God’s loving care

Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul, 02 October 2025
Thursday, Memorial of the Guardian Angels
Exodus 23:20-23     <*[[[[><  +  ><]]]]*>     Matthew 18:1-5, 10

*Photo by author, Baguio Cathedral, January 2019.*

Thank you,
most loving God our Father
for all your love
and care for us
in giving us 
guardian angels.

“See, I am sending an angel before you, to guard you on the way and bring you to the place I have prepared. Be attentive to him and heed his voice… If you heed his voice and carry out all I tell you, I will be an enemy to your enemies and a foe to your foes” (Exodus 23:20-21, 22).

“And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me. See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father” (Matthew 18:5, 10).

Your words today, O Lord
speak of care,
of caring for us which is 
to protect someone
and to provide things
they need, especially
someone who is young
or sick or vulnerable
like children - and that is
exactly who we are!

Forgive us, Jesus
for those times 
when we act 
great and powerful,
not needing you
disregarding
your angels
when we insist on
doing things 
in our own ways.

We pray also,
Jesus that we be your
guardian angels
to others
especially the weak
and suffering
that we may protect them
as we also keep them
warm and safe always.
Amen.

Angel of God
my guardian dear
to whom God's love
commits me here,
ever this day (or night),
be at my side,
to light and guard,
to rule and guide.
Amen.

Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Our Lady of Fatima University
Valenzuela City
(lordmychef@gmail.com)

Our inner demons

Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul, 29 September 2025
Monday, Memorial of Saints Michael, Gabriel & Raphael, Archangels
Revelation 12:7-12 <*{{{{>< + ><}}}}*> John 1:47-51

*Photo by author, Carmel of the Holy Family Monastery, Guiguinto, Bulacan 25 September 2025.*

Thank you dearest
God our loving Father
for your gift of Archangels
helping us fight our many 
spiritual battles in life;
the wholesale corruption
and looting in government
in connivance with some
contractors has unmasked
the realities of the demons
led by Satan working hard
here in on earth
right in our country;
more than the billions of pesos
they have looted from government,
they have put so many lives in
danger and misery.

Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: “Now have salvation and power come, and the kingdom of our God and the Authority of his Anointed… They conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; love for life did not deter them from death. Therefore, rejoice, you heavens, and you who dwell in them. But woe to you, earth and sea, for the Devil has come down to you in great fury, for he knows he has but a sort time” (Revelation 12:10, 11-12).

But the greatest spiritual battle
against evil and sin, Lord
happens not in government offices
nor halls of Congress nor of the
streets; they happen right here
in our hearts.

All the evil happening now started
in our selfish hearts,
in our malicious minds,
in our uncontrolled appetites for
comfort and luxuries.

Help us fight the demons
within us, Lord Jesus;
pray for us, St. Michael
that we may have the strength
and courage to stand firm
in what is true and just;
pray for us St. Gabriel
that we may speak the
gospel and life of God in this
world so misled by the words
and images of evil masquerading
as good and beautiful; 
pray for us St. Raphael
that we may heal from our
many afflictions in body,
mind, heart and soul.
Amen.

Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Our Lady of Fatima University 
Valenzuela City
(lordmychef@gmail.com)

We are an angel too of everyone

The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Wednesday, Memorial of Guardian Angels, 02 October 2024
Exodus 23:20-23 <*((((>< + ><))))*> Matthew 18:1-5, 10

*Photo by author, Baguio City Cathedral, January 2019.*

How good and gracious
are You, God our Father
in assigning a guardian angel
to each one of us in order 
to lead us closer to You
and eventually,
face-to-face with You
in all eternity!

“See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father” (Matthew 18:10).

Forgive us, O God,
for disobeying our guardian
angels so often when we
choose to sin than remain
in your grace;
forgive us most especially
when we forget we too
are an angel to everyone
tasked to care and look after
of every one especially the
children and elderly who are weak,
the sick and the poor,
those disadvantaged
in our society that does not believe
in You anymore
and in angels.

*Photo by author, Fatima Avenue, Valenzuela City, December 2023.*

“See, I am sending an angel before you, to guard you on the way and bring you to the place I have prepared. Be attentive to him and heed his voice. Do not rebel against him, for he will not forgive your sin. My authority resides in him (Exodus 23:20-21).

Bless us, dear God
to be humble always
like your angels
leading others from
darkness into light,
from ignorance into wisdom
and knowledge,
from bondage to sin
into the grace of freedom
to be more loving and 
faithful in serving You
through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Becoming a messenger of God

The Lord Is My Chef Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Wednesday, Feast of Archangels Michael, Gabriel, & Raphael, 29 September 2021
Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14 ><]]]]'> + ><]]]]'> + ><]]]]'> John 1:47-51

*Photo by Dr. Mylene A. Santos, MD, 2020.*

Praise and glory to you, O God
our loving Father!  Thank you for sending
us your Archangels Michael, Gabriel, and
Raphael for your special messages of
protection, love and healing for us all
though we are not always available.
But most of all, we praise and thank you
for sending us your Son Jesus Christ whom 
we may consider as the "Archangel"
of archangels - your ultimate Messenger
of your truth and love for us.
Through him, You O God had come to us;
through him, with him and in him, we are 
able to come to you, dear Lord.

A surging stream of fire flowed out from where he sat; thousands upon thousands were ministering to him, and myriads upon myriads attended him. The court was convened, and the books were opened. As the visions during the night continued, I saw one like a son of man coming, on the clouds of heaven. When he reached the Ancient One and was presented before him, he received dominion, glory, and kingship; nations and people of every language serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not be taken away, his kingship shall not be destroyed.
Daniel 7:10, 13-14

Help us in our unbelief,
in our little faith in you, dear God;
through Jesus, open your heaven
for us and let us be like your Archangels
in these troubled times of the pandemic:
amid the many occasions of sins
and the seeming reign of evil,
let us be like Archangel Michael
fighting satan in your name
 to ward off his devious attacks
that fragment our relationships;
let us be like Archangel Gabriel
delivering your messages of
faith, hope and love to so many
people awaiting salvation;
and last but not least, Father,
let us be like Archangel Raphael
bringing healing to the many ailments
and diseases that afflict not only our bodies
but most especially our hearts and souls
that prevent us from becoming truly free
and faithful to love and serve you.
Amen.

We are God’s favorite!

The Lord Is My Chef Breakfast Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
First Friday, Memorial of Guardian Angels, 02 October 2020
Exodus 23:20-23 | + | >><)))*> | + | Matthew 18:1-5, 10

Photo by author, dome of the Malolos Cathedral, December 2019.

Praise and thanksgiving to you, O God our loving Father! In your great love for us, you did not only give us your Son Jesus Christ to redeem us but also sent us guardian angels who guide and protect us in this journey in life.

What an honor in making each one of us truly your favorite child!

May we always heed the guidance and leading of our guardian angels so we may always follow and do your Holy Will, O God.

May we be respectful, devoted and grateful to our guardian angels who function as our protectors, keeping us safe from all harm and dangers.

Lastly, give us the courage and banish our fears, Lord, for we have our guardian angels always beside us, sometimes ahead of us to prepare our paths.

Let us “follow them, stay close to them so we may dwell under the protection of God’s heaven” (St. Bernard). Amen.

In the presence of God

The Lord Is My Chef Breakfast Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Tuesday, Feast of Archangels St. Michael, St. Gabriel, and St. Raphael, 29 September 2020
Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14 >><)))*> + >><)))*> + >><)))*> John 1:47-51

Photo by author, dome of the chapel at Shepherds’ Field in Bethlehem, the Holy Land, May 2019.

Thank you Lord Jesus Christ for opening the heaven for us to be in the presence of God the Father anew and most especially, to become like him again in his image and likeness.

As we celebrate today the Feast of your Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, we remember God’s original plan for us to be with him like his angels and Archangels, of being like him not to compete but to reflect his image and likeness.

And so today, we pray that we may have the grace to be like St. Michael whose name means “who is like unto God?” that we may be like God not to compete with him but to be holy and merciful like him, fighting evil and sins with justice and truth.

Make us strong, Lord Jesus, like St. Gabriel whose name means “God is my strength” so we may deliver always your good news of salvation to the world now numb to bad news of wars and murders, injustice and inhumanity, poverty and starvation as well as the excesses of the first world with more than half the world starving and barely surviving with bare essentials.

Lastly, we beg you Lord in this time of the pandemic to grant us the gift of healing for those sick not only with COVID-19 but with other sickness. May St. Raphael who name means “God has healed” come and guide us in this journey like he did to Tobias, providing him the medications to heal not only bodily sickness but also emotional and spiritual maladies.

These we present to God our Father through you our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Seen Zone, Sin Zone

The Lord Is My Chef Recipe, Memorial of Guardian Angels, 02 October 2019

Exodus 23:20-23 >0< >0< >0< Matthew 18:1-5, 10

“See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father.”
Matthew 18:10

Almost all the religions in the world believe in the existence of guardian angels who guide people and protect them from harm.

From the Greek angelos that means “messenger”, angels are exactly that: messengers from God or “divine apps” who work like Messenger!

Last summer break, I have learned something “millennial” and at the same time very theological or spiritual when some of our former teachers in a school where I used to be assigned reprimanded me – even scolded me – for putting them always on “seen zone”. If you are a dinosaur like me, seen zone is when you send somebody a message (PM) and that person sees it but refuses to give any reply, to the extent of ignoring not only your message but most of all, you. I still have contentions against this but, that’s how most of people take a seen zone: a kind of disrespect, that you are not important.

What was so embarrassing with my new learning was the realization of how stupid I have been until recently when I would “seen zone” people with pathetic late response saying, “sorry just saw your message now”. How I wish I could turn back the time…

Anyway, I have learned my lesson so well that since May I have been very careful with “PM’s” as I tried to be more kind and gentle in Messenger.

But, there is something very interesting in this popular app in relation with our celebration today of the memorial of the guardian angels.

So many times, we give our guardian angel or God’s messenger with the “seen zone” like in Messenger. We ignore the angel’s admonition to avoid sin and do what is good. Like in Messenger’s seen zone, we totally ignore and disregard our guardian angel until we get into the “sin zone”.

Ignore what you have read in Messenger, you go into a seen zone that may be temporary and not really that serious at all. But, lo! worse is the “sin zone” when you ignore the Divine messenger because you ignore God who sent us his angels with his messages of love and mercy, peace and salvation!

Today we are reminded that inasmuch as we try to behave properly in social media where we interact virtually in real time, God and his angels do relate with us in real time but not in virtual but actual reality.

If we try hard doing everything not to hurt our friends with seen zone, all the more we must try to avoid the sin zone that have more serious repercussions up to eternal life. Amen.

Angel of God, Reminder of God

The Lord Is My Chef Breakfast Recipe for the Soul

Wednesday, Memorial of Guardian Angels, 02 October 2019

Nehemiah 2:1-8 ><)))> ><)))> ><)))> Matthew 18:1-5, 10*

Your gospel today, Lord Jesus, brought me with mixed feelings of embarrassment and joy.

Embarrassed because like your disciples then, until now we are still preoccupied with the same old question of “who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” (Mt.18:1).

How funny – and shameful too, Lord, that as we grow older, the less we believe or at least disregard your guardian angels assigned to each one of us. As we get older, we feel we know everything, we can do everything, and we can be on our own.

How sad that in similar manner of dismissing our parents and elders as guardians, we have also abandoned belief and acceptance of angels.

Thank you for never abandoning us despite of this attitude, O dear God!

Thank you most of all, dearest God, for not withdrawing from our side our guardian angels!

Joy fills my heart today on this feast of the Guardian Angels that even if so many times in the past I have turned away from you, my guardian angel never left me, guiding me back to you in those many instances of discovering your wonder anew.

Our guardian angels remind us O Lord of your great love for us.

I can still recall so many instances in my life how I felt someone I do not see yet so personally present with me, personally saving me from so many occasions and situations that were harmful and even fatal.

Yes, guardian angels are not only for kids but for everyone who believe in you, Lord, to remind us of you.

Teach us to be child-like, humbly admitting there is an angel on our side, and most of all, you are always with us, Lord Jesus Christ.

As your messengers who are very close to you and closest with us, teach us to be like our guardian angels always close to you too and with others guarding and protecting them from harm. Amen.