Category: sincerity

To his face…

The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Wednesday in the Twenty-seventh Week of Ordinary Time, Year II, 09 October 2024
Galatians 2:1-2, 7-14     ><]]]]'>  +  <'[[[[><     Luke 11:1-4
Photo by author, Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches, QC, 2017.

And when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face because he clearly was wrong… (Galatians 2:11).

For so long,
I have always wondered
how You look like,
Lord Jesus,
of what or how 
your face looks
like really;
your face deeply in pain
on the Cross has always been
the face I have known when
thinking of You;
how I wished I could see your face
moved with pity 
with that widow of Nain
or how your face looked 
full of love to the rich young man
whose face fell after You asked him
to sell his belongings, 
share them to the poor
and follow you.

Oh, how I long to see your face,
Lord!
Christ and the Widow of Nain, c.1550-55 (oil on canvas) by Caliari, Paolo (Veronese) (1528-88); 97.7×163.8 cm; Private Collection; (add.info.: Christ and the Widow of Nain. Paolo Caliari (Veronese)(1528-1588). Oil on canvas. 97.7 x 163.8cm.); Photo © Christie’s Images.
“Christ and Rich Young Ruler” by Heinrich Hofmann from en.wikipedia.org.
St. Paul's account of 
"opposing Cephas to his face"
invites me today 
to see face
in a more deeper sense than
something physical; 
as I immersed into the scene,
I could sense and picture
the courage and sincerity 
on St. Paul's face in telling
St. Peter into his face 
his double standards
in dealing with early Christians, 
that is, of having two faces:
one with Jewish converts
and another with Gentile converts!
The lithography of Sts. Peter and Paul in Missale Romanum by unknown artist with initials F.M.S (19. cent.) printed by Typis Friderici Pustet. (Renáta Sedmáková | us.fotolia.com)
How sad,
dear Jesus, 
that until now,
we your disciples 
are like St. Peter before:
many of us are not only double-faced
but even multiple-faced with
one another, never our true selves
at all!
Worst, many of us can't even
show our true face as we put on masks
that literally in Greek are called
hypokritein --- hypocrites!
Teach us, Lord Jesus,
how to pray,
that is, 
to be single-faced in our prayers:
to face up before our Father
as His children
forgiving each other's debts,
living as brothers and sisters;
teach us, Lord Jesus,
to face up our prayers,
of living out what we pray
not with many faces
nor with masks on our face;
teach us, Lord Jesus,
to face You more often
in prayers to transform our face
into your face that is truly 
an image and likeness
of God, 
radiating with your loving presence.
Amen.
Photo by author, CAS Chapel, Our Lady of Fatima University, August 2023.

Love sincerely

The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Tuesday in the Thirty-first Week of Ordinary Time, Year I, 07 November 2023
Romans 12:5-16   ><]]]]'> + ><]]]]'> + ><]]]]'>   Luke 14:15-24
Photo by Mr. Jim Marpa, 2019.
God our merciful Father:
let us love sincerely
like your Son Jesus Christ
as St. Paul beautifully tells us
in today's first reading:

Let love be sincere; hate what is evil, hold on to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; anticipate one another in showing honor. Do not grow slack in zeal, be fervent in spirit, and serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, endure in affliction, and persevere in prayer.

Romans 12:9-12
Our loving Father,
let us love sincerely by loving in Jesus,
with Jesus and through Jesus,
not according to one's self nor 
with what the world knows that is
superficial, emotional, and temporary;
let us love sincerely without
pretensions but solely because
we find you in one another;
make us love sincerely
without thinking of our own
good and benefit but more of
the needs of others, especially
the poor and the needy;
let us love sincerely by making you
visible to others, making them
experience your love by bringing out
the giftedness of everyone around us, 
making them realize they are blessed, 
they are good in themselves,
that we need them in as much as we need
one another to grow and mature as persons;
let us love sincerely by avoiding instances
for hatred and envy and jealousy
to take shape within us and in our
relationships;
let us love sincerely by holding on
to what is good and true, 
never to what is false and evil
even if they may seem to be convenient
especially when one is untrue, unfaithful;
let us love sincerely by serving others
without expecting anything in return;
let us love sincerely by remaining
enthusiastic in life despite the sufferings
we go through, rejoicing in hope in you,
enduring afflictions and trials as we
handle life in prayer, together.

O Father, like Jesus Christ,
may we love sincerely by always
finding our place in your banquet table
(Luke 14:15-24)
among our brothers and sisters as
our equal, saying yes to your
every call to serve
in every here and now.
Amen.
Photo by author, National Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, 06 November 2023.

Straight talk in the Lord

The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Thursday, Feast of St. Bartholomew, Apostle, 24 August 2023
Revelation 21:9-14   <*(((>< + ><)))*> + <*(((>< + ><)))*>   John 1:45-51
Photo by author, Baguio City, 11 July 2023.
How should I really speak,
or talk, to you,
O God?  

Even before words 
are formed in my mouth
and spoken on my lips,
you knew already what
I am thinking,
how I am feeling.
And yet, 
you are so kind,
so merciful
and loving
that you sent us Jesus
your Son so we can speak
and talk to you like humans,
even so damned honest
like St. Bartholomew!

Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one about whom Moses wrote in the law, and also the prophets, Jesus, son of Joseph, from Nazareth.” But Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “come and see.”

John 1:45-46
How funny that when Nathanael asked
if can anything good come from Nazareth,
you have proven, Lord Jesus, that something
good can always come from our sincerity
even if sometimes with a touch of
humor or even tactlessness;
teach us to talk straight to you,
Lord; even though you know what
we need, what we think, what we feel,
it is always good to bring these out
like Nathanael for us to be more truthful
with ourselves; it is in honesty when we
can truly learn because it is only when we
bare what is inside us that we truly 
accept and own all our blessings and
misgivings.
Then we learn
discovering ourselves
until we find you.
Amen.

Lent is for sincerity of heart

40 Shades of Lent by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Tuesday in the Third Week of Lent, 14 March 2023
Daniel 3:25, 34-43   >>> + <<<   Matthew 18:21-35
Photo by author, sunrise at Katmon Nature Sanctuary & Beach Resort, Bgy. Binulusan, Infanta, Quezon, 04 March 2023.
God our Father,
grant me the grace of sincerity
to pray like Azariah whom you
spared from death along with
Shadrach and Meschach in the fiery
furnace of King Nebuchadnezzar;
not even their clothes were singed
by the intense heat that burned to death
their executioners!

Teach me to be sincere
like Azariah who prayed to you while 
walking into the furnace with his
companions, telling you one of the 
most beautiful prayers in the Bible 
we too pray in our Sunday Lauds:

“For we are reduced, O Lord, beyond any other nation, brought low everywhere in the world this day because of our sins. We have in our day no prince, no prophets, or leader, no burnt offering, sacrifice, oblation, or incense, no place to offer first fruits, to find favor with you. But with contrite heart and humble spirit let us be received. Do not let us be put to shame, but deal with us in your kindness and great mercy. Deliver us by your wonders, and bring glory to your name, O Lord.”

Daniel 3:37-39, 42-43
Yes, dear God,
there is no need,
not even necessary,
for us to do anything
"to win your favor" 
to grant our prayers except
that we be sincere before you,
that is, to be true and humble,
putting ourselves into your hands
completely that you would take care
of us like Azariah and companions.
Many times, O God,
we can't be like you and be
forgiving as a Father to those
who have wronged us because
we ourselves are not true,
lacking sincerity in begging
your mercy and forgiveness;
many times we doubt your
mercy and forgiveness
that often we act like
the unforgiving servant
in Jesus Christ's parable.
Amen.