being rich is the key to be close to God through priests and bishops celebrating Mass and sacraments for them.

This is where the very essence of the preaching of Amos is still so relevant today for us: like the people of his time, we too have stopped seeking the face of God in our lives. Like the people of the time of Amos, what we focus is money, money, and more money, a Mammom or false god we unconsciously worship.

This Sunday, Amos and the Lord Jesus Christ remind us all especially in the church to seek the face of God always – not the face of Mammon that has become the god of many these days.

Let us live in simplicity by being content with what we have. No need to bother the governor or any politician as well as parishioners just for us to have a grand party or a spiritual renewal and retreat out-of-town.

Seek the face of God, not the face of Mammon. That’s the point of Jesus in his parable today of the shrewd steward: the Lord praised the attitude not the person. If we could just be as eager and passionate like him in seeking the face of God in the church, corruption in our government and society would be lessened. Our country would be more humane and decent because in the process, the poor and suffering would realize too that it is God too whom we must first seek, not the face of money.

This Sunday as we all prepare for the rallies in Luneta and EDSA, let us first seek the face of God, let us go to Mass first to pray for our leaders as St. Paul tells us in the second reading. Amen. Have a blessed week ahead!

*We have no claims for holiness or being pure and clean but we have tried as much as possible since our seminary days never to ask donations from politicians that they may construe it as a permission to steal.

Praying for prophetic leaders

Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul, 16 September 2025
Tuesday, Memorial of Sts. Cornelius, Pope & Cyprian, Bishop, Martyrs
1 Timothy 3:1-13 <*((((>< +. ><))))*> Luke 7:11-17

Beloved, this saying is trustworthy: whoever aspires to the office of bishop desires a noble task (1 Timothy 3:1).

How timely
 are your words today,
Lord Jesus:
definitely it is about your
servants in the church;
but, it applies very much
with all other leaders
in the government
and civil society
who have pledged
to serve the poor
and needy.
Give us a prophetic bishop
who is most in touch with
our humanity,
not merely concerned
with one's self
and ego.

We pray,
dear Jesus for bishops
and government leaders
who are decisive
with what is true and good
and what is just most of all;
give us bishops
who act decisively
as a father,
a teacher,
and disciplinarian
not those concerned
with their status
and ego.

Jesus journeyed to a city called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd accompanied him. As he drew near to the gate of the city, a man who had died was being carried our, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. A large crowd from the city was with her (Luke 7:11-12).

How amazing,
dear Jesus,
that despite 
the "large crowd"
you were still able to spot
the grieving widow 
at the funeral of her only son
because you are so in touch
with our humanity
unlike with some bishops
and most leaders in government;
grant us prophetic leaders
who are in touch and amazed
with the dignity and honor of
persons as image and likeness
of God that like you, Lord,
they could feel 
and be one 
in the sorrow 
of those in pain
and sufferings.

In this point 
in our nation's history,
we need so badly,
dearest Lord Jesus,
a prophetic bishop,
even just one who could rally
the other bishops and priests
with the many faithful
to effect change,
to speak of the truth
so people would be shaken
and realize like the crowd 
in Nain who exclaimed
after you have raised the dead boy
to life, "A great prophet has
arisen in our midst."
Amen.

Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Our Lady of Fatima University
Valenzuela City
(lordmychef@gmail.com)

Christ and the Widow of Nain, c.1550-55 (oil on canvas) by Caliari, Paolo (Veronese) (1528-88); 97.7×163.8 cm; Private Collection; (add.info.: Christ and the Widow of Nain. Paolo Caliari (Veronese)(1528-1588). Oil on canvas. 97.7 x 163.8cm.); Photo © Christie’s Images.

Baha sa simbahan, nakabibinging katahimikan

Lawiswis ng Salita ni P. Nicanor F. Lalog II, Ika-12 ng Setyembre 2025

*Larawan kuha ni G. Aaron Favila ng Associated Press, Barasoain Church, Malolos City, 22 Hulyo 2025.*

Hindi ko malaman kung ako
ay matutuwa o maluluha
sa mga larawang nalathala
noong panahon ng pagbaha
sa aming lalawigan ng Bulacan;
kamangha-mangha 
aming pananampalataya
nagpapatuloy mga pagdiriwang
ng sakramento lalo na ang kasal
kahit lumusong sa baha
nagsisimba at paring nagmimisa
parang eksena sa pelikula
pagmamahalan 
ng mga magsing-ibig
pananalig kailanma'y 
hindi padadaig
sa buhos ng ulan
bumaha man.

Nang sumabog
na parang dam
mga balita ng scam
ng flood control program
sa lalawigan ng Bulacan,
galit at pagkainis
aming naramdaman
itong mga pagbaha pala 
ay kagagawan ng kasakiman 
ng mga halimaw sa kagawaran
kakutsaba sa kasamaan mga 
pulitiko at contractor 
habang mga mamamayan
walang mapuntahan
sa araw-araw na lamang
malapit nang maging aquaman
kalulusong sa baha
alipunga hindi na nawala.

Isang bagay 
ang aking pinagtatakhan
noon pa man
siya ko nang katanungan:
ano ang pahayag
nitong ating simbahan
sa malaswa at malawak 
na sistema ng nakawan 
na nasentro sa Bulacan
lalo't higit
unang naapektuhan 
maraming mga simbahan?
Nasaan ating tinig
at pagtindig 
laban sa katiwaliang ito
na matay mang isipin 
kay hirap ilarawan
maski paniwalaan!

Mayroon bang kinalaman
nakabibinging katahimikan 
pag-Hermano 
at pag-Hermana
ng mga nasa pulitika
dahil sila ang mapera
handang gumasta
sa mga kapistahan
dahil kanilang pakiramdam
banal na kalooban ng Diyos
kanilang sinusundan
kaya naman sila ay pinagpapala
at pinayayaman
sa patuloy na donasyon
sa simbahan
habang kapwa ay
ginugulangan
pinagsasamantalahan?

Masakit man sabihin
at mahirap aminin
itong mga ghost projects
at korapsiyong ating
kinasasadlakan 
ay atin din namang
kasalanan at kagagawan
sa patuloy na pagboto
sa mga bulok na kandidato
na sumasalaula
sa ating lipunan;
tumitindi ang kasamaang ito
sa tuwing mga politiko
at mga kawaning ganid
ang parating nilalapitan
upang hingan ng lahat ng 
pangangailangan sa simbahan
maski libreng tanghalian
na walang kinalaman
para sa ating kaligtasan!

Larawan mula sa Facebook post ni Dr. Tony Leachon, “*KLEPTOPIROSIS: When Corruption Becomes a Public Health Crisis”, 08 Agosto 2025.*

Paninindigan, hindi upuan

Lawiswis ng Salita ni P. Nicanor F. Lalog II, Ika-02 ng Setyembre 2025

Tayong mga Pinoy ay mayroong nakakatawang kaugalian ng pagkahumaling masyado sa ating upuan. O silya. O kung ibig ninyo ay salumpuwit sa malalim na salin sa ating wika.

Mula sa ating mga tahanan hanggang sa simbahan at silid-aralan, sa mga sasakyan, mayroon tayong mga paboritong upuan na atin nang inangkin na sariling puwesto, hindi puwedeng upuan ng iba. Sa jeep at bus, lahat gusto sa may estribo. Ganun din sa LRT/MRT. At maski sa eroplano kaya nakakahiya sa mga paliparan sa abroad ang mga kababayan natin na nag-uunahan kapag boarding time na gayong mayroon namang ticket ang bawat isa! Sa sinehan man ay ganoon din. Hindi mo malaman kung likas na tanga o maarte lang na ayaw sundin kinuhang number ng upuan kasi gusto pala ibang puwesto.

Likas marahil ito sa lahat ng tao bunsod ng sinasaad na kapangyarihanng bawat upuan na tinagurian ding luklukan o trono. Hindi man natin aminin, kapangyarihan ang dahilan bakit lahat sa atin ay ibig maupo malapit sa pintuan ng silid at ng sasakyan: hindi lamang para mabilis na makaalis kungdi upang wala ring makapigil na maliwanag na simpleng pagsasaad ng ating ambisyong maging boss na palaging nasusunod maski saan.

At siyempre, ang malalim at mabigat na dahilan ng ating pagkahumaling sa puwesto ng upuan ay ang kapangyarihan at katanyagang dala nito. Kung hindi ka man nasa kabisera na tinuturing siyang puno ng pagdiriwang, hangga’t maari ibig natin ay makadikit sa nakaluklok sa puwesto ng kapangyarihan. Kaya chairman ang pinuno ng ano mang samahan o komite, taglay ay pawang kapangyarihan. Pagmasdan gaano tiisin kanilang almoranas ng mga pulitiko at sabik sa puwesto basta manatiling naka-upo sa puwesto hindi sa paglilingkod kungdi para sa kapangyarihan at kayamanang kaakibat ng bawat posisyon. Suma total, sa upuan nararamdaman natin pagiging hari at reyna, pagiging panginoon at makapangyarihan. Wika nga sa Inggles ay “driver’s seat” – kung sino may hawak ng manibela siya masusunod kung saan pupunta.

Naalala ko lang… noong mga bata pa kami kapag sumasakay ng taxi, palaging sinasabi ng aming ama sa pagbibigay ng direksiyon sa drayber ay silya at mano. Silya kung liliko sa kaliwa dahil ang silya o upuan ng kutsero ay nasa kaliwang bahagi ng kalesa; liliko naman sa kanan kapag sinabing mano na Kastila sa “kamay” dahil hawak ng kanang kamay ng kutsero ang latigo o pamalo sa kabayo para lumakad o tumakbo at huminto. Kaya noon pa man maski sa kalesa, ang silya ay nagpapahiwatig na ng kapangyarihan!

*Larawan kuha ni Sarah-Claude Lu00e9vesque St-Louis sa Pexels.com*

Hindi masama ang kapangyarihan kung ito ay ginagamit sa kabutihan. Alalahanin tayo bilang tao ay binahaginan ng Diyos ng kanyang kapangyarihan upang malinang ang daigdig at matulungan ating kapwa.

Kaya nang pumarito si Jesus, palagi niyang nililiwanag ang aspektong ito ng ating buhay, ang wastong pag-gamit sa ating kapangyarihan na pakikibahagi lamang sa otoridad ng Diyos.

Doon sa kanyang Huling Hapunan ipinakita ni Jesus ang tunay na kahulugan ng ating “seating position” nang siya ay tumindig at hinubad ang kanyang panlabas na damit upang hugasan mga paa ng kanyang mga alagad. Ang gawaing iyon ay para lamang sa mga alipin ngunit ginampanan ni Jesus upang makintal sa ating mga isipan at kamalayan na ang buhay ay wala sa ating upuan kungdi nasa paninindigan.

*Larawan mula sa commons.wikipedia.org, painting ng paghuhugas ng mga paa ng alagad ni Jesus doon sa Monreale Cathed, Isla ng Sicily.*

Para kay Jesus, hindi mahalaga kung saan ka nakaupo, kung ano ang iyong posisyon at kapangyarihan. Ang pinakamahalaga sa Panginoon ay kung saan tayo nakatindig o nakatayo, kung tayo ba ay maninindigan katulad niya para sa kabutihan, katotohanan at katarungan.

Bisperas ng Paskuwa. Alam ni Jesus na dumating na ang panahon ng kanyang paglisan sa sanlibutang ito upang bumalik sa Ama. Kaya’t nang sila’y naghahapunan, tumindig si Jesus, naghubad ng kanyang panlabas na kasuutan, at nagbigkis ng tuwalya. Pagkatapos, nagbuhos siya ng tubig sa palanggana, at sinimulang hugasan ang paa ng mga alagad at punasan ng tuwalyang nakabigkis sa kanya.

Nang mahugasan na ni Jesus ang kanilang mga paa, siya’y nagsuot ng damit at nagbalik sa hapag. “Nauunawaan ba ninyo ang ginawa ko sa inyo?” tanong niya sa kanila. “Tinatawag nin yo akong Guro at Panginoon, at tama kayo, sapagkat ako nga. Kung akong Panginoon ninyo at Guro ay naghugas ng inyong mga paa, dapat din kayong maghugasan ng paa. Binigyan ko kayo ng halimbawa at ito’y dapat ninyong tularan” (Juan 13:1, 4-5, 12-15).

Para kay Jesus, ano mang posisyon o katungkalan ay para sa mapagmahal na paglilingkod sa kapwa (loving service to others). Kaya naman tinagurian ding “Maundy Thrusday” ang Huwebes Santo – mula sa salitang Latin na kautusan o mandatum – dahil noong gabing iyon nang ibigay ni Jesus ang kanyang utos ng pagmamahalan sa kanyang mga alagad. Ang sino mang tunay na nagmamahal tulad ni Jesus ay palaging nakatindig at naninindigan para sa minamahal. Walang tunay na nagmamahal nang naka-upo lamang, pa sitting pretty wika nga.

Larawan ng mga upuan sa loob ng Senado, marahil malambot at komportable habang karamihan ng mga kababayan natin nagtitiis sa matigas at marahil lumang upuan nila sa bahay. Kuha ni Avito Dalan ng Philippine News Agency, Mayo 2025.

Ito ang trahedya natin sa Pilipinas. Napakaraming nakaluklok sa iba’t-ibang upuan ng kapangyarihan ngunit hanggang ngayon ay kulelat pa rin tayo bilang bansa dahil wala namang tunay na naninindigan at nagmamahal sa bayan.

Pagmamahal sa sarili ang namamayani sa halos lahat. Kaya naman ang puwesto ay hindi sa paglilingkod kungdi sa pangsariling kapakanan ng mga nakaupo na palaging panig sa mga mayayaman at makapangyarihan. Pawang pakitang-tao lamang mga pagtulong sa maliliit at mahihirap ng maraming nakaupo saan mang puwesto maging mga dating nasa media na nang matikman tamis ng pulitika, lumabas kanilang tunay na kulay.

Palaging katabi ng upuan ay pera kaya naman sa halos lahat ng mga sala ng mga hukom mula Korte Suprema hanggang sa mga munisipyo, maraming kaso inuupuan na tanging katarungang mithi ng mga inapi hindi pa makamtan. Gayon din sa mga ahensiya ng pamahalaan. Puro pasarap sa puwesto mga bossing, naghihintay lamang ng lagay at pabuya kaya kulang at kulang pa rin mga buwis na pinapataw sa mga ordinaryong mamamayan.

At siyempre, hindi magpapahuli ang mga nasa rurok ng luklukan ng kapangyarihan – ang Malacanang at ang Kongreso na alam naman ng lahat ang matagal nang siste ng talamak na korapsiyon.

Ano pa ang ating aasahan kung nakapasok na sa sistema ng pamamahala ang mga mandarambong at sinungaling na pulitiko sa palasyo, kongreso at senado, kapitolyo at munisipyo pati na rin mga munting barangay hall? Sa gara at lambot marahil ng kanilang mga upuan, wala nang upisyal ang ibig tumindig at maninindigan liban sa iilan para sa katotohanan, kaayusan, katarungan at higit sa lahat, para sa bawat mamamayan.

Kailan kaya darating ang panahon na matupad ang sinabi ng Panginoong Jesus na ang “nagpapakataas ay ibaba, at ang nagpapakababa ay itataas” (Lk. 14:11)?

Marahil kapag tumugon na rin tayong lahat sa kanyang panawagang manindigan sa pagtayo mula sa ating komportableng upuan ng kawalan ng pakialam sa lipunan, hindi nasusuhulan lalo na kung halalan. Marahil kapag tumugon na rin ang sambayanan sa panawagan ni Jesus na gumising at tumindig sa paanan ng kanyang Krus upang kasama niya tayong masaktan, masugatan, at mawalan ng lahat para sa tunay na pagpapanibago.

Hangga’t pinipili natin ang masarap na upuan ng kawalang-pakialam sa mga kasamaang umiiral, darating ang panahon hindi na rin tayo makatatayo upang manindigan dahil sa pagkabaon at hindi na tayo makaahon pa sa gulo at pagkawasak sa ating lipunan. Huwag natin iyang payagang mangyari kaya’t makiisa sa mga talakayan at higit sa lahat manalangin para sa paninindigan at kabutihan. Amen.

Panaghoy kay San Juan Bautista

Lawiswis ng Salita ni P. Nicanor F. Lalog II, Ika-29 ng Agosto 2025

“The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist”, tinuturing na obra maestra ng batikang pintor na si Caravaggio noong 1608 na ngayon ay nasa Co-Cathedral ni San Juan sa Valetta, Malta; mula sa commons.wikimedia.org.

Araw-araw nauulit sa ating Kristiyanong bansa ang karumal-dumal na krimen ng pagbitay kay San Juan Bautista lalo na sa larangan ng parumi ng parumi at talamak na sistema ng korapsiyon sa ating pamahalaan.

Kaya minabuti ko na isitas buong tagpo ng Ebanghelyo ng kanyang Pagpapakasakit na ginugunita natin sa Simbahan sa araw na ito.

Basahin at namnamin, managhoy at tumangis ngunit pagkaraan ay bumangon upang labanan malungkot na kinasasadlakan nating lahat ngayon;katotohanan ni Kristo ating panindigan tulad ni San Juan Bautista laban sa mga makabagong Herodes, Herodias at Salome ng ating panahon.

Noong panahong iyon, si Herodes ang nagpahuli, nagpagapos at nagpabilanggo kay Juan dahil kay Herodias. Ang babaing ito’y asawa ni Felipe na kapatid ni Herodes ngunit kinakasama niya. Laging sinasabi sa kanya ni Juan, “Hindi matuwid na kunin ninyo ang asawa ng inyong kapatid.” Kaya’t si Herodias ay nagkimkim ng galit kay Juan. Hinangad niyang ipapatay ito, ngunit hindi niya magawa, sapagkat natatakot si Herodes kay Juan. Alam niyang ito’y taong matuwid at banal, kaya’t ipinagsasanggalang niya. Gustong-gusto niyang makinig kay Juan, bagamat labis siyang nababagabag sa mga sinasabi nito.

Sa wakas ay nagkaroon ng pagkakataon si Herodias nang anyayahan ni Herodes sa kanyang kaarawan ang kanyang mga kagawad, mga pinuno ng hukbo, at ang mga pangunahing mamamayan ng Galilea. Pumasok ang anak na babae ni Herodias at nagsayaw. Labis na nasiyahan si Herodes at ang mga panauhin, kaya’t sinabi ng hari sa dalaga, “Hingin mo sa akin ang anumang ibig mo at ibibigay ko sa iyo.” At naisumpa pa niyang ibibigay kahit ang kalahati ng kanyang kaharian kung ito ang hihilingin. Lumabas ang dalaga at tinanong ang kanyang ina, “Ano ang hihingin ko?” “Ang ulo ni Juan Bautista,” sagot ng ina. Dali-daling nagbalik ang dalaga sa kinaroroonan ng hari. “Ang ibig ko po’y ibigay ninyo sa akin ngayon din, sa isang pinggan, ang ulo ni Juan Bautista,” sabi niya. Labis na nalungkot ang hari, ngunit dahil sa kanyang sumpa na narinig ng kanyang mga panauhin, hindi niya matanggihan ang dalaga. Kaagad niyang iniutos sa isang bantay na dalhin sa kanya ang ulo ni Juan. Sumunod ang bantay at pinugutan si Juan sa bilangguan, inilagay ang ulo sa isang pinggan, at ibinigay sa dalaga. Ibinigay naman iyon ng dalaga sa kanyang ina. Nang mabalitaan ito ng mga alagad ni Juan, kinuha nila ang kanyang bangkay at inilibing (Marcos 6:17-29).

*“Salome with the Head of John the Baptist” isa pang painting ni Caravaggio noong 1607-1610 na ngayon ay nasa National Gallery sa London; mula sa commons.wikimedia.org.*

Hindi ba dapat nating tangisan 
itong nangyayari sa ating kapaligiran
na akusasyon noon laban kay San Juan 
ay pagsasabi ng katotohanan? 
Hanggang ngayon
kung sino nagsasabi ng totoo
siya pang napapasama at nakukulong
habang mga gumagawa ng
kasamaan at kabuktutan
hinahangaan,
niluluklok pa sa kapangyarihan
kaya mga Herodes 
lalo pang dumarami
tumatapang, ayaw nang patinag
kapit tuko sa puwesto
pamilya ginawang dinastiya.

Kay laking kabaligtaran
noong sina Eba at Adan
Diyos ay talikuran sa kasalanan,
nagtago sa kahihiyan
katawan tinakpan 
ng dahong maselan;
pero ngayon,
buwaya man mapapahiya
kapal ng mga senador at congressman
kung magmaang-maangan 
pinagsamang Herodes at Pilato
takot na takot sa katotohanan
akala pagkakasala ay mapaparam
kung mga kamay ay hugasan
gayong kadalasa'y magkatiklop
sa pananalangin
at kung Ama Namin ang awitin
silang mga Herodes nakahawak
kamay sa mga panauhin
bilang hermano, hermana
ng pista, magkukuratsa
kunwa'y mapasaya ang parokya
lalo na ang kura 
pati obispo nila!

*“Salomé with the Head of John the Baptist” isa pa ring painting ni Caravaggio noong 1606-1607 na ngayon ay nasa Royal Palace ng Madrid; mula sa commons.wikipedia.org.*

Nakaka-iyak
nakaka-inis
nakaka-galit
sa gitna ng maraming hirap
at sakit, 
may mga Herodias
pumapayag maging kabit
sariling pagkatao winawaglit
sinasaalang-alang sa kinang 
ng pera nahahalina
pakiwari'y gumaganda
ngunit di maikaila sa mga mata
kimkim nila ay galit
sa nagsasabi ng totoo
pilit nagpapa-interview
akala lahat ay maloloko!

O Diyos ko,
kalusin mo na ang salop
bago pa dumami 
at manganak
ng mga Salome bawat
Herodes at Herodias;
labis ang kalapastanganan
pinamamayagpag kayamanang
nakaw at panlilinlang pinagmulan;
walang pakundangan sa
gastos at pagmamayabang
hari-harian sa social media
pabebe lang ang nalalaman
nitong mga Salome 
kung tawagi'y "nepo babies"
ngunit ano mang wika 
kanilang gamitin
lilitaw pa rin pinagtatakpan
nilang kababawan kailanman
di kayang bigyang katuwiran
ng mga luho at karangyaan
na pawang ka-cheapan
kahit bihisan ng ginto,
pusali pa rin ang katauhan!

Hindi mauubus
mga Herodes at Herodias 
at mga Salome 
hangga't mayroon sa kanila
ay tatangkilik na mga hunghang 
na walang alam 
at tanging pinahahalagahan
kanilang mga tiyan
at sariling kaluguran;
kaya hayaan nating muling
umalingawngaw sa ilang
panawagan at sigaw ni
Juan Bautista: tayo ay gumising
sa ating pagkakahimbing
panindigan ang katotohanan 
kay Kristo lamang makakamtan!