Knowledge inflates, love builds

The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Thursday, Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time, Year II, 12 September 2024
1 Corinthians 8:1-7, 11-13 <'[[[[>< + ><]]]]'> Luke 6:27-38

Brothers and sisters: Knowledge inflates with pride, love builds up. If anyone supposes he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know. But if one loves God, one is known by him (1 Corinthians 8:1-2).

O dear Jesus,
how lovely are your words
today through St. Paul;
so timely like during his time
when so many of us today 
have become so proud and
arrogant in knowing so much
that have bloated their egos,
seeing only themselves 
unmindful of others around them,
losing their personal touch,
forgetting their humanity,
miserably failing to love
at all.

Dear Jesus,
remind us anew of that
basic truth that true knowledge
is when we realize we know
so little,
that we must learn more
not only from books 
but most of all from persons;
let us be more loving
so that we can build more
lasting and fulfilling relationships;
let us be more loving
so we can build more trust
and understanding when we
learn to love our enemies;
let us be more loving
so we can build more goodwill
and fellowship by being more
merciful like the Father in heaven;
let us be more loving
so we can build persons
than destroy them by being
non-judgmental of one another;
let us be more loving, Jesus,
so we can build and overflow
with more grace and gifts
as we give more of Jesus Christ.
Amen.

New beginnings and mysteries

The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Friday in the Twenty-Second Week of Ordinary Time, Year II, 06 September 2024
1 Corinthians 4:1-5 <*((((>< + ><))))*> Luke 5:33-39

Thank you,
our loving Father
for another week about to close;
thank you dear God
for this first Friday
in September 2024:
despite the rains and the floods
and the inconveniences
these have brought,
thank you for a new beginning
today.
Let us celebrate this gift
of life you have given us
by putting on a new attitude,
a new disposition,
a new outlook in life
for you have made everything new
in Jesus Christ.

And he also told them a parable. “No one tears a piece from a new cloak to patch an old one. Otherwise, he will tear the new and the piece from it will not match the old cloak. Likewise, no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled, and the skins will be ruined. Rather, new wine must be pured into fresh wineskins” (Luke 5:36-38).

Make us your trustworthy
stewards of your mysteries, Lord;
make us truly your servants
who shall reveal your many
mysteries of life and death,
of joy and sufferings,
of poverty and wealth,
of fruitfulness and fulfillment,
of redemption and forgiveness
be known in our life of witnessing
without any regard for fame
nor popularity except that
we do your work in Jesus faithfully.
Amen.

An Ode to Silence

Quiet Storm by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II, 03 May 2024

*Photo by author, Anvaya Cove in Morong, Bataan, 15 April 2024.*

How I wish I could strum and sing
like Simon and Garfunkel
saying hello and listening
to the sound of silence
that nobody hears,
nobody cares;
what a lovely commodity
now a rarity in the time of Siri,
everybody is so afraid of silence
when its loudest sound is 
less than a breath, 
feebler than a whisper.

How foolish have we become
to disregard silence
when it is the only sound
before we have all become
that is why when death comes,
in silence we shall return;
woe the Walkman that pushed us back
to the caves of our own world
enslaved by gadgets that muffle
our ears and head
from the warmth of another soul
speaking in silence.

Let us touch and be disturbed
by the sound of silence!
Listen to its wisdom and truth 
for it is not emptiness but fullness;
embrace silence, feel its warmth
to see life's vibrance in its natural sound
telling us to trust again
so we can love anew
that is most true
when words are few
because the heart is empty,
silently awaiting YOU!

Silence…silence.

The Lord Is My Chef Easter Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Thursday, Memorial of St. Athanasius, Bishop & Doctor of the Church, 02 May 2024
Acts 15:7-21 ><}}}}*> Psalm 96:1-2, 2-3, 10 ><}}}}*> John 15:9-11

Your words today, Lord Jesus, 
are so dramatic like in the movies 
when Your disciples twice went silent:
"The whole assembly fell silent,
and they listened while Paul and Barnabas
described the signs and wonders 
God worked among the gentiles
through them.
After they had fallen silent,
James responded,
'My brothers, listen to me...'"
(Acts 15:12-13).

Teach me to be silent, Lord,
so that I may listen and hear
what others are saying,
what You are telling me
through others;
let me be silent, Jesus,
to listen more to You,
to experience Your presence,
Your love and care,
Your mercy and forgiveness,
and Your wisdom and direction
I must take in this life harassed
by so many noises and competing
voices to follow.

How interesting that Your
great servant and theologian
St. Athanasius whose Memorial
we celebrate today, the first of the
Doctors of the Church who fought
the heretics to insist on Your being
true God and true man
was forced into exile so many times
defending You and Your truth as the Christ;
how lovely to reflect in those repeated
exiles of St. Athanasius he fell silent
not because of fear but because of courage
by continuing to pray and reflect
on Your Person as the Son of God.

Lord Jesus Christ,
silence is the domain of trust;
hence, teach me most especially
to be silent like the saints
in order to trust You more
so that I can love more
like You by remaining close
with You, in You always 
(John 15:9).
Amen.

*Photo by PhotoMIX Company on Pexels.com*

Easter is “earth full of goodness of the Lord”

The Lord Is My Chef Easter Recipe by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Tuesday in the Easter Octave, 02 April 2024
Acts 2:36-41     <*{{{{>< + ><}}}}*>     John 20:11-18

*Photo by author, Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches, QC, 20 March 2024.*

Oh, yes...dear God!
In this Season of Easter
today's Responsorial Psalm
is so true,
"The earth is full 
of the goodness of the Lord"
when despite the many
darkness pervading over us
and the emptiness we find
and experience,
You give us things to do
to rectify our mistakes,
to make life better after
so many mistakes and
sins: to repent in Jesus Christ
and surrender ourselves to Him
in order to receive 
the gift of the
Holy Spirit.

Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and they asked Peter and the other Apostles, “What are we to do, my brothers?” Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 2:37-38

*Photo by author, Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches, QC, 19 March 2024.*

Many times we are like
Mary Magdalene,
O Lord:
we cannot see and experience
You because we are still
looking for You in our old ways,
in our comfort zones,
in the superficialities of life
like the more obvious
physical aspects;
teach us to
"stop holding on to You",
Lord,
in those old ways
and manners
by going deeper,
taking that deep plunge
to trust in You more,
be matured,
more trusting and faithful
to You in the midst of
darkness and
emptiness.

Open the eyes of our heart
and soul to see more
of You in the hidden beauties
as well as in the
ugly and uncomfortable
realities of life.
Amen.

*Painting by Giotto of the Risen Lord Jesus Christ appearing to St. Mary Magdalene from commons.wikimedia.org.*

Great Silence

The Lord Is My Chef Breakfast Recipe by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Holy Saturday, 30 March 2024

*Photo by author, Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches, 20 March 2024.*

Teach us to be silent today, 
God our Father, 
as we remember your Son 
Jesus Christ’s Great Silence – 
Magnum Silentium – 
when he was “crucified, 
died and was buried; 
he descended to the dead 
and on the third day 
he rose again.”

On this Holy Saturday, 
your whole creation comes to full circle. 
In the beginning, 
after completing your work of creation, 
you rested on the seventh day 
and made it holy (Gen.2:3). 

On the seventh day 
after completing his mission here on earth, 
Jesus Christ was laid to rest.

*Photo by author, Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches, 19 March 2024.*

Silence and rest always go together.

Let us realize, Father,
that to be silent 
is not merely to be quiet 
but to listen more to Your voice 
coming from the depths of our being; hence, 
silence is not emptiness 
but fullness with You, dear God. 
It is in silence 
where we truly discover 
our selves and others too.

Likewise, 
to rest is not merely to stop work 
nor stop from being busy; 
we rest to reconnect with You 
to be filled with your Holy Spirit. 

You do not rest, O God, 
because you never get tired; 
it is us who need to rest 
so we may continue 
Your work of creation and, 
now of redemption 
and renewal by Jesus Christ.

When we rest, 
we return to Eden, 
like the garden where Jesus was buried:

“Now in the place where he had been crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had yet been buried. So they laid Jesus there because of the Jewish preparation day; for the tomb was close by” (Jn. 19:41-42).
John 19:41-42

How beautiful is that image, 
dear Father, 
of Your rest and silence in Eden 
and of Jesus laid to rest 
at a tomb in a garden: 
to rest in silence is therefore 
when we stop playing God 
as we return to You 
as Your image and likeness again!

God,
we are afraid of silence 
because we are also afraid
of the truth, of trusting You;
Jesus was crucified because
we have always been 
afraid to trust You 
and be truthful to You and 
ourselves.

Teach us to be like the women 
who rested on the sabbath 
when Jesus was laid to rest; 
like them, may we trust You more 
by being true to ourselves.

The women who had come from Galilee with him followed behind, and when they had seen the tomb and the way in which his body was laid in it, they returned and prepared spices and perfumed oils. Then they rested on the sabbath according to the commandment.
Luke 23:55-56

May your silence and rest reassure us that we shall rise with you again. Amen.

Spy Wednesday prayer for the Judas Iscariot among us & within us

40 Shades of Lent by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Holy Wednesday, "Spy Wednesday", 27 March 2024
Isaiah 50:4-9   +   +   +   Matthew 26:14-25

*Photo by author, dusk falls at the Sacred Heart Novitiate in Novaliches, 20 March 2024.*

Today is "spy Wednesday"
for it was on this night when
Judas Iscariot struck a deal
with your enemies, Lord Jesus
to betray you;
tonight is said to be 
the night of traitors,
of betrayers.

One of the Twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?” They paid him thirty pieces of silver, and from that time on he looked for an opportunity to hand him over.
Matthew 26:14-16

Oh how we hate, O Lord Jesus
to be called a traitor,
a betrayer,
a Judas Iscariot!
And yet,
too often,
it is so true of us
whenever we sin,
not only when we turn away
from you but most of all, 
when we "hand you over" -
the literal meaning of betrayal -
when we pass you over
for somebody better,
for something useful
and convenient.

Forgive us, Lord Jesus,
for having the same
Judas Iscariot within us,
in collaborating with the
Judas Iscariot among us
when we repeatedly
hand you over like a thing
or a tool for our own selfish ends
as we say in Filipino,
"pinagpapasa-pasahan" 
repeatedly passed on 
like a thing in exchange
of what or whom
we find better,
convenient and useful;
most sad part in betrayal
dear Jesus,
is how we disregard
the trust we have
with each other
and from each other.

*Same photo with preceding one this time with filters.*

Help me imitate you,
Lord Jesus Christ
like the Suffering Servant
according to Isaiah in the
first reading by being the person
who breaks the cycle of violence
and betrayal;
like the psalmist today,
let "zeal for your house consume me"
Lord, that is,
be filled with your Holy Spirit
so that I may act
and respond to others
from my heart where you dwell
not from my pains and hurts,
nor from the many
betrayals inflicted on me
by others.
Amen.

Silent connection. And disconnection.

40 Shades of Lent by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Solemnity of St. Joseph, Spouse of the BVM, 19 March 2024
2 Samuel 7:4-5, 12-14, 16 ><}}}*> Romans 4:13, 16-18, 22 ><}}}*> Matthew 1:16, 18-21, 24

*Photo by author, Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches, QC, 20 March 2023.*

How lovely,
O God our Father
that after reflecting yesterday on 
connections and reconnecting,*
we celebrate today the Solemnity of 
St. Joseph, the most chaste spouse
of the Blessed Virgin Mary 
who gave the name Jesus to your Son
in fulfillment of your promise to David;
always regarded not only as chaste but
most of all with gifted with the virtue of silence
the world needs so badly these days,
St. Joseph witnessed in his holy life
that it is in silence when we make
the strongest connections with 
one's self,
with others,
and with you, O God
because silence is the domain of trust;
The most trusting people
like St. Joseph
are also the most trusting.

Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly. Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream…
Matthew 1:19-20

In this world 
so filled with many voices
including those spoken by machines and robots
that compete for our attention,
the more we have become fearful
of silence because we are afraid of the truth!

To be silent is to be truthful
like St. Joseph who embraced
and welcomed the whole truth,
Jesus Christ;
grant us the same grace, Lord,
you gave St. Joseph to silently
in face and embrace the truth
that can be discomforting
especially when it it is contrary
to our plans and desires;
let us not hide in silence
our festering anger that
sooner or later may explode
that could scatter all our
plans and relationships.
Amen.

St. Joseph,
pray for us!

*See (https://lordmychef.com/2024/03/18/re-con-nect/)

Praying with “worriers” like me…

The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Tuesday in the Twenty-Seventh Week of Ordinary Time, Year I, 10 October 2023
Jonah 4:1-11   Luke 11:1-4

*Photo by author, sunflower farm, La Trinidad, Benguet, 12 July 2023.*

Today I pray dear God
our loving Father for all 
my fellow worriers who are like me,
always anxious of everything,
afraid of chaos and disorder,
afraid of failing,
lacking in complete trust in you.

Like Martha in today’s gospel,
we are anxious snd worried of many things
because we forget that only you, 
O God, 
is the only one needed.

Many times I am like
Jonah your prophet who believes
more in myself, 
judgmental of others 
without realizing that 
whatever mission you send us to
is all your work, using us only
as your mouth to speak, 
hands to care and 
reach out to those weak and sick,
feet to stand 
for what is true,
just and good.

So Jonah made ready and went to Nineveh, according to the Lord’s bidding. Now Nineveh was an enormously large city; it took three days to go through it. Jonah began his journey through the city, and had gone but a single day’s walk announcing, “Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed” when the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast and all of them, great and small, put on sackcloth. When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, laid aside his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in the ashes.
Jonah 3:3-6

When we worry so much,
we hurt others too because 
that is when we underestimate them,
when we put them in a box
with categories removing
every chance to become better
like how Jonah perceived the Ninivites
or Martha with Mary.

How wonderful
that every time this happens,
you surprise us Lord with
the most unexpected happening
like when the Ninevites proclaimed
a fast and put on a sackcloth,
when Jesus praised Mary in
choosing him over everything
and everyone.

Keep us simple
and humble, Jesus,
with a lot of humor 
like Jonah even if your joke
is always on us so that
we may let go 
of life's many
trials and difficulties.
Amen.

A video I have taken using my iPhone during our visit to this sunflower farm in La Trinidad, Benguet last 12 July 2023.

Knowledge of God’s will

The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Thursday in the Twenty-Second Week of Ordinary Time, Year I, 07 September 2023
Colossians 1:9-14 ><))))*> + ><))))*> + ><))))*> Luke 5:1-11

*Photo by author, St. Scholastica Convent, Baguio City, 23 August 2023.*

God our loving Father,
I have been praying 
for many things from you
for myself and friends
but today, I imitate 
the prayers of St. Paul
for the Colossians:

…that you may be filled with the knowledge of God’s will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord…
Colossians 1:9-10

This is what we should first
pray for daily,
to be filled with knowledge
of your will, O God:
we do not have to be all-knowing
like you but be open
to discern your will,
to follow and do
what you ask us
without doubts
or apprehensions like
when Simon Peter
obeyed Jesus Christ's
order to cast their nets into
the deep despite their not
catching anything at all 
the previous night;
forgive us, Father,
for many times we
feel and so believe
that we know so much,
the we know better 
that anyone, including
you.

Fill us with knowledge
of your will, O God,
so we may have the 
spiritual wisdom and 
understanding to see our
sinfulness before you, 
just like Simon Peter
after that miraculous catch
of fish when he fell at the
knees of Jesus, saying, 
"Depart from me, O Lord, 
for I am a sinful man"
(Lk.5:8).

Fill us with knowledge
of your will, O God,
so we may seek 
meaning and fulfillment,
not just material things
and pleasures we can totally
abandon to follow Jesus
catching men and women
for him "to be delivered
from the power of darkness"
to have redemption.
Amen.