Jesus, our truth, our strength

Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul, 29 August 2025
Friday, Passion of St. John the Baptist, Martyr
Jeremiah 1:17-19     <*{{{{>< + ><}}}}*>     Mark 6:17-29

*Photo from Fatima Tribune during the Red Wednesday Mass at the Chapel of the Angel of Peace, Our Lady of Fatima University, Valenzuela City, 27 November 2024.*

Lord Jesus Christ,
today I pray in the most
special way to free us from
lies and falsehoods,
fake news and other news
in social media masquerading 
as lifestyle especially of the filthy rich;
we have turned away from you,
Jesus, 
"the Way and 
the Truth and 
the Life";
give us the courage you gave
St. John the Baptist
your forerunner 
to speak
to stand 
to die
for what is true.

The word of the Lord came to me thus: Gird your loins; stand up and tell them all that I command you. Be not crushed on their account, as though I would have you crushed before them… They will fight against you, but not prevail over you, for I am with you to deliver you, says the Lord (Jeremiah 1:17, 19).

Like John the Baptist
and Jeremiah
and all the others
who have stood 
their ground for the Truth,
let us find our strength
in you, Jesus
in fighting for what is true:
I pray for those
involved in the ghost
projects in our country
to finally speak
and tell the truth
so that this system
of sin and evil
may finally be stopped
or at least mitigated
in our forsaken country
of so many liars,
of children acting like 
Salomes flaunting their
wealth,
of adults especially couples
and mistresses living in lies
like Herodias harboring grudge
on the honest and truthful men,
and leaders specially in politics
who are so much like Herod
so happy to listen and attend
Mass but never had the courage
to defend and stand for what is 
true.

Have mercy on us,
Lord Jesus,
for continuing to crucify you,
and for beheading others
who announce your coming
like John the Baptist.
Amen.

St. John the Baptist,
Pray for us!

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

When people malign us

The Lord Is My Chef Breakfast Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Tuesday, Week XVIII, Year I in Ordinary Time, 03 August 2021
Numbers 12:1-13 ><]]]]'> + ><]]]]'> + ><]]]]'> Matthew 14:22-36

*Photo by Mr. Raffy Tima of GMA7-News, Batanes, September 2018.*

Dearest God our Father,
you are just, always demanding 
us to be fair and just like you,
to never malign and bear false
witness against one another
especially those serving you.

We pray, loving Father
for those among us buffeted
with nasty talks, malicious
stories and gossips especially 
fake news that besmirch one's name
just to make them or their masters look good.

Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses
on the pretext of the marriage he had
contracted with Cushite woman.
Now, Moses himself was by far
 the meekest man on the face of the earth.
So at once the Lord said to Moses and 
Aaron and Miriam, "Come out,
you three, to the meeting tent."
Then the Lord came down
in the column of cloud,
and standing at the entrance of the tent,
called Aaron and Miriam.
When both came forward, he said,
"Now listen to the words of the Lord:
Why, then, did you not fear to speak
against my servant Moses?"
So angry was the Lord against them
that when he departed, and the cloud
withdrew from the tent, there was
Miriam, a snow-white leper!
(Numbers 12:1, 3-6, 8-9)

Please, Lord, keep us
 and those being maligned
 to be meek like Moses,
 remaining kind to those
who speak ill about us, especially those
supposed to be closest or dear to us.

Jesus said, "Come."
Peter got out of the boat
and began to walk on the water
toward Jesus.  But when he saw
how strong the wind was
he became frightened; and,
beginning to sink, he cried out,
"Lord, save me!"
(Matthew 14:29-30)

Give us, O God, the courage
and strength to withstand the fierce
winds of criticisms and lies hurled
by our detractors, unlike Peter
let us never doubt the love and mercy
and protection of your Son Jesus we follow.  
Amen.

A prayer for trolls and liars

The Lord Is My Chef Breakfast Recipe for the Soul, Saturday, Easter Week-IV, 09 May 2020

***Acts of the Apostles 13:44-52* ><)))> ><)))> ><)))> John 14:7-14***

According to Pope Francis, the serpent is the first peddler of “fake news” when it deceived Adam and Eve into eating the forbidden fruit in Paradise. Photo from gettyimages.com.

As we end another week O Lord, we pray this time for those who refuse to follow your path of truth. We pray for all trolls and peddlers of fake news and lies, including those who concoct and spread nasty and malicious talks about us.

The gossipers and slanderers.

We pray for them, Jesus, that they may finally come to their senses to see and accept the realities around them.

We pray that they may stop living in darkness, speaking of lies that have destroyed many good names and have caused so much heartaches to those they have maligned.

How sad, O Lord, that these liars and trolls are using the modern means of communications to spread their fake news and lies and gossips to mislead a nation, destroy families and organizations.

In the first reading from the Acts of the Apostles, we saw how Jews were filled with jealousy against Paul and Barnabas while proclaiming your Gospel at the synagogue of Antioch in Pisidia.

Not contented in engaging your apostles into “violent abuse of contradicting” their teachings, they also “incited the women of prominence and leading men of the city” to persecute Paul and Barnabas (Acts 13:45, 50) because they cannot accept the truth, they cannot accept you, Jesus.

And that continues to happen today when people cannot accept you as Lord and God who truly loves us, forgiving our sins and setting us free to become better persons despite our sins and weaknesses.

Keep us faithful to your words, Lord, and purify our minds and our hearts that we may be one with you in the Father in thoughts, words, and deeds.

Likewise, we pray for everyone that we may always be on guard in examining information and stories we read and hear in order to stop the spread of fake news and lies. Amen.

The Lord Is My Chef Breakfast Recipe for the Soul, Saturday, Easter Week-IV, 09 May 2020

Acts of the Apostles 13:44-52 ><)))*> ><)))*> ><)))*> John 14:7-14

***Acts of the Apostles 13:44-52* ><)))> ><)))> ><)))> John 14:7-14***