Faith & intimacy

Lord My Chef Sunday Recipe for Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A, 16 August 2026
Isaiah 56:1, 6-7 ><}}}}*> Romans 11:13-15, 29-32 ><}}}}*> Matthew 15:21-28

*Photo by author, Dead Sea region, the Holy Land, May 2017.*

The past two Sundays must have been physically tiring for Jesus and his disciples, not to mention emotionally draining as well. After walking on water to join his disciples in the boat tossed by giant waves last week, they finally landed at Gennesaret.

But, things got worse there when some Pharisees and scribes from Jerusalem raised issues against Jesus why his disciples disregarded their ritual traditions of purification like washing of hands before eating; Jesus defended them, declaring that “it is not what enters one’s mouth that defiles a person; but what comes out of the mouth” (Mt.15:11).

Sensing troubles, Jesus again withdrew but this time to the gentile region of Tyre and Sidon to defuse tensions with his detractors and especially for much needed rest.

At that time, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a Canaanite woman of that district came and called out, “Have pity on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is tormented by a demon” (Matthew 15:21-22).

*An ink-drawing by a student of Rembrandt of Jesus with the Canaanite woman at the far left from the Getty Museum Collection.*

The scene is lovely with a dash of humor – just as when Jesus thought there would be no fellow Jew to disturb them in Tyre and Sidon being a gentile region, a pagan woman recognized him!

See and feel the drama when Matthew wrote, And behold, a Canaanite woman of that district came and called out, “Have pity on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is tormented by a demon.”

Two Sundays ago, Matthew presented us Christ teaching the need to have faith in him because he is our abundance in the midst of our scarcity when he fed more than five thousand people from just five loaves of bread and two pieces of fish; after that miracle, Jesus walked on water to join his disciples in their boat tossed by giant waves due to strong winds in the middle of the lake before dawn to teach the importance of faith in him because Jesus is our certainty and security.

This Sunday, Matthew presents to us another dimension of faith in Christ which leads to intimacy in our relationships with God and with others.

Actually, the Canaanite woman is the second pagan Jesus had accommodated a request for healing. In chapter 8, Matthew tells us how Jesus healed the servant of a Roman centurion who was definitely a pagan.

It is very interesting to note that only these two pagans were praised by Jesus for their faith in him. And that is because they were so engaging in making their request from Jesus.

See how very similar with that centurion who told Jesus, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed” (Mt.8:8) this Canaanite woman in engaging Jesus for the healing of her daughter:

But Jesus did not say a word in answer to her. Jesus’ disciples came and asked him, “Send her away, for she keeps calling out after us.” He said in reply, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But the woman came and did Jesus homage, saying, “Lord, help me.” He said in reply, “It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs.” She said, “Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters.” Then Jesus said to her in reply, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” And the woman’s daughter was healed from that hour (Matthew 15:23-28).

A painting of “The Canaanite Woman asks for healing for her daughter” by Spanish painter Juan de Flandes ca. 1500 as part of the 47 small panels of paintings commissioned by Queen Isabella I of Castile; from commons.wikimedia.org.

The woman definitely had some faith in Jesus whom she addressed as “Lord” like Simon Peter at the middle of the lake last Sunday. She had also researched on Jesus she called “Son of David” – the title of the Messiah only the Jews would know. Here we find a faith that is growing, deepening into an intimacy as shown by her intense engagement with Jesus.

Intimacy happens when there is an engagement like wrestling. Best example is when Jacob wrestled with an angel until sunrise where he prevailed and was given the new name “Israel” that means one who struggles and prevails with God.

Only those with deep faith in God would wrestle and struggle until they prevail like Jacob, the Roman centurion and that Canaanite woman. Wrestling in Filipino is magbuno – that’s how I imagined the Canaanite woman coming forward to Jesus in homage, begging, insisting, “Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters.”

What an amazing faith!

It was very clear with the Canaanite woman they as pagans were not one of the “children” or Jews entrusted with the covenant with God signified by the “bread”; the woman clearly had no intentions of usurping any rights from the chosen people for she knew very well their share, the mere crumbs falling from the table.

However, the Canaanite woman expressed in her tough engagement with Jesus her faith and hope as well that day, they were contented with crumbs but some day, they shall be seated at the table too as expressed by God to Isaiah in the first reading that eventually was fulfilled in Christ. And that’s the other miracle that happened that day: the woman’s hope for salvation in the future was fulfilled at the very moment she wrestled with Jesus for her daughter’s healing!

Many times in life we felt Jesus coming to us in unfamiliar grounds and situations like when he withdrew to Tyre and Sidon where we were weakest, deep into sins, doubting and unfaithful with him.

This Sunday, Jesus invites us to walk with him, even to argue and debate with him, “wrestle” with him in our own Tyre and Sidon because we have nobody else to turn to but him as our joy and fulfillment, healing and forgiveness, most of all, peace.

Do not worry if Jesus would not seem to notice us like the Canaanite woman. Intimacy is more than being close or near Jesus when we come to church or chapel to pray. Our Filipino word for intimacy is more evocative of its nature – matalik that involves active presence leading to total giving of self.

Intimacy is faith in action involving personal contact with Jesus that best happens in unfamiliar territories like Tyre and Sidon where we confront our sins, vulnerabilities and insecurities, weaknesses and failures. It is stripping ourselves naked before Christ like that Canaanite woman who accepted their being referred as “dogs” contented with crumbs. That’s when miracles happen!

Today we remember too those family and friends we have had some falling out and misunderstanding, some for years while others we may be still living with but have a long-running feud and misunderstanding. They are our Tyre and Sidon where Jesus is awaiting us to meet him for healing and reconciliation as reflected by Paul in the Second Reading. Let us have faith to bare ourselves before Christ to be freed from the pains and hurts tormenting us all these years. What matters most is we get intimate with Jesus so the rest of our relationships would follow. Amen. Have blessed, warm and dry week hopefully ahead!

Mary our model & companion in mission

Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Monday, Memorial of Mary, Mother of the Church, 25 May 2026
Acts 1:12-14 ><}}}}*> + ><}}}}*> + ><}}}}*> John 19:25-34

*Icon of Mary “Mater Ecclesiae” (Mother of the Church) in St. Peter’s Square from opusdei.org.*

Praise and glory to you,
God our loving Father
in bringing us this far:
it is almost June, 
half-way through 2026
as we begin Ordinary Time 
with the closing of Easter Season
yesterday, Pentecost Sunday;
thank you most of all 
to Jesus Your Son now seated
at Your right in heaven
in giving us His Mother
the Blessed Virgin Mary
whom we honor this Monday
as Mother of the Church.

From the very beginning,
from His birth to His public ministry
until His Crucifixion,
Mary has always been with Jesus
so that when He sent the Holy Spirit
as He had promised on that Pentecost Sunday
in Jerusalem, Mary was present with
the disciples praying in the Upper Room:
"All these devoted themselves
with one accord to prayer,
together with some women,
and Mary the mother of Jesus,
and his brothers" (Acts 1:12).

What a beautiful image 
of the church on its very first day,
as Your Body, O Lord Jesus,
gathered in prayer with Mary
Your Mother whom You have entrusted
to Your beloved disciple at the cross:
"When Jesus saw his mother
and the disciple there whom he loved,
he said to his mother,
'Woman, behold your son.'
Then he said to the disciple,
'Behold, your mother'" 
(John 19:26-27).

*Photo by author, Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches, QC, March 2024.*

As we resume today
Ordinary Time,
may we imitate Mary
Your Mother, O Lord Jesus,
in being a faithful disciple,
open to welcome
and accept You,
saying "Yes" to Your will
like at the Annunciation;
let our faith in You be firm
like hers at the wedding at Cana
when she told You immediately
how the newly-weds have ran out
of wine, instructing the servants
to do whatever "he tells you";
most of all, like Mary,
let us remain intimate with You,
Jesus in prayers,
her most important trait
as Your faithful and model disciple.

Teach us, dear Jesus,
to be like Mary Your Mother,
deeply absorbed in You
in prayers;
her standing at the Cross
was not a result of a spur in the moment
but the fruit of her long,
vibrant prayer life
 centered in You her Son;
unlike us, we come and pray
 to You only when we are
 going through trials and difficulties
but when everything is going well
in life, we hardly remember You, Lord,
nor pray at all.

All her life,
Mary lived in prayer,
in communion and oneness
in You, Jesus
that is why when the Church
was born on Pentecost,
Mary was there.
She has always been
with us as our Mother
and companion in mission,
appearing many times like
in Fatima, Portugal in 1917
to remind us to return to you,
Lord Jesus Christ;
let us be like Mary
in her discipleship that
is essentially 
a prayer life.
Amen.

*From cbcpnews.net, National Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, Valenzuela City, 13 October 2022.*

Yes & No, Salt & Light

Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Tuesday in the Tenth Week of Ordinary Time, Year I, 10 June 2025
2 Corinthians 1:18-22 <*[[[[>< + ><]]]]*> Matthew 5:13-16

*Photo by Valeria Boltneva on Pexels.com*

What a great way to resume
the Ordinary Time this Tuesday,
Lord Jesus Christ as your words 
today invite us to examine 
some of the most "ordinary" things
in life we take for granted.

Brothers and sisters: As God is faithful, our word to you is not “yes” and “no.” For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was proclaimed to you by us, Silvanus and Timothy and me, was not “yes” and “no,” but “yes” has been in him (2 Corinthians 1:18-19).

Many times in our answers
of yes or no we cannot even make
a clear stand in you, Jesus;
like Paul,
give us the strength and courage
to mean "yes" in you, Jesus;
let our "yes"
to your gospel,
to your love and justice,
to your kindness and forgiveness
be a resounding "Amen"
in Christ, without any reservations,
without ifs nor buts
but a firm "yes, Lord!"

Teach to become
the salt of the earth bringing out
the flavor and goodness
of every person like what salt
does to our food;
at the same time,
let your light shine in us,
Jesus, to bring out the light,
the beautiful colors of every person
around us with our witnessing
to you, Jesus.
Amen.

*From The Fatima Tribune, Red Wednesday 2024.*

Resuming Ordinary Time by devoting ourselves to prayer with Mary

Lord My Chef Daily Recipe by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Monday, Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church, 09 June 2025
Acts 1:12-14 <*{{{{>< <*{{{{>< + ><}}}}*> ><}}}}*> John 19:25-27

*Painting by El Greco, “Pentecostes” (1597) from commons.wikimedia.org.*

Praise and glory to you,
Lord Jesus in inspiring the Church
in its most recent celebration of
the Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary,
Mother of the Church every Monday
after Pentecost when we resume
Ordinary Time; it is so right and fitting
that after your return to heaven,
you send us to the world to continue
your work of salvation by being rooted
in you in prayer,
not just by ourselves
but with Mary your Mother,
your first disciple,
the first doer of your word,
the first to receive you, 
Jesus the Christ.

Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet…Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. All these devoted themselves with one accord to prayer, together with some women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers (Acts 1:12, 13-14).

Since the very start of the Church,
you have always been with her,
truly her Mother being the
Body of Christ your Son;
all your life,
you have devoted yourself
into prayer as a communion
in Jesus Christ which is essentially
what discipleship is - prayer!

As we resume the Ordinary Time,
teach us Mother Mary to remain in
union with Jesus in prayer:

let us be one with Jesus your Son
to make our joy complete 
not only in listening and receiving
his word but most especially
in doing his words;

let us be one with Jesus your Son
for us to persevere in our sorrows
by finding him always in every suffering
by embracing his Cross;

let us be one with Jesus your Son
so that glory and victory may not
inflate our ego, 
realizing everything
is for God's greater glory;

let us be one with Jesus your Son
for us to remain in his light of the
Holy Spirit in this time 
we are engulfed in darkness of sin 
and materialism,
pride and power,
vanity and self-centeredness.

*Photo by author, Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches, Quezon City, 20 March 2025.*

O most Blessed Virgin Mary,
Mother of the Church,
Mother of Christ
and our Mother too,
be our companion in this
long journey in Ordinary Time,
knowing Jesus,
loving Jesus,
following Jesus,
always leading and pointing
others to Jesus
to be like Jesus.
Amen.