Blessed new year with Mary

The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, 01 January 2025
Numbers 6:22-27 + Galatians 4:4-7 + Luke 2:16-21

*Photo by author, sunrise in Atok, Benguet, 27 December 2024.*

Still a blessed Merry Christmas to everyone! Please, do not dilute the blessedness of this first day of 2025 with the very secular and empty greeting of Happy New Year. Our first reading says it all how God wants us to be blessed not just happy throughout 2025.

It is still the Christmas season until January 12 when we close it with the Baptism of the Lord. Continue greeting one another with a Merry Christmas because it is also a prayerful wish of blessedness to everyone. Forget that happy new year greeting as well as that inclusive greeting of happy holidays because we are celebrating the birth of the Son of God Jesus Christ who became human like us so that we can be divine like Him.

The Lord said to Moses: “Speak to Aaron and his sons and tell them: This is how you shall bless the Israelite. Say to them: ‘The Lord bless you and keep you! The Lord let his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you! The Lord look upon you kindly and give you peace!'” (Numbers 6:22-26)

*Photo from Tetra Images/Getty Images, mosaic of Virgin Mary and Jesus in the Haghia Sophia, Istanbul, Turkey.*

That is why on this eighth day since His birth (octave) that falls on January first, the Church celebrates the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God not the start of a new year as most people wrongly believe.

We honor Mary on this eighth day of Christmas because she is the image of true blessedness. Recall how Elizabeth was the first to call her “blessed among all women” during the Visitation because “she believed the words spoken to her would be fulfilled.” Mary showed us that true blessedness is not found in money and material things or those of the world like fame and popularity. From the Annunciation to the Nativity until finally there on the Cross on Good Friday and later in the beginnings of the Church, Mary affirmed that true blessedness is having God in our hearts by believing in Him, trusting Him, loving Him, serving Him through one another by cooperating in His plans for us.

*Photo by author, Angel of Peace Chapel, RISE Tower, Our Lady of Fatima University, 25 December 2024.*

Mary was truly blessed of all women because she was chosen by God to be the Mother of the Christ not because of any special characteristics but because of His own goodness and immense love. This we find clearly in the first reading when God freely gave his blessings to all people to all time, instructing Moses and Aaron of how they should bless the people. St. Paul wrote it so well in the second reading, “When the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman” (Gal.4:4) to show that we need not do anything at all for we cannot earn – not even Mary the Mother of Jesus Christ – God’s blessings and favors.

As a gift freely given, God’s blessings of which Jesus is the greatest must always be received and appreciated by the recipients, us! In blessing us, we have become more like God as the “Lord let his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you!” (Nm.6:25).

What a beautiful prayer of blessing that God’s face may shine on us. Imagine Mary as the Mother of Jesus truly the first human on whom God’s face literally first shone as she was the first along with Joseph and then the shepherds to have seen the Son of God who became human. However, that blessing of God’s face shining on us can only happen if like Mary we also cooperate with His grace.

To let God’s face to shine on us means fulfillment, that is, eternal life which is to experience God and His presence even in our finite world. Right in our modern time, we can feel God’s blessings still being poured out especially as we remember Pope Benedict XVI’s death on December 31, 2022. Here is indeed a great human, like Mary who kept reflecting in her heart the word of God.

As he approached death, Pope Benedict still wrote and spoke so much about God and His importance and relevance to our modern times. In fact, he said “the face of God” is eternal life “where God is always new” because “with God there is perpetual, unending encounter, with new discoveries and new joy” as he explained to Peter Seewald in 2016.

Truly a holy and blessed man, Pope Benedict said this may sound very theological but on the human level, it is something we always experience as we approach old age when we look forward to meeting our own family and friends who have gone ahead of us.

That is when we truly experience peace within us when we look with gratitude to the past and with joyful expectation to the future, not seeking anymore anything for ourselves because we are contented. All we have in our hearts are joy and wonder because of Jesus so alive within us like Mary His Mother.

At the start of this new year, let us discard those pagan practice of lighting fireworks and firecrackers to drive away evil spirits long ago driven away by Christ. Let us imitate Mary by being silent in prayers, keeping everything in her heart, reflecting where God is leading us this 2025. Stay blessed this new year with Mary by having only Jesus, always Jesus in your heart. Amen. God bless you always!

*Photo by author, sunset in Atok, Benguet, 27 December 2024.*

Advent is God’s tenderness & sweetness

The Lord Is My Chef Sunday Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Fourth Sunday in Advent-C, Simbang Gabi-7, 22 December 2024
Micah 5:1-4 ><}}}}*> Hebrews 10:5-10 ><}}}}*> Luke 1:39-45

*Photo by author, Baguio City, March 2020.*

Christmas is a story of love, about the meeting of lovers with God as the Great Lover who gave us His only Son because of His immense love for us. But, this love is not the kind of love conveyed by the cheesy Christmas tunes “Pasko na Sinta Ko” and “Last Christmas”.

The word “lovers” may be too serious as a term for us to relate this with today’s gospel of the Visitation of Mary to her cousin Elizabeth though both women were so in love with God who clearly loved them so much with children in their womb bound to change the course of human history forever. They were also filled with love for each other as expression of their love for God. And when there is love, there is always tenderness and sweetness that all happen in the context of a visitation that we must first clarify.

*Photo by author, Church of Visitation, Israel, May 2017.*

Visit and visitation may seem to be one and the same as both share the Latin root vidi, videre which is the verb “to see” as in video and visual. But, a visit is more casual and informal without intimacy because it is just “a passing by” or merely to see. It is more concerned with the place or the location and site and not the person to be visited. We say it clearly in Filipino as in “napadaan lang” when it just so happened you were passing by a place and even without any intentions, you tried seeing someone there.

On the other hand, visitation is more commonly used in church language like when a bishop or priests come to see the parishioners in remote places; hence, a chapel is always called a visita where priests “visit” to celebrate Mass and check on the well-being of people living in areas far from the parish. Aside from being the venue for the celebration of Masses, the visita serves as classroom for catechism classes and other religious even social gatherings in remote barrios. Now as a chaplain in a University with a hospital, I do sick visitations every Sunday after our Mass to anoint and bring communion to our patients.

Thus, visitation connotes a deeper sense in meaning because there is an expression care and concern among people, a kind of love shared by the visitator/visitor and the one visited like Mary and Elizabeth. Visitation is more of entering into someone’s life or personhood as reported by Luke on Mary’s visitation to Elizabeth where Mary “entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth” (Lk.1:40), implying communion or the sharing of a common experience. In this case, the two women shared the great experience of being blessed with the presence of God in their wombs!

*Photo by author, bronze statues of Mary and Elizabeth at the patio of the Church of Visitation, Israel, May 2017.*

Visitation is a sharing or oneness in the joys and pains of those dear to us. The word becomes more meaningful when we try to examine its Filipino equivalent –“pagdalaw” from the root word “dala” that can be something you bring or a verb to bring.

When we come for a visitation, we dala or bring something like food or any gift. But most of all we bring our very selves like a gift of presence wherein we share our total selves with our time and talents, joys and sadness, and everything to those being visited that Mary did exactly in her visitation of Elizabeth where she brought with her the Lord Jesus Christ in her womb.

This fourth Sunday of Advent, we are invited to become like Mary in the visitation of others to bring Christmas and Jesus Himself to others by allowing our very body to be the “bringer” or taga-dala of Christ, the highest good we can bring as pasalubong in every visitation we make. Here again is another beautiful Filipino word, pasalubong that is literally the gift you bring when you visit somebody. It has a verb equivalent that is salubong or meeting/encounter. To salubong or meet another person, one has to leave one’s place, one has to leave behind one’s biases and mistrust to be empty to meet the other person.

How lovely and sweet if we can leave our negativities behind this Advent and Christmas so we can dala (bring) Jesus to family and friends and strangers to therefore salubong (meet) to experience God’s tenderness and sweetness in Jesus Christ.

*Photo by author, Fourth Sunday of Advent 2022, Chapel of Basic Education, Our Lady of Fatima University, Valenzuela City.*

Tenderness and sweetness in Filipino are often translated in just one word which is “malambing” from “lambing” that has no direct English translation except that it connotes a loving affection; however, both terms are more than just affections but stirrings from the heart that move us into action.

Tenderness is very much like gentleness; the former is more focused while the latter is very general attitude. Tenderness is more than being soft and gentle but an awareness of the other person’s weaknesses, needs and vulnerabilities. A tender person is one who tries not to add more insult to one’s injuries or rub salt onto one’s wounds so to speak. A tender person is one who tries to soothe and calm a hurting person, trying to heal his/her wounds like God often portrayed in many instances in the bible in lovingly dealing with sinners filled with mercy.

Like God, a person filled with tenderness is one who comes to comfort and heal the sick and those taking on a lot of beatings in life. When Jesus Christ came, He also personified this tenderness of God like when He was moved with pity and compassion for the sick, the widows, the women and the children and the voiceless in the society. Tenderness is coming to heal the wounds of those wounded and hurt, trying to “lullaby” the restless and sleepless. Mary visited Elizabeth because she also knew the many wounds of her cousin who for a long time bore no child, living in “disgrace before others” as she had claimed (Lk.1:25).

*Photo from The Valenzuela Times, 02 July 2024.*

Sweetness always goes with tenderness. It is the essence of God who is love. Anyone who loves is always sweet, something that comes naturally from within, bringing out good vibes. It is never artificial like Splenda, always flowing freely and naturally that leaves a good taste and feeling to anyone. In the Hail Holy Queen, Mary is portrayed as “O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary” to show her sweetness as a mother. There are no pretensions and pompousness in being sweet, never needs much effort to exert in showing it for it comes out naturally and instantly.

Tenderness and sweetness are the most God-like qualities we all have but have buried deep into our innermost selves, refusing them to come out because of our refusal to love for fears of getting hurt and left behind or, even lost. When Mary heard Elizabeth’s condition, she simply followed her human and motherly instincts that are in fact so Godly – she went in haste to visit her. Tenderness and sweetness are the twin gifts of Christmas to humanity when God almighty became little and vulnerable like us so we can be great and powerful like Him in being able to love.

Photo by author, *Archdiocesan Shrine of Nuestra Señora De Guia, Ermita, Manila, 28 November 2024.*

It is the final Sunday of Advent. In a few days it will be Christmas day and we still have enough time to empty our hearts of sins and bitterness to be filled with God’s love, sweetness and tenderness in Christ.

Let me leave you with my favorite quote from the novel “The Plague” by Albert Camus, “A loveless world is a dead world, and always there comes an hour when one is weary of prisons, of one’s work, and of devotion to duty, and all one craves for is a loved face, the warmth and wonder of a loving heart.”

Let that love in you come out this Christmas and hereafter; simply be like the child Jesus and be surprised with His tremendous power to transform the world. Amen. Have a blessed, sweet and tender Christ-filled week ahead!

Advent as a dialogue leading to Christmas, the presence of God

The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Simbang Gabi-5 Homily, 20 December 2024
Isaiah 7:10-14     <*((((><  +  ><))))*>     Luke 1:26-38

*Photo by Mr. Boy Cabrido, National Shrine of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, QC, 16 December 2024.*

Last Monday at the start of Simbang Gabi, one of our priests became viral when at the recessional of their Mass while the choir was joyfully singing “Pasko na! Pasko na!”, he sarcastically sang “Hindi pa! Hindi pa!”

Many people laughed at the viral video with some commenting that Father was right because it wasn’t Christmas yet while a liturgist advised choirs to check the many choices of Advent songs now available online. But, sad to say, the people missed the whole point of the incident.

What our brother-priest did was not funny at all in putting to shame his own choir members and most of all, in destroying the solemnity of the Mass.

And the problem was not really the choir at all but the priest himself. What the priest did at the end of the Mass was a self-indictment of his lack of formation for his choir members and of any dialogue at all.

*Photo by author, Advent in previous parish, 2018.*

Advent is a dialogue between God and humans that led to the presence of God among us in Jesus Christ on Christmas. It is a process that continues in our own time as we are all called to be open to God and with others for dialogue like Mary in the annunciation of Christ’s birth by Archangel Gabriel.

Dialogue is more than conversing to improve relationships among people in a community or organization but a way of being with others as opposed to a way of thinking through issues and problems only. Dialogue is being present with others, of giving one’s self to feel and listen and experience the other person.

Luke shows us in his second Christmas story today how this true meaning of dialogue between God and Mary happened.

In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming of her, he said, “Hail, full of grace! Then Lord is with you.” But she was greatloy troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God… But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” And the angel said to her in reply, “The Holy spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God” (Luke 1:26-30, 34-37).

*“Cestello Annunciation” by Botticelli painted in 1490; from en.wikipedia.org.*

See the artistry and genius of Luke as a storyteller. Yesterday he presented to us the annunciation of the birth of John the Baptist to his father Zechariah while incensing the Holy of Holies in the temple of Jerusalem.

Notice the great differences in the flow of conversations and dialogue in the two annunciations narrated by Luke. Both Zechariah and Mary were troubled at the coming of the angel. And who would not be in a such unprecedented event? However, there is one minute detail we find in Luke’s narration of the two annunciations that reveal something so big and deep in meaning.

According to Luke, “Zechariah was troubled by what he saw, and fear came upon him” (Lk. 1:12) while Mary “was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be” (Lk. 1:29). Both were troubled which is normal but their reactions differed so great with Zechariah becoming proud while Mary was humbled.

I believe that it was more than their age and differences in social status that Zechariah was simply “troubled” while Mary was “greatly troubled” but it was largely due to their dispositions and openness to God.

Zechariah was proud of his stature and of his intelligence, trying to take hold and control of everything that is why he was seized with fear. When he told the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years” (Lk.1:18), Zechariah was troubled and fearful because he felt challenged as a priest much respected in the community, choosing to stand proud of his position and intelligence as if having a child is all an effort of man and woman alone! There was no dialogue as Zechariah was proud that is why he was made mute by the angel. He had forgotten all about God!

*Photo by author, Basilica of the Annunciation, Nazareth, Israel, May 2019.*

Compare Mary’s reaction to the annunciation, “But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.”

Luke always portrayed Mary as the listener and doer of the word, the one who ponders at the words spoken to her not only by the angel here but later at the birth of Jesus those spoken by the shepherds, then by Simeon at the Presentation and by Jesus Himself at the wedding in Cana. Mary has always been open to dialogue, to feeling the other person conversing with her. She was not concerned only with the news and information but with the persons involved.

In that sense, there is her remarkable humility and great courage at the same time. True humility is not really about being submissive but most of all being filled with courage, not with fear. Mary as the very young virgin from a poor family in a town nobody gave importance stood fearless before the angel as she took hold of herself to ponder on the words spoken to her. Despite the very unprecedented moment with an angel, Mary had that inner engagement with the words she had just heard without any violent reactions.

Unlike Zechariah, Mary was the one actually in control of herself and of her emotions. The Jedi Master Yoda of Star Wars said it so well, “fear leads to anger, anger leads to destruction”. Zechariah was afraid of losing power and control but Mary was not bothered at all. In fact, she faced the challenge head on, reflecting deep in her what is this going on? Am I awake, is this a dream would most likely be the words playing in her mind and heart. Mary had presence as she tried to feel the angel and later God that no wonder, Jesus came to her womb and we have Christmas!

The humility and courage of Mary became more evident when she said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?”

She was not afraid at all to be become the Mother of God! There was already her willingness to submit, as if telling the angel, “OK let’s do it but tell me how?” whereas Zechariah was argumentative, trying to escape responsibilities? Such was the attitude too of Ahaz in the first reading, denying he won’t test God when in fact he had already aligned with other kings in the region as he feared the invading enemies near his borders.

It was at this moment when the good news became most closest to us through Mary when the angel explained of the coming of the Holy Spirit, of how the power of God would overshadow her, assuring her that nothing is impossible with God.

How wonderful is this scene for us to emulate Mary so that we experience Christmas daily in our lives, not only of God coming but being present in us and among us. Can we dare to be open before God like Mary? Have a blessed Friday!

*Photo by author, Fatima Avenue, Valenzuela City, December 2024.*

Advent is journeying like Joseph & Mary to bring Jesus in darkness

Quiet Storm by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II, 13 December 2024

*Photo by author, Camp John Hay, Baguio City, December 2018.*

Thanks to social media – finally, the beauty and splendor of our faith is once again made known widely especially during this lovely season of Advent. Two beautiful posts from Facebook recently caught my attention that prompted me to share this blog.

First is from the wife of my former student in Bulacan whose wedding I officiated during the COVID pandemic in early 2022. This had actually shaped my prayers and reflections this week. She wrote:

Last Sunday I mentioned in my homily how during Advent the days are shorter and nights are longer, starting earlier than usual. How true indeed that the darkest nights are the longest nights, especially during Christmas. And that’s one of the beautiful reasons Jesus was born on December 25 which is the darkest night of the year.

“Kung kailan magpapasko…” is one expression we dread to hear ourselves or dear ones saying at this time of the year. “Kung kailan magpapasko at saka magkakasakit… mawawalan ng trabaho…” or “mababasted o maghihiwalay.” Worst, “kung kailan magpapasko at saka mayroong mamamatay.”

This Advent, Jesus reminds us how in the cold, dark nights are others He is searching too to remind them that He actually came for them. Jesus wants us to be the “inn keeper” to bring Him to the poor and suffering, the sick and the children, those who have failed and are so disappointed in life, those deep into sins, feeling lost and alone in this merry season.

Dare yourself to be open to Jesus this Advent when He suddenly comes to you to bring Him to someone who needs cheering and reassurance Christ is coming again, Christ had come, and Christ comes.

Simply be aware how blessed you are and Jesus will tell you, will direct you to whom you must pray for or even visit.

Many times, we try doing something good to be blessed but the truth is, we have been tremendously blessed that is why we are able to do something good. God can never be outdone in generosity. Remember that before we can bless anyone, we are first blessed. That is why we have to keep on blessing others by being kind and caring always to anyone because we have been so blessed.

This I noticed since my first year in the priesthood – God would always lead me to some sick people to visit and anoint with oil, hear confessions and receive the Viaticum. That’s every Christmas which I have adopted as a personal tradition, a panata (pledge). That is why when I was assigned as a chaplain at the Fatima University Medical Center in Valenzuela, I felt God affirming my Christmas panata with the sick as He leads me to new directions in my ministry. The other year, I visited my kababata in Bocaue Christmas evening to hear his confessions and anoint him as he reached the terminal stage of his renal disease. A few days after new year, I was back to celebrate Mass at his funeral. So glad to have visited him and brought him Jesus.

*With my classmate and friend Bernie, 12 December 2024.*

Yesterday I visited a classmate and friend from college, Bernie. We last saw each other before our graduation from UST in 1986 after the EDSA People Power Revolution. We reconnected in 2019 when our seminarian now priest Fr. RA was assigned in his parish in Aritao, Vizcaya where Bernie is an active member and supporter.

Two years ago he asked me for prayers after being diagnosed with cancer and yesterday, he suddenly called me during breakfast to say he has been declared cancer-free by his doctors. As a thanksgiving, he is attending a healing Mass at the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy in Marilao, Bulacan with his parish priest. And they were staying in a private retreat house in Baliuag, Bulacan owned by my friends too! In fact, I held my 50th birthday party there that despite my toxic schedule yesterday, I hurriedly visited Bernie.

As I drove home amid a horrendous traffic at the Nlex, I felt like Joseph with Mary journeying to Bethlehem to bring the Son of God, Jesus Christ into the world. I hope that I just did that to my classmate and friend yesterday.

*Photo by author, 28 November 2022, RISE Tower, Our Lady of Fatima University, Valenzuela City.*

During these four weeks before Christmas, say a prayer for anyone you know or may have heard to be going through difficulties lately like not feeling merry and bright, suffering mentally, grieving for loved ones, struggling financially, going through some family problems, suffering physically, dealing with severe blows like failures and disappointments in life, and a host of other trials and tribulations others may be going through this month alone.

Pray also for those caring for the sick and suffering. Many times, we are so focused with their patients, forgetting the very crucial roles caregivers do for the sick and impaired or challenged. Remembering them, giving them a little gift or a card or spending precious moments with them can be their merriest Christmas! Many of them rarely go on breaks, especially on Christmas. They need Jesus so badly whom they rarely experience especially when the people they care for are very demanding.

Anyone who visits the sick, cares for those in pain and sufferings, consoles those grieving or simply be present with those going through financial or psychological difficulties is like Joseph and Mary going to Bethlehem to give birth to Jesus, to make Jesus present. The Lord needs us to bring Him closer to those silently crying, silently in pain. Think of the immense blessings that have been poured out to us beforehand and soon, be surprised for more blessings too.

Let me share with you this beautiful prayer shared to me recently too by another friend, a well-respected and multi-awarded photojournalist:

Let’s not forget. Christmas is Jesus Christ. Not money nor things nor food. It is only Jesus, always Jesus dwelling in us. Amen.

Advent is living the future in the present moment

The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Thursday, Memorial of Our Lady of Gudalupe, 12 December 2024
Revelation 11:19, 12:1-6, 10 <*{{{{>< + ><}}}}*> Luke 1:39-47

*Photo by RDNE Stock project on Pexels.com*

O most Blessed Virgin Mary
of Guadalupe,
patroness of the Americas and the Philippines,
you appeared in Mexico in a very crucial
moment in history when the world was
expanding its horizon and reach,
when powers were consolidating,
with so many new things being learned
and discovered, a period of great
advancements but also of moral decay
when people and their lives were
taken for granted.

Like during that time,
many people are suffering today
not only from sickness, poverty and illiteracy
but also from lack of respect for life,
the prevalence of a culture of death
versus the culture of life;
what a beautiful image you presented
yourself to St. Juan Diego and us,
dear Lady of Guadalupe 
so that we may always value every 
human person especially those at
their weakest stages of infancy
and old age, of being indigenous,
of being poor and disadvantaged.

At the Annunciation of the Lord's birth,
you already lived the future birth of Christ
in the present moment as your words
 to the Angel attested to this truth:
"Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.
May it be done to me according to your word"
(Luke 1:38).

Let us live the gospel now
amid our joyful expectations
of Christ's Second Coming
by allowing the transforming
presence of Jesus work in us
and among us to make true
the voices heard by John in heaven:
"Now have salvation 
and power come,
and the kingdom of our God
and the authority of his Anointed"
(Revelation 12:10).
Amen.

Immaculate Conception is God making room in us; do we make a room for God too?

The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Monday, Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, 09 December 2024
Genesis 3:9-15, 20 ><}}}}*> Ephesians 1:3-6, 11-12 ><}}}}*> Luke 1:26-38

*Photo by Rev. Fr. Gerry Pascual at Palazzo Borromeo, Isola Bella, Stresa, Italia 2019.*

The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary is one of the most awaited feasts in our predominantly Catholic Christian country due to its timing that is so close to Christmas as well as our deep devotion to the Blessed Mother.

Yet, it is also the most problematic because every year, the biblical passage we hear in its celebration is the Annunciation of the Birth of Jesus Christ that is held on March 25 so that people often confuse the December 8 Solemnity as Mary’s Immaculate Conception of Jesus. Of course, there is no direct quotation in the bible of Mary’s Immaculate Conception for it is a fruit of long process of deliberations and reflections in the Church that was finally made official in 1854 as a Dogma.

For those still confused, today’s celebration is when Mary was immaculately conceived in St. Anne’s womb through the merits of Jesus in all eternity, being freed from any stain of original sin so that she may bear our Savior, the Son of God, all-perfect, into the world who is the Christ.

*Photo by Rev. Fr. Gerry Pascual of Iba, Zambales at Santuario di Greccio, Rieti, Italy in 2019.*

Mary was chosen by God to be His Son’s Mother not because of her having any special traits but purely out of God’s goodness. It is a beautiful story that continues to happen daily we hardly notice nor recognize when God intervenes into our time to bless us not because we deserve to be blessed but simply out of His immense love for us.

This is what we celebrate in the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary: we have a very loving God making a room among us so we may dwell and live in His grace since the very beginning of time.

In the bible and in spirituality, the words room and dwelling actually refer to communion of man and God. In fact, the first letter of God’s name “Yahweh” is shaped like a door of a house in Hebrew writing. At the last supper, Jesus told the Twelve that in His Father’s house are many rooms where He shall go first to prepare one for us all. It is not a literal room but a relationship with God that begins here.

In Genesis, paradise as dwelling place of Adam and Eve was more of their oneness with God they have destroyed with sin.

God truly loves us, never gave up on us when He sent Jesus Christ to redeem us to take us back to Him by renewing that relationship with Him. It had always been part of the divine plan even before the fall of man as reflected by St. Paul in the second reading, “as he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and without blemish before him” (Eph. 1:4).

Every December 8 (or 9, like today when the solemnity falls on a Sunday), we hear Luke’s beautiful account of the annunciation of Christ’s birth because it also conveys to us the same message of the Immaculate Conception of Mary who made a room too for God in her self.

The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary (Luke 1:26-27).

The scene preceding this is the annunciation of John’s birth to Zechariah during the Jewish major feast of Yom Kippur or Day of Atonement at the temple in Jerusalem. Observe Luke’s account and we see how God entered through human activities in that scene. Nakisabay, naki-ride on ang Diyos sa takbo ng panahon noon nang ibalita ang pagsilang ni Juan Bautista.

In the Annunciation of the birth of Jesus, it was different: it was God setting everything on His own as we feel from Luke’s solemn reportage. The five major “W’s” of news were there present, namely, who (Mary), what (birth of Jesus), where (Nazareth), when (sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy) and why (Jesus to save the world).

With Mary in Nazareth, the major event was the Annunciation itself of Christ’s birth. It is the entrance of the eternal God into the temporal and finite time of man. That is why we pray the Angelus thrice a day, to sanctify our day as we remember that great event of God becoming human like us in Jesus. (Sadly, so few people pray the Angelus these days, giving more importance to social media, video games and noon time shows or news programs.)

Mary’s Immaculate Conception actually had its fullness in the Annunciation when Mary said yes to God by making a room for Jesus in herself and in her life that led to Christ’s birth and fulfillment of His mission of salvation for us. We see this also in Joseph as narrated by Matthew.

God made everything possible to restore this relationship through Mary who had to be immaculately conceived in order to be the room who would receive His Son Jesus Christ.

*Photo by author, left side of the facade of the Basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth, Holy Land, May 2019.*

Nazareth is the only major place in the New Testament never mentioned in the Old Testament unlike Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus and actually His very root being from the lineage of King David was mentioned many times in the Old Testament.

Nazareth was Mary’s hometown, obscured and unknown like her. After returning from Egypt, the angel told Joseph to bring the Holy Family there to avoid Herod, son and namesake of his father who ordered the massacre of children in Bethlehem upon learning from the Magi the birth of the new king of Israel, Jesus Christ. Though officially from Bethlehem, Jesus grew up in Nazareth that is why the people refused to acknowledge Him as the Messiah who would come from Bethlehem.

Nazareth was so insignificant at that time that it was the butt of jokes in Israel. When one of the Lord’s early disciples Philip told Nathanael (Bartholomew) that they have found “the one about whom Moses wrote in the law” as the Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth, Nathanael replied, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” (Jn.1:45-46). Jesus did not reprimand Nathanael for his comment because it was true, even praising him as a true Israelite without guile!

*Photo by author, Nazareth Square, Holy Land, may 2019.*

In the first reading, it was God who chose paradise as dwelling of Adam and Eve; in the New Testament, it was God anew who chose the obscured town of Nazareth as the room and dwelling of His Son Jesus Christ, so perfectly jibed with Mary also obscured, so young and perhaps no voice nor say in the Jewish society at that time.

That is how God works, always in silence, often choosing people and places so insignificant in human standards to eventually display His glory like in Mary.

Inasmuch as the Immaculate Conception is God making a room for us to dwell in Him in Mary, God needs also our cooperation and participation in the process. It is not a one-shot deal but an ongoing process, something that continues and most of all, we cultivate and nurture. It is a gift freely given by God, reminding us of our original state and being as clean and pure.

Like Mary, do we have a room for Jesus within us to come especially in this world so preoccupied with man’s pride and achievements? Let us reclaim our original status and pure and clean children of God in making a room for Him in our lives today. Amen.

*Photo by Fr. Gerry Pascual of Iba, Zambales at Einsiedeln Abbey, Einsiedeln, Switzerland, 2019.*

We are an offering

The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Thursday, Memorial of the Presentations of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 21 November 2024
Zechariah 2:14-17 <*[[[[>< + ><]]]]*> Matthew 12:46-50

*Photo from https://www.vaticannews.va/en/liturgical-holidays/presentation-of-the-blessed-virgin-mary-.html*

God our loving Father,
on this memorial of the
Presentation of the Blessed
Virgin Mary,
we offer ourselves too
to you, our Lord and Master.

May our lives always reflect
the joys of being your children
like the festive mood of the first reading
when you told Israel to
"sing and rejoice" on their liberation
from bondage; may we always realize
the great honor and privilege of being
your children through Jesus Christ who
became one of us so that we may
become like Him.

Most of all,
like Mary our Mother,
may we offer ourselves totally
to your loving service
by listening, dwelling,
and acting on your words;
may our lives be an "enfleshing"
an "enfleshment" of your word
so that it is You dear Jesus
who is seen and experienced
through us like Mary.
Amen.

*Photo by author at Madaba, Jordan, May 2019.*

Praying to lose in order to win

The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Monday, Memorial of the Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary, 07 October 2024
Acts 1:12-14 <*{{{{>< + ><}}}}*> Luke 1:26-38

*Photo by author, Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches, QC, 20 March 2024.*

God our loving Father,
You are the God of History:
nothing happens without your
knowing as You ensure that despite
setbacks, history is always directed 
to your Divine Plan.

As we celebrate today the
Memorial of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary,
we remember too how You answered 
our prayers in that decisive victory 
of the Spanish Armada against the 
more and better-equipped navy of
the Ottoman Turks at the  
Battle of Lepanto Bay in 1571 
that finally stopped the Moslems
from occupying Europe.

*Photo by author, St. Scholastica Retreat Center, Baguio City, August 2023.*

We pray, O God,
that in a similar way,
teach us to "lose"
in order to "win":
like the Blessed Mother Mary,
grant us the grace to lose ourself
to You in Jesus Christ;
how lovely to think Mary
was a "loser" of her self to You
when she told the Archangel Gabriel,
"Behold, I am the handmaid
of the Lord.
May it be done to me
according to your word"
(Luke 1:38);
it was in losing herself
to You, dear God,
that Mary became your instrument
for our victory of salvation
 through her Son Jesus Christ.

Teach us, O Lord,
to be like Mary in submitting
our total selves to the
Father's will and plans,
ready to endure sufferings
and trials in life that many times
we feel we are at the losing end;
when we are patient and understanding,
when we are forgiving of others sins,
when we bear all pains because we love,
that is when we win as we lose
ourselves and begins to be filled with
Jesus like Mary in the gospel.

*Photo from canningliturgicalarts.com*, painting of the Battle of Lepanto Bay with our Lady of Victory or Rosary.

Remind us always,
God our loving Father,
that when we feel losing 
many battles in life 
like when we stand 
for what is true and good,
that is actually when we win
the war against evil and sin,
the greatest victory Christ 
had gifted us, first with His
Mother Mary - salvation!

Blessed Mother of the Rosary,
continue praying for us sinners
now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.

Walking life’s hills with Jesus

The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Thursday, Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 15 August 2024
Revelation 11:19;12:1-6, 10 ><}}}}*> 1 Corinthians 15:20-27 ><}}}}*> Luke 1:39-56

Glory and praise,
God Almighty Father
in sending us Jesus our Savior
who gave us His Mother
the Blessed Virgin Mary,
the very first fruit as St. Paul said 
of Christ's wondrous work 
of salvation due her oneness in Him.

Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth (Luke 1:39-40).

Right after the Annunciation
to Mary, her path to her Assumption
began when she "set out and 
travelled to the hill country in haste"
to share Christ in her with Elizabeth;
what a beautiful imagery of the same
path to the Calvary, another hill
outside Jerusalem to be with Christ
her Son.

Bless us with the same grace 
You gave Mary your Mother, Lord Jesus,
to follow your path to every hill in this life,
to be one with those especially who are
in pain and suffering; let us trust in You
fully in faith, hope and love that the 
sufferings we may endure in setting out
to travel to the hills of this life is 
the very path of our assumption 
in You; let us realize that despite the
many comforts and ease of technology
today, it is not what life really is, that
we all have to go through your 
Passion, Death, and Resurrection.
Like Mary, may we believe
your words, Jesus, 
will be fulfilled.
Amen.

*“The Assumption of the Virgin” by Italian Renaissance painter Titian completed in 1518 for the main altar of Frari church in Venice. Photo from en.wikipedia.org.*

Firm faith, firm self

The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Tuesday, Memorial of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, 16 July 2024
Isaiah 7:1-9 <*((((>< M+ ><))))*> Matthew 11:20-24

*Photo by author, Holy Family Monastery of Our Lady of Carmel, Guiguinto, Bulacan 2019.*

Thank You, dear God our Father
to your reminder today through
your prophet,
"Unless your faith is firm
you shall not be firm!"
(Isaiah 7:9).

So many times I forget this truth
 as I try to do everything
 to make myself strong physically,
 mentally and emotionally;
  so many times I forget
 that everything is fleeting in this world
 especially my body, including my enemies;
  many times I forget
 that the path to real strength
 of my person is in having
 a firm faith in You
 because only You remain.

Everything passes in this world;
 nations and peoples,
 cities and states rise
 and fall but, not You, O Lord!
  You never stop speaking
 your words of wisdom
 into the silence of my heart,
 calling me to trust in You,
 to have faith in You
 as You find ways in saving me
 from my many problems and miseries.
  Give me the grace to repent
 and to harden not my heart
 when I hear Your voice
 in Christ Jesus with Mary
our Lady of Carmel.
Amen.