Consider your ways!

The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Thursday, Feast of St. Lorenzo Ruiz & Companion Martyrs, 28 September 2023
Haggai 1:1-8   ><]]]]'> + ><]]]]'> + ><]]]]'> + ><]]]]'>   Luke 9:7-9
Photo by Mr. Jay Javier, August 2023.
Teach me,
O God our Father,
to be sincere and true,
humble and docile
to heed your call 
today to "consider
my ways" in relating
with you and others:

Now thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways! You have sown so much, but have brought in little; you have eaten, but have not satisfied; you have drunk, but have not been exhilarated; have clothed yourselves, but not been warmed; and he who earned wages earned them for a bag with holes in it. Thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways! Go up into the hill country; bring timber, and build the house that I may take pleasure in it and receive my glory, says the Lord.

Haggai 1:5-8
I confess, Lord,
so many times in life
I have been thinking more of
myself and less of you,
less of others,
 and yet,
the more I get
everything and all
the attention, the more
I feel lost and empty
because I do not have you.
How true are your 
words to Haggai, Father:
it is not really working 
on so much but doing
everything for you and 
in you; it is not simply
eating but also feeding 
my soul that is truly
filling; more than drinking
is the reason for celebrating;
better than clothes is
the warmth of another
person; and better than
all the fruits of our labor
are the treasures of
kindness we save
in heaven that is never
lost.
Let us consider
our ways in the light
of Jesus Christ; 
like Herod, many times
we just keep on trying
to see him without 
any firm resolve 
to follow him like
St. Lorenzo Ruiz and
companion martyrs
we celebrate today.

You are so kind,
O God; all you ask us
is to consider our ways
to become witnesses 
of your love without any need
to shed our blood
like St. Lorenzo and
company; make us see,
dear Father, the life 
and joys you offer us
freely, compared to
the ways of the world
that is misleading
and utterly empty,
lacking in meaning.
Amen.

The scourge & mercy of God

The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Wednesday, Memorial of St. Vincent de Paul, Priest, 27 September 2023
Ezra 9:5-9   <*(((>< + ><)))*> __ <*(((>< + ><)))*>   Luke 9:1-6
Photo by author, San Juan, La Union, 25 July 2023.
Show us your will,
your ways,
and your path,
loving Father
in the face of the many
great changes happening now
in our lives,
in our world,
in our places of work;
truly, changes are
inevitable; in the process,
there would be alterations,
destructions in order to build
like the restoration of your
temple after the exile;
but, dear God, 
let us not forget in all these
our own sinfulness
and your mercy and forgiveness.
Give us the grace to cry
and pray like Ezra:

I said: “My God, I am too ashamed and confounded to raise my face to you, O my God, for our wicked deeds are heaped up above our heads and our guilt reaches up to heaven. From the time of our fathers even to this day great has been our guilt, and for our wicked deeds we have been delivered up, we and our kings and our priests, to the will of the kings of foreign lands, to the sword, to captivity, to pillage, and to disgrace, as is the case today. And now, but a short time ago, mercy came to us from the Lord our God…”

Ezra 9:6-8
How sad that we
never learn from
our lessons of past sins,
of how the many scourges
we deserve fell on us that
we still keep on living in evil,
denying its hold on us,
becoming blind to all
the excesses around us
that indeed our wicked deeds
are heaped up above our heads!
 
How sad, most of all,
that we easily forget your
love and mercy,
the forgiveness and 
new life you gave us
to start anew
in rebuilding our lives
in you.
Let us heed
your call and summons
to proclaim Christ's
gospel of forgiveness
and healing like 
St. Vincent de Paul
to the many people
deep into sin
and evil these days
because of fame
and power
and wealth.
Amen.

True belonging

The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Tuesday in the Twenty-fifth Week of Ordinary Time, Year I, 26 September 2023
Ezra 6:7-8, 12, 14-20   ><))))*> + ><))))*> + ><))))*>   Luke 8:19-20
Dome of the sanctuary of the Malolos Cathedral.
God our loving Father,
thank you for the gift
of the sense of belonging;
every one of us long 
to be one with others,
to belong and
be accepted
in one's own family,
circle of friends,
and in various
groups and clubs
that help us grow and
mature as persons.
Sad to say,
many times our sense
of belonging is hinged
on its physical and
outside appearances.

The mother of Jesus and his brothers came to him but were unable to join because of the crowd. He was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside and they wish to see you.” He said to them in reply, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it.”

Luke 8:19-21
More than our
blood relationships
and other basis of
ties as family and friends,
as peoples and a nation,
make us realize 
dear Father that our
belongingness is more
in our hearts;
true belonging is
when our hearts 
are linked together
feeling and believing
in you through
Jesus Christ.
Teach us the same
lessons learned by your
people who were exiled
and have to rebuild the 
temple of Jerusalem upon
their return:  nothing indeed
is permanent in this world
except change; only you,
O God, who does not change!
May we continue
to change into a better
person, a more loving
and kinder fellow,
more understanding
and faithful to 
family and friends
in you through Christ;
we pray for our beloved
family and friends
whose hearts have been
far from us because
of hurts and misunderstandings
in the past; we pray for those 
physically present with 
everyone yet
emotionally
and spiritually absent,
living so far away
from those by their side.
Enable us to open
our hearts anew to your
Holy Spirit that we may
be healed of our hurts
and begin to feel one 
again with others
in faith,
hope and
love in Jesus.
Amen.

Sobra na, tama na!

Lawiswis ng Salita ni P. Nicanor F. Lalog II, Ika-26 ng Setyembre 2023
Larawan mula sa redditt.com ng iskulturang pinamagatang “Love” ni Ukrainian artist Alexander Milov naglalarawan ng inner child sa bawat isa sa atin na ibig palaging makipag-ugnayan sa kapwa.

Hindi po tungkol sa pulitika ang aking lathalain kungdi ukol sa tila lumalabis nang pagkahumaling ng mga tao sa computer at mga makabagong teknolohiya. Sa aking palagay ay sumusobra na pagsaklaw ng teknolihiya sa ating buhay at nawawala na ating pagkatao. Hindi ako magtataka na bukas makalawa, magkakatotoo na nga yata yung dating ipinangangamba na pananakop ng mga robot sa ating buhay o mismo sa ating mga tao!

Ang katotohanan po ay tumigil na akong kumain sa mga fastfood restaurant hindi dahil sa magastos at unhealthy nilang pagkain at inumin kungdi ang mga nakaka-inis na sisteng kailangang pa akong umorder nang nagpipindot sa mga screen nila ng kakanin gayong may mga crew naman sila.

Minsan pauwi ako mula sa pagmimisa sa lamay sa patay sa Bulacan. Hindi ako gaanong nakakain kaya dumaan ako sa McDonald’s sa Nlex Drive and Dine. Ayokong mag-drive thru para doon na rin makapagpahinga ng konti sabay pagpag na rin maski hindi ako naniniwala doon.

Sising-sisi ako at dumaan pa ako doon; sana nga pala ay nag-drive thru na lang ako kasi naman ay ganito po ang nangyari.

Larawan mula sa news.abs-cbn.com

Pagpasok ko sa McDonald’s doon ay tumambad sa akin ang mga higanteng screen na doon daw oorder. Kasinglaki ni Ronald McDonald yung mga screen pero hindi sila friendly kasi natakot ako. Aminado akong tanga at walang alam sa mga iyon. Hindi po ako techie. Kahit naka-iPhone ako, inaamin kong hindi ko pa rin alam hanggang ngayon kung paano ito gamitin. Di ko naintidihan yang mga hacks na iyan.

Wala akong nagawa kungdi sumunod sa crew na naka-ngiti naman. Binasa ko instructions. Pindot dito, pindot doon. Ewan ko. Naghalo na rin siguro gutom at katangahan, pabalik-balik ako sa simula at hindi maka-order. Mayroon akong nakasabay na engot din at lumapit sa amin yung guwardiya upang tulungan kami. Nawalan na ako ng ganang kumain sa inis sa screen, sa sarili ko na rin, at sa pamunuan ng McDonald’s. Bakit hindi na lang kinuha order ko kesa pinahirapan pa ako doon sa electronic counter na yun?

Bakit kailangang pilitin ang lahat na gumamit ng computer para sa pag-order? Hindi ba naiisip ng mga fastfood na ito na mayroong mga taong hindi pa rin gamay at handa sa gayong uri ng transsaksiyon? Ang pinaka-ayoko sa sisteng ito ng modernisasyon na ang lahat ay automated at computerized ay nawawala ang ating “pagkatao”, iyon bang human touch at humanness ika sa Inggles.

Larawan mula sa NLEX.

Sa expressway ay mauunawaan ko pa dahil upang mapabilis ang biyahe, mainam ang RFID. Ngunit may mga pagkakataon na hindi ako nagmamadali na pagkaraan ng nakakapagod na pagmamaneho sa trapik, ang ibig ko lang ay mayroong makitang isang kapwa-tao. Yung bang madama lang yung “warmth of another human person” ay malaking bagay na rin upang mapawi pagod at stress, na para bang nagsasabing hindi ka nag-iisa. Noong dati ay nakakausap ko pa ng kaunti mga teller sa Nlex sa paniniwala na makapagpasaya lang ako ng isa pang nilalang na maaring bigat na bigat sa problema. Ngayon, wala na yung koneksiyon na iyon kaya hindi kataka-taka, marami sa atin ang disconnected sa isa’t-isa maging sa sarili! Kaya sabog maraming tao ngayon. Siguro kung maibabalik lang natin marami nang nawalang human interaction, mababawasan yang mga road rage sa lansangan.

Isang nakakamiss para sa akin ang magpunta sa bangko at pumila, makahunta ilang mga tao doong kakilala pati na ang manager at magagandang teller. Iyon ang wala sa electronic banking. Totoong convenient at mabilis ang pagbabangko gamit ang cellphone o computer ngunit napaka-impersonal! Iyon na ba ang mahalaga sa atin ngayon, kaginhawahan kesa ugnayan sa kapwa tao?

Pakikipag-ugnayan ang layon ng komunikasyon. Para sa akin, ang pinakamagandang paglalahad ng kahulugan ng komunikasyon ay mula sa Pastoral Instruction na Communio et Progressio sa pagpapatupad ng dokumento ng Vatican II sa social communication na Inter Mirifica:

Communication is more than the expression of ideas and the indication of emotion. At its most profound level it is the giving of self in love. Christ’s communication was, in fact, spirit and life.

Communio et Progessio, #11

Sa lahat ng nilalang ng Diyos, tao lamang ang kanyang binahaginan ng kanyang kapangyarihang makipagtalastasan o komunikasyon. Ang aso ay tumatahol, pusa nagme-meow at ang baboy ay nag-o-oink-oink. Ngunit ang tao, nagsasalita, nangungusap. Naiintindihan, nauunawaan. At kapag nangyari iyon, nagkakaroon ng ugnayan at kaisahan. Communication, tapos communion.

Hindi ito nangyayari sa computer. Manapa, madalas pakiwari ko ay inuulol tayo ng mga ito! Ano kalokohan yung alam mo namang AI (artificial intelligence) o robot ang “kausap” mo tapos sasagot ka sa kahon na “I am not a robot”? At, mantakin mong utusan ka ng Waze o Google map na pakiwari mas alam niya lahat kesa iyo?

Kaya siguro maraming high blood din ngayon kasi nga kapag sumablay mga teknolohiyang ito lalo na ang mahinang signal, tapos na lahat ng usapan. Sa gayon, walang napagkakayarian, walang napagkakasunduan kaya wala ring kaisahan.

Ito rin ang hindi ko magustuhan sa ipinagmamalaki ng dati kong upisina at network, iyong kailang AI-sportscasters.

larawan mula sa gmanetwork.com.

Heto na yata ang rurok ng kalabisan sa pagkamaliw ng karamihan sa teknolohiya. Unang tanong natin dito ay ano po ba ang turing ng mga kumpanyang gumagamit nito sa kanilang mga taga-tangkilik? Tayo ba ay pinahahalagahan pa nila at ipinauubaya na lamang tayo sa mga robot?

Higit sa maraming mahuhusay na tagapagbalita, sa ganang akin walang puwang sa newscast o ano mang uri ng pagbabalita ang mga AI dahil ang komunikasyon ay ugnayan. Communication is a relationship, lalo na balita at isports. Kahit na maperfect pa ang teknolohiyang iyan, hindi mapapalitan at di dapat mapalitan ang tao sa pakikipag-ugnayan sa kapwa tao.

Ikalawa, ano ang dahilan para magkaroon ng AI na sportscaster? Magmalaki? Magyabang? Ano pa kaya gusto ng GMA-7 gayong wala na silang kalaban?

At dapat nilang asikasuhin ay mabigyan tayo ng buhay na mga programa, coverage na umaantig sa aming pagkatao, kayang hipuin kaibuturan ng aming sarili upang madama tuwa at lungkot ng bawat tagumpay at kabiguan saan mang larangan ng buhay. Maramdaman nating hindi tayo nag-iisa sa pag-aasam ng tagumpay at kaunlaran dahil mayroong kaming mga kalakbay sa biyaheng ito ng buhay. Iyon ang kahulugahan ng integrated news – buo. Paanong naging integrated news kung hindi naman tao ang sportscaster nila? Hindi ba doon pa lamang ay sira na ang kabuuan? Sila ba ay mayroong puso para ituring na Kapuso?

Ang kailangan ay isang kapwa na makakasama sa buhay lalo na sa media. Sa Inggles, tawag doon ay companion. Mula sa dalawang salitang Latin, cum na ibig sabihi’y with o kasama at panis na kahulugan ay bread o tinapay; sa literal na salin, ang companion – cum panis – ay kahati sa tinapay. “Someone you break bread with.” Ang tinapay naman ay tanda ng ating sarili, ng ating buhay. .

Samakatwid, ang companion o kasama ay isang kapwa na nagbabahagi ng kanyang sarili sa kapwa upang mabuhay din. Iyan ang dangal at karangalan ng pagbabalita na sadya namang maipagmamalaki ng GMA News mula marami nilang mahuhusay na newscasters at reporters. Kaya lahat ay nalungkot nang pumanaw si G. Mike Enriquez na naging bahagi ng buhay ng maraming kababayan natin sa kanyang estilo ng pagbabalita. Taong-tao siya, ika nga.

Larawan kuha ng may-akda, Our Lady of Fatima University, Valenzuela City, 13 Setyembre 2023.

Kaya rin naman sa Banal na Misa, ang tawag doon ay Banal na Komunyon, ang pagbabahagi at pagtanggap sa Katawan ni Kristo sa anyo ng tinapay. Nakiisa sa atin si Jesus sa lahat ng bagay sa ating katauhan liban sa kasalanan tulad ng gutom at uhaw, lungkot at hapis, kabiguan maging sakit at kamatayan upang makabahagi niya tayo sa kanyang buhay at tagumpay.

Walang ganyang umiiral sa mga AI na ito at computerization ng mga sistema sa ating buhay. Sana ay isaalang-alang ito ng mga negosyante at umuugit sa mga industriya lalo na sa media. Ang masakit na katotohanan kasi ay kunwari ay kaunlaran at kadalian o convenience ang kanilang dahilan (para kanino?) kungdi kitang kita naman, pera lang ang suma total. Sa gayon, sa landas na ito ng pagiging impersonal na kalakaran ng maraming bagay gamit ang teknolohiya, unti unti rin tayong nade-dehumanize, nawawala katauhan. Kapag nawala ang katauhan, ano ang pumapalit? Alam na natin iyan. Salamuch po.

Pick up the pieces

The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Monday in the Twenty-fifth Week of Ordinary Time, Year I, 25 September 2023
Ezra 1:1-6   ><]]]]'> + ><]]]]'> + >]]]]'>   Luke 8:16-18
Photo by author, view from Jerusalem temple, May 2019.
Thank you,
dearest God our Father,
in giving us this new day
to pick up the pieces of
our lives, to become better,
to be well, to be fulfilled in you
through Christ Jesus.

Let me claim this life,
Father; let me own 
and embrace this gift
of life to make it good;
let me be focus with 
the present and what lies
ahead, to let go but learn from
the past.  Let me live 
the life you have meant 
for me so that when finally
I have reached the end 
of this journey, you may take
my whole life as my only offering
to you, dear God.
As the psalmist says today,
"The Lord has done great things
for us; we are glad indeed.  
Restore our fortunes, O Lord...
those who sow in tears shall reap
rejoicing.  Although they go forth
weeping, carrying the seed to be sown,
they shall come back rejoicing,
carrying their sheaves."
(Ps. 126:3,5-6).
May your word guide us
as we live our lives, Jesus;
let us shine like lamps to make
you known to everyone,
that you alone O Lord is 
our life and meaning,
our only fulfillment.
We pray also today
for those rebuilding their
lives - those who are finally
set free by all kinds of bondage
to sin and evil, those who have
finally decided on their own
to choose you, to do what is
good, those who have finally
broke free from vices and
every kind of slavery this world
has continued to surreptitiously
promote to hide its sinister plans;
may we find the "goodwill" of 
the many other "King Cyrus of Persia"
you continue to send us, Father, 
so we too, like your exiled people
of old, may start to pick up the
pieces of our lives 
and rebuild our
lives in you again.
Amen.

We are workers in the Lord’s vineyard

The Lord Is My Chef Sunday Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Sunday in the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time, Cycle A, 24 September 2023
Isaiah 55:6-9 ><}}}}*> Philippians 1:20-24, 27 ><}}}}*> Matthew 20:1-16
Photo by author, Church of Dominus Flevit, Jerusalem, May 2017.

We now come to the final installment in the series of teachings by Jesus Christ of what we described as delicate issues affecting even us today. Two Sundays ago it was about fraternal correction, last week was forgiving, and today, something about work and pay that are indeed very delicate for many of us, even ticklish.

Recall that love is the main motivation why we must correct those who sin and go wayward in life. It is also love that moves us to forgive those who repeatedly sin against us.

In today’s parable of the workers in the vineyard, Jesus is also teaching us about love that results when we learn to be just and generous with others because these two are the minimum requirements of love. It is in our field of work and in the issues of pay and wages when our being Christians are most tested when our senses of justice and generosity are blurred and worst, when we even forget God.

Photo by author, 2018, Davao City.

Like last Sunday, Jesus used another parable today to use a simple story of daily life that appeals to our common experiences. What is very interesting is how both parables of the Lord incited hearers to take sides and adopt positions. Last Sunday we too felt indignant against that servant who was forgiven of his loan so huge but could not let go of the debts of his fellow worker that was so little in amount.

But today’s parable has a different twist that we felt swept off by our feet when Jesus through the landowner reacted differently at the grumbling of those workers who worked longer in the vineyard and received same amount with those who worked for less hours yet paid equally.

“When those who have started about five o’clock came, each received the usual daily wage. So when the first came, they thought that they would receive more, but each of them also got the usual wage. And receiving it they grumbled against the landowner, saying, ‘These last workers worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us, who bore the day’s burden and the heat. He said to one of them in reply, ‘My friend, I am not cheating you. Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what is yours and go. What if I wish to give this last one the same as you? Or am I not free to do as I wish with my own money? Are you envious because I am generous?'”

Matthew 20:9-16

Did we not feel surprised, even shocked? Did anyone cry unfair? How could the landowner – God – pay everyone the same amount when others worked so less than the rest?

How sad that when talks are about work and pay, we always insist on justice, especially if we feel the ones shortchanged. And worst, we used it also as our norm for salvation, for entering heaven with some openly declaring who would go to heaven and who would not!

And that is actually the context of the parable when Jesus said “The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out at dawn to hire laborers for his vineyard” (Mt.20:1). This is not just about social justice and just wages but about the goodness of God. The vineyard is God, and heaven. Our salvation. Harvest time means judgment day as well as gathering of everyone in God to receive his blessings of love and salvation, healing and forgiveness.

Jesus Christ came to us like that landowner who never stopped looking and searching for us especially those lost and sinful. Truly a God so loving and merciful, he wants us all saved that as early as dawn and as late as 5 o’clock in the afternoon, he kept looking for workers to be blessed, to have something to bring home and share with their families and loved ones at the end of the day. What a beautiful imagery of God our Father who sent us his Son Jesus Christ so we could all come to him. Here we find the previous two parables still operating in the full sense wherein the landowner’s search for more workers into his vineyard was like Christ’s mandate for us to correct and forgive those who sin.

Photo by author, Church of St. Anne in Jerusalem, May 2017.

This Sunday, Jesus is telling us that each one of us is so loved by God who is overly generous, blessing us with everything we need, giving us all the chances in life to become better.

Therefore, let there be no room among us to own and box God and his blessings! Let us not usurp God’s power and generosity for others. We are all his children. Let no one assume to one’s self that he/she is more worthy to God nor he/she is more entitled much less a favorite of God! Please. Especially those who claim only they would enter heaven?

Today, Jesus is telling us we are all his servants, we are all his workers in his vineyard. Those workers hired at dawn were given a job because God is good. From his kindness, he gave them a silver coin for their wage. It is the same good and loving, kind and generous God who hired the other workers at 9am, noon, 3pm and 5pm with the usual salary. Therefore, it is very wrong for those hired at dawn – for anyone of us today – to complain to God of not receiving more than the others just because we have served longer than them. We have no right at all to command and direct God how he must give or dispense his blessings because whatever we receive from him is out of his goodness and never of our own merit.

Moreover, those workers hired at dawn should actually be grateful to God in giving them work while at the same time rejoice too that God had called others later to receive a decent pay to bring home. Here we find a similarity in the attitude of the elder brother in the parable of the prodigal son who also complained to their father the party thrown for the return of his younger brother (Lk.15:11-32).

We are all workers in the Lord’s vineyard, God’s beloved and forgiven children. What kind of workers, or children of God, are we then?

May we always remember St. Paul’s admonition two Sundays ago to “Owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another” (Rom.13:8). Like in the previous two Sundays, Jesus is inviting us today to imitate him and his ways, to shift_ our existence, our views, our person into higher levels in him, with him and through him. It is the same reminder by Isaiah in the first reading that we must let go of our human ways and thoughts to trust in God’s wisdom always. There are times emotions can run high with us sometimes especially when it comes to remunerations, whether material or spiritual but like the Philippians, we must trust that ultimately, everything in this life is the work of God, even the success of Christ’s gospel. All we need to do is trust in him, be like Jesus, merciful and forgiving. Most of all, generous and loving. Amen. Have a blessed new week!

From Facebook, Easter 2021: “There is an urgency to announce the joy of the Risen Lord.”

Precious and few

The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Friday in the Twenty-fourth Week of Ordinary Time, Year I, 22 September 2023
1 Timothy 6:2-12   ><]]]]'> + ><]]]]'> + ><]]]]'>   Luke 8:1-3
Photo by Dra. Mai Dela Peña, Mt. Carmel, Israel, 2017.
Excuse me, 
loving Father
for being musical since
yesterday in my prayers;
your words have been
literally hitting some
musical chords within me
as I pray and experience
your presence.
How beautiful are the words
of St. Paul today as he urged 
St. Timothy and us 
to focus on the really precious
things in life that are often
having less of things
and more of you,
more of others 
so we can share
more love, 
more kindness,
more being with.

But you, man of God, avoid all this. Instead, pursue righteousness, devotion, faith, love, patience, and gentleness. Compete well for the faith. Lay hold of eternal life, to which you were called when you made the noble confession in the presence of many witnesses.

1 Timothy 6:11-12
Forgive us,
Father, for filling our
lives not only with 
endless desires for
money and things,
fame and honor
but also with so many
ideas and words that
pretend to promote equality
and freedom but actually
result in "arguments and
verbal disputes" that lead to
"envy, rivalry, insults, evil suspicions,
and mutual friction among people
with corrupted minds, deprived 
of the truth" (1 Tm. 6:4-5).
Grant us, 
dear God,
the courage 
to strip ourselves naked
of earthly desires
in order to focus more 
in journeying in Jesus Christ
like those women who 
accompanied him and Twelve
by "providing for them out 
of their resources" (Lk.8:3).
Let us trust in you alone,
Father, that you provide
everything we need
in this life 
as we seek first
your kingdom.
Amen.

Every kind of people

The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Thursday, Feast of St. Matthew, Apostle, 21 September 2023
Ephesians 4:1-7, 11-13   ><}}}}*> + ><}}}}*> + ><}}}}*>   Matthew 9:9-13
Photo by Mr. Virgie Ongleo in Singapore, 2021.
God our loving Father,
on this feast of your Son's
Apostle St. Matthew who used
to be known as Levi, a tax collector,
I pray for all the men and women
who work hard to provide food,
shelter, and clothing for their
families; through St. Matthew,
Jesus Christ had shown us
you love so dearly every working
man and woman who toil and labor
under the most harsh conditions
trying to earn a living.

As Jesus passed by, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the customs post. He said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him.

Matthew 9:9
St. John Chrysostom rightly
noticed how the gospels mentioned
the work of some Apostles called
by Jesus:  Peter, James and John were
fishing while Matthew was collecting
taxes; oh how perceptive were the eyes
and tongue of St. John Chrysostom!
Because fishing was seen as a lowly job
during that time while the taxman was 
the most despicable person for Jews
and yet, Jesus called them!
Lord Jesus,
grant your mercy and comfort,
consolation and help to all workers
so hard pressed in this life,
especially the forgotten who strive
to earn money decently like our
farmers and fishermen,
drivers and vendors,
maidservants and nannies
who working abroad
to care for other families as they
left their own families behind;
bless the cops and traffic enforcers,
our government workers
and officials who live in the darkness
of sin, trapped in the lures of wealth
and money; in calling St. Matthew,
Jesus showed us his daily passing
and calling of everyone of us,
people of all social classes while
they go about their ordinary,
daily work.
Grant us the strength
and courage, dear Jesus,
to be like St. Matthew 
to immediately rise up and
follow you, to leave everything
behind especially sin and evil,
to be detached and to finally
stop activities that are not
compatible in following
you, Lord; like St. Matthew,
may we "write" your gospel
with our very lives of holiness,
making known to everyone
your Divine Mercy.
Dearest Jesus,
open our hearts to 
intently listen to St. Matthew's
voice and message
so we may learn to
rise and stand
then follow you,
Lord, 
with determination.
Amen.

St. Matthew,
pray for us!

When God speaks

The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Wednesday, Memorial of St. Andrew Kim Taegon & Companion Martyrs, 20 September 2023
1 Timothy 3:14-16   ><}}}}*> + ><}}}}*> + ><}}}}*>   Luke 7:31-35
Photo by Dra. Mylene A. Santos, MD at Tagalag, Valenzuela City, 13 September 2023.
Praise and glory
to you, God our loving
Father!  As we celebrate
today the Memorial of Korea's first 
priest martyr St. Andrew Kim Taegon
and his companion martyrs of over
100 others, we thank you too
for the vibrant Christian faith
in that part of the world.

How amazing are your
grace and works, O God
in that "land of the morning calm" -
Korea - where the seeds of faith
were primarily planted by 
lay people touched by 
the few missionaries
who have reached their
shores.

Undeniably great is the mystery of devotion, Who was manifested in the flesh, vindicated in the spirit, seen by angel, proclaimed to the Gentiles, believed in throughout the world, taken up in glory.

1 Timothy 3:16
Great 
is their mystery of devotion
as St Paul put it;
grant us the same grace
of continuing fascination
to Christ's mystery among us
through prayers and studies
of your words and of the
Church's teachings;
let Jesus be manifested 
in our lives of witnessing
as vindicated by the Spirit,
proclaimed and believed,
accepted and embraced
because it is so true
by everyone.
Grant us discernment,
dear God,
to always recognize 
and follow you in the 
various persons and 
instances, no matter how
unusual they or these may be,
for you are a God of surprises.
Amen.
St. Andrew Kim Taegon
and companion martyrs
of Korea,
Pray for us!
St. Andrew Kim Taegon, first Korean priest with his lay associate St. Paul Chong Hasan with 113 other Koreans died as martyrs between 1839 and 1867.