Lord My Chef Recipe by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Holy Monday, 30 March 2026 Isaiah 42:1-7 +++ John 12:1-11
Photo by author, Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches, QC, 20 March 2026.
Here is my servant whom I uphold, my chosen one with whom I am pleased, upon whom I have put my spirit; he shall bring forth justice to the nations, not crying out, not shouting, not making his voice heard in street. A bruised reed he shall not break, and a smoldering wick he shall not quench... (Isaiah 42:1-3).
Lord Jesus Christ, our Suffering Servant, let me be your servant too: open my eyes and free me from whatever prison holding me in darkness like Judas your betrayer at Bethany: many times I break a bruised reed, quenching a smoldering wick by looking more at people than seeing you in them, counting things instead of appreciating persons.
Jesus our Suffering Servant, only you can bring peace and justice in this world troubled with wars waged everywhere but especially right in our hearts; fill me with your Spirit so I can love you more and be loving like you silently doing your work. Amen.
Photo by author, Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches, QC, 20 March 2026.
40 Shades of Lent by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Fifth Sunday in Lent, Cycle A, 22 March 2026 Ezekiel 37:12-14 +++ Romans 8:8-11 +++ John 11:1-45
“The Raising of Lazarus” by Italian painter and architect Giotto di Bondone (1266-1337), fresco inside the Scrovegni Chapel in Padua, Italy via commons.wikimedia.org.
We now come to the final Sunday of our Lenten journey into Easter with John still as our guide telling us Jesus Christ’s raising to life of his friend Lazarus who had been dead for four days.
The raising of Lazarus is a prelude for the greatest sign of all by Jesus as the Christ – his Resurrection at Easter after his Passion and Death on good Friday. Though very long, it is a lovely story that speaks of Jesus Christ’s deep friendship with us by being most present in our most painful suffering of all which is death of a loved one as well as our many “deaths” in life.
And like in every true friendship, Jesus invites us like the sisters of Lazarus, Martha and Mary, to believe in him.
When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him; but Mary sat at home. Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would have not died. But even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise.” Martha said to him, “I know he will rise, in the resurrection on the last day.” Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life, whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” She said to him, “Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world” (John 11:20-27).
When Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” When Jesus saw her weeping and the Jews who had come with her weeping, he became perturbed and deeply troubled… (John 11:32-33).
Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the dead man’s sister, said to him, “Lord, by now there will be a stench; he has been dead for four days.” Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believe you will see the glory of God?” (John 11:39-40)
“The Raising of Lazarus”, 1311 painting by Duccio de Buoninsegna from commons.wikimedia.org
“Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” We are all like Martha and Mary who believed in Jesus Christ. Both expressed to Jesus their faith in him, of believing in him and his powers.
To believe is the starting point of every relationship. With God and with others.
It usually begins in our mind, in our intellect. We believe because we know and have learned their names and backgrounds, their likes and dislikes, and a host of others things. We can truly be friends with others even by believing only with our intellect that is why we understand their predicament and situations, the way they react. Almost everything, we know and have known that we are still the best of friends. Including with God.
Martha exemplified that kind of believing.
Martha is good. If she is the same “Martha, Martha” mentioned by Luke whom Jesus visited, she was well meaning like most of us.
She believed in Jesus. In God. In the scriptures when she told Jesus she knew Lazarus would rise along with all the dead in the resurrection on the last day.
Jesus never argued because it was good. Same with us.
Our friends do not argue nor break away from us with our kind of believing. After all it is reasonable and sane. But, believing from the mind, from the intellect is not enough. For a more intimate and engaging relationship in friendship, believing has to deepen and take root in our heart.
Believing leads to love.
Whatever kind of love, it starts in believing.
We love because we believe as we have claimed last Sunday.
But, believing and loving do not stop there.
How deeply, how truly we believe indicate how deeply, how truly we love.
Photo by author, Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches, QC, 20 March 2026.
Without any intentions of comparing and pitting the two sisters against each other on who is better, John presents to us where believing leads us.
Like Martha, Mary expressed how she believed in Jesus and his powers by telling him “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”But it was not merely coming from her mind, from her head, from what she knew of Jesus but more of how she felt with Jesus.
Notice at the start of this long story (verse 2) how John described Mary as the one who anointed Jesus – six days after this raising of Lazarus – with perfumed oil and dried his feet with her hair as expression of her faith and love for the Lord on his burial. Getting some help from Luke’s account again, we find Mary’s level of believing as deeper and matured when she chose to seat at the Lord’s feet to listen to his teachings when he came to visit them.
Mary came to Jesus with her total self – unashamed to weep in front of the Lord. She spoke no words, showed no clues of her “theology” like Martha’s faith seeking understanding by studying the scriptures.
It was Mary’s heart that spoke to Jesus that he was “perturbed” twice and “deeply troubled” seeing her. Even the Jews with her felt the Lord so moved by her that led us to the final scene of this beautiful story.
Feel the revelations at the cave where Lazarus was buried:
When Jesus asked the stone removed from the cave, Martha stepped in. And it was reasonable of her. We do it so often in various occasions like in funerals and deathbeds.
That was when Jesus reminded her, “Did I not tell you that if you believe you will see the glory of God?”
Everybody fell dead silent.
Jesus then prayed aloud briefly to the Father, shouting for Lazarus to come out – alive, still covered with cloth. End of scene.
What’s next?
You tell me. Tell me how much you believe Jesus, how much you love Jesus. And how much you love like Jesus especially when everything, everyone is dead, dead silent, dead still for many reasons.
Photo by author, Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches, QC, 20 March 2026.
How much do we believe in Jesus, the resurrection and life?
Think of our many deaths in life. Not only in losing a beloved but our very own deaths – when we were buried and dead to sin and failures, disappointments and losses like the Israelites thrown into exile that Ezekiel the Prophet described in the first reading. What a beautiful imagery of God raising us to life, opening our graves of sins and failures, weaknesses and darkness, breathing into us his spirit, now better. Or maybe still struggling in life.
Believing in Jesus is believing like Martha and Mary most especially, unashamedly pouring out our pains and griefs to Jesus, baring our battered hearts and souls to him because we have felt, we have experienced his very passion and death in our own life, with those we love and serve.
In these trying times, Jesus invites us to believe more than ever in him by believing also with those severely affected by the hard times like the jeepney drivers and minimum wage earners. Let us try to live in spirit as St. Paul reminds us in the second reading by feeling their struggles, their fears, their sufferings so that they may not cry, “Lord, if you were here our families would have not gone hungry, would have not died” because we his disciples were here for them.
That is believing in Jesus the resurrection and life – being present with those suffering and dying. Solidarity.
Jesus is not asking us to think nor understand their pains and miseries. He is asking us to feel within us their pains and miseries so that like Mary we can bring Jesus to them and raise them to new life. Let us pray:
Lord Jesus Christ, before all these pains and sufferings came to me, you were there first to suffer and die for me on the Cross. Let me love you more by loving others especially those also in pain and suffering. Amen.
40 Shades of Lent by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Fourth Sunday in Lent (Laetare Sunday), Cycle A, 15 March 2026 1 Samuel 16:1b, 6-7, 10-13a + Ephesians 5:8-14 + John 9:1-41
Artwork from thecripplegate.com.
We continue our Lenten journey with John still as our guide this fourth Sunday known as “Laetare Sunday” for “Rejoice Sunday” because we are fast approaching the end of the Lenten journey to celebrate Easter – but not that too easily.
More than that the path is still long, what makes the journey difficult is our own “blindness” that we fail to see and recognize Jesus as the light who had come to illumine us. His healing of the man born blind shows Jesus precisely in the exercise of the mission given him by the Father that John made clear in his gospel prologue about the coming of God’s Word, the Christ, as the light that enlightens everyone which the darkness refuses to accept (Jn.1:5, 9-10).
In a similar manner when Jesus told the Samaritan woman last Sunday that he is the living water who quenches our deepest thirsts in life, he clearly declared in this healing of the man born blind that he is “the light of the world … who had come so that those who do not see might see” (Jn.9:5, 39). But, unlike in the story of the Samaritan woman, Jesus appears only at the start and the end of the scene of our gospel this Sunday. And the most amazing part is how the man born blind eventually turned out to be the one who led those in the crowd including us today in realizing why Jesus indeed is the light of the world.
Photo by author, 25 February 2026, National Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, Valenzuela City.
This beautiful story of the healing of the man born blind is like a huge painting or a tapestry best seen by slowly going through certain sections and details little by little until we see the whole picture.
As he passed by he saw a man born blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “Neither he nor his parents sinned; it is so that the works of God might be made visible through him” (John 9:1-3).
Actually, the man born blind wasn’t the only one blind in the story: everyone else is blind led by the Apostles themselves who are like us today always looking for someone to blame, a scapegoat for all the miseries in life. Everyday we repeat in various forms their question “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
Its worst part is how we continue to insist like them with the Pharisees and those in the crowds in molding Jesus into the person or God we want him to be, either so stern at one end or too lax at the other extreme to accommodate our own ideas who God is.
The late American Trappist monk Thomas Merton wrote that God is not an “object” like a thing our minds can comprehend or grasp, saying that such attitude in seeing God leads to a false, idolatrous understanding of God. According to Merton, God is a pure “Who” and “Thou” we experience in silent prayers, a reality we experience and meet in ourselves and with others.
Maybe that explains why more than half of the wars going on today in various parts of the world are sadly because of religion!
How ironic that in this mass-mediated world where people practically live in social media, the more we see and expose everything, the more we have become blind, forgetting that the deepest truths and realities in life are hidden from our eyes that only our hearts can see. Hence, like the Pharisees and scribes of Jesus’ time, we still demand signs from God about his reality. In the first reading, we find God reminding Samuel and us to go beyond material things and outside appearances “because man sees the appearance but the Lord looks into the heart” (1 Sm.16:7).
Worst of all blindness is our being blind to those closest to us like family. Notice that John specifically mentioned how the parents of the man born blind refused to attest to their own son’s miraculous healing by Jesus for fear of reprisals from the temple authorities. Like them, we are blinded by power, wealth and prestige. Likewise, we are divided by affiliations and labels with public and moral issues nowadays decided not in its merits of truth and veracity but in its sheer number of followers. Talents and genius take the backstage to whatever viral and trending seen as the best, as the “in” thing. As a result, the more we are plunged into darkness despite the 24/7 “lights” of the world.
Photo by author, January 2025.
Interspersed in the amusing exchanges and conversations among the crowd with the man born blind after his healing by Jesus, we see now why Christ is the light of the world: because he brings hope amid darkness in life.
When Jesus heard they had thrown him out, he found him and said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” He answered and said, “Who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?” Jesus said to him, “You have seen him and the one speaking to you is he.” He said, “I do believe, Lord,” and he worshipped him (John 9:35-38).
It was in the ensuing drama in the conversations that followed after his healing that John assembled the beautiful pattern of the light of Christ shining through the man born blind as he joyfully and enthusiastically spoke of Jesus. It must have been dark for the healed blind man of being questioned and even laughed at by the Pharisees and crowd, and worst, not supported by his own parents; yet, despite all these, he held on as he affirmed his faith in Jesus as a prophet who had healed him because finally he had found a glimmer of hope and meaning in life. Recall now what St. Paul says in the second reading of our own moments in darkness, of how Jesus our light had enlightened us.
Many times in life our knowledge and experience of God do not happen instantly but slowly, little by little. And like that blind man who was healed, there are even times we could be already in front of Jesus without realizing it was already him because he comes in disguises – often in darkness of failures and sufferings, in our blindness in sin.
Photo by author, La Union, 09 January 2026.
It is in those moments of darkness and blindness we see and realize the light of Christ because that is when we experience hope and meaning in life.
The joy of this fourth Sunday is found in Jesus Christ like shafts of light filling us with hope within amid the darkness and failures, sufferings and pain we go through in life. Jesus is the light of the world because light is brightest in darkness like the stars at night.
When we hope, we believe, then we love despite the suffering we are going through because deep in our hearts we know something good is happening, that darkness is not the final say in life but light when everything becomes clear. In the healing of the man born blind, Jesus offers us hope for something good and better. Without hope, we stop loving because we have darkness within, finding no sense at all in living that we destroy, even kill. With Christ, even a glimmer of light can pierce the wall of darkness to lead us to life and meaning. Amen. Have a blessed week ahead sharing the light of Christ with others, especially those blinded within.
40 Shades of Lent by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Third Sunday in Lent, Cycle A, 08 March 2026 Exodus 17:3-7 +++ Romans 5:1-2, 5-8 +++ John 4:5-42
Photo by author, an old well somewhere in the desert of Egypt, May 2019.
We continue our lenten journey from the wilderness of temptations of Jesus to the high mountain of his transfiguration. As we have claimed since Ash Wednesday, life is a daily Lent, an inner journey that takes us into different directions that surprise us like this Sunday when Jesus entered an “enemy territory” and even spoke with a Samaritan woman!
It is a very long story but a lovely one with so many layers filled with inexhaustible meanings for us today.
Jesus came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of land thart Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there. Jesus, tired from his journey, sat down there at the well. It was about noon. A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” His disciples had gone into the town to buy food. the Samaritan woman said to him, “How can you, a Jew, ask me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink?” (For Jews use nothing in common with Samaritans.) Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God and who is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him and he would have given you living water” (John 4:5-10).
Jesus and Samaritan Woman, AI-illustration from stock.adobe.com.
Imagine Jesus going into “enemy territory”. That’s how much Jesus loves us. He goes directly where we are most empty and dark, even tired and exhausted, lost and alienated, perhaps when we are deep into sin like that Samaritan woman who had to fetch water at noon to avoid the Marites, the gossipers speaking about her sixth husband.
It is very clear that what we have here is more than a geographical setting but a revelation of God’s immense love (and thirst) sending Jesus for us all especially the sinners and those neglected by the society, living in the margins like women and children, the poor and the elderly.
We are that Samaritan woman always hiding from everyone even from ourselves, hoping the decay and wounds within us can be hidden or simply be gone. And that is why like that Samaritan woman, we keep on going back to our “well” of comfort and false securities and affirmations to draw “water” that would quench our deeper longings and desire in the heart like mercy and forgiveness
Jesus knew the Samaritan woman was coming at that time. In engaging her into a conversation, the woman opened up and realized her deeper needs she had always been disregarding or setting aside for a long time, hoping there could be a perfect time to fix everything in her.
With Jesus, every day is a perfect day. He does not beat around the bush. He talks straight but never judgmental, calling a spade a spade. No need to soften the impact as we are wont in doing and saying. That is why our responsorial psalm today says it so well, “If today you hear the voice of the Lord, harden not your hearts.”
Let Jesus come into your heart. Don’t be afraid to speak openly. Complain like the Israelites in the wilderness in the first reading. Was it wrong? Not really. Like us, the Israelites complained to God not because we are mad at him but actually because we believe in him. We know he alone can do something to our situation and problem. He alone can quench our thirst not just for water but inner thirst.
Photo by author, Third Week of Lent 2019, Parokya ni San Juan Apostol at Ebanghelista, Bagbaguin, Sta. Maria, Bulacan.
The woman left her water jar and went into the town… (John 4:28)
This is what the Samaritan woman realized in conversing with Jesus: more than the waters of pretensions and false affirmations of friends, the alibis and rationalizations we make, the noise we cover the truths within us, the well will eventually dry up until finally we have to confront and face our true selves in Christ right there in our hearts.
Why wait when we can do it now, this Lent?
Going back in the first reading, we see our situation: our inner longings that deep inside we cry out to God because we believe only him can hear us and satisfy us.
Have you realized this inverse proportionality with God? We come to God because we have nothing, convinced that only God can give what we need. God comes to us always especially when we foolishly believe we have everything that is actually nothing because he knows so well only him can fulfill us.
God knows this so well. As St. Paul tells us in the second reading, “For Christ, while we are still helpless, died at the appointed time for the ungodly. Indeed, only with difficulty does one die for a just person, though perhpas for a good person one might even find courage to die. But God proves his love for is in that while we were still sinner Christ died for us” (Rom.5:6-8).
This Sunday, we have come to celebrate this Eucharist believing only Jesus can fulfill our deepest longings in life. Let us leave our jars that hide our many pretensions and false securities, our doubts and dilly-dallying in life. Empty yourself in Jesus, let him fill you for he is the Living Water.
The water in the well invites us to confront our true selves – no alibis, no ifs nor buts. Be our true self to realize we are an empty jar. Which kind of water you wish to be filled with, of the world or of Christ? Have a blessed week and let us pray:
Lord Jesus Christ, you have given me with a jar filled with fresh, living water I have wasted for so long to be filled with the world's water of fame and wealth and power; You know everything about me, Jesus: forgive me, refresh me in your love and mercy, in your words and loving presence; fill me with yourself the only Living Water that may flow and be shared with others so thirsty and untidy with sin. Amen.
40 Shades of Lent by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Friday, Second Week in Lent, 06 March 2026 Genesis 37:3-4, 12-13, 17-28 + + + Matthew 21:33-43, 45-46
Photo by author, Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches, QC, March 2023.
As we come to nearly closing this second week in Lent, forgive us Lord Jesus Christ for the many times we have claimed everything as our own: Lent is when we return back to God our Father the life we have all stolen and destroyed in the process.
It tears apart my heart, O Lord, that scene when Jacob's sons conspired to kill, later sold Joseph their own brother because of jealousy and sadly, how this still happens among us as brothers and sisters, "Judah said to his brothers: 'What is to be gained by killing our brother and concealing his blood? Rather, let us sell him to these Ishmaelites, instead of doing away with him ourselves. Afer all, he is our brother, our own flesh.' His brothers agreed. They sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver" (Genesis 37:26-28).
Forgive us, Lord in owning each other like a thing, an object to be possessed than a subject to be loved and respected like when we rejoice at the summary execution of criminals, when people argue in favor of abortion and contraceptives negating the value of life, when some insist on same sex unions and gender reorientation disregarding the sanctity of the human body.
Photo by author, from Dominus Flevit Church overlooking Jerusalem, May 2017.
It is the same pride that consumes us when we think of our selves, of our very lives, of this planet itself and universe as if we own everything, laying claim on everything and everyone; forgive us, Father for being so arrogant with our misplaced confidence and familiarity in our sense of ownership and possession of "your vineyard" entrusted to us.
We have not only defied you, Father in disregarding the prophets you have sent to gather from us your share of produce from your vineyard we have now usurped; worst of all, we have killed your Son Jesus Christ, not giving him the respect due to him, "Finally, he sent his son to them, thinking, 'They will respect my son.' But when the tenants saw the son, they said to one another, 'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and acquire his inheritance.' They seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him" (Matthew 21:37-39).
Every time we sin, whenever we disrespect others especially the sick and the weak, whenever we discredit someone not present with us in a gathering, when we are unfaithful and we betray those we have promised to love and to serve, we steal your vineyard, Father, we kill your Son and Heir, we claim as ours without realizing the truth we have nothing at all for we are mere stewards.
Photo by author, Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches, QC, March 2025.
Lord Jesus, you have given me with so much - life and talents, experiences and fulfillment family and friends not to own nor possess like things but gifts to be shared; I return them to you so you may use them and me according to your will. Amen.
Thus says the Lord: "Cursed is the man who trusts in human beings, who seeks his strength in flesh, whose heart turns away from the Lord. He is like a barren bush in the desert that enjoys no change of season, but stands in a lava waste, a salt and empty earth" (Jeremiah 17:5-6).
Forgive us, merciful Father for turning away from you, and turning away from our neighbors especially the sick many other Lazarus we ignore at our doorsteps; forgive us in believing more in ourselves, in our science and technology, ideologies and philosophies that stretch our rights and freedom forgetting all about our responsibilities; how foolish, O God, that we insist on our beliefs and misplaced trust in ourselves, in everything that is passing and temporary for as long as it is self-serving that we become like a barren bush or shrub in the desert, drying up, dying, hoping for the rains that would never come. Awaken us, Lord from this foolishness and let us arise to return to you until there is time.
Photo by author, Hidden Valley, Laguna, February 2025.
Thus says the Lord: "Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose hope is the Lord. He is like a tree planted beside waters that stretches out its roots to the stream; it fears not the heat when it comes, its leaves stay green; in the year of drought it shows no distress, but still bears fruit" (Jeremiah 17:7-8).
Let me find my way back to you, God our Father; let me be like that tree planted beside the stream, beside you, in you, trusting you alone; let me be rooted in you, Father, filled with life and meaning; deepen my roots in you, Father, listening more to your voice of wisdom and truth that are inconvenient in this age of instants comfort.
Photo by author, Malagos, Davao City, 18 August 2018.
Lord Jesus Christ, you have given me with so much and I have given so little; let me give more of myself to you so I can give and share you more with others; keep me rooted in you as I surrender myself to you, doing your most holy will. Amen.
40 Shades of Lent by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Wednesday, Second Week in Lent, 04 March 2026 Jeremiah 18:18-20 + + + Matthew 20:17-28
Photo by author, Ephesus, Turkiye, November 2025.
How lovely is our scene today, Lord Jesus, of you walking towards Jerusalem: it must have been so dusty and dirty at that time; I won't be surprised at all at how everybody must be thinking of reaching home, finding a place for comfort and ease but here you are, Lord, reminding the Twelve and us today of your coming passion, death and resurrection.
How amazing, Jesus that as we follow you, walking with you in this journey and mission, you remind us of our own sufferings but unfortunately, thoughts of glory seep into our minds like that day when the mother of James and John made that request of honor and prestige by your side; the same thing is very true during the time of Jeremiah the Prophet: he was there in the heat and dirt of the city of Jerusalem, proclaiming God's words of conversion and there, just like today, are the voices and thoughts of us thinking of doing away with pain and suffering, of insisting on our own thoughts and desires for fame and glory without realizing the more essential realities in life.
O dear Jesus, let me continue to walk your path of the Cross, let me remain in your journey of Lent, of life by your side, forgetting my self, taking my cross, and following you alone.
You have given me with so much, Jesus and I have given so little; take whatever I still keep to myself when I thought I have surrendered completely to you; let me see what you see, love whom you love, care for those you care as we continue together in this road to Jerusalem. Amen.
Photo by Ar. Philip Santiago, Jerusalem, October 2025.
40 Shades of Lent by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Tuesday, Second Week in Lent, 03 March 2026 Isaiah 1:10, 16-20 + + + Matthew 23:1-12
Photo by author, Ephesus, Turkiye, November 2025.
Praise and glory to you, O Lord, God our Father! You are most gracious and kind despite our sins you still call us to come to you.
Come now, let us set things right, says the Lord: Though your sins be like scarlet, they may become white as snow; though they be crimson red, they may become white as wool (Isaiah 1:18).
You are indeed a loving God, dear Father, inviting us your sinful children to "come now", inviting us to a conversation, always believing change is possible even if most often we are not willing to come to you; give us the humility and firm resolve to accept finally your invitation to come and set things right so that we may become a people of justice; let us come to you, Lord to be reconciled, to wash myself clean, to start anew in you again.
O dear Jesus, you have been inviting me for so long to come to you, to return to you but I still refuse to believe, refusing to accept and welcome you because I feel I am doomed and hopeless; open my heart to you, Jesus, make me "willing and obedient" to set things right. Amen.
Photo by Ms. Kei Abad, Kawaguchiko Lake (Fujisan), 23 November 2025.
Your words today, O Lord Jesus are short but give much to reflect on: "Be merciful... stop judging... stop condemning... Forgive... Give."
Jesus, teach me to be "shamefaced" like Daniel in the first reading: it is not enough that I realize my sinfulness, of my wickedness in refusing to love, in turning away from you, in disregarding your words over and over and still - be forgiven and loved.
Jesus said to his disciples: “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful” (Luke 6:36).
So often in life, I forget the Father's mercy that I have totally been oblivious to being merciful; thank you Jesus in giving this comparison today, of being merciful as the Father is merciful.
What a shame of how often I look up to myself as so good, so righteous against others that I judge and condemn them; teach me to be like you, Lord: merciful, non-judgmental, forgiving; most of all, teach me to give freely like you, Lord; remind me always to remember your mercy on me to realize that more than an ideal, mercy is about how it feels in my own life.
Lord Jesus Christ, you have given me with so much love and mercy, kindness and forgiveness of sins but I have refused to be merciful with others; have mercy on me, Lord and let me be merciful like the Father. Amen.
40 Shades of Lent by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Second Sunday in Lent, Cycle A, 01 March 2026 Genesis 12:1-4 +++ 2 Timothy 1:8-10 +++ Matthew 17:1-9
Photo by author, Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches, QC, March 2023.
Despite the sweltering heat of summer, I have always loved the season of Lent when everything is subdued in liturgy – no Gloria nor Alleluia with the altar bare without flowers. It is during this season when we listen to a rich selection of readings from the Sacred Scriptures with music so solemn to guide us in our reflections and prayers to be converted and reconciled with God through one another especially those we have hurt or offended us.
That is why Lent is so beautiful because it is a call for transformation and transfiguration in Jesus Christ, when we are renewed as beloved children of God our Father. As we have reflected on Ash Wednesday, Lent is a coming home to God.
After six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them; his face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, conversing with him. Then Peter said to Jesus in reply, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah” (Matthew 17:1-4).
Church of the Transfiguration, Mount Tabor in Israel; photo from wikimedia.org.
Every second Sunday in Lent, we listen to the gospel account of Jesus Christ’s transfiguration at Mount Tabor that shows us the inseparability of the Cross and of the Resurrection, the tragedy of Good Friday and the glory of Easter Sunday.
Matthew, Mark and Luke shared the same event with minor variations in their respective account, agreeing on the basic details of the scene that happened on a high mountain six days after Jesus identified himself at Caesarea Philippi as the Christ or Messiah who shall suffer and die but rise again on the third day.
What I like most of the common details mentioned by the three evangelists in their accounts of the transfiguration were the words spoken by Peter to Jesus, “Lord, it is good that we are here.” So lovely.
Photo by author, Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches, QC, March 2024.
Many times we are like Peter who tell Jesus the same words “Lord, it is good that we are here” without really knowing what we are saying. And surprisingly, we often speak these words to Jesus during those moments when we feel him most incomprehensible – hindi maintindihan just like during that scene at the transfiguration.
We have been saying since Ash Wednesday that “life is Lent” – a daily journey to God’s loving presence within us and among us. Life is a daily ascent, of coming close to God that is never easy.
We all struggle in our prayer life because prayer is stripping ourselves naked before God, confronting our true selves. That’s difficult but transformative, making us grow to become better persons.
So many of us could not even keep up with the Sunday Mass, God’s third commandment, “Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day.”
But, thanks be to God that there are moments of prayers and during the celebration of sacraments when we feel so high in the Lord’s presence we could not understand nor explain yet, feel so good to be there.
There were times when we truly heard Jesus telling us, teaching us how to overcome great temptations and trials in life that after being spared from all the troubles and sins, we felt so good to be there with the Lord.
Or, how can we forget those times we faced the most severe difficulties we have had in life when we have lost a loved one, or we have experienced defeat and failure, painful sufferings like sickness or betrayal when we felt so down, so empty and depleted but also felt the gentle touch of Jesus through the kindness of some strangers or faithful friends, inspiring us to rise and be not afraid to start anew in life, convinced that it is good to be there in the Lord.
Recall those times when it was the face of Jesus we saw on those familiar people or even strangers who shared with us the warmth of being welcomed, of being loved, of being forgiven that made us feel so good to be with the Lord.
Our most difficult moments, our most trying times are when we get better, when we mature and grow, when we are transformed in Jesus Christ. Many times, we hardly understand what is going on except that we believe and hold on to Jesus our Lord despite the many temptations that come our way to follow the ways of the world. But, experience have shown us that doing that is not good at all.
Photo by author, Lent 2021.
As we have reflected last Sunday, life is a Lent, a wilderness with so many voices competing for our attention. Many times we listen more to the voice of the devil that lure us into taking shortcuts and instant routes than follow the word of God that tells us to wait and persevere.
This Sunday, Matthew intensifies that call to us to listen to God’s call and voice when during the transfiguration a voice was heard saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him” (17:5).
After the transfiguration of Jesus, everything he shall be telling us is to forget ourselves, take up our cross and follow him.
St. Paul insists this to Timothy in our second reading today, to “bear our share of hardship for the gospel with the strength that comes from God” (2Tim.1:8). Likewise, the story of the call of Abram in the first reading reminds us of our same call from the same God to leave our comfort zones to a life of blessedness, of holiness.
It is always good to be with the Lord; and wherever he is, there we must always be (Jn.12:26). Jesus is always where there is love and kindness, mercy and justice, poverty and emptiness. Even death and darkness for that is when and where we are transformed and transfigured in Christ. That is why it is good that we are with him always. Let us pray:
Lord Jesus, there are so many things I do not understand in this life, especially when I have to be silent to be with you in prayer, to forget myself and carry my cross and follow you in the path of simplicity, kindness and service; but, one thing though is clear: it is when I am with you, even when I could not see clearly everything, that is when I feel peace and fulfillment within, when I feel so good to be here with you. Let me ramain in you, Jesus. Amen.
Church of the Transfiguration, Mount Tabor, Holy Land; from custodia.org.
lordmychef.com 