Our Being of Forgetfulness
Photo by Fr. Nick F. Lalog II at the Sacred Heart Novitiate (Novaliches), July 4-6, 2018.
The Lord Is My Chef Breakfast Recipe-Prayer
Friday, 17 August 2018, Week XIX, Year II
Ezekiel 16:59-63///Matthew 19:3-12
Another question again, O Lord Jesus Christ from us: “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any cause whatever?” (Mt.19:3)
Another question from us not seeking answers but justification for our own beliefs; another question not seeking the truth but a changing of order and rules.
Sorry Lord for the many times when we clearly know the answers deep in our hearts yet we keep on pretending we are confused or simply could not get it. Or, would not want to accept it at all because of the “hardness of our hearts.” It has always been like that as you beautifully narrated to Ezekiel of your experience with Israel who was like a little girl you have cared for since birth, lavished with so many good things until you took her as your bride and then disregarded your covenant.
A philosopher explained that we are all beings of forgetfulness that too often we lead inauthentic lives. Probably. I don’t remember.
But, one thing I always remember, O Lord, is that despite all our infidelities and hard-headedness, you have remained faithful, always reminding us to remember your love, your covenant. Give us the grace to “re-member” you, to make you a member and part of our present lives again. Amen. Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II,Parokya ng San Juan Apostol at Ebanghelista, Gov. F. Halili Ave., Bagbaguin, Sta. Maria,Bulacan 3022 .
Jesus Transforms First Our Questions to Transform Us
The Lord Is My Chef Breakfast Recipe-Prayer
Thursday, 16 August 2018, Week XIX, Year II
Ezekiel 12:1-12///Matthew 18:21-19:1
Dearest Lord Jesus:
Every day we come to you with so many questions, an endless series of who, why and why not, and how. As I prayed today’s gospel, I realized you seldom give straight answers to questions given to you in many instances like when Peter asked you about how many times should we forgive a brother who sins against us. In many occasions in the gospel like today, you answer questions with a parable. It is as if you first transform our questions in order to transform us eventually with the answers we can glean from your parables.
As I dwelled on your parable of the unforgiving servant, I have realized one important aspect with our questions to you, Lord Jesus. And that is our being so fearful of many things in life, especially of being loving and merciful like you.
We try to be specific like Peter, asking in a numerical form “how many times should I forgive… seven times?” The other day, we asked “who is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven?” Once we have asked you “who is my neighbor?” or “Lord, are you going to establish your kingdom now?” In these instances, you never gave in to our questions because you knew very well we asked these while bounded by fears. We lacked freedom. Or, we refused to be free to be who we really are as beloved children of a very loving Father in heaven. Because we doubt your love and mercy.
And so, you give us parables like today’s unforgiving servant to assure us that we are loved and forgiven by the Father. Give us the grace to fully embrace this truth, that we would always listen to your gentle voice within to forgive and to love with all our hearts. Amen.Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II,Parokya ng San Juan Apostol at Ebanghelista, Gov. F. Halili Ave., Bagbaguin, Sta. Maria,Bulacan 3022 .
*Photo by Fr. Nick F. Lalog II, still life experiment, September 2016.
Singing Mary’s Magnificat In Our Time
The Lord Is My Chef Breakfast Recipe-Prayer, Wednesday
15 August 2018, Solemnity of the Assumption of the BVM
Revelations 11:19;12:1-6,10//1Corinthians 15:20-27//Luke 1:39-56
Pray for us O Holy Mother of God,
that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray:
We praise and glorify you, God our loving Father, in bringing us back to you though we are not worthy of your love and mercy. In the fullness of time, you sent your Son Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit to a virgin in Nazareth named Mary whom you have assumed body and soul into heaven upon the completion of her mission here on earth.
And so, loving Father, we ask you for the grace to be like Mary, singing her Magnificat not only with our lips and voices but like her, with our lives so that when Christ returns at the end of time, we too would be assumed body and soul into heaven.
Let us always proclaim your greatness, let our spirit rejoice in you alone, not in our selves nor talents nor achievements. Keep us humble to remember everything is a grace from you that we are able to do so many things, great and small alike (Lk.1:46-48).
Let us do your work always, your will be done – not our plans and agenda so that your mercy would pervade in this self-righteous world (Lk.1:50).
Let us show the strength of your arm by working for justice and peace, guided by kindness, even by weakness to shame those who brag of their powers and might (Lk.1:51-52).
Let us find our place in this world to make a stand for what is good and true by keeping a sacred space for you in our hearts and mind so we can stop usurping too much roles and credits to be seen and liked by everyone. Keep us empty like Mary to be filled with your Holy Spirit to become the very presence of Jesus Christ (Lk.1:53-55). Amen. Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II,Parokya ng San Juan Apostol at Ebanghelista, Gov. F. Halili Ave., Bagbaguin, Sta. Maria,Bulacan 3022
*Photo from Google, the famous painting of the Assumption by El Greco.
You are prayed for these rainy days
14 August 2018
My dearest relatives and friends:
This is the worst rainy season I think I ever have. And it seems more rains are still coming. What saddens me most is the fact that in the midst of these rains and floods, I know many of you are also battling at the same time other storms in life like sickness or death in the family or among friends.
You are all remembered and prayed for especially when heavy rains are pouring. In 1995, I went through serious trials in life and vocation while in the seminary during the entire rainy season. Every time I would pray in the afternoon, I would always look at the trees and plants outside our seminary chapel. And that was when I realized that it is always after the rains and storms when leaves are greenest.
Here are some photos I have taken from the Malagos Garden Resort in Davao City last Friday, August 11, 2018.
Hope they soothe your hearts. God bless you always!
In Christ Jesus,
fr nick f lalog ll
The Sweetest Things In Life
The Lord Is My Chef Breakfast Recipe-Prayer Tuesday
14 August 2018, Memorial of St. Maximillian Kolbe
Week-XIX, Year II, Ordinary Time
Ezekiel 2:8-3:4///Matthew 18:1-5,10,12-14
Together with the psalmist this morning, I sing to you O Lord, “How sweet to my palate are your promises, sweeter than honey to my mouth!”(Ps.119:103)
So many times in life, I seek and long for some “sweetness” that would comfort me, assure me of being loved and cared for. But, sadly, O Lord, I end up bitter and sad after seeking sweetness in sugar-coated promises of the world. Teach me to be like Ezekiel, to eat your words, to speak your words, to live your words. Indeed, the only sweetest thing in this life is to remain a child before you, trusting you, relying more on you.
I feel so ashamed before you O Lord for the many times I act like your apostles, asking “who is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven” in the belief deep inside that, it could be me. Yes, you know it so well when deep inside I feel so entitled being your disciple, of being “good” and worthy unlike others.
Give me the grace Lord Jesus Christ to be like St. Maximillian Kolbe who truly led a life so sweet when he faithfully followed you like your Mother the Blessed Virgin Mary. He led a life so sweet because in his loving service and sacrifices for your words using modern media, many lives were touched and blessed. Without any sugary pretensions to greatness and fame known only as prisoner “16670” at Auschwitz, St. Maximillian made the ultimate sweet sacrifice of his life for the love of the family of a man due for execution. Indeed, he is the patron saint of our “troubled century”, showing us the truly sweetest things in life are you, O Lord, your words, and your Cross. Amen. Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II,Parokya ng San Juan Apostol at Ebanghelista, Gov. F. Halili Ave., Bagbaguin, Sta. Maria,Bulacan 3022 .
Photo from Google.
On Being Brave
LordMyChef “I-Like-Mondays” Quote, 13 August 2018:
“The universe favors the brave. When you resolve, once and for all, to lift your life to its highest level, the strength of your soul will guide you.” (Robin Sharma, “The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari”, pp.139-140)
Photo by Fr. Nick F. Lalog II, Sunrise at San Juan, La Union, January 2018.
A Prayer to Weather the Storms
The Lord Is My Chef Breakfast Recipe-Prayer Monday
13 August 2018, Week-XIX, Year II, Ordinary Time
Ezekiel 1:2-5,24-28///Matthew 17:22-27
You know very well my prayers last night, O Lord: that you take care of my family and friends affected by the floods and the rains that are expected to worsen this week. These past years I have learned to accept the flow of nature, never bothering you to stop or reverse it except that you give us the grace to cope with it. Most of all, that we finally learn to respect your wonderful creation we have destroyed these past years due to greed and lack of concern.
As we brace for more rains this week, give us the grace to see your glory amidst life’s many storms. In the first reading there is Ezekiel living during the Babylonian exile by the river of Chebar who saw a vision of the coming of your Son Jesus Christ. There was splendor all over his vision though he did not readily understand its meaning during that most trying time in Israel’s history.
In the gospel, Jesus predicted anew His coming passion and death that deeply grieved His disciples not knowing it would eventually lead to His Resurrection. And in the midst of His coming pasch were the many controversies against Him by His enemies like the paying of temple tax. Yet, Jesus kept His cool filled with wit and humor when He told Peter to catch a fish to find a shekel in its mouth to pay for their temple taxes.
And finally today, we celebrate the martyrdom of St. Pontian and St. Hippolytus whose lives presented us a quirky twist that eventually revealed your glory. St. Hippolytus became an anti-pope of St. Pontian due to many differences that threatened the stability of the early Church. But their exile and suffering in Sardinia became the occasion for them to be reconciled before giving their very lives for the glory of the Christ.
Like Ezekiel, Jesus, Hippolytus and Pontian, give us the grace, loving Father, to keep in mind that you always prevail despite many setbacks due to nature and human faults. May we sing like the psalmist, “Heaven and earth are filled with your glory!” Amen. Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II,Parokya ng San Juan Apostol at Ebanghelista, Gov. F. Halili Ave., Bagbaguin, Sta. Maria,Bulacan 3022 .
Photo by Fr. Nick F. Lalog II, Sonnem Berg Mountain View, Davao City. 11 August 2018
“Everything I Own” by Bread (1972)
“Everything I Own” by Bread (1972)
The Lord Is My Chef Sunday Music//Week XIX-B//12August 2018
Believe. Love. And live.
On this third consecutive Sunday of the “bread of life” discourse of Jesus found only in the sixth chapter of John’s gospel account, our LordMyChefSundayMusic takes its cue again from the 70’s group Bread with their hit “Everything I Own.” Listeners have always interpreted it as a song about a broken relationship; but, according to its composer David Gates, the song is tribute to his late father when he composed it in 1972. The first stanza says so well Gates’ love for his late father.
But that is the beauty of music! It has a unique quality of being so universal in meaning with many applications in the various instances of our lives. It is indeed the food of the soul, like Jesus Christ as the bread of life. We simply have to believe. And when we believe, we love and start to live. But when we stop believing, then we also stop loving because there is no more life to live. Jesus is now offering us Himself as our bread of life, our sustenance in this life and to eternity. Most of all, when we have Jesus as our bread of life, we partake in His divine life that leads us to real fulfillment. But, are we willing to let go of everything to have Jesus, to believe in Him so we can truly love and live fulfilled?
You sheltered me from harm
Kept me warm, kept me warm
You gave my life to me
Set me free, set me free
The finest years I ever knew,
Were all the years I had with you
(Ref.) And I would give anything I own
I’d give up my life, my heart, my home
I would give everything I own,
Just to have you back again
You taught me how to love
What it’s of, what it’s of
You never said too much,
But still you showed the way
And I knew from watching you//Nobody else could ever know,
The part of me that can’t let go (repeat refrain)
Is there someone you know,
Your loving them so,
But taking them all for granted?
You may lose them one day
Someone takes them away,
And they don’t hear the words you long to say (Ref.)
Believe. Love. And Live.
The Lord Is My Chef Sunday Recipe, Week XIX-B, 12 August 2018
1Kings 19:4-8///Ephesians 4:30-5:2///John 6:41-51
Is it sinful to complain to God?
This is the most frequently asked question (FAQ) I get from everyone especially during confessions. And I always explain that it is not really sinful to complain to God in the sense that complaining to Him may actually be an expression of our deep faith and intimate relationship with Him. In our first reading we find the prophet Elijah complaining to God as he fled to the desert from the soldiers of Queen Jezebel sent to kill him: “This is enough, O Lord! Take my life, for I am no better than my fathers.”(1Kgs.19:4) In that sense, complaining is a prayer that comes from our hearts, expressing our deep, emotional pain as well as physical sufferings when we all we wanted is to take a deep sigh and blurt out what’s deep inside to complain or share with others. Especially with God whom we believe would do something to our plight. What is sinful is the “murmuring” we have heard from today’s gospel: The Jews murmured about Jesus because he said, “I am the bread of life that came down from heaven,” and they said, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph? Do we not know his father and mother? Then how can he say, ‘I have come down from heave’?” Jesus answered and said to them, “Stop murmuring among yourselves. No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draw him, and I will raise him on the last day.”(Jn.6:41-44)
When we were growing up, it was a big “no-no” to murmur to elders like mothers, lolas and titas. Recall how sharp their eyes and ears that even if you are already on your way up to your room or leaving their presence, they knew so well you were murmuring that the next thing you knew, you have been slapped! “Tumigil ka sa kabubulong-bulong at tatamaan ka sa akin” is a clear a present danger situation, not a warning. It is bad, and sinful to murmur because it comes from the intellect than from the heart. There is resistance and refusal to be open, an insistence on what we know or deem as right and better to something being presented. See how the Jews rehashed their perceptions against Jesus when He first came home and preached in their synagogue as “they took offense at him” (Mk.6:1-6, 14th week) again in this scene in Capernaum. Murmuring is sinful not only because it lacks respect but most of all, there is the underlying current, even a sinister one that runs deep within us to undermine or go against somebody, especially God and those above us like parents and superiors. It is an expression of a lack of faith. That’s the problem with those around Jesus in Capernaum: they refused and could not believe Jesus because He was one of them as they thought. We need to be open to enter into the reality and mystery of Jesus. Hence, after telling them to stop murmuring, Jesus said “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draw him, and I will raise him on the last day… Everyone who listens to my Father and learns from him comes to me.”
According to St. Augustine, “everything is grace but grace builds on nature.” It is always a grace from God to believe in Him, to have faith in Him but we have to nurture that gift within to grow and bloom. It is difficult to grow in faith and be captured by this faith if we do not stop “murmuring”: being too cerebral cannot solve everything because there are more realities in this life not visible with our eyes. It is only with the eyes of faith can we truly see the most essential things in life as the Little Prince realized. Through faith, we not only become open to God but also experience and realize something bigger which is love. Faith is akin to love. Both always go hand in hand because when we believe, we love. The more we love, the more we believe! When we believe, we love, then we live authentically. When we stop believing, we also stop loving, and we refuse to live anymore because there is nothing else to hope for in this life.
Believe. Love. And live. When we believe in Jesus, we love more truly – that is when we live authentically. This we shall see in the Lord’s discourse of His being the bread of life. But why “bread”? Bread is the most basic and essential food anywhere. Jesus offers Himself as the bread of life to show us that more essential and more basic than food and other material things for man is God alone. In declaring Himself as the bread of life, Jesus now presents Himself as the reality of God we do not see. Like the reality of bread as food, God is truly our life and sustenance not only in this life but in eternity! This we can see in the wonderful flow of the Lord’s discourse when He solemnly declared “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life” in verse 47. Then, two more times He declares His being bread of life as the “bread that comes down from heaven”(v.50) and “the living bread” before concluding that the bread He shall give is His “flesh for the life of the world” both found in verse 51. We do not eat simply to be nourished or worst, to be filled with food; we eat to celebrate life with others. Every celebration always has some food to offer because ultimately, what we offer in every meal is also our very selves. That is most true in Jesus as the bread of life we eat in the Eucharist to partake in His divine life so that our lives are not only lived but also fulfilled in Him with others. May we “live in love” as St. Paul admonished the Ephesians in today’s second reading by always believing in Jesus Christ so we could love like Him and live in Him. Amen.Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II, Parokya ni San Juan Apostol at Ebanghelista, Gov. F. Halili Ave., Bagbaguin, Sta. Maria, Bulacan 3022
*Photo taken by Fr. Nick F. Lalog II at Sonnem Berg Mountain View, Davao City, 10 August 2018.
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