Sweetest, most precious word of all

Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Saturday, Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time
Memorial of Queenship of Mary, 22 August 2026
Isaia 9:1-6     ><}}}}*> + ><}}}}*> + ><}}}}*>     Luke 1:26-30

*Photo by author, St. Paul Spiritual & Renewal Center, Bgy. Tanyawak, Alfonso, Cavite, 18 August 2026.*

YES.

Perhaps the most sweetest word we all wish to hear but also the most difficult word for us to say. We want others saying “yes” to our requests and questions but we are so afraid, so hesitant telling it to others. Very often, we hide our “yes” in cloudy expressions like maybe, will try, or simply not say it all.

Especially with God.

Every love story of husband and wife, lovers as well as vocation story of any priest and religious all started with that simple word and answer “yes”.

Ang matamis na “oo” na inaasam ng binata sa kanyang dilag.

And of course, our “yes, Lord”….. “opo, Panginoon, susunod ako”!

*“Coronation of the Virgin” by Spanish artist Diego Velasquez (1635-1636); from en.eikipedia.org.*

We celebrate today the Memorial of Queenship of Mary, a week after the Solemnity of her Assumption into heaven. She too said that most precious sweet word of “yes” to God when she was asked by the angel to become the Mother of the Savior, Jesus Christ.

Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her (Luke 1:38).

How amazing that such a very simple word of three letters – YES – could be so powerful enough to change one’s life. Even the world and its history.

And how could such a very short word be so difficult to say, too?!

With every yes in life we hear, it becomes so sweet because we are affirmed. We feel valuable and precious when people say “yes” to us.

However, we are very cautious in saying “yes” to others, especially to God and in the name or presence of God because when we say that “yes”, it becomes our very life.

Every “yes” becomes a commitment, a vow, a promise to keep.

Not only for us priests and religious but everybody, especially husband and wife saying yes on their wedding day; doctors, lawyers and other professionals saying yes to uphold life, justice and freedom; and, children saying yes to obey their parents and teachers.

Everyone has to say a yes in different ways every day everywhere in many occasions and situations. Many times it looks so simple, sometimes it could mean life and death.

Every yes is precious and sweet because it is the beginning of love. And more love, no matter what.

That is why we need to affirm and stand with that yes day in, day out in our lives.

Like Mary, her “yes” to God did not happen just once but everyday in her life, reaching its highest point at the Cross when her Son Jesus Christ died. She must have had the most painful yet bittersweet yes too when she held Christ’s lifeless Body immortalized in Michaelangelo’s La Pieta.

But it was Mary’s yes that brought us Christmas and Easter, leading to Pentecost in the birth of our Church, and led her to heaven. That is why, we celebrate her Queenship today, a week after her Assumption. Let us pray to keep our “yes” to God true and faithful always.

O most Blessed Virgin Mary,
our Mother and Queen,
help us say "yes" like you
to God every day in our lives;
pray for us to remain faithful
and true to our "yes" to him
through our loved ones,
through his flock,
his people entrusted to us;
pray for us, 
Mary our Queen
to keep our "yes" to God
simple like yours,
trusting him always
when our "yes" 
leads us to Jesus on the Cross
and eventually into his very
presence in heaven with you.
Amen.

Mary sits enthroned in heaven on the right hand of Jesus Christ, who crowns her as “Queen of Heaven” in this 13th century apse mosaic in the Santa Maria Maggiore, Rome; photo from littleflowermemphis.org

The kindness of God

The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Friday, Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, 08 December 2023
Genesis 3:9-15, 20 ><}}}*> Ephesians 1:3-6, 11-12 ><}}}*> Luke 1:26-38

*Photo by Rev. Fr. Gerry Pascual of Iba, Zambales at Santuario di Greccio, Rieti, Italy in 2019.*

God our loving Father,
we praise and thank you
on this Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception
for continuing to do your wondrous works
for our salvation, for our healing
for our good.

You are so kind to us, Father,
despite our sins and turning away from you,
you search us, you call us,
most of all, you still bless us
with your merciful presence in
Jesus Christ.

Teach us to be like Mary,
our Blessed Virgin Mother,
to be open always to your coming,
to your calls, to your grace;
teach us most of all to be
selfless, to be kind too
to your boundless kindness,
O God; many times, we are like
Adam and Eve with so many
alibis, always hiding from you,
evading you, not trusting you.

Teach us, O Lord, 
to imitate Mary to not seek
so many reasons and explanations,
to simply trust in you and say YES
to your will and plans always;
may we always keep in mind like Mary,
your sublime kindness O God
of always inviting us,
asking us,
never imposing on us
to freely choose him
and make Christmas possible
every day.
Amen.

That precious, sweet “Yes”

The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Tuesday, Memorial of the Queenship of Mary, 22 August 2023
Isaiah 9:1-6 ><}}}}*> + ><}}}}*> + ><}}}}*> Luke 1:26-30

*Photo by author, St. Scholastica Spirituality Center, Baguio City, 22 August 2023.*

YES. Perhaps the most sweetest word we all wish to hear but also the most difficult word for us to say. We want others always saying “yes” to our requests and questions but we are so afraid, so hesitant telling it to others. Very often, we hide our “yes” in cloudy expressions like maybe, will try, or simply not say it all. Especially with God.

How funny that every vocation story of any priest and religious started with that simple “yes” – a “yes, Lord”! Or, “opo, Panginoon, susunod ako”!

Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.
Luke 1:38

How amazing that such a very simple word of three letters – yes – could be so powerful enough to change one’s life. Even history. And how could such a very short word with just one syllable be so difficult to say!

With every yes in life we hear, it becomes so sweet because we are affirmed. We feel valuable and precious when people say “yes” to us. However, we are very cautious in saying “yes” to others, especially to God and in the name or presence of God because when we say that “yes”, it becomes our very life.

Every “yes” becomes a commitment, a vow, a promise to keep. Not only for us priests and religious but everybody, especially husband and wife saying yes on their wedding day; doctors, lawyers and other professionals saying yes to uphold life, justice and freedom; children saying yes to obey their parents and teachers; everybody has to say a yes in different ways every day everywhere in many occasions and situations. Many times it looks so simple, sometimes it could mean life and death.

Every yes is precious and sweet because it is the beginning of love. That is why we need to affirm and stand with that yes day in, day out in our lives.

O most Blessed Virgin Mary,
our Mother and Queen,
help us to say yes like you to God,
not once but every day in our lives;
pray for us to remain faithful in our yes
to him through our loved ones,
through his people and flock;
pray for us to keep our yes to God
simple like yours, trusting him always
even if our yes would lead us to the Cross
so that our yes would bring us also
to his presence in heaven.
Amen.