Prayer to Avoid Destruction

The Lord Is My Chef Breakfast Recipe-Prayer

Thursday, 29 November 2018, Week XXXIV, Year II

Revelation 18:1-2, 21-23; 19:1-3,9///Luke 21:20-28

Lord Jesus Christ, let me put all my trust and hope in you to avoid destruction.

In the world today, all I hear and see are destruction. In your words too are all about destruction. Destruction is inevitable, especially if we remain in our sinful, evil ways. Your words have always been fulfilled and we have always seen how cities and nations have risen and fallen. Most especially, people who have refused to recognize you, those who have dared challenged you, those who have blasphemed you have all vanished, now totally forgotten.

One thing I ask you Jesus Christ is to keep my eyes and my heart open to you, to always heed your voice and your lessons, to always stand erect and raise my head (Lk.21:28) to submit to you, to follow you, to abide in you for that is the only way to avoid destruction and gain redemption.

Let me be among those blessed to have been called to the wedding feast of the Lamb (Rev.19:9) by remaining faithful to you, doing what is right and just despite all the destruction going on. AMEN. Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II, Parokya ng San Juan Apostol at Ebanghelista, Gov. F. Halili Ave., Bagbaguin, Sta. Maria, Bulacan 3022.

*Photo by Mr. Raffy Tima of GMA-7 News at Natonin, Mountain Province 04 November 2018 after a destructive landslide hit the town. Used with permission.

What’s on your mind, Who’s in your heart?

The Lord Is My Chef Sunday Recipe, 25 November 2018

Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe

Daniel 7:13-14///Revelation 1:5-8///John 18:33-37

The trial of Jesus before Pontius Pilate occupies a very important role in the fourth gospel. Unlike the other three evangelists, John mentioned only in passing that Jesus was brought to the high priest Caiaphas (Jn.18:24) after being examined by his father-in-law Annas while Simon Peter was outside denying the Lord thrice (Jn.18:12-23). In narrating to us this trial of Jesus before Pilate, we see the spirituality and artistry of the beloved disciple who began his gospel account by solemnly declaring the eternal divinity of the Lord, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (Jn.1:1). Building up the climax of his gospel, John placed Jesus for the first time – in fact the only time – face to face with the world’s representative of political power. And this shows us the meaning and essence of what we are celebrating today with Jesus Christ our Lord as King of the Universe, that His kingdom is “in this world but not of this world.”

Pilate said to Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?” Jesus answered, “Do you say this on your own or have others told you about me?” Pilate answered, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests handed you over to me. What have you done?” (Jn.18:33-35)

Every morning when we open our Facebook, this scene seems to be happening again in a similar manner when Mark Zuckerberg’s creation asks us“What’s on your mind?” Facebook and social media are gifts from God, a tremendous blessing for mankind where people meet to forge new friendships and renew old ones. However, its overuse and abuse have led to many occasions of sins and evil. In asking Pilate “Do you say this on your own or have others told you about me”, Jesus was not merely asking him what was on his mind but more of who was in his heart. And we all perfectly know what happened next: despite pleadings even by his own wife when he himself knew deep inside him the truth, Pilate washed his hands and went on with what was on his mind to sentence Jesus to death even if he knew deep in his heart He was totally innocent and in fact a very good man.

The question “what’s on your mind” is so enticing for us to just open up without really thinking hard with what we say that may hurt others or have long lasting negative effects not only on other persons but especially to us. It is a question with so many other implications that do not really seek to address anything substantial but only to affirm our own selves that in this world, at this very moment, “I am the king or the queen” and I can do everything! We say whatever is on our minds to lord it over other people, sometimes literally throwing our weight around on others that in the process, we destroy our relationships. Worst of all, when we keep on letting out what is on our minds without checking its veracity, we actually reveal our stupidity than sanity. If we have to ask any question, we have to be ready to know its answer. That is why, when we ask Jesus a question, we must inquire things of the above than things of this world for we might not like His answer that eventually would forcibly bring out from our hearts the right answer like what happened with Pilate later. When Pilate asked Jesus “are you the king of the Jews”, he was not really ready to know yet the answer because deep in his heart he felt and knew the people behind the plot to kill Jesus. Pilate was not ready to confront them because he also knew the Jewish leaders were very much aware of his corrupt practices. How sad that so often we ask not to know the answers but simply to affirm our convictions especially if we know they are not sound at all. When we ask more of this world, of things verifiable by facts and things that can be seen and tested, then we are not yet ready for the truth.

Jesus answered, “My kingdom does not belong to this world. If my kingdom did belong to this world, my attendants would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not here.” So Pilate said to him, “Then you are a king.” Jesus answered, “You say I am a king. For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.” (Jn. 18:36-37)

Jesus Christ is king but His kingdom does not belong to this world. It is in the world but not of the world. His kingdom transcends beyond this world but right here in us. Jesus Christ is king when in our hearts He reigns supreme, when we see Him among others as our brothers and sisters in Him. More than our thoughts and ideas, more than our feelings and assumptions are persons to be loved and respected. This is the reason why the question is not“what’s on your mind” but “who’s in your heart” which asks the more crucial question, “is Jesus our king?”

To recognize Jesus our King is to follow Him by taking up our cross because His kingdom is based not on force or power but on love expressed in humility, kindness, patience, and mercy that are often seen as weakness in the world. Yes, one may say His kingship is out of this world but that is exactly what the world needs these days! Remember His lessons to us His disciples these past weeks when He sent us with “no food, no sack, no money in our belts” (Mk.6:8), that we must be like little children for “whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it” (Mk.10:15), insisting that whoever wants to be great in His kingdom must be the slave of all like Him who came “not to be served but to serve and to give his life as ransom for many” (Mk.10:44-45).

The Solemnity of Christ the King reminds us at the closing of our liturgical calendar as we prepare for Advent next week of that main truth that we as a Church must continue to be an image of this kingdom. And what is the truth? In the bible, truth is a road or a path one can follow with complete trust to have life found in God’s law. Truth is something that must be done as in the expression “to walk in truth” (Ps. 119:105) by conforming our lives to the word of God. See again the spirituality and artistry of the beloved disciple, of how he alone recorded the Lord’s declaration “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (Jn.14:6). Here we find the totality of Christ the King who is the Truth because He is the way and the life. Let us recognize today with thanksgiving to God Christ’s coming to us as our Alpha and Omega, our beginning and end. May His kingdom come as we heed His call every day, especially in the Holy Mass as “the time of fulfillment… Repent, and believe in the gospel” (Mk.1:14-15). Jesus my King, stay in my heart, reign in my life always! AMEN. Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II, Parokya ni San Juan Apostol at Ebanghelista, Gov. F. Halili Ave., Bagbaguin, Sta. Maria, Bulacan 3022. Email: lordmychef@gmail.com

*Photo by my former student Arch. Philip Santiago, Basilica of St. Paul Outside-the-Walls in Rome, October 2018.

LMC

A Prayer to Stop Hurting the Church

The Lord Is My Chef Breakfast Recipe-Prayer

Friday, 09 November 2018, Feast of the Dedication of St. John Lateran

Ezekiel 47:1-2, 8-9, 12//1 Corinthians 3:9-11, 16-17//John 2:13-22

On this Feast of the Dedication of the Basilica of St. John Lateran, I humbly pray to you O Lord Jesus Christ for mercy and forgiveness in having hurt your body, the Church.

It is so painful specially these days when people utter all profanities and blasphemies for your Holy Body, but what is most painful is when we in the Church are the ones inflicting your wounds. You have warned us long ago of how people would try to destroy your Church. We need not be alarmed when we are attacked and maligned. That is part of our lives. Just keep us strong and faithful, Lord.

What we must be concerned with – and ashamed of – is when the attacks on your Holy Church come from within, from us your disciples, especially the priests. You were so angry when you saw how the leaders have turned the Temple into a “marketplace” (Jn.2:16). Cleanse us your Church again, Lord Jesus, whip and overturn us when we your pastors are more concerned with money to be earned and collected than to be shared.

Forgive us, O Jesus, in forgetting we are “the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in us” (1Cor.3:16) and we have played gods, possessing your Church, building monuments to our greatness, forgetting the cries of the poor and the women and the children some of us have abused. Have mercy on us, Lord Jesus, when some of us have driven out many from your flock because of our pride and lack of concern, of insensitivities to the plight of many believers confused and lost. Forgive us when we are so quick to defend and safeguard one another’s bruised ego, disregarding the many victims of all forms of abuses by some priests so lost in sin and evil.

Teach us, Lord Jesus our Eternal Priest, to once again be filled with more of you so that we may give life to your people, like the fresh waters of the river seen by Prophet Ezekiel in the first reading flowing from the heavenly temple that every tree planted along its banks is filled with fruits and greenery. Teach our flock also to be holy and help us priests live our vows of poverty, obedience and celibacy. Merciful Jesus, remind us priests and laity always that we do not become holy because we are in the church but that our church becomes holy because of our presence as your indwelling. AMEN.Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II, Parokya ng San Juan Apostol at Ebanghelista, Gov. F. Halili Ave., Bagbaguin, Sta. Maria, Bulacan 3022.

PhilipLateran2

*Photos of the Basilica of St. John Lateran in Rome by my former student at ICSB, Arch. Philip Santiago during a pilgrimage Sept. 26, 2018. It is the Cathedral of Rome whose Bishop is also the Pope. Hence, it is the “mother of all churches” and sign of our unity as the Catholic Church.

Continuing Christ’s Work

The Lord Is My Chef Breakfast Recipe-Prayer

Tuesday//23October2018//Week XXIX, Year II

Ephesians 2:12-22///Luke 12:35-38

Dear God:

Last night while praying I found myself in a very amusing situation over the words of your Son Jesus Christ telling us in today’s gospel to “Gird your loins and light your lamps.” (Lk.12:35)

Remember how yesterday at the meat section of the supermarket, the butcher was enticing me to buy some loins that are tender and tasty, good for dinner and how I struggled? Thank you for preventing me from falling into that temptation, a little victory in my daily battle of the bulge!

But, as I prayed on your words today, I have realized that is really how it is with life: we always have to gird our loins, to prepare and strengthen ourselves for what is to come. The loin is where our basic instinct and urges emanate from, always evoking pleasures in us that are so powerful and irresistible. And so, keep me always on guard like those faithful servants in today’s parable to gird my loins and light my lamps especially in continuing Christ’s work of reconciliation, of “keeping us all together as a sacred temple for God.” (Eph.2:21)

How sad that we always forget the beautiful preaching of St. Paul of how Jesus Christ have reconciled us all in you, O God, with His precious Blood. How sad when we destroy our unity by looking more at our many differences because we cannot control our urges, our loins. And it is most painful, O God, when we allow it to happen right inside your Church, the Body of Jesus Christ! Help us to embrace the diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds of everyone that we may become new persons in your Son our Lord Jesus Christ. AMEN. Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II, Parokya ng San Juan Apostol at Ebanghelista, Gov. F. Halili Ave., Bagbaguin, Sta. Maria, Bulacan 3022.

*Photo by the author, from the inside of the Church “Dominus Flevit” (the Lord Cried) overlooking Jerusalem as background. How sad that Jesus continues to cry today because we are still divided.

Keeping the Church A Good News Amid Bad News, Part 2

The Lord Is My Chef Breakfast Recipe-Prayer

Friday, 31 August 2018, Week XXI, Year II

1Corinthians 1:17-25///Matthew 25:1-13

Your word, O God, is indeed “living and effective” (Heb.4:12), very “useful for teaching” (2Tim.3:16) especially at this time our Church is in the midst of a sickening crisis not only of sexual abuse but also of intrigues and careerism among clergy and hierarchy. As we continue to pray for the Church now in crisis, may we also learn from today’s first reading of how St. Paul tactfully and spiritually tackled the problem of divisions among the early Christians of Corinth by directing their attention solely into Jesus Christ your Son who offered Himself up on the Cross for us all.

This is our folly, O God, when we focus more on people and personalities – even on our very selves – as the center and main attraction in the Church instead of your Son Jesus Christ. We refuse to recognize your immense love for us expressed in the crucified Christ who have sanctified us all and restored us all to you and to one another. So many times, we are like the five foolish virgins in today’s parable who were more concerned with their very selves than with their task of waiting for the coming of the groom.

Awaken us, O God, from our “sleep” like those five foolish virgins when we spend more time seeking you in human thoughts of wisdom or some mathematical equation unmindful of your coming. Most of all, bless Pope Francis, keep him strong and guide him in these times when many forces within are coming together against him, even using the modern means of communication to destroy him without realizing the many other souls they are misleading in their self-righteousness. Let us learn anew St. Paul‘s teaching that “the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger that human strength” as revealed in Christ crucified (1Cor.1: 25). Amen. Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II, Parokya ng San Juan Apostol at Ebanghelista, Gov. F. Halili Ave., Bagbaguin, Sta. Maria,Bulacan 3022.

*Photo taken in 30 Nov. 2012 by Chester Ocampo of ICS Batch ’82: Crucified Christ made of iron but hollow inside to depict kenosis or emptiness; one of the early works by the late National Artist Ed Castrillo hanging at the altar of the chapel of Immaculate Conception Seminary (ICS) in Guiguinto, Bulacan.

Keeping The Church A Good News Amid Bad News

The Lord Is My Chef Breakfast Recipe-Prayer

Thursday, 30 August 2018, Week XXI, Year II

1Corinthians 1:1-9///Matthew 24:42-51

Lord Jesus Christ, we come to you today deeply saddened with the many scandals and divisions rocking YOUR Church. The new series of sexual abuses brought out in the open recently are not only scandalous but very sickening. And what makes this so viciously evil is the claim by some from within that they are doing this for the good of the Church by attacking your Vicar, the Holy Father Pope Francis.

May we imitate St. Paul in his manner of dealing with the “problematic” Corinthians as we start reading and hearing today his first letter to them.

How wonderful it is to be filled with the Holy Spirit like St. Paul in greeting the Corinthians first with “grace and peace from the Father” (1Cor.1:3) despite the divisions and infighting that beset them at that time. Give us that same grace of St. Paul in seeing first the Father’s wonderful work of calling us all to “sanctification and election as a holy people (1Cor.1:2).”

May we keep in mind like the “the faithful and prudent servant” (Mt. 24:45) in your parable today that we are mere stewards of the Church, keepers of your precious gift of communion which enables us all to feel and experience being welcomed and loved by God. Amen. Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II, Parokya ng San Juan Apostol at Ebanghelista, Gov. F. Halili Ave., Bagbaguin, Sta. Maria,Bulacan 3022. (Photo by the author, 5:18AM of 01 August 2018 at the Parish.)

The Body and Blood of Christ, Our Communion with God

The Lord Is My Chef Sunday Recipe, Week XX-B, 19 August 2018

Proverbs 9:1-6///Ephesians 5:15-20///John 6:51-58

Our gospel is now getting more interesting as the drama among the Jews and Jesus Christ unfold into new dimensions on this penultimate Sunday of the “bread of life” discourse. Last week, the Jews murmured among themselves when Jesus declared “I am the bread that came down from heaven” (Jn.6:41); today, the Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”(Jn.6:52)

Notice the beautiful interplay of “antes” noted by John in this part of the bread of life discourse: from murmuring, the Jews have turned into quarrelling among themselves in their renewed refusal to believe in Jesus. They have deteriorated from being skeptical into being insidious, reaching its lowest point next week when in their refusal to take the words of Jesus, they would eventually leave Him behind along with other disciples who have followed Him after that episode of feeding of more than 5000 people. Only the 12 would remain with Jesus. On the other hand, we find Jesus speaking more boldly to the unfriendly audience by increasing the force of His declaration as “the bread of life” by repeating it eight times in eight verses! And this time, He would even add that not only His flesh is food but also His blood is drink for eternal life. Jesus did not budge in the arguments of the crowd and instead slowly spiraled up His discourse as food and drink for eternal life. Jesus is trying to establish here a new direction in knowing Him, in following Him. In presenting Himself as our food and drink for eternal life, Jesus is also showing us the direction we have to follow in Him. Remember our reflection last July 15 that discipleship is not destination but directional? And the direction Jesus is taking us in His bread of life discourse is about our Holy Communion in God.

If you have observed in these past four weeks, sometimes the discourse by Jesus seems to be going nowhere, could be vague or ambiguous that it does not seem to progress at all. See how since last Sunday Jesus was repeating over and over His being the bread of life who came down from heaven and that whoever eats His flesh and drinks His blood will have eternal life. Jesus is not trying to get our attention with some fancy thoughts or brilliant expositions; Jesus is inviting us to a more personal experience of Himself in His bread of life discourse. He is asking us to take our time in listening and digesting His words because in the end, His goal is not to fill our minds but to rest in our hearts. Jesus is seeking communion with us, a oneness that can be achieved in the mystery of faith with a certitude deep in our hearts. It is something like our daily prayers and weekly celebration of the Sunday Mass when we sometimes feel nothing is happening; even in our minds, we know we have known everything. Yet, as we try to be open, holding on to our faith in God, we continue to pray and celebrate the Sunday Mass that deep within us we are convinced something had changed, that we have experienced Someone so real and profound. That is communion. When we receive Jesus Body and Blood, we realize and know for a fact we are not one. We have a communion not only with others with similar pains and hurts like ours but most of all with God who became human like us because He loves us so much. Now in Holy Communion, He is one with us, truly inside our body, flesh and blood under the signs of bread and wine. There is now an existing relationship on common experiences inexhaustible in its richness. That is how personal God is with us.

Since the fall of Adam and Eve, God had always longed to restore our union with Him. In the first reading, we have heard how the author of the Book of Proverbs had personified God as Wisdom (a feminine) inviting us to come to her. “Let whoever is simple turn in here; to the one who lacks understanding, I say, Come, eat of my food, and drink of the wine I have mixed! Forsake foolishness that you may live; advance in the way of understanding.”(Prov.9:4-6) Wisdom is God Himself who is at once transcendent and close at hand, very lofty but also in the daily realities of life because He is always seeking a communion with us humans. Note in this passage, God is food and wine – the essentials of life! In the Eucharist, we have the most ordinary food, bread and wine, becoming the most divine presence of God with us in Christ Jesus. It is our common union with God in Christ who became human like us in everything except sin so that we can become like Him who is divine. Observe when the priest prepares the wine during the Mass, he would pause before pouring water to recite the silent prayer, “By the mystery of this water and wine may we come to share in the divinity of Christ who humbled himself to share in our humanity.” I love praying that, especially when I could see that amid the great amount of wine, our human contribution is just a droplet of water because Jesus did everything for us, we just have to believe! Then again while the “Agnus Dei” is sung in preparation of the Holy Communion, the priest pauses in silence as he breaks the bread, takes a little piece of it and puts it into the wine, silently praying “May this mingling of the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ bring eternal life to us who receive Him.”

Here again is Jesus Christ before us, like the scene at Capernaum after the feeding of more than 5000 people, inviting us to enter into a communion with Him and in Him without murmuring and quarrelling to calmly reflect on this mystery of the Lord as our food and drink to eternal life. Let us heed St. Paul’s reminder to the Ephesians today “to watch carefully how we live, not as foolish persons but as wise” (Eph.5:15) more concerned with God and not of the worldly things. Most of all, let us not rush God like the crowd at Capernaum by demanding spectacular and verifiable things to remind us of His presence. Jesus is with us in the most ordinary things like bread and wine, in the most common experience like the Mass. He speaks to us in the most consistent manner, always repeating the same words of assurances of His love and mercy, kindness and presence. Never doubt for we are making progress every Sunday, from Eucharist to Eucharist. Sooner or later, we shall come to that promised day of eternal life in the Father through Jesus Christ. Amen. A blessed week to you!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, Church at Tabgha where Jesus is believed to have fed more than 5000 people; at the altar floor is a mosaic of the loaves of bread and two pieces of fish. Taken during our Holy Land pilgrimage April 2017.