Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul, 21 October 2025 Tuesday, Feast of St. Pedro Calungsod, Martyr Romans 5:12, 15, 17-19, 20-21 <*((((>< + ><))))*> Luke 12:35-38
Where sin increased, grace overflowed all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through justification for eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 5:20-21).
Your words today, O Lord Jesus Christ are so inspiring so reassuring and edifying in these most troubled times of our lives; everywhere we look or turn, there is an anomaly, a corruption happening or unearthed that sadly hurt most the poor and marginalized.
Yet, despite our many trials and hardships in life these days, we never run out of good people going out of their ways to help, to care, to guide those in need; most wonderful to hear most of these great stories of love and care are by simple folks, so unlike those supposed to be more educated, more upward and mobile!
It was the same situation of persecution when St. Pedro Calungsod kept his lamp lighted with good works among the locals in Guam where he met his martyrdom. Keep us faithful, Jesus overflow us with your grace while awaiting your daily coming especially during the most trying times. Amen.
Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul, 13 October 2025 Monday in Twenty-Eighth Week of Ordinary Time, Year I Romans 1:1-7 <*((((>< + ><))))*> Luke 11:29-32
Photo by author, St. Paul Center for Renewal, Alfonso, Cavite, August 2025.
Are we doomed, Lord Jesus? Your words today are so penetrating and we deserve them considering the news of wholesale corruption in our country, the indifference of many that sadly include shepherds of souls.
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).
The sign of Jonah is about repentance while the sign of the queen of the south is about wisdom; true wisdom happens when we repent because repentance is an expression of our fear of the Lord that is the beginning of wisdom; teach us, Jesus, to be signs who point to you, the "someone larger" than Jonah and the queen of the south for you are the ultimate sign of all; like Paul, let us be the living witnesses of your glorious resurrection by proclaiming your good news of salvation both in words and in actions. Amen.
Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Our Lady of Fatima University Valenzuela City (lordmychef@gmail.com)
Photo by author, St. Paul Center for Renewal, Alfonso, Cavite, August 2025.
Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul, 26 September 2025 Friday, Memorial of Sts. Cosmas & Damian, Martyrs Haggai 2:1-9 ><]]]]'> + ><]]]]'> + ><]]]]'> Luke 9:18-22
Photo by author, the wailing wall of Jerusalem, May 2017.
God our loving Father, we praise and thank you for the magnificent places of worship we have for you, churches so beautiful, so wide to accommodate us especially on Sundays to praise and worship you; but, dear God, forgive us when we forget so often that its glory is not in us nor because of us but from your divine presence, in the presence of Jesus Christ not only in the Tabernacle but among the people as you have told us through Haggai your prophet.
For thus says the Lord of hosts: One moment yet, a little while, and I will shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. I will shake all the nations, and the treasures of all the nations will come in, and I will fill this house with with glory, says the Lord of hosts (Haggai 2:6-7).
That prophecy has been fulfilled in Jesus Christ your Son, our Savior who now asks us daily with his same question to the Twelve: "Who do the crowds say that I am?"
Grant us the courage and strength you gave Peter as well as the early Christians to acknowledge Jesus as the Christ - something so subversive at that time, so dangerous as it disregarded the earthly rulers especially the Roman emperor; so much have changed, Lord in our time when the church has become so elaborately decorated like our faith but deep inside is hollow that no wonder we can't even profess your being Lord just before every meal especially in public places; grant us the same courage you gave the brothers Cosmas and Damian who treated the sick for free in your name, who dared the powers and stood firm in their faith in you. Amen.
Photo by author, Chapel of the Angel of Peace, Our Lady of Fatima University, Valenzuela City, March 2025
Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Our Lady of Fatima University Valenzuela City (lordmychef@gmail.com)
Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul, 16 September 2025 Tuesday, Memorial of Sts. Cornelius, Pope & Cyprian, Bishop, Martyrs 1 Timothy 3:1-13 <*((((>< +. ><))))*> Luke 7:11-17
Beloved, this saying is trustworthy: whoever aspires to the office of bishop desires a noble task (1 Timothy 3:1).
How timely
are your words today,
Lord Jesus:
definitely it is about your
servants in the church;
but, it applies very much
with all other leaders
in the government
and civil society
who have pledged
to serve the poor
and needy.
Give us a prophetic bishop
who is most in touch with
our humanity,
not merely concerned
with one's self
and ego.
We pray, dear Jesus for bishops and government leaders who are decisive with what is true and good and what is just most of all; give us bishops who act decisively as a father, a teacher, and disciplinarian not those concerned with their status and ego.
Jesus journeyed to a city called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd accompanied him. As he drew near to the gate of the city, a man who had died was being carried our, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. A large crowd from the city was with her (Luke 7:11-12).
How amazing, dear Jesus, that despite the "large crowd" you were still able to spot the grieving widow at the funeral of her only son because you are so in touch with our humanity unlike with some bishops and most leaders in government; grant us prophetic leaders who are in touch and amazed with the dignity and honor of persons as image and likeness of God that like you, Lord, they could feel and be one in the sorrow of those in pain and sufferings.
In this point in our nation's history, we need so badly, dearest Lord Jesus, a prophetic bishop, even just one who could rally the other bishops and priests with the many faithful to effect change, to speak of the truth so people would be shaken and realize like the crowd in Nain who exclaimed after you have raised the dead boy to life, "A great prophet has arisen in our midst." Amen.
Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Our Lady of Fatima University Valenzuela City (lordmychef@gmail.com)
Lawiswis ng Salita ni P. Nicanor F. Lalog II, Ika-12 ng Setyembre 2025
Larawan kuha ni G. Aaron Favila ng Associated Press, Barasoain Church, Malolos City, 22 Hulyo 2025.
Hindi ko malaman kung ako ay matutuwa o maluluha sa mga larawang nalathala noong panahon ng pagbaha sa aming lalawigan ng Bulacan; kamangha-mangha aming pananampalataya nagpapatuloy mga pagdiriwang ng sakramento lalo na ang kasal kahit lumusong sa baha nagsisimba at paring nagmimisa parang eksena sa pelikula pagmamahalan ng mga magsing-ibig pananalig kailanma'y hindi padadaig sa buhos ng ulan bumaha man.
Nang sumabog na parang dam mga balita ng scam ng flood control program sa lalawigan ng Bulacan, galit at pagkainis aming naramdaman itong mga pagbaha pala ay kagagawan ng kasakiman ng mga halimaw sa kagawaran kakutsaba sa kasamaan mga pulitiko at contractor habang mga mamamayan walang mapuntahan sa araw-araw na lamang malapit nang maging aquaman kalulusong sa baha alipunga hindi na nawala.
Larawan kuha ni G. Aaron Favila ng Associated Press, Barasoain Church, Malolos City, 22 Hulyo 2025.
Isang bagay
ang aking pinagtatakhan
noon pa man
siya ko nang katanungan:
ano ang pahayag
nitong ating simbahan
sa malaswa at malawak
na sistema ng nakawan
na nasentro sa Bulacan
lalo't higit
unang naapektuhan
maraming mga simbahan?
Nasaan ating tinig
at pagtindig
laban sa katiwaliang ito
na matay mang isipin
kay hirap ilarawan
maski paniwalaan!
Mayroon bang kinalaman nakabibinging katahimikan pag-Hermano at pag-Hermana ng mga nasa pulitika dahil sila ang mapera handang gumasta sa mga kapistahan dahil kanilang pakiramdam banal na kalooban ng Diyos kanilang sinusundan kaya naman sila ay pinagpapala at pinayayaman sa patuloy na donasyon sa simbahan habang kapwa ay ginugulangan pinagsasamantalahan?
Masakit man sabihin at mahirap aminin itong mga ghost projects at korapsiyong ating kinasasadlakan ay atin din namang kasalanan at kagagawan sa patuloy na pagboto sa mga bulok na kandidato na sumasalaula sa ating lipunan; tumitindi ang kasamaang ito sa tuwing mga politiko at mga kawaning ganid ang parating nilalapitan upang hingan ng lahat ng pangangailangan sa simbahan maski libreng tanghalian na walang kinalaman para sa ating kaligtasan!
Larawan mula sa Facebook post ni Dr. Tony Leachon, “KLEPTOPIROSIS: When Corruption Becomes a Public Health Crisis”, 08 Agosto 2025.
Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul, 28 August 2025 Thursday, Memorial of St. Augustine, Bishop & Doctor of the Church 1 Thessalonians 3:7-13 <*((((>< + ><))))*> Matthew 24:42-51
Photo by author, St. Paul Center for Renewal, Alfonso, Cavite, 20 August 2025.
Praise and glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ as you continue to touch us, comfort us, and inspire us with the words of St. Paul to the Thessalonians; yesterday he addressed them like a father encouraging them his children in faith; today he referred to them as "brothers and sisters" to "increase and abound in love".
Now may God himself, our Father, and our Lord Jesus direct our way to you, and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we have for you, so as to strengthen your hearts, to be blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his holy ones. Amen. (1Thessalonians 3:11-13)
What a beautiful lesson about our relationships as a community of your believers and followers, of how we must regard one another as children with love and care of a parent, respect and goodwill as brothers and sisters!
Most of all, of wishing everyone to "increase and abound in love for one another"!
This is something we rarely hear these days, wishing others to increase and abound in love for one another; all we hear are prayers and wishes for more material blessings not realizing the superiority of love above all gifts; to pray to increase and abound in love is the noblest prayer we can offer for anyone because it means to be holy, to be closest to God, to be like Christ; to increase and abound in love is exactly what St. Augustine, our saint today, preached, "Love and do what you will."
Like St. Augustine, let our love increase and abound so that we do nothing to displease you Lord and our neighbors; increase and abound us in love, Jesus so we may be transformed in you. Amen.
Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Our Lady of Fatima University Valenzuela City (lordmychef@gmail.com)
Photo by author, St. Paul Center for Renewal, Alfonso, Cavite, 20 August 2025.
Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul, 27 August 2025 Wednesday, Memorial of St. Monica, Married Woman 1 Thessalonians 2:9-13 <*[[[[>< + ><]]]]*> Matthew 23:27-32
Image of St. Monica from grunge.com
Praise and glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ for another set of beautiful words from your great Apostle Paul of being like a "father", a parent to the Thessalonians like St. Monica whose feast we celebrate today in her diligence and patience to her son St. Augustine whose feast comes tomorrow.
As you know, we treated each one of you as a father treats his children, exhorting and encouraging you and insisting that you walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into his kingdom and glory (1Thessalonians 2:11-12).
In this time of great trial and crisis in our country when we are literally deep in floods of evil and sin, a deluge of apocalyptic proportion that have submerged all three branches of government - the executive, legislative and judiciary that have severely dampened and loosened the morals of our society, teach us Jesus to be like the mother of St. Augustine, the ever patient and prayerful St. Monica to exhort and encourage everyone to still walk in a manner worthy of God who calls us to be fair and just, tenacious with our faith and hope in you and your gospel minus the trappings of the Pharisees and scribes of your time who were like "whitewashed tombs who appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men's bones and every kind of filth" (Matthew 23:27); may the prayers of St. Monica with her tears cleanse us of everything wrong in our selves. Amen.
Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Our Lady of Fatima University Valenzuela City (lordmychef@gmail.com)
Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul, 26 August 2025 Tuesday in the Twenty-first Week of Ordinary Time, Year I 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8 <*{{{{>< + ><}}}}*> Matthew 23:23-26
Thang you very much, dear Jesus for the gift of St. Paul your Apostle: yesterday we heard how he encouraged the church at Thessalonica, of how impressed he was with their deep conviction of faith; today he described his approach to starting the church at Thessalonica: so candidly speaking how he did it while still remaining tender and gentle to them, so sure he had taken the right course of action.
You yourselves know, brothers and sisters, that our reception among you was not without effect. Rather, after we had suffered and been insolently treated, as you know, in Philippi, we drew courage through our God to speak to you the Gospel of God with much struggle. Our exhortation was not from delusion or impure motives, or did it work through deception. But as we were judged worthy by God to be entrusted with the Gospel, that is how we speak, not as trying to please men, but rather God, who judges our hearts (1Thessalonians 2:1-4).
As I pray, Lord Jesus on these words of St. Paul, I cannot stop wondering our many excuses and "side trips" today as your apostles; how did St. Paul unwind or recreate in his time compared to our many forms of rest and recreation; so many of us cannot move on with life and ministry from whatever experiences we have had in our previous assignments unlike St. Paul who simply kept the lessons learned from his past experiences at Philippi; most of all, I could feel the intense love of St. Paul to you, Lord Jesus and his ministry with his deep personal relationship in you in prayers so unlike us today with so many excuses in not praying at all.
What I love most is St. Paul's tenderness and gentleness to his church with his tenacious hold on you Jesus.
although we were able to impose our weight as Apostles of Christ. Rather, we were gentle among you, as a nursling mother cares for her children. With such affection for you, we were determined to share with you not only the Gospel of God, but our very selves as well, as dearly beloved had you become to us (1Thessalonians 2:7-8).
Dearest Jesus, may your word be always alive and active in me flowing in my tender and gentle service to your flock so unlike the Pharisees you have condemned again in today's gospel for being blind guides of the people. Amen.
Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Our Lady of Fatima University Valenzuela City (lordmychef@gmail.com)
Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul, 25 August 2025 Monday, Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time, Year I 1 Thessalonians 1:1-5, 8-10 <*((((>< + ><))))*> Matthew 23:13-22
Photo from The Fatima Tribune, Red Wednesday at the Chapel of Angel of Peace, Our Lady of Fatima University, Valenzuela City, 27 November 2024.
Today I wonder, God our Father, what if Paul your Apostle or Jesus Christ your Son were to visit our church today, what would they find out? Would Paul be proud of us like the Thessalonians of his time?
We give thanks to God always for all of you, remembering you in our prayers, unceasingly calling to mind your work of faith and labor of love and endurance of hope of our Lord Jesus Christ, before our God and Father, knowing, brothers and sisters loved by God, how you were chosen… In every place your faith in God has gone forth, so that we have no need to say anything (1Thessalonians 1:2-4, 8).
Oh how I envy the Thessalonians that Paul along with Silvanus and Timothy were so proud of their "faith and labor of love and endurance in hope"; most of all, of their "conviction" that he had no need to say anything, as in, "walang masabi". So beautiful! How I wish Paul could say the same things today to our parish, to our community of believers with their vibrant faith, hope and love.
What I dread, O Father is when Jesus comes and begins speaking the same way to us his priests and bishops:
Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You lock the Kingdom of heaven before men. You do not enter yourselves, nor do you allow entrance to those trying to enter (Matthew 23:13).
Shame on us, Lord Jesus, your priests and bishops! If you were here today, you would surely say the same things to us: many of us your priests do not pray at all that many have forgotten to pray properly and celebrate liturgy meaningfully; many would rather go on vacation and recreation than celebrate Mass and sacraments for your people; yes, Lord Jesus, "woe to us" your servants for many of us have no plans of going to heaven at all with the kind of Eucharist we celebrate that people have lost faith in you and your church. Forgive us, Jesus, your priests for being blind fools, following the limelight of the world than your path of the Cross; lead us back to you, Jesus, so that your flock may be enlivened again in their faith, hope and love like the Thessalonians of your great Apostle Paul. Amen.
Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Our Lady of Fatima University Valenzuela City (lordmychef@gmail.com)
Photo from The Fatima Tribune, Red Wednesday at the Chapel of Angel of Peace, Our Lady of Fatima University, Valenzuela City, 27 November 2024.
Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul Monday, Memorial of the First Martyrs of Rome, 30 June 2025 Genesis 18:16-33 <*((((>< + ><))))*> Matthew 8:18-22
Photo by author, Cabo Da Roca, Pundaqit, San Antonio, Zambales, 15 May 2025.
*Apostle, from "apostolein", to be sent forth; Disciple, from "discipulous", to follow.
A day after celebrating the Solemnity of your Apostles Saints Peter and Paul, you gave us today Jesus the memorial of the first martyrs of the Holy Roman Church who were killed during the reign of Nero in 64 A.D.; many of them were literally used as torches and lamps when their mutilated bodies were burned to light the city of Rome.
How inspiring, dear Jesus to hear their story of witnessing their faith in you at that time; grant us the same courage today to always follow you, Jesus, to follow your footsteps by doing your work and most specially, in carrying your Cross; let us seek sanctity regardless of our social status, age or skills.
Let us imitate Abraham in the first reading who walked with God, his visitors at Mamre; like Abraham walking with you, following you, Lord, let us work more for the conversion of others not their judgment; in following you, Jesus, let us think more of how to save followers lost in their directions in life; instead of leaving them behind on their own in their evil ways, may we appeal to God for their conversion.
May we not be like the two hesitant disciples in today's gospel: though willing to follow you, Jesus, one was impulsive and the other was cautious; give us courage to do a sincere reality check today of our discipleship in you: help us bring back the joy and zeal of following you, Jesus when we started to heed your call of discipleship; let us dare again to leave the sides to walk at the middle of the road following you Jesus even to the Cross; help us bring back that desire to go near you, Jesus, to always seek you and follow you by forgetting our selves; and like Abraham, let us be gracious always to one another as your followers. Amen.
Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Our Lady of Fatima University Valenzuela City
First Martyrs of the Holy Roman Church photo from ucatholic.com.
lordmychef.com 