Priesthood is face of Christ

Lord My Chef Daily Recipe by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Wednesday in the Second Week of Advent, 10 December 2025
Presbyteral Anniversary Homily of former parishioner and students
Isaiah 40:25-31     <*{{{{><  +  ><}}}}*>     Matthew 11:28-30

Advent is seeking the face of God – and so is the priesthood. The joy of our priesthood to a large extent is our continuous seeking for the face of God. It is part of human nature that we always seek and associate a face behind every name and voice.

When we were called to the priesthood, we first heard a “voice” that led us into the high school seminary. That’s why priesthood is a vocation, a call from the Latin verb “voco, vocare, vocavi”.

But, we pursued further our vocation into the major seminary, some had to leave for a while while others were sent out in order to see the face behind this voice, this call because the most essential in priesthood is the Caller Jesus Christ, not really his call.

In our search for Jesus and his face, it is hoped that eventually we as priests become the face of Jesus to everyone, speaking to them those same gentle words to “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest” (Mt.11:28).

Thank you very much for inviting me again to speak to the three of you – Fr. RA, Fr. LA, and Fr. Howard. (Can we call you as Fr. HA so that your name finally rhyme with the two as in “Hahahaha”?)

*Sixth Presbyteral Anniversary of Fr. Ra, Fr. LA, and Fr. Howard, 10 December 2025, ICS Chapel.*

Congratulations on your sixth presbyteral anniversary. They say the first five years of priesthood is the “honeymoon stage”; so now, you enter the reality stage when many times you will be disillusioned in the ministry, especially with your brother priests who are supposed to be the face of Christ – but not!

That is why the readings for today on your sixth presbyteral anniversary are so appropriate as they offer the Advent message of comfort and encouragement, and a promise of salvation – the message every priest needs to hear these days when our leaders in government and yes, even in the church seem to be so weak and without direction, far from Jesus our Eternal Priest.

The Lord invites us through the Prophet Isaiah to look up and pray – to see the stars in the heavens, the bright constellations that form objects and animals like “faces” on the dark skies of the night.

*Photo by author from the Dominus Flevit Church overlooking Jerusalem, May 2017.*

“To whom can you liken me as an equal? says the Lord” (Is.40:25).

Do we still pray and reflect on the mystery of God’s power and care? Or are the priorities of the day a constant distraction?

We shall never see the face of Christ in ourselves nor in the people we serve no matter how dedicated we are if we do not pray. It is our prayer life, especially those intense moments of silence before the Blessed Sacrament that will show us the face of Christ. According to Abp. Fulton Sheen, the more we pray before the Blessed Sacrament, the more we look like Jesus. Before Pope Benedict XVI died, he wrote that all these sex scandals that have rocked the Church in the past decades are largely due to fewer priests making time for Christ in the Blessed Sacrament.

Before our ministry came, there was Jesus first calling us to be with him, to be one in him in prayers. Palagi nating unahin si Jesus higit sa lahat. Our efforts find meaning only in Christ as Isaiah tells us, “Though young men faint and grow weary, and youths stagger and fall, they that hope in the Lord will renew their strength, they will soar with eagles’ wings; they will run and not grow weary, walk and not grow faint” (Is.40:30-31).

It is funny that when you invited me last month Fr. RA and Fr. Howard, I asked you if it is the anniversary of our GC? Yes, these three crazy men keep a GC, just the three of them and to make it more like a group, they included me into their folly.

*First Mass of Fr. RA in our Parish in Bagbaguin, Sta. Maria, Bulacan six years ago.*

That is the landscape of our Church today when we live our faith in a mass-mediated culture where we find images especially faces so prominent more than ever as in Facebook. There lies hidden the hidden schemes of the devil to mislead us priests in exposing more our faces than being the face of Christ.

A friend in media recently asked me if those priests in that grand procession are really priests as she wondered why they wear those elaborate vestments they look like Poon and imahen.

I felt what she was driving at – rampa pa more! Isn’t she right?

Except for the Nazareno in Quiapo and Sto. Nino in Cebu, most of our Church processions have all turned into pageantries with all the pomp and gaiety of a show, a palabas.

Puro palabas na tayo, wala nang paloob which is the deeper meaning of the “face”: not as something outside o panglabas but more of the inside. Face is image and likeness, that thing that identifies us. Our identification or ID is Jesus Christ. That is the reason the new Ratio in seminary formation had renamed the theology department as “configuration” stage.

Be the face of Jesus to the people you serve, Fr. RA, Fr. LA and Fr. Howard.

*First priest of St. John Evangelist Parish in Bagbaguin; actually second after Bp. Bart Santos who was ordained when Bagbaguin was still under La Purisima.*

Be the face of Christ too to us priests because these days, many priests follow and show other faces than Christ’s. As I used to tell you, kapag ang pari mabuti sa kapwa pari, tiyak na mabuting tao siya; pero kapag ang pari kahit anong bait (hindi buti, ha) sa mga tao pero masama sa kapwa pari, hindi yan mabuting tao.

St. John the Evangelist, the Patron Saint of Fr. RA in Bagbaguin wrote in one of his letters that “No one has ever seen God. Yet, if we love one another, God remains in us, and his love is brought to perfection in us” (1Jn.4:12).

So beautiful! It is when we truly love, especially like Jesus our Eternal Priest, that we become the face of Christ, when we see the face of Christ. Amen. And cheers to six years in priesthood!

Visions and images

Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Tuesday, Memorial of St. Catherine of Alexandria, Virgin and Martyr
Daniel 2:31-45 <*((((>< + ><))))*> Luke 21:5-11

*Photo by author, Cathedral of St. Catherine of Alexandria, Dumaguete City, 07 November 2024.*

Thank you,
dearest God our Father
in reminding us today of
visions and images:
vision in the dream of
Nebuchadnezzar of the rise
and fall of kingdoms and empires
vis-a-vis 
your absolute power above all
in this world;
and of the image of the temple
as your presence made permanent
in Jesus Christ your Son.

While some people were speaking about how the temple was adorned with costly stones and votive offerings, Jesus said, “All that you see here – the days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down” (Luke 21:5-6).

You sent us your Son, Jesus Christ
as the ultimate sign of your presence,
better than any temple nor building;
clear our minds of the temporal nature
of things, to be more focused on Jesus
as the sign interconnecting us with you
and one another; most of all,
may his warnings spoken in Jerusalem
resound in us today of the destruction
not only of temple but also of a 
breakdown in our relationships
with you and with one another;
may Jesus be our sole temple
and foundation in life.

Teach us to be like
St. Catherine of Alexandria
who spent her life in prayer
and studies to know you more,
love you more and serve you more
even in offering her very self 
as a virgin and apologist
of your truth; like her,
may we be consistent
in professing our faith in you
so that even in the face of
strong opposition, we too
may win over those who doubt you
as Lord and God.
Amen.

*Photo by author, monastery of St. Catherine of Alexandria at Mt. Sinai, Egypt, May 2019.*

What Christ himself is

Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul, 11 September 2025
Thursday, Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time, Year I
Colossians 3:12-17     <*((((><  +  ><))))*>     Luke 6:27-38

*Photo by Ms. Jo Villafuerte in Atok, Benguet, September 2019.*

Your words today
Lord Jesus are very soothing,
so personal,
so YOU!

Brothers and sisters: Put on, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another… And over all these put on love, that is, the bond of perfection (Colossians 3:12-13, 14).

A disciple should be like
the one he follows
and much of this words
by St. Paul describe you,
Lord Jesus Christ -
and how I miserably fail!
Forgive me for not being
compassionate and kind,
humble and gentle,
patient and forgiving like you,
Jesus; help me to put on
more love so that I may look like
you, my Lord and Master.
Amen.

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

Advent is fulfillment

The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Simbang Gabi-8 Homily, 23 December 2024
Malachi 3:1-4, 23-24     <'[[[[><  +  ><]]]]'>     Luke 1:57-66

*Photo by author, Church of St. John the Baptist, the Holy Land, May 2019.*

We are now in our penultimate day of our Simbang Gabi. I love that word “penultimate” so often found in the sports page that means second to the last of the series.

From the Latin prefix pen- meaning “almost” + ultimatum for “last”, penultimate literally means “almost last” which gives a sense of fulfillment and of completion – exactly how we feel this eighth day of Simbang Gabi that is almost over with everything already fulfilled in our readings and prayers for Christmas.

When the time arrived for Elizabeth to have her child she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy toward her, and they rejoiced with her. When they came on the eighth day to circumcise the child, they were going to call him Zechariah after his father, but his mother said in reply, “No. He will be called John.” But they answered her, “There is no one among your relatives who has this name.” So they made signs, asking his father… He asked for a tablet and wrote, “John is his name.” Immediately, his mouth was opened, his tongue freed, and he spoke blessing God. All who heard these things took them to heart, saying, “What, then, will this child be?” For surely the hand of the Lord was with him (Luke 1:57-62, 63-64, 66).

*Painting of “Saint Luke Drawing the Virgin” by Flemish painter Roger van der Weyden (1400-1464); photo from en.wikipedia.org.*

See again the artistry and advocacy of Luke as an evangelist and a journalist. We can imagine the scene, experience the joy and excitement of the event in the tight-knit community with all the wonderful elements of a drama in real life.

Leading the scene is Elizabeth, the priest’s wife barren for years and beyond hope now gives birth to a son, creating excitement and gossip among the many Marites. Then Zechariah the priest who was silenced for nine months due to his doubts with the good news announced to him by the angel finally spoke praising God, filled with gratitude and wonder. And of course, the uzis (usiseros), the neighbors who shared in the joy and for a good reason and intentions wanted the baby named after his father.

That’s when Luke showed his skillful mastery of weaving together a wonderful piece of tapestry clearly designed by God that surprised everyone, including us today. “When they came on the eighth day to circumcise the child, they were going to call him Zechariah after his father, but his mother said in reply, “No. He will be called John.” But they answered her, “There is no one among your relatives who has this name.” So they made signs, asking his father… He asked for a tablet and wrote, “John is his name.” Immediately, his mouth was opened, his tongue freed, and he spoke blessing God.“

Again, notice another minute detail mentioned by Luke when he called Elizabeth “his mother”.

Of the four evangelists, Luke is the one who gave a lot of emphasis on the role of women in the society, especially the ancient Jewish one that was strongly patriarchal.

In the Visitation story yesterday, it was only Luke who had written a scene in the whole Bible with two women together conversing and in very positive mood. Women were so rarely put together in one scene especially in the Old Testament, a sort of what we may call as “gender bias” because women were always at odds with each other, even quarreling. Except for the Book of Ruth where we find two women not only in a single scene but a whole book and yet very pronounced there how it was Naomi the mother-in-law always portrayed in control or leading, always speaking while Ruth was silent, giving an impression of being so lovely yet very soft even submissive to elders and men.

Luke wrote the Visitation scene to clarify all these gender bias of their world then that persists even to our own time. Luke made a loud and clear statement in putting together Elizabeth and Mary in this one scene, an old, barren woman and a virgin, unmarried maiden both so blessed by God with infants in their wombs. Not only men are called by God to a special mission but most especially women who give birth. Elizabeth and Mary represent all the women of the world to remind everyone for all time that they are created in the image and likeness of God, with same dignity as men who must be respected at all times as indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

Notice how throughout the scene from the annunciation to Zechariah and the Visitation, the wife of Zechariah was referred to by her name Elizabeth but, when controversy arose about the name to give her son, Luke emphatically wrote “his mother” to show that she has every right over her son, reaching its climax when Zechariah affirmed the mother as he wrote “John is his name.”

Think of those moments in your life when there are reversal of roles and suddenly God threw you – catapulted you – to a major role in life you only entertained in your wishful thinking and daydreaming because you have given them up, you have surrendered it due to a very long time of being disappointed like Elizabeth or Zechariah?

Think of those times when you realized, when you felt being at the center of attention for a good reason because you are good, you are so blessed, you did the right thing? How do you feel of the grace of God?

Think of those times when you did something so good that prompted others to “prepare the way of the Lord” like John the Baptist, when people around you were wondering what else you would achieve because clearly, God is with you?

On this penultimate day to Christmas, take time to speak God from your heart as you prepare for the fulfillment of His promise to you. I tell you, claim it now whatever you are asking God for Christmas. Remember what the angel told Mary at the annunciation, “nothing will be impossible for God.” Dare to open yourself to God, create a space within you for Him alone and let Him lead you like Zechariah whose name means “God remembers”, Elizabeth which means “God has promised” and John, “God is gracious.”

On this penultimate day to Christmas, we are assured God is gracious because God remembers His promise always. Amen. Have a blessed week ahead.

*Photo by author, birthplace of St. John the Baptist underneath the Church of St. John the Baptist, the Holy Land, May 2019.*

Husband & Wife, an Icon of Christ

Quiet Storm by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II, 04 June 2024

Here is our second instalment of our contribution in reflecting why divorce should not be allowed because it is against the plan of God and therefore, a sin. Please, we are not judging anyone here.

It is the simple truth that for the longest time people have refused to accept in their hearts that they have continuously sought ways of justifying divorce because right in their hearts, they are the first ones bothered. They had their chance to confront Jesus Christ about it 2000 years ago but the Lord minced no words when He declared the painful truth any pro-divorce would not discuss, “Because of the hardness of your hearts Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so” (Mt.19:8).

How sad when articles come out trying so hard to dilute this truth by deliberately interpreting it in their own terms especially the many statements by Pope Francis which he had repeatedly clarified including that of the same sex union.

Most sad is when a news report supposed to present all sides chooses to cite only the questionable teachings of some experts in religion or theology without citing the Sacred Scriptures, the Catechism of the Catholic Church and Church documents for official teachings on marriage. Worst, the same report highlighted views of Catholic theologians silenced long ago (may they rest in peace) by the Church for their misleading views on morality!

Divorce is against God’s plan. Marriage is only between a man and a woman as created by God, not invented by any one that is subject to changes or whims. Jesus explained this clearly in the same gospel scene which we shall echo today and forever: “Have you not read that from the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female’ and he said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, no human being must separate” (Mt.19:4-6).

As a creation of God, marriage is a sacrament, a sign of His saving presence in this world in Jesus Christ who had come to reassert this truth. The problem remains the hardness of the hearts of people, especially of those getting married who are so preoccupied with the accidentals of marriage without realizing that they are an icon of Jesus.

My first assignment after ordination in 1998 was to teach at the Immaculate Conception School for Boys (ICSB) in Malolos City. We also run an all-girls high school and an elementary school for boys and girls.

Marian was my student from elementary to high school whom I have known so well including her parents. We call our students ICONS, from the initials of our school name. Here are parts of my homily to Marian’s wedding last June 29, 2019 at the Malolos Cathedral.

Congratulations to you, my dearest Marian and Matt!

God willed that you get married today on the Solemnity of St. Peter and St. Paul, the two pillars of the Church established by our Lord Jesus Christ.

Like you, Marian and Matt, St. Peter and St. Paul are two people of opposite personalities, of different social and cultural backgrounds but were able to overcome these to work together for Jesus Christ. We celebrate their feast together because despite their many differences, they were united in their love for Jesus Christ. It was Christ who brought them together and kept them together so his Church would grow and be what it is today.

The same is true with you, Marian and Matt: Jesus Christ brought you together in spite of your many differences to be united in his love. Most of all, Marian and Matt, Jesus wants you to be his ICONS or images in the world today that has become individualistic.

An icon or image of Jesus like St. Peter and St. Paul is to be one in the Lord. A man and woman get married to become disciples of Christ, to become one in Christ, to look like Christ. That is the meaning of the word sacrament, visible sign of the saving presence of Jesus in the world.

And that is why the gospel you have chosen for your wedding day is so perfect, the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus gave us his Beatitudes that are actually directions for discipleship… let us reflect on the sixth Beatitude of Jesus: “Blessed are the clean of heart, for they shall see God” (Mt.5:8).

Remember the Little Prince where the fox told him that “What is essential is invisible to the eye; it is only with the heart one can truly see”?

We can only see God with our hearts. The intellect alone is never enough.

And so it is with any person.

We can learn and know so many things about another person with our intellect but nothing will be enough for us to truly love him or her unless we let our hearts see the real him or her.

The heart is the wholeness of the person. Yesterday we celebrated the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Sometimes, when we use our minds, we see the world as so dark and so evil. But, if we have hearts that can see, we will be more surprised that there are more goodness, more beauty in this world than what we hear and see in the news and around us.

Marian and Matt, always have a clean heart to see each one’s goodness and beauty.

Always go back to those early days when you first saw each other with your hearts. Aside from the kilig factor, you felt and realized something deeper with each other. The beloved disciple, St. John, wrote in our first reading, “No one has ever seen God. Yet, if we love one another, God remains in us, and his love is brought to perfection in us” (1 Jn. 4:11-12).

And that is how we see God and others: always with our hearts when we love.

To have a clean heart, Marian and Matt, is to enter into the mind of Jesus Christ and that is to embrace his Cross. Having a clean heart is becoming one with Jesus Christ, especially in his love and fidelity.

A clean heart is a loving heart that always gives life, other-centered, veritable and enduring. Always in communion with Jesus Christ who gave us the new commandment to love like him by being rooted in the Father.

The love of Christ is the fire that purifies and cleanses our hearts, unifying our intellect, will and emotion that enables us to see oneness in ourselves before God. We see not only the good and the bad sides in ourselves but also among those around us, especially those we love.

Look back at your many experiences, Marian and Matt. Look at your past lives, your struggles, your mistakes and sins. Despite all these, you have also seen and experienced God’s loving presence in you in spite of your many darkness and divisions within.

That is why you are so “blessed”, Marian and Matt, because today on your wedding day, you enter God himself and you are able to “see” him with your loving hearts despite your pains and hurt, failures and shortcomings. Keep your hearts clean in Jesus Christ so you may always see God in each other. Amen.
https://lordmychef.com/2019/07/06/husband-and-wife-icons-of-christ/

*Photo by author, Malolos Cathedral 2019.*

My dearest married couples, please do not forget that fact, that reality: you are an image, an icon of Jesus Christ. And what a great honor!

That is why Jesus made His first miracle in a wedding at Cana to show your special place in God’s plan. You have chosen a most difficult kind of life but that is why you chose to get married in the Church – to be blessed by God.

God keeps His promise. Keep yours too! Praying for all couples especially those going through difficulties these days.