The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Monday, Memorial of Our Lady of Guadalupe, 12 December 2022
Zechariah 2:14-17 ><000'> + ><000'> + ><000'> Luke 1:26-38
The original “tilma” of St. Juan Diego at the New Basilica of the Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mexico City. Photo by Rev. Fr. Gerry Pascual, 2016.
Glory and praise to you,
God our Father in giving us your Son
Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior
who was born of the Blessed Virgin Mary
who has become our Mother too!
How lovely that on this month of December
as we celebrate the Season of Advent
in preparation for Christmas, we have two
great feasts of the Blessed Virgin Mary:
the Solemnity of her Immaculate Conception last
December 8 and today, the Memorial of Our Lady of
Guadalupe, Patroness of the Philippines and the Americas.
Mary did not just celebrate Advent;
she lived Advent because she received
Jesus Christ our Lord!
Teach us to receive Jesus wholly like Mary,
dear Father; teach us to be open like
St. Juan Diego to listen and to look at Mary closely
so we may believe in her Son Jesus;
teach us to see more the signs of Christ's
presence in us and among us like the beautiful
image of Guadalupe imprinted on the tilma
of St. Juan Diego; teach us to find Jesus living,
dwelling among us as he came truly human and
truly divine into Mary's womb.
How amazing that soon after the coming
of the Spaniards in Mexico and the Americas in general,
the Blessed Mother appeared to a native, St. Juan Diego;
she spoke in his native language and wore clothes
filled with signs and symbols well-known among the Aztecs
that accordingly was the main reason for the rapid
conversion of the peoples there.
How amazing, dear Father,
as prophesied by Zechariah,
that you truly came to dwell among us
in Jesus Christ in order to relate with us
in the most personal manner,
practically living among us!
This Advent, teach us to believe again, Father;
teach us to trust in you again,
to allow ourselves to be surprised
by you again. Amen.
Statue of St. Juan Diego at the Cathedral of Mexico City; photo by Rev. Fr. Gerry Pascual, 2016.
The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Friday in the Second Week of Advent, 09 December 2022
Isaiah 48:17-19 ><000'> + ><000'> + ><000'> Matthew 11:16-19
Photo by author, 05 December 2022.
Slowly as we get closer into December,
the noise and diversions from the preparations
of Advent are getting louder, getting stronger
and more bold than ever;
all the techniques to lure us into the pomp
and pageantry that have nothing to do with
the Christ's coming are employed to the fullest
as we unwittingly follow the tide.
Give us the courage, Lord Jesus,
to stop, to tell ourselves we have had enough
of all these materialism and consumerism
of the worldly concept of your birth;
let us be firm in retreating,
in withdrawing back into ourselves,
into you in prayers and silence
in order to listen to your voice,
to your call and directions,
most of all, to listen to your coming.
Let us hearken to your commandments,
let us listen and hear you once more, Lord,
by totally accepting and assimilating your words
into our lives in silence so we may closely follow you
as your works vindicate your wisdom.
Amen.
The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Thursday, Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, 08 December 2022
Genesis 3:9-15, 20 ><}}}*> Ephesians 1:3-6, 11-12 ><}}}*> Luke 1:26-38
Photo by Rev. Fr. Gerry Pascual at Palazzo Borromeo, Isola Bella, Stresa, Italia 2019.
The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.”
Luke 1:26-28
Praise and glory to you, God our Father
for the gift of life, for the gift of salvation
in Jesus Christ through Mary's Immaculate Conception!
Every joy in the gift of life,
in the gift of every person
is also a gift of your great mercy:
wherever there is life,
there is joy,
there is grace,
there is mercy.
How lovely to keep in mind
that "joy" in Hebrew is "raham, rahamin" -
the same word for "womb" that is why
in describing "joy" to his disciples on the night
before he was arrested, Jesus used the
image of a woman in the pangs of childbirth:
"When a woman is in labor,
she is in anguish because her hour
has arrived; but when she has given birth
to a child, she no longer remembers the pain
because of her joy that a child has been
into the world" (John 16:21).
So many people are sick at this very moment,
some are awaiting death, some are alone;
many people are hungry, barely surviving
in life every day amid the world's waste
of food and water;
many children are dying too without even
seeing the light because they are seen as
burdens to one's dreams and goals,
thinking only of themselves,
of their rights,
of their body.
On this day as we celebrate
the beginning of the coming of Jesus to us
in the Immaculate Conception of his Mother,
remind us anew that every life is from you,
O God: what must prevail is your will,
your beautiful plans, not ours;
teach us to trust you like Mary.
Loving Father, make our joy complete
in your Son Jesus Christ;
make us realize and experience
the many spiritual blessings you have
bestowed on us in Jesus Christ (Eph. 1:3);
let us take a rest today,
rest in the real sense like Sabbath
when we return to you in Paradise
obedient not like Adam and Eve;
most of all, may we recall in the story of Dimas,
we enter Paradise on the Cross with Jesus when
amid all pains and sufferings,
like the Blessed Mother Mary staying behind,
we may firmly say to you,
"I am your servant, O Lord.
Be it done unto me
according to your word."
Amen.
The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Wednesday in the Second Week of Advent, Memorial of St. Ambrose, 07 December 2022
Isaiah 40:25-31 ><]]]]'> +><]]]]'> + ><]]]]'> Matthew 11:28-30
Photo by author, 02 December 2022.
How wonderful are your words
this second week of Advent,
God our loving Father:
Monday you reminded us to
strengthen each other,
Tuesday you asked us to comfort
one another,
today, you console us
with this part of Isaiah's
"Book of Consolation":
Why, O Jacob, do you say, and declare, O Israel, “My way is hidden from the Lord, and my right is disregarded by my God?” Do you not know or have you not heard? The Lord is the eternal God, creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint nor grow weary, and his knowledge is beyond scrutiny. He gives strength to the fainting; for the weak he makes vigor abound.
Isaiah 40:27-29
Forgive me, loving Father,
in those times I doubted you,
when I complained to you as if
I am entitled; looking back to those
trying times when I felt alone and
abandoned, struggling and fighting
by myself, silently crying unknown to
anyone, there was YOU always with me,
standing by my side, defending me,
fighting my battles,
even carrying me when I am lost
and defeated.
Indeed, you never left me,
I was never alone for you have
always been with me - con solare -
one with me in my pains and sorrows,
trials and sickness; in Christ Jesus,
you chose to suffer and die to be one with me
- con solare - by helping us carry our yoke,
giving us rest in you you,
making it lighter and
easier to carry.
Like St. Ambrose,
teach us to speak your words
of wisdom to those in darkness,
to appreciate also your silence
so we may be instruments of your
consolation to those feeling alone
to assure them you are one with us
when darkness surrounds us.
Amen.
The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Tuesday in the Second Week of Advent, 06 December 2022
Isaiah 40:1-11 ><000'> + ><000'> + ><000'> Matthew 18:12-14
Comfort food
Comfort zone
Comfort room!
How funny these days
things and ideas are supposed
to comfort us but in reality do not.
Thank you very much, dearest
God our Father, for this gift of
the Advent Season when you
truly comfort us again.
Comfort, give comfort to my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her service is at an end, her guilt is expiated; indeed, she has received from the hand of the Lord double for all her sins. A voice cries out: In the desert prepare the way of the Lord! Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God!
Isaiah 40:1-3
Like your words yesterday,
today's prophecy by Isaiah
are very comforting: to comfort,
from the words "cum" and "fortis"
that mean "with strength" means
exactly that - give strength, make
strong again!
Nothing can truly give us strength
no one can truly give us comfort
except you, our loving Father,
who "had expiated all our sins"
and "given us double for all our sins"
in the coming of Jesus Christ,
our Good Shepherd.
Make us realize, Father,
that nothing and no one can truly
comfort us in the truest sense -
soothe and heal our pains,
allow us to cry and be our true selves,
most of all, give us strength to go on
with life again amid all the pains and
sorrows except Jesus Christ.
Let us be like Jesus the Good Shepherd
to others in pain due to sickness
and hurts in life, giving them comfort,
by helping them find direction and
meaning in life,
joy and peace,
someone to listen to them
and be a companion in this
life journey and most of all,
find you again in themselves,
in their giftedness as persons
to be renewed and be strong again.
Amen.
The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Monday in the Second Week of Advent, 06 December 2022
Isaiah 35:1-10 ><]]]]'> + ><]]]]'> + ><]]]]'> Luke 5:17-26
Photo by author, 2019.
As we move forward
in this Season of Advent,
getting closer each day to the
Second Coming of Jesus Christ
who comes in every here and now too,
grant us, O God, the grace to lead
others closer to you.
Like those men who carried
the paralyzed man closer to Jesus
by going through the roof to lower him,
enlighten us Lord in finding ways to
reach out to those who have left our fold,
those who have been disillusioned with
the human elements of the Church,
and those who find it to difficult, even scary or
discomforting to move on in life;
we are weak and limited,
ourselves also disillusioned
at times.
Strengthen the hands that are feeble, make firm the knees that are weak, say to those who hearts are frightened: Be strong, fear not! Here is your God; he comes with vindication; with divine recompense he comes save you. Then will the eyes of the blind be opened, the ears of the deaf be cleared; then will the lame leap like a stag, then the tongue of the dumb will sing.
Isaiah 35:3-6
Strengthen our hands first
for we are the ones also feeble;
make firm our knees
for we are also weak;
most of all, embolden our hearts
for we are fearful too in doing
what is good,
in doing your will.
Thank you, dear God our Father,
despite our weaknesses and sins,
you still call us to do your work
in Christ Jesus.
Amen.
The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
First Friday in the First Week of Advent, 02 December 2022
Isaiah 29:17-24 ><]]]]'> + ><]]]]'> + ><]]]]'> Matthew 9:27-31
Your words today,
O God our Father,
are so comforting,
so delightful!
Thus says the Lord God: but a very little while, and Lebanon shall be changed into an orchard, and the orchard be regarded as forest! On that day the deaf shall hear the words of a book; and out of gloom and darkness, the eyes of the blind shall see. The lowly will ever find joy in the Lord, and the poor rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.
Isaiah 29:17-19
In your Son's coming,
Jesus Christ,
all our shame were wiped away
including our sins;
this Advent, help us to rise
again from our falls
and failures, Lord Jesus;
remember us as we
remember our sinfulness,
as we acknowledge our
blindness.
We want to see again,
Lord Jesus, with heads
up high,
no longer ashamed of
our sins and infidelities
to you; wash and cleanse
us, Jesus this Advent season
as we reform our lives
and our ways
to reflect your coming,
your presence,
your love and
your dignity in us.
Amen.
The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Thursday in the First Week of Advent, 01 December 2022
Isaiah 26:1-6 ><))))*> + ><))))*> + ><))))*> Matthew 7:21, 24-27
Thank you, dear God,
our loving Father,
for this month of December,
for the year about to end,
most especially for this new
beginning of Advent!
Make us strong
like your new city of Jerusalem:
"A strong city have we;
he sets up walls and ramparts
to protect us" (Is.26:1) - Jesus Christ
who had come, will come again
and comes!
Many times your strength
in us, O God, could not be felt
nor experienced because we have
been weak in doing what is good;
many times with closed minds and
hearts believing only in ourselves
than being open to welcome Jesus
your Son into our lives;
many times, we profess our faith
in you only in words and mouth,
calling out "Lord, Lord"
without conviction
and concrete action
as a disciple;
make us wise, Lord, and return
to you to build up our faith,
to build up our lives,
to build up our ties and
relationships in you through
others.
Amen.
The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Wednesday in the First Week of Advent, Feast of St. Andrew the Apostle, 30 November 2022
Romans 10:9-18 ><}}}}*> + ><}}}}*> + ><}}}}*> Matthew 4:18-22
Brothers and sisters: If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
Romans 10:9
If Advent is the preparation
for your coming, Lord Jesus Christ,
then Advent is also the preparation
for the coming of your Cross!
As St. Paul had taught us in all his
writings, there can be no proclamation of
of your salvation for us without preaching
your Cross, O Lord Jesus Christ!
Without your Cross, O Lord,
all your words and deeds
would be empty;
that is why, there is no saint
without a love for your Cross!
Teach us to love the cross
you have assigned each of us
because it is on the Cross
where you are found, Lord Jesus;
like St. Andrew, make us realize
that our own crosses can only have value
if we consider and accept them
as part of your own Cross;
though our crosses may be
of different shapes or colors,
each one is always a reflection of
your eternal light, dear Jesus,
that ennobles our sufferings and pains.
Amen.
The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Tuesday in the First Week of Advent, 29 November 2022
Isaiah 11:1-10 ><))))*> + ><))))*> + ><))))*> Luke 10:21-24
God our loving Father:
Thank you for this gift of Advent,
especially for the gift of our guide,
your prophet Isaiah who was the first
to announce from afar
the coming of the Christ,
your Son Jesus.
And today he speaks your words
that are so beautiful and lovely
but, so radical and contrary
to what we believe,
to what we always hold on to.
On that day, a shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse, and from his roots a bud shall blossom.
Isaiah 11:1
How wonderful,
that when Jesus finally came,
he called us to be small again,
to be weak and insignificant
like children even to the point
of being nothing, of losing and
dying in one's self.
A day
a shoot sprouting
and a stump.
Then, a bud
shall blossom.
Empty me, O God,
of myself and everything
that fills me so that you
may fill me with your spirit
and form me into your
desired being;
keep me rooted in you
through Christ who had come,
would come again and
comes always.
If I have to be reduced
even to a mere stump,
let it be, Lord;
grant me patience to await
the sprouting of a shoot
until the bud comes
forth to bloom
and make us experience
Isaiah's prophecy:
"Then the wolf shall be a guest
of the lamb, the leopard shall
lie down with the kid;
the calf and young lion shall
browse together with a little child
to guide them.
The cow and the bear shall be
neighbors, together their young
shall rest while the lion eat hay
like the ox.
The baby shall play by the cobra's den,
and the child lay his hand on the
adder's lair" (cf. Is. 11:6-9).
Keep us awake, Jesus
as we await and work
for your peaceful presence
here and now. Amen.
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