Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Monday, Memorial of St. Andrew Dung-Lac & Companion Martyrs, 24 November 2025 Daniel 1:1-6, 8-20 ><))))*> + ><))))*> + ><))))*> Luke 21:1-4
Photo by Mr. Chester Ocampo, UST-SHS, 04 November 2019.
Lord Jesus Christ, give me a new perspective today on this final stretch of November and of our liturgical calendar; let me see this too familiar scene with you at the temple with new eyes:
When Jesus looked up he saw some wealthy people putting their offerings into the treasury and he noticed a poor widow putting in two small coins. He said, “I tell you truly, this poor widow put in more than all the rest; for those others have all made offerings from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has offered her whole livelihood” (Luke 21:1-4).
Every day,
dear Jesus I witness
a similar scene
but never bothered myself
to search for you,
to find you there,
also sitting,
looking,
observing
how we put our
offerings not only to
the treasury but to each day;
teach me to suspend every
judgment so I may see truly
the poor and the rich among us;
open my eyes and let me
move away from everything familiar
to converse and share moments
with that woman,
perhaps share a meal with her
and ask her,
"why give
all those
two small coins?"
I feel you, Lord
speaking also to me:
teach me to be content
and grateful with whatever
I have like that poor widow;
teach me to believe more,
to trust more in you;
most of all,
teach me to have less
for myself,
less of myself
in order to have more
of you.
Amen.
Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul, 19 November 2025 Wednesday in the Thirty-Third Week of Ordinary Time, Year I 2 Maccabees 7:1, 20-31 ><))))*> + ><))))*> + ><))))*> Luke 19:11-28
Lady of Sorrows from a triptych by the Master of the Stauffenberg Altarpiece, Alsace c. 1455; photo from fraangelicoinstitute.com.
What a lovely phrase, dear Jesus for today for us all especially mothers and all women: "womanly heart, manly courage."
At this time when a wayward daughter and sister viciously attacks her own brother in total disregard of our family values and tradition, not to mention the need for decency and respect as well as a little sanity too, here comes out in the open the nobility of many women and mothers as well as men still intact; in this time like during the Maccabean Revolt when many sold their souls to evil for the price of comfort and ease, there are still more like that mother who dare to go against the tide of insanity and folly, indecency and disrespect, most of all, of idolatrous worship through religious leaders of the many sects and cults who use God's name in vain and shameful profit too.
Keep us strong inside, Jesus, to be not afraid in venturing into finding ways of serving you most than being idle in keeping your gifts and talents; teach us anew the virtue of obedience, of docility to authority whether at home and family or in the society in general and in other civil institutions.
Lastly, we pray dear Jesus for all mothers crying in silence these days for the many pains they bear inside their hearts especially those who have lost a child, those betrayed by their own husband or children, those separated from their families due to work and employment, those nursing a sick loved one, those forgotten even by families and societies; grant them a "womanly heart" filled with faith in God and a "manly courage" trusting in you alone. Amen.
Now more than ever, we are proven right: the past administration is the most decadent in our history with its utter lack of respect for life and for women; that its war on drugs was totally a lie. May they “who have contrived every kind of affliction not escape the hands of God” (2 Maccabees 7:31).
Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul, 17 October 2025 Friday, Memorial of St. Ignatius of Antioch, Bishop & Martyr Romans 4:1-8 <*{{{{>< + ><}}}}*> Luke 12:1-7
Your words, O Lord Jesus this Friday are so lovely, so comforting especially in this time when many fear ageing, suffering, and death.
I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body but after that can do no more. I shall show you whom to fear. Be afraid of the one who after killing has the power to cast into Gehenna; yes, I tell you, be afraid of that one (Luke 12:4-5).
How I wish I could hug you, Jesus, lean on you while relishing your calling us "my friends" not to be afraid of those who kill the body; more than trusting you, let me live in you, Jesus like Abraham as explained by St. Paul in the first reading who deeply trusted God in everything; deepen my consciousness as a senior citizen that life does not end in the grave because the soul persists even after death; thank you also for the gift of hair though it had thinned and turned gray, now sparse and perhaps easier for the Father to count and remember but most of all as signs of his love and care for me; let me not be afraid, Jesus, for I am worth more than the sparrows.
St. Ignatius of Antioch whose feast we celebrate today, pray for us modern people so afraid of pain and suffering and death: pray for us to be like you - to accept death, even pursue death which is our rebirth to new life. Amen.
Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Our Lady of Fatima University Valenzuela City (lordmychef@gmail.com)
Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul, 04 September 2025 Thursday in the Twenty-Second Week of Ordinary Time, Year I Colossians 1:9-14 <*((((>< + ><))))*> Luke 5:1-11
Photo by Mr. Raffy Tima of GMA7 News in Batanes, September 2018.
Today's gospel story of your first meeting with Simon reminds me of how your presence made a difference in my life when I finally said "yes" to your call to give my vocation to the priesthood a second chance in 1991 when I resigned from my job to enter the seminary again; it was pure joy at first that later became more intense, more deep and wonderful as the going got tough and rough; it was never easy following you, Jesus but you have never forsaken me since then until now though many times I have balked and even backed out from you as you kept telling me those same words you told Simon, "Do not be afraid" (Luke 5:10).
Fill me, Jesus, "with the knowledge of God's will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, so as to be fully pleasing, in every good work bearing fruit nd growing in the knowledge of God" (Colossians 1:9-10); teach me to trust you more by surrendering, giving up my total self to you so that I may continue casting my net into the deep; though I have given up a lot, I still feel I have not given up that much of myself to you - take away from me, Jesus whatever I still hold on deep inside, help me surrender myself to you totally so that I may know you more clearly, love you more dearly, follow you most closely daily for it is in your presence when I am most fulfilled. Amen.
Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul, 12 August 2025 Tuesday in the Nineteenth Week of Ordinary Time, Year I Deuteronomy 31:1-8 <*((((>< + ><))))*> Matthew 18:1-5, 10, 12-14
Photo by author, the Grotto in Baguio City, February 2019.
How I love your words today, Lord Jesus Christ; we all remain little children after all; though like the Twelve we often debate on "who is the greatest", in the end, we remain that little child you called and placed in their midst.
Yes, Jesus, we remain like children - weak and fearful especially in old age when we prefer to remain in our "comfort zones" yet, like Moses in Jordan, time catches on us when we have to go - whether for good or not - with our many transitions in life.
Then Moses summoned Joshua and in the presence of all Israel said to him, “Be brave and steadfast… It is the Lord who marches before you; he will be with you and will never fail or forsake you. So do not fear or be dismayed” (Deuteronomy 31:7, 8).
Lord Jesus, as I age and get old and weak, the more I doubt, the more I am afraid than ever; indeed, we all remain like little children before you; fill me with more courage to step forward in you when my sight grows dim, my muscles ache and joints weaken in life's journey; teach me to trust more the younger generation as they take charge from us in this life; let me be more silent and deeply aware of your presence in life's many transitions that continue to happen as we advance in age; deepen our faith and hope in you, Lord for you march ahead of us, never forsaking us, nor failed us. Amen.
Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Our Lady of Fatima University Valenzuela City (lordmychef@gmail.com)
Photo by author, Tam-Awan Village in Baguio City, February 2019.
Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul, 21 July 2025 Monday in the Sixteenth Week of Ordinary Time, Year I Exodus 14:5-18 <*((((>< + ><))))*> Matthew 12:38-42
Photo by author, Cabo da Roca, Pundaquit, San Antonio, Zambales, 15 May 2025.
It is a rainy, gloomy Monday, God our Father; like your people who have left Egypt led by Moses, suddenly we are again facing life's realities of work and struggles, of health and sickness, of challenges and problems bigger than us.
Pharaoh was already near when the children of Israel looked up and saw that the Egyptians were on the march in pursuit of them. In great fright they cried out to the Lord. And they complained to Moses, “Were there no burial places in Egypt that you had to bring us out here to die in the desert? Why did you do this to us? Why did you bring us out of Egypt? Did we not tell you this in Egypt, when we said, ‘Leave us alone. Let us serve the Egyptians? Far better for us to be the slaves of Egyptians than to die in the desert.'” But Moses answered, “Fear not! Stand your ground, and you will see the victory the Lord will win for you today… The Lord himself will fight for you; you have only to keep still” (Exodus 14:10-14).
Keep me still, Lord; let me stand my ground in you before my adversaries - primarily my self when I doubt you, when I lose hope, when I am disillusioned, when I am afraid, when I complain a lot when the realities of life start to kick in making me realize of your invitation and calls for me to welcome you into my life, to believe you, to trust you.
O dear Jesus, many times in the wilderness of this life I waste precious time and efforts like the Pharisees asking you for signs when each day, each waking from sleep is like me being a Jonah coming out alive from the belly of the whale; help me live your paschal mystery, Jesus, one day at a time. Amen.
Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Our Lady of Fatima University Valenzuela City
Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul, 16 July 2025 Wednesday, Memorial of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Exodus 3:13-20 ><}}}*> + ><}}}*> + ><}}}*> Matthew 11:25-27
Photo by author, Sonnenberg Mountain View, Davao del Sur, August 2018.
Today, O Lord your words bring us to the mountain as we celebrate too the Memorial of Our Lady of Mount Carmel; in the first reading you brought Moses to your mountain in Horeb to see you in the burning bush while the Memorial of our Blessed Mother today reminds us of the early monks who banded together to pray at Mount Carmel.
When the Lord saw him coming over to look at it more closely, God called out to him from the bush, “Moses! Moses!” He answered, “Here I am.” “Come, now! I will send you you to Pharaoh to lead my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.” But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and lead the children of Israel out of Egypt?” He answered, “I will be with you; and this shall be your proof that it is I who have sent you: when you bring my people out of ??Egypt, you will worship God on this very mountain” (Exodus 3:4-5, 10-12).
How lovely was your conversation, Lord with Moses, so similar with our conversations when we would readily answer your call with the declaration "Here I am" that suddenly when you hand us our mission, we balk and question you, "Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh?"
Many times we are like Moses - while showing humility with some fears in our quick response to your call, we suddenly doubt ourselves upon learning the mission you entrust us with whereas you simply assure us of your presence, of being our companion with your simple statement "I will be with you." Such is your simplicity, Lord.
Teach us to be like Mary your Mother, dear Jesus Christ, simple and childlike filled with humility, always open to God and his plans; after all, you call us first of all for a relationship with you not with a task to be achieved.
May the Brown Scapular given by Mary to St. Simon Stock be a reminder of our relationship with God in Christ with Mary; always open to his will but most of all faithful and obedient to his call of communion and oneness. Amen.
Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Our Lady of Fatima University Valenzuela City
Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul, 07 July 2025 Monday in Fourteenth Week of Ordinary Time, Year I Genesis 28:10-22 <*((((>< + ><))))*> Matthew 9:18-26
Photo by author, Mount Sinai, May 2019.
If. A conjunction so short we often use to express a condition or a supposition, expressing something not certain like when we say, "If it rains, then we stay." But today, dear God, you taught me another dimension of this conjuction "if" just like that verb "to doubt" last week at the Feast of St. Thomas Didymus.
Like the verb "to doubt", to use the conjunction "if" is not necessarily negative in meaning; it could even be a grace too in itself as it already implies certainty like when the woman suffering hemorrhages for 12 years came up behind Jesus and touched the tassel on his cloak:
She said to herself, “If only I can touch his cloak, I shall be cured.” Jesus turned around and saw her, and said, “Courage, daughter! Your faith has saved you.” And from that hour the woman was cured (Matthew 9:21-22).
Teach me, Lord Jesus like that woman to have that deep faith and trust in you, to claim always what is mine, what I truly deserve because you know what is best for us; many times, Jesus, we prefer to stay on the side of the road, afraid to dare get close and touch you because of the more negative connotations of that conjunction "if" like what if I fail, what if I don't get it, and many other "ifs" of hesitancy; like that woman, let my "if" be my final push to get close to you.
Or, like Jacob in the first reading, let my "if" lead me into action, into doing something like an altar for the Lord after meeting him in a dream to remind him of your promise, of your presence, of your power. Like Jacob, we flee for many reasons yet always end up being found by you, Lord, in the most ordinary instances. If we could just learn from your ways, Lord, then our ifs would be more of certainty than suppositions. Amen. Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Our Lady of Fatima University Valenzuela City
Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Sacred Heart Novena Day 1, 18 June 2025
Detalye ng painting ng Sacred Heart of Jesus sa Visitation Monastery, Marclaz, France mula sa godongphoto / Shutterstock.
Tamang-tama ang ating mga pagbasa sa araw na ito ng Miyerkules ng ika-labing isang linggo sa Karaniwang Panahon na nagtutuon ng ating pansin sa ating puso sa unang araw ng nobena sa Kamahal-Mahalang Puso ni Jesus.
Ang mga aral ng Panginoong Jesus sa ebanghelyo na huwag maging pakitang-tao lamang ang ating mga gawa ng kabutihan kungdi magbukal mula sa kaibuturan ng ating mga puso ang siya ring nilalagom ni San Pablo sa kanyang sulat sa mga taga-Corinto at maging sa ating lahat ngayon:
Tandaan ninyo ito: ang naghahasik ng kakaunti ay mag-aani ng kakaunti, at ang naghahasik naman ng marami ay mag-aani ng marami. Ang bawat isa’y dapat magbigay ayon sa sariling pasiya, maluwag sa loob at di napipilitan lamang, sapagkat ang ibig ng Diyos ay kusang pagkakaloob. Magagawa ng Diyos na pasaganain kayo sa lahat ng bagay – higit pa sa inyong pangangailangan – upang may magamit sa pagkakawanggawa (2 Corinto 9:6-8).
Larawan kuha ng may-akda, Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches, Marso 2023.
Mas mainam ang salin sa Inggles ng ika-pitong talata, “God loves a cheerful giver.” Kailan ba tayo nagiging “cheerful giver” o galak na kusang loob sa pagbibigay?
Maraming pagkakataon sa buhay natin na madali tayong magbigay at magbahagi ng ano man mayroon tayo tulad ng salapi, pagkain, damit at iba pang gamit kapag tayo ay sagana sa mga bagay na materyal. Gayon din kung tayo ay panatag ang katayuan kapag walang problema at suliraning mabigat, kapag tayo ika nga ng mga kabataan ay chill-chill lamang.
Subalit, nangyayari din naman na maramot tayo maski tayo ay sagana sa buhay at panatag ang lahat. Para bang bad trip tayong tumulong maski alam naman nating mayroon tayong sapat para sa atin o walang gaanong alalahanin.
Sa kabilang dako naman, may mga pagkakataon na kahit tayo ay hindi naman saganang-sagana sa mga bagay at iba pang uri ng kayamanan ay mapagbigay pa rin naman tayo ng tulong maging ng ngiti at pakikisama. May mga panahon na napakagaan natin sa pagtulong at pagdamay kahit naman tayo mismo ay gipit ang kalagayan. At siyempre naman, hindi rin nating maikakaila na pinakamaramot at masungit tayo kapag tayo ay kapos at salat sa ano mang magaganda sa buhay.
Pagmasdang mabuti. Meron man o wala, maari tayong maging mapagbigay o madamot. Ibig sabihin, wala sa ating mga kamay o laman ng bulsa ang pagiging mapagbigay. Ito ay naroon sa ating puso!
Ang ating puso ang pinagmumulan, hindi ang ating mga kamay ang siyang dahilan at kakayanan ng ating pagiging bukas-palad bagaman ang palad ay bahagi ng kamay; sa lahat ng bahagi ng ating katawan, itong puso ang sentro ng lahat ng ating kilos at galaw maging ng pagpapasya kung kayat nasa puso ang ating buhay at sentro ng katauhan. Kapag namatay ang puso, tayo ay mamamatay. Kaya doon din sa puso nananahan ang Diyos sa atin kung saan bumubukal ating pananampalataya at pagtitiwala sa Kanya.
Magiging cheerful giver lamang tayo at generous o bukas-palad kapag buo tiwala natin sa Diyos na hindi Niya tayo pababayaan magbigay man tayo ng magbigay. At ito ay madarama lamang doon sa puso kung saan nananahan ang Diyos sa atin. Kapag buo ang ating pagtitiwala sa Diyos doon sa puso natin, wala tayong takot magbahagi at maging mabuti, magmahal sa kapwa maski tayo ay sakbibi ng mga sakit dahil panatag ating puso at kalooban sa Diyos na pinagmumulan ng lahat ng kabutihan.
Higit sa lahat, nagiging bukas-palad tayo at cheerful giver dahil malinaw sa atin na ano mang mayroon tayo sa buhay, ito ay sa Diyos pa rin. Ano mang pera o gamit o kabutihan ibigay natin sa iba, hindi ito mauubos ni masasaid dahil sa Diyos na walang hanggan naman ang lahat ng ito. Hindi magmumula sa kaisipan kungdi sa kaibuturan ng puso ang kaalaman at katiyakang ito.
Wika nga ni Papa Leo XIII sa kanyang sulat noong 1899 sa pagtatalaga ng sangkatauhan sa Kamahal-Mahalang Puso ni Jesus, doon aniya sa Sacred Heart natatagpuan ang tanda at larawan ng walang hanggang pagmamahal sa atin ni Jesu-Kristo kaya tayo man ay nakapagmamahal. Sino mang nagmamahal na tunay, siguradong siya ay mapagbigay ng kusa. Higit sa lahat, nagagalak palagi tulad ni Jesus.
Nawa sa unang araw na ito ng ating pagsisiyam sa Dakilang Kapistahan ng Sacred Heart sa isang linggo, suriin nating mabuti ang ating mga puso kung naroon ang pagtitiwala kay Jesus. Ating pagmasdang mabuti ating mga kamay kung ang mga ito ay naka-ugnay doon sa ating puso na siyang sentro at hantungan ng pagkakadugtong-dugtong di lamang ng ating mga kamay at braso kungdi ng lahat ng bahagi ng ating katawan. Hindi tayo makapagmamahal nang tunay, pati ating mga kamay ay tiyak titiklop at sasaradong parang galit na kamao kapag ang puso natin ay tumigas at namatay. Kaya ating idalangin:
O Jesus na mayroong maamo at mapagkumbabang Puso, Gawin Mong ang puso nami'y matulad sa Puso Mo! Amen.
Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Wednesday in the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time, Year I, 18 June 2025 2 Corinthians 9:6-11 ><}}}*> + ><}}}*> + ><}}}*> Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18
Photo by the author, La Mesa Dam Eco-Park, QC, February 2023.
What will it take for me to be a cheerful giver, Lord? Maybe, first I must have that complete trust in you, Jesus Christ; no one can be generous unless one trusts completely God the source and giver of all good things in life.
Brothers and sisters: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingl, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each must do as already determined, without sadness or compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. Moreover, God is able to make very grace abndant for you, so that in all things, always having all you need, you may have an abundance for every good work (2 Corinthians 9:6-8).
St. Paul's words in today's first reading echoed your teachings, Jesus in today's gospel, of the need to do everything from the heart, not to please others, but God alone; to do anything from the heart calls demands trust!
I have been through moments of abundance when sometimes I was generous and sometimes not generous at all, when giving was "costly" despite still having a lot for myself.
Why?
It was not really of the abundance that I have in my hands that make me generous, Jesus but the abundance of faith and trust I have in you in my heart; teach me, Jesus to be more trusting in you in order to be more loving so that I may be generous, whatever I may have in my hands, whether I have less or more. Amen.
Detail of a painting of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in the Visitation Monastery in Marclaz, France. (photo: godongphoto / Shutterstock)
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