The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Thursday, Week XXIX, Year I in Ordinary Time, 21 October 2021
Romans 6:19-23 ><)))*> + <*(((>< Luke 12:49-53
But what profit did you get from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now that you have been freed from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit what you have leads to sanctification, and its end is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6:21-23
In our modern way of living and
thinking, your words today O God
our Father are difficult to grasp
and accept because we are taught
that any kind of slavery has to be rejected;
but, that is the irony of our time - we keep
on rejecting every form of slavery,
insisting on our freedom to choose and
decide what we want in life that in the
process the more we are enslaved
to sin and powers of evil that lead
to death.
So many times in this modern way of living
we assert how each one of us is the captain
of my ship, free to determine my course in
life in the hope of finding meaning and fulfillment
that often end up with us getting lost and
alienated.
How ironic that it is actually in being
a slave to your grace in Jesus Christ as
St. Paul had asserted that we become
totally free to offer ourselves unconditionally
to you our loving and merciful God and Father;
it is in surrendering ourselves to you as your
servants and slaves when we are more alive,
more fulfilled, more joyful and most peaceful
because slavery to you dear God and your
goodness bring all the good effects in life!
It is only when we empty ourselves to you, O God
that we are filled with your holiness, becoming
like you who is perfect. Grant us the grace
to stand for what is true and good always,
standing by your side even if it means death
for it is in losing that we gain and in dying that
we truly live. Amen.
The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Wednesday, Week XXIX, Year I in Ordinary Time, 20 October 2021
Romans 6:12-18 ><]]]]'> + ><]]]]'> + ><]]]]'> Luke 12:39-48
Photo by Ms. Nikki A. Vergara, 2020 in Victoria, Laguna.
We are all slaves,
born as your servants
O God our Lord and Master;
how sad that the more we refuse
to accept this reality, the more
we are enslaved to sin;
the more we assert our freedom
and decide to choose whatever
we want, the more we become unfree.
Do you not know that if you present yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God that, although you were once slaves of sin, you have become obedient from the heart to the patterns of teaching to which you were entrusted. Freed from sin, you have become slaves of righteousness.
Romans 6:16-18
Jesus our Lord and Savior,
let us realize this truth applies to us all;
that although you have saved and
justified us with your offering on the Cross
that continues in our Sacraments like
Baptism and the Eucharist that have
brought us closest to you and the Father,
it is not something like a "magic"
that fixes everything, that automatically
brings us to heaven.
Let us be faithful and prudent stewards,
slaves of grace in you like in today's gospel
who faithfully await your return
with good works and deeds.
Let us keep in our minds and hearts that
the more we profess our faith in you, dear Jesus,
as your servants, the more we have to participate
in your grace to produce fruits of
the Holy Spirit in our lives. Amen.
The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Tuesday, Week XXIX, Year I in Ordinary Time, 19 October 2021
Romans 5:12, 15, 17-19, 20-21 ><)))*> + <*(((>< Luke 12:35-38
Praise and glory to you,
our loving God and Father
in giving us so much hope today,
inspiring us to be better, to be free
to choose and follow you,
to love and serve you in one another.
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
Let us live in your Son
Jesus Christ, in the realm of grace
than live in Adam in the realm of sin
and death, enslaved to our passions
and selfish desires.
Let your Holy Spirit work within us,
dear Jesus, to allow us to live in a way
pleasing to God our Father.
Like the psalmist, enable us to proclaim,
"Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will."
Open our eyes to the reality,
O God, of the two kinds of humanity
pervading: the sinful humanity and the
redeemed humanity in Christ;
how sad that so often, especially
in the news we read and follow,
it is always the humanity in solidarity
with Adam in sin that seems to prevail.
Let us claim your abounding grace,
"girding our loins and lighting our lamps"
to be focused more on our justification
found in your righteousness in Christ.
Amen.
The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Monday, Feast of St. Luke, Evangelist, 18 October 2021
2 timothy 4:10-17 ><]]]]*> + ><]]]]*> + ><]]]]*> Luke 10:1-9
Painting of “Saint Luke Drawing the Virgin” by Flemish painter Roger van der Weyden (1400-1464); photo from en.wikipedia.org.
Of all your Evangelists, Lord Jesus,
Saint Luke is the most artistic of all,
giving us those rare glimpses with
vivid details of your life and teachings
that began in the annunciation
of the birth of your predecessor,
John the Baptist to the birth and
spread of your Church with unforgettable
characters and stories like the
Prodigal Son, the Good Samaritan,
the Good Thief, and conversion of St. Paul.
He wrote extensively like his teacher
St. Paul, leaving us with
two volumes of your Gospel.
Though scholars could not ascertain
if St. Luke was indeed one of those 72
disciples you have sent out two-by-two
in today's gospel, his writings teem
with so many instances as if he was
with you in your preaching and
journeys, Lord Jesus.
In his writings, you seemed to have
touched him as he narrated your
story that in the process, he appeared
like touching you all throughout!
It is not difficult to imagine that
because as St. Paul had told
Timothy today in the first reading,
it was only St. Luke who had remained
present with him in his darkest hours
of imprisonment and trial in Rome.
Beloved: Demas, enamored of the present world, deserted me and went to Thessalonica, Crescens to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia. Luke is the only one with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is helpful to me in the ministry.
1 Timothy 4:10-11
Indeed in his writings
and maybe in his paintings too,
St. Luke had shown us that true
"communication is more than the
expression of thoughts and
indication of feelings:
at its most profound level,
it is the giving of self in love"
like what you did on the Cross,
Lord Jesus Christ
(cf. Communio et Progressio, 11).
If we could just have that grace
and discipline to rediscover
the beauty of writing in this age
of electronic media
when our communications are fleeting
and superficial, always in a hurry,
mediated with many other things
like images and sounds,
teach us to rediscover writing letters,
journal writing, and even painting
so we may get in touch with our
inner selves to find you there
and eventually touch you too
for you have been touching us
for so long without us realizing it.
But most of all, like St. Luke,
give us the grace and courage
to write your Gospel
with our lives.
Amen.
Finally, I have found an opportunity this Sunday to feature one of our most favorite bands in the 1980’s with its superb music and mysterious – and controversial lyrics – R.E.M. with their first hit song in 1987 The One I Love that has often been misinterpreted by many people as a straightforward love song when in fact it is the opposite.
According to lead vocal Michael Stipe, he was hesitant at first in recording this song because it is about people using people repeatedly for selfish gains, describing it as so “brutal” with a line that says “A simple prop to occupy my time” – of how a man uses the one he “loves” like a thing!
This one goes out to the one I love This one goes out to the one I've left behind A simple prop to occupy my time This one goes out to the one I love
Fire Fire
This one goes out to the one I love This one goes out to the one I've left behind A simple prop to occupy my time This one goes out to the one I love
Stipe explained that the song never referred to any actual person nor event except that the band simply played up its lyrics while on tour with just one word at its chorus which is “Fire”.
One can readily find that it is not a love song at all by watching its music video that is generally dark except for some scenes of blue skies with white clouds that featured empty apartments and sad-looking couples.
But such is the genius of these four men who got together to form R.E.M. while students at the University of Georgia in 1980 as one of the earliest alternative rock bands who’s other major hit is called “Losing My Religion” – another song that one must not take literally as anti religion. But, that is another story we are reserving in the future.
We chose R.E.M.’s The One I Love because of its direct relationship with our Sunday gospel, especially at that part in the end when Jesus summoned the Twelve to himself to explain to them the basis of their relationships after the ten became indignant with the brothers James and John’s request from him to be seated at his right and his left when he assumes his kingship as the Messiah or Christ.
“You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all. For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Mark 10:42-45
Here we find Jesus clearly telling us how our relationships must be based on love and respect, serving the lowest and weakest among us unlike the way of the world that is based on power and dominance where everyone tries to escape sufferings and persecutions (https://lordmychef.com/2021/10/16/the-things-we-wish-vs-things-we-pray-to-jesus/).
Love always calls for giving up of self, thinking always the good of the other person. Not using them as props.
*We have no intentions of infringing into the copyrights of this music and its uploader except to share its beauty and listening pleasure.
The Lord Is My Chef Sunday Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Sunday XXIX-B in Ordinary Time, 17 October 2021
Isaiah 53:10-11 ><}}}*> Hebrews 4:14-16 ><}}}*> Mark 10:35-45
Photo by author, 10 October 2021, Paco, Obando, Bulacan.
Five minutes before our Mass last Sunday afternoon at the Holy Cross Parish in Paco, Obando, two rainbows appeared in the sky, freezing me for a while to cherish the moment as I felt God smiling at me, promising me a better week ahead.
It was only after a brief pause savoring the moment when I had the chance to take a shot of the lovely sight before getting inside the church at exactly 530 PM for the Mass. The following Monday, I had the photo posted on “my day” with everybody asking what was my wish upon seeing the double rainbows
When I told them I did not make any wish at all, they said it was “sayang” (what a waste!), that if I had made a wish, it could have been granted or fulfilled.
But, looking back, I did not make any wish at all because at that very moment I felt I had Jesus in my heart, that God had me on his palms, assuring me of his loving presence.
Why make any wish at all when you already have God? Besides, I felt too old for those wishing upon a rainbow or a falling star thing!
My dear friends and relatives, this Sunday, Jesus asks his disciples, brothers James and John “What do you wish me to do for you?” (Mk.10:36); next Sunday, the Lord will ask a blind man “What do you want me to do for you?” (Mk.10:51).
It is very interesting to note that Jesus outrightly explained to James and John he could not fulfill their wishes while next Sunday, he would restore the sight of the blind man named Bartimaeus who pleaded to him as he passed Jericho. It seems that there is more than meets the eye between a wish and a prayer!
James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” He replied, “What do you wish me to do for you?” They answered him, “Grant that in your glory we may sit one at your right and the other at your left.” Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking.”
Mark 10:35-38
Photo by Ms. Anne Ramos when a rainbow appeared as we went around around my former parish assignment bringing the Blessed Sacrament to bless then people on the first Sunday of our quarantine lockdown, 22 March 2020.
Wishes are only granted in fairy tales…
Jesus is now nearing Jerusalem where he would suffer and die but on the third day rise again. He had just repeated for the third and last time to his disciples of his coming pasch but, sadly, they still could not comprehend it fully.
The other Sunday, they could not answer Jesus when he asked them what were they arguing about while along the way to Capernaum because they were discussing among themselves who among them was the greatest.
They could not understand how their Lord and Master, the Messiah of Israel will have to suffer and die; it was beyond their grasp. Nonetheless, amid their lack of understanding and fears of its true meaning, they still followed Jesus, believing he would eventually triumph as a King.
And that is what the brothers James and John were thinking, the two closest to the Lord along with Peter who was earlier rebuked by Jesus at Caesarea Philippi for going against his pasch: they thought of Jesus as a “political leader”, a “game changer” who could surely change their lot for the best, assuring them and their future generations with the good life.
When Jesus asked the brothers James and John, he knew the two were just “fancying” on something not so true. That is what a “wish” is all about: something so fancy, almost untrue like coming from fairy tales that could come true with so slim a probability like hitting a jackpot in lottery or meeting a superstar. We make wishes to fairies often represented by celebrities who try to bring some joy to children suffering from cancer. Or, politicians who for a day would give some voters with huge amounts of money without any conviction at all to fulfill their promises.
As we say in Filipino, “suntok sa buwan” that literally means “punching the moon”.
But again like last Sunday when Jesus looked with love to the man asking him how to gain eternal life, Jesus respected the brothers James and John by entertaining their “wish”, asking them questions until he flatly told them “to sit at my right or at my left is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared” (Mk.10:40).
When the ten heard this, they became indignant at James and John. Jesus summoned them and said to them, “You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant: whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all. For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Mark 10:41-45
Photo by author, Chapel of the Holy Family, Sacred Heart Spirituality Center, Novaliches, 2016.
Prayer changes the person, not the situation.
Recall how Jesus assured his disciples and us last Sunday of great rewards awaiting those who have left everything to follow him; but, along these come persecutions because following Jesus means standing for what is true and good that invite enemies and detractors.
There will always be persecutions coming in our life – even if we do not follow Jesus along the way because that is a fact of life. Jesus came not to remove but join us, accompany us, be one with us in our sufferings and trials.
Today, Jesus opens our eyes to the realities, beauty and nobility of discipleship that is unfortunately becoming rare even among us in the clergy. True discipleship in Christ is first of all sharing in his passion and death in order to have a part in his glorious resurrection.
Once again, we feel the Lord’s recurring teaching these past weeks of us entrusting everything to the Father’s hands like children filled with confidence on God’s promises. This is the meaning of Isaiah’s prophecy in the first reading that spoke of the “Suffering Servant of God” who “through his suffering shall justify (save) many” (Is.53:11).
See the gentle humility of Jesus in explaining things to his disciples. There was no hint at all of anger nor exasperation but pure love and understanding, patience and perseverance hoping someday the Twelve would realize in the most personal manner his kind of kingship, the true meaning of being the Messiah.
Photo by author, Garden of Gethsemane, the Holy Land, 2017.
Here Jesus exemplifies so well in his very self the kind of relationships his followers must have based on love and respect, serving the weakest and lowliest, so unlike the way of the world that is based on relations of power and dominance. This we continue to experience when we pray fervently especially before the Blessed Sacrament and most of all when we celebrate the Sunday Eucharist which is the summit of our Christian life.
In the Holy Mass, Jesus the Son of God leads us to the Father in signs perceptible to human senses, exactly what the author of the Letter to the Hebrews speaks of in the second reading, “So let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help” (Heb.4:16).
So, instead of wishing upon rainbows or shooting stars, better pray!
Lord Jesus Christ,
thank you for understanding
our lack of understanding
and appreciation to your coming
to us daily in the many sufferings and
pains we go through in life; help us
to be more realistic, to stop all
wishful thinking of living happily
ever after and instead become
more loving and kind, finding you
with everyone we meet.
Amen.
The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Friday, Memorial of St. Teresa of Avila, Virgin & Doctor of the Church, 15 October 2021
Romans 4:1-8 ><]]]]'> + ><]]]]'> + ><]]]]'> Luke 12:1-7
At that time, so many people were crowding together that they were trampling one another underfoot. Jesus began to speak, first to his disciples, “Beware of the leaven – that is, the hypocrisy – of the Pharisees. There is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known.
Luke 12:1-2
Dear God our Father,
as we remember St. Teresa of Avila
who bravely fought for what is true
and sublime, help us also to fight
hypocrisy that is so rampant
these days of mediated communications.
From the Greek word hypokritein
for "masks", we keep on putting
fake fronts on ourselves thinking
we would look better to others and
the world when in fact we end up
like actors and actresses,
or worst, as clowns making fun
of our very selves.
Help us realize the evil that is
hypocrisy as your Son Jesus Christ
reminds us today in the gospel
of how it acts as an accomplice
to every sin that leads us to the
eternal fires of hell or Gehenna.
St. Paul explained it so well in
continuing his exposition about your
righteousness, O God, how you have
justified Abraham not with his works
but with his deep faith in you; that,
the more we believe, the more we
obey you and your laws that Jesus
had summarized in the law of love.
Whenever we think of Christ we should recall the love that led him to bestow on us so many graces and favors, and also the great love God showed in giving us in Christ a pledge of his love; for love calls for love in return. Let us strive to keep this always before our eyes and to rouse ourselves to love him. For if at some time the Lord should grant us the grace of impressing his love on our hearts, all will become easy for us and we shall accomplish great things quickly and without effort.
St. Teresa of Avila, Office of Readings, 15 October
O most blessed
St. Teresa of Avila
who sought the truth of Jesus
Christ in deep prayers and works
of sacrifices, help us to be true;
teach us to take off our masks,
especially our religious hypocrisies
for nothing is concealed with God;
most of all, let us have a taste
of that sweet union in God
found in our being honest and true
to him always.
Amen.
The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Thursday, Week XXVIII, Year I in Ordinary Time, 14 October 2021
Romans 3:21-30 ><)))*> + ><)))*> + ><)))*> Luke 11:47-54
Just a few minutes before the start of our Mass at a remote parish I helped last Sunday, these double rainbows greeted me as if God were smiling at me.
Your words today, O Lord
are difficult to comprehend;
words like "righteousness" and
"justification" are words we rarely use,
terms our generation have forgotten;
but, we are still deeply grateful
to you in sending us these gems
through the insightful writings
of your great apostle Paul.
Brothers and sisters: Now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, though testified to by the law and the prophets, the righteousness of God through faih in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction; all have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God. They are justified freely by his grace through the redemption in Christ Jesus.
Romans 3:21-24
Though the language may be strange,
its underlying realities of your grace
which is your righteousness and
love for us, O God our Father,
remain so true as expressed by your
Son Jesus Christ's self-sacrifice
on the Cross for our salvation (justification).
Let the teachings of St. Paul sink into
our hearts and minds that we are
utterly dependent on you, O God,
for our salvation; that nothing can we
accomplish apart from your grace.
In a society where the self-made
person is so idolized and economic
status is the benchmark for success,
help us to echo anew the teachings
of St. Paul on grace and salvation
in Jesus Christ; do not let us become
like the Pharisees and scribes and scholars
of the law who kept people away
from your "vision" of grace and salvation
for everyone.
“Woe to you, scholars of the law! You have taken away the key of knowledge. You yourselves did not enter and you stopped those trying to enter.”
Luke 11:52
Lord Jesus, bless us your
priests and ministers to truly
serve the people in leading them
closer to you in our celebrations
and prayers and most especially
in our witnessing to your Gospel;
may we cast away mediocrity and
sloth, always seeking ways like St. Paul
in making known your wonderful plans
and vision for everyone, especially the
weak and the poor among us.
Amen.
The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Wednesday, Last Apparition of Our Lady of Fatima in 1917, 13 October 2021
Romans 2:1-11 ><]]]]'> + ><]]]]'> + ><]]]]'> Luke 11:42-46
From Pinterest.com.
Today we remember the “Miracle of the Sun” when the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared for the last time to Lucia Santos and her two younger cousins canonized as Saints recently, Francisco and his sister Jacinta Marto, 104 years ago at Fatima, Portugal.
An estimated crowd of 70,000 made up of believers and unbelievers alike as well as skeptics and hecklers have witnessed the phenomenon, verifying its veracity with sworn accounts at how the Sun “danced” or zigzagged in the sky and then careened to the 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.
Page from Ilustração Portuguesa, 29 October 1917, showing the people looking at the Sun during the Fátima apparitions attributed to the Virgin Mary. From en.wikipedia.org.
And even though the Fatima feast is officially celebrated every May 13, many churches and devotees around the world have continued to celebrate the October 13 apparition not only due to the dancing Sun miracle but most of all because it was on this date when the Blessed Mother introduced herself as the Lady of the Rosary, telling the children how World War I would soon end, and that was when the Virgin Mother said “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!”
In 1957 during her last interview 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.
Amid the many interpretations of the events of October 13, 1917, Fatima has remained so popular and very significant to this day because of its truth and relevance to our own situation and experiences from the not-so-distant-past.
In the light of our readings today in relation with our being under the patronage Our Lady of Fatima as a University and a Medical Center, let me share with you two things for reflections.
First is to see the last apparition of October 13, 1917 not as the final one but the 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.
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.
From the Parish of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, 2020.
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.
If we take the Fatima apparitions as a whole, we find in it more of messages of hope and joy for us in 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 but also signal new beginnings, new undertakings, new opportunities for us even in the midst of trials and difficulties like this pandemic. There is nothing we should be afraid of or worried with except that we be converted to lead holy lives.
The last apparition at Fatima in 1917 was meant to usher in new hopes for us to become better persons who build stronger families and more vibrant church communities.
Unfortunately, it is still far from being realized even 104 years ago have passed as we have not yet learned or have refused to heed its lessons. In that case, we and not God nor Jesus nor the Blessed Mother are to be blamed at why we are going through all these difficulties and miseries we are into in this modern age.
Let us make today the beginning of our conversion and transformation in Christ Jesus with the help of the Blessed Mother. It is in this aspect where we wish to propose our second reflection for 104th anniversary of the last apparition at Fatima by confronting our true selves amid the many criticisms hurled against us by believers and unbelievers alike.
In our first reading today, we find St. Paul criticizing his fellow Jews who felt so entitled with God as his “chosen people”, reminding them that “there is no partiality with God” (v.11) in terms with his judgments that are based on the truth and on our deeds, not on our affiliations nor practices.
By your stubbornness and impenitent heart, you are storing up wrath for yourself for the day of wrath and revelation of the just judgment of God, who will repay everyone according to his works, eternal life to those who seek glory, honor, and immortality through perseverance in good works, but wrath and fury to those who selfishly disobey the truth and obey wickedness.
Romans 2:5-8
How unfortunate that such feeling of entitlement continues to our own time among us in the Church, especially with those in the clergy and those who feel holier than others, giving more emphasis on things of the world that feed on the ego to gain some sense of importance or dignity, and relevance.
If Jesus were with us today, he would have surely addressed today’s woes in the gospel (Lk.11:42-46) to us for we have forgotten the more weightier things like proclaiming the gospel than politicking, being poor and simple than being rich and powerful so preoccupied with the ways of the world on the pretext of being modern or adapting to the present situation when in fact are seeking comfort and fame, of being served than serving others.
Photo from vaticannews.va, 13 May 2017.
At Fatima, the Blessed Mother had revealed to the three children at her last apparition how the devil has been working, infiltrating the church to mislead her priests and bishops into sins.
Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI admitted to reporters in May 2010 at Fatima, Portugal that the Third Secret “has permanent and ongoing significance… that could be extended to include the suffering the Church is going through today as a result of the recent reports of sexual abuse involving the clergy.”
Like St. Paul in our first reading today, we are invited to examine our very selves – especially us priests and bishops – to face squarely the criticisms of many against us after years of hiding in authority and influence.
At Fatima 104 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 of issues.
At Fatima 104 years ago today, we are invited to stop acting like judges who know all as if we are the favorites of God.
At the last apparition in Fatima 104 years ago, it is very interesting how two elements prevailed on that day: rains and the Sun.
The rains have soaked wet the people and the whole area for two days, October 12-13, signifying the call for inner cleansing and purification of our hearts and person.
And when the Sun “danced”, the people were astonished how their clothes where dried along with the whole surroundings as if it had not rained the previous day after witnessing the spectacular display of colors and light.
May we see more of the light of Jesus Christ in our lives so we may be cleansed and ready to work for another day of conversion and holiness. Amen.
The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Tuesday, Week XXVIII, Year I in Ordinary Time, 12 October 2021
Romans 1:16-25 ><)))*> = ><)))*> = ><)))*> Luke 11:37-41
Photo by Dr. Mai B. Dela Peña, MD, 2017, Japan.
Open our eyes
and our hearts today
to your loving presence,
God our loving Father!
Make us stop for a while
to feel your presence in us
and among us to experience
true wealth and real wisdom
so unlike with what the world
offers that is always misleading.
Like St. Pau, may we feel that
deep pride in you who loves us,
accompanying us in this life,
leading us to fulfillment and joy.
Brothers and sisters: I am not ashamed of the Gospel. It is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes… For what can be known about God is evident to them, because God made it evident to them.
Romans 1:16, 19
So many times,
we have chosen to follow
the flow of this world,
"claiming to be wise" when in fact,
we have become fools in our own making;
like that Pharisee who had invited
Jesus to dine at his home,
we have become so unaware
of the presence of Christ and have
become more amazed at finding
faults and criticisms at what is outside
of us, not realizing the need
to look more inside to cleanse our
hearts and souls where you dwell
and see you present in every moment
especially among others we least expected.
Amen.
lordmychef.com 