Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Monday in the Eighteenth Week of Ordinary Time, Year II, 03 August 2026
Jeremiah 28:1-7     ><]]]]'> + ><]]]]'> + ><]]]]'>     Matthew 14:22-36

It is always nice,
dear God our loving Father,
to hear encouraging words -
but not if they are false 
and misleading 
like the prophecy of Hananiah
in our first reading today;
forgive us, Lord,
for always seeking false
hopes in prophets of boom -
on demagogues like most of
our politicians and leaders
and sadly many of us people
and listeners are entertained
and believe their lies without
realizing that "in breaking
a wooden yoke, you forge 
an iron yoke!"
(Jeremiah 28:13)

Truth always hurts
but it is only in accepting
it that we grow and mature;
let us be bold like Jeremiah
in standing by your instructions,
Lord, no matter how unpopular
it may be, no matter how disturbing
and unsettling it may be;
when caught in a storm,
when winds blow so hard
that we lose directions in life
filled with fears
that we grasp for 
whatever that would
pull us through,
may we imitate Peter
in crying out to you, Jesus
with "Lord, save me!"; 
when life seems too harsh
and difficult, may we have the courage
to confront face to face 
life's painful realities 
always.
Amen.