Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Monday in the Seventh Week of Easter, 02 June 2025 Acts 19:1-8 <*[[[[>< + ><]]]]'> John 16:29-33
Photo by author, mountains of San Antonio, Zambales from the side of Anawangin Cove, 2024.
Lord Jesus, teach me and help me understand you.
I really wonder if the disciples truly understood you on that Last Supper:
The disciples said to Jesus, “Now you are talking plainly, and not in any figure of speech. Now we realize that you know everything and that you do not need to have anyone question you. Because of this we believe that you came from God.” Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe” (John 16:29-31)?
Oh how easy it is to claim I have understood you Lord Jesus when in fact more often I misunderstand you when difficulties and sufferings come my way that I complain a lot; when pains and disappointments happen I lose interest in following you; when frustrations come because I cannot know fully what is to come after following you.
There are times mediocrity seeps in me that I become lackluster making no effort to learn more, to be more daring, and to be a better person and disciple in following and imitating you, Lord.
To understand you, Jesus means to experience peace always in you, to keep on choosing you still no matter what because that is when we truly enter in your presence with nothing else important but do your will.
Understanding you Jesus is being open and ready not to understand everything about you and still believe you and trust you. Amen.
Photo by author, mountains of San Antonio, Zambales from the side of Anawangin Cove, 2024.
40 Shades of Lent by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II, 19 March 2025 Solemnity of St. Joseph, Husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary 2 Samuel 7:4-5, 12-14, 16 + Romans 4:13, 16-18, 22 + Matthew 1:16, 18-21, 24
Photo by author, Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches, QC, 17 March 2025.
God our most loving Father, thank you for this Solemnity of St. Joseph, the most chaste husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary who witnessed to us with his life of faith the important aspects of Lent that have become a rarity these days - silence and stillness in you.
In this world of 24-7 when everything is "instant", we have lost the sense and beauty of silence and stillness in you, O Lord, making us to drift farther away from you, not believing you, not obeying you relying more in our powers and control of everything.
But life is not about doing and things as your Son Jesus have shown us: life is about being and loving, of persons in whom we find you and meaning of our lives.
Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly. Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home…She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home (Matthew 1:19-20, 21, 24).
Photo by author, Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches, QC, 17 March 2025.
Teach us, Jesus to be like St. Joseph your foster father to be holy and righteous: obedient to your laws but most of all, faithful and loving to God through one another.
Teach us, Jesus
to be like St. Joseph
your foster father
to be silent because
silence is the domain of trust:
let us trust you more
than our selves,
than our gadgets,
than our modern thoughts
and beliefs;
teach us Jesus
to be like St. Joseph
to be still in this time
when everyone is easily
agitated foolishly
by the cacophony of
various shouts and cries
in social media that are mostly
not true.
Photo by author, Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches, QC, 20 March 2024.
Teach us, Jesus, that life is a daily Lent, of being silent and still in your presence, in your voice, in your plans so that like St. Joseph your foster father we may take care of you found in each one of us especially the weak and the poor. Amen.
The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Souyl by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Tuesday, Seventh Week in Ordinary Time, Year I, 25 February 2025 Sirach 2:1-11 ><))))*> + ><))))*> + ><))))*> Mark 9:30-37
Photo by Pete Reyes, Sr. Porfiria “Pingping” Ocariza (+) and Sr. Teresita Burias praying the rosary to protect mutineers during the EDSA People Power Revolt in February 1986..
Praise and glory to you, God our Father for the gift of EDSA People Power Revolution that peacefully ended this day 39 years ago; your words in today's first reading are so true:
Compassionate and merciful is the Lord; he forgives sins, he saves in time of trouble and he is a protector to all who seek him in truth (Sirach 2:11).
But what happened after 1986 at EDSA? We have forgotten, Father everything! We have turned away from you, refusing to stand for justice, evading trials and difficulties; we have become impatient in times of "crushing misfortune"; worst of all, we have stopped trusting you unlike those five days of EDSA.
How sad in the years that followed after 1986, we "argued" along the way like your disciples on "who is the greatest among us" until the unexpected happened when a monster came to power calling you "stupid" as he spewed indecencies and murder from his mouth until suddenly, the ones we kicked out are back, now denigrating the significance of EDSA 1986.
Photo by Linglong Ortiz, 23 February 1986.
Help us learn anew the lessons of EDSA 1986; let us return to you and continue the revolution in our hearts; like the psalmist in today's responsorial psalm, may we "commit our lives to you, Lord" for you will surely help us like in EDSA 1986. Amen.
The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Monday, Sixth Week in Ordinary Time, Year I, 17 February 2025 Genesis 4:1-15, 25 <*((((>< + ><))))*> Mark 8:11-13
Photo by author, DRT, Bulacan, November 2024.
How interesting are your words today, O God our loving Father, of how Cain like the Pharisees came to Abel to "discuss" about something as a pretext before killing him; the Pharisees went to Jesus to argue with him and asked him for a sign from heaven to test him.
How funny and insane, dear Father, how much time we spend just to discuss and argue things about you and your ways, asking for many signs just for us to believe you; how unfortunate, our quest for signs has often led us to sin, to more divisions and separations, more lies and more hate because we have too much self.
Forgive us, Father. Teach us to offer you a sacrifice of praise as the psalmist sings today by "doing well, holding up our heads" (Genesis 4:7) giving our best to listen to you, to seek you, and follow you. Amen.
The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Friday, Memorial of St. John Bosco, Priest, 31 January 2025 Hebrews 10:32-39 <*((((>< <*(((>< + ><)))*> ><))))*> Mark 4:26-34
Photo by author, Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches, QC, 20 March 2024.
Remember the days past when, after you had been enlightened, you endured a great contest of suffering… Therefore, do not throw away your confidence; it will have great recompense (Hebrews 10:32, 35).
Thank you, O God our loving Father for another month past this new year; there is indeed no other path to take but forward in you and with you through Jesus.
How amazing, dear Lord as I look back to my many setbacks and problems hurdled in the past, the more I look forward into the future! The more I am excited of the coming days ahead because if I made it through in the past, through the long, dark nights of trials and sufferings, you are always with me in Jesus.
Photo by author, St. Scholastica Spirituality Center, Tagaytay, August 2024.
Keep me faithful, Jesus; let me not lose that confidence in you, Lord, like the farmer in your parable: let me keep on sowing your gospel in words and in deeds especially among the young and the underprivileged like St. John Bosco whose memorial we celebrate today; let me do whatever good I can do today; most of all, like St. John Bosco, let me love without measure without claiming anything at all except as your work, Lord Jesus in sowing seeds until they sprout to life and grow until harvest time. Amen.
Photo by author, Northern Blossoms, Atok, Benguet, 27 December 2024.
The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Thursday, Third Week in Ordinary Time, Year I, 30 January 2025 Hebrews 10:19-23 ><}}}}*> + ><}}}}*> + ><}}}}*> Mark 4:21-25
Photo by author, sunset in Atok, Benguet, 27 December 2024.
Many times, O Lord Jesus, I feel you "hide" from me not because you are avoiding me but simply because you want me to find you. And be surprised because that is how it is really with you and the Father and the Holy Spirit: you want us to experience that sense of awe and wonder of Jacob in Bethel when he dreamt of your stairway to heaven that upon waking up, he cried out in joy, "Truly, the Lord is in this spot, although I did not know it!" (Genesis 28:16)
Photo by author, Mt. Olis Park, Atok, Benguet, 27 December 2024.
Many times in the gospel you have asked those you have healed not to say anything about you to anyone but the more they talk about you, dear Jesus; and this is what you are telling us today, that we cannot hide a shining light or lamp; any good will always shine will always be known and be seen. And that is YOU, Jesus.
When I examine my life, I have experienced many instances when you, Jesus, had broken through the surface after being "hidden" for a long time deep within me; and what a joy until now especially when I am confused, when I feel alone, when I see nothing but darkness, that is actually when you are "hidden", waiting to reveal yourself in the simplest occasions, giving me with "more" even though I already have received so much from you just in finding you!
Grant me the grace, Jesus, "to approach and seek you with a sincere heart and in absolute trust... let me hold unwaveringly to our confession that gives us hope for you are trustworthy as I rouse one another to love and good works" (Hebrews 10:22, 23, 24). Amen.
Photo by author, sunrise at St. Paul Spirituality Center, Pico, La Trinidad, Benguet, 06 January 2025.
The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Monday in the First Week of Advent, 02 December 2024 Isaiah 2:1-5 <*((((>< + ><))))*> Matthew 8:5-11
Photo by author, Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Malolos City, Advent 2019.
Thank you, O God our Father, for sending us your Son Jesus Christ who had come, who shall come again, and continues to come daily to us; how lovely is this season of Advent characterized by "coming": the coming of the Son so that we can come to the Father!
How powerful and evocative is that word "come" resounding in this season of Advent, so representative of Advent: make this Season of Advent truly a blessed one for us to come one by one to You, God our Father in Christ Jesus who still comes to us.
Even the most famous hymn of Advent and Christmas uses this verb "come", calling us to gather around You, dear Jesus, to listen more intently to you in order to meet You like the shepherds who first came upon learning about the birth of Christ so magnificently proclaimed by the age old sacred piece, "O Come, all ye faithful..."
many peoples shall come and say, “Come, let us climb the Lord’s mountain, to the house of the God of Jacob. That he may instruct us in his ways, and we may walk in his paths” (Isaiah 2:3)
Jesus said to him, “I will come and cure him.” The centurion said in reply, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof… For I too am a man 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…” (Matthew 8:7-8, 9)
Lord Jesus,
You have come,
You shall come again,
and You still come to us
each day while we refuse
to come to You;
let us come to You, Jesus,
by thinking more of others
than of myself;
let us come to You, Jesus,
in our poverty than come to You
in all our wealth and knowledge;
let us come to You,
Jesus, trusting You more,
believing your every wordl
for surely like before,
You shall come.
Amen.
Dome of the chapel at the Shepherd’s Field near Bethlehem; photo by author, Easter 2019.
The Lord Is My Chef Sunday Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B, 03 November 2024 Deuteronomy 6:2-6 ><}}}}*> Hebrews 7:23-28 ><}}}}*> Mark 12:28-34
Photo by author, river at the back of Nagsasa Cove, San Antonio, Zambales, 19 October 2024.
Jesus finally entered Jerusalem to fulfill His mission as we also enter the last four Sundays of our liturgical year before entering the season of Advent in preparation for Christmas.
Two Sundays ago we reflected the atmosphere of fear among the Apostles and the crowd following Jesus to Jerusalem after He had made known to them for the third time His coming Passion, Death, and Resurrection. This Sunday our readings invite us to look into that feeling of fear we often experience.
Fear can be negative in nature when we experience a threat to our safety whether there is a clear and present danger from a person or animal hurting us, or when our imagination runs wild with ghosts or a snake underneath the bed at night.
Positive fear is actually the reverence we experience due to a sense of awe often associated with our relationships like with our parents and relatives, teachers and superiors, or any person who seem to amaze us. We fear them not because they threatened us but actually inspired us with their presence, dignity and grace, intelligence and kindness among other things. This kind of fear we experienced in childhood then slowly matured and blended with trust, translated into adoration of the persons so unforgettable to us, influencing us in many ways that we have come to love them eventually, especially God. This is what the Bible and catechism books refer to as “fear of the Lord”.
Photo by author, Mount Sinai, Egypt, May 2019.
Moses spoke to the people, saying: “Fear the Lord, your God, and keep, throughout the days of your lives, all his statutes and commandments which I enjoin on you, and thus have long life. Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone! Therefore, you shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength. Take to heart these words which I enjoin on you today” (Deuteronomy 6:2, 4-6).
This “fear of the Lord” that Moses and later the prophets instilled among the Israelites was expressed in faithfulness and obedience to the Laws so that for them, being holy or upright was obedience to the Laws.
This “fear of the Lord” is not about God overpowering man to keep him in bondage. In giving the Ten Commandments, God first entered into a relationship or covenant with the chosen people based on friendship, trust, and love. See here that positive aspect of fear, of reverence like our fear of parents and elders as well as those seemed larger than us including our crushes and first love when we revered them by showing them love and respect.
This “fear of the Lord” then becomes a passing from fear to love that leads us to maturity as persons. And believers. Then lovers and followers not only of those significant people in our lives but most especially of God!
One of the scribes came to Jesus and asked him, “Which is the first of all the commandments?” Jesus replied, “The first is this: Hear, O Israel! The Lord your God is Lord alone! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:28-31).
Photo of author, Mount Sinai, Egypt, May 2019.
Unlike the tricky questions posed by His enemies, this one from a scribe was so unique with his calm attitude that invites everyone including us to join in the discussion. One can feel his sincerity in seeking out the truth he felt (rightly so!) only Jesus can answer.
Many times, we feel the same way like that scribe so convinced in asking Jesus, ready to follow Him only if we are clarified which is the first to follow in life in order to mature from fear to love.
"Which is the first of all the commandments?"
Like that scribe, many times we feel confused in our lives, in our faith with the many laws and traditions we were told since childhood to follow; hence, we ask “which is the first of the commandments” that really matter most in life.
Such moments in our life is a grace from the Holy Spirit because in asking “the first of the commandments” is not to determine a hierarchy nor a list of which ones to be prioritized and dismissed; the “first” commandment means the absolutely capital that is always binding on all. The “first” commandment is the one to which all others are subjected without being cancelled or considered least nor optional. The “first” commandment is the very essence of all commandments present in each commandment. It is actually a search for the First Principle who is God Himself!
That is why Jesus quoted verbatim Deuteronomy 6:4-5, the opening words of their best known prayer Shema every pious Jew knows by heart, “Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone! Therefore, you shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength.”
Similar to His manner of answering the question about divorce last month, Jesus did not answer the scribe’s question by making reference to a code of laws but instead recited the Shema that encapsulates maturity and deepening of faith in God who is One, with no other except Him. The Shema also shows how our personal God relates with us His people, bonding in a covenant like husband and wife that is reciprocal, exclusive, and total love “with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, with all your strength.”
This “first” commandment is also a relationship that flows to our relationships with one another we rightly call as neighbors. See how Jesus added a “second” commandment not as in a hierarchy making it less important but as an expression of the essential “first” commandment of all the scribe understood well when he affirmed, “Well said teacher… and to love your neighbor as yourself is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices” (Mk.12:32, 33).
For the Jews, their neighbors were their fellow Jews and those aliens residing in their land as found in the Book of Leviticus; but, in this scene, we find Jesus bringing that whole notion of neighbors for everyone, regardless of color and status in life, or of gender, or beliefs.
Jesus makes known to us this Sunday His mission of salvation is for all, for everyone. Most of all, Jesus tells us this Sunday that He is the fulfillment of the Law that many during His time and sadly until now have misread as mere letters to be followed, failing to find the face of God in every law inscribed on every person.
Photo by author, view from Jerusalem Temple, May 2019.
How interesting that each face has two cheeks, both essential, both as the first commandment: love of God is love of neighbor. To profess and practice this faith in God that started in fear and matured into love finding Him in everyone as our neighbor is to be “not far from the kingdom of God” (Mk.12:34).
Friends, let us not fear asking Jesus which is the “first” of the commandments like that scribe.
Keep asking Him until we find Jesus “first” in our trials and tribulations, darkness and confusions, failures and emptiness.
Keep asking Him until we find Jesus “first” on those people who burden us, those who hurt us, those who judge us, those who refuse to listen to us, those who dictate on us.
Keep asking Him until we find Jesus even in programs and plans we could not understand or that are downright crazy.
That is what to truly love God and to love everyone. It is difficult but we have Jesus as our high-priest “who has passed through the heavens” leading us closer to the kingdom of God. Amen. Have a lovely November!
Photo by author, Pundaquit Mountains, San Antonio, Zambales off Nagsasa Cove, 19 October 2024.
The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Friday, Memorial of St. Francis of Assisi, 04 October 2024 Job 38:1, 12-21, 40:3-5 <*{{{{>< + ><}}}}*> Luke 10:13-16
Photo by Ms. Marissa La Torre Flores in Switzerland, August 2024.
As we celebrate today the memorial of St. Francis of Assisi in the light of our first reading from the Book of Job, You open our eyes anew O God our loving Father into your unfathomable mystery of majesty and love for us.
Like Job, we ask many questions not really because we complain to You but simply we have no one else to turn to; we have so many questions in life and we are willing to wait if ever there would be any answer at all but one thing for sure, we are certain You have all the answers.
Be patient with our many whys, O God, for we have no any reply to any of your single question "Have you ever in your lifetime commanded the morning and shown the dawn its place...? Have you entered into 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? Tell me if you know all" (Job 38:12, 16-18).
Like St. Francis of Assisi, give us the grace to dare follow your Son Jesus Christ not only in humility and poverty but most especially in His Cross; forgive us, Father and let us do away with all the "sentimentality" cultivated by nature lovers including "new agers" on St. Francis' love for nature rooted in Christ's sufferings and commitment to a poor and simple life.
Like Job and St. Francis who lovingly embraced Jesus with His Cross, may we also realize our "smallness" before you, O Lord in our trials and sufferings to experience at the same time the joy and glory in comprehending the "breadth and length and height and depth" of Christ's love that surpasses knowledge so that we may be filled with your fullness, dear God (Ephesians 3:18). Amen.
Photo by Ms. Marissa La Torre Flores in Switzerland, August 2024.
The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Tuesday, Memorial of Therese of the Child Jesus, Virgin & Doctor of Church, 01 October 2024 Job 3:1-3, 11-17, 20-23 <*[[[[>< +. ><]]]]*> Luke 9:51-56
Photo by author, 2018.
Thank you, dear God our loving Father for the month of October! Most of all, thank you for sending us Jesus Christ your Son and thus "opened your Kingdom to those who are humble and to little ones" like St. Therese of the Child Jesus whose memorial we celebrate today.
Lead us to follow trustingly in the little way of St. Therese of the Child Jesus especially in bearing patiently filled with hope life's many sufferings like Job.
Job opened his mouth and cursed his day. Job spoke out and said: Why is light given to the toilers, and life to the bitter in spirit? they wait for death and it comes not; they search for it rather than for hidden treasures, Rejoice in it exultingly, and are glad when they reache the grave: Those whose path is hidden from them, and whom God has hemmed in! (Job 3:1-2, 20-23)
Fill us too with true hope, dear Jesus like You, Job and St. Therese, a hope that trusts in God even if things are sure to get worst, even end in death; like You, Jesus, may we resolutely determine to journey to Jerusalem even when we know it could lead to our passion and death; help us live in hope like St. Therese that despite her sickness, she did everything filled with love for the Church missionaries; may our pains in life like St. Therese and Job have both experienced help us understand the pain of others so that we may bring healing compassion to their situation; make us realize that a world totally free of pain can actually become a place of total selfishness and self-indulgence because it is through pains we truly love and hope and become holy and saint. Amen.
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