The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Thursday, Memorial of the Passion of John the Baptist, 29 August 2024 Jeremiah 1:17-19 <*{{{{>< + ><}}}}*> Mark 6:17-29
Photo from catholicworldreport.com, “The Beheading of St. John the Baptist” (1869) by Pierre Puvis de Chevannes.
A precursor of the Lord's birth, a precursor of the Lord's death. What a great task you have entrusted, O God, to John the Baptist and to us as well; many times, we forget this role of our being like John in life and in death, always standing and speaking what is true and just.
Forgive us, O God, when more often we have allowed ourselves to be like Herodias who "harbored a grudge against John."
Herod was the one who had John the Baptist arrested and bound in prison on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, whom he had married. John had said to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” Herodias harbored a grudge against him and wanted kill him but was unable to do so (Mark 6:17-19).
Take away, O Lord Jesus, the many grudges we have, festering in our hearts, eating up our very selves, and poisoning our relationships especially with those closest to us; heal us, most merciful Jesus, of the grudges that have tore us apart and make us whole again as persons, family and friends; take away within us whatever vestiges of grudges we have against anyone so we may move forward in life, let go of revenge and ill desires for those who may have hurt us.
"In you, O Lord, I take refuge; let me never be put to shame. In your justice rescue me, and deliver me; incline your ear to me, and save me" (Psalm 71:1) instead of harboring grudges inside me against anyone. Amen.
“Salome with the Head of John the Baptist” painting by Caravaggio (1607) at the National Gallery of London; photo from en.wikipedia.org.
The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Wednesday, Memorial of St. Augustine, Bishop & Doctor of the Church, 28 August 2024 2 Thessalonians 3:6-10, 16-18 <*{{{{>< + ><}}}}*> Matthew 23:27-32
Commuters hang from the back of a jeepney as it travels along a road in Manila, the Philippines, on Sunday, April 9, 2017. Photographer: Veejay Villafranca/Bloomberg via Getty Images.
Glory and praise to you, God our loving Father for the gift of this great Saint, Augustine, son of St. Monica, Bishop and Teacher of the Church; in him, O God, you showed us every saint has a sinful past and that no sinner can be denied of a saintly future.
It was St. Augustine who taught us among his so many teachings that "grace builds on nature" which he must have learned from his own experiences, from his conversion to Christianity to becoming a priest then a bishop that did not happen like a magic trick by God but with hard work wrapped in intense prayers by him and St. Monica; what a tremendous blessing that as we honor him today, our first is from a letter by his inspiration, St. Paul:
For you know how one must imitate us. For we did not act in a disorderly way among you, nor did we eat food received free from anyone. On the contrary, in toil and drudgery, night and day we worked, so as not to burden any of you. Not that we do not have the right. Rather, we wanted to present ourselves as a model for you, so that you might imitate us. In fact, when we were with you, we instructed you that if anyone was unwilling to work, neither should that one eat (2 Thessalonians 3:7-10).
Remind us, O God in Jesus Christ like St. Augustine, what is essential is the inside not the outside; let us not be like the Pharisees and scribes, hypocrites, looking like "whitewashed tombs that appear beautiful on then outside but inside are full of dead men's bones and every kind of filth" (Matthew 23:27).
Grant us the zeal and enthusiasm like St. Augustine to strive in becoming a better person, most of all a better Christian by working hard in cultivating the prayer life, love for the Sacred Scriptures so that Jesus may dwell always in our hearts. Amen.
Quiet Storm by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II, 27 August 2024
Photo of St. Monica from the cover of the book “St. Monica Club: How to Wait, Hope and Pray For Your Fallen-away Loved Ones by Maggie Green, Sophia Institute Press, 2019.
Today we celebrate the Memorial of St. Monica, mother of St. Augustine. She has always been associated with her son Augustine who is considered as one of the great saints of the Church with so much impact in our theology and almost every Catholic teaching. It was through the prayers and many sacrifices by St. Monica that St. Augustine was converted to Christianity who eventually became a priest then later as Bishop and Doctor of the Church. That is why during the Vatican II reforms of the liturgy, her memorial celebration was moved from May 4 to August 27, a day before St. Augustine’s memorial too.
Next to the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Monica is perhaps the best example of motherhood beyond compare. Patron saint not only of wives and mothers, St. Monica is also the Patroness of those seeking patience and victims of abuse.
Most probably, stories about her suffering in silence in being married to an abusive and philandering pagan husband named Patricius were “overextended” to the extent we Filipinos got a very wrong impression of a “martyr” as being a wife who willingly bears without complaints the abuses by her husband.
St. Monica was very far from that kind of “martyr” but was in fact a “martyr” to the truest sense of its meaning from the Greek word martyria that means to witness Jesus Christ. Witnessing for Christ by bearing sufferings does not mean allowing one’s self to be abused freely by anyone; witnessing for Christ is primarily living a life centered on Jesus in prayers that flow into good works and holiness. Martyrdom is overcoming evil with goodness that is why many times, it ends with death – but, it is not as a defeat but as a triumph that leads to conversion of sinners and unbelievers, exactly how Christianity spread before and until now wherever Christians are persecuted.
According to St. Augustine’s own account in his book Confessions, although domestic abuse was prevalent during their time, their ill-tempered father never beat their mother. Her daily prayers especially her frequent going to the Mass with so many acts of charities to the poor irritated their father Patricius and yet led him to respect St. Monica. Eventually, her prayer life that found expressions in her almsgiving and kindness to everyone won the heart of Patricius, calmed his violent tendencies until he finally converted to Christianity before his death.
Before calming and converting her husband, St. Monica first won over her equally difficult to deal with mother-in-law! So, for those having problems with in-laws, St. Monica is the go-to saint for you!
But it is not that easy at all. We need to do the efforts, to cultivate a prayer life and allow God to work in us in order to grow in faith, hope, and love as well as the virtues especially patience. All these aspects of her faith flowed in her remaining so sweet and gentle despite her problematic husband and three children (whom Patricius refused to be baptized as Christians) that she was able to exercise a good influence over abused wives and suffering mothers who were so moved by St. Monica’s example.
Now here is the funny thing that most likely mothers and wives today would surely laugh at – St. Monica’s advise: “If you can master your tongue, not only do you run less risk of being beaten, but perhaps you may even, one day, make your husband better.”
Huwag daw po kuda nang kuda, mga Nanay at mga Misis…
Having spent most of my 26 years as a priest ministering to students and young people (exactly 17 years and counting), I used to tell them how often our mothers’ nagging is actually their love language; they may be saying a lot even without thinking at all but that’s because they love us, they care for us. That is why I find it amazing, so prophetic when Filipino mothers speak the same thing when children come home, hurt and beaten after not listening to their words of caution: “Sinasabi ko na nga ba…!”
Photo from shutterstock.com
Many times, mothers are prophetic; listen to whatever they may be saying because so often, they tell the truth. About us or of then people we go out with.
One thing I miss these days after my mom’s death in May are her words of love and wisdom as well as her nagging with accompanying threats (tatamaan ka sa akin or lalayasan ko kayo). Psychologists say that is wrong for parents to threaten their kids. I don’t really know but from my own experience those were perfectly examples of tough love that made us strong.
Now Mommy or Mamu as we called her since becoming a grandma is gone, no one reminds us or nags us anymore. And the worst part of that is, you have no one to make sumbong. We have lost somebody willing listen to all of our kuda.
That I think makes every mother to suffer a lot because they keep so many of her children’s pains and hurts, including anger and complaints in their hearts: many times they explain but we refuse to listen, accusing her of bias and favoritism. There are times she would say “hayaan mo na lang anak”… she would be talking and talking again of many things.
Every Nanay is a Sta. Monica, suffering in silence because she has always been loving us in silence. Truly, when a mother dies, our links are never cut off from her as if the umbilical cord remains intact. And wireless up to heaven. How funny that we complain often our our mother’s nagging and endless talking but when she becomes silent, we miss her. Now because we are sure she loves us so much.
Sharing with you this most beautiful tribute of four brothers to their Nanay I found last night in the internet now with 4M views. Pray for all mothers today, thank God for their great gift of life.
The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Tuesday, Memorial of St. Monica, Married Mother, 27 August 2024 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3, 14-17 <*((((>< + ><))))*> Matthew 23:23-26
Photo by author, St. Scholastica Spiritual Center, Tagaytay City, 20 August 2024.
I thank you today, dear God our Father for the gift of mothers as we celebrate today the Memorial of St. Monica, mother of St. Augustine.
Therefore, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught, either by an oral statement or by a letter of ours. May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting encouragement and good hope through his grace, encourage your hearts and strengthen them in every good deed and word (2 Thessalonians 2:15-17).
How wonderful to find St. Monica handled her life with prayer, the most beautiful tradition the Church had always taught and passed on since its beginning; it was St. Monica's life of prayer that flowed out into the grace of patience and perseverance as well as kindness to others leading ultimately to undying hope in God's goodness in converting first her pagan husband Patricius and then their three sons led by the eldest St. Augustine.
Thank you dear God for our mothers who shed tears when we go wayward as children so lost in a life of sin, and for us aching and hurting deep inside only mothers can detect and empathize with.
Thank you dear God for our mothers who have taught us the importance of prayer and goodness to others and most especially of the value of sincerity than hypocrisy. Bless all mothers today, merciful Father, may they find comfort in Jesus always. Amen.
Photo of St. Monica from the cover of the book “St. Monica Club: How to Wait, Hope and Pray For Your Fallen-away Loved Ones by Maggie Green, Sophia Institute Press, 2019.
Quiet Storm by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II, 26 August 2024
Image from Pinterest.
There are two great documentaries now streaming at Netflix worth watching to cap your long weekend this Monday. I watch Netflix only on Sunday afternoon to evening after my Masses but with so much spare time these long weekend, we tried doing it earlier than usual.
Very often, choosing a movie has always been a struggle with me that always ends up with replays like last Friday of Steven Seagal’s 1988 Above the Law. Aside from old movies, I have always loved old actors that is why when I saw Ed Harris and John Malkovich in the cast of new offerings by Netflix, I immediately jumped on them.
Ed Harris photo from m.imdb.com.
Having spent my early childhood with the weekly series Wild Wild West in the late 60’s, I naturally went first with Ed Harris as narrator of that six-part Western documentary series “Wyatt Earp and the Cowboy War”. You can finish it in one sitting with each series less than 50 minutes each. Though he is not like the voice-over talents of History Channel, Harris breathed on life and contemporariness in one of America’s earliest version of today’s so media-hyped stories and personalities. Harris was so cool and suave as narrator yet authoritative even pedagogical in his manner in explaining history and social psychology in presenting the latest facts and insights on the celebrated life of Wyatt Earp complete with photos and reenactments.
From Netflix.com.
Earp and his two brothers served as marshals in the prosperous town of Tombstone in Arizona following the discovery of silver in the area after the American Civil War. Before the coming of gold, it was silver that was propelling the American economy at that time to new heights. However, following the shooting incident between the Earps and a group of bandits led by one Ike Clanton at the O.K. Corral, it eventually led to the so-called Cowboy War.
The series is very engaging with a lot of sprinklings of American politics and businesses, notably the stories behind the growth and influences behind notable banks Wells-Fargo and investment house JP Morgan along with the growing power of newspaper industry in the US that fed on the appetite of so many people eager for news and chismis!
In short, the series delved on the resolution and ending of the Cowboy War that eventually paved the way for the conquest of the American West through business and economics that have cemented it until now as a bastion of the mighty dollar.
John Malkovich from netflix.com.
After that quick marathon, we shifted to our next movie, Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile. Actually, I had to check again the details of the movie that sounded like a horror one; but, after finding out that one of our all-time favorite John Malkovich was indeed in the cast of the movie based on the first-person account book by Liz Kendall as long-time girlfriend of the “most sadistic sociopath” in crime history, Ted Bundy, we went for it straight!
You know very well the flamboyance of Malkovich in whatever role he had played in his long career. In this docu-film based on that book by Kendall, Malkovich superbly handled Bundy’s trial like the actual judge, Edward Cowart. At the end of the movie, they were splices of actual footages of the Bundy trial that was also the first nationally televised court trial in the US. At first I thought it was part of the “dramatic enhancement” by Malkovich of the hearing for dramatic impact but it turned out that it was exactly how Judge Cowart spoke and behaved in his courtroom. It was so close to the truth except Cowart was portly unlike Malkovich who was nonetheless able to mimic him perfectly in his antics and style.
Netflix displayed a great genius in this film made a few years after their docuseries The Ted Bundy Tapes. When we saw that series, we were so focused on the evil ways of Bundy; in this movie, we are offered with a more personal or human touch in the inhumanity of Bundy through his longtime girlfriend Kendall.
From Netflix.com
And here lies the point of convergence of this two new Netflix movies: both Wyatt Earp and the Cowboy War and Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile presented the veracity of that expression widely attributed to Edmund Burke that “The only thing necessary for evil to triumph if for good men to do nothing.”
It is always good to see the triumph of good over evil even if sometimes it takes a long while.
In Wyatt Earp and the Cowboy War, Harris narrated so well how Earp was so maligned by the vicious liar Clanton who got the whole town behind him for a time. In the movie we are reminded how we always have to sacrifice and endure sufferings to correct evils prevailing even in the society. Most of all, no one can live forever on sin and evil, on violence and war. There will come a time when we just have to cease all violence and retire in silence to let peace have a chance to be won and restored.
In Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile, we are cofnronted with the most difficult truth and reality of standing against evil and sin even if the ones perpetrating them is a loved one. Admittedly, I have forgotten how Bundy was finally arrested and linked to the numerous cases of kidnapping, rape and murders that experts believe may run to more than 100 women and young girls.
From Netflix.com.
So interesting in this movie is the fact that it was Kendall, his girlfriend who actually tipped the police about Bundy that eventually led to his arrest. You should see the opening and the closing scenes when Kendall and Bundy finally met anew in prison while he was awaiting execution. That was during those ten years of incarceration while awaiting his execution when Bundy who was superbly played by Zac Efron had maintained innocence to all the crimes until after that visit by Kendall. It was very chilling but praiseworthy of the great courage and strong moral compass of that woman Kendall who did not allow evil to perpetuate even inside her home.
See both movies and examine also your stand for what is true and good, fair and just. And human, most of all.
The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Monday in the Twenty-first Week of Ordinary Time, Year II, 26 August 2024 2 Thessalonians 1:1-5, 11-12 <*((((>< + ><))))*> Matthew 23:13-22
Photo by author, St. Scholastica Spirituality Center, Tagaytay City, 21 August 2024.
Thanks be to God, our loving Father, the month of August is about to end, always a difficult time of the year for various reasons that some have called it a "ghost month"; of course, it is not true at all! August is the month of so many great saints and celebrations that remind us of your presence among us amid the many hardships and difficulties.
We ought to thank you God always for you, brothers and sisters, as is fitting, because your faith flourishes ever more, and the love of every one of you for one another grows ever greater… This is evidence of the just judgment of God, so that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God for which you are suffering. We always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and powerfully bring to fulfillment every good purpose and every effort of faith, that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in him, in accord with the grace of our God and Lord Jesus Christ (2 Thessalonians 1:3, 5, 11-12).
Dear God our Father, make us twice worthy like the Thessalonians in the midst of many trials this August: to be worthy of the kingdom of God who is Jesus Christ our Lord, and to be worthy of your calling in His most Holy Name; many times, we have become the modern scribes and Pharisees, modern hypocrites who "lock the Kingdom of heaven before men" with so many of us, especially in the clergy without any desires at all of getting closer to Jesus nor entering heaven!
Make us worthy of Jesus Christ, the Kingdom of God by embracing and carrying our cross, of suffering with the people, most especially praying and sacrificing with the people.
Make us worthy of your calling, dear Father to be your presence among men and women in this turbulent times when ironically, as we advance in science and technology, that more we grow apart from each other and from our very selves.
Help us find our way back to You, Father in Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit with Mary and your Saints. Amen.
Photo by author, St. Scholastica Spirituality Center, Tagaytay City, 21 August 2024.
The Lord Is My Chef Sunday Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B, 25 August 2024 Joshua 24:1-2, 15-17, 18 ><}}}}*> Ephesians 5:21-32 ><}}}}*> John 6:60-69
Photo by author, St. Scholastica Spirituality Center in Tagaytay City, 21 August 2024.
We now come to the fifth and final installment of the “Bread of Life” discourse by Jesus found only in John’s gospel. The series comes to a full circle this Sunday with the appearance anew of the disciples.
Recall when this started last Sunday of July, Jesus and His disciples were supposed to rest in a deserted place but a great crowd had followed them. After teaching the people, Jesus asked Philip to test him where they could buy food for the crowd; Andrew joined their conversation to present a young boy with five loaves of bread and two pieces of fish. Jesus took the bread and fish to miraculously feed the more than 5000 people with many leftovers!
Jesus then fled from the scene when He felt the people planned to make Him their king; the people caught up with Him in Capernaum where Jesus taught them about Himself as the “living bread that came down from heaven.” The people questioned Jesus, then they murmured, and later quarreled among themselves upon hearing these words from Jesus.
A depiction of a biblical scene from John 6:61. The scene captures the moment when Jesus perceives that his disciples are murmuring among themselves and he addresses them with the question, ‘Doth this offend you?’. The illustration is in the style of early-century religious frescoes, prominent during the Byzantine era, represented in a digital format. Imagine brightly colored robes, expressions of perplexity on the disciples’ faces, and a tranquil yet questioning expression on Jesus’s face. The overall tone should be intense yet enlightening, inspired by digital art aesthetic. From bible.art.
All along these past three weeks during the discourse by Jesus with the people interacting with Him extensively, the disciples were silent, even nowhere nor mentioned at all by John until today.
Many of Jesus’ disciples who were listening said, “This saying is hard; who can accept it?” Since Jesus knew his disciples were murmuring about this, he said to them, “Does this shock you? What if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the spirit that gives life, while the flesh is of no avail. The words I have spoken to you are Spirit and life. But there are some of you who do not believe” (John 6:60-64).
Photo by author, St. Scholastica Spirituality Center in Tagaytay City, 21 August 2024.
The scene is worth reflecting which started and ended with the disciples at the forefront but unfortunately, this time sadly mimicked the murmuring of the people as they expressed too the worst about the bread of life discourse of Jesus, “This saying is hard; who can accept it?”
It was as if the gavel had banged the table to finish all discussions by Jesus who was again not bothered at all like in the past four weeks. In fact, John tells us Jesus was not surprised at all with the adverse reactions by His disciples, “Since Jesus knew his disciples were murmuring about this, he said to them, ‘Does this shock you? What if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before?'”
In the original Greek, the word used by John was “skandalizo” – somewhat like, “were you scandalized?” The verbs used vary in the English translations, from “offend”, “disturb”, and “shock” as we have in our lectionary. All words evoke disbelief and distrust that lead to desertion because literally speaking, skandal in Greek means a stone that causes one to trip or fall, a stumbling block. Nobody would ever want to trip or fall or be led into a sin or troubles like what we see these days with so many scams going on especially in the internet.
Photo by author, James Alberione Center, QC, 15 August 2024.
What is so sad and very strange with today’s gospel is how of all people there in Capernaum, the disciples were the ones who were “shocked” with the statements by Jesus that “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink” (Jn.6:54-55, August 18)!
Jesus must be saying the same thing today when so many Catholics are still the ones who could not believe the teachings of Christ as echoed by the Church not only about the Eucharist but those on sex and marriage, and most of all, on heaven and eternal life!
“Does this shock you?“ How hard it is to believe and accept the words of Jesus Christ these days when we His disciples are the ones who who could not accept the value of the Holy Mass? Until now since the waning of COVID-19, people have refused to go back to the Mass, preferring to go online, surfing on a smorgasbord of homilies by priests turned celebrities.
Remember, the minimum requirement for any Catholic to be considered as “good” is celebrating the Mass every Sunday. When we go to Mass on Sundays inside an actual church with others, we reassert and reaffirm our faith in God just like Joshua and the Israelites in the first reading before entering the Promised Land. Every participation in the Sunday Mass as a community of disciples and believers is an expression of our shared commitment and public profession of faith in God.
“Does this shock you?” With all kinds of alibis and excuses amid many murmurings, some Catholics believe that for as long as you do not commit murder, you can still get to heaven even if you skip the third commandment. Going back to the first reading, every Mass is that pledge in the wilderness by the chosen people led by Joshua, whose name means, “God is my Savior”, a derivative of the name Jesus; but, this time, it is Jesus Christ Himself, the Son of God who is with us celebrating the Holy Mass, speaking to us in the liturgy of the Word and giving Himself to us, Body and Blood, to sustain our long journey to the promised land of eternal life that begins right here, right now. Every Sunday Mass is a dress rehearsal of our entry into heaven!
Photo by author, St. Scholastica Spirituality Center in Tagaytay City, 21 August 2024.
“Does this shock you?” Most shocking of all is when priests as disciples of Christ do not prepare for the Holy Mass, when they do not celebrate the Mass prayerfully that people find valid reasons not to come at all. It is the most shocking shock of all when priests themselves have no plans of going to heaven, dragging the people to hell with their mediocre celebrations!
We always say the Eucharist is the summit and source of Christian life but how can it be when Jesus is missing in the celebrations that priests could not even dress properly for the Mass? Whatever happened to Paul’s reminder for us to be subordinate to one another out of reverence to Christ (Eph. 5:21), of having Jesus as the center and foundation of our lives especially priests?
If the Eucharist is the source and summit of Christian life, then our lives are changed in Christ, starting with the priest himself as pastor of the community. We priests have a great role and responsibility in making every liturgy meaningful, filled with Christ in our life of prayer and service centered on Christ. Everything then follows in the parish when there is a good liturgy. St. John Paul II stressed in Ecclesia de Eucharistia that everything in the parish must be rooted, must spring forth from the Eucharist, a fruit of the Eucharist. Where do we go if the priest does not celebrate the Mass daily or meaningfully, nourishing the people’s hunger and thirst for Christ?
Photo by author, St. Scholastica Spirituality Center in Tagaytay City, 21 August 2024.
After five weeks of listening to Christ’s discourse of the bread of life, Jesus is asking each of us here, “Do you also want to leave?” Shall we answer like Peter who said, “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are theHoly One of God” (Jn. 6:68-69)?
Can we make that same stand for Jesus like Peter in Capernaum or that centurion on Good Friday who declared with conviction, “Truly this man is the Son of God” (Mk.15:39) that is why we come to Mass every Sunday? Or, like Thomas the Apostle eight days after Easter, can we pray with conviction “my Lord and my God” when the Body and Blood of Christ are lifted up during consecration?
Again, we are called to faith in Jesus Christ today. Like love, faith is to commit one’s self to God or to anyone not because one is so sure of one’s self but because one is so sure of the other. Sadly, the other disciples were not sure with Christ – nor with themselves that they simply left and went back to their old ways! And that’s the most shocking of all in these days of too much self and bloated egos.
It is a very long weekend in the Philippines, don’t forget to go to Mass today! Have a blessed week ahead, everyone.
Lawiswis ng Salita ni P. Nicanor F. Lalog II, Ika-22 ng Agosto 2024
Larawan kuha ng may-akda, Sacred heart Novitiate, Novaliches, QC, 20 Marso 2024.
Halina't magpahingalay hindi lamang upang mapawi pagod at hirap kungdi sarili ay mabawi sa kawalang kabuluhan at mga kaguluhan, pagkawindang mapigilan kaayusan ng buhay ay mabalikan; limang tanong sana makatulong upang landas ng makatuturang buhay ating masundan:
Larawan kuha ng may-akda sa Alfonso, Cavite, Abril 2024.
"Nasaan ka?"
Kay gandang balikan nang ang Diyos ay unang mangusap sa tao, ito ang kanyang tanong sa lalaking nagkasala at nagtago, "nasaan ka?" Nang maganap unang krimen, Diyos ay nagtanong din kay Cain, "nasaan kapatid mong si Abel?"
"Nasaan" lagi nating tanong lalo na't sarili ang nawawala tumutukoy di lamang sa lunan kungdi sa kalagayan at katayuan ng sarili madalas ay sablay at mabuway; magpahingalay upang tumatag at maging matiwasay.
Larawan kuha ng may-akda sa Camp John Hay, Baguio City, 12 Hulyo 2023.
Susunod na dalawang tanong ay magkadugtong: "Saan ka pupunta?" at "Paano ka makakarating doon?"
Walang mararating at kahihinatnan sino mang hindi alam kanyang pupuntahan maski na moon na tinitingala hindi matingnan, magroadtrip broom broom man lamang! Muling mangarap libre at masarap higit sa lahat magkaroon ng layon na inaasam-asam!
Larawan kuha ni Bb. Ria De Vera sa Banff, Alberta, Canada, 07 Agosto 2024.
Nasaan ka? Saan ka pupunta? Paano ka makakarating doon? Ang mga unang tatlong tanong sa ating pamamahingalay nitong paglalakbay ng buhay; ika-apat na tanong naman dapat nating pagnilayan ay "Ano aking dadalhin sa paglalakbay?"
Marahil pinakamahalagang dalhin ang ating sarili hindi mga gamit o kasangkapan dahil kaalinsabay ng mga dalahin ay ating mga iiwanan din; huwag nang magkalat ng gamit bagkus iwanan ay bakas ng mabuting katauhan pagmamalasakit sa iba pang naglalakbay sa landas nitong buhay!
Larawan kuha ng may-akda, St. Scholastica Spiritual Center, Tagaytay, 21 Agosto 2024.
Ngayo'y dumako tayo sa huling tanong nitong pagpapahingalay upang mabawi ating sarii di lamang pagod ay mapawi: "Sino iyong kasama sa paglalakbay sa buhay?"
Ito marahil pinakamahirap sagutin maski harapin dahil problema natin hindi naman mga nabigong pangarap at adhikain kungdi nasira at nawasak nating mga ugnayan bilang pamilya at magkakaibigan; may kasabihan mga African, kung ibig mong maglakbay ng mabilis, lumakad kang mag-isa ngunit kung ibig mong malayo marating, magsama ka ng kasabay sa paglalakbay.
Dito ating makikita diwa at buod ng tunay na pagpapahingalay o pagpapahinga: mula sa salitang "hinga" ang magpahinga ay mahingahan ng iba, mapuno ng iba; mauubos tayo parang upos sa dami ng ibig nating maabot at marating, huwag mag-atubiling tumigil, mamahinga, magpahingalay sa Panginoong Diyos na Siya nating buhay at kaganapan na tiyak din nating hahantungan sa walang hanggang pahingalay. Hayaang Siya sa ating umalalay at pumuno ng hininga ng buhay!
Quiet Storm by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II, 21 August 2024 Photos and poem, annual clergy retreat, 19-23 August 2024 St. Scholastica Spiritual Center in Tagaytay City
Vacare Deo: A vacation with God a most awaited Sabbath when He is truly Lord and God, and we are His children; He the Creator, we His creature so beloved coming home to Him, back in Paradise.
Vacare Deo: A vacation with God to be with Him, to experience Him, to find and listen to Him, not that He is lost but because we have drifted and turned away from Him.
Thank you for finding me, O God, in making me stop to find myself anew to enjoy this beautiful journey with your gift of company; breathe in me your Holy Spirit to fill and animate me with love and passion in finding and following Jesus Christ in everything especially within!
Quiet Storm by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II, 19 August 2024
“Christ and Rich Young Ruler” by Heinrich Hofmann from en.wikipedia.org.
The volcanic smog from Taal that has shrouded the south since early Monday morning inspired me tonight to share with you this short reflection from the gospel:
Jesus said to him,”If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” When the young man heard this statement, he went away sad, for he had many possessions (Matthew 19:21-22).
I have been trying to imagine not only the sad face of the young man but most of all, the sadness of Jesus. Most often, the first image of a sad Jesus who comes to our mind is when he was in His Passion and Crucifixion.
That’s understandable.
Try imagining, reflecting Jesus sad when we are sad like at the death of His friend Lazarus. The beloved disciple tells us in his gospel account that upon seeing the sisters Mary and Marta, Jesus became more sad not only with the death of a good friend.
If there is one thing we can always be sure of, Jesus shares our feelings too! When we are sad, Jesus must be most sad too. And how unfair when we fail to see the sadness too of Jesus as if we suffer or grieve alone. Perhaps, it is a part of our pa-victim syndrome, of us being on the distaff side always of the story. Let us not forget Jesus because failing to experience and realize the sadness of Christ means we are still filled with pride, so self-centered and most likely, after overcoming our sadness, we would still keep our “possessions”. What a tragedy that has become a vicious circle with us priests.
Photo by author, Chapel of the Angel of Peace, 25 June 2024.
When is Jesus sad?
As we begin our retreat tonight here in Tagaytay, I feel Jesus saddest when we His priests are sad in celebrating the Mass and other sacraments, in doing our ministry. Jesus cries so hard in shame when we priests are not only sad but also angry, even insolently ministering to the people especially when they are poor.
How easy it is for us priests to readily identify with the young man being sad even with our admission or confession of having many possessions. That’s very easy, like saying sorry from the nose. But, are we ready to let go of our attachments so we become joyful in Christ again as seen in the way we celebrate especially the Mass?
When we priests are sad in our ministry, people are more sad that makes Jesus most sad of all! In the first place, no one – nobody – among the people must be saddened by priests or by the Church as an institution. Priesthood is the joy of Jesus Christ!
It is a grave contradiction that we ever be that rich young man in the gospel portrayed as sad due to many possessions. Its deepest pain and cut is found in the very reason of this sadness: Jesus is most sad when we priests are sad because He knows very well we are no longer His.
Photo by author, St. Scholastica Spiritual Center, Baguio City, August 2023.
This kind of sadness which is so negative (because we can be sad too like everyone) starts subtly when we priests are inconvenienced, when we have to sacrifice and suffer, forgetting that it is the life we have freely embraced in the first place. Some priests presumed we can suspend for a while our commitments and vows, and simply be human, whatever that means. So, they stop praying, stop sacrificing, stop living out the vows of poverty, obedience and celibacy.
As priests sink deeper into sadness, they find themselves already trapped in a festering evil and sin, becoming angry and lazy, making so many alibis and excuses from celebrating the Mass especially funerals for poor parishioners.
When there is the confluence of sloth and anger, then it becomes a point of no return because sadness detaches us priests from Jesus and His people. That is the saddest part of this sadness, of priests living in their make-believe world of vanities and all kinds of possessions. Worst part of this is how the sad priests are totally oblivious to the fact they have infected with their sadness the people they were sent to help liberated from burdens and miseries. That is when people come to the Mass and sacraments because they just have to fulfill an obligation to God that is most sad because God sent priests to bring joy, not sadness.
If a priest is making you sad, pray hard for that priest. You are not alone. Priests are sad when their brother-priests are sad in the ministry too.
But, Jesus is most sad when His priest is sad. Pray hard for His priests especially those who seem to enjoy and laugh with the “good life” but sadly empty inside. A priest is supposed to be a leaven to the people, someone who would help others to rise and grow. And glow in Jesus. Let us pray:
Lord Jesus Christ, our Eternal Priest, sorry for making you sad; most of all, for being sad because of my many possessions; help me find my way back to you to be filled anew with your joy. Amen.
lordmychef.com 