Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for Souls by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Friday, Twenty-Sixth Week in Ordinary Time, Year II Feast of Guardian Angels, 02 October 2026 Exodus 23:20-23 <*{{{{>< + ><}}}}*> Matthew 18:1-5, 10
Photo by author, Baguio City Cathedral, 2019.
Glory and praise to you, O God our loving Father in giving us guardian angels, your messengers and servants you send us to guide us, to protect us, to lead us.
“See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father” (Matthew 18:10).
Angels are spiritual creatures, so pure and holy, with will and intellect; but, as the psalmist sings, you O Lord created us humans higher than angels with body able to touch, feel and see others and be felt and seen by others too; but, how sad, unlike the angels, we are so concerned always with who is the greatest among us; forgive us, Lord, in this age of social media when everything is exposed and must be seen, must be felt and tasted, we have come to value greatness in terms of popularity and wealth, power and fame, achievements and success whether at home or in school, in offices and parishes, everywhere.
Teach us, Jesus, to be like little children who always portray angels in the arts because of their simplicity and sincerity; may we keep in mind that we are already good and great in our selves, even greater than angels; may we be faithful like the guardian angels as God's messengers and servants especially to those who are sick and burdened, alone and forgotten by family and friends even by society, troubled and anxious with life's many problems; likewise, we remember and pray for those people who have always been an angel to us, bringing Christ's loving presence among us. Amen.
Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Thursday, Twenty-Sixth Week in Ordinary Time, Year II, 01 October 2026 Memorial, St. Therese of the Child Jesus, Virgin & Doctor of Church
Photo by author, September 2020.
Praise and glory to you, God our loving Father for this month of October! Thank you for calling and sending us like the 72 others sent forth by Jesus in today's gospel:
Jesus appointed seventy-two other disciples whom he sent ahead of him in pairs to every town and place he intended to visit. He said to them, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest” (Luke 10:1-2).
Thank you, dear Jesus for those you have called and sent to comfort me in times of crises, those you sent to encourage me in times of doubts, those you sent to bring me peace when everything was in chaos and disorder; send me too, O Lord, to bring your love and mercy to those down and wearied, to bring your warmth and life to those losing energy and will to forge on in life, to bring healing for those bruised and sick physically and emotionally.
Teach me to be like St. Therese of the Child Jesus whom we celebrate today to be love in the midst of the Church; let me not be like those visitors of Job who disturbed him, instead of bringing him peace they destabilized him; the world is so sick these days, Lord; send us to bring you and your peace and love and joy to everyone. Amen.
Photo by a friend in Swan Island Dahlia Farm, Canby, Oregon, 29 August 2026.
Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Wednesday, Twenty-Sixth Week in Ordinary Time, Year II Memorial of St. Jerome, Priest & Doctor of the Church, 30 September 2026
Photo by author, Cabo de Roca, Pundaquit, San Antonio, Zambales, 15 May 2025.
Many times in life I see myself like Job, Lord: at a loss at how things are happening with me; I cannot complain but deep I know that in this life, good is rewarded, evil is punished; but, how does one explain when bad things happen to good people?
Like Job, I have no claims to holiness but deep inside I am convinced of my innocence in many occasions that I ask, I wonder, I "protest" of the difficulties and sufferings I am going through.
How must I approach, you, Lord?
You are all powerful, you can do anything; should you come near me, I see you not; should you pass by, I am now aware of your coming; should you seize me, what can I say nor do (Job (9:11-12).
Even though I were right, I could not answer him, but should rather beg for what was due to me. If I appealed to him and he answered my call, I could nhot believe that he would hearken to my words (Job 9:15-16).
Truth is, many times I really do not and would never understand for sure the things happening to me except that I just have to trust you more like Job.
Or St. Jerome who went through many ordeals in his life largely due to his own making with his kind of temperament. What matters is that unlike the three would-be disciples in the gospel today, Job, St. Jerome, and hopefully me, your lowly servant Lord, will simply follow you even if we never understand why and how things are turning out in my life.
Let me approach you, Lord, the way St. Jerome had shown and taught us: by praying your Words, the Sacred Scriptures where you speak directly to us in the most personal manner. Amen.
Photo by author, Cabo de Roca, Pundaquit, San Antonio, Zambales, 14 May 2025.
Lord My Chef Sunday Recipe for Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A, 27 September 2026 Ezsekiel 18:25-28 ><}}}}*> Philippians 2:1-11 ><}}}}*> Matthew 21:28-32
It was a week of prayers aided by music I grew up with as it happens most of the time which I believe is part of my being old while unconsciously feeling fearful of the inevitable, death.
But, it isn’t morbid at all. I regard it as simply being realistic.
Like our liturgical calendar that is about to end in nine weeks on November 22 with the Solemnity of Christ the King followed the next Sunday after that on November 29 with the Season of Advent or the four Sunday preparation for Christmas!
Hence, all gospel accounts beginning this Sunday will focus on the coming end of time and the need for us to change our ways to make it to heaven, our final destination in this life.
Jesus said to the chief priests and elders of the people: “What is your opinion? A man had two sons. He came to the first and said, ‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’ He said in reply, ‘I will not,’ but afterwards he changed his mind and went. The man came to the other son and gave the same order. He said in reply, ‘Yes, sir,’ but did not go. Which of the two did the father’s will.” They answered, “The first”(Mt.21:28-31).
Photo by author, Jerusalem as seen from the altar of Dominus Flevit Church, May 2017.
Jesus and his disciples have finally reached Jerusalem and this scene today is the day after Palm Sunday when he angrily drove away the traders and money changers in the Temple area that have prompted his enemies led by the elders and priests to come and questioned his authority.
Before giving his answer, Jesus asked them the origin of John’s authority to baptize, God or the people? They declined to answer because they have refused to recognize John’s baptism and that is why Jesus gave them a chance to change their minds and their hearts with this parable of the two sons. It was like Jesus telling them and everyone else including us today to obey follow God.
See now its link with last Sunday’s parable of the workers in the vineyard: Jesus continues to call us to come and work in his vineyard no matter how late; our work in his vineyard never stops and we need to keep doing what is good even if sometimes we fail and falter. Remember too that Matthew presents Jesus as always insisting the need to harmonize and blend what we believe with what we say and most of all, with what we do because “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven” (Mt.7:21).
Photo by author, Anvaya Cove, Bataan, 21 July 2026.
What counts most for Jesus in this parable is not just what or who is in our hearts but what flows from our hearts. Do we walk our talk? There has to be a unity in our faith wherein what we believe is what we say and what we do and live by.
Like the younger son in the parable, we are invited today to be humble and accept our mistakes to do what is right, what is good, what is moral than become like the elder son who said yes to their father but did not obey at all. Many times despite our absolute belief in God, we still think more of ourselves, insisting our own ways and agenda even to our loved ones, unmindful of the disunity we cause in our relationships aside from the pains and hurts we inflict on them whenever our words of love and peace do not match our actions.
There is a saying that goes “A single act of kindness is better than the best intention.” So true! – because our actions prove the veracity and sincerity of our every intention. That’s what God did for us by not merely promising a Savior but fulfilled it in sending us Jesus Christ who died obediently on the Cross which St. Paul eloquently explained today in our second reading we also hear during Christmas and Easter Seasons.
Photo by author, Anvaya Cove, Bataan, 20 July 2026.
We are so blessed this Sunday not only because God fulfills his promises of love and forgiveness but he always gives us endless chances to change our ways, to continuously work things out for the best.
Every Eucharist is a celebration of God’s patience and mercy for us sinners who must be converted again and again and again to make it to His kingdom in heaven. We must always be on guard not to fall into the mistake of the laborers last week who were so focused on their work than on the goodness of the landowner as if they deserved something extra than others which the Prophet Ezekiel echoed in the first reading:
“Hear now, house of Israel: Is it my way that is unfair, or rather, are not your ways unfair? When someone virtuous turns away from virtue to commit iniquity, and dies, it is because of the iniquity he committed that he must die. But if he turns from the wickedness he has committed, and does what is right and just, he shall preserve his life”(Ezekiel 18:25-27).
God is not a store nor a credit card who gives “rebates” for whatever good points we “earn” for past purchases for he will judge us with our actions and not intentions. We simply have to strive in doing what is good like that second child in the parable.
Let me end this reflection with this funny story about the talking centipede.
Photo by author, Anvaya Cove, Bataan, 21 July 2026.
A young man decided life would be more fun if he had a most unique pet. So he went to the pet store and told the owner about it. After some discussions, he finally bought a talking centipede, which came in a little white box to use for his house.
The guy took the box back home, found a good spot to place it with the centipede inside and decided he would start off by taking his new pet to church with him.
So he asked the centipede in the box, “Would you like to go to church with me today? We will have a good time.”
But there was no answer from his new pet.
This bothered him a bit, but he waited a few minutes and then asked again, “How about going to church with me and receive blessings?”
But again, there was no answer from his most unique pet. So he waited a few minutes more, thinking about the situation. The guy decided to invite the centipede one last time by putting his face up against the centipede’s house and shouted, “Hey, in there! Would you like to go to church with me and learn about God?”
Then suddenly, a little voice came out of the box, “I heard you the first time! I’m putting my shoes on.”
Smile everyone, God loves you so much! He knows that like the centipede, you have so many shoes to wear, so many shoestrings to tie but God is not in a hurry….just keep on putting on those shoes and keep walking on His path! Amen. Have a blessed end of September.
Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Friday, Twenty-Fifth Week in Ordinary Time, Year II, 25 September 2026 Ecclesiastes 3:1-11 ><]]]]'> + ><]]]]'> + ><]]]]'> Luke 9:18-22
I really wonder, Lord, if you have "made everything appropriate to its time, and has put the timeless into their hearts, without men's ever discovering, from beginning to end, the work which God has done" (Ecclesiastes 3:11), then what time is it now for me?
A time to weep or to laugh? A time to mourn or to dance? A time to scatter or to gather? A time to be silent or to speak? A time to love or to hate?
Despite our ingenuity and intelligence, we still could not figure out what time it is, Lord, because we can never know you God unless we let go of ourselves, unless we return to you.
And that is why Pete Seeger and the Byrds added those chorus lines before each stanza from today's first reading:
To everything – turn, turn, turn There is a season – turn, turn, turn And a time to every purpose under heaven
Photo by author, Dominus Flevit Church outside Jerusalem, May 2017.
Let me turn, turn, turn to you always to experience your time, dear Lord; let me turn, turn, turn to you so I may see you like Peter as you are in today's gospel - the Christ of God (Luke 9:20), the One who suffered and died but rose again for our salvation!
In your Passion and Resurrection Jesus, you have shown us time is a dimension for us to determine and measure the passing of moments, a reference point to go back in the past, to plan in the future, to experience the present that often escapes us; may we learn from Richard Bach's Jonathan Livingston Seagull the parting words of the wise Chen after teaching him how to fly higher than most seagulls: "Friendships should depend on nothing like time and space; remove time, we have now, remove space, we have here; don't you think between now and here we could meet once or twice?"
Teach us, Lord Jesus to return to you, to turn away from sins and evil to experience fullness of time in your coming in every here and now. Amen.
Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Thursday, Twenty-Fifth Week in Ordinary Time, Year II, 24 September 2026 Ecclesiastes 1:2-11 ><]]]]'> + ><]]]]'> + ><]]]]'> Luke 9:7-9
Photo by Ms. Jo Villafuerte, Atok, Benguet, 01 September 2019.
Your words today,
O Lord our God,
both in the first reading
from Ecclesiastes and
the gospel remind me of
Bob Dylan's 1963 song
"Blowin' in the Wind" -
that all these problems
we are facing like wars
and social inequalities
stem from our failure and
refusal to open our eyes
to see the most obvious
things that are just
blowin' in the wind.
How many roads must a man walk down Before you call him a man? How many seas must a white dove sail Before she sleeps in the sand? Yes, and how many times must the cannonballs fly Before they’re forever banned?
The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind The answer is blowin’ in the wind
Photo by Ms. Jo Villafuerte, Atok, Benguet, 01 September 2019.
Thousands of years
before Bob Dylan came,
there was Qoheleth
telling us,
"Vanity of vanities...
All things are vanity!"
Like the wind,
"Blowing now toward
the south, then toward
the north, the wind turns
again and again,
resuming its rounds"
(Ecclesiastes 1:2, 6).
We simply had to feel what everyone is feeling to be kind, a "kin" to everyone but we are so vain thinking only of our very selves that we can't feel the blowin' of the wind to see you in everyone.
Yes, and how many years must a mountain exist Before it is washed to the sea? Yes, and how many years can some people exist Before they’re allowed to be free? Yes, and how many times can a man turn his head And pretend that he just doesn’t see?
The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind The answer is blowin’ in the wind
Photo by author, Mt. St. Paul Spiritual Center, La Trinidad, Benguet, 07 January 2025.
Two thousand years ago
your Son our Savior
Jesus came to reveal
you to us, Father,
suffering, dying and rising
from the dead but still,
many refused to recognize him,
preferring to be like Herod Antipas
who ordered John the Baptist killed
but when he heard about the Christ,
"And he kept trying to see him"
(Luke 9:9) when he eventually met
and spoke with briefly but never "saw"
at all.
And that is vanity,
O Lord:
when we keep on searching,
wanting to see someone,
something so obviously present
among; open our eyes,
our hearts,
let us not be vain
in order to see what is obvious
we are so oblivious
in finding you on the face
of everyone we meet
no matter what his/her color
and belief and background in life.
Open our very selves to find
you Lord on everyone's face,
to hear the cries and pleas
of those suffering and
disadvantaged, the weakest
like the sick and dying,
the youngest and oldest.
Amen.
Yes, and how many times must a man look up Before he can see the sky? Yes, and how many ears must one man have Before he can hear people cry? Yes, and how many deaths will it take ’til he knows That too many people have died?
The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind The answer is blowin’ in the wind
Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Wednesday, Twenty-Fifth Week in Ordinary Time, Year II Feast of St. Padre Pio of Pietrelcina, 23 September 2026 Proverbs 30:5-9 <*((((>< + ><))))*> Luke 9:1-6
Your words today, dear God our Father are so comforting and reassuring of your loving presence; however, you teach us also too to completely trust you so that we may be comforted and reassured, thereby learn when enough is really enough.
Two things I ask of you, deny them not to me before I die: Put falsehood and lying far from me, give me neither poverty nor riches; provide me only with the food I need; lest, being full, I deny you, saying, “Who is the Lord?” Or, being in want, I steal, and profane the name of my God (Proverbs 30:7-9).
Teach me to be content with whatever there is for me, not desiring more than I need so that I remain open for you and your work, for you O Lord is more than enough; teach me to learn to stop in pursuing whatever I set my eyes or heart on when it is causing more harm than joy and wellness for it is only in following you enough is enough; teach me, Lord, to be like St. Padre Pio in leading a simple life, just praying, hoping and not worrying for you O Lord is more than enough. Amen.
Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Tuesday, Twenty-Fifth Week in Ordinary Time, Year II, 22 September 2026 Proverbs 21:1-6, 10-13 ><))))*> + ><))))*> + ><))))*> Luke 8:19-21
I pray for all those suffering today, Lord Jesus; for those hoping to see you, to talk to you even for a while like your mother and brothers in the gospel; why did you not go out to see them right away? I felt sad. And disappointed.
The mother of Jesus and his brothers came to him but were unable to join him because of the crowd. He was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside annd they wish to see you.” He said to them in reply, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of G0d and act on it” (Luke 8:19-21).
Luke never bothered to tell us what they wanted from you, Lord; but your reply got me praying more deeply and these I realized: you love us so much Jesus, your words always in us, in our hearts but many times we do not listen; Mary and your brothers know that so well and they never protested; in fact, they affirmed your words by remaining silent, trusting you as always; most of all, your reply teaches us your disciples to widen, to enlarge the bounds of our family: if we choose to listen and act on the Word of God, we must at the same time become a member of the family of Jesus.
Teach us to be like
that king in the first reading
willing to bow
his will and desires to
God despite his power
and authority;
give me a listening heart,
a will so pliant to your ways
so that I may welcome those
trying to get close to you
Jesus because they hurt;
many times our pains
are so pronounced because
we have no room
for those seeking you,
Jesus.
Amen.
Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Friday, Twenty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time, Year II, 18 September 2026 1 Corinthians 15:12-20 <*((((>< + ><))))*> Luke 8:1-3
Photo by Dra. Mylene A. Santos, MD, in Portugal, March 2022.
Thank you, Jesus for inviting me to join you in your journey: there were many occasions you have called me like when I was sick, when I felt lost, when I felt empty, when I coul not find any direction in life, when I was searching for meaning in life; I found more than what I was looking for in joining your journey - I found myself, I found others like family and friends, most especially I have found you the very being and good news of life.
Jesus journeyed from one town and village to another, preaching and proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom of God. Accompanying him were the Twelve and some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward, Chuza, Susanna, and many others who provided for them out of their resources (Luke 8:1-3).
On dear Jesus, keep me in your journey, let me take your path, let me proclaim your good news to others, in season or out of season; let me show them your direction to new life here and hereafter, always arising from our falling and finally from our sleeping into eternal life.
Teach me, Jesus, to be generous in sharing everything I have in this journey with you; teach me to never count the cost, to never think of my own glory nor of my name except that I do always your will. Amen.
Photo by a friend in Seabrook, Washington, 06 September 2026.
Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Wednesday, Twenty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time, 16 September 2026 Memorial of Sts. Cornelius, Pope, and Cyprian, Bishop, Martyrs 1 Corinthians 12:31-13:13 <*((((>< + ><))))*> Luke 7:31-35
Photo by a friend in Seabrook, Washington, 06 September 2026.
Love never fails. In other translations, love never ends.
How lovely, Lord Jesus; and so challenging because many times I think of at least an end to "loving" like when Peter asked you last Sunday "how many times must I forgive my brother who sins to me... is it seven times?"
When you said it is "seventy times seven" - that is clearly what love that never fails.
As I pray to you, I realized every age, every generation in history always thinks itself as the worst, almost hopeless like during this time in our lives not only in the world but in our own country: everything is chaos and disordered, injustice and corruption are the norms followed ironically in this predominantly Christian nation where money not only talks but even shouts.
But, here we are still Jesus: alive and kicking, fighting and surviving, eagerly awaiting our new dawn of salvation in you, Jesus; grant me patience and perseverance to keep loving especially when it seems to be no longer feasible and even not doable; like Sts. Cornelius and Cyprian during their time, it was not persecution per se that was the problem but divisions among early Christians especially in the refusal of some in forgiving and readmitting apostates to to the faith; dear Jesus, teach us to be flexible, more loving than legalistic like your former Pope St. Cornelius and his friend St. Cyprian the bishop who both insisted those who denied their faith while facing persecution may be forgiven and be readmitted; it was clearly choosing to be more loving than to be legalistic.
Teach me, Jesus, to learn to read the signs of the times and most specially your divine will in dealing with the many complicated issues we now face in our being Christians. May in everything we let love prevail for wherever there is love, you are always there, Lord because that is when we have communion and oneness in you. Amen.
