“Man in the Mirror” (1988) by Michael Jackson

Lord My Chef Sunday Music by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II, 11 October 2026

*Photo by author, The Manila House, BGC, June 2025.*

There’s an old saying that goes “If you want to change the world, change yourself first and the world changes.”

So true. It is so easy to join the numerous advocacies today that range from care for environment and providing clean, drinking water for the poor, housing programs and feeding programs and almost anything you can think of but these are nothing if we do not first change our very self.

This is the message of Jesus in today’s parable of the royal wedding feast where a guest came not in proper attire that he was thrown out from the banquet hall by the king (https://lordmychef.com/2026/10/10/crisis-decision-life-salvation/).

It is a call for us to make that important decision to always choose Jesus Chris and be clothed in his charity and service, justice and mercy, kindness and respect for life that all begins in us, in our heart and soul.

That is why we find Michael Jackson’s Man in the Mirror so appropriately related with this Sunday’s gospel. Though a part of his 1987 Bad album, it was only released as a single the following year that peaked at number 1 in the Billboard Hot 100, reaching the charts anew both in the US and the UK after Jackson’s death in 2009.

We were growing up in the 70’s when MJ first mesmerized us as that youngest among his brothers making up the Jackson 5; as we matured into teens and adulthood, MJ was always there as the soundtrack of our lives reaching his highest heights in hit albums Thriller and Bad.

Without any intention of downplaying his talents and genius, for me, MJ’s true artistry finally came out after his death; it was after 2009 as we have seen in the many features and recent movies about him that MJ was more than a superstar and cultural icon. He is an artist par excellence. I realized this most whenever I would listen to his music that has become a classic in the truest sense. And there are three songs I have come to love so much only after his death: Man in the Mirror, They Don’t Care About Us (1995), and Black or White (1991).

*Photo by author, Our Lady of Ephesus Chapel, Bella Rosa Gardens, Silang, Cavite, 07 October 2026.*

We loved listening to his songs when he was still alive because they were groovy, great to the senses, danceable and really hot. But after his death, I just felt surprised he sang these three songs. Unlike his other songs mostly about love and relationships, Michael ventured into social issues that touched souls and consciousness. From being a hit-maker, MJ had transformed into someone who hits our inmost being, awakening our consciousness of deeper truths and realities like equality of everyone regardless of color or race or creed.

Exactly like Man in the Mirror that was actually composed by Glen Ballard and Siedah Garrett who were asked by the late Quincy Jones to write another hit for MJ. But Garret had other things in her mind when she thought about the concept of a man looking in the mirror – into one’s self first to change the world. Jones loved the lyrics and music by Ballard and Garrett while MJ embraced it as his anthem – of the need for self-reflection to change the world. He even asked the two composers to expand and modify the lyrics that included gospel vocals by the Andrae Crouch Choir.

Moreover, its music video is the most unique of MJ’s other productions that always featured him: he never appeared in Man in the Mirror that is actually a montage of suffering people in sepia and black and white as well as the personalities behind the great events – for better or for worse – in history as well as other social realities that invite us to look into ourselves what have we done for the advancement of peace, justice, and equality among peoples.

The opening music is so haunting with keyboards sounding like chimes or winds blowing in the cold that right away stirs your soul, making you wonder in retrospect, did MJ sing this and why did we not realize right away its deeper meaning? Here is a Michael who had matured as a person. And an artist. Even activist. A music that moves you not only to sing and dance but reflect and meditate. Just like the parable of Jesus this Sunday.

I'm gonna make a change
For once in my life
It's gonna feel real good
Gonna make a difference, gonna make it right

As I turn up the collar on my favorite winter coat
This wind is blowin' my mind
I see the kids in the street with not enough to eat
Who am I to be blind, pretending not to see their needs?

A summer's disregard, a broken bottle top
And a one man's soul
They follow each other on the wind, ya know
'Cause they got nowhere to go
That's why I want you to know

I'm starting with the man in the mirror
I'm asking him to change his ways
And no message could have been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself and then make a change

Na-na-na, na-na-na, na-na-na-na
Uh-huh

I've been a victim of a selfish kinda love
It's time that I realize
There are some with no home, not a nickel to loan
Could it be really me pretending that they're not alone?

A willow deeply scarred, somebody's broken heart
And a washed-out dream (a washed-out dream)
They follow the pattern of the wind, ya see
'Cause they got no place to be
That's why I'm starting with me

I'm starting with the man in the mirror (who?)
I'm asking him to change his ways (who?)
And no message could have been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself and then make a change

I'm starting with the man in the mirror (who?)
I'm asking him to change his ways (who?)
And no message could have been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself and then make that change

I'm starting with the man in the mirror (oh, yeah)
I'm asking him to change his ways (oh, you better change)
No message could have been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself and then make the change

You gotta get it right while you got the time
'Cause when you close your heart (you can't)
Then you close your (your) mind (that man, that man)

With the man in the mirror, oh, yeah (that man, that man)
I'm asking him to change his ways (that man, that man, that man)
Oh, you better change (you know, that man)
And no message could have been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself and then make that change

Na-na-na, na-na-na, na-na-na-na
(Ooh) gonna feel real good, yeah (oh, yeah)
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah (na-na-na), yeah, yeah (na-na-na, na-na-na-na)
Oh-oh, oh, no

I'm gonna make a change
It's gonna feel real good, shamone (change)
Just lift yourself, you know
You've got to start with yourself (yeah)

I gotta make that change today
(Man in the mirror) you've got to
You got to start with yourself, brother
(Yeah) you know

I've got to be that man, that man
(Man in the mirror) you've got to
You got to move, shamone, shamone
You got to stand up (yeah), stand up (make that change), stand up
Stand up and lift yourself now (man in the mirror)

Go make that change, shamone (man in the mirror)
You know it, you know it, you know it, you know (change)
Make that change

The song is more than five minutes and if you went through the lyrics, it is truly like a gospel, a good news that disturb and move us to be dressed in Jesus Christ’s simplicity and humility to truly make a change in the world. The music speaks loudly and clearly the silence of that man not dressed in wedding attire in the parable. May it do the same to us!

From YouTube.com.

Crisis & decision = life & salvation

Lord My Chef Sunday Recipe for Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A, 11 October 2026
Isaiah 25:6-10 ><}}}}*> Philippians 4:12-14, 19-20 ><}}}}*> Matthew 22:1-14

We are a nation always in all kinds of crises: financial crisis, water crisis, energy crisis, transportation crisis, moral crisis. We are practically a nation of crises because we never face every crisis that confronts us!

Crisis is from the Greek word krisis, a time for decision; every crisis calls for a decision to resolve the situation. And that’s the problem with us Filipinos: we either refuse to make a firm decision or waste an opportunity to decide properly that would have solved the many crises we continue to endure to this day like reelecting incompetent and corrupt public officials.

The Gospel accounts these past three weeks may be considered as “parables in times of crisis” because each calls us to decide and choose God: the parable of the two sons reminds us of harmony in what we believe, in what we think, what we say, and what we do; the parable of the wicked tenants tells us we are the Lord’s vineyard, everything is God’s including our very lives meant to be fruitful in Christ.

Today we hear the last installment of parables narrated by Jesus to the elders and chief priests of Jerusalem at the temple area, the parable of the wedding feast that clearly shows anew how God invites everyone to come to Him, to make that decision of choosing Him. There are many similarities in the three series of parables but this Sunday, Jesus injects a “mini-parable” towards the end during the wedding feast of his son:

“But when the king came in to meet the guests he saw a man there not dressed in a wedding garment. He said to him, ‘My friend, how is it that you came in here without a wedding garment?’ But he was reduced to silence. The king said to his attendants, ‘Bind his hands and feet, and cast him into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.’ Many are invited, but few are chosen” (Mt.22:11-14).

I grew up in a generation when dressing properly and decently were deeply inculcated both at home and the school. It has always been considered in our time as a sign of maturity when we come properly attired in every occasion. Those days are now gone along with the expression “Sunday’s best”.

For some, it may seem to be so trivial but if we truly regard the Eucharist as the highest form of worship, of encountering God through the sacraments and one another, how come we could not even prepare our external appearances? Why can’t we give that proper importance to meeting the Lord and one another in the supposed to be holy occasion of the Mass?

What a tragedy that some priests lead the pack in this aspect of coming not properly, even shabbily dressed during the Mass, saying it is too hot to wear those vestments. Everyone is bragging that fallacy there is more beneath the clothing we wear of who we really are; that is not totally true because how we look outside is indicative of what ‘s inside us, of who we are, of what we value, and what we believe in.

*Photo by author, Bella Rosa Gardens, Silang, Cavite, 07 October 2026.*

How we dress – not the clothes we wear – speaks of ourselves as the Lord’s parable this Sunday teaches because external appearances are indications of the internal realities.

If we push that further, if we seem to find it so difficult in dressing properly for the Mass, how much more difficult we could find it turning away from sins, in dressing our souls properly?

Jesus said in his parable the man was “reduced to silence” when confronted by the king; he could not speak a word because deep inside him he knew something was wrong, something was missing, that he should not be there at all! Maybe he is a Filipino who must have thought baka makalusot as we always reason out in life. Unfortunately, as we all learn later, there are no shortcuts in life: we either hit the mark or miss it.

Our Sunday Eucharist is a fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy calling on all peoples to come to the mountain of the Lord where He shall provide us with “rich food and choice wines, juicy, rich food and pure choice wines. On this mountain he will destroy the veil that veils all peoples, the web that is woven over all nations; he will destroy death forever. The Lord God will wipe away the tears from every face” (Is.25:6-8). Every Sunday Mass is an invitation to celebrate with the Lord this great feast of salvation, a foretaste of the coming heaven!

But, are we properly dressed for the occasion?

*Photo by author, Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches, QC, 20 March 2026.*

Related with being properly dressed is another similar English expression, of “wearing different hats” which means we must learn to adjust and adapt to the many circumstances in our lives where we take on multiple jobs and roles and responsibilities.

We find this present in our Filipino expressions of ilagay sa lugar ang pagkilos or matutong maki-bagay like when we have to professional especially with superiors in the office but remain friends when outside unwinding in a cafe or when parents act strictly as disciplinarians because they are the father or mother but sometimes as a friend or an Ate or Kuya to their children.

This is what St. Ignatius of Loyola expressed in his teaching of “positive indifference” where we choose to become poor than rich, sick than healthy that is not to be taken literally but of being open in imitating Jesus Christ’s simplicity. It is the attitude of contentment in life choosing Jesus above all like St. Paul in today’s second reading:

Brothers and sisters: I know how to live in humble circumstances. I know also how to live with abundance. In every circumstance and in all things I have learned the secret of being well fed and going hungry, of living in abundance and of being in need. I can do all things in him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:12-13).

In this highly consumerist society, many of us sadly live in crises because of so much desires and wants for material things. We see everywhere the glaring realities of some living in super abundance of wealth while majority are in dire poverty.

Peace does not come from abundance of material goods anymore than a lack of such goods can deprive one of peace. The key is living with one’s circumstances especially when they cannot be changed and are beyond one’s control. That is learning to wear one’s hat and dressing properly in every situation.

Let us close this reflection by going back to the word crisis. According to my Chinese friends, crisis is represented by two characters in Chinese, indicating danger and opportunity. Like its Greek counterpart, crisis in Chinese calls for a decision too because of the dangers present; it is only in making that decision when one can experience the many opportunities life offers. Are you ready to make that decision of choosing Jesus, of putting on His clothes of love and kindness, mercy and forgiveness as He invites you in His banquet in this Sunday’s Mass?Amen. A blessed week ahead to everyone!