The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Wednesday, Memorial of St. Boniface, Bishop & Martyr, 05 June 2024 2 Timothy 1:1-3, 6-12 <*((((>< + ><))))*> Mark 12:18-27
Photo by author, Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches, QC, 20 March 2024.
Thank you so much, dear Jesus for your words today that shed light again to this issue about divorce: of how resurrection is real because God is very much alive, very much present with us and in us!
Jesus said to them, “Are you not misled because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God? When they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but they are like the angels in heaven. As for the dead being raised, have you not read in the Book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God told him, I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? He is not God of the dead but of the living. You are greatly misled.
Mark 12:24-27
Most of all, you have shown us too how marriage is a path towards heaven: man and woman marry in this life for a taste of heaven, to work for heaven, to try making this imperfect world a heaven, your dwelling; we pray for all couples especially those going through crises these days to heed St. Paul's words to Timothy, "to stir into flame the gift of God" they have received on their wedding day before your altar:
For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and self-control. So do not be ashamed of your testimony to our Lord, not to me, a prisoner for his sake; but bear your share of hardship for the Gospel with the strength that comes from God.
2 Timothy 1:7-8
Remind us that life is always difficult because there is always the cross we have to carry; however, let it sink into us too that the cross is meant to make us better and stronger, that every sacrifice and mortification we make is not to lose life but actually to gain it more, to have it more fully! Most of all, every perseverance to love and to forgive, to be kind and be caring happen all in your grace, O God; in this age of instants when every difficulty has become a door to escape and exit from problems, let us not be ashamed of the real stuff that truly makes life meaningful by suffering and dying in You, dear Jesus; in this time of serious attacks against marriage, may we remember the words of your servant St. Boniface "Let us be neither dogs that do not bark nor silent onlookers nor paid servants who run away before the wolf. Instead, let us be careful shepherds watching over Christ's flock."
May we stand for what is true and good, O Lord, not only in words but especially in deeds, witnessing your Gospel. Amen.
Photo by author, Ubihan Island, Meycauyan City, December 2021.
The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Thursday in the Eighth Week of Ordinary Time, Year II, 30 May 2024 1 Peter 2:2-5, 9-12 <*((((>< + ><))))*> Mark 10:46-52
Illustration from linkedin.com.
Teach us, Jesus, to be like Bartimaeus; let us admit our blindness to what true and good and beautiful that is YOU; teach us to be like Bartimaeus to cry out to You, Jesus, to wait for You always, to believe in You as the Only One who can heal us of our blindness; most of all, teach us, Lord, to leave the side of the streets, to come to You, Jesus to the middle of the road to follow You on the way to the Cross!
He threw his cloak, sprang up, and came to Jesus.
Mark 10:50
Forgive us, dear Jesus for being so afraid, to confront head on the many ongoing debates and attacks against Your teachings we hold so dearly like the value of every person, the inviolability of human life, the sanctity of marriage; forgive us, Jesus when we hide in being "open" choosing to be silent just to accommodate the few noisy people advocating for too much rights without any responsibilities, speaking about equality without any regard at all for God and religion, spirituality and theology.
Let us be like Bartimaeus shouting louder than ever amid calls of some to be silent, to not insist Your teachings on others when it is indeed the only one true and just; let us be like Bartimaeus by affirming who we are - "a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that we may announce Your praises who called us out of darkness into his wonderful light" (1 Peter 2:9).
Have pity on us, Jesus, we want to see You and follow You. Amen.
The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Thursday, Feast of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Eternal High Priest, 23 May 2024 Hebrews 10:11-18 <*{{{{>< + <*{{{{>< + ><}}}}*> + ><}}}}*> Mark 14:22-25
Praise and glory to You, Lord Jesus Christ for reminding us this Thursday after the Pentecost of Your call for us to be like You, our Eternal High Priest, in gentleness and mercy, kindness and love; and the good news is all these are already in us when we were baptized to share in Your priesthood the Father had promised to Jeremiah fulfilled in You:
The holy Spirit also testifiesd to us, for after saying: “This is the covenant I will establish with them after those days, says the Lord: ‘I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them upon their minds,'” he also says: “Their sins and their evildoing I will remember no more.” Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer offering for sin.
Hebrews 10:15-18
Two Sundays ago, we celebrated Your Ascension that is more relational in nature than spatial, the leveling up of our relationships with You and with one another that is affirmed today by this feast of You, Jesus our Eternal High Priest and Mediator when You established the New Covenant on that Last Supper:
As they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to them, and said, “Take; this is my body.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and they all drank of it. And he said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.”
Mark 14:22-24
Photo by author, Chapel of St. Francis Xavier, Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches, QC, 20 March 2024.
These words, dear Jesus You fulfilled on the Cross the following Good Friday; in Your self-offering on the Cross, You fulfilled the temple worship by putting an end to those bloody sacrifices, rites and rituals of the Old that were empty due to the sins and weaknesses of the priests and people; in Your dying on the Cross as fulfillment of Your words at the Last Supper as our Eternal High Priest and Mediator, You have consecrated us as Your holy people; this perfect offering is what we celebrate, what we remember, what we make present daily in the Holy Eucharist; help us, therefore, dear Jesus, to be faithful and true to You by being more loving with one another as we face the Father in the Sacrifice of the Mass in You, through You and with You Jesus by sharing in Your Priesthood, help us laity and priests alike to be true in our witnessing, in our loving sacrifices for each other.
Every priest stands daily at his ministry, offering frequently those same sacrifices that can never take away sins. But this one offered one sacrifice for sins, and took his seat forever at the right hand of God. For by one offering he has made perfect those who are being consecrated.
Hebrews 10:11-12, 14
Photo by author, 2023.
Forgive us, Your priests and bishops, dearest Jesus whom You have called to act in "persona Christi" but have become more like the priests of the Old Testament so concerned with our name and position, power and wealth; forgive us, Lord Jesus, when we Your priests and bishops look and move like matinee idols or think and speak like managers than pastors of souls; forgive us, O Lord, when we Your priests and bishops have no more time to kneel daily be with You in prayers because we prefer to socialize and party with the rich and powerful that we miserably fail in finding You among the poor and the suffering.
Transform us priests and bishops to be more like You Jesus Christ, our Eternal Priest and Mediator in thinking, in speaking, in doing, in living, most especially in loving.
Let us not forget that You saved mankind by suffering and dying on the Cross, not with with programs and activities because Your glory can only be found on the Cross where death is conquered and led to life and light. Amen.
The Lord Is My Chef Easter Recipe by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Wednesday in the Easter Octave, 03 April 2024 Acts 3:1-10 <*[[[[>< + ><]]]]'> Luke 24:13-35
Photo by author, Della Strada Chapel, Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches, QC, 19 March 2024.
Continue to open my eyes, my heart, my total self to Your coming, to Your passing Lord Jesus Christ; Your tomb was empty because You chose to walk with me even when I was at the wrong path, in the opposite direction like those two disciples on the way back to Emmaus from Jerusalem because You were nowhere that Easter Sunday; what a beautiful gesture by You, dear Jesus, to walk with them, to converse with them, most of all, to make their hearts burn within!
With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him, but he vanished from their sight. Then they said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?” So they set out at once and returned to Jerusalem where they found gathered together the eleven and those with them…
Luke 24:31-33
Photo by author, Della Strada Chapel, Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches, QC, 19 March 2024.
My dear Jesus, many times I felt giving up of going back to Emmaus too, leaving Jerusalem at those times I felt You were gone; but when You helped me retrace my path with Your words and many signs, my heart burned within of love and faith in You that before I knew it, You have brought me back to Your path again with enough love to move on; keep me in Your path to the Cross, Jesus; let me immerse in the Scripture to discover in Your words Your presence, Your calling, Your life in my life and relationships with You, with nature, and with others.
Photo by author, Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches, QC, 19 March 2024.
Keep that fire of love burning within me, Jesus so that I may bring Your light and your warmth to those seeking You, those lost in life, and worst, those resigned in their situations like that man crippled from birth at the Beautiful Gate of the temple:
When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked for alms. But Peter looked intently at him, as did John, and said, “look at us.” He paid attention to them, expecting to receive something from them. Peter said, “I have neither silver nor gold, but what I do have I give you: in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean, rise and walk.”
Acts 3:3-6
There are times, Jesus, I look more into negative self, my distaff condition, my wounds even if I am looking at You like that crippled man expecting the trivial things than the essential ones like fulfillment in You; enable me to look for You in my heart, to see You in my self and on the face of others I meet.
Dearest Jesus, keep the fire of Your love burning inside me so I may see You and follow You more closely daily. Amen.
The Lord Is My Chef Good Friday Recipe, 29 March 2024 Isaiah 52:13-53:12 > + < Hebrews 4:14-16;5:7-9 > + < John 18:1-19:42
Photo by author, Chapel of the Holy Family, Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches, June 2016.
The evangelists tell us that Jesus died on the Cross on a Friday at about 3PM. And they tell us too that our Lord died praying, exactly what most of the Seven Last Words expressed.
But from the gospel we have heard this afternoon written by the beloved disciple, we discover something very beautiful about the death of Jesus, that He was very calm and peaceful in His prayer unto death.
After this, aware that everything was now finished, in order that the Scripture might be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I thirst.” There was a vessel filled with common wine. So they put a sponge soaked in wine on a sprig of hyssop and put it up to his mouth. When Jesus had taken the wine, he said, “It is finished.” And bowing his head, he handed over the spirit.
John 19:28-30
Photo by author, Chapel of the Holy Family, Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches, June 2016.
When we are deep in suffering, in severe pain like Jesus on the cross, what do we usually pray? Most often, we pray that the terrible ordeal we are going through would finally end, would be finished.
And sometimes, due to desperation, we even pray for death, of how we wish God would finally end our life to be free from all the problems we are going to.
One of the things I keep telling to sick people I visit came from Meryl Streep who acted as mother of Winona Ryder in the 1990’s movie “House of Spirits” when she said, “Do not pray for death because death surely comes.” Sometimes in our desperation, we feel death is the solution to our problems and sufferings. But when Jesus died on the Cross, He made death an offering, a gift of self in love.
Photo by author, Chapel of the Holy Family, Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches, June 2016.
In the original Greek text, the word used to express Jesus Christ’s final prayer “It is finished” is tetelestai from the root word telos meaning the final end and direction. It is not just an ending but a direction too.
From the very start, Jesus was clear with His mission and how it would be accomplished. He has always been sure of Himself, of who He is. Notice how the beloved disciple repeated many times in his account of the Last Supper how Jesus was “fully aware” of everything that was going to happen to Him that He was actually in control and never left to the whims and powers of His enemies when He went through His Passion and Death.
Last night we heard how Jesus knew everything was coming to end that He washed the feet of His disciples after their supper. Most of all, Jesus was so composed and serene that He even gave bread to His betrayer Judas Iscariot during their meal. In fact in the washing of the feet of His disciples to His agony in the garden, Jesus calmly and courageously faced death that in the end, on the Cross, He had the upper hand that He was able to pray “It is finished” because He was never made under the power of death completely as He would rise again on Easter.
In praying “It is finished,” Jesus consecrated not only Himself but also all humanity to the Father so that we are able to bear and face death squarely like Him. Very notable in this part is how we find only in the fourth gospel how Jesus died by “handing over his spirit to the Father.”
Remember the verb to hand over is the literal meaning of the Greek word used paradidomi or betrayal. But here at the death of Jesus, handing over has no negative connotation but purely positive; Jesus never betrayed or handed anyone over to sufferings. He bore all sufferings and handed these over to the Father. That is true passion in the active sense when we let things happen not because we are helpless and resigned to the situation but we passively take everything in the positive sense because we have that firm faith and deep conviction that being silent, being patient, being persevering will eventually bear fruit for us like the death of Jesus that led to Easter.
Suffering and death thus are not resignation nor mere surrender but submission to the higher power of God to convert darkness into light, sadness into joy, and death into life. There on the Cross Jesus showed that true power is in weakness.
Photo by author, Chapel of the Holy Family, Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches, June 2016.
After the consecration of the bread and wine into Christ’s Body and Blood in the Mass, we proclaim “Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again.” We call it as “the mystery of our faith” because when we say “Christ has died,” we admit that truly, the Son of God went through all kinds of sufferings in life we all go through like betrayal, rejection, loneliness, sickness, hunger, thirst, and yes, even death. And His sufferings continue as we suffer more in this world marred by evil and sins, making us cry, asking when would these end and be finished.
There lies the mystery of our faith on the Cross that led to Easter: when we look at Jesus Christ on His Cross, we see our own pains and agony as God’s pains and agony too. Jesus joined us in our anguish and death so that we could experience all the more His immense love for us. Without Jesus and His Cross, we would never be able to bear or even face the many deaths we go through daily. May we recognize God’s immense love for us again this afternoon when we venerate the Cross and see it as the merging point of human and Divine suffering. Keep praying with Jesus who has the final say with death in Easter. Amen.
Photo by Ka Ruben, National Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, Valezuela City, August 2022.
Lawiswis ng Salita ni P. Nicanor F. Lalog II, Ika-26 ng Marso 2024 Ika-anim na Huling Wika ni Jesus
Larawan kuha ni G. Chester Ocampo, kapilya ng Immaculate Conception Seminary, Guiguinto, Bulacan, 30 November 2015.
May isang mangkok doon na puno ng maasim na alak. Itinubog nila rito ang isang espongha, ikinabit sa sanga ng isopo at idiniit sa Kanyang bibig. Nang masipsip ni Jesus ang alak ay Kanyang sinabi, “NAGANAP NA!” Iniyukayok Niya ang Kanyang ulo at nalagot ang Kanyang hininga.
Juan 19:29-30
Kung minsan ako ay nalulungkot tuwing Huwebes Santo kapag natutuon ang pansin ng mga tao sa rito ng paghuhugas ng pari sa mga paa ng ilang mananampalataya. Tunay na kakaibang eksena at karanasan iyon sa mga tao ngunit ang totoo, hindi naman talagang bahagi ng Misa ng Huwebes Santo ang naturang paghuhugas ng mga paa na puwede namang hindi ganapin.
Ang tunay na lundo ng Banal na Misa ng Huwebes Santo ay naroon sa bahagi ng Ebanghelyong nagsasaad ng diwa ng paghuhugas ni Jesus sa mga paa ng kanyang mga alagad:
Bisperas na ng Paskuwa. Alam ni Jesus na dumating na ang panahon ng kanyang paglisan sa sanlibutang ito upang bumalik sa Ama. Mahal niya ang kanyang mga tagasunod na nasa sanlibutan, at ngayo’y ipakikita niya kung hanggang saan ang kanyang pag-ibig sa kanila.
Juan 13:1
Hanggang saan nga ba ang pag-ibig sa atin ni Jesus?
Hanggang sa wakas. O, end sa Inggles. Ngunit kapag sinabi nating hanggang sa wakas, parang mayroong hangganan ang pag-ibig natin kaya ang pahayag na ginamit sa pagkakasalin ay “ipakikita niya kung hanggang saan ang kanyang pag-ibig sa kanila.”
Mas mainam ang pagkakasalin sa Inggles ng huling pangungusap na nagsabing “He loved his own in the world and he loved them to the end.” Mula sa salitang Griyego na telos ang katagang wakas o end sa Inggles. Nguni’t salungat sa madalas nating isipin ang “wakas” bilang hangganan dahil ang telos ay nagpapahiwatig ng direksiyon at hahantungan na kaganapan o perfection. Hindi lang pagtigil at paghinto ang wakas o end.
Kaya naman nang sabihin ni Jesus doon sa Krus na “naganap na”, ang pakahulugan Niya ay ang kaganapan ng Kanyang misyon na mahalin tayong lahat hanggang sa wakas na siyang tinutukoy ng pahayag sa simula ng kanilang Paskuwa, “at ngayo’y ipakikita niya kung hanggang saan ang kanyang pag-ibig sa kanila” sa paghuhugas ng kanilang mga paa na ang kaganapan ay sa Kanyang kamatayan sa Krus kinabukasan ng araw ng Biyernes.
Ipinamalas sa atin ni Jesus ng buong-buo at ganap sa Kanyang pagkamatay sa Krus ang pag-ibig ng Ama para sa atin batay sa Kanyang sinabi kay Nicodemus, “Gayon na lamang ang pag-ibig ng Diyos sa sanlibutan, kaya ibinigay niya ang kanyang bugtong na Anak” (Jn.3;16).
Kung tutuusin ay hindi naman kailangang mamatay si Jesus sa Krus upang tayo ay maligtas ngunit pinili pa rin Niya ito bilang tanda ng Kanyang pagmamahal sa ating lahat. Kaya naman dito rin nating makikita ang magandang kahulugan ng pagmamahal na hindi lamang basta pagtupad sa mga kautusan o pagiging mabuti sa kapwa. Sa kabuuan nito, ang pagmamahal ay pagiging-ganap ng ating buhay. Love is the perfection of life, ayon kay Thomas Merton, isang mongheng Amerikano noong araw.
Kapag tayo ay nagmamahal, tayo ay nagiging ganap tulad ng Diyos! Kaya, basta magmahal lang ng magmahal hanggang masaktan dahil hindi iyan mauubos tulad ng Diyos.
Mga minamahal, yamang gayon kadakila ang pag-ibig ng Diyos sa atin, dapat din tayong mag-ibigan. Walang taong nakakita sa Diyos kailanman, ngunit kung tayo’y nag-iibigan, nasa atin siya at nagiging ganap sa atin ang kanyang pag-ibig.
1 Juan 4:11-12
Mula sa unang sulat ding iyan ni San Juan, ating matutunghayan ang pahayag niya na ang Diyos ay pag-ibig na ayon sa dating Santo papa Benedicto XVI sa kanyang unang encyclical na Deus Caritas est, ito ang pinaka-malalim na pahayag tungkol sa Diyos na hindi matatagpuan sa ibang relihiyon maliban lamang sa Kristiyanidad.
Mga ginigiliw ko, Diyos lang ang makapagmamahal sa atin ng ganap. Tanging si Jesus lang ang makapagmamahal sa atin ng ganap na Kanyang pinatunayan doon sa Krus.
Palagi kong sinasabi, “human love is always imperfect” kaya hayaan nating punan ni Jesus, gawin Niyang ganap at buo ang ating pagmamahal na palaging kapos at kulang. Maari itong mangyari kapag tayo nagsimulang magparaya at magpatawad, magbigay ng walang hinihintay na kapalit, manahimik kesa kumibo at humaba pa usapan. Tanggapin natin at angkinin mga sakit at sugat natamo natin sa imperfect love ng pamilya at kaibigan o sino pa man.
Tularan natin si Jesus na nagpakasakit at naghandog ng buhay sa Krus dahil sa pag-ibig.
Manalangin tayo para sa mga minamahal natin at sa nagmamahal sa atin sa kabila ng ating mga imperfection:
Panginoong Jesu-Kristo, sana makapagmahal din ako tulad Mo hanggang kamatayan; sana masabi ko rin sa wakas tulad Mo "naganap na"; patawarin po Ninyo ako sa maraming pagkakataon na hindi pa rin tapos at patuloy pa rin sa pagnanana ng mga sugat kong natamo sa imperfect na pagmamahal ng kapwa kaya hindi ako maka-move on dahil nilalamon akong buhay ng mga sugat at alaalang ito kaya hindi ako lumago at maging ganap sa Iyo. O Kristo Jesus, patawarin po Ninyo ako at turuang magpatawad dahil sa pagpapatawad kami tunay na nagmamahal ng ganap tulad Mo. Amen.
Lawiswis ng Salita ni P. Nicanor F. Lalog II, 24 Marso 2024 Ikaapat na Huling Wika ni Jesus
Larawan kuha ng may-akda, Kapilya ni San Francisco Javier, Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches, 20 Marso 2024.
Mula sa tanghaling tapat hanggang ikatlo ng hapon ay nagdilim sa buong lupain. Nang mag-iikatlo ng hapon, sumigaw si Jesus, “ELOI, ELOI, LEMA SABACHTANI?” ibig sabihi’y “DIYOS KO, DIYOS KO, BAKIT MO AKO PINABAYAAN?”
Mateo 27:45-46
Sa tagpong ito ating mababanaagan kadakilaan ng pagmamahal sa ating lahat ng Diyos, Siya na ganap, walang kapintasan at kakulangan (perefect) ay piniling maging katulad nating hindi ganap (imperfect) bilang tao sa lahat ng bagay maliban sa kasalanan kay Kristo Jesus.
Pinili at mas inibig ng Diyos kay Kristo na maging tao upang maranasan hirap at sakit natin maging ang kamatayan, lalo’t higit ang magdusa at mamatay na nag-iisa at iniwanan ng lahat doon sa Krus.
Ano mang paghihirap at pagdurusa ay nagiging napakabigat kapag ika’y nag-iisa, na walang kasama ni karamay. Ito pinakamasaklap sa panahon natin ngayon maging sa ating bansa na dati rati’y walang mga bahay ampunan para sa matatanda ngunit nagyon ay naglipana na dahil sa maraming matatanda ang iniiwan, tinatalikuran di lamang ng mga kamag-anakan kungdi pati ng lipunan. Ito ang dahilan kung bakit si Santa Mother Teresa ay bumuo noon ng samahan na mag-aalaga sa mga tinaguriang “poorest of the poor” sa India nang makita niya maraming may-sakit sa Calcutta namamatay nang mag-isa. Hindi lamang ito totoo sa mga mahihirap na lugar kungdi maging sa mga mauunlad na lupain ay maraming matatanda ngayon ang namamatay na lamang ng mag-isa sa buhay.
Larawan kuha ng may-akda, Baguio City, 2023.
Iyan man ay pinagdaanan ni Jesus lalo na noong ipinako siya sa krus na halos iwanan siya ng lahat. Sa labingdalawang alagad niya, naghudas ang isa habang ang pinuno naman nila ay ikinaila siya ng tatlong ulit kaya’t nagtago noon kasama ang iba pang mga alagad. Tanging si Juan na minamahal na alagad ang nanatili sa paanan ng krus ni Jesus kasama ang kanyang Ina na si Maria at ilan pang mga kababaihan.
Nasaan ang mahigit limang libong tao na pinakain ni Jesus sa ilang? Wala din doon ni isa sa mga pinagaling niyang mga may-sakit. Nawala at naglaho ang lahat ng tao na tuwang-tuwang sumalubong kay Jesus noong Linggo ng Palaspas.
Ngunit kailan man ay hindi naramdaman ni Jesus ang pagiging mag-isa doon sa Krus. Tulad ng sino mang mabuting Judio, dinasal ni Jesus noon ang Salmo 22, ang awit ng panaghoy, ng pagpapakasakit at buong pagtitiwala sa Diyos.
Ito ang mabuting balita ng pagkamatay ni Jesus sa Krus: mula noon tayong mga tao ay hindi na mag-iisa sa mga hirap at tiisin nitong buhay maging kamatayan dahil kasama na natin ang Diyos kay Jesus.
Ito ang ating consolation o consuelo, wika nga.
Mula sa dalawang katagang Latin na con (with) at solare (alone) na ibig sabihin ay samahan ang nag-iisa, naging pinakamalapit at tunay na kaisa tayo ng Diyos sa tuwing tayo ay nasa gitna ng mga tiisin at hirap sa buhay maging kamatayan dahil sa pagdamay sa atin ni Jesus doon sa Krus upang sa gayon sa kanyang muling pagkabuhay tayo man ay kanyang makasama at makaisa.
Sapagkat siya ma’y tinukso at nagbata, kaya ngayo’y matutulungan niya ang mga tiutukso.
Hebreo 2:18
Sa tatlong taon kong pagiging chaplain sa Our Lady of Fatima University at Fatima University Medical Center, nakita ko at naranasan sa maraming pagkakataon paano mga tao – bata man o matanda, mahirap at mayaman, may sakit o karamdaman maging mga malalakas at malusog ang pangangatawan – ay nararanasan ang pangungulila at pag-iisa sa gitna ng kanilang mga paghihirap at pagdurusa sa buhay. Marami sa kanila ang mag-isang umiiyak kasi maraming ginagawa o nasa kung saan-saan kanilang mga mahal sa buhay. Maraming pagkakataon nga naitatanong ko na lang kung mayroon pa bang umuuwi ng bahay o nakatira sa kanilang tahanan? Is anybody still home?
Larawan ng convolvulus tricolor mula BBC Gardeners World Magazine.
Halina at ipagdasal ang bawat isa, lalo na yaong mga nahihirapan, nagtitiis ng mag-isa sa buhay:
Diyos Amang mapagkalinga, ibinigay mo sa amin ang Iyong Anak na si Jesus upang aming maranasan Iyong pag-ibig at habag, ang Iyong pagpapagaling at pagkandili, ang Iyong kapanatilihan at kapayapaan upang hindi na kami mag-isa pa sa buhay na ito; maalala nawa naming palagi na kung kami man ay dumaraan sa napakatinding pagsubok sa buhay na tila nag-iisa at walang karamay, naroon si Jesus pinakamalapit sa amin dahil Siya ang unang nagpakasakit at namatay doon sa Krus para sa amin. Amen.
40 Shades of Lent by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Solemnity of the Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion-B, 24 March 2024 Isaiah 50:4-7 ]]+[[ Philippians 2:6-11 ]]+[[ Mark 15:1-39
From influencemagazine.com
As you all know by now, I turned 59 years old last Friday, March 22. For the second consecutive year, I have moved my personal annual retreat to my birthday so I can pray more, thank God more for his gift of life to me. This is one of my realizations in turning 59 years old:
"The more we enter the heart of Jesus where we find peace and fulfillment, joy and security, the more we also discover the dark and ugly sides of life. Darkness, pains, sickness, failures, and other forms of sufferings come to the fore when we are in God’s loving presence, and vice versa."
The more we see and experience God’s beauty, we also see and experience Christ’s agony and passion within our very selves and among our brothers and sisters. These two faces of life ever present in our earthly journey are perfectly shown to us by today’s celebration called “the Solemnity of the Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion.”
What we have this Sunday is actually a twin-celebration.
Palm Sunday came from the liturgy of the early Christians living in Jerusalem in the fourth century who started the Holy Week tradition with a procession of palm branches that later spread to France and Germany where the blessing of palms was introduced. Later in Rome in the 12th century, the Pope began the tradition of commemorating the Lord’s Passion on this Sunday with a proclamation of that long gospel narrating Christ’s entry into Jerusalem leading to His Last Supper until His Crucifixion and Death. It was only in 1965 during Vatican II when these two celebrations were combined into what we now have as the Solemnity of the Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion.
The merging of these two celebrations sums up the mystery we celebrate during Holy Week as well as the mystery of our everyday life wherein we have the glory of Palm Sunday in one hand and at the other hand, the darkness of our own passion as a sharing in the Pasch of the Lord.
Photo by author, Chapel of St. Francis Xavier, Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches, 20 March 2024.
I have intended a play in the word “hand” there as I prayed over our gospel this Sunday during my recent retreat. As directed by my Jesuit guide, I reflected on the four gospel accounts of the Lord’s Passion where I found the word “hand over” used so many times.
“To hand over” is the more literal translation of the Greek word paradidomi used by the evangelists in the “betrayal”of Jesus by Judas Iscariot. In Filipino, it is ipasa and ibigay that are more picturesque than ipagkanulo which is our equivalent of “to betray”.
Now, look at how our Filipino word ipasa takes on a deeper meaning when we reflect on how Jesus was “handed over” first by Judas Iscariot to the chief priests who then “handed him over” to Pilate who eventually “handed him over” into death by crucifixion. Pinagpasa-pasahan nila si Jesus! And that is how evil we are humans with God and with one another, using our very own hands, handing them over by manipulating them for our own selfish ends.
Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went off to the chief priests to hand him over to them. When they heard him they were pleased and promised to pay him money. Then he looked for an opportunity to hand him over… He (Judas Iscariot) came and immediately went over to him and said, “Rabbi.” And he kissed him. At this they laid hands on him and arrested him.
Mark 14:10-11, 45-46
As soon as morning came, the chief priests with the elders and the scribes, that is, the whole Sanhedrin, held a council. They bound Jesus, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate… So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released Barabbas to them, and after he had Jesus scourged, handed him over to be crucified.
Mark 15:1, 15
Photo by author, Chapel of St. Francis Xavier, Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches, 20 March 2024.
This handing over of Jesus – pinagpasa-pasahan si Jesus in Filipino took its lowest point in Matthew’s account when Pilate “took water and washed his hands in the sight of the crowd” (Mt. 27:24) to claim innocence in the Lord’s death. That’s how dirty our hands as humans have become! How ironic and tragic that the more we wash our hands in repeatedly handing over our family and friends, colleagues and even country, the more our hands have become dirty.
This Sunday, Jesus is inviting us to examine our hands, to clean our hands so that they become His hands of loving service, mercy and forgiveness, kindness and understanding and care for each other and nature. Let us remember the lessons of COVID-19 four years ago today when we constantly washed and disinfected our hands to be more responsible with each other, with nature and with life. Our problems are often the results of things getting off hand, out of control or too much control as we manipulate everything even God, persons and nations through elections as well as habits and patterns for economic and social reasons
“Ecce Homo” painting by Vicente Juan Masip (1507-1579) from masterapollon.com
It is so different with the hands of God expressed so beautifully in our first reading from the Prophet Isaiah’s Song of the Suffering Servant who was fulfilled in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.
The Lord God has given me a well trained-tongue, that I might know how to speak to the weary a word that will rouse them… and I have not rebelled, have not turned back.
Isaiah 50:4, 5
Here is a beautiful picture of God in Jesus Christ whose hands we have tied so many times as we insisted on our own ways, in seeking instant gratifications, in manifesting power through sheer strength. Here lies the beauty of God’s hands in Jesus Christ so opposite with our manipulating and controlling hands because His is of submission. Or passion.
The word “passion” is from the Latin patior that means to suffer or to undergo. It is related with the words passivity and patience – exactly like patients who just lie and wait on their beds, waiting for the doctors and nurses, for them to be healed and get better.
Passion here connotes passivity in the positive sense when we strip ourselves naked before God in order to be open to new possibilities like Jesus Christ eloquently expressed by St. Paul in the second reading when He “emptied and humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Phil.2:7, 8).
Photo by author, Chapel of the Holy Family, Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches, June 2016.
In his Passion, Jesus taught us that true power is in weakness like him dying on the Cross. Now here we find something so interesting with the synoptics account of Christ’s death when “he breathed his last” (Mk. 15:37) leading to the faith of a Roman soldier, a pagan.
When the centurion who stood facing him saw how he breathed his last he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”
Mark 15:39
What was in Christ’s final breath that convinced the Roman centurion that Jesus was indeed the Son of God? The fourth gospel gives us the answer: When Jesus has taken the wine, he said, “It is finished.” And bowing his head, he handed over the spirit (Jn. 19:30).
Here again we find the words “handing over” but this time in the positive sense. Jesus never betrayed the Father nor anyone; he instead handed over Himself to God and to us. That is passion when we suffer passively in the positive sense because we love, we care, we understand.
For us to enter into the heart of Jesus this Holy Week, we have to enter into His passion too. That is to submit, to surrender all our powers to God through our parents and superiors by emptying ourselves of our pride to be filled with Christ’s humility, justice and love. Amen. A blessed Holy Week to everyone!
Photo by author, Chapel of the Holy Family, Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches, June 2016.
Lawiswis ng Salita ni P. Nicanor F. Lalog II, Ika-22 ng Marso 2024 Ikatlong Huling Wika ni Jesus sa Krus
Larawan kuha ng may akda, 2019.
Ang ikatlong wika ni Jesus sa Krus:
Nakatayo sa tabi ng krus ni Jesus ang kanyang ina at ang kapatid na babae nitong si Maria, na asawa ni Cleopas. Naroon din si Maria Magdalena. Nang makita ni Jesus ang kanyang ina, at ang minamahal niyang alagad sa tabi nito, kanyang sinabi, “Ginang, narito ang iyong anak!” At sinabi sa alagad, “Narito ang iyong ina!” Mula noon, siya’y pinatira ng alagad na ito sa kanyang bahay.
Juan 19:25-27
Napakagandang eksena ang ating natunghayan sa ikatlong wika ni Jesus doon sa krus, sa gitna ng kanyang paghihirap at pagtitiis ilang oras bago siya mamatay. Naroon kapiling niya si Maria na kanyang Ina, ang “ulirang alagad” at si Juan, ang “minamahal na alagad.”
Kapwa tumatayo noon sa paanan ng krus ang dalawang naturang alagad para sa ating lahat ngayon: si Maria na sumasagisig sa Inang Simbahan, ang Katawan ni Kristo na ating kinabibilangan bilang kanyang mga anak, bawat isa ay minamahal na alagad ni Jesus.
Ngunit, nababatid kaya natin ang karangalang ito sa ngayon na wala nang halos nagsisimba ni nagdarasal at walang pakialam sa paghihirap ng kapwa lalo ng mga magulang?
Hindi ko po napanood (at walang balak panoorin) yaong viral na namang video diumano ng isang guro na kinunan ng kanyang mga mag-aaral habang nagbibitiw ng masasakit na salita dahil sa matinding galit. Maraming guro ang dumamay sa kanya at hiniling sa mga tao na huwag siya husgahan.
Sang ayon po ako doon. Nakakalungkot, nakakadismaya at nakakahiya maraming tao ngayon lalo mga nakababata tulad ng mga mag-aaral na wala nang kahihiyahan at pakundangan sa hirap at malasakit ng kapwa. Masyadong entitled na nga yata mga tao ngayon na tila baga umiikot at umiinog ang mundo sa kanila.
Ngayon ko lang nadama ng husto bilang chaplain ng Fatima University Medical Center ang pagkatakot at balisa, pagluha at pagtangis ng isang ina para sa kanyang iniluwal na sanggol na kailangang ipasok sa ICU dahil sa sakit at suliraning pangkalusugan. Hindi biro ang makakita ng bagong silang na sanggol na maraming nakasaksak na mga munting tubo para lang mabuhay. Pagkatapos paglaki ay lalapastanganin mga maglang at matatanda? Kung nalalaman lang sana nila pagmamal at malasakit sa kanila noong sila’y mga sanggol na may sakit!
Larawan ng “Lady of Sorrows” sa triptych ng Master of the Stauffenberg Altarpiece, Alsace c. 1455; mula sa fraangelicoinstitute.com.
Ang mga salitang binigkas ni Jesus doon sa krus para sa kanyang Inang si Maria at sa minamahal niyang alagad na si San Juan ay patuloy niyang sinasabi sa atin ngayon upang tularan ang dalawang naturang alagad niya. Araw-araw ay hinihimok tayo ni Jesus na sariwain kanyang ikatlong huling wika doon sa krus sa pagmamalasakit at pagmamahal natin sa bawat kapwa lalo na yaong mga nahihirapan at nabibigatan sa buhay.
Si Maria ang unang alagad at ulirang alagad ng Panginoong Jesus dahil siya ang unang tumanggap sa kanya at nagsabuhay ng Ebanghelyo. Si Maria ang unang nanampalataya kay Jesus kaya naganap ang una niyang himala sa kasalan sa Cana, Galilea nang mamagitan si Maria na tulungan ang mga bagong kasal na naubusan ng alak. Nanalig si Maria kay Jesus kaya inutusan niya ang mga tagapag-silbi noon na gawin ano mang sabihin ni Jesus. Higit sa lahat, si Maria ang unang nanampalataya na muling mabubuhay si Jesus kaya sa kanya rin unang nagpakita ang Panginoon noong Pasko ng Pagkabuhay.
Sa lahat ng ito, itinuturo sa atin ng Mahal na Birheng Maria ang kahalagahan ng kaisahan o union kay Jesus sa pamamagitan ng matalik na ugnayan o intimacy sa Panginoon bilang kanyang kasama o companion sa misyon. Kaya kung tutuusin, si San Juan ay katulad din ni Maria sa pagiging ulirang alagad ni Jesus kaya naman tinagurian din siyang minamahal na alagad. At iyon din tayo sa paningin ng Panginoon!
Damahin natin ang tagpo doon sa krus. Pagmasdan ang marangal pa ring itsura ng Mahal na Birheng Maria sa gitna ng matinding hapis. Nakatindig siya (nakatayo) at hindi naglulupasay o nagwawala sa lapag. Buong-buo kanyang sarili tulad ni Jesus sa kabila ng matinding hapis.
Ang “Blue Madonna” na Mater Dolorosa (1616)ni Carlo Dolci. Mula sa Wikimedia Commons.
Ito ang pinakamagandang katotohanan sa tagpong ito: mahigit pa sa mga luha at hapis sa mukha ni Maria, hindi maikakaila ang kanyang pagiging ulirang alagad ni Jesus sa kanyang taimtim na pananalangin. Pagmasdan na walang ibang ginagawa marahil doon ang Mahal na Ina maliban sa pagdarasal. Tingnan kung paanong magkaisa silang mag-ina sa hirap at dusa maging sa pag-asa at pananalangin kaya naman sila rin unang nagkita sa luwalhati ng muling pagkabuhay!
Sikapin natin ngayong panahon ng Kuwaresma at Semana Santa na muling malinang ating buhay panalangin upang katulad ng Mahal na Birheng Maria, magkaroon tayo ng kaisahan o komunyon kay Jesus na kung saan hindi lamang tayo nag-uusal ng dasal sa bibig kungdi namumuhay at nananahan kay Kristo. Tantuin nating mabuti na ang Dapat pagtayo ni Maria doon sa paanan ng krus ni Jesus ay hindi basta-basta lamang nangyari; ito ay bunga ng matalik niyang pakikipag-ugnayan at pagsunod kay Jesus na dinalisay ng buhay panalangin. Madalas tayo mga tao ngayon naisipan lang magdasal at magsimba kung mayroong problema.
Buong buhay ng Birheng Maria ay ginugol niya sa pagdarasal kaya noong bumaba ang Espiritu Santo noong Pentekostes, naroon din siyang nagdarasal kasama ng mga alagad ni Jesus. Si Maria ang pinakamagandang paalala pangalawa kay Jesus na ang pagiging alagad ay nagsisimula at nakabatay sa buhay ng panalangin, ng kaisahan sa Diyos kung kayat bawat pasya, bawat kilos natin ay bunga ng pagdarasal at kaisahan kay Kristo Jesus!
Manalangin tayo:
Panginoong Jesus, tulungan mo kaming maging katulad ng iyong Ina, ang Mahal na Birheng Maria sa pagiging iyong ulirang alagad; O Birheng Maria, ipanalangin mo kaming iyong mga anak lalo na kaming mga pari na dapat sana ay katulad ng minamahal na alagad na nakababad, nakalublob sa buhay panalangin; nawa katulad mo at ni San Juan, manindigan kami kasama ng maraming nahaharap sa mga pagsubok at pagdurusa; nawa masamahan namin ang marami pang iba nagtitiis ng mag-isa, walang kasama. Amen.
Lawiswis ng Salita ni P. Nicanor F. Lalog II, Ika-21 ng Marso 2024 Ikalawang Huling Wika ni Jesus sa Krus
Larawan kuha ng may-akda sa Mirador Jesuit Retreat House sa Baguio City, Agosto 2023.
Ang ikalawang wika ni Jesus sa Krus:
Tinuya siya ng isa sa mga salaring nakabitin, at ang sabi, “Hindi ba ikaw ang Mesias? Iligtas mo ang iyong sarili, pati na kami!” Ngunit pinagsabihan siya ng kanyang kasama, “Hindi ka ba natatakot sa Diyos? Ikaw may pinarurusahang tulad niya! Matuwid lamang na tayo’y parusahan nang ganito dahil sa ating mga ginawa; ngunit ang taong ito’y walang ginawang masama.” At sinabi niya, “JESUS ALALAHANIN MO AKO KAPAG NAGHAHARI KA NA.” Sumagot si Jesus, “SINASABI KO SA IYO: NGAYON DI’Y ISASAMA KITA SA PARAISO.”
Lukas 23:39-43
Muli ay ating namnamin ikalawang wika ni Jesus doon sa Krus pagkapako sa kanya. Nauna niyang sinambit ay kapatawaran; ngayon naman kanya itong sinundan ng pangako ng langit o paraiso.
At iyon ay agad-agad na, ora mismo! Wika nga ng mga bata, “now na”! Hindi mamaya pagkamatay nila ni Jesus o sa Linggo sa kanyang pagkabuhay. Malinaw na sinabi ni Jesus kay Dimas, “SINASABI KO SA IYO: NGAYON DI’Y ISASAMA KITA SA PARAISO.”
Tantuin ninyo mga ginigiliw ko na sa ebanghelyo ayon kay San Lukas, namutawi lamang sa mga labi ni Jesus ang pangakong ito ng paraiso noong siya ay nakabayubay sa krus at hirap na hirap. Wala siyang pinangakuan ng langit nang siya ay malaya at malakas na nakakagalaw, naglilibot at nangangaral.
Alalaong-baga, pumapasok tayo sa langit kasama si Jesus sa sandaling kasama din niya tayong nagtitiis, nagdurusa, nagpapakasakit dahil sa pagmamahal doon sa Krus!
Ang krus ang pintuan papasok sa langit o paraiso.
Madalas naiisip natin kapag nabanggit o narinig ang katagang langit at paraiso ay kagalakan, kawalan ng hirap at dusa. Basta masarap at maayos sa pakiramdam, langit iyon sa atin. Kaya mga addict noon at ngayon kapag sila ay sabog at nasa good trip, iyon ay “heaven” dahil wala silang nadaramang problema at hirap sa buhay.
Larawan kuha ng may akda, 2023.
Kaya hindi rin kataka-taka na ang gamot nating laging binibili ay pain killer – konting sakit ng ulo o kasu-kasuan, naka-Alaxan kaagad. Noong dati ay mayroong shampoo na “no more tears” dahil walang hilam sa mata.
Gayon ang pananaw natin sa langit. At tumpak naman iyon kaya nga sa pagbabasbas ng labi ng mga yumao, dinarasal ng pari, “Sa paraiso magkikitang muli tayo. Samahan ka ng mga Santo, kahit mayroong nauuna, tayo rin ay magsasama-sama upang lagi tayong lumigaya sa piling ng Diyos Ama. Amen.”
Nagmula ang salitang paraiso sa katagang paradiso na tumutukoy sa kaloob-loobang silid ng hari ng Persia (Iran ngayon) kung saan tanging mga pinagkakatiwalaang tao lamang ang maaring makapasok kasama ang royal family. Kaya nang isalin sa wikang Griyego ang mga aklat ng Bibliya, hiniram ang katagang paradiso ng mga taga-Persia at naging paraiso upang tukuyin ang langit na tahanan ng Diyos na higit pa sa sino mang hari sa mundo.
Ngunit, katulad ng silid na paradiso ng hari ng Persia, hindi lahat ay basta-basta na lamang makakapasok ng paraiso. Alalahanin nang magkasala sina Eba at Adan, pinalayas sila ng Diyos at mula noon ay nasara ang paraiso; muli itong nabuksan kay Kristo nang sagipin niya tayo doon sa krus na nagbunga sa pagwawalang-sala sa ating mga makasalanan. Dahil sa krus ni Jesus, tayo ay naging karapat-dapat patuluyin sa paraiso. Sa tuwing ating tinatanggap ang krus ni Kristo, tayo ay nagiging tapat sa Diyos sa pamamagitan ng pagmamahal at paglilingkod sa kapwa. Noon din tayo pumapasok ng paraiso.
Sa panahong ito na wala nang hanap ang karamihan kungdi sarap at kaluguran, ipinaaalala sa atin ni Jesus sa ikalawang wika na ibig niya tayong makapiling ngayon din sa paraiso kung tayo ay mananatiling kasama niya sa pagtitiis at pagpapakasakit sa ngalan ng pag-ibig sa Diyos at kapwa.
Sa panahong ito na dinidiyos masyado ang katawan at sarili upang maging malusog, malakas at kung maari ay manatiling bata at mura ang edad, pinapaalala ni Jesus sa kanyang ikalawang huling wika sa krus na sino mang nasa banig ng karamdaman pati na yaong mayroong kapansanan ay unti-unti na ring pumapasok ng langit ngayon din sa kanilang tinitiis na hirap at sakit.
Sa panahong ito na lahat ay pinadadali at hanggat maari iniiwasan ano mang hirap at dusa, pinapaalala ni Jesus sa kanyang ikalawang huling wika na sa ating pagsusumakit sa maraming tiisin at pasanin sa buhay na ito, noon din tayo pumapasok sa paraiso kahit na kadalasan ito ay nagtatagal sa paghihintay.
Larawan kuha ng may-akda, 2018.
Noong pandemic, natutunan natin na hindi lahat ng tinuturing ng mundo na negatibo ay masama kasi noong mga panahong iyon, iisa ating dasal tuwing tayo ay sasailalim ng COVID test na sana ay “negative” tayo, hindi ba? Noon natutunan natin yung negative ay positive. At iyon mismo ang kahulugan ng krus ni Kristo!
Para sa atin, ano mang mahirap, masakit tulad ng krus ay negatibo ngunit kung tutuusin, ang krus ay hugis positibo o “plus sign” (+) at hindi minus (-); kaya, ano mang hirap at pagtitiis sinasagisag ng krus ay mabuti dahil hindi ito nakakabawas bagkus nakapagdaragdag sa ating pagkatao na naghahatid sa atin sa kaganapan at paglago. Sa suma total, eka nga, sa paraiso!
Ang mga tiisin at pagsubok sa buhay ang nagpapatibay at nagpapabuti sa atin upang maging karapat-dapat makapasok sa paraiso at makapanahan ang Haring magpakailanman – ngayon din, ora mismo, now na!
Kaya, manalangin tayo:
Panginoong Jesus, bago pa man dumating lahat nitong aming tiisin at pasanin sa buhay, nauna ka sa aming nagtiis at nagpasan ng krus noong Biyernes Santo; nauna kang nagpakasakit at namatay noon sa Krus dahil sa pagmamahal sa amin; kaya, patatagin mo ako sa aking katapatan at pananampalataya sa Iyo upang manatiling kaisa mo sa krus ng kalbaryo ng buhay upang ngayon din Ikaw ay aking makapiling, makasama sa Paraiso. Amen.
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