The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Thursday, Feast of the Presentation of the Child Jesus, 02 February 2023
Malachi 3:1-4 ><}}}*> Hebrews 2:14-18 ><}}}*> Luke 2:22-32
It has been 40 days since
your birth, Lord Jesus Christ
that today we celebrate your
Presentation at the temple;
how lovely it is to contemplate
how on that day your parents,
the Blessed Mother and St. Joseph
obeyed the law that "Every male that
opens the womb shall be consecrated
to the Lord, and to offer the sacrifice
of a pair of turtledoves or two young
pigeons," in accordance with the
dictate in the law of the Lord (Lk. 2:23-24)
when you are the Lord Himself,
the Son of God!
But more lovely too are the presence
of Simeon and Anna who both waited
for your coming, the promised Messiah
of Old; inasmuch as we are challenged
to share you Jesus with others like your
parents, we are likewise challenged more
to be like Simeon and Anna in receiving
you our Savior into our arms and hearts.
Teach me, Jesus, to be like
Simeon and Anna who patiently
waited for your coming,
staying attuned with the Holy Spirit
in silent prayer and fasting,
quickly recognizing your coming
as the "light for revelation to the
Gentiles" (Lk.2:31) amid the many
other infants presented on that day;
grant me the discerning spirit of
Simeon and Anna to recognize Christ
among the so many infants there at
that time; strengthen my will and spirit
to endure the day of your coming,
Lord (Malachi 3:2) so I may recognize
you and take you to my hands and arms
to raise you up for all to see like Simeon
and Anna proclaiming your coming to
everyone.
Most of all, Lord Jesus,
let me take you to my heart,
like Simeon who prophesied how
you would be a sign of contradiction to many,
piercing hearts like a sword to bare
the truth within us (Lk.2:34-35);
give me the courage, O Lord,
like Simeon to embrace death and
suffering for that it is indeed the
meaning of your presentation
at the temple; it is only in presenting
myself to you, Jesus, will I be able to
bring you too to others when like you
I go through what they suffer.
In your light, Jesus, lead me.
Amen.
The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Monday in the Third Week of Ordinary Time, Year I, 23 January 2023
Hebrews 9:15, 24-28 <*{{{>< + ><}}}*> = <*{{{>< + ><}}}*> Mark 3:22-30
There is something so beautiful
the author of the Letter to the Hebrews
had said this Monday about your
high priesthood, Lord Jesus Christ:
Christ is mediator of a new covenant… For Christ did not enter into a sanctuary made by hands, a copy of the true one, but heaven itself that he might now appear before God on our behalf.
Hebrews 9:15, 24
Indeed, Lord Jesus Christ you have opened
the heaven for us sinful children of God;
by your supreme sacrifice there
on the Cross on Good Friday,
we were cleansed of our sins
and made holy to share
in your eternal
glory.
Yet, our minds and our hearts remain
closed to this beautiful reality;
like the scribes who had come
to see for themselves
your words and you works, O Lord,
many of us not only refuse to believe you
but have in fact accused you of
many blasphemies like being possessed
by Beelzebul!
But you are so open, O Lord,
with all these false accusations
and blasphemies against you;
there on the Cross, the first words you spoke
was of forgiveness for your enemies who do not
know what they were doing;
what a unique gesture not only of
understanding but of openness
even to us sinners.
Grant us the grace, Jesus,
to have an open mind,
an open heart,
and openness to God's work
in us and among us;
enable us to admit
and come to you to ask forgiveness,
to be open to your grace,
and most especially
open to learning and discovering
new things in life,
most especially to being open
to your coming,
to your mercy
for we are all weak
and sinful.
Amen.
The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Thursday in the Second Week of Ordinary Time, Year I, 19 January 2023
Hebrews 7:25-8:6 <'000>< + ><000'> + <'000>< + ><000'> Mark 3:7-12
Photo by Dra. Mylene A. Santos, MD, 2022.
Open our ears and our hearts,
God our loving Father,
to always hear your voice,
to heed your calls in Jesus Christ
so that like the people in the gospel
we too may come to him.
Jesus withdrew toward the sea with his disciples. A large number of people followed from Galilee and from Judea. Hearing what he was doing, a large number of people came to him also from Jerusalem, from Idumea, from beyond the Jordan, and from the neighborhood of Tyre and Sidon.
Mark 3:7-8
In the fourth gospel, John
tells us how Jesus invited
Andrew and companion to
"come and see" where he stayed;
in a beautiful manner, Mark
tells us today how people
"heard and came" to Jesus!
"Coming" to you, O Lord,
is always accompanied either
by seeing as a result of coming
or by hearing that leads to coming.
How ironic,
even ridiculous
in our time with all the earphones
and earplugs and pods stacked in
our ears listening, hearing the
cacophony of sounds and noise
of the world and everyone peddling
lies after lies but we would not
even bother to hear nor listen
to the gospel and stories of Jesus Christ!
In fact, we are so busy listening
to others and the world without
ever hearing our true selves
at all!
Teach us to listen,
to hear and follow your
voice and calls, dear Jesus
for you alone is our perfect
mediator, our perfect high priest
"who is always able to save those
who approach God through him,
since he lives forever to make
intercessions for them" (Heb. 7:25).
Refine our listening
pleasures and abilities
that touch our very core
not just our senses,
massaging our ego;
may we have the courage
to hear and listen to what is
true and just, no matter how
painful they may be
for it is only in that way
we can be healed of our
many diseases and maladies.
Amen.
The Lord Is My Chef Christmas Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Tuesday in the Octave of Christmas, Feast of St. John Evangelist, 27 December 2022
1 John 1:1-4 ><000'> + ><000'> + ><000'> John 20:1, 2-8
God our loving Father,
we thank and praise you in
giving us a great saint in
John the Evangelist,
the beloved disciple of your Son Jesus Christ
whose feast we celebrate in this
Octave of Christmas;
it was John who declared that
"God is love" (1 Jn. 4:8, 16),
the most sublime assertion about God
not found in any other religion!
John did not merely said "God loves"
nor "love is God"; instead, John expressed
that you, O God, is love, your essence is love
that is why everything you say and do is love!
In his gospel and letters,
John showed us how your love, O God,
came down on us so that our love
may go up in you, with you, through you
in Christ Jesus who is the expression of your
love himself when you sent him to us this Christmas
for "God so loved the world that he gave us
his only Son" (Jn. 3:16);
when Jesus Christ was about to offer himself
on the Cross, his lowest point in life when he
suffered and died, he gave us his new commandment,
"that you love one another; even as I have loved you,
that you also love one another" (Jn.13:34).
How beautiful that John,
the only Apostle to have grown old
without tasting death as a martyr
unlike the others and remained standing
at the foot of the Cross to whom Jesus
entrusted his Mother,
was able to contemplate all these
wondrous movements of your love, O God,
so that our joy may be complete in Christ.
Open our eyes and our hearts of faith,
Lord Jesus Christ like John the Beloved
so that we may always believe even when
the tomb is empty, when you seem to be missing
and absent; teach us to love you more dearly
so that we may be true in our love in
loving our brothers and sisters whom we can see
as expression of our love to God whom we cannot see;
let us keep on loving so that love may be perfected in us
so we may see God in others
and God may be seen in us always.
Amen.
The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Monday, Memorial of Our Lady of Guadalupe, 12 December 2022
Zechariah 2:14-17 ><000'> + ><000'> + ><000'> Luke 1:26-38
The original “tilma” of St. Juan Diego at the New Basilica of the Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mexico City. Photo by Rev. Fr. Gerry Pascual, 2016.
Glory and praise to you,
God our Father in giving us your Son
Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior
who was born of the Blessed Virgin Mary
who has become our Mother too!
How lovely that on this month of December
as we celebrate the Season of Advent
in preparation for Christmas, we have two
great feasts of the Blessed Virgin Mary:
the Solemnity of her Immaculate Conception last
December 8 and today, the Memorial of Our Lady of
Guadalupe, Patroness of the Philippines and the Americas.
Mary did not just celebrate Advent;
she lived Advent because she received
Jesus Christ our Lord!
Teach us to receive Jesus wholly like Mary,
dear Father; teach us to be open like
St. Juan Diego to listen and to look at Mary closely
so we may believe in her Son Jesus;
teach us to see more the signs of Christ's
presence in us and among us like the beautiful
image of Guadalupe imprinted on the tilma
of St. Juan Diego; teach us to find Jesus living,
dwelling among us as he came truly human and
truly divine into Mary's womb.
How amazing that soon after the coming
of the Spaniards in Mexico and the Americas in general,
the Blessed Mother appeared to a native, St. Juan Diego;
she spoke in his native language and wore clothes
filled with signs and symbols well-known among the Aztecs
that accordingly was the main reason for the rapid
conversion of the peoples there.
How amazing, dear Father,
as prophesied by Zechariah,
that you truly came to dwell among us
in Jesus Christ in order to relate with us
in the most personal manner,
practically living among us!
This Advent, teach us to believe again, Father;
teach us to trust in you again,
to allow ourselves to be surprised
by you again. Amen.
Statue of St. Juan Diego at the Cathedral of Mexico City; photo by Rev. Fr. Gerry Pascual, 2016.
The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Thursday, 105th Anniversary of the Last Marian Apparition at Fatima, 13 October 2022 Ephesians 1:1-10 ><}}}}*> + ><}}}}*> + ><}}}}*> Luke 11:47-54
From cbcpnews.net, 13 May 2022, at the Parish of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, Valenzuela City.
God our loving Father,
thank you in sending us
your Son Jesus Christ
who in turn gave his own
Mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary
as he died on the Cross
to be our Mother too!
How wonderful
that in her last apparition
at Fatima in Portugal
105 years ago today,
she came bringing peace
and good will like when
Jesus was born more than
2000 years ago; it was the
same message that St. Paul
brought to us through the
Ephesians as he described
Your magnificent plan
for us in Jesus Christ.
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens, as he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and without blemish before him. In love he destined us for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ…
Ephesians 1:2-5
Forgive us, merciful Father
in the name of Jesus Christ
Your Son, in refusing to accept
this beautiful offer you have
given us expressed clearly
105 years ago today in Fatima,
Portugal by the Blessed Virgin Mary
who introduced herself as
"the Lady of the Rosary";
despite the miraculous dancing
of the sun, many still refuse to
believe and heed her call
to return to You in Jesus Christ
through conversion,
of turning away from sins
and following the path of holiness,
of being filled with You.
Give us the grace that
like Mary in Fatima,
may we show others
an alternative vision of
the world wherein
all things are restored in
Jesus Christ by bringing
the light of your truth
against the world's
darkness of lies and fake news;
like Mary at Fatima
may we lead people back to
you through the Sacraments
especially the Holy Eucharist and Confession
instead of worshipping
and adoring the modern gods
of gold and glamor the world
offers so easily but treacherously.
Purify our devotion to Mary that
is rooted and focused on Christ
so we may instill hope and joy
to so many people today
in despair amid the harsh
realities of this life due to
the ongoing pandemic
with the persistent problems
of war and violence,
poverty and inequalities,
and lack of respect for life
and dignity of every person
regardless of color, belief,
and gender.
Be patient with us,
God our Father;
with Mary whom you
have sent to us in Fatima,
may we find our way
back to you in Jesus Christ
along with the conversion of
sinners and unbelievers
including our brothers and
sisters who profess to believe
in you but promote a culture
of death, leading a life
of evil and sin contrary to
your vision of living
in communion with you
in Christ.
Amen.
The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Tuesday, Memorial of St. John XXIII, Pope, 11 October 2022
Galatians 5:1-6 ><000'> + ><000'> + ><000'> Luke 11:37-41
Photo by author, April 2022.
Brothers and sisters: For freedom Christ set us free; so stand firm and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery. For in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.
Galatians 5:1, 6
O dearest Jesus,
thank you for coming
to save us,
in setting us free
from sin
and most especially,
from the yoke of slavery
to externalities of
religion.
Keep us faithful
to you, Jesus,
by being more loving
to one another;
set our sights on
you and people
not on rules and
regulations,
rituals and traditions
as you have pointed out
in the gospel today.
Through the intercession
of your servant,
St. John XXIII who was
lovingly called as
"the good Pope"
and father of Vatican II,
give us the courage
to stand firm
and defend our faith in you
while being open to the winds
of change sweeping
the world today.
Make us free and faithful,
and loving too like him
who had said on the eve
of the conclave that would
elect him as Pope John XXIII,
"We are not here to guard a museum,
but to cultivate a flourishing garden
of life." Amen.
The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Monday in the Twenty-Eighth Week of Ordinary Time, 10 October 2022
Galatians 4:22-24, 26-27, 31-5:1 ><]]]]'> + <'[[[[>< Luke 11:29-32
Photo by Dr. Mylene A. Santos, MD, in France, March 2022.
While still more people gathered in the crowd, Jesus said to them, “This generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it, except the sign of Jonah.”
Luke 11:29
I could feel your words,
Lord Jesus, today:
so strong,
so direct,
so true;
yes, dear Jesus,
your words are
meant for us
today.
What an evil generation
we are in still seeking
signs from you
for even those entrusted
to witness your presence,
your love and mercy
are nowhere to be found,
seeking signs of you
and worst,
creating so many conflicting
signs of you!
We have been so stubborn
like the Galatians;
we prefer going back to
old, evil ways
as we insist on what
we believe as true,
on what we have been used to
that until now so many of us
are still trapped
and enslaved to sins
of bigotry and prejudice,
refusing to find you
among everyone
especially the sick,
the poor,
and disadvantaged.
Bless us, dear Jesus,
and set us free from
our stubbornness;
soften our hardened hearts,
open wide our constricted
minds and perceptions
to find you present
in our lives daily,
both in our joys and pains,
in our ease and struggles,
and especially
with everyone we
meet each day.
Amen.
The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Thursday, Memorial of St. Bruno, Priest, 06 October 2022
Galatians 3:1-5 ><000'> + ><000'> + ><000'> Luke 11:5-13
Photo by Dr. Mylene A. Santos, MD, 10 September 2022.
Remind us,
O Lord Jesus Christ,
that "while the world changes,
the cross stands firm",
that you alone,
Jesus Christ
is our salvation
and way to perfection
as the Carthusians
had held for almost
a thousand years.
Like St. Bruno
their founder and father,
let us "seek God
assiduously
to find God promptly
and to possess God
fully."
“And I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks the door, the door will be opened.”
Luke 11:9-10
Stop our foolishness,
our being stupid like the
Galatians as St. Paul
called them in the first reading:
prayer is not an ATM
where we go to get cash
we need nor an apps
when we can just seek,
find and have whatever
we desire and need;
PRAYER IS EMPTINESS.
Teach us Jesus
to lay ourselves bare,
to strip ourselves
naked before you;
teach us to ask for YOU,
to seek YOU,
and to enter YOU.
How foolish we
have become
that we have been
misleading people
from you because
we teach wrongly
about prayer that
is centered on us
and our needs and
desires, making God
a Santa Claus
or even a genie.
Make us persevere
in emptying ourselves
of our pride
to be filled with your
humility and love,
to be an indwelling
of the Holy Spirit
so that we become more
like you, Jesus,
fulfilled and at peace.
Amen.
The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Friday, Memorial of St. Jerome, Priest & Doctor of the Church, 30 September 2022
Job 38:1, 12-21, 40:3-5 ><]]]]'> + ><]]]]'> + ><]]]]'> Luke 10:13-16
God our loving Father,
open my eyes
open my mind
open my heart and soul
to your majesty
to experience your
immense mystery
so profoundly
unthinkable
unexplainable
yet so true
that it can be felt
and experienced
because we live
in you though we
are not aware.
The Lord addressed Job out of the storm and said: Have you ever in your lifetime commanded the morning and shown the dawn its place for taking hold of the ends of the earth, till the wicked are shaken from its surface? The earth is changed as is clay by the seal, and dyed as though it were a garment. Have you entered the sources of the sea, or walked about in the depths of the abyss? Have the gates of death been shown to you, or have you seen the gates of darkness? Have you comprehended the breadth of the earth?
Job 38:1, 12-14, 16-18
Dearest Father,
many times I have asked you
so many questions
and would still have more to
follow you up with but,
when I contemplate
your love and presence
in my life,
among the people you
have surrounded me with,
then I realize
you are all questions
that in itself more than enough
for me to see, even imagine you!
Like Job,
let me remain silent
and be wrapped by
your majesty
and glory!
Then job answered the Lord and said: Behold, I am of little account; what can I answer you? I put my hand over my mouth. Though I have spoken once, I will not do so again; though twice, I will do so no more.
Job 40:3-5
Open my eyes
in Jesus your Son
to appreciate more
your coming
your loving presence
your healing
O God our Father;
let me listen
and be more attentive
to Jesus,
your Word who became
flesh to dwell
among us;
like St. Jerome,
give me the grace
to read and study
especially to pray
your Sacred Scriptures
each day of my life
to be still
and remain
in you always.
Amen.
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