Sana dalawa ang puso…natin?

Lord My Chef Daily Recipe by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Sacred Heart Novena Day 4, 21 June 2025

*Detalye ng painting ng Sacred Heart of Jesus sa Visitation Monastery, Marclaz, France mula sa godongphoto / Shutterstock.*

Siguro napakanta kayo sa pamagat ng ating pagninilay ngayong araw na buhat sa 1992 hit ng yumaong si Bodjie Dasig at ng kanyang Law of Gravity na Sana Dalawa ang Puso Ko (ginawa din itong pelikula noong 1994 starring Dina Bonnevie, Alice Dixson at Rustom Padilla).

Usiginanga… kantahin nga natin:

Sana dalawa ang puso ko
Hindi na sana nalilito kung sino sa inyo
Sana dalawa ang puso ko
Hindi na sana kailangan pang pumili sa inyo

Maraming naging bersiyon ang kantang iyon kasi nga bukod sa maganda ang tono, e talaga namang paborito ng maraming “nalilito” sa pag-ibig kungdi sa kungdi sa buhay mismo.

Subalit ang mabuting balita ngayong ikaapat na araw ng ating Nobenaryo sa Kamahal-Mahalang Puso ni Jesus ay batid mismo ito ng Panginoon – ang ating kalituhan sa buhay na kanyang tinatalakay sa ebanghelyo ngayon.

“Walang makapagilingkod nang sabay sa dalawang panginoon sapagkat kapopootan niya ang isa at iibigin ang ikalawa, paglilingkuran nang tapat ang isa at hahamakin ang ikalawa. Hindi kayo makapaglilingkod ng sabay sa Diyos at sa kayamanan” (Mateo 6:24).

*Larawan kuha ng may-akda, Sacred heart Novitiate, Marso 2024.*

Ginamit na kataga sa English translation ng bahaging ito ng ebanghelyo ang orihinal na kataga na “mammon” – You cannot serve both God and mammon.

Kung tutuusin sabi ng mga dalubhasa sa bibliya, walang tiyak na translation ang “mammon” at naging pakahulugan na lang ang kayamanan at pera o salapi. Ayon sa kanila, malawak at kumplikado ang sinasaad ng “mammon” katulad ng ano mang labis (excess) at imbalance o kawalan ng balanse sa mga bagay-bagay na nagdudulot ng pagkakasakit at kawalan ng katarungan.

Alalaong-baga, ang “mammon” gaya ng ano mang labis at sobra ay nakakasama at nakakasira sa ating pagkatao. Maaring ituring ang pagkain at inumin o kahit anong bagay na mabuti ngunit sumasama kung sumosobra. Ang “mammon” ay ano mang bagay na nakaka-addict na ayaw na nating bitiwan hanggang sa malunod o malulong na tayo at malimutan natin ating sarili pati mga kapwa natin.

Totoo naman na kailangan natin ang pera upang makapag-aral, magkaroon ng damit at ng makakain ngunit kapag ito at iba pang mga bagay maging mga tao na ang ating pinapanginoon, ang mga ito ay nagiging mammon. At kung magkagayon, mas malamang na hindi malayo na tayo ay nagkakasala o namumuhay sa kasalanan. Kaya kailangang matukoy natin ang ating mga “mammon” bago maging huli ang lahat at masira na ating buhay sa kasalanan.

Gayon din naman, hindi pa rin sapat na matukoy lamang natin ang iba’t ibang “mammon” at mga kalabisan sa buhay natin. Mahalaga ring makita ang sitwasyon ng buhay ngayon na kung saan ang Diyos ay binabale-wala at ang mga turo ng Simbahan maging ano mang kabutihan ay pinagtatawanan.

Ito pinakamahirap sa ating panahon ngayon na namumuhay tayo sa gitna ng maraming makabagong teknolohiya na nagbubunsod ng mga kakaibang kamalayan at kaisipan kung saan ang lahat ay sinusukat na lamang sa pera at kapakinabangan. Hindi lamang nangingibabaw ang mga materyal na bagay at lahat ng uri ng “mammon” kungdi wala na rin ang Diyos sa usapan.

Tawag dito sa Ingles ay “dissonance” o mawala sa tono tulad ng sa musika. Hindi ba ganito ang buhay nating ngayon, wala sa tono?

Sa ating pagsisikap na mamuhay ayon sa ebanghelyo, lumago sa espirituwalidad at maging banal gaya ng panawagan ni Jesus sa ating lahat, kitang-kita at damang-dama natin na napaka-hirap nito. Palaging nakasalungat ating mga pahalagahan o values sa pinahahalagahan at patakaran ng mundo na ang gusto palagi ay maging mayaman at makapangyarihan, maging sikat at kilala, maging malaya sa maling paraan kayat ang panawagan ng marami ay diborsiyo at abortion, pati na rin same sex marriage.

*13th Day Devotion sa Our Lady of Fatima University CAS Chapel, Agosto 2023.*

Subukan mong ituro o magsalita ukol sa katapatan sa pag-aasawa, ang kamalian ng pakikipagtalik sa kapwa lalake o babae, ang karapatan ng mga sanggol sa sinapupunan at ikaw ay pagtatawanan, lalaitin at kukutyain habang pinagsasabihan ng lahat ng pangalan mula kosnerbatibo o makaluma, Pariseo, at nagmamalinis.

Balikan ating mga pagbasa nitong lumipas na isang linggo na ang mga paksa ay salungat sa gawi ng kasalukuyang daigdig tulad ng pagmamahal sa kaaway, pagiging bukas-palad, at pagdarasal tuwina.

Sa mundo ngayon, ang binibigyang halaga palagi ay kaginhawahan, kung ano ang madali at kalugod-lugod. Ultimo ang pagtanda ay tinitingnang kapintasan at sakit na kinatatakutan kaya lahat ay gustong manatiling bata.

Noon pa man ay napansin na ito ni San Pablo ngunit para sa kanya, walang saysay ang ipagyabang ating husay at galing bagkus dapat nating ikatuwa ang mga sakit at pagtitiis na pinagdaraanan sa ngalan ng Panginoon.

ganito ang kanyang (Panginoon) sagot, “Ang tulong ko ko’y sapat sa lahat ng pangangailangan mo; lalong nahahayag ang aking kapangyarihan kung ikaw ay mahina.” Kaya’t buong galak na ipagmamapuri ko ang aking kahinaan upang palakasin ako ng kapangyarihan ni Cristo. Dahil kay Cristo, walang halaga sa akin kung ako ma’y mahina, kutyain, pahirapan, usigin, at magtiis. Sapagkat kung kailan ako mahina, saka naman ako malakas (2Corinto 12:9-10).

Mismong ang Panginoong Jesus ito rin ang naranasan noong siya ay pumarito sa lupa. Hanggang sa Krus hindi siya tinantanan ng diablo sa panunukso, pilit na hinahati kanyang puso at kalooban upang talikuran ang Ama sa langit kasama na tayong mga tao.

*Larawan kuha ng may-akda, Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches, QC, 20 Marso 2025.*

Subalit nanatiling matatag si Jesus. Ni minsan hindi niya naisip na sana dalawa ang kanyang puso sapagkat sa kanyang Kamahal-Mahalang Puso, iisa ang nanatiling tuon at laman.

Ngunit pagsumakitan ninyo nang higit sa lahat ang pagharian kayo ng Diyos at mamuhay nang ayon sa kanyang kalooban, at ipagkakaloob niya ang lahat ng kailangan ninyo (Mateo 6:33).

Nag-iisa lang ang ating puso dahil nag-iisa lamang tayo sa Puso ni Jesus. Bawat isa sa atin ay kanyang pinakamamahal.

Sa atin bang puso, si Jesus din ang ang pinaka-mamahal? O, nahahati na rin ang puso natin, namamangka sa dalawang ilog?

O Jesus na mayroong
maamo at mapagkumbabang Puso,
Gawin Mong ang puso nami'y
matulad sa Puso Mo!
Amen.

Ang tunay na kayamanan, nakikita ng mata, nakikilala ng puso

Lord My Chef Daily Recipe by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Sacred Heart Novena Day 3, 20 June 2025

Kamangha-mangang pakinggan mga obserbasyon ng Panginoong Jesus sa maraming bagay sa ating buhay na nagpapatunay na taong-tao nga siya katulad natin. Nakatapak siya sa lupa at dama lahat ng ating karanasan at pinagdaraanan katulad nitong pahayag niya sa ebanghelyo sa araw na ito na muling tumugma sa ating pagnonobena sa Sacred Heart.

Sinabi ni Jesus, “Huwag kayong mag-impok ng mga kayamanan dito sa lupa; dito’y may naninirang tanga at kalawang at may nakakapasok na magnanakaw. Sa halip, impukin ninyo ay mga kayamanan sa langit; doo’y walang naninirang tanga at kalawang, at walang nakakapasok na magnanakaw. Sapagkat kung saan naroon ang inyong kayamanan, naroon din naman ang inyong puso” (Mateo 6:19-21).

Higit pa sa isang obserbasyon, inaanyayahan at hinahamon din tayo ngayon ni Jesus na suriing mabuti upang matapat nating maamin sa sarili kung saan nga ba nakatuon ang puso natin. Ano o sino nga ba ang ating tanging yaman o tunay na kayamanan sa buhay?

Hindi pa rin mabura sa aking isipan isang katotohanang tumambad sa akin nitong nakaraang Christmas party sa opisina kung saan noong parlor game na “bring me” ay tinanong ng emcee kung “ano ang una mong hinahanap pagkagising sa umaga?”

Sagot ko ay salamin upang mabasa ko ang oras subalit laking gulat ko na ang tumpak na sagot daw ay cellphone!

Nagsurvey ako sa elevator hanggang sa Misa noong hapon na iyon sa chapel maging noong Simbang Gabi sa parokya at ang sagot ng bayan – cellphone pa rin!

Naisip-isip ko, wala bang naghahanap ng tsinelas o kape o ng asawa o ng anak man lang pagkagising kungdi cellphone?

Paano na ang Diyos, may naghahanap pa ba sa kanya tuwing umaga? Siguro kapag mayroon na lang krisis o matinding pagsubok ang tao sa kanyang buhay. Ngunit kung sagana at maayos ang pamumuhay, mga materyal na bagay ating inaatupag marahil, lalo na ang cellphone at social media.

Pagmasdan kung paanong halos sambahin ng mga tao ngayon ang cellphone na pirming dala-dala hanggang sa loob ng simbahan o palikuran. Sa mga sasakyan at tahanan at kung saan-saan, nakakagulat makita lalo mga bata nakasubsob ang ulo sa cellphone. Ang malungkot, isa sa mga unang inaalam ng karamihan ngayon ay kung anong cellphone ang gamit mo dahil dito na sinusukat ang pagkatao lalo na kapag gamit mo ay iPhone 16 Pro-Max! May nagtatanong pa nga kung “fully paid” daw ba iyong Pro-Max?

At hindi biro ang halaga ng mga cellphone ngayon kaya nga para tayong mga baliw hindi lang sa pagbili nito kungdi sa labis na pagpapahalaga. Pagmasdan kapag nawawala ang cellphone nino man – hindi mapakali at parang kiti-kiti sa pagkapkap ng buong katawan at pag-aapuhap sa kapaligiran para matagpuan nawawalang cellphone. Kay saklap na katotohanan subalit halos lahat tayo ay guilty, your honor.

*Larawan kuha ng may-akda, Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches, 2015.*

Sa ikatlong araw din na ito ng ating nobenaryo sa Kamahal-Mahalang Puso ni Jesus, tayo man ay kanyang inaanyayahan na maging malinaw at matalas ating mga mata upang makita natin higit na mahahalaga sa buhay.

“Ang mata ang pinakailaw ng katawan. Kaya’t kung malinaw ang iyong mata, maliliwanagan ang buo mong katawan. Ngunit kung malabo ang iyong mata, madirimlan ang buo mong katawan. Kaya’t kung ang liwanag na nasa iyo ay kadiliman pala, napakadilim niyan!” (Mateo 6:22-23)

Kapag malabo ating mga mata, kapag mga bagay na materyal lang pinapansin at binibigyang halaga at ayaw nang tumanaw sa malalalim na katotohanan sa buhay, iba ang kahihiligan ng ating puso.

Mananatili tayong salat at dukha sa tunay na kayamanan sa Diyos na tanging sa kanya lamang matatagpuan sa pamamagitan ng ating mga ugnayan sa ating mga kapwa lalo na sa ating pamilya at mga kamag-anak pati na mga kaibigan. Sa ating pakikipag-ugnayan, doon lumalalim at yumayaman ating katauhan sa iba’t ibang karanasan ating napagdaraanan lalo na ng mga pagsubok at dagok sa buhay tulad ng hindi mahalin, tanggihan o talikuran at pagtaksilan, masaktan at mabigo, magkasakit at maghikahos sa buhay, maging mamatayan.

Iyan ang itinuturo ni San Pablo sa unang pagbasa: para sa kanya, ang ipinagmamalaki niyang higit ay ang kanyang mga kahinaan at kabiguan dahil doon nahahayag kapangyarihan at kadakilaan ni Jesus. Taliwas at salungat sa gawi ng mundo lalo ngayon na puro payabangan, pahusayan, pasikatan mga tao lalo na sa social media.

Subalit batid din natin naman ang masaklap na katotohanan na sa kabila ng maraming karangyaan at kayamanan, kapangyarihan at katanyagan, lalo namang naliligaw at nawawala mga tao sa ngayon. Kulang at kulang pa rin ating kagalakan at kaganapan o fulfillment sa buhay.

Wika nga ni San Agustin, “Ginawa mo kami para sa Iyo, O Panginoon, at hindi mapapanatag aming puso hanggat hindi napapahingalay sa Iyo” (You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you”).

Ngayong ikatlong araw ng ating pagsisiyam sa Kamahal-Mahalang Puso ni Jesus, buong kababaang loob tayo dumulog sa kanya at ilahad ating mga pusong dukha at salat sa tuwa at kagalakan, ang ating mga puso na taksil at puno ng kasalanan. Higit sa lahat, atin ding mga puso na sugatan sa maraming sakit at hapis na pinagdaanan. Hayaan nating linisin, hilumin at panibaguhin ni Jesus ating mga puso upang siya na ang lumuklok at manahan dito yaman rin lamang na Siya ang ating tanging yaman. Managing tayo:

O Jesus na mayroong
maamo at mapagkumbabang Puso,
Gawin Mong ang puso nami'y
matulad sa Puso Mo!
Amen.

Pangungusap ng Puso

Lord My Chef Daily Recipe by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Sacred Heart Novena Day 2, 19 June 2025

Nakatutuwa itong ating wika. Mabulaklak na kahit hindi ka isang makata minsa’y di sinasadya ika’y nakakatha ng kahit maigsing tula.

Madalas ating mabasa sa mga panitikan at mapakinggan saan man kuwentuhan na tila baga itong puso ay nagsasalita gayong wala naman itong bibig. Mismo ang Panginoong Jesus noon ay nagsabi na “ano man ang bukambibig, siyang laman ng dibdib” (Mt.12:34 at Lk.6:45) upang ipakita ang pagkakadugtong ng puso at bibig tulad ng kaisahan nito sa ating kamay batay sa pagninilay kahapon.

Samakatwid, nangungusap nga itong ating puso. At iyan ang ibig kong pagnilayan ngayong ikalawang araw ng ating pagsisiyam para sa Dakilang Kapistahan ng Kamahal-Mahalang Puso ni Jesus. Ito ang sinasaad sa ating napakinggan ngayong araw na bahagi ng pangangaral ni Jesus sa mga tao mula sa kanyang sermon sa bundok.

“Sa pananalangin ninyo’y huwag kayong gagamit ngn napakaraming salita, gaya ng ginagawa ng mga Hentil. Ang akala nila’y pakikinggan sila ng Diyos dahil sa dami ng kanilang salita. Huwag ninyo silang tutularan. Sapagkat alam na ng inyong Ama ang inyong kinakailangan bago pa man ninyo hingin sa kanya. Ganito kayo mananalangin: ‘Ama naming nasa langit, sambahin nawa ang pangalan mo'” (Mateo 6:7-9).

*Photo by Designecologist on Pexels.com*

Isa sa mga madalas na itanong sa akin ng mga mag-aaral dito sa Our Lady of Fatima University bilang kanilang chaplain ay alin daw ba ang dapat nilang pakinggan, sigaw ng puso o sigaw ng isipan?

Palagi kong tugon sa kanila ay ang pabirong paalala na unahin nilang pakinggan lagi ang sigaw ng kanilang mga magulang.

Pagkaraan ng ilang tawanan, saka ko binabalik sa kanila ang tanong sa ibang anyo naman: humihiyaw nga ba ang puso gayong ang pagtibok nito ay napakahina? Hindi kaya sa pakikipag-usap sa atin nitong ating puso, ang ibig nito ay taimtim na pakikinig dahil kung ito ay mangusap, madalas ay pabulong.

*Larawan kuha ng may-akda, Atok, Benguet, 27 Disyembre 2024.*

Mag-imagine tayo kunwari ay naroon tayo sa bundok sa sermon ni Jesus. Siguradong malakas ang tinig niya sa pangangaral ngunit sa aking pakiwari mayroong indayog ang kanyang pananalita na kung saan minsan-minsan marahil siya ay bumubulong katulad nitong sa pagtuturo niya kung paano tayo mananalangin. Mahigpit ang kanyang bilin na huwag tutularan mga Hentil na napakaraming sinasabi sa Diyos sa pakiwaring sila ay pakikinggan. Hindi natin kailangang maging maingay at daanin sa dami ng sinasabi ang Diyos bagkus higit na mainam ang pananahimik upang mapakinggan sinasabi sa atin ng Diyos. Sinabi na ni Jesus na alam ng Diyos ating pangangailangan bago pa man tayo dumulog sa kanya sa pagdarasal. Kaya tayo nagdarasal ay upang pakinggan kalooban ng Diyos.

Kaya gumagamit ng stethoscope mga duktor at nurse kasi nga mahina ang tinig ng puso natin. At yon ang unang kinakailangan sa pananalangin – katahimikan upang Diyos ay mapakinggan!

Kung ang puso man ay humihiyaw, marahil wala na tayong masyadong alitan at mga kaguluhan dahil tiyak ating maririnig at mapapakinggan bawat pintig ng puso na iisa ang sinasabi kungdi ang tayo ay magmahal nang tunay. Ito ang buod ng “Ama Namin” at lahat ng mga panalangin. Ang pag-ibig ng Diyos sa ating lahat na ating tinutugunan ng pagmamahal sa ating kapwa dito sa lupang ibabaw lalo na sa pagpapatawad sa kanilang pagkakasala sa atin.

Sa Kamahal-Mahalang Puso ni Jesus, doon ay malinaw na inihahayag ang dakilang pag-ibig ng Diyos sa ating lahat ngunit walang nakikinig dahil mas nahahalina ang marami sa malalakas at maiingay na tinig ng daigdig. Ito yung ikinalulungkot ni San Pablo sa mga taga-Corinto sa unang pagbasa ngayon dahil napakadali nilang nalinlang at napasunod sa mga kakaibang turo ng ibang nangangaral sa kanila. Katulad din natin ngayon na maraming nagpapaniwala at nahahalina sa mga kung anu-anong kaisipan ng mundo gaya ng new age at wokism at iba pang mga ideya na wala nang pakialam sa Diyos at moralidad gaya ng relativism na siyang sanhi ng paniniwala sa same sex marriage at abortion.

*Larawan kuha ng may-akda sa Liputan, Meycauayan, Bulacan, 31 Disyembre 2022.*

Imagine din natin na first time napakinggan ang panalanging “Ama Namin.” Malamang pabulong at marahang binigkas ni Jesus ang mga titik ng panalanging ito upang tumimo ng higit sa puso at kalooban ng mga tagapakinig.

Kakaibang kaisipan noon iyon sa mga Hudyo sapagkat ang Diyos sa pagkakaalam nila ay makapangyarihan at hindi maaabot doon sa langit. Ngunit kay Jesus, malapit ang Diyos tulad ng sino mang ama sa lupa. Isang personal at mapagmahal na parang tao ang Diyos na pinakilala ni Jesus sa kanila at maging sa atin ngayon kaya mas malamang ay malumanay na malumanay ang pagbigkas ni Jesus lalo ng “Ama naming nasa langit” dahil puno ng pagmamahal at pag-galang. Hindi ba noong una tayong ma-in love ay tahimik din tayo? Hindi natin pinagsasabi yung pers lab natin?

Ayon sa mga dalubhasa sa bibliya, mas mahaba ang tala ni San Mateo sa pagtuturo ni Jesus ng “Ama namin” kesa sa bersiyon ni San Lukas; layunin anila ni San Mateo na ituro ang ating disposisyon sa pananalangin habang si San Lukas naman ang tuon ay naroon sa laman ng ating dasal.

Sa madaling sabi, pagmamahal ang disposisyon nating dapat sa pananalangin di lamang ng “Ama namin” kungdi mismo sa ating pakikipag-ugnayan sa kapwa na siyang paghahayag ng ating ugnayan sa Diyos.

Ang Ama namin at lahat ng pananalangin ay paghahayag ng ugnayan kaya ang mga ito ay dinarama, nilalasap dahil ito ay isang karanasan na pinaninindigan at pinatutunayan sa mabubuting gawa.

Noong bata pa tayo at wala pang kamuwang-muwang sa mga kalokohan at kasamaan ng mundo, napakadali nating napapakinggan bulong ng puso na magmahal, makipag-bati, magsorry, magsabi ng please at thank you, at maging mabuting tao. Subalit sa ating pagtanda, atin nang tinuturuan ang puso natin ng sariling kagustuhan na dapat laging sundin at pakinggan. Magsinungaling kung kinakailangan.

Masaklap na bunga nito ang ating pagkakawatak-watak. Hindi maramdaman ang ating ugnayan dahil maraming ayaw nang magmahal, ayaw nang kilalanin bawat isa bilang kapatid at kapwa sa iisang Ama nating Diyos.

Ngayong ikalawang araw sa ating pagnonobena sa Sacred Heart, matuto tayong muli na manahimik at makinig sa tinig at pintig ng puso natin upang muli tayong makiniig sa Diyos na Ama natin. Kapag muli nating ninamnam ang katotohanang ito, mapagtatanto na rin natin ang ating kapatiran sa iisang Ama kay Kristong kapatid natin.

Sa ating panahong napaka-ingay at kay dami-daming nag-aagawan sa ating atensiyon upang pakinggan at sundin, marahil ay humihiyaw na nga itong puso natin ng pabulong dahil hirap na itong maiahon ang katotohanan ng pag-ibig na ating ibinaon. Pagmasdan paanong palaging kalakip ng debosyon sa Mahal na Puso ni Jesus ang pagtitika sa mga kasalanan at pagbabalik-loob sa Diyos at kapwa. Kasi nga, ang magkasala ay hayagang pagtanggi natin na magmahal. Iyon ang salita at pangungusap tuwina ng puso – magmahal, magmahal, at magmahal pa rin! Manalangin tayo:

O Jesus na mayroong
maamo at mapagkumbabang Puso,
Gawin Mong ang puso nami'y
matulad sa Puso Mo!
Amen.

Praying to be generous in Christ

Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Monday in the Eleventh Week of Ordinary Time, Year I, 16 June 2025
2 Corinthians 6:1-10 ><))))*> + ><))))*> + ><))))*> Matthew 5:38-42

*Photo by author, Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches, QC, 20 March 2025.*

Your words today,
O Lord Jesus Christ
are very astonishing -
from the writings of St. Paul
to your teachings that literally
go against the ways of the world;
of course, you and your message
have always been against the ways
of the world but, how do we strike
a balance in the present conditions
happening today?

Jesus said to his disciples: “You ahve heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil. When someone strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other one to him as well” (Matthew 5:38-39).

You know very well,
dear Jesus our situation:
our country going into a great
showdown with all the maneuverings
of the evil forces in the Senate to
cover up a crime, a serious case of
corruption and abuse of authority
while in the Middle East, 
Israel and Iran are in a very
dangerous war that may spread
in the whole region; O Jesus,
we live in a world of "preemptive 
strikes" and "counterstrikes"
and your words seem impossibly
naive and optimistic?
Is it really possible?

Brothers and sisters: As your fellow workers, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For he says: In an acceptable time I heard you, and on the day of salvation I helped you. Behold, now is a very acceptable time; now is the day of salvation (1 Corinthians 6:1-2).

Have mercy on me,
dearest Christ Jesus
in doubting the power of your
words and of your teachings;
have mercy on me,
dearest Lord when I think
in the ways of the world
than in the ways of God;
the balance I am seeking
is found only in YOU:
teach me to be generous like you,
like St. Paul, always in communion
with you through much endurance
in afflictions, hardships, constraints
and other sufferings (1 Cor. 6:4);
let me be centered in you always
Jesus, guided by the Holy Spirit
in "unfeigned love, truthful speech,
and power of God; with weapons of
righteousness through glory and dishonor,
insult and praise";
grant me the courage to be truthful
even when treated as deceiver,
to be acknowledged when
unrecognized, alive and living when
considered dead,
always rejoicing amid sorrows,
being poor to enrich many
and simply having YOU,
Jesus in having nothing
(1Corinthians 6:4-10).
Amen.

The God we delightfully await

Lord My Chef Sunday Recipe by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Solemnity of the the Holy Trinity, Cycle C, 15 June 2025
Proverbs 8:22-31 ><}}}}*> Romans 5:1-5 ><}}}}*> John 16:12-15

*Photo by author, Hidden Spring Resort, Calauan, Laguna, 20 February 2025.*

We resume the Sundays in Ordinary Time with the Solemnity of the Holy Trinity today that is the highest truth in our Church teachings often referred to as a “mystery” or something so difficult to explain and understand.

We find this context of “mystery” right in our gospel this Sunday that takes us back again to the Last Supper scene as in the final Sundays of Eastertide.

Jesus said to his disciples: “I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth. He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what he hears, and will declare to you the things that are coming” (John 16:12-13).

What is the “more” Jesus has to tell his disciples that include us today which we cannot bear, that we need to be guided by the Holy Spirit?

“I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now.”

As we have learned in the scriptures especially during the Holy Week and Easter, Jesus was speaking at that time of his life and death prefigured by his Last Supper. He was preparing his disciples to do the same as he expressly said after washing their feet.

It is the same lesson Jesus teaches us every Sunday in the Holy Eucharist, of how we his modern disciples must learn to offer our lives with others which is what the Holy Trinity is all about – a sharing and giving of life of the Three Persons in One God. Unity happens only in the total union of one’s self-giving.

This is the mystery of our personal or relating God revealed to us slowly through time, from the Old Testament that reached its highest point in Jesus Christ in the New Testament that continues to these days because each one of us is a reality of the Holy Trinity.

This Holy Trinity sharing and mutuality of Persons in One God is an ongoing lesson we undergo as disciples of Jesus because like the Apostles, we too continue to cling to life, finding it so hard to let go and let God.

*Photo by author, Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches, 20 March 2025.*

As we move on with life, we realize that life is not in clinging but in dying and letting go, in giving and sharing than having or taking or keeping. We realize as we age and mature that more than the wealth and recognition we all aspired for when younger were nothing but a waste in life because what really matters most is our relationships – with God and with others.

It is a lesson that unfolds to us every day, getting better as we age, when we look back to our past especially to our very roots like our parents with whom we find not only proximity and intimacy but most of all, delight and pride in being one with them. This is exactly what the first reading is telling us about Wisdom said to be the personification of Jesus Christ as the Second Person of the Trinity who is one with the Father:

Thus says the wisdom of God: “The Lord possessed me, the beginning of his ways, the forerunner of his prodigies long ago; from of all I was poured forth, at the first, before the earth… When the Lord established the heavens I was there, when he marked out the vault over the face of the deep… then was I beside him as his craftsman, and I was his delight day by day, playing before him all the while, playing on the surface of his earth; and I found delight in the human race” (Proverbs 8:22-23, 27, 30-31).

*Photo by Mr. Boy Cabrido, EDSA 1986 People Power Revolution.*

Life and man are all a mystery. Many times there are no easy answers to our many questions in life. There are times when our questions in life are actually answered in deaths like in the passing of our loved ones. Most of all, many questions in life can never be answered at all.

But, the joy of living is in still asking more questions. Man is known more in the questions he asks because the answers he gives are often wrong or off-tangent. When we ask the right questions, even if we do not arrive at the right answers, somehow we get a grasp or glimpse of the bigger realities and mysteries of life, of the things to come that Jesus tells us today.

I have always been curious as a child, always asking my father on the various things I heard from him and my mother or from the television and later from books I have read. After explaining things to me or passages I have read that I still could not understand, daddy would assure me that “pag-tanda mo maiintindihan mo rin yan.”

Those are my fondest memories of childhood with my father – the delight of learning, of discovering, of understanding. Now that I am a priest and a senior, there is still that deep joy and delight in searching and asking because like what Jesus said, there is so much more to learn in this life and in our very selves. There is that desire and attraction within that leads us outside our very selves to search for more meaning – like resulting from faith and hope in God as reflected by St. Paul speaks in the second reading wherein the Holy Spirit leads us to the glory of God.

*Photo by Ms. Ria De Vera in Delia, Alberta, Canada, 03 June 2025.*

A senator recently made a mockery of the Holy Spirit, claiming his move to dismiss the impeachment complaint as a leading of the Holy Spirit. Making things worst and most unbelievable is the fact that another senator, son of a founder of a local church and preacher played a real devil in quashing efforts to find the truth about the charges of corruption against the Vice President of the Republic.

Clearly, it was not of the Holy Spirit but more of the devil that is divisive and most untruthful, totally unmindful of our relationships as a nation.

The “more” that Jesus speaks of in sending us the Holy Spirit is for each of us to realize our being a Trinity in our very selves, our connectedness as one in God. It is sad that for many, the Blessed Trinity does not really matter that much for them to appreciate or even understand. For many, it is enough to believe in God just like the others in various religions and sects or worst, like those who do not care at all about God except that they “believe” in a Supreme Being.

As we resume the Sundays of Ordinary Time, this Solemnity of the Holy Trinity evokes the most concrete reality of God, that he is a Person like a Father who is the giver of life because he is life himself with whom alone we owe our lives. This we realize and experience in the Son Jesus Christ who became like us humans so we may become like him again as divine, with honor and dignity. It is the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Trinity who guides us to more realities and truth of this loving God so immense, delighting us in awaiting our union in him. Let us pray:

Come, Holy Spirit!
Fill our hearts with that
desire to continuously await
God's coming in Jesus Christ,
as we delight in a life of
giving and sharing,
of caring and kindness,
of mercy and forgiving
until that day we shall be one
in the Father in heaven
in his love.
Amen.

Happy Father’s Day too!

“Here I am! Send me.”

Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Thursday after Pentecost, Feast of Our Lord Jesus Christ, 
the Eternal High Priest, 12 June 2025
Isaiah 6:1-4, 8     <'{{{{><  +  ><}}}}'>     John 17:1-2, 9, 14-16

*Photo by author, Cabo de Roca, Pundaquit, San Antonio, Zambales, 14 May 2025.*

Lord Jesus Christ,
our Eternal High Priest
who called and sent us 
to continue your work of love
and mercy into this world
so broken by pride and selfishness,
personal interests and evil schemes,
continue to pray for us,
to consecrate us to your truth
so we may continue to make you known
in this world that refuses to 
recognize you
accept you
and worship you.

So much decadence has been
going with us these past six months
especially in our Senate:
we have put into office inept and
corrupt lawmakers who shamelessly
disregard the rule of law especially
the welfare of the people,
taking on themselves a wrong
sense of authority based on power
and personal whims instead of
seeing it as a sharing in your
rule meant to keep justice
and peace among us;
decadence has come upon us
all when pride is something to 
be proud of,
when persons and sexuality
are redefined to suit each one's
inclination disregarding God's
original design so that love and
life may flourish amid our differences;
our family is disintegrating
while our society is decaying
127 years since our Independence;
what a mess we are into,
Lord Jesus.

To whom shall we go,
Lord Jesus?
You have the words of life
but many times the problems
and darkness we are into
even with our personal lives
are so enormous;
we have been so detached
from you that is why we have been
far from each other too;
on this Feast of your Eternal Priesthood,
remind us of our share in your Priesthood,
of our being a priest,
a bridge,
a link with others
in you and through you;
let us imitate you Jesus
in your gentleness and mercy,
kindness and love;
many times Lord we forget
these qualities are already in us,
our giftedness in becoming like you
because you are our perfect mediator
with the Father,
our Eternal High Priest who became
like us so that we can become
like YOU.

When Jesus had said this, he raised his eyes to heaven and said this, “Father, the hour has come. Give glory to your son, so that your son may glorify you, just as you gave him authority over all people, so that he may give eternal life to all you gave him… I gave them your word, and the world hated them, because they do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world but that you keep them from the evil one” (John 17:1-2, 14-15).

Lord Jesus,
your prayer offered for us
 since that Holy Thursday evening
remains true and sincere,
and most fulfilled in our time
as you never cease to fail in giving us
everything we need;
on this Feast of your Eternal Priesthood,
we pray that we do our share,
 our part in fulfilling that prayer
 by becoming like you,
 of being in the world
 but not of the world;
like the Prophet Isaiah,
we each one pray too
"Here I am! Send me"
to be your witness,
to be your light,
to be your presence.
Amen.

Pentecost is home

Lord My Chef Sunday Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Solemnity of the Pentecost, Cycle C, 08 June 2025
Acts 2:1-11 ><}}}}*> Romans 8:8-17 ><}}}}*> John 14:15-16, 23-26

VATICAN CITY, VATICAN – MAY 08: Faithful in St. Peter’s Square participate in the first blessing of Pope Leo XIV immediately after the white smoke on May 08, 2025 in Vatican City, Vatican. Photo by Ivan Romano/Getty Images.

The other “good news” I heard next to the election of Pope Leo XIV last month were reports of people from different countries and other religions who went to join the pilgrims at the Vatican Square celebrating the election of our new Holy Father.

According to news, many of those non-Catholics who came there were so attracted and drawn by the unity of the people in rejoicing and celebrating Pope Leo XIV’s election to the papacy. That is Pentecost in modern time happening whenever people are one with each other in God by the Holy Spirit.

*Painting by El Greco, “Pentecostes” (1597) from commons.wikimedia.org.*

When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place together… Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim. Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven staying in Jerusalem… They were astounded, and in amazement they asked, “Are not all these people who are speaking Galileans? Then how does each of us hear them in his own native language?” (Acts 2:1, 3-5, 7-8).

The Pentecost is an old Jewish Feast commemorating the ratification 50 days after of their covenant with God through Moses at the Sinai desert; today in the Church, we celebrate it 50 days (pente) after Christ’s Resurrection that also closes the Easter Season.

Considered as the birthday of the Church, see how appropriate the way Luke described the Church “born” on that day, “When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place together.”

They were all in one place. There has always been the oneness or gathering of people as one body. However, it was more than being physically together in one place but of being one heart and one mind of the Church that continue to this day in our own time despite our many physical differences. What we celebrate today is not just a remote event in the past but a reality that continues in the Church and in various churches everyday.

The Pentecost is the fulfillment of those reflections we have had these past weeks on Jesus Christ’s commandment to love so that God would dwell among us. It is again our gospel this Sunday that was experienced by the Jews from other parts of the world there in Jerusalem on that day when they were astounded at how the Apostles were speaking in their own languages of God’s mighty deeds. They felt the love among everyone that they felt home. It was the complete opposite of what happened at the Babel’s Tower in the Old Testament.

They were astounded, and in amazement they asked, “Are not all these people who are speaking Galileans? Then how does each of us hear them in his own native language? We are Parthians, Medes, and Elamites, inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya near Cyrene, as well as travelers from Rome, both Jews and converts to Judaism, Cretans and Arabs, yet we hear them speaking in our own tongues of the mighty acts of God” (Acts 2:7-11).

*Biblical vector illustration series, Pentecost also called Whit Sunday, Whitsunday or Whitsun. It commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and other followers of Jesus Christ*

"We hear them speaking in our own tongues of the mighty acts of God"

The social media was recently abuzz with a post by a vlogger who brought to Facebook his misgivings with Starbuck’s for wrongfully calling him “JC” instead of “JP” notwithstanding his earlier insistence on not making a mistake with his name’s spelling.

He is labeled as OA – overacting – or maarte in bringing to social media his experience which has anyway been a trademark of most coffee shops. What really got the attention of everyone that made his post viral was his declaration of how Starbuck’s had lost one loyal customer following that mistake which became the subject of many memes with some parodies that are thought-provoking. One is by a brother priest, Fr. Ritz who called his parody with the long title NOT ONLY A COFFEEHOUSE MAY LOSE A LOYAL CUSTOMER TODAY.

Fr. Ritz satirically narrated the two common laments of parishioners almost everywhere, namely, the priest’s boring homilies and lack of transparency with the faithful’s financial contributions. Sadly true, many of our faithful have become lukewarm in their faith and have stopped coming to church especially on Sundays due to these particular reasons.

Of course, we can’t put all the blame on the priests but we can’t blame either the lay faithful who make up the Church, the flock of Christ entrusted to us to love and care for by bringing out their giftedness in order to build this mystical Body of Christ on earth. The Church is more than Starbuck’s or any food and service entity but they all essentially share the same things like love and care among others to keep their relationships for existence and relevance or meaning.

Of course, that vlogger’s post about his experience at Starbuck’s was way off the mark but it is something we need to look deeper. How did it happen that people are now more concerned and more eager in coming to Starbuck’s than to our parish church? Maybe because like him who had given albeit wrongly his loyalty to a mere coffee shop, some of our faithful have felt taken for granted. We cannot claim “para yun lang” because certain things no matter small may be the world for some like being called in their name, being greeted or simply acknowledged as present on a weekday Mass. Or being enriched by a good homily which is after all the right of every baptized Christian.

At Pentecost, imagine the great joy of the Jews from diaspora visiting Jerusalem, hearing others speaking their language. They must have felt at home!

Are we at home in our Church?

Do we find and experience solace and comfort in our parish? Is there justice and sense of being fair from the priests instead of taking sides with the rich and famous? Can we feel our pastors and church volunteers and servants one with us?

Many times some of our parish workers and volunteers are more strict than the priests, throwing their weight around with their own rules and regulations. The single most important PR department of any parish is its office but sadly, some of its staff members scrimp on their smiles, feeling grouchy when ordinary folks come to inquire or get some certificates. Some are so unmindful of people walking for an hour only to be told they are still closed or about to close for lunch.

How sad when we are left out in the singing because the choir members stage a concert every Mass, experimenting with their voicing even with the most common Christian prayer of Our Father that people just stand and stare waiting for the communion to come and get home. Worst, as a preparation for the Father’s homily that often unprepared anyway, there are also the unprepared lectors lost which readings to proclaim or totally unmindful of the dignity of the ministry.

Above all these things, is the total lack of sense of prayer and silence among church servers who lead the Maritess sessions before and after each Mass right there inside the church. Worst, they cap each service with selfies and photo sessions at the altar as if it was their last serve. Clearly many of us live in the flesh than in the Spirit as St. Paul reminded us in the second reading. Where is the love that Jesus Christ had sent us in the Holy Spirit to make us one, feel at home joyful, safe and loved?

On this Pentecost Sunday, let us start practicing silence to feel the Holy Spirit within so that we can be in touch with everyone around us in love and kindness. Let us allow the Holy Spirit to teach us everything and remind us of all that Jesus had told us (Jn. 14:26). Amen. Have a blessed week ahead everyone!

Eba’t Adan… wala tayong magagawa?

Lawiswis Ng Salita ni P. Nicanor F. Lalog II, Ika-03 ng Hunyo 2025

Marahil inyo nang napakinggan ang nakakaaliw na rap music na Eba’t Adan. Kahit saan maging sa simbahan lalo na sa social media pinaguusapan, pinakikinggan, binabanggit ang hiphop na ito.

Eba't Adan
Eeba't Adan
Eba't Adan
Eeba't Adan
Alam mo ba (Alam mo ba)
Mahal mo na (Mahal mo ba)
Wala tayong magagawa
Mahal mo na
Eba't Adan
Eeba't Adan...

Nakakaaliw ang saliw ng tugtugin at mga titik na paulit-ulit lang naman. Sa aking pagsasaliksik, mayroong iba’t ibang version ang naturang rap music ngunit iisa lang ang sinasaad nitong lahat kaya marahil naging trending at viral – ang kapangyarihan ng pag-ibig. Wika nga ni Francisco Balagtas, “O pag-ibig kapag pumasok sa puso ninoman, ang lahat ay hahamakin masunod ka lamang”.

At iyon nga kasi itinakda noon pa man kina Eba at Adan. Kaya daw wala ka nang magagawa sabi ng rap.

Pero, teka… talaga bang wala nang magagawa kapag ikaw ay tuluyang nahulog na sa pag-ibig gaya ng sinasaad ng hiphop na Eba’t Adan?

*Larawan kuha ng may-akda sa Nagsasa Cove, San Antonio, Zambales, Oktubre 2024.*

Sa isang version na aking pinakinggan, binabanggit doon hindi lamang pag-ibig ng lalake sa isang babae kungdi pati pag-ibig ng lalake sa kapwa lalake at ng babae sa kapwa babae.

Ganun din ba ang ating tugon kung ikaw ay umibig sa iyong pinsan o kamag-anak? Paano kung ang iyong iniibig ay mayroon nang asawa o pareho kayong may asawa? Eba’t Adan, E-Eba’t Adan wala ka nang magagawa?

Dito makikita natin na hindi ganoon kasimple ang pag-ibig. Hindi lahat ng pag-ibig ay tama tulad nang sa mga kapwa lalake at kapwa babae, sa mga may asawa na at maging sa mga pari at relihiyoso. Mayroong disordered love na kung tawagin sa Inggles. Ito yung maling pagmamahal hindi lamang sa kapwa tao kungdi maging sa mga hayop at gamit na labis nating pinahahalagahan kesa sa Diyos.

Maliwanag ang turo ni Jesus: ang pag-ibig na tunay ay palaging naka-ugat at may kaisahan sa Diyos na siyang pag-ibig mismo! Kasabay nito, naroon ang napakagandang pagninilay at paglalahad ni San Pablo ukol sa pag-ibig na matatagpuan sa Unang Sulat sa mga Taga-Corinto, kapitulo trese.

Alalahanin din na hindi lamang damdamin ang pag-ibig kungdi isang desisyon o pagpapasya kasi, feelings are sometimes high, sometimes low. Hindi weather weather lang ang pag-ibig. Ito ay desisyon gaya ng inawit nina Ben&Ben:

Mahiwaga
Pipiliin ka sa araw-araw
Mahiwaga
Ang nadarama sa'yo'y malinaw.

Bagaman nagsisimula sa damdamin bilang attraction ang pag-ibig, kailangan itong lumago at lumalim. Kailangan mag-mature ang pag-ibig kaya ito ay nililinang sa pananalangin at wastong pag-iisip.

Mahiwaga ang pag-ibig ngunit hindi naman wala kang magagawa. Bagkus, malaki nga ang ating magagawa para sa pag-ibig ay yumabong at mamunga ayon sa turo ni Jesus tulad ng paglimot sa sarili. Ang pag-ibig ay palaging papalabas at hindi pakabig, hindi makasarili. Ang totoong sukatan ng tunay na nagmamahal ay kapag kaya mo nang ibigin ng higit sa iyong sarili ang ibang tao.

Kay sarap ugatin na ang isa pang kataga na gamit natin sa pag-ibig ay pagmamahal na mas ibig kong ginagamit lalo na sa pagkakasal. Iyon kasing pagmamahal ay paglevel up ng pag-ibig na kadalasan ay mababaw pa ang kahulugan tulad ng kapag sinabig “ano ibig mong sabihin o kainin?”

Ang pagmamahal ay nagsasaad ng pagpapahalaga kaya mahal ang presyo ng isang bilihin dahil ito ay mahalaga. Ang pag-ibig na tunay gaya ng pagmamahal ay pagpapahalaga sa minamahal na handang limutin ang sarili hanggang kamatayan.

*Larawan mula sa The Valenzuela Times, 02 July 2024.*

Ang taong nagmamahal ay palaging nagpapahalaga. Iyon ang masaklap at masakit na nangyari noon kina Eba’t Adan nang sila ay magkasala dahil tumanggi silang pahalagahan ang Diyos higit sa lahat.

Kaya naman sa madaling salita, ang kasalanan ay isang pagtanggi na magmahal kasi mas pinahahalagahan ng nagkakasala ang kanyang sarili kesa ibang tao lalo na ang Diyos. Iyon ang kapalaluan o kayabangan na sa Inggles ay pride.

Itinuturing na pride ang naging kasalanan nina Eba’t Adan dahil hinangad nilang maging Diyos, hindi lang makatulad ang Diyos. Ayon kay Sir Cecil B. De Mille, and direktor ng pelikulang The Ten Commandments noong 1956, ang palaging nilalabag na utos ng Diyos ng mga tao ay ang unang utos na huwag magkakaroon ng ibang Diyos maliban sa Kanya. Paliwanag ng batikang direktor, tuwing tayo ay nagkakasala, mayroon tayong ibang Diyos na sinusunod.

Kaya nakapagtataka rin naman itong mga LGBTQ na ipinagmamalaki pa ang kanilang pagdiriwang na Gay Pride ngayong buwan ng Hunyo. Bakit kailangang ipagmalaki ang “pride” gayong masama kadalasan ang kahulugan niyon?

Dalawang bagay ang sinasaad ng pride, maari itong positive na mabuti at banal o negative kaya ito ay mali at kasalanan. Yung positive pride kung tutuusin ay kapakumbabaan na kung saan kinikilala natin ng may karangalan at pagmamalaki sa tamang paraan ang ating katayuan na nilalang ng Diyos bilang lalake o babae. Ito yung wastong pride na sumasalungat sa linya at excuse parati na “ako’y tao lamang na mahina at makasalanan.” Bagaman hindi tayo perpekto, tayo ay bukod tanging pinagpala ng Diyos ng mga katangian at kakayahan upang lubos na makibahagi ng buhay ng Diyos.

Subalit hindi iyong ikalawang uri ng pride na mali at dapat iwasan dahil sa bahid at dungis ng kapalaluan at kayabangan. Ito ang dahilan kaya pride ang una sa lahat ng pitong capital sins. Ito yung pride na ipinagpipilitan ang sariling kagustuhan kahit na ito ay hindi ayon sa katotohanan, sumasalungat maski sa Diyos at lahat maipilit lamang ang sarili. Ito yung pride na kasalanan nina Eba’t Adan dahil ipinagpilitan nila kanilang sarili na maging Diyos din gayong hindi naman maaring mangyari.

*Mula sa Facebook ng Ateneo De Manila University, 02*
*Hunyo 2025.*

Kaya mahirap maunawaan at tanggapin itong laganap tuwing buwan ng Hunyo bilang Pride Month ng mga kasapi sa LGBTQ. Kailangan bang ipagmalaki at ipangalandakan kanilang sariling kagustuhan?

Hindi lamang binabago kanilang kasarian kungdi pati balarila sa wikang Inggles, mga gawi at mga pananaw sa mundo. Hindi po kasalanan maging bakla o tomboy. Nangyayari ito bunsod ng maraming kadahilanan ngunit sa kahuli-hulihan, isa ring itong pagpapasya o pagpili – choice – na ginagawa ng may katawan. Lalake pa rin o babae na mayroong homosexual tendency ayon sa Katesismo. Ang maliwanag na masama mula sa Banal na Kasulatan ay ang pagtatalik ng kapwa lalake at kapwa babae. Iyan, noong pang panahon nina Eba’t Adan ay masama at ipinagbabawal na.

Hindi mababago ang pagkatao kung papalitan ang ari at iba pang bahagi ng katawan ng tao dahil ang kasarian ay kabuuan ng pagkatao. Hindi mababago ang kabuuan kung babaguhin lang ang isang bahagi. Hindi naman gamit ang tao na maaring palitan ang piyesa tulad ng mga sasakyan at iba pang kasangkapan.

Ang maling pag-ibig kailanman ay hindi maghahatid ng kaganapan kanino man dahil malinaw na ito ay makasarili – selfish – isang pagpapahayag ng pride o kapalaluan na masama at kasalanan.

Ito ba ang ibig mangyari ng mga LGBTQ? Batay sa marami nang pag-aaral wala din namang mga nagpabago ng ari o nagpasame sex marriage ang tunay na nakatamo ng kaganapan at katuwaan sa buhay. Marami sa kanila ang malungkot at bigo batay sa mga pag-aaral.

*Larawan mula sa sunstar.com.ph kung saan nag-viral noong isang taon ang pagpapatayo sa isang waiter upang turuan ng gender sensitivity matapos tawaging “Sir” ang isang celebrity na LGBTQ sa mall.*

Pero mayroong magagawa. Kaya sinugo ng Diyos ang Kanyang Bugtong na Anak na si Jesus, ang Kristo. Ipanakita at ibinigay niya sa atin ang mga kinakailangang biyaya at grasya upang tayo man ay makapagmahal nang tunay katulad niya.

Nasa atin ang biyaya na magmahal ng tunay kung saan ay ating makakayang limutin ang sarili para sa mas mahalagang layunin, ang kaisahan sa Diyos (communion) na siyang paraan upang matamo natin ang kaganapan o fulfillment na higit pa sa kasiyahan at tagumpay sa buhay.

Ang pagmamahal gaya ng ating nasabi na ay hindi pakabig kungdi palaging papalabas ang tungo, mapagbigay at mapagparaya.

Mahirap talagang magmahal ng tunay ngunit hindi maaring sabihing wala tayong magagawa. Diyos na ang gumawa ng lahat upang tayo ay makapagmahal ng tunay. Makikibahagi at makikiisa o cooperate lamang tayo sa Kanyang biyaya.

Una ay tanggapin ang katayuan natin sa buhay bilang lalake o babae o bakla o tomboy; may-asawa o hiwalay; may sinumpaang pangako na hindi mag-aasawa tulad ng mga pari at madre at relihiyoso.

Huwag ipilit ang hindi naayon sa nature natin bilang tao. Marami nang mga bakla lalo sa showbiz ang nagsabing hindi kinakailangan ang mga gay pride na ito dahil tanggap nila katauhan nila. Ano mang hindi natural at tunay ay hindi makapaghahatid sa atin sa kaganapan at kagalakang tunay.

Isang biyaya na nakakaligtaan sa panahong ito na tila lahat na lang ibig ang relasyon kahit sa murang edad ay ang dalisay na pagkakaibigan o true friendship na nagpapahiwatig ng ibang mukha ng pagmamahal na nakapagpapaging-ganap at kasiya-siya ding tulad ng pag-aasawa. Ibang antas ito ng pagmamahal at ugnayan na biyaya din ng Diyos kung bukas sana ang ating puso at kalooban sa kanya at di lamang sa ating sariling kagustuhan.

Bilang pangwakas, ibig kong iwanan ang isang katotohanan hindi pansin ng karamihan ngayong panahon ng social media: mabuti pa sina Eba’t Adan nang magkasala, sila’y nahiya at nagtago sa Diyos. Bakit ang mga tao ngayon bukod sa hindi na nahihiya sa kasalanan at kasamaan, ipinagmamalaki pa lalo na sa social media? Sabi nga ng matatanda, ang mahiya pa lamang ay pagpapakatao na. Ano kaya tingin sa atin ngayon nina Eba’t Adan? Siguro, hiyang hiya na sila sa atin.

(Mis)understanding Jesus

Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Monday in the Seventh Week of Easter, 02 June 2025
Acts 19:1-8     <*[[[[><  +  ><]]]]'>     John 16:29-33

*Photo by author, mountains of San Antonio, Zambales from the side of Anawangin Cove, 2024.*

Lord Jesus,
teach me
and help me
understand you.

I really wonder if
the disciples truly understood you
on that Last Supper:

The disciples said to Jesus, “Now you are talking plainly, and not in any figure of speech. Now we realize that you know everything and that you do not need to have anyone question you. Because of this we believe that you came from God.” Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe” (John 16:29-31)?

Oh how easy it is
to claim I have understood you
Lord Jesus
when in fact
more often
I misunderstand you
when difficulties and sufferings
 come my way
that I complain a lot;
when pains and disappointments
happen I lose interest
in following you;
when frustrations come
 because I cannot know fully
what is to come
after following you.

There are times
mediocrity seeps in me
that I become lackluster
making no effort to learn more,
to be more daring,
and to be a better
person and disciple
in following
and imitating you, Lord.

To understand you, Jesus
means to experience peace
always in you,
to keep on choosing you still
no matter what
because that is when
we truly enter in your presence
with nothing else important
but do your will.

Understanding you Jesus
is being open and ready
not to understand
everything about you
and still believe you
and trust you.
Amen.

Presence in Absence

Lord My Chef Sunday Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord, Cycle C, 01 June 2025
Acts 1:1-11 ><}}}}*> Hebrews 9:24-28;10:19-23 ><}}}}*> Luke 24:46-53

*Photo by author, Atok, Benguet, 26 December 2025.*

We all have experienced dreams so real where we met friends and relatives even strangers that we described as “totoong-totoo” that we woke up crying or simply joyful and feeling so light. The clothes even the scent and ambiance were so real that we tried going back to sleep to continue the dream!

This is what we call as the dynamic of “presence in absence” when loved ones long dead or gone or simply far from us we still feel near and close too. It is the same familiar kind of relationship that we have with God whom we feel also as too near yet so far like what Luke described to us in the Ascension of Jesus Christ:

As he blessed them he parted from them and was taken up to heaven. They did him homage and then returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and they were continually in the temple praising God (Luke 24:51-53).

*Photo by Mr. Sean Pleta in Melbourne, March 2015.*

When Luke said that Jesus “As he blessed them he parted from them and was taken up to heaven”, he was describing to us Christ’s new and higher kind of relationship with all his disciples that include us today.

Jesus did not merely enter a physical reality that the author of the Letter to the Hebrews tells us in the second reading; he actually entered into a new level of relationship with us and everyone. This “leveling up” in our relationships that no longer require physical presence is the dynamic of presence in absence. We don’t have to be physically present because there are deeper ties that bind us with God and with others, both the living and the dead.

Recall how since Easter we have been reflecting on this aspect of new level of relationship with Jesus who told Mary Magdalene at their first meeting to “touch me not” because of the need for a higher level of relating with him no longer bound by time and space. This Jesus showed when on the evening of Easter he entered the locked doors where the disciples were hiding. And Luke tells us that beautiful account of Jesus walking to Emmaus with two disciples who did not recognize him but upon reaching home after the breaking of bread, the two disciples recognized Jesus who immediately disappeared from their side. It was always a case of presence in absence!

Note also that in all appearances of Jesus after Easter to his disciples, there was always joy that continued even after his Ascension when “they returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and they were continually in the temple praising God.” Normally, there is sadness after every separation and goodbye. But not with the disciples of Jesus including us!

How can you explain that even if Jesus does not seem to answer our prayers, we just keep on praying to him? Why do we remain in Jesus despite his apparent absence? That’s because deep in our hearts we are certainly sure he is always with us, that he loves us so much, that eventually, he will answer our prayers though he does answer our prayers always but not in the way we wanted it to be.

That is why we need to make that effort to deepen and cultivate our relationship with Jesus to always see his presence in his absence like what the angel told the disciples in the first reading after his Ascension, “Men of Galilee, why are you standing there looking at the sky? This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven will return in the same way as you have seen him going into heaven” (Acts 1:11).

Do not look up or anywhere but look inside our hearts where Jesus dwells as he had told us last Sunday if we keep his words and love one another. We need to level up in our relationship with God through prayers and good works.

We need to see more with our heart than with our eyes because the deepest truths and realities in life are seen with the heart and soul. The ancient Persian sage and poet Rumi said it so beautifully, “Goodbyes are only for those who love with their eyes. Because for those who love with heart and soul, there is no such thing as separation.”

Since Easter, we have been reflecting on the profound difference of Christ’s Resurrection with his birth on Christmas filled with external signs and symbols. Easter is characterized by absence like darkness and emptiness where we find the presence of Jesus and his light.

This presence in absence is also the reality we have in those we refer to as “low-maintenance” friendships where we have some people who do not demand anything from us nor we demand much from them. We meet when time allows and chat once in a while yet we remain the bestest friends because of the love and respect we have for each other. Basta, alam na this!

That is also the reality of our relationship with God. Do we experience the same joys in his presence in absence? Are we at home with our relationship with Christ found in darkness and emptiness, present in his apparent absence? Let us pray:

Lord Jesus,
let us rise up in our
relationships with you with others;
let us be more loving and faithful,
kind and understanding,
fair and just
even without seeing you
and one another.
Amen.