Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul, 21 August 2025 Thursday, Memorial of St. Pius X, Pope Judges 11:29-39 <*((((>< + ><))))*> Matthew 22:1-14
Photo by Mr. Vigie Ongleo, Virginia, August 2021.
Oh how true are your words,
dear God our Father
these past days
of how clearly we make
life more difficult;
Monday you showed us
in the Book of Judges how
problem is with us always
when we repeatedly turn away
from you in sin and despite your
mercy and forgiveness,
we still refuse to rectify our
mistakes to lead an orderly life;
today, the Lord Jesus Christ's
parable speaks again of our folly,
of the trouble with us
when we take you
and your calls for granted,
refusing to come to you,
to celebrate life
in you
with you:
“The Kingdom of heaven may be likened to aking who gave a wedding feast for his son. He dispatched his servants to summon the invited guests to the feast, but they refused to come. A second time time he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those invited: “Behold, I have prepared a banquet, my caleves and fattened cattle are killed, and everything is ready; come to the feast.”” Some ignored the invitation and went away , one to his farm, another to his business. The rest laid hold of his servants, mistreated them, and killed them. The king was enraged and sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city” (Matthew 22:2-6).
On the other hand, we waste and destroy every opportunity you give us to be with you, to make a difference in life with many of us making it close to you in answering your calls but unfortunately could not keep up with the mission:
“The servants went out into the streets and gathered all they found, bad and good alike, and the hall was filled with guests. But when the king came in to meet the guests he saw a man there not dressed in a wedding garment. He said to him, ‘My friend, how is it that you came in here without a wedding garment?’ But he was reduced to silence. Then the king said to his attendants, ‘Bind his hands and feet, and cast him into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.’ Many are invited, but few are chosen” (Matthew 22:10-14).
Teach us to be aware of your presence, Lord; teach us to be conscious of your precious gift of call; teach us to remember always the gladness and joy of being invited to the wedding feast to be one with you, to work for you, to do your will, to be chosen and choose to remain in you to renew all things in Christ like St. Pius X. Amen.
Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Our Lady of Fatima University Valenzuela City lordmychef@gmail.com
Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul, 19 August 2025 Tuesday, Memorial of St. Ezechiel Moreno, Bishop Judges 6:11-24 ><))))*> + ><))))*> + ><))))*> Matthew 19:23-30
Photo by author, RISE Tower, Our Lady of Fatima University, Valenzuela City, 09 August 2025.
God our loving Father, today I feel like Gideon: in our beautiful story today of your call for him to be a judge of your people, you have taught me that discipleship is not about work like an apprenticeship but a relationship because a disciple's first task is to love you, O Lord, our Master that is why despite the great dangers during his time, Gideon continued to work even in hiding from their enemies because he believed in you, he trusted you, he loved you.
Discipleship is relationship because it is more of looking at you, Lord Almighty the Caller, the Believer, and the Sender of my poor me! Discipleship is not about me that is why, after that meeting with Gideon, he built an altar to you and called it Yahweh-shalom.
Gideon, now aware that it had been the angel of the Lord, said, “Alas, Lord God, that I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face!” The Lord answered Gideon, “Be calm, do not fear. You shall not die.” So Gideon built there an altar to the Lord and called it Yahweh-shalom (Judges 6:22-23).
Shalom is peace and you are our peace, our total well-being O God that can only come from a relationship with you, in you; this is what your Son our Lord Jesus Christ tells us today through Peter, of the need to leave everything and everyone in order to have you.
Calm me, Lord, like Gideon for only one thing is necessary: that we remain in you who is our peace so that even there are turmoils in our ministry, we continue because of our relationship than of work. Amen. Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Our Lady of Fatima University Valenzuela City (lordmychef@gmail.com)
Photo by author, RISE Tower, Our Lady of Fatima University, Valenzuela City, 09 August 2025.
Quiet Storm by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II, 18 August 2025
Photo by author, pilgrims awaiting their turn inside the Ascension site of Jesus outside Jerusalem, May 2019.
It has been a month since I have taken a break from my daily walking following that fall in our garage when I hurt my left knee that still aches to this day. But as I rested my onehod (twohod if both knees), I have realized in prayers that there are just two important steps we have to take for a fuller life instead of those 10,000 steps daily.
The first is to always step back one or two steps backwards and stop to make a space for God and for others in our life. Though life is a constant moving forward, it is essential that once in a while we step back and stop to see everything in ourselves and around us. Let God direct you because life is more of adjusting to the many shiftings and transitions that happen every day (https://lordmychef.com/2025/08/11/god-in-our-many-transitions/). Stepping back is being flexible in life.
Since turning 18, we have all been taking charge of our lives, each of us demanding a driver’s license, but, as we approach the age of 60, our interest in driving wane that we prefer more to be a passenger than being on the steering wheel. I have semi-retired from driving last year as I leave my car behind six days a week to take ride-hailing and ride-sharing services. Aside from reasons of convenience, taking a Grab car makes me more productive and most of all, relaxed in getting to my destinations and back home.
When life is so confusing, so dark and you feel so lost, step back and stop. Many times in life what really happens is that we unconsciously eject God from our lives as we go on with our responsibilities and projects even apostolates and ministry thinking we are doing the work of God. The moment things go wrong, when failures and problems happen, we then question God where he is or why did he allow bad things to happen with us. Truth is, God never left us, has always been with us but we never recognized him because we were so busy. Hence, the need to step back and stop to meet him. Finally.
Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, the headland of Pisgah which faces Jericho, and the Lord showed him all the land… The Lord then said to him, “This is the land which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob that I would give to your descendants, I have let you feast your eyes upon it, but you shall not cross over.” So there, in the land of Moab, Moses, the servant of the Lord, died as the Lord had said (Deuteronomy 34:1, 4).
See how Moses was portrayed in the first readings last week, slowly stepping back from the daily scene among the Israelites in the wilderness as he passed leadership to Joshua his successor. It is perhaps the earliest account in the Bible of the virtue of “ageing gracefully” in the Lord by Moses.
It is a virtue so needed these days in modern time that Pope Benedict XVI taught us in 2013 when he resigned, taking that bold step backward to stop from his active duties to spend the rest of his life in prayers. That move proved beyond doubts the true humility and holiness of Pope Benedict XVI who peacefully died right at the transition of the year on December 31, 2022.
Not only successions proceed smoothly when we learn to step back and stop as seen in Moses and Pope Benedict. Stepping back to stop and allow God to do his work among us strengthen and make better our human relationships often strained by those into sin and evil. See these as the steps proposed by Jesus in his instructions when one commits sin:
Jesus said to his disciples: “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone… If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, so that every fact may be established on the testimony of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell the Church. If he refuses to listen even to the Church, then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector” (Matthew 18:15,16-17).
Relationships are shattered when we “overstep” on family and friends into sinful situations where stepping backward is the more prudent choice to take. Stepping backward allows us to learn more the situation and avoid making rash judgments against anyone that often starts, then gets aggravated in social media. Stepping back is not just being circumspect at all but simply trying to be more fair and accurate where social media is filled with inaccurate and totally false reports or fake news.
Photo by Dra. Mylene A. Santos, MD, 2023.
The second important step that literally brings us closer to God and others is taking that first bold step into water. Yes. Stepping on water is the other special step we need to learn and make for a fuller life in God.
Recall whenever you go swimming at the pool or the beach. There is always that someone in the family or among friends or even our very self so timid or wary of the cold water who would ask that stupid question, is the water cold?
Of course – you will never know how cold the water in the pool or the sea until you take that plunge! It may sound simple but, many times we are afraid to take the first step forward into any body of water or even the shower due to the chills that quickly follow. But we also know very well from experience the great feelings that come after every plunge into water!
The spiritual value of making this crucial step forward into water is found in the first reading last Thursday at the crossing of the Jordan River by the Israelites into the Promised Land under Joshua. Leading them were the priests carrying the ark of the covenant who took the first steps on the banks of Jordan River that caused it to part and enabled the people to cross into the other side, reminiscent of the crossing of the Red Sea during their exodus from Egypt with Moses (https://lordmychef.com/2025/08/14/praying-to-step-forward-in-christ/).
Photo by Mr. Jim Marpa, 2019.
The people struck their tents to cross the Jordan, with the priests carrying the ark of the covenant ahead of them. No sooner had these priestly bearers of the ark waded into the waters at the edge of the Jordan…than the waters flowing from upstream halted, backing up in a solid mass for every great distance indeed… while those flowing downstream toward the Salt Sea of the Arabah disappeared entirely. Thus the people crossed over opposite Jericho (Joshua 3:14-15, 16).
Water is life but it also evokes death at the same time. Too much water can drown and kill us that is why we are afraid to take the first step forward into the river or the sea. We fear, we doubt even mistrust God, others and our self in taking the first step forward into water without realizing how that step could be the only thing left for us to move on in life. Stepping into water and allowing our feet to get wet in order to cross a stream or a river is one of the boldest moves we can make in life because that could be the very moment when God is actually making a way for us when our usual routes are impassable.
That is why I tried linking that first reading with the story of the saint of that day, St. Maximilian Kolbe (August 14) who “stepped forward” to their prison guards to take the place of a married man to be executed as a punishment following the escape of a prisoner at Auschwitz. Like the priests of Joshua, St. Maximilian carried the ark of the covenant – Jesus Christ – inside the gas chambers that ignited the flames of courage and faith in God to other prisoners at that time.
Photo by Mr. Jim Marpa, 2019.
These days, we need more men and women of faith, hope and love in God willing to step forward into waters that can be dark and murky, even lethal with unknown substances like the modern miseries of human trafficking, substance abuse, sex slavery, extreme poverty and other systematic inhuman conditions that now afflict mankind. Taking that bold step into water carrying Christ across the river is enabling the others to pass through from death to life, from grief to joy, and from hopelessness to love.
Pray for us your priests in the Diocese of Malolos as we go on retreat today until Thursday that we may truly step backwards and stop these days to let God take charge of our lives and ministry anew. Most of all, that we may have the grace of fervor and courage to carry and follow Jesus in crossing the many rivers and streams of life when the usual routes are impassable due to sickness and other miseries. Amen. Have a fulfilling week ahead.
Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul, 18 August 2025 Monday, Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time, Year I Judges 2:11-19 <*((((>< + ><))))*> Matthew 19:16-22
Photo by Mr. Vigie Ongleo, Virginia, USA, August 2021.
Your words today, O God our Father are so disheartening not only because after a week of joyful stories of Moses and Joshua and the Israelites finally nearing the Promised Land, we begin work and classes this Monday with the distaff side of Israel's history, of their low point of being repeatedly attacked and defeated by their enemies.
But more sad and disheartening is the fact that low point in their history was also their low point in their faith in you - it was all due to their repeated falling into sin of idolatry, of worshipping false gods instead of you alone.
Whenever the Lord raised up judges for them, he would be with the judge and save them from the power of their enemies as long as the judge lived; it was thus the Lord took pity on their distressful cries of affliction under their oppressors. But when the judge died, they would relapse and do worse than their ancestors, following other gods in service and worship, relinquishing none of their evil practices or stubborn conduct (Judges 2:18-19).
And that is the painful truth of the story, of the fact still true among us today: the problem, the trouble are all with us.
Yes, Lord, many times we are like your people during that time of the judges: you keep on saving us from troubles of our own making but once we are able to rebound in life, we go back to our old ways of sins and self-centeredness, forgetting you and your love; we do not have the false gods of old like Baal but we keep on turning away from you, Lord, worshipping fame and wealth, power and control, comfort and safety; though through all these you keep on coming to save us, giving us all the chances to be better in Jesus Christ your Son, we are like the young man in the gospel who can't let go of our many possessions, choosing to leave sad than follow Jesus empty but filled with love and and meaning in life. Help us fix this trouble in us, Lord. Amen.
Lord My Chef Sunday Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C, 17 August 2025 Jeremiah 38:4-6, 8-10 ><}}}*> Hebrews 12:1-4 ><}}}*> Luke 12:49-53
Photo by author, Archdiocesan Shrine of Nuestra Señora De Guia, Ermita, Manila, 28 November 2024.
We Christians believe in and trust in Jesus but seldom think of him as a man of faith because very often our concept of faith is always in terms of creeds and beliefs.
As we have reflected last Sunday in the second reading from the Letter to the Hebrews, faith is more than of the mind; faith is more of the heart, of the relationship one has with God or with whomever one believes in. Hence, “Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen” (Heb.11:1).
This Sunday we start anew our reflections from the second reading, the letter to the Hebrews that supports today’s gospel where Jesus is asking us to have more faith in him because following him can lead to distressing situations and painful, or even tragic choices. In identifying Jesus as “the leader and perfecter of faith”, Hebrews insisted on the human side of Jesus we rarely consider – that he was sustained by faith, who trusted God in vindicating him as he died on the Cross.
Brothers and sisters: Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of faith… Consider how he endured such opposition from sinners, in order that you may not grow weary and lose heart. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood (Hebrews 12:1-2, 3-4).
Photo by author, Malagos Garden Resort, Davao City, August 2018.
Every time I face difficulties and trials in life, I always think of my mom and dad, my “cloud of witnesses” of faith like those mentioned in Hebrews who have attained faith’s goal in the Old Testament.
Usually, I would ask my departed parents for prayers, asking them for guidance on how to deal with difficult situations I am facing. It is therapeutic for me because after that, my memory would waft into those days and nights I used to listen to mom and dad tell their many struggles and hardships they both endured early in life like dropping out from school in order to find work early and eventually why they married late.
“Mahirap ang buhay noon, anak” they would always tell me, followed by a litany of not having enough money for food, clothes and shoes and various forms of leisure and comforts we take for granted these days. After that short trip in memory lane with my parents, I feel better, inspired and energized knowing that I have poor souls praying for me.
Think of those people like family, friends, and mentors who have been part of this “cloud of witnesses” in your life. Include your favorite saints too. And of course, Jesus Christ our Lord and God who, as perfecter of faith shocks us with his teachings this Sunday:
Jesus said to his disciples: “I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it already blazing! There is a baptism with which I must be baptized, and how great is my anguish until it is accomplished! Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division (Luke 12:49-51).
Photo by author, St. Paul Spirituality Center, La Trinidad, Benguet, January 2025.
Unlike in the fourth gospel, it is very rare in Matthew, Mark and Luke to hear Jesus speaking of himself in the first person like today when he said “I have come… I wish… I must.” These are “involved expressions” where Jesus not only reveals to us the nature of his mission but especially his determination to fulfill it as Luke had earlier noted this at the start of this long journey to Jerusalem, “When the days for his being taken up were fulfilled, he resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem” (Lk.9:51).
Feel in these expressions the ardent desire of Jesus, the burning fire within him to transform us and the world in his coming Passion, Death and Resurrection which is the baptism he must undergo.
The fire he mentioned here is the fire of the Holy Spirit he sent on Pentecost that filled his disciples with zeal to spread the gospel and the nascent Church as well. Luke knew so well in how those tongues of fire that hovered over the disciples’ heads on Pentecost was also the same fire Jesus referred here that dissolves our old selves to convert us into his disciples filled with zeal and enthusiasm in witnessing the gospel in the world that has gone cold and dark with sin and evil.
As fire purifies metals like gold, fire leads to divisions so to speak. It is a positive division that builds and perfects, not destroys. It is the kind of fire Jesus meant here as he continued his teachings on the way to Jerusalem to prepare us for the End with a capital “E”. It is a fire that sets apart truth from falsehoods and lies and most of all, of good from evil and sin so necessary in making it to eternal life. To fully appreciate this shocking lesson of Jesus today, we need to go back to the second reading where the author of Hebrews called us to “rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of faith” (Heb.12:1-2).
What are those burdens and sin that cling to us or we carry that make it difficult to imitate Jesus, to have faith in Jesus?
Photo from Fatima Tribune, Red Wednesday, Chapel of the Angel of Peace, Our Lady of Fatima University, 27 November 2024.
Very often, we are the ones who make our problems and sufferings worse with the excess baggage we keep on carrying like bitterness and resentments, self-doubts and self-rejection, and many other negative feelings that we allow to fester within us. Sometimes, we are like that man who asked Jesus to tell his brother to give his share of inheritance when we refuse to look more into our own sins, preferring to look more into other’s faults and failures. Or, maybe like Martha we are so busy and preoccupied with many other things that we not only forget God but even our very selves in the process.
Focus on Jesus alone, let him perfect our faith by purifying us with his fire of love.
Photo by author, Archdiocesan Shrine of Nuestra Señora De Guia, Ermita, Manila, 28 November 2024.
Be on guard, however, that the more we follow Jesus on his path of the Cross, the more we experience “complexities” in life like Jeremiah in the first reading. He found enemies among his own people who tried to put him into death because he spoke the truth. Discipleship in Christ is being a prophet – a sign of contradiction especially in today’s world where sin and profanity are extolled while rights are exaggerated and truth and morals are relativized. There are strong temptations for us to withdraw to one’s corner, refusing to choose a side or take a stand especially when loved ones or those dear to us get involved.
This Sunday, Jesus invites us to focus on him alone, to have faith in him, to be like him. He perfects our faith in him, enabling us to choose and stand for what is true and good, fair and just. Let us pray to Jesus for more fire and warmth in our faith in him, remembering those words of the author of Hebrews that “In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood.” Amen. Have a blessed week ahead everyone!
Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul, 15 August 2025 Friday, Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Revelation 11:19, 12:1-6, 10 ><}}}*> 1 Corinthian 15:20-27 ><}}}*> Luke 1:39-56
“The Assumption of the Virgin” by Italian Renaissance painter Titian completed in 1518 for the main altar of Frari church in Venice. Photo from wikidata.org.
Thank you, Most Blessed Virgin Mary for being our Mother and most of all, our model disciple in your Son Jesus Christ. As we celebrate today the Solemnity of your Assumption into heaven, we also celebrate our blessed assurance and hope that someday we too may join you with God body and soul if we remain one and united in Jesus Christ our Savior.
Pray for me, O Blessed Mother that I too may rejoice in God for all that he does for me while seeing my lowliness not my pride.
Mary set out and travelled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth (Luke 1:39-40).
Pray for me, Blessed Mother to go in haste filled with joy and excitement in the Lord, determined and committed to the mission to proclaim the coming of our Savior Jesus Christ; pray for me, dear Mary to go in haste filled with joy and excitement in the Lord for his love for me I have to share with everyone like you; pray for me, Blessed Mother to go in haste celebrating the Christ's presence and coming, our fulfillment in him.
When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb…Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.” And Mary said: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my Spirit rejoices in God my Savior” (Luke 1:41-42, 45-47).
Dear Jesus,
forgive me when I am filled
with pride,
doubts,
and mistrust in you
that slow me
from sharing
you with others and
the world;
fill me with humility
like Mary,
that I may sing too
a magnificat to you,
singing your saving grace
because every time
we rejoice in you
and your works in us
that is when we experience
heaven
our ultimate end
when in body and soul
we shall celebrate you
with Mary our Mother too.
Amen.
Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Our Lady of Fatima University
Valenzuela City
(lordmychef@gmail.com)
Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul, 14 August 2025 Thursday, Memorial of St. Maximilian Kolbe, Priest & Martyr Joshua 3:7-10, 11, 13-17 <*((((>< + ><))))*> Matthew 18:21-19:1
Photo by Mr. Jim Marpa, 2019.
Praise and glory to you, God our Father!
Your words today are so lovely so touching so personal; I could feel Joshua leading your people at the banks of Jordan River ready to cross.
The people struck their tents to cross the Jordan, with the priests carrying the ark of the covenant ahead of them. No sooner had these priestly bearers of the ark waded into the waters at the edge of the Jordan…than the waters flowing from upstream halted, backing up in a solid mass for every great distance indeed… while those flowing downstream toward the Salt Sea of the Arabah disappeared entirely. Thus the people crossed over opposite Jericho (Joshua 3:14-15, 16).
Many times, Lord I am afraid to make that first step forward onto the banks of the river of life, afraid to step on water itself; many times, that one little step forward is all I need but so often I balked even chickened out wasting many opportunites to grow in faith and trust in you; many times, Lord I am afraid to give to share to forgive because I cannot trust there would be still enough for me.
O dear Jesus, have mercy on me! Embolden your gift of courage in me to imitate the modern saint Maximilian Kolbe who was like Joshua who dared to make that bold step forward onto the banks of Jordan River; like the priestly bearers of the ark, St. Maximilian Kolbe literally stepped forward too into death by giving himself for another prisoner at Auschwitz; what a beautiful imagery in modern time's darkest moments that St. Maximilian Kolbe brought and carried Jesus Christ the new ark of the covenant to bring life not only to the prisoners of Auschwitz at that time but even to many among us these days so lost and trapped in the gas chambers of modern forms of human abuses and exploitation; Lord Jesus Christ, grant me the grace to walk faithfully, trusting God who always makes a way through what seems to be impassable. Let me be the bearer of Christ to enable others pass through from death to life, from grief to joy, from hopelessness to love. Amen.
St. Maximilian Kolbe, Pray for us.
Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Our Lady of Fatima University Valenzuela City (lordmychef@gmail.com)
Salamuch again to your prayers and greetings on our priests’ day last August 4, the Memorial of our patron, St. John Baptiste Marie Vianney. With a Bible in hand in silent prayers that morning, I realized two of Jesus Christ’s important works as a priest we continue today.
First is to make God closer to people. And vice versa.
It is not my original; got it from Pope Benedict XVI’s Jesus of Nazareth series where he repeatedly mentioned Jesus Christ’s main achievement in his coming here on earth was bringing God closest to us humans. Recall how during that time in Israel when people felt God so far from them due to the legalisms of temple worship that sadly continues even in the church today that is worsened by trends in modernism like digitization that miss out the very essence of the personal aspect in our ministry of the priesthood.
Photo by author, Chapel of the Angel of Peace, Our Lady of Fatima University, Valenzuela City.
Jesus came and continues to come to us on a person to person basis. It is the foundation of our interpersonal relationships, especially for us priests. Hence, before we priests can bring God closer to others, we must be the first to be closer to him. The way priests deal with others is a reflection of the kind of relationship priests have, or do not have with Jesus. What kept the Lord so close with the people was a result of his union and intimacy with the Father. Solidarity with the poor and marginalized in the real sense is always a grace from Jesus that first comes in every priest’s intimacy with Christ in prayers.
This is the major challenge to us priests these days in an age of too much technologies that ironically set us more apart than closer with each other. We promised to be celibate to offer our whole selves for the flock but sadly, many of us have become too hyphenated with many other duties that we are more professional than personal. Some could not even affix their personal signatures on letters and documents, preferring the e-signature that is so impersonal with the usual excuse it is easier and faster, totally forgetting about our life of sacrifice in such small thing.
While we priests need to take breaks, it is a different story when the pastor becomes engrossed into sports and recreation to the detriment of the pastoral needs of parishioners. When focus is more on the minister and his needs forgetting the ministry, problems arise. Most likely, the pastor is already in a crisis like when Masses even on Sundays are passed on to other priests for dubious excuses or reasons. Watch out for those red flags among pastors of souls who are too difficult to gather for clergy meetings and sick calls but so quick in rest and recreation, especially in going out-of-town or even abroad. Watch out too when pastors are more knowledgeable in politics and telenovelas than the scriptures and the faith, when the homily is more like a sing-along concert.
The kind of our intimacy with Jesus in prayers determines the kind of our relationships with his flock entrusted to us.
According to studies, most people spend an average of seven hours a day of screen time on their cellphone. So, seven hours a day multiplied by seven days a week equals 49 hours. That means most people, including us priests, lose about two days and one hour every week by just scrolling and interacting on our cellphones! How much time is left for us, especially priests to pray and serve the parish? Some would argue that those people we interact with in our cellphones are also the same people we serve; but, whatever happened to our person-to-person interactions?
See how the gospels teem with many stories of Jesus touching, doing other gestures of personally being with the people of his time especially in healing the sick. What a tragedy that we cannot freely be that personal like Jesus with people especially children following the sex scandals that have rocked the church that was largely due to priests’ lack of a prayer life. Every genuine relationship with people starts with intimacy with God like Jesus who would always go by himself to deserted places to pray.
That is why it is also important for us priests to educate our people to value our prayer time especially at night. We priests do not have a night life. Period. We may go out sometimes with laypeople and brother priests but never all the time. Though Jesus dined with the rich and sinful during his time, it was never social in nature; his simple acts of joining meals or visiting people were always apostolic in nature that led to conversion into faithful followers of his hosts. Do we keep that apostolic character in our frequent lunch or dinner buffets in expensive restaurants that some priests post in social media without any deference to the majority of our people struggling to make ends meet?
The second important work of Christ as a priest during his time on earth we priests today must continue is to inspire and organize people in keeping his work of bringing God to people and vice versa.
How sad to see the Church has become more like a bureaucracy with some dioceses a microcosm of the Republic of the Philippines with priests and bishops acting like politicians. Maybe next to the government, the Church comes close in churning out the most documents and statements nobody reads nor cares at all to implement. Actually, there is a book on social teachings of the Church aptly called “The Church’s Best Kept Secrets”.
How can synodality happen when priests are detached from the people in the first place? This is very evident in the composition of many Parish Pastoral Councils (PPC) who are never replaced at all except only when one finally dies. Some parish workers and volunteers are as old as their parish that some of them brag “bisita pa lang ito naglilingkod na ako!”
Is it really that difficult to inspire and find new workers and volunteers in the parish? Our faith teaches us that the Lord always provides us especially with fellow workers in his vineyard. Problem is when pastors refuse – not really fail – to attract and inspire more new volunteers and workers in the parish because that will require a lot of their time and presence. A parish that does not change its sets of officers and volunteers for years and years is a dead parish. It just exists for its traditions of devotions and fiestas people see every year and are most likely so fed up too.
Photo by author, Sacred heart Novitiate, Novaliches, QC, March 2025.
This is perhaps the reason why despite our being a Christian nation that we still remain poor because even in parishes not many are given the chance to do the work of Christ. How can we imbue future leaders of both the country and the church with the gospel of Christ if we just allow a small circle, or sadly a clique involved in our parish affairs and activities? One reason Rome fell was the failure of the empire to prepare its next generation of leaders.
Likewise, “recyling” parish leaders and volunteers only continue the vicious circle among us Filipino Christians of being baptized but not evangelized. Notice how our parishes and dioceses have become mini-Republic of the Philippines that are so alive during calamities and holidays for ayudas and gifts but rarely involved in good governance and leadership or management. We priests and state officials are so good in building edifices and complex but that do not make the church nor the government at all. The more priests are personally involved with their parishioners, the more the people realize their importance in being a part and fellow builders of the Body of Christ, of the need for them to be involved in helping their pastors in bringing God to more people and in leading others to God.
Jesus gathered and formed those considered the least during his time to continue his work of bringing God closest to the people and the people closer to God. His Apostles and followers have no experiences in religion at all nor with evangelization. They simply knew how to pray and have faith in Christ above all that we priests and lay people must first do and keep on doing.
Priesthood is doing the work of Jesus Christ; it is not ours but the Lord’s. We are just his hands and limbs, mouth and body in doing his works. The good news is, Jesus our Eternal High Priest loves us so immensely that despite our weaknesses and sinfulness, he continues to call us to come to him, to find rest in him, to learn from him for he is gentle and humble in heart (Mt.11:29). Let us pray and do the work of Christ as priests with our lay people so that each day may be a Pentecost for us in the ministry. Amen.
Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul, 13 August 2025 Wednesday, Memorial of Sts. Pontian & Hippolytus, Priests & Martyrs Deuteronomy 34:1-12 ><)))*> + ><)))*> + ><)))*> Matthew 18:15-20
Photo by author, Franciscan Monastery on Mt. Nebo in Jordan believed to be where Moses was shown by God the view of the Promised Land he was not allowed to enter into.
God our loving Father, teach me to be like Moses: teach me to let go, let God; how lovely that between letting go and letting God lies just the small letter "d" which is to die everyday in myself so that you prevail, O God when I accept your will and your plans.
Like Moses, let me share and be content in the joy of knowing or seeing the fulfillment of your promise in others without ever holding nor experiencing its very fruit; fill me with the Holy Spirit to guide my heart especially at this stage in my life as a senior citizen to learn to step aside to make a space for you and for others like the younger ones who would take charge from what I have to leave behind; let me realize that simply being a part of your mission is more than enough with no need for me to be recognized or be in control always.
It is the same process I need to learn and imbibe, to let go and let God regarding sins of another brother or sister - of making a room for you to work in the heart of a wayward, erring fellow disciple instead of taking it into my hands that are dirty with sins too; unlike during the time of Saints Pontian and Hippolytus, there is no need for me to go through a bloody death except to let go of my ego and pride so that you take command in Christ our Lord. Amen.
Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Our Lady of Fatima University Valenzuela City (lordmychef@gmail.com)
Photo by author, entrance to the Franciscan. Monastery on Mt. Nebo in Jordan believed to be where Moses was shown by God the view of the Promised Land he was not allowed to enter into.
Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul, 12 August 2025 Tuesday in the Nineteenth Week of Ordinary Time, Year I Deuteronomy 31:1-8 <*((((>< + ><))))*> Matthew 18:1-5, 10, 12-14
Photo by author, the Grotto in Baguio City, February 2019.
How I love your words today, Lord Jesus Christ; we all remain little children after all; though like the Twelve we often debate on "who is the greatest", in the end, we remain that little child you called and placed in their midst.
Yes, Jesus, we remain like children - weak and fearful especially in old age when we prefer to remain in our "comfort zones" yet, like Moses in Jordan, time catches on us when we have to go - whether for good or not - with our many transitions in life.
Then Moses summoned Joshua and in the presence of all Israel said to him, “Be brave and steadfast… It is the Lord who marches before you; he will be with you and will never fail or forsake you. So do not fear or be dismayed” (Deuteronomy 31:7, 8).
Lord Jesus, as I age and get old and weak, the more I doubt, the more I am afraid than ever; indeed, we all remain like little children before you; fill me with more courage to step forward in you when my sight grows dim, my muscles ache and joints weaken in life's journey; teach me to trust more the younger generation as they take charge from us in this life; let me be more silent and deeply aware of your presence in life's many transitions that continue to happen as we advance in age; deepen our faith and hope in you, Lord for you march ahead of us, never forsaking us, nor failed us. Amen.
Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Our Lady of Fatima University Valenzuela City (lordmychef@gmail.com)
Photo by author, Tam-Awan Village in Baguio City, February 2019.
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