Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Tuesday, Memorial of St. Leo the Great, Pope & Doctor of Church, 10 November 2026 Titus 2:1-8, 11-14 ><))))*> + ><))))*> + ><))))*> Luke 17:7-10
Fields of Hope by Moroka from Google.
Teach me, Jesus, to serve you freely, without asking anything in return especially recognition because it is my mission, my response to your call as servant.
Jesus said to the Apostles: “Who among you would say to your servant who has just come in from plowing or tending sheep in the field, ‘Come here immediately and take your place at table’? would he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare something for me to eat’… Is he grateful to that servvant because he did what was commanded? So should it be with you. when you have done all you have been commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants; we havve done what we are obliged to do'” (Luke 17:7-8,9-10).
In this world where being recognized in "likes" and "thumbs up" are the currencies to live even to exist, our praises and recognition have become so empty, even "cringy" because we know it is a mere show, an acting out or a hypocrisy for others to see; we have even become lost on how we want to be thanked because we are confused also of what is to serve with everyone keeping accounts on our every move like selfies and photos in social media.
Your faithful servant, St. Leo the Great whose memorial we celebrate today reminded us of our dignity especially while serving you, Jesus; serving and being loved and valued are not opposites but actually go hand in hand because true service leads to freedom - free to be one's self and express freely what one feels and believes, free from what others say or think that eventually fills us with joy in having experienced you Jesus in our service.
To serve freely, therefore, is simply to be good as St. Paul reminded Titus. And us today. Amen.
Lord My Chef Sunday Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord, Cycle A, 17 May 2026 Acts 1:1-11 ><}}}}*> Ephesians 1:17-23 ><}}}}*> Matthew 28:16-20
Photo by author, Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches, QC, 18 March 2026.
The past week is probably the most ugliest we ever have as a nation in recent years when power-hungry lawmakers seized power in the senate just to keep their cabals away from the legitimate powers of the legislature and international court.
Sorry for mentioning that this Sunday.
However, I hope you also find consolation in our celebration today of the Solemnity of the Ascension of Jesus who invites us to examine the true meaning of “power” that was mentioned four times in the three readings we have heard:
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8).
and what is the surpassing greatness of his power for us who believe, in accord with the exercise of his great might, which he worked in Christ, raising him from the dead and seating him at his right hand in the heavens, far above every principality, authority, power, and dominion, and every name that is named not only in this age but also in the one to come (Ephesians 1:19-21).
Then Jesus approached and said to them, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behod, I am with always, until the end of the age” (Matthew 28:18-20).
Photo by author, Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches, QC, 20 March 2026.
How timely that we reflect this Sunday the “power” claimed by Jesus Christ as given to him and now shared with us his disciples after returning to heaven.
As Jesus concludes his earthly existence with his Ascension, let us go back to his ministry to reflect the different aspects of his power that we must imitate as his disciples.
First we find in Jesus is the power of prayer. He was always in prayer that even his disciples were so impressed and asked him to “teach them how to pray”. More than the words to say in praying, Jesus taught us the very attitude in praying: it is not forcing ourselves to God but submitting ourselves to God we call Father by recognizing one another as brothers and sisters.
Prayer for Jesus is power because it is primarily a relationship with God expressed in our relationship with each other. His ascension need not be taken literally as if Jesus was like a rocket launched into space; his ascension is more like a “leveling up” in his relationships with us and the the Father. For us to ascend like Jesus Christ through prayer means for us to be “lighter” by letting go of our selves, of our pride.
Prayer is power because it leads us to self-emptying (kenosis) that we become more loving and respectful of others, not manipulative; truthful and honest, not liars; and, more just and respectful of laws.
The more we pray, the more we see God and others as brothers and sisters that we work for peace and unity, not divisions and chaos because ultimately, prayer is power as it makes us find life not death as Jesus exemplified on the Cross.
Photo by author, Manaoag, Pangasinan, 09 January 2026.
Simultaneous with the power of prayer, we find in Christ the power of love and respect for persons.
It is one of his radical teachings, an integral part of his gospel of salvation of loving one another as he had loved us, of giving up one’s life for a friend, of finding God on the face of every one. Even among enemies!
It is power because when we love and respect every person, that is when we establish the kingdom of heaven here on earth. Love and respect for persons as power is prayer in action through our loving service for others.
Clearly, it is one power we lack so much in the country especially in government when officials are deep into corruption. Its most tragic part is at how people mostly the poor have allowed corruption to persist because they themselves could not love and respect their very selves, refusing to see beyond the material world. For them, man lives to eat. Then die. They would not even raise up their heads to look high above the clouds to dream and dare in life, to believe and hope in God.
Photo by author, Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches, QC, 20 March 2026.
Because sadly, many refuse to recognize the very power of Christ which is the Cross.
Because of the Cross, there is Easter. And then Ascension.
Without the Cross, nothing.
That is why for many life has become more of a mess, empty without meaning because they believe power is strength and force, of control and manipulation. Most of all, of subjugation.
Christ showed us in his Cross that life is always larger than what we see or even perceive as it is. Life is so wide and vast, so high and so deep we can never hold nor contain. Or even understand and explain.
Life is meant to be lived not solved at all. We hear it often said, “let go, let God.” Notice in this saying how the single letter “d” leads to the transition, transformation. That small letter “d” stands for our little daily deaths.
It is here we find the power of the Cross: when we surrender and submit, the world opens, we see more options, we see more life; when we suffer and cry, when we get hurt and bruised, we learn to stop and wait until healing comes and then we are renewed.
Most of all, when we experience those little deaths in taking our cross, in dying on the Cross of Jesus, that is when we find our greater self, when we experience Christ in us who had conquered sin and death because he is life himself. That is when we find true power because that is when we rise and ascend in Christ.
Events happening lately in our country and in the world, and most especially in our very lives do not look so nice and good. Even dismal. But, Jesus reminds us this Sunday of his true powers that enable to rise, to ascend in him. Most of all, he promised to be with us always. As we come nearer to the closing of Easter Season, let us ask anew ourselves and him how we can live out this new level of relationship in him, with him and through him. Let us wait in prayers to discover too his powerful answer. Amen.
Photo by author, Mt. Arayat from Angeles City, Pampanga, October 2024.
Lord My Chef Recipe by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Holy Monday, 30 March 2026 Isaiah 42:1-7 +++ John 12:1-11
Photo by author, Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches, QC, 20 March 2026.
Here is my servant whom I uphold, my chosen one with whom I am pleased, upon whom I have put my spirit; he shall bring forth justice to the nations, not crying out, not shouting, not making his voice heard in street. A bruised reed he shall not break, and a smoldering wick he shall not quench... (Isaiah 42:1-3).
Lord Jesus Christ, our Suffering Servant, let me be your servant too: open my eyes and free me from whatever prison holding me in darkness like Judas your betrayer at Bethany: many times I break a bruised reed, quenching a smoldering wick by looking more at people than seeing you in them, counting things instead of appreciating persons.
Jesus our Suffering Servant, only you can bring peace and justice in this world troubled with wars waged everywhere but especially right in our hearts; fill me with your Spirit so I can love you more and be loving like you silently doing your work. Amen.
Photo by author, Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches, QC, 20 March 2026.
Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Tuesday, Third Week in Ordinary Time, Year II, 27 January 2026 2 Samuel 6:12-15, 17-19 <*{{{{>< +++ ><}}}}*> Mark 3:31-35
Photo by author, Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches, QC, August 2017.
Your words today are very interesting, God our loving Father: both the first reading and the gospel show us a setting of people gathered, inside and outside a circle of crowd; but, what makes it so interesting is the fact that more than the location of being "inside" and "outside" in any setting especially in gathering and in coming to you, what truly matters most is our action, of what are we doing because many times, we may be "inside" without doing your will while be "outside" doing your will.
The mother of Jesus and his brothers arrived. Standing outside they sent word to Jesus and called him. A crowd seated around him told him, “Your mother and your brothers and your sisters are outside for you.” But he said to them in reply, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” And looking around at those seated in the circle he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother” (Mark 3:31-35).
Thank you dear Jesus for coming to us, bringing us closer to you, to God our Father, and most especially with everyone; how sad at times when we are seated right in your circle yet too far from you and others because we are away from your will, from your very self, from your works; it does not really matter wherever we are seated but where we stand in you and with you in doing the will of God.
Teach us to imitate King David who rejoiced triumphantly in the arrival of the Ark of the Covenant where he was closest to God's presence not because of the Ark but most because of his care for the people around to whom "he distributed to each man and each woman in the entire multitude of Israel, a loaf of bread, a cut of roast meat, and a raising cake" (2Samuel 6:19).
Let us come to you, in you, and through you, dear Jesus in holy communion welcoming everyone with our loving service so that no one may feel far and outside from you and one another. Amen.
Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Wednesday in the First Week of Advent, 04 December 2024 Isaiah 25:6-10 ><}}}}*> + ><}}}}*> + ><}}}}*> Matthew 15:29-37
Photo by author, Pulong Sampalok, DRT, Bulacan, 22 November 2024.
Praise and glory to You, God our loving Father for this gift of Advent Season: thank you in bringing us to this brand new day of salvation, of freedom, of new life in Jesus; most of all, thank you for ending death in Christ's advent.
On this mountain he will destroy he will destroy the veil that veils all peoples, the web that is woven over all nations; he will destroy death forever. The Lord God will wipe away the tears from all faces… (Isaiah 25:7-8).
Come to us this Advent, dear Jesus and take away all kinds of veils of selfishness that cover and make us unloving, unkind, unmerciful, unhappy... set us free, Jesus, free to love and serve especially the sick and hungry; set us free, Jesus, this Advent to open our hearts to bring out those treasures You have filled us with like goodwill and care for others like the disciples in today's gospel. Amen.
Photo courtesy of Our Lady of Fatima Tribune, 27 November 2024.
The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Wednesday, Memorial of St. John of Capistrano, Priest, 23 October 2024 Ephesians 3:2-12 <*((((>< + ><))))*> Luke 12:39-48
Photo by author, Pampanga, September 2024.
Lord Jesus, many times I find myself like Peter asking You so often with his same question especially when things get so difficult, so trying:
Then Peter said, “Lord, is this parable meant for us or for everyone?” And the Lord replied, “Who, then, is the faithful and prudent steward whom the master will put in charge of his servants to distribute the food allowance at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master on arrival finds doing so” (Luke 12:41-42).
Forgive me, Jesus, when there are times I exclude myself from the rest, when I exempt myself from your teachings, when I unconsciously demand from You some perks and privileges for following You; let me be your faithful servant who takes care of others even if my other fellow servants are remiss of their responsibilities or worst when those You have entrusted with authority forget to be humble, throwing their weight around us, insisting on their powers.
Give me the grace, Jesus, to imitate St. Paul of ably dispensing God's grace and mystery of salvation to everyone despite the many hurts and pains that often come with it. Amen.
The Lord Is My Chef Sunday Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B, 29 September 2024 Numbers 11:25-29 ><}}}}*> James 5:1-6 ><}}}}*> Mark 9:38-43, 45, 47-48
Photo by author, ongoing works on the stained glass of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, Valenzuela City, 24 July 2024.
Our Sunday gospel is getting more exciting each week as Jesus gets closer to Jerusalem in fulfillment of His mission with His Passion, Death, and Resurrection.
One thing we see these past Sundays is how Mark followed a certain series of contrasts in the trajectory of his reportage. Note the contrasting scenes with every Sunday as we find today the Twelve appeared united as one unlike last week when they debated on the way who was the greatest among them.
More than that, Mark narrated today two strongly contrasting components of the Lord’s teachings to His disciples about discipleship and membership.
Photo by author in Magalang, Pampanga, 23 September 2024.
First is His tolerance on those who do good even though they do not belong to His fold, telling us to let everyone do what is good because no one has a monopoly of serving.
At that time, John said to Jesus, “Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name, and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow us.” Jesus replied, “Do not prevent him. There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me. For whoever is not against us is for us” (Mark 9:38-40).
Then in a sudden shift, Jesus severely criticized those who cause scandal, strongly urging His disciples including us today to totally eradicate whatever that leads us to sin and evil. Rejecting sin is discipleship in essence, not membership.
“Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were put around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed than with two hands to go into Gehenna, into the un quenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for to enter into life crippled than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. Better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into Gehenna” (Mark 9:42-43, 45, 47).
Jesus teaching his Twelve Apostles, from GettyImages.
What a lively discussion the Twelve must have had that day with Jesus. This scene is a favorite of many Christians when discussing the scriptures, of how they are to be understood and interpreted with our ready excuses that Jesus did not literally mean what He said about cutting off our sinful hand or sinful foot and plucking out our sinful eye.
But, have we really reflected on its meanings and implications to our lives today?
Jesus reminds us this Sunday that discipleship is more than membership because in doing what is good, “the sky is the limit” so to speak. No disciple of Christ can lay claim to a monopoly in doing what is good, serving others; moreover, no disciple of Christ can belittle the good works of others even if they do not belong to the same religion or church.
Photo by author in Magalang, Pampanga 23 September 2024.
When our good deeds become “exclusive” and selective, then, that cease to be good.
Our ability to do good is always a grace of God, a gift poured out upon us by God daily so that we can be more loving and caring, more understanding and forgiving to one another. The moment we forget that, then, we start playing God.
In telling His disciples to let that man exorcize those possessed even he were not among the Twelve was clearly a command for us to recognize all who do good as brothers and sisters even if they do not necessarily share our beliefs and traditions. It is a call to respect one another.
Recall how in John’s gospel Jesus called Himself the Good Shepherd who has other sheep not in this fold. And we cannot deny that many times those who do not belong to our Church or group are doing better in serving others than us who are so entangled with bureaucracy and programs or procedures, not to mention fame and other selfish motives.
This attitude of having a monopoly of ministries and charities is one serious malady afflicting parishes today. Very often, the people with this attitude are the cordon sanitaire of priests who most likely are a Jollibee or a pabida since they were seminarians. They are the epal for short who volunteer in everything leaving nothing else for others to do, eventually spawning more pabida and epal in the church. Many parishioners refuse to serve not because they are lazy nor indifferent nor afraid but simply they are never given a chance to serve due to the monopolistic attitudes of some. It is a sad case of ministry and service based on membership than discipleship.
Photo by author in Magalang, Pampanga 23 September 2024.
Jesus is telling us this Sunday that there should be no divisions in doing good. Allow others to do good! Give them the chance to enter heaven too with their services and charities.
God wants us all to be “prophets” as explained by Moses to Joshua in the first reading when Meldad and Eldad prophesied even though they were not present in the Lord’s meeting tent. Moses rightly identified “jealousy” as one reason for such monopolistic attitude of good works by some believers.
Sin is the only obstacle in doing good, not membership. That is why, Jesus was severely stern in His words, telling how better it is for one causing others to sin to be thrown into the sea with a great millstone around one’s neck. Or, to cut off one’s hand or foot, and pluck out one’s eye that cause anyone to sin.
Photo by author at Fatima Ave., Valenzuela City, 25 July 2024.
If doing good were “sky is the limit” among disciples of Jesus, sin definitely has no room among us.
See how in this Sunday gospel Jesus implied to John and other disciples including us today of the grave sin of pride when we have that attitude of having a monopoly of good works, of relying more on membership than discipleship. It makes us proud and bloats our ego, leading us to more sins along the way until later on, we succumb to what the Greeks called as hubris.
That is why St. James in the second reading instructed us to examine our attitudes on social ills like poverty and inequality because wealth, like fame and glory, are always stained by sin.
A good disciple is always a good member of the Church – or any team and organization for that matter. Most of all, in our own family and circle of friends!
From Caesarea Philippi down to Capernaum that began three Sundays ago, Mark has continued to show us who Jesus really is, as the Christ who invites us with a personal answer to His same question to the Twelve, “who do you say that I am?” (Mk. 8:29).
The contrasts we found in Him today are not opposed to each other like His meekness with the sick and toughness with those who cause sin. Jesus is very open with anyone doing good, being kind and helpful but amid all these contrasts, He remains firm on His demands on discipleship rooted on His Cross, not just membership or being called a Christian.
When we look on His face, on His person, we find integrity and coherence, wholeness and holiness for Jesus is the Christ who had come to make us all divine, to become holy like Him “filled with His spirit” (Num. 11:29).Amen. Have a blessed week and October ahead!
Photo by Ka Ruben, the new stained glass at the National Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, Valenzuela City, 13 September 2024.
The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Thursday in the Twenty-fourth Week of Ordinary Time, Year II, 19 September 2024 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 ><))))*> + <*((((>< Luke 7:36-50
Photo by author, St. Scholastica Spirtuality Center, Tagaytay City, 21 August 2024.
Praise and glory to you, God our loving Father! Thank you for your unending gifts of grace for us despite our many sins and our being undeserving.
Truly like St. Paul, we too feel so small, "the least" for our so many sins yet you never denied us with that immense grace of mercy and forgiveness, redemption and new life in Christ Jesus our Lord that we so often forget.
Let us affirm and be grateful by cultivating this great grace you have given us in Jesus be who we are in your sight, never making your grace "ineffective" like the Pharisees in today's gospel who could not stand the sight of Jesus interacting with a sinful woman, of Jesus speaking to a sinner, of Jesus forgiving so great a sin.
May we keep in our heart and mind your tremendous gift of grace to be near you, to be like you, to be filled with you by living out your grace in grateful witnessing of loving and joyful service to others.
Help us remember that like in the Annunciation to Mary, rejoicing and grace are always together: from the Greek words charis for grace and chara for rejoicing, rejoicing and joy are clearest signs of grace anywhere like that woman who washed and anointed the Lord's feet. Amen.
The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Monday, Sts. Cornelius, Pope, and Cyprian, Bishop, Martyrs, 16 September 2024 1 Corinthians 11:17-26, 33 <*((((>< + ><))))*> Luke 7:1-10
Photo by author, Alfonso, Cavite, 21 April 2024.
Therefore, my brothers and sisters, when you come together to eat, wait for one another (1 Corinthians 11:33).
Lovely words, God our Father, for this lovely, cold Monday of overcast skies most likely with a lot of rains ahead.
Wash us clean, O God, with your rains of mercy and wisdom: it must be so easy to understand what St. Paul meant that we "wait for one another" when we come to eat together but that is exactly what has become a rarity these days; forgive us, Father, for like the Corinthians we have become like pagans, so unChristian in our lives especially at the Eucharist of your Son Jesus Christ; we no longer "wait" for one another as in we do not celebrate as one due to factions and selfishness that come in all forms; we no longer "wait" not serving each other truly as brothers and sisters; worst of all, we live for the present moment alone, being so unwise like unfaithful servants not "waiting" for Christ's return.
Let us "wait" for you, Jesus, like the people in Capernaum: the locals "waiting" for the centurion as they "strongly urged" you to help him because of his kindness to Jews; lovely was how the centurion "waited" for you, sending emissaries asking you Jesus for the healing of his slave; but, most wonderful of all, was the centurion's faith in you, Lord as he described how his slave faithfully "waited" on him, prompting him to tell you:
“Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; but say the word and let my servant be healed. For I too am a person subject to authority, with soldiers subject to me. And I say to one ‘Go’, and he goes; and to another, ‘Come here,’ and he comes; and to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and he does it” (Luke 7:6, 7-8).
Indeed, dear Jesus, to "wait" is to serve; to "wait" is to be one with others and with you; to "wait" to find myself always not worthy to receive you but you chose to "wait" for us in the Cross with your words of mercy and forgiveness that we are all healed, we are saved.
Pray for us, holy martyrs Pope Cornelius and Bishop Cyprian who both waited faithfully for their flock especially those who have lapsed in faith, those who have sinned and erred. Amen.
The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Friday, Memorial of St. John Chrysostom, Bishop & Doctor of Church, 13 September 2024 1 Corinthians 9:16-19, 22-27 <*((((>< + ><))))*> Luke 6:39-42
Photo by Mr. Jim Marpa, 2018.
Lord Jesus Christ, help me be like St. Paul, a man truly free: free from slavery of sin, free from selfishness, free from what others may say so that I may be truly free to love, free to serve, free to be my true self.
Although I am free in regard to all, I have made myself a slave to all so as to win over as many as possible. I have become all things to all (omnia omnibus), to save at least some. All this I do for the sake of the Gospel, so that I too may have a share in it (1 Corinthians 9:19, 22-23).
In a world when most people insist on their rights, you teach us Lord through St. Paul that inasmuch as the Church is the your Body, then being a slave to others is actually the path to true freedom, making no room for anyone to insist on his or her rights superseding the common good; most of all, in becoming all things to all men like St. Paul, then we acknowledge that the strong and powerful must take into consideration the needs of the weak and powerless; forgive us, Jesus, for blindly leading others to doom and more darkness; forgive us, Jesus, for always seeing defects of others without recognizing our own; cleanse us with your words like St. John Chrysostom who wrote us in one of his letters on the way to his exile, "Distance separates us, but love unites us, and death itself cannot divide us. For though my body die, my soul will live and be mindful of my people." Amen.
