Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul, 23 October 2025 Thursday in Twenty-Ninth Week of Ordinary Time, Year I Romans 16:19-23 <'[[[[>< + ><]]]]'> Luke 12:49-53
Photo by Dra. Mai B. Dela Peña, Japan, 2016.
I may be struggling with stress daily like most people these days, Lord Jesus, but today's gospel made me realize how you too experienced "stress" like us because, after all , you are truly human like us.
Jesus said to his disciples: “I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing! There is a baptism with which I must be baptized, and how great is my anguish until it is accomplished! Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division (Luke 12:49-51).
How good it is to realize that you, Lord Jesus, was also stressed - "I have come to set the earth on fire... There is a baptism with which I must be baptized..."; like you, we could feel the weight of things to be done, of mission to be accomplished; like you, we too could feel the great responsibilities on our shoulders.
Thank you, Jesus, thank you for being one with us in our stress.
Teach us Lord your way of handling stress so we can put these challenges into good use, into more evangelical in nature by first accepting and embracing like you our mission and responsibilities when you said, "how I wish it were already blazing" and "how great is my anguish until it is accomplished"; many times what we do is as much as possible avoid our mission and responsibilities or, if not, delay acting on them that eventually stress us further; give us also the courage like you, Jesus, to face and deal with our many divisions in life that stress us, of learning to bridge the many gaps between the ideal and the sad realities we are into as well as the many limitations and handicaps we have.
Photo by Dra. Mai B. Dela Peña, Mt. Carmel, Israel, 2015.
Make us whole,
Lord Jesus
in your love and
kindness and peace
by claiming our
blessedness in your
gift of salvation
and sanctification
as we pursue
holiness
according to
St. Paul's advice
in the first reading.
Amen.
Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Our Lady of Fatima University
Valenzuela City
(lordmychef@gmail.com)
Quiet Storm by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II, 21 August 2025
Photo by author, St. Joseph Chapel, St. Paul Center for Renewal, Alfonso, Cavite, 20 August 2025.
As we ended our annual clergy retreat today when we remembered in the Mass a saint, Pope Pius X and a hero, Benigno “Ninoy” S. Aquino Jr. , I wish to reflect on the word “remember”, a very lovely word worth remembering always.
From the prefix “RE” that connotes repetition as in again and the root “MEMBER” that means a part, to remember literally is to make someone or something a part again. What and who we remember are those gone and away from us, a history in the past. More than mere recalling of a person, event or thing, remembering is making those absent present.
Though the philosopher Martin Heidegger rightly claimed that we humans are “beings of forgetfulness,” God actually programmed us for remembering: from infancy to childhood, our parents drilled into us to remember our name and address, the names of people around us, of things, and everything as we grew. That is why the expression “kalimutan mo na yun” is the most useless piece of advice anyone can give. It is impossible to forget, whether it is so good or so bad. What we need is to harness the power of remembering, to continue learning from the past whether good or bad because whatever is remembered for all its worth is always the best teacher anyone can have.
Remembering is a power because it is a grace, a gift from God himself. When we remember, we not only time travel to the past but make it present in order to perfect us. The past cannot be changed anymore as insisted by Japanese writer Toshikazu Kawaguchi in his series of novels Before the Coffee Gets Cold.
Remembering changes the person, not the past. It is in remembering the bitter lessons of the past we learn most in life because that is when we experience healing and fulfillment. Hence, remembering is at the very core of George Santayana’s warning that whoever does not learn from history is condemned to repeat it. Remembering enables us to move on in life by finding our ways and ultimately our very selves anew especially when lost and confused.
Of God’s many gifts to us, remembering is the most unique because it is never lost at all. People who refuse to remember are the most difficult to deal with like politicians, crooks and low-lifers. And the more corrupt and evil people are, the more they are forgetful, remembering or knowing nothing at all!
God meant us to keep this gift of remembering to be always reasonable and just, or simply good and sane because it keeps us in touch with reality, making us grow and mature in his love. Actually, it is remembering that continues to operate among us despite our faltering memory or even with those afflicted with Alzheimer’s and dementia because remembering is more than keeping information and details like names of people but most of all of God’s interventions through persons and events in our lives individually and collectively that significantly made us experience joy and gladness so crucial for our growth and maturity, eventually in the achievement of our goals.
Photo by author.
On the bulletin board of our sacristy at the National Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima in Valenzuela City is a laminated piece of bond paper with the Greek word “anamnesis” written in Greek.
It was personally printed and posted on Holy Thursday 2010 by the former rector and parish priest of the Fatima Shrine Msgr. Bart Santos now the Bishop of Iba, Zambales. I remember that so well because that was the first time I was assigned as an attached priest at the Fatima Shrine in June 2010 to June 2011 under Bishop Bart.
According to Bishop Bart who used to teach Sacred Scriptures in the seminary, he wanted to instill in all their servers of the Mass the value and meaning of the Eucharist as an anamnesis or remembering. I was so glad upon my return in February 2021 at the Fatima Shrine again as an attached priest while working full-time as chaplain at the Our Lady of Fatima University and the Fatima University Medical Center that the sign of Bishop Bart was still there – until now! I just hope the people here realize and still remember that word anamnesis as Bishop Bart had explained to them during the Holy Thursday Mass ten years ago.
Photo by author.
When everything seems dark in life with family and friends betraying us, when people we have helped turn against us, denying having known us, try remembering Jesus went through all these first at his Last Supper.
When you feel lost for directions in life, when you are into a burnout, when nothing seems to be working in your favor that you can’t find sparks of inspiration and zeal anymore, remember that first day when you embarked on this journey in life. Remember the people, the places and the things that bring you gladness and joy in pursuing your passion or fulfilling your mission. Most of all, remember when God called you to whatever mission he sent you.
Remembering is a form of stepping back to stop, to create a space and let God work in us as we have reflected last Monday (https://lordmychef.com/2025/08/18/steps-to-god/). This is what we need most in our selves and in our country as a people: the virtue of remembering, of making present the movements of God in our history. Ninoy Aquino did the supreme sacrifice of coming home in August 21, 1983 because he remembered the country he most loved; he remembered his call and mission to serve; he remembered the ideals and mission fought for by our heroes like Jose Rizal and Andres Bonifacio.
It is in remembering we remain anchored to our call and mission in life, both individually and communally. Without remembering, we cannot progress because we lack reference points of what we have covered, of where we are. That is why even the angels at Easter had to remind Mary Magdalene and companions, “He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you while he was still with you in Galilee…” (Lk.24:6). Most of all, let us remember always the words of Jesus at his Ascension so we may keep on pursuing our mission in him, “And remember that I am with you always until the end of time” (Matt. 28:20). May God bless you always!
Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul, 21 August 2025 Thursday, Memorial of St. Pius X, Pope Judges 11:29-39 <*((((>< + ><))))*> Matthew 22:1-14
Photo by Mr. Vigie Ongleo, Virginia, August 2021.
Oh how true are your words,
dear God our Father
these past days
of how clearly we make
life more difficult;
Monday you showed us
in the Book of Judges how
problem is with us always
when we repeatedly turn away
from you in sin and despite your
mercy and forgiveness,
we still refuse to rectify our
mistakes to lead an orderly life;
today, the Lord Jesus Christ's
parable speaks again of our folly,
of the trouble with us
when we take you
and your calls for granted,
refusing to come to you,
to celebrate life
in you
with you:
“The Kingdom of heaven may be likened to aking who gave a wedding feast for his son. He dispatched his servants to summon the invited guests to the feast, but they refused to come. A second time time he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those invited: “Behold, I have prepared a banquet, my caleves and fattened cattle are killed, and everything is ready; come to the feast.”” Some ignored the invitation and went away , one to his farm, another to his business. The rest laid hold of his servants, mistreated them, and killed them. The king was enraged and sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city” (Matthew 22:2-6).
On the other hand, we waste and destroy every opportunity you give us to be with you, to make a difference in life with many of us making it close to you in answering your calls but unfortunately could not keep up with the mission:
“The servants went out into the streets and gathered all they found, bad and good alike, and the hall was filled with guests. But when the king came in to meet the guests he saw a man there not dressed in a wedding garment. He said to him, ‘My friend, how is it that you came in here without a wedding garment?’ But he was reduced to silence. Then the king said to his attendants, ‘Bind his hands and feet, and cast him into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.’ Many are invited, but few are chosen” (Matthew 22:10-14).
Teach us to be aware of your presence, Lord; teach us to be conscious of your precious gift of call; teach us to remember always the gladness and joy of being invited to the wedding feast to be one with you, to work for you, to do your will, to be chosen and choose to remain in you to renew all things in Christ like St. Pius X. Amen.
Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Our Lady of Fatima University Valenzuela City lordmychef@gmail.com
Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul, 11 July 2025 Friday, Memorial of St. Benedict, Abbot, Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time Genesis 46:1-7, 28-30 <*{{{>< + ><}}}*> Matthew 10:16-23
For those still moving places, changing careers, pursuing new love, hobbies and interests; for those in their senior years embarking on new journeys in life, for those who have finally decided to leave their "comfort zones" to dare live life authentically, let us learn from Jacob, aka, Israel:
Israel set out with all that was his. When he arrived at Beer-sheba, he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. There God, speaking to Israel in a vision by night, called, “Jacob! Jacob!” He answered, “Here I am.” Then he said: “I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will make you a great nation. Not only will I go down with you; I will also bring you back here, after Joseph has closed your eyes.” (Genesis 46:1-4)
Photo by author, Egypt, May 2019.
Thank you, dear God our loving Father in calling us and sending us still to missions despite our age and unworthiness; just be patient with us. Accompany us in this new journey we take in life; be our companion.
Thank you, dear God our loving Father in believing in us, in trusting us after all these years of hiding and running away from you; keep us faithful to your call and direction.
Thank you, dear God most of all for Jesus, in sending him to us who commissioned us to be like "sheep in the midst of wolves"; enlighten our minds and our hearts with your Holy Spirit so we may be "shrewd as serpents and simple as doves" (Matthew 10:16) in this world that values youth and technology, forgetting persons to be loved and cared and cherished like you.
Like St. Benedict who in his old age continued to follow you in new directions in his life and ministry, give us the courage to do the same for your greater glory. Amen.
St. Benedict, Pray for us.
Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Our Lady of Fatima University Valenzuela City
VATICAN CITY, VATICAN – MAY 08: Faithful in St. Peter’s Square participate in the first blessing of Pope Leo XIV immediately after the white smoke on May 08, 2025 in Vatican City, Vatican. White smoke was seen over the Vatican early this evening as the Conclave of Cardinals took just two days to elect Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who will be known as Pope Leo (Leone) XIV, as the 267th Supreme Pontiff after the death of Pope Francis on Easter Monday. (Photo by Ivan Romano/Getty Images)
Quiet Storm by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II, 20 March 2025
Photo by author, Canyon Woods Resort Club, Laurel, Batangas, 15 March 2025.
“And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.” – Paulo Coelho, “The Alchemist”
It is exactly what I am experiencing these days since we had our university management team-building seminar in Batangas last weekend when my realizations there were reinforced in my ongoing annual personal retreat here in Novaliches that started Monday evening.
It is a moment of consolation when suddenly, the whole universe conspires not only to get whatever you want but simply to affirm you being on the right track, giving you the proverbial pat on the shoulder that everything is going fine, everything falling into its right places.
Photo by author with flash, Canyon Woods Resort Club, Laurel, Batangas, 15 March 2025.
Pardon me for writing for the third time about perspectives and point-of-view (POV) as I could not contain the joy of the fruits of my prayers.
Another thing is the fact that when I took these photos randomly, there was no plan at all in writing about the subject of perspective. Never thought how these photos would turn out to be pieces of a jigsaw puzzle on perspective and POV.
We have reflected the other day how our perspectives of things and people as well as events contribute to the understanding or breakdown in communication as they reveal our inner thoughts and dispositions. It is not only important at how we narrate a story from whatever POV but most of all, at how open are we in refining our perspectives so that we achieve unity.
(More photos from our team-building in Batangas.)
Lights at the lobby of Canyon Woods taken from below.
Sunset from my room…
sunrise from same room.
Delighful scene of window and moon at night.
During our Holy Hour Tuesday night to cap our first day of prayers, I realized something very close to our subject of perspective while praying over the following gospel passage regarding the Mystery of God:
Jesus told his disciples, “The lamp of the body is the eye. If your eye is sound, your whole body will be filled with light; but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be in darkness. And if the light in you is darkness, how great will the darkness be” (Matthew 6:22-23).
Photo by author, Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches, QC, 17 March 2025.
When we have the right perspective in life, we get a clear vision of life too.
That is why in our previous blog we have said we need to refine our perspective like an artist who has to spend and invest time not only in his/her studies but most especially in his/her dealing and interactions with people to come up with an obra maestra.
Living, after all, is an art, of our participation in the grace of God to bring out the best in each of us. St. Paul was very clear about this perspective regarding leadership and community life that both aim to show the giftedness of every member.
Photo by author, Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches, QC, 17 March 2025.
Our perspectives are put to the test in moments of darkness like when we are in trials and tribulations, difficulties and crises. It is during darkness in life when people are distinguished from merely having sight or with a vision. According to the American writer Helen Keller, the worst thing that can happen in life is for anyone with sight not to have any vision at all.
Of course, we all know Helen was blind who wrote some of the loveliest poetry of her time.
Photo by author, Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches, QC, 17 March 2025.
Many people just have sight that can be easily blurred that eventually affect their perspective. It is more than looking from the inside or from the outside (POV) but of how we see or look at everything and everyone from within us.
Photo by author, Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches, QC, 17 March 2025.
A person of vision always sees beyond and therefore achieves more, always more fulfilled and fruitful than those who merely sees things, people and events as they are.
Photo by author, Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches, QC, 17 March 2025.
People with the right perspective will always have vision in seeing everything despite many obstacles in life. They remain focused on what they “see” that others could not see at all. With a right perspective and proper vision, that person still sees when “darkness is his only light and hopelessness is his only hope” (T. S. Eliot in Four Quartets).
Photo by author, Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches, QC, 17 March 2025.
My spiritual director since 2016, Jesuit Father Danny Gozar asked me during outside prayer periods that I “deliberately appreciate” God’s creation like feeling the gentle breeze, walking barefooted to be caressed by the green grass soaked in morning dew, feel the burning heat of the sun and if it rains – which it did briefly – try to get wet to feel the raindrops.
Photo by author, Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches, QC, 17 March 2025.
What struck me most were the many sounds of nature here in Sacred Heart Novitiate due to its mini-forest.
Crows caw the whole day along with the crickets while the ugly gecko fills the whole place with its cries of tu…ko! tu…ko!
Their sounds were so musical to my ears, sounds I have last heard decades ago while growing up in the province but almost totally gone in the city.
What is amusing is how with merely the sounds they make, we can form images of how these creatures look like!
The same thing with God himself.
When we are formed in Jesus Christ’s perspectives in life, everything around us becomes a reminder of God’s presence, of himself with us. We cannot see him but with his gift of vision, we see him. And follow him.
That is why, with proper perspective comes vision. Then, mission!
Photo by author, Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches, QC, 17 March 2025.
The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Friday, Memorial of St. Francis de Sales, Bishop & Doctor of the Church, 24 January 2025 Hebrews 8:6-13 ><))))*> + ><))))*> + ><))))*> Mark 3:13-19
Photo by author, Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches, QC, 20 March 2024.
Jesus went up the mountain and summoned those whom he wanted and they came to him (Mark 3:13).
How lovely to my ears, to my heart, to repeat over and over again as I bask into your warmth O Lord Jesus Christ with these powerful account by Saint Mark today: "summoned those whom he wanted and they came to him."
Thank you, Jesus, for the grace and courage to answer your call, to come to you, to follow you like the original Twelve; forgive me, Jesus when your call gets into my head than into my heart and arms and legs; forgive me, Jesus when your want for me inflates my ego to one extreme and makes me doubt myself at the other end; bless me, Jesus, to always cherish your call to me using my name as I also renew my yes to you; keep me faithful in being close to you so that I may share you whenever you send me.
I pray also, dear Jesus, for all the others you want, you call but refuse to respond and worst, doubt if you really wanted them; through the intercession of your tireless saint Francis de Sales we pray that you grant them the grace to move on with life, to let go of their past hurts and sins for you are now our perfect mediator of the perfect covenant (first reading); may your kindness and truth meet in them finally. Amen.
Photo by author, Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches, QC, 20 March 2024.
The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Monday in the Twenty-ninth Week of Ordinary Time, Year II, 21 October 2024 Ephesians 2:1-10 <*((((>< + ><))))*> Luke 12:13-21
Photo by author, the pristine Nagsasa Cove in San Antonio, Zambales, 19 October 2024.
Your words today, O loving God through St. Paul are so refreshing, so lovely to read and hear, very reassuring especially for those of us losing hope in life, those so tired and exhausted, those about to give up; let us sing joyfully to You, O Lord, and serve You gladness!
For we are his handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for the good works God has prepared in advance, that we should live in them (Ephesians 2:10).
Everything that we have become, every good and beautiful thing we do is simply because of You, O God, at work in us, through us; what a great honor, O God You made us so good and beautiful, You brought us here, You sent us for a mission; let us be open in order to give our unconditional "YES" to Jesus Christ in faith daily so that we may do continue your work in keeping this a better and more humane world; let us give our unconditional "YES" to Jesus daily so we may experience your guidance and help in our undertakings to reflect You, dear God, so that it is You who is always found and recognized in everything we do that is true, good, and beautiful; let us not be preoccupied with so much material wealth and fame that fills us with greed unable to satisfy the deepest longings of our hearts found only in You. Amen.
Photo by author, river leading to Nagsasa Cove, San Antonio, Zambales, 19 October 2024.
The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Wednesday in the Sixteenth Week of Ordinary Time, Year II, 24 July 2024 Jeremiah 1:1, 4-10 <*((((><< + >><))))*> Matthew 13:1-9
"Ah, Lord God!" I said, "I know not how to speak; I am too young." But the Lord answered me, say not, "I am too young." To whomever I send you, you shall go; whatever I command you, you shall speak (Jeremiah 1:6-7).
I have always heard that expression "age is just a number" without really understanding nor having a grasp of its real meaning until recently after losing my mom and be totally orphaned of our parents; how different it is now to live without our parents and quickly realize time flies so fast indeed because suddenly we are catapulted into that state in life when we are in the very same situations of our parents when we were younger; now I could feel we are never too young nor too old to be called and entrusted by God with a mission in life.
Life indeed is a parable, dear Jesus: You come to us daily whether we are too young or too old to sow your seeds; keep us open to receive You so that we may bear You and share You. Amen.
“The Sower”, a painting by Van Gogh from commons.wikimedia.org.
The Lord Is My Chef Sunday Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B, 21 July 2024 Jeremiah 23:1-6 ><}}}}*> Ephesians 2:13-18 ><}}}}*> Mark 6:30-34
Photo by author, Katmon Nature Sanctuary &Beach Resort, Infanta, Quezon March 2023.
After being sent“two by two” last Sunday, the Apostles now return to Jesus, reporting “all they had done and taught.” What a beautiful gospel scene this Sunday, supposed to be our day of rest that begins in God and must be rooted in God.
The apostles gathered together with Jesus and reported all they had done and taught. He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” People were coming and going in great numbers, and they had no opportunity even to eat. So they went off in the boat by themselves to a deserted place (Mark 6:30-32).
Last Sunday we were reminded to rediscover the family and friends sent with us “two by two” in this life while today the Lord wants us to be aware of our need to rest in order to rediscover Him first of all, then one’s self and others.
Unfortunately, many people today have entirely forgotten the meaning and importance of rest that we succumb to all kinds of sickness related with stress and fatigue. In fact, Filipino workers were recently ranked as the second worst in terms of work-life balance in a worldwide survey. One factor it cited is the lesser paid vacation leaves our workers have compared with their counterparts in other countries.
Photo by author, Sonnenberg Resort, Davao City, 2017.
Rest is not only stopping from work to be recharged like cellphone batteries; we are not things like robots and drones sent out simply for a task that once achieved, no more. We are inter-related persons meant to form bonds and unity, a family and a community. That is the result of our being sent on a mission to share God’s creative works leading to our union in Him with others.
God rested and made Sabbath holy after creation because He had completed all His works that were all good; we, on the other hand, merely participate in His creative works. That is why no matter how hard we push ourselves with our work, we can’t completely finish them as more things to do come along the way, making us bored or stressed out because we could no longer find life but simply routine. We have been so focused on accomplishing many things as if we are the savior of the world (messianic complex) that we feel so important, bloating our ego. That is when we start literally throwing our weight to those around us like in those reels of road rage. The sad part of this is how we eventually hurt the people we love and supposed to serve like the shepherds of the Old Testament that God through Jeremiah had accused to have “misled and scattered” the people of Israel (Jer.23:1).
Photo by author, border between Jordan and Israel, May 2019.
Today, Jesus is inviting us to “Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while (Mk.6:31)” to remind us that in everything we do in this life, what matters most is not the task but us, the persons we love and care for, and Christ who is our only fulfillment in life.
Like the apostles, we have to return to Jesus precisely because our mission, our work is not ours but Christ’s. We need to return to Jesus every Sunday in the Eucharist when we are nourished by His words and strengthened by His Body and Blood to sustain us in our mission.
Rest is neither doing nothing like sleeping all day or doing anything we like that we forget God and in the process, our very self and others. Rest is a time of conversion when we lay aside our plans and agenda by returning to God so that we could have focus again in this life. Rest is actually to be filled with God, to be holy.
This we find expressed perfectly in our Filipino word for rest which is pahinga from the root hinga or breath that is spiritus in Latin. To rest in Filipino is mag-pa-hinga that literally means hingahan, to be breathed on. Genesis tells us how God breathed on man to be alive after creating him while in John’s Gospel we find Jesus breathed on His apostles after greeting them with peace twice on the night of Easter when He appeared to them at the Upper Room. From here we get that beautiful imagery of rest as being breathed on by God – mag-pa-hinga sa Diyos – which is to be closer with God!
Here now is the challenge and best part of the good news this Sunday: the more closer we get to God in Jesus and through Jesus especially on Sunday our day of rest, the more we must get closer with others. The more we pray, the more we rest in the Lord, the more we serve, the more we love.
Mark told us how Jesus invited the Twelve to “come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while” but the people saw them and even got earlier to the other side of the lake!
When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd and he began to teach them many things (Mark 6:34).
Photo by author in the Holy Land, 2019.
Rest is more than the amount of time spent “resting” but the disposition to be with the Lord, to be one with Him that we become holy like Him. That moment when Jesus led the Twelve to rest was already a “rest” for Him that resulted in serving more the people who have followed them.
Jesus being moved with pity for the people indicated His rest and communion with the Father expressed in His oneness with the suffering people who were like sheep without a shepherd. Jesus has always been one with the Father right from the very start until His death on the Cross where He declared “It is finished” and commended His total self to the Father.
The truest sense of us having a real rest, of getting closer with God is when we get closer with others especially those entrusted to our love and care like our loved ones and those who are poor and sick.
Problem these days among us priests including laypeople is our wrong idea about rest; we do not really rest at all but simply indulge in pleasures that are many times scandalous for being godless and unmindful of other people. True rest makes our hearts natural to be aware of the sufferings of others, to be one with them or at least take their plight into consideration in our rest.
We can only say “mission accomplished” to rest when we are one with God through others that St. Paul explains in the second reading at how Jesus Christ reconciled us all through the Cross, “putting an enmity to death by it” (Eph. 2:16). Next Sunday, this we shall see when after teaching and healing the people in that deserted place, Jesus would feed the crowd of over 5000 people from just a few loaves of bread and pieces of fish.
Let us rest in the Lord to prepare our hearts and souls as well as our tired body to be filled with God so we can fill others too with Him. Let us pray:
Lord Jesus Christ, we live in a highly competitive world of 24/7 wherein everyone is so busy that we forget You and the persons You have entrusted to us; remind us we are not the Messiah nor a superhero to save the world; we can only do as much in this life as God had accomplished all for us in You, the Christ; let us take two or three even five steps backwards to let You, Jesus, do your work in us. Amen.
The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Wednesday in the Fourteenth Week of Ordinary Time, Year II, 10 July 2024 Hosea 10:1-3, 7-8, 12 <*((((>< + ><))))*> Matthew 10:1-7
Jesus summoned his Twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out and to cure every disease and every illness. The names of the Twelve Apostles are these… (Matthew 10:1-2).
Latin "discipulus" from "discere" which is to learn, is a follower, someone who learns from a teacher;
Greek "apostolos" from "apostello" is someone sent ahead out on a mission, deputed to disseminate the teaching of the master to others.
Lord Jesus Christ, teach us to patiently learn your lessons, following and obeying your instructions always as true disciples so that eventually, You could send us out like the Twelve Apostles to carry out your mission in this highly complicated and competitive world.
How sad the words of the Prophet Hosea are still happening these days among us: "Israel is a luxuriant vine whose fruit matches its growth. The more abundant his fruit, the more altars he set up" (Hosea 10:1-2).
Sad to say, O Lord, those You have sent have refused to learn, have ceased from being disciples because they too have been lured into the ways of the world; like yesterday, many disciples follow the calls of the world instead of God; that is why, we have no more Apostles who could be sent ahead of You, Jesus, to proclaim You; many of us have never learned truly from You, lacking discipline in prayer and discerning your will and plans; let us seek your face always, Lord, so we may do your will not the ways of the world; let us seek your face, Lord, among your people especially the weak and marginalized so we may be able to proclaim "the Kingdom of heaven is at hand." Amen.
lordmychef.com 