Integrity is living faith in Christ

Lord My Chef Sunday Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A, 15 February 2026
Sirach 15:15-20 ><}}}}*> 1 Corinthians 2:6-10 ><}}}}*> Matthew 5:17-37

It is a day after Valentine’s, also the final Sunday before we take a long break from Ordinary Time to start the 40 days of Lent this Ash Wednesday leading us to Easter that lasts until the month of May. It is so lovely and timely that we hear Jesus teaching us this Sunday to examine our hearts always so that we can live our faith in him daily, of remaining blessed in his beatitudes.

We are still at the sermon on the mount with Jesus giving us a series of general teachings illustrated in some concrete examples. However, keep in mind these are not new teachings as Jesus himself clarified he had come not to abolish but to fulfill the laws. In the light of the Beatitudes he taught us the other Sunday, Jesus is now directing us to look deeper into our hearts, to make it whole again in him and stay blessed unlike the scribes and the Pharisees.

Jesus said to his disciples: “I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20).

This is not the first time we have heard the word “righteousness” in Matthew who used it to describe Joseph in his Christmas story as “a righteous man” (Mt.1:19).

Being righteous for the Jews is being holy which is obeying and living by the laws and commandments of God. Unfortunately, they got centered with the letters of the laws as insisted by their scribes and Pharisees. When Jesus came, they have forgotten God himself as well as the value of the human person and life itself for which the laws were meant to be. Matthew rectified this at the start of his gospel with the story of the annunciation of Christ’s birth to Joseph who obeyed God’s command expressed in his love for Mary whom he took as his wife then pregnant with the Savior he named as “Jesus”.

Righteousness or holiness is not being sinless but being filled with God, living our faith in Christ by witnessing his gospel. From the Greek word holos that means “whole” not broken, holiness in a sense is what we call as integrity.

Holiness, righteousness, and integrity all begin in the heart that we find expressed in the sixth Beatitude taught by Jesus two Sundays ago, “Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God” (Mt.5:8).

*Photo by Designecologist on Pexels.com*

A clean heart is a loving heart. We can only see God and the other persons with a loving heart. The human intellect cannot know most especially God as St. Paul tells us in the second reading.

In the same manner, we know the other person not with the intellect but always with the heart as the Little Prince said, “What is essential is invisible to the eye; it is only with the heart that one can truly see” while Marvin Gaye expressed it so beautifully in his 1971 hit “What’s Going On” with the lines “we have to put some lovin’ here today” so we can understand each other.

Indeed, the heart is the very center or core of every person because everything flows from the heart. And this is what Jesus himself underscores in his three admonitions against anger, lust, and falsehoods this Sunday. In all three teachings, we find how love is severely damaged when we quarrel against each other, when we take everyone as things and objects to be used, and when we lack the sincerity in our words.

“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, You shall not kill; whoever kills will be liable to judgment. But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment, and whoever says to his brother ‘Raqa,’ will be answerable to the Sanhedrin, and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ will be liable to fiery Gehenna”(Mt.5:21-22).

First thing we notice in these three teachings is its construction where Jesus first mentioned what was said by the ancestors in the phrase “You have heard” immediately followed by his own take, “But, I say to you.”

Again, Jesus is not contradicting the laws given by Moses and elaborated by their elders; Jesus was actually expressing its fullness in him found in love that begins in the heart which St. Paul reiterated in his letters that love is the perfection of the laws and commandments of God.

Whenever we quarrel in words or in deeds, we not only break our ties with each other as brothers and sisters but even with God we call “our Father”. Remember, love of God is love of one another. And the sad part of this reality is our being cut off from God even if we don’t admit it. And even if we know we have nothing against anyone, we surely feel the break-up in our selves due to the lack of love and charity, most of all, of peace. That is why Jesus added that when in our worship we realize a brother or sister has anything against us, we must first reconcile with him or her. That is why before the Holy Communion, we give the greeting of peace with one another who represents the person we are at odds with. The responsibility becomes more pronounced if the person is in the same assembly we are in if we really want to have a meaningful and holy communion.

“You have heard that it was said, You shall not commit adultery. But I say to you, everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Mt.5:27-28).

Here we go again with the issues of marital infidelity as well as of divorce: at the very core of this is the equality of every person, of every man and woman as being created in the image and likeness of God with same equal dignity. Jesus reminds us today that there is no difference between man and woman when it comes to marriage because the same duties of fidelity bind each partner. Most of all, Jesus has consistently taught how we must go beyond the Laws when it comes to marriage because every spouse is an image of himself, of his saving grace. Hence, we must reject every temptation and inappropriate words and actions that may destroy unity and love of couples and even in our other relationships as family and friends.

*Photo by author, Makati City, 09 February 2026.*

“Again you have heard that it was said to your ancestors, Do not take a false oath, but make good to the Lord all that you vow. But I say to you, do not swear at all. Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.” Anything more is from the evil one” (Mt.5:33-34).

This last admonition is perhaps most needed these days when we are bombarded with too much fake news as well as our own words are empty. Shakespeare said it so well in Hamlet, “words, words, words” wherein we think and believe that the more we increase our words, the more it becomes true and meaningful.

Of course, it it totally untrue as Jesus reminded us today to be truthful always. In Genesis, we are told in the story of creation how God shared only this power of words, of language with humans alone. Our ability to speak is a sharing in God’s power that demands responsibilities (Spiderman). Hence in the first reading, Ben Sirach reminds us to be responsible in choosing good than evil like in choosing between “fire and water”, “life and death”. Ben Sirach’s short reminders are very timely in this age of social media where “influencers” choose for us not only the candidates to elect but even the food to eat and clothes to wear. Being free is to decide, to choose knowingly what is good.

This Sunday, Jesus invites us to look into our hearts, to cleanse it of evil and sins so that he may dwell and reign completely in our hearts so we can have integrity and remain blessed and holy in him. Amen. Have a blessed week ahead, everyone!

Permitting, not permitting

Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Wednesday, First Week in Ordinary Time, Year II, 14 January 2026
1 Samuel 3:1-10, 19-20 <'[[[[>< + ><]]]]'> Mark 1:29-39

*Photo by author, Bgy. Ubihan, Meycauayan City, January 2022.*

How lovely are your words
today, Lord Jesus Christ,
the Word who became flesh
and dwelled among us!

Thank you very much 
in sharing with us the power 
of your words; in fact,
we are the only ones with whom
you have gifted with this power;
the world and everything in it
was created simply by God speaking
the words that came to exist.

Teach us, Jesus
the value of listening to you,
letting you speak first
so that like Samuel,
you may "not permit any word
we speak to be without effect"
(1 Samuel 3:19); may we truly share
in your prophetic ministry
by "enfleshing" the words we speak
by walking our talk;
likewise, heal us,
dear Jesus 
of our many infirmities
and sickness due to sins
and evil that make us 
speak too much 
that instead of building up
others we destroy one another;
like those demons you drove out
from the sick you have cured
in today's gospel,
keep our mouths shut,
"do not permit us to speak"
(Mark 1:34)
when not necessary.
Amen.

When prayer & everything seem beyond us

Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul, 29 October 2025
Wednesday in the Thirtieth Week of Ordinary Time, Year I
Romans 8:26-30     <*[[[[><  +  ><]]]]*>     Luke 13:22-30

*Photo by author, St. Paul Renewal Center, Alfonso, Cavite, August 2019.*

Brothers and sisters: The Spirit comes to the aid of our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes with inexpressible groanings (Romans 8:26).

Just like now,
dear Jesus,
so many things are
in my heart,
in my mind;
there are times
I like to pray on things
I feel too difficult to express
as if too deep for words;
even my writing
could not work except
to feel assuredly of your
loving presence,
of your warm company;
there are people
and situations too
I just hold in my hands
before you because
I can't find words to tell you
about them...
there are times lately 
I not only forget things
and persons but sometimes
can't even figure out what's
going on in my life
that has become like a vast 
expanse of ocean or field
with dark clouds overlapping 
with lights of the setting sun;
O Jesus, you know
what's in my heart:
just let me feel you,
your joy and fullness and life!

“We know all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).

If there is one thing
I pray now,
let me know you more,
Jesus so I can love you more
and follow you more
closely; you know everything,
Lord Jesus while I know nothing
at all!

Keep searching my heart
so I may find you
among those I take
for granted,
find you in simple persons
and things that do not
interest me,
most especially
find you in 
everyone
in order to find my way
to you!
Amen.

Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Our Lady of Fatima University
Valenzuela City

*Photo by author, Cabo de Roca, Pundaquit, Zambales, 17 May 2025.*

The heart of the disciple, the heart of discipleship

The Lord Is My Chef Sunday Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C, 02 March 2025
Sirach 27:4-7 ><}}}}*> 1 Corinthians 15:54-58 ><}}}}*> Luke 6:39-45

The last time we have celebrated the eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time Cycle C was in 2001 when just like this year, the Season of Lent started late in March. In fact, the other last two Sundays of sixth and eighth in Cycle C were last celebrated in 2010 and 2007, respectively.

It is worth noting this because as Jesus delivered his Sermon on the Plain, we find that contrary to claims by many in this modern time, the teachings of Christ are actually taken directly from life as he reveals to us the truth in our hearts. Two Sundays ago, Jesus taught us the paradoxical happiness of our lives, of being poor, hungry, weeping, and maligned than rich, filled, laughing and well-spoken of; last Sunday, he taught us of the need to love truly that is rooted in God by loving without measure, loving even our enemies.

This Sunday, Jesus tells us something we often debate about as it usually puts us into a bind even a quandary on what to say and do.

Jesus told his disciples a parable, “Can a blind person guide a blind person? Will not both fall into a pit? Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me remove that splinter in your eye,’ when you do not even notice the wooden beam in your own eye? You hypocrite! Remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter in your brother’s eye” (Luke 6:39, 41-42).

*Photo by author, Hidden Valley Springs Resort, Calauan, Laguna, 20 February 2025.*

Very often in many instances, most of us choose to be quiet than speak out against evil and other irregularities among us and in our society because of this teaching of the Lord. Many are afraid to notice the splinter in the brother’s eye lest they too might have a wooden beam blocking their views of themselves.

And that is why, evil persists everywhere that eventually, many of us become silent partners in the many sins happening around us which is very far from the demands of Jesus for us to choose what is right and good, to always make a stand for him even on the Cross.

See the flow of the Sermon on the Plain, of how Jesus is first of all never condemning nor judgmental of anyone. We have reflected his four “woes” were actually invitations for the rich et alii to change their ways in life, to think more of things that do not pass like wealth and other material things.

Secondly, last Sunday, Jesus directed our intentions into our hearts, to probe our hearts and find his grace of supernatural or divine love poured in there so that we can love selflessly without measure like him.

This Sunday, Jesus still directs us into our hearts, to examine whether we are truly his disciple or a hypocrite as someone who says something yet does the opposite. It is not opposite his exhortation last week for us to be merciful like God our Father rather a challenge to examine what we practice, our Christian praxis.

“A good tree does not bear rotten fruit, nor does a rotten tree bear a good fruit. For every tree is known by its own fruit. For people do not pick figs from thornbushes, nor do they gather grapes from brambles. A good person out of the store of goodness in his heart produces good, but an evil person out of a store of evil produces evil; for from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks” (Luke 6:43-45).

*Photo by Mr. Lorenzo Atienza, leftmost section of the stained glass at the National Shrine of Our lady of Fatima in Valenzuela City, 25 February 2025.*

It is clearly a lesson in holiness, in integrity of every disciple! Do we walk our talk? The most basic norm of morality is that what we know in our mind and what we feel in our heart is what we say and therefore what we do.

Where are we now? Everybody is speaking about corruption while the devils celebrate everywhere as we are all entangled in all forms of corruption not only in the streets and government offices but even in our homes, in schools and offices and yes, right inside the church in many parishes.

Now we come full circle with Christ’s opening to his parable, Can a blind person guide a blind person? And this is what is now happening in the world, in our lives, in our country and in our parishes. Nobody would want to speak because nobody would want to examine one’s heart and follow the path of Jesus.

It is in our deeds that one is recognized as a true disciple. Let us not forget that. And let us not be afraid to examine constantly the value of our many ways and practices.

*Photo by author, St. Paul Spirtuality Center, Pico, La Trinidad, Benguet, 05 January 2025.*

One of the famous bishops and saint both recognized by the Eastern and Western Churches is St. John Chrysostom who served as Archbishop of Constantinople until the early 400’s. He is called the “golden mouthed” because of his gift in eloquence most true in his witnessing Christ, always meaning what he said like in this homily that sounds so 2025:

The Church is in an extremely critical state, and you think that all is going well. The fact is that we are plunged into countless sins, and we do not even know it!

You wonder why. We hav e churches, money, and everything else. There are places for assembly, people come there everyday; surely this is not nothing?

But it is not thus that we judge the state of the Church. Then how?, you ask.

Whether we lead a truly Christian life. Whether everyday we make ourselves spiritually more rich, bearing fruit, whether great or small; if we are not content simply with flfilling the law and expediting our religious duties.

Who is a better person, after having frequented the church all month?

This is what we must look for! After all, even what appears to be a good action is only a bad action, when one does not follow it up… If we bring nothing to fruition through it, it would be better to stay home (from Days of the Lord, vol. 6, page 62).

*Photo by Mr. Lorenzo Atienza, 25 February 2025.*

The kind of life we lead is the final test of our discipleship, the proof of what is in our hearts. St. Francis of Assisi used to tell his followers whenever they would preach to use only their mouth if necessary. Our actions speak louder than our words.

This is the biggest problem in the Church today: our lack of credibility as bishops and priests when our lives are far from what we say and teach.

God shared with us his power of the words. In the Bible, we find how his words and his being are always one since the story of creation into the coming of Jesus Christ who could heal with just mere words being the word who became flesh.

This is the whole point of Ben Sirach in our first reading this Sunday, reminding us that inasmuch as the potter knows the quality of his work after it has passed through fire, the same thing is most true with our words. We have to harness and master our speech, our words so that we walk what we talk.

We master our power of the words in our prayer life as St. Paul assured us in today’s second reading how in the Lord our labor is not in vain (1 Cor. 15:58). Let us pray to the Holy Spirit especially this Sunday as we approach the Season of Lent with Ash Wednesday. Let us keep our zeal for Christ not nonly for his words and teachings but most especially in his life and witnessing. Amen. See you at Ash Wednesday.

*Campus Ministry, Our Lady of Fatima University, Valenzuela City.*

Jesus takin’ us to the street

The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Friday, Sixth Week in Ordinary Time, Year I, 21 February 2025
Genesis 11:1-9 <'[[[[>< + ><]]]]'> Mark 8:34-9:1

What a blessed Friday,
Lord Jesus!
You are still with us,
about to cross the week
into another new set of
seven days but,
here you are again
reminding us
of our journey
that's not to a party
and all fun
but to the Cross:

Jesus summoned the crowd with his disciples and said to them, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and that of the Gospel will save it” (Mark 8:34-35).

As I prayed on this scene,
Jesus,
I could hear both the murmuring
and deafening silence
of people in the crowd 
especially when you spoke
of denying, losing one's self
and that dreaded Roman
punishment, the cross!
But, yes, Jesus,
even deep down in me,
I felt at a loss...
OK na sana Lord ang lahat,
bakit may paglimot pa ng sarili
at pagpapasan ng krus?

Forgive me,
Jesus for being so used
to your words without really
appreciating them,
masticating them enough
to extract their meaning
and timeliness;
many times,
I have that attitude of the
the Tower of Babel
when all we want is to be on top,
to be in control
that is why you confused
them with many languages at that time
because we always forget
you speak only one language
in Jesus:
the language of love
by self-giving,
by self-sacrifice,
by being one in you in
the Holy Spirit.

Take us to the streets,
Jesus, to keep your words
your language
lived and spoken
especially among
the poor
and suffering.
Amen.

*Photographer: Veejay Villafranca/Bloomberg via Getty Images*

Speaking plainly in Christ

The Lord Is My Chef Sunday Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B, 08 September 2024
Isaiah 35:4-7 ><}}}}*> James 2:1-5 ><}}}}*> Mark 7:31-37

*Photo by author, sunrise at Galilee, the Holy Land, 2017.*

Thank God the rains have finally stopped here in Metro Manila and nearby provinces but the flood remains widespread as we brace for two more weather disturbances due this week.

So timely is our gospel this Sunday that reminds us of something so essential during calamities, the need to speak plainly and clearly.

Again Jesus left the district of Tyre and went by way of Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, into the district of Decapolis. And people brought to him a deaf man who had a speech impediment and begged him to his hand on him. He took him off by himself away from the crowd. He put his finger into the man’s ears and, spitting, touched his tongue; then he looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him, “Ephphatha!” – that is, “Be opened!” – And immediately the man’s ears were opened, his speech impediment was removed, and he spoke plainly (Mark 7:31-35).

"...and he spoke plainly."

Think of our many misunderstandings and quarrels happening in these days of modern means of communications. How ironic that in this age of instant and wireless communications so accessible to everyone, the more we have misinformation and miscommunications.

No one seems to be speaking plainly and clearly anymore because we have been so blinded by the many images and colors competing for our attention, becoming deaf and mute due to the cacophony of sounds we hear even from machines and things that speak. Instead of life becoming easier and convenient in this age of social media and modern technologies, it has become so complicated like Facebook as more and more of us becoming deaf and mute to the realities within and around us.

I have just checked the internet today to find out that there are now over 7.2 billion cellphones in the world as of June 2024, a figure that accounts for about 90% of the global population now at 8 billion. Of course, it does not mean that 90% of the peoples across the world own a cellphone but we can just imagine how this little gadget has become the new “god”, a baal of the modern world everybody worship and follow. Jesus comes to us today, inviting us to separate ourselves from everything mundane even for a few hours to experience Him and His healing of our own deafness and blindness.

*Photo by author, shore of Galilee, 2017.*

Once again we find Mark guiding us in Jesus Christ’s itinerary that is often so quick and most of all, not really a destination found in maps but within us.

From Gennesaret last Sunday when Pharisees and scribes from Jerusalem questioned Him about the disciples’ non-compliance with their rites of washing and cleansing, Jesus swiftly moved to visit the pagan territories of Tyre and Sidon, making a stop-over at Decapolis where He healed a deaf-mute. Those pagan territories are not mere locations nor sites in the Holy Land but areas within each one of us, our very person who have forgotten God completely even on Sundays as we worship so many other gods running our lives.

Jesus is now visiting us in our own paganism, asking us to separate ourselves even for a while from everything to experience humanity, our human-ness, our being one with God who is the very basis and foundation of our lives.

We are probably one of those people in Decapolis who begged Jesus to heal the nameless deaf-mute or most likely, ourselves the deaf-mute needing healing by Jesus! This healing of the nameless deaf-mute is a parable of the cure of another kind of deafness and speech impediment afflicting us these days that only grace can heal.

*Photo by author, wailing wall of Jerusalem, 2017.*

Recall how last Sunday Jesus reminded us of checking into our motivations, on what is inside us in doing things. Jesus was not actually against rites and rituals but simply wants us to do things for the glory of God.

Today, Jesus separates us from our daily routines, from the mundane to touch us, to breathe on us His spirit so we can be more attuned with Him and therefore reflect Him in our lives by opening us – Ephphatha – to speak plainly again of God’s love and mercy, of life’s beauty, of our own giftedness.

To “speak plainly” like that healed deaf-mute at Decapolis is to be able to put into actions the words of Jesus Christ. To “speak plainly” is more than verbally pronouncing words and sounds but most of all touching others with our kindness and love. To “speak plainly” is to hold the hands of those afraid to move on in life after a failure, to caress a sick’s forehead or feet, to hug and embrace the lonely and lost, to be present with those in grief and in pain. To “speak plainly” is to be a presence of God to everyone especially strangers, the elderly, the weak and the helpless.

To “speak plainly” first of all requires us to be opened to God’s words. The gospel accounts teem with many instances of Jesus reminding His disciples that include us today of taking into our hearts to understand and put into practice His words. In the second reading, St. James reminds us how we have become deaf and blind of each other that we behave so badly because we have been so molded by worldly standards even in the church:

My brothers and sisters, show no partiality as you adhere to the faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ. For if a man with gold rings and in fine clothes comes into your assembly, and a poor person in shabby clothes also comes in, and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say, “Sit here, please”, while you say to the poor one, “Stand there”, or “sit at my feel”, have you not made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil designs (James 2:1-4)?

*Photo by author at Dominus Flevit church outside Jerusalem, 2017.*

Think of our many rules and regulations, of our so many documents not only in government but even in the Church. Do they speak plainly?

Many times, we have so much rites and rituals as well documents and laws everywhere that are far from God and from the people, speaking so eloquently of lofty thoughts that are empty, so far from realities that have become only a burden to many, mostly the poor and the powerless.

How sad that those in power, both civil and ecclesiastical authorities have only complacent ears, oblivious to the din from below, the very voice of God among the ordinary people. They have not only turned deaf to the voice of the masses but have even forgotten God’s name in the process! The Apostle Paul gives us the most wonderful lesson about “speaking plainly” of God’s mystery by proclaiming more of Christ crucified than using the world’s “sublimity of words or wisdom” (cf. 1 Cor. 2:1-5).

This is the tragedy among us modern Christians today, of us denying even totally unaware of our own deafness, of being mute not able to speak plainly of God in Jesus Christ who came to fulfill Isaiah’s prophecy in the first reading to heal the sick, to strengthen the weak and afraid, and to redeem us held captive by the world’s lies and evil.

Let Ephphatha be our prayer too this Sunday to heal us of our deafness so we may speak plainly again of God’s love and mercy and kindness. Amen. Have a blessed week ahead, everyone!

Pagninilay, paglilinaw sa paliwanag

Lawiswis ng Salita ni P. Nicanor F. Lalog II, Ika-01 ng Agosto 2024

*Larawan kuha ng may-akda, bukang liwayway sa Lawa ng Galilea, Israel, Mayo 2019.*

Unang araw 
sa buwan ng Agosto,
buwan ng wika
ako ay nakatunganga
sa pagkamangha
sa isang salita: PALIWANAG
sa wikang Inggles,
"explanation"
at kung gagamiting pandiwa
"to explain" ito ay magPALIWANAG.

Kay sarap namnamin
at damhin mga kataga
nitong ating wika
tulad ng PALIWANAG
nagsasaad ng pagbibigay
liwanag dahil mayroong
kadiliman minsa'y panlalabo
kaya nililinaw upang
matanaw, makita kahit man lang
maaninag upang matukoy, makilala.

Mahirap kasi
mag-apuhap sa gitna ng
kadiliman na kawalan ng katiyakan:
ika'y nangangapa
at nangangamba
kung ano iyong mahawakan,
makuha kaya nakakatakot
sa dilim na wala kang
nakikita dahil pati ikaw
baka tuluyang mawala pa!

Inyong pagmasdan
malaking kadiliman
na sa ati'y bumabalot
kamakailan
kaya kay raming
nagpapaliwanag
naglilinaw dahil
sa mga ginawa
at ipinahayag
na puro kaguluhan:

Waiter sa Cebu
pinagpaliwanagan
ng halos dalawang oras
habang nakatindig
sa harapan ng customer
na tinawag niyang "Sir"
na ibig ituring siya na "Mam";
kay daming paliwanag
ni "Mam" pero malabo pa rin
dahil malinaw pa sa araw
maski sa mga larawan
na siya ay Sir!

Hanggang ngayon
nagpapaliwanag pa rin
mga pasimuno ng paglapastangan
 sa Huling Hapunan
ng Panginoon
na lalong nababaon
dahil maliwanag
kanilang kasinungalingan
na ang kadiliman ng kapalaluan
at kasamaan kanilang pagpugayan
taliwas sa layuning
magkaroon ng pagbubuklod at kaisahan.

Hindi lang minsan
ating narinig
masabihang
"ang labo mo naman"
kaya kinakailangang
magpaliwanag
upang maunawaan
at maintindihan
na siyang daan sa
magandang pagsasamahan.

Heto ngayon ating pagnilayan
pagbulayan aking katanungan:
nagPALIWANAG
ba ang Panginoong Jesus
sa Kanyang mga pangangaral?
Maliban sa pagpapaliwanag
ng mga talinghaga ng sarilinan
sa mga alagad, 
walang ipinaliwanag
si Jesus dahil maliwanag 
Siyang palagi at higit sa lahat
Siya ang Liwanag ng Sanlibutan.

Madalas hindi Siya
maunawaan, maintindihan 
at matanggap ng mga tao noon 
hanggang ngayon
ngunit kailanman walang binawi na salita
ang Panginoong Jesus dahil maliwanag ang lahat:
"Ako ang daan at katotohanan" (Jn.14:6),
"Ako ang muling pagkabuhay at ang buhay" (Jn. 11:25)
"Ako ang pagkaing bumaba mula sa langit;
ang kumakain ng aking laman at umiinom ng aking dugo
ay may buhay na walang hanggan,
at muli ko siyang bubuhayin sa huling araw" (Jn. 6:54).

Nang linisin ni Jesus ang templo
sinabi sa mga tao na gibain iyon 
at kanyang itatayo sa loob ng tatlong araw;
Siya ay pinagtawanan ng mga kalaban
ngunit malinaw na sinasaad sa kasulatan
nang muli Siyang mabuhay ay naunawaan
ng mga alagad ang tinutukoy Niyang templo
ay ang Kanyang Banal na Katawan (Jn. 2:18-22);
maliwanag si Jesus ay palaging malinaw
kaya kahit sa gitna ng kadiliman Siya ay maliwanag.

Lumapit tayo kay Jesus
at hayaang liwanagan Niya kadiliman
sa ating puso at kalooban
katulad nina Nicodemo at Dimas
na umamin sa kanilang kamangmangan at kasalanan
kaya natamo ang liwanag at kaligtasan;
hindi mahirap tuntunin
katotohanan at liwanag ng Panginoon natin
kung ating aaminin at aalisin
mga piring sa ating paningin
upang mabuksan puso at kalooban
sa kagandahan at dangal ng 
kabutihan ng bawat nilalang
hindi ang ipangalandakan
sariling husay at kaalaman
maging antas ng kalinangan!

Tandaan at panghawakan,
tiyak na kaliwanagan ng mga salitang binitiwan
ng Panginoon sa atin sana ay magpaalaala:
"Ang nagpapakataas ay ibababa,
at ang nagpapakababa ay itataas" (Mt.23:12)

Words, words, words…

The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Friday in the Fourteenth Week of Ordinary Time, Year II, 12 July 2024
Hosea 14:2-10 <*[[[[><< + >><]]]]*> Matthew 10:16-23

Thus says the Lord: Return, O Israel, to the Lord, your God; you have collapsed through your guilt. Take with you words, and return to then Lord; Say to him, “Forgive all iniquity, and receive what is good, that we may render as offerings the bullocks from our stalls” (Hosea 24:2-3).

Loving Father,
let us "take words" with us
this Friday,
words of contrition for our sins,
words of true repentance,
words begging your mercy,
words that are sincere
not empty words;
many times in this world
of social media,
we multiply words,
we shout words,
we alter words
to give new meanings
that suit us;
many times our words
are mere words,
never bearing fruit,
could not even stand
because they are not true;
like Jesus your Son,
teach us to "enflesh"
our words,
let our words to You be
translated into realities of
conversion and loving service 
for one another.

When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what to say. You will be given at that moment what you are to say. For it will not be you who speak but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you” (Matthew 10:20).

Let us heed your words,
Lord Jesus Christ,
for us to be "shrewd as serpents
and simple as doves"
by learning to be silent
to let the Holy Spirit speak
through us;
in this noisy world
with so many competing 
words and sounds,
it has become indeed 
a persecution to be silent;
it is more difficult to be silent
to await your words, Lord;
it is always easier to speak
and add to the cacophony of
deafening and hurtful words
against each other
than to just listen to
our hearts,
to listen to your words
of love and mercy;
like the psalmist,
let my mouth
declare your praise
by awaiting your words
first, not mine.
Amen.

Gift of encouragement

The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Friday, Memorial of St. Irenaeus, Bishop & Martyr, 28 June 2024
2 Kings 25:1-12 <'[[[[>< + ><]]]]'> Matthew 8:1-4

It is the end of another week 
of work and studies for most of us,
God our loving Father,
but for some,
it is like the end of everything
for them like your people
at Judah and Jerusalem:

In the tenth month of the ninth year of Zedekiah’s reign, on the tenth day of the month, Nebuchadnezzar, king od Babylon, and his whole army advanced against Jerusalem, encamped around it and built siege walls on every side. On the ninth day of the fourth month, when famine had gripped the city, and the people had no more bread, the city walls were breached. The king was therefore arrested and brought to Riblah to the king of Babylon, who pronounced sentence on him. He had Zedekiah’;s sons slain before his eyes. He then blinded Zedekiah, bound him with fetters, and had him brought to Babylon (2 Kings 25:1, 3, 6-7).

Many times,
when life becomes so difficult
even so terrible for us,
all we ask, O God, are
simple words and acts of
encouragement;
send us someone who 
is like Jesus your Son, 
our Lord and Savior who, 
upon meeting a leper,
told him,
"I will do it. Be made clean"
(Matthew 8:3).

Like Jesus,
may we stay and remain
even for a few minutes
with those so burdened in life;
when the leper approached him,
Jesus did not hide nor run
but stayed to let the leper
feel He was with him;
many times, we forget
our mere presence 
can be so encouraging;
forgive us for abandoning
and turning away from those
who come to us
even for company
and warmth.

Like Jesus,
even if we do not have
the power to heal
and cleanse anyone of sickness,
grant us the gift of
words that encourage
others to hold on in faith,
to keep hoping,
and most of all,
to believe in love
when all is dark
because like Jesus,
we may tell them how much
we desire their well-being.
Amen.

Call waiting

The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Wednesday in the First Week of Ordinary Time, 10 January 2024
1 Samuel 3:1-10,19-20 <*[[[[>< + ><]]]]*> Mark 1:29-39

Dearest God our Father:
I find it so funny these days
we have that feature in our phones
"call waiting" - when we can identify 
whoever is calling us, giving us
the easy choice to answer it
or not; if we have missed a call,
we still have a chance to call back
to return a missed call; 
with "call waiting", 
we cannot actually miss
a call. 
Ideally. 
Supposed to be.

But we not only ignore calls of
friends and relatives;
worst of all, 
we refuse 
answering your calls!

During the time young Samuel was minister to the Lord under Eli, a revelation of the Lord was uncommon and vision infrequent… Samuel grew up, and the Lord was with him, not permitting any word of his to be without effect.
1 Samuel 3:1, 20

How interesting the author
noted that "revelation of the Lord
was uncommon and vision infrequent"
during that time of Eli as your priest;
most likely reason was nobody
was listening to you at all
until Samuel came.

Teach us, dear Jesus,
to never keep you waiting
for us in answering your calls;
like the brothers Peter and Andrew,
James and John
that we immediately speak to you,
most of all always listen to you.

This 2024,
let us not keep you waiting in
answering your call
for you never missed our calls;
let me be patient, O Lord,
in awaiting your words,
your calls
so that like Samuel
when we speak,
our words have effect
because we speak your
words alone.
Amen.