Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Wednesday, Memorial of Our Lady of Lourdes & World Day of Sick, 11 February 2026 Isaiah 66:10-14 ><}}}}*> + ><}}}}*> + ><}}}}*> John 2:1-11
Photo by Architect Philip Santiago, Lourdes, France, October 2025.
Praise and glory to you O God, our loving and merciful Father who has given us a wonderful and most kind Mother in Mary the Blessed Virgin through Jesus Christ your Son.
From the beginning since Jesus Christ began his ministry to our present time, the Blessed Virgin Mary has always been with Jesus showing us your great signs of presence, of generosity, and of life first anticipated at the wedding feast at Cana.
On the third day there was a wedding in Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding. When the wine ran short, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” Jesus said to her, “Woman, how does your concern affect me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servers, “Do whatever he tells you.” Jesus told them, “Fill the jars with water” (John 2:1-5, 7).
Photo by Architect Philip Santiago, Lourdes, France, October 2025.
How wonderful to recall and meditate on this first miracle of Jesus of turning water into wine at the wedding feast at Cana through the intercession of his Mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Through Mary, your abundant blessings, O God, have continued to overflow upon us even after she is now with you and Jesus as Queen of heaven and earth.
How true were your words to the Prophet Isaiah that you shall send Israel a mother who shall comfort us, a mother in whom you shall spread prosperity and blessings (Isaiah 66:10-14).
How lovely that more than 1800 years after Cana, another miracle happened anew using the same element of water through Mary in Lourdes, France; how amazing in both Cana and Lourdes, Jesus asserted water as the primordial element of life and symbol of humanity; most amazing Lord Jesus that since that miracle at Cana, your life continues to overflow upon us through Mary your Mother and our Mother too in Lourdes, France.
Photo by Architect Philip Santiago, Lourdes, France, October 2025.
Like the servers at Cana, Mary told the young St. Bernadette at Lourdes to dig on earth so water may burst forth as spring, like life coming out of the womb of the earth; until now, that spring has been the source of many healings and other miracles among generations of peoples from all walks of life and nations; these waters of Lourdes remain as symbols of fruitfulness and of healing, of maternity in Mary who cares most to us and the sick in Jesus our Savior.
Give us the grace, dear Jesus the gifts of purity and cleanliness in our hearts so that we may become like Mary at Cana and Lourdes, a vessel of your healing and compassion especially for the sick of the world.
Grant us, dear Jesus, the gift of listening and docility like the servers in Cana and St. Bernadette in Lourdes to always "do whatever you tell us." Amen.
Photo by Architect Philip Santiago, Lourdes, France, October 2025.
Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul, 13 October 2025 Monday, 108th Anniversary of Last Apparition at Fatima, Portugal Romans 1:1-7 ><]]]]'> + ><]]]]'> + ><]]]]'> Luke 11:29-32
We celebrate today the 108th anniversary of the final apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Fatima, Portugal that made it the most relevant proof in modern times of the existence of God and of his immense love for mankind through his Son Jesus Christ.
It was on this date, October 13, 1917 when the “Miracle of the Sun” happened at Fatima as the Virgin Mary appeared for the last time to Lucia Santos and her two younger cousins now Saints Francisco and his sister Jacinta Marto along with an estimated crowd of 70,000 made up of believers and unbelievers as well as skeptics and hecklers. They all witnessed the phenomenon that many verified with sworn accounts of how the Sun “danced” in the sky and then careened to Earth while emitting radiant colors that lasted for about ten minutes.
It was the sixth and last apparition of the Blessed Mother to the three children that began on May 13, 1917 and since then, devotion to Our Lady of Fatima grew which also boosted the praying of the Holy Rosary after the Blessed Virgin Mary introduced herself as the Lady of the Rosary. It was on that last apparition when the Blessed Mother told the children how World War I would soon end with a warning that “People must amend their lives and ask pardon for their sins. They must not offend our Lord any more, for He is already too much offended!”
Though the Fatima feast is officially set on May 13, many churches and devotees around the world still celebrate the October 13 apparition not only because of the dancing sun miracle but most of all of the ever-timely and relevant calls of the Blessed Mother for penance and conversion that echo the teachings of her Son Jesus Christ in today’s gospel:
While still more people gathered in the crowd, Jesus said to them, “This generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it, except the sign of Jonah… At the judgment the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation and condemn it, because at the preaching of Jonah they repented, and there is something greater than Jonah here” (Luke 11:29, 32).
Procession of the National Pilgrim Image of Fatima at her National Shrine in Valenzuela, 13 May 2025. Photo credit to the owner.
With the recent calamities and corruption scandals that have been rocking our nation these past four months, the Fatima apparition of October 13, 1917 remains significant especially for us in the Philippines today for three reasons.
First, we have to see the last apparition of October 13, 1917 not as the final one but the start or beginning of the unfolding of more revelations and realizations for us. In fact, Sr. Lucia continued to received private visions while in the convent as a nun in 1925 through the 1930’s. During her last interview in 1957 while already a cloistered Carmelite nun, Sr. Lucia revealed how during that last apparition to them (her two cousins have died in 1919 and 1920 during the flu pandemic), the Blessed Virgin Mary looked very sad and never smiled to indicate the gravity and seriousness of her messages to them.
The Blessed Mother must be looking more sad than ever with us Filipinos since July this year with the wholesale corruption by DPWH officials in connivance with some former and current lawmakers that have caused so many people to suffer with perennial flood. Most especially because those involved in the worst corruption we have so far are Catholics and Christians! Imagine the pain of the Blessed Mother who is surely crying, saying, “mahiya naman kayo!”
One problem with the common perception of many people even up to now with the last apparition of Fatima is to equate it with the end of the world, of worldwide catastrophe that have instilled more of fear and even controversies that included doubts of the Vatican allegedly not fully revealing the Third Secret despite assurances from the visionary herself, Sr. Lucia who said before her death in 2005 that all Fatima Secrets have been fully revealed.
If we take the Fatima apparitions as a whole, we find in it more of messages of hope and joy for us in the Philippines and the world. The Blessed Mother appeared in Fatima not to scare us but to inspire us to turn away from sins, to be converted and be holy so that the world may truly find peace in Jesus her Son.
The last things do not necessarily mean destruction like when we say in Filipino it is the end or “wakas”, it usually means “wasak” or destruction; normally, when there is wakas and wasak, there is “bago” or new being built or established to replace the old one.
Therefore, the last apparition at Fatima in 1917 is also the signal of new beginnings, new undertaking, new opportunities, new hope in Jesus Christ who is the ultimate sign of God’s loving presence among us amid the trials and difficulties like these calamities and corruption in the country. It is not being simplistic but we just have to trust Jesus and his Mother Mary that we be sorry for our sins, stop doing what is sinful and evil, be converted and lead holy lives. Repentance leads to true wisdom because it is only in doing what is right when things would be right in order.
Photo by author, July 2023.
At the last apparition in Fatima 108 years ago, it is very interesting how two elements prevailed on that day: rains and the sun. And these are our second and third points of reflection on the sign of Fatima.
According to official accounts, rains have soaked wet the people and the whole of Cova da Iria in Fatima, Portugal for two days, October 12-13, 1917 before the Blessed Mother’s final apparition. How wonderful is the plentiful sign of rains, of water that signify the call for inner cleansing and purification of our hearts and person.
And when the sun “danced” later, the people were astonished how they and their clothes where dried along with the whole surroundings as if it had not rained the previous day and night after witnessing the spectacular display of colors and light!
May we see more of the light of Jesus in our lives so we may be cleansed and ready to work for another day of conversion and holiness just like St. Paul in the first reading today who reminds us to be witnesses of Christ:
… but established as Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness through resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord. Through him we have received the grace of apostleship, to bring about the obedience of faith, for the sake of his name, among all the Bentiles, among whom are you also, who are called to belong to Jesus Christ (Romans 1:4-6).
As witnesses of Christ and pilgrims of hope, we are invited today more than ever in the light of the Blessed Mother’s last apparition at Fatima in 1917 to usher in new hopes for us to become better persons who build stronger families and more vibrant church communities.
At Fatima 108 years ago today, we are invited by the Blessed Mother to be focused more in revealing God’s will as experienced and prayed in the the Sacred Scriptures than taking sides in politics and going down to the worldly debates on abortion and divorce as well as gender issues beyond male and female.
How true indeed are the words of Jesus that “this generation is an evil generation seeking so many signs” to stretch its concepts of justice and equality, of rights and freedom without recognizing the need for humility and acceptance, responsibility and maturity as exemplified by the three children at Fatima. Let us make today the beginning of our conversion and transformation in Christ Jesus with the help of the Blessed Mother. Amen. Our Lady of Fatima, Pray for us.Fr. Nicanor F. lalog II, Our Lady of Fatima University, Valenzuela City (lordmychef@gmail.com)
From cbcpnews.net, 13 May 2022, at the Parish of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, Valenzuela City.
40 Shades of Lent by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Tuesday, Fourth Week in Lent, 01 April 2025 Ezekiel 47:1-9, 12 + + + John 5:1-16
Photo by author, Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches, QC, 17 March 2025.
Thank you dear Jesus for the Lenten reminder of our Baptism, of the sign of water in our faith and in our lives; Lent is water that cleanses us, refreshes us, hydrates us to keep us moving in your mission.
But what I like most, dear Jesus is your healing of the man seated at the pool of Bethesda for 38 years - like him, Jesus, I have been waiting for healing, for blessing, for your coming! Now you have come, still many among us refuse to welcome you nor accept you; instead, they question your healing on a sabbath with others still shouting for freedom for Barabbas.
How sad, dear Jesus that until now there are people who rejoice with death and evil and sin; cleanse those who rejoice in all forms of killing especially of the innocent and young, of the poor and disadvantaged; cleanse us all in your waters, Jesus so that like in the vision of Ezekiel, we may bloom too as a nation close to God, upholding life and justice always. Amen.
Photo by author, Hidden Valley Spring Resort, Laguna, 20 February 2025.
The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Tuesday, Memorial of Our Lady of Lourdes & World Day of Sick, 11 February 2025 Isaiah 66:10-14 <'000>< + ><000'> + <'000>< + ><000'> John 2:1-11
Photo by author, Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, Bignay, Valenzuela City, 03 February 2025.
Thank you, dearest God our loving Father in sending us your Son Jesus Christ who gave us his Mother the Blessed Virgin Mary to be our Mother too!
From the very beginning of his ministry to our modern time, Mary has always been close with Jesus who showed us your great signs of your loving presence, generosity and mercy, life and joy first anticipated at the wedding at Cana, his first miracle.
On the third day there was a wedding in Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding. when the wine ran short, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” Jesus said to her, “Woman, how does your concern affect me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servers, “Do whatever he tells you” (John 2:1-5).
From stillromancatholicafteralltheseyears.com, January 2022.
How lovely that Jesus Christ's first sign (miracle) happened "on the third day" - a prefiguration of Easter - the fullness of your coming to us, the fullness of our healing and salvation, the third day after his "hour"; how prominent that at his "hour" on the Cross, blood and water flowed out from Jesus' side pierced by a lance while there at the wedding at Cana, Jesus transformed water into an excellent wine.
Both at Cana and at Lourdes there was water, the sign of life; most of all, in both instances like at the Cross, Mary was present bringing us healing and joy.
At Cana, water became an excellent wine to prefigure the Lord’s Supper we celebrate each day in the Holy Mass as a foretaste of our promised glory in heaven while at Lourdes, water transformed and healed the sick.
Photo by author, Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes at St. Paul Spirituality Center in Pico, La Trinidad, Benguet, 06 January 2025.
Thank you most Blessed Virgin Mary to your witness of faith in Christ; your example enabled us to encounter the gift of God in Jesus, to create the feast of joy of communion, of healing, of fulfillment that can only be made possible by God’s presence and his gift of self in Christ; in Cana and on to Lourdes and wherever we may be, every day is God’s coming, the “hour” of Jesus in every “here” and “now” when we experience the sign of God’s overflowing generosity to us all who are so tired and exhausted most especially so sickly; you, O Blessed Virgin Mary, are the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy of God sending us a mother who shall comfort us in moments of sickness and darkness; continue to help us, most Blessed Virgin Mary of Lourdes to get through these times of many diseases and sickness; get us closer to Jesus your Son who is our true peace and joy by doing whatever he tells us like the servants at Cana. Amen.
40 Shades of Lent by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Tuesday in the Fourth Week of Lent, 12 March 2024 Ezekiel 47:1-9, 12 ><))))*> + ><))))*> + ><))))*> John 5:1-16
Photo by author, 2017.
As we prepare for Easter in this season of Lent, you also remind us, dear Jesus of our Baptism, of our being cleansed to new life in you; it is in Baptism we have come into new life in you, Jesus, becoming children of the Father, sharing in God's life.
In this season of Lent amid the dry and sweltering summer we now have, remind us of our true identity as children of God through Baptism, that without Jesus our living water, we die, we lose life, we lose meaning; keep us one in you, one with you, Jesus, our abundant life giving river like what the Prophet Ezekiel saw in a vision:
Wherever the river flows, every sort ofn living creatures that can multiply shall live, and there shall be abundant fish, for wherever this water comes the sea shall be made fresh. Along both banks of the river, the fruit trees of every kind shall grow; their leaves shall not fade, nor their fruit fail.
Ezekiel 47:9-12
Most of all, Lord Jesus, thank you for coming to us, for approaching us like what happened at the pool of Bethesda to cleanse and heal us of our so many infirmities especially in this highly competitive world that has become so impersonal; cleanse and heal, dear Jesus, our inner hurts due to our own sins or sins by others, knowingly or unknowingly; in your mercy, wash and cleanse us, of our many fears and anxieties, anger and bitterness, frustrations and failures to start anew in you this Season of Lent. Amen.
Quiet Storm by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
The Seven Last Words, 05 April 2023
Photo by author, Chapel of the Holy Family, Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches, Quezon City, 2014.
After this, aware that everything was now finished, in order that the scripture might be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I thirst.” There was a vessel filled with common wine. So they put a sponge soaked in win on a sprig of hyssop and put it up to his mouth.
John 19:28-29
This is one of the remarkable scenes in the fourth gospel, our Lord Jesus Christ feeling thirsty, the second time as recorded by John. The first was in the town of Sychar in Samaria when Jesus sat by Jacob’s well at noon and asked a Samaritan woman who came to draw water, “Give me a drink” (Jn. 4:7). A beautiful conversation followed between Jesus who was thirsty and the Samaritan woman, thirsting for God, for love and mercy.
Unlike being hungry for food which we can always bear because its feeling is localized in the stomach that we can easily forego by catching some sleep, thirst is different. When we are thirsty, we feel our whole body sapped dry even to our fingertips that we feel so weak, even affecting our mental faculties. That is why, thirst means more than physical but something deeper that concerns our very soul and being.
Here we find Jesus truly human, thirsting not just for water like us but most of all, for love and attention.
See also that for John, water is one of the most significant signs of Jesus Christ. His first “sign” as John would call his miracles was at the wedding feast at Cana when Jesus turned water into wine. After that wedding, Nicodemus came to Jesus at night where he first mentioned the need to be born in water and spirit (Jn. 3:5). It was after that night when Jesus went to Sychar and asked water from the Samaritan woman with whome he identified himself as “the living water (Jn. 4:10)”.
Here again is Jesus thirsty, but not just asking for water.
How foolish are we in responding to him like the Roman soldiers who gave him an ordinary wine. Worst, there are times we give him tepid, or perhaps turbid water that tastes so awful like that ordinary wine offered by the Romans at Golgotha.
Here is our living water, Jesus Christ who promised that “whoever drinks the water I shall give will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (Jn. 4:14) thirsting for us, for our love and attention because he alone can quench our thirsts in life.
Jesus is the wife and mother who thirsts for the love and affection of her unfaithful husband and wayward son or daughter who think only of themselves.
Jesus is the husband and father who thirsts for simple calls and expressions of concern from his family those back home while toiling abroad or in the high seas as an OFW or thirsting for understanding and care from those around him when he forgets so many things due to Alzheimer’s or paralyzed by a stroke or handicap.
Jesus is the young man or woman who thirsts for time and presence of a sibling or parents who could not find meaning and directions in life despite the money, clothes and gadgets the world offers.
Jesus is the person nearest to you thirsting for warmth and company, or simply a smile or a friendly gaze that assures him or her that “you are welcomed”.
Let us not be like those Roman soldiers or that Samaritan woman looking for material water to give Jesus present in every person we meet. Many times, the best water is found inside our hearts, deep in our souls where Jesus dwells with his abounding love and mercy, kindness and forgiveness. Let us thirst more for Jesus for he alone can quench our thirsts!
Let us pray:
Dearest Lord Jesus,
forgive me
when I quench my thirst
with things the world offers
that often leave me
more thirsty,
more dry,
more empty;
let me have more of YOU
to share more of YOU
our living water
who quenches our
deepest thirsts
for life's meaning
and fulfillment.
Amen.
Lawiswis ng Salita ni P. Nicanor F. Lalog II, Ika-14 ng Marso 2023
Larawan kuha ng may-akda, Ikatlong Linggo ng Kuwaresma 2019.
Ang kuwento noong Linggo ng babaeng Samaritana at ni Hesus sa balon ni Jacob ay larawan ng buhay natin na hitik sa mga palatandaan napakayaman sa kahulugan.
Tayo ang Samaritana umiigib sa tuwina banga ay dala-dala upang sumalok ng tubig na papawi sa maraming nilulunggati nauuwi sa pagiging sawi; palaging ubos, hindi sumapat upang maampat pagbuhos at pagtapon ng inigib na tubig upang matighaw maraming pagka-uhaw; palibhasa laman nitong ating banga ay mga kasalanan kaya sa katanghaliang-tapat tayo ma'y sumasalok gaya ng Samaritana upang ikubli sa mga mata ng iba ating pagkakasala.
O kay ganda marahil
katulad ng Samaritana
matagpuan sa katanghaliang
tapat itong si Hesus
pagod at naghihintay
sa ating pagdating
upang tayo ang kanyang
painumin ng mga salitang
nagbibigay buhay
at tunay na tumitighaw
sa lahat ng ating pagka-uhaw;
panalok ng Panginoon
ay sariling buhay
sa atin ay ibinigay
doon sa Krus nang
kanyang ipahayag
siya man ay nauuhaw,
isang magnanakaw
kasama niyang nakabayubay
doon din sa krus
sa kanya ay nakiinom
sa Paraiso humantong!
Itong balon ni Jacob
paalala ng matandang tipan
binigyang kaganapan ni Hesus
nang ipako siya sa krus
noon ding katanghaliang tapat
ng Biyernes Santo;
sa kanyang pagkabayubay
at pagkamatay sa krus
siya ang naging balon
at panalok ng tubig
na nagbibigay-buhay
dito na sa ating puso at
kalooban bumabalong;
kung sa bawat pagkakataon
tayo ay tutugon
sa kanya doon sa balon,
atin ding mararanasan
at malalaman na sadyang higit
at di malirip ang tubig niyang bigay
sinalok ng sariling buhay
upang tayo ay makapamuhay
ng walang hanggan! Amen.
40 Shades of Lent by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Third Sunday in Lent-A, 12 March 2023
Exodus 17:3-7 + Romans 5:1-2, 5-8 + John 4:5-15, 39, 40-42
Photo by author, Taiwan, January 2019.
Thirst for water is something more intense for us humans than hunger for food. Thirst is something too strong we could feel affecting us deep down to the most remote and minutest parts of our body unlike hunger that is localized in the stomach area. Thirst moves us to search for water, even sending us to scamper even for droplets of water to quench our thirst unlike hunger we often dismiss by sleeping in the hopes of forgetting it, even overcoming it.
But not our thirst for water, something we would always quench by all means.
That is why, thirst would always mean more than physical but also something deeper that concerns our very soul and being. This is the beautiful meaning of our gospel this Sunday – from the wilderness of temptations to the summit of a high mountain of his transfiguration – we now join Jesus into a Samaritan town for some water after a very tiring journey on his way to Jerusalem to fulfill his mission. Here we also find Jesus thirsting for us humans, sinners as we are, like on the Cross at Good Friday.
Jesus came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of land that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there. Jesus, tired from his journey, sat down there at the well. It was about noon. A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” His disciples had gone into the town to buy food. The Samaritan woman said to him, “How can you, a Jew, ask me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink?” – For Jews use nothing in common with Samaritans. – Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God and who is saying to you ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”
John 4:5-10
Photo by author, an old well somewhere in the desert of Egypt, May 2019.
There are a lot of interesting details in this opening lines of this long story of Jesus with the Samaritan woman. Very notable is Jesus coming into a Samaritan town and talking to a woman that are both a big no, no for Jews at that time as the evangelist explained in verse 9, – For Jews use nothing in common with Samaritans.
It is very clear that what we have here is more than a geographical setting but a revelation of God’s immense love (and thirst) sending Jesus for us all especially the sinners and those neglected by the society, living in the margins like women and children, the poor and the elderly.
That Samaritan woman symbolizes us whom Jesus searches to return home to the Father.
Notice that Jesus comes to the well at the hottest time of the day, at noon when the Samaritan woman would come to draw water. Why? Because as we have seen in the story, the woman was a sinner, living with her sixth “husband” as pointed out to her by Jesus himself. She drew water at that time when no one was at the well to avoid the Marites of the town who would always feast with gossips about her scandalous lifestyle!
Is it not the same with us too? Jesus comes to us right in the heat of our sinfulness, of our infidelities, of our cheating, of our unkindness and unforgiving? It is when we are hot in sin when Jesus comes thirsting for us, inviting us to return to him. And too often, he works wonders to win us over, even sometimes allowing us to feel like the Samaritan as so special in doing him a favor.
A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” His disciples had gone into the town to buy food. The Samaritan woman said to him, “How can you, a Jew, ask me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink?”
John 4:7-9
Photo by author, Third Week of Lent 2019, Parokya ni San Juan Apostol at Ebanghelista, Bagbaguin, Sta. Maria, Bulacan.
Here we find Jesus working subtly, even playing by our games while we are in the heat of our sins and other pursuits in life when he would ask us favors, namely, asking for a drink.
In response, the Samaritan woman opens herself to a dialogue with Jesus rather than outrightly dismissing him as a nuisance. She felt that in giving Jesus a drink, she would do him a favor when in fact, as we have seen later, it was the Lord who did her the most favor as we shall see too on the Cross at Good Friday especially with Dimas.
Are we not like this Samaritan woman when we are in the heat of our sinfulness with our bloated ego that we even dare think of doing God a favor by entering into a dialogue until suddenly, for good reasons, we are swept off in our feet, finding ourselves in his merciful and loving arms?
Like the Samaritan woman, in opening to Jesus to a dialogue when we are in the noontime of our sinfulness or simple ordinariness, that is also when we allow the Lord to do us a great favor.
That is why I always tell people to give us priests a chance to do something good, never to compensate our services and ministry with remunerations. Very often, people say they feel so blessed with our ministry and presence but the truth is, we priests are the ones more blessed when we are able to selflessly serve you our flock!
This I have always felt in hearing confessions and anointing the sick especially since last year as a chaplain at the Fatima University Medical Center here in Valenzuela City. I have instructed our nurses to always insist to the family of patients to never give me anything after visiting their sick. They do not realize the tremendous grace and blessings I experience when I visit the sick, hear their confessions and anoint them with oil. Even when patients die, because as my former Parish Priest Fr. Ersando used to tell me as a young priest 24 years ago, confessing and absolving the sins of the dying and anointing them with holy oil are the most meritorious acts of a priest in preparing the faithful in meeting God our Father. This I have experienced so true in the recent death of Msgr. Teng Manlapig whom I have shared last week.
Many times in our lives, it is through the many “inconveniences” we experience that Jesus comes to invite us to open ourselves to receive his abundant graces and blessings not necessarily material in nature. God is never outdone in generosity and everything is pure grace in him because we are always blessed with more than we give when we offer him the gift of our self to do his will.
Remember always Jesus Christ’s words to the Samaritan woman at the well which are the same words he tells us especially when we are hot in our personal pursuits in life, “If you knew the gift of God and who is saying to you ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”
In the first reading we have heard how “In those days, in their thirst for water, the people grumbled against Moses” (Ex. 17:3), quarreling among themselves and testing God.
How sad that until now, we grumble and quarrel and test God because of our many thirsts for things and pleasures we thought would complete us. Sometimes we feel as if God owes us so much that we feel so entitled in this life, deserving all the good things without realizing how God knows us so well, even the sins we hide most. We keep on thirsting and desiring so many other things when it is only God whom we must desire first of all, actually desire and thirst most all like the deer that yearns for streams of running water (Ps. 42:2).
Photo courtesy of Rev. Fr. Herbert Bacani, 2023.
One of my favorite churches of all time is the Sta. Cruz in Manila. It is one of the most beautiful churches that has remained unchanged, never altered. As a child more than 50 years ago until now, I am still fascinated by its sanctuary of a painting or a mosaic of Jesus Christ the lamb slain and offered as sacrifice whose blood is like the waters of a spring flowing into us through the Blessed Sacrament.
Notice that this story of Jesus with the Samaritan woman comes after his meeting with the Pharisee named Nicodemus at night where the Lord first discussed the symbolism and importance of being born again in water of Baptism and the Spirit to become a new person in him. This time at Jacob’s well Jesus promised the Samaritan woman water that becomes in the one who drinks it a source springing up into eternal life so that whoever drinks it will never be thirsty again.
This has become possible because Jesus “died for us while we were still sinners” (Rom. 5:8) on the Cross when he said again, “I thirst” (Jn. 19:28-29)!
May we continue to thirst for God by entering into dialogue with Jesus especially when he comes to us, also thirsty, asking us for some small favors from us in order to gift us with his bigger favors we have never imagined. Amen.
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