When name is the presence

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Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul, 17 July 2025
Thursday, Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time, Year I
Exodus 3:13-20   <*(((>< + ><)))*>   Matthew 11:28-30

Today, I tried going back
to your presence, Lord;
I tried feeling your sacred
ground again;
there was no burning bush
to see but I felt my heart
burning inside as I dwelled
on your name:

God replied, “I am who am.” Then he added, “This is what you shall tell the children of Israel: I Am sent me to you.” God spoke further to Moses, “This is my name forever; this is my title for all generations” (Exodus 3:14-15).

Unlike our name,
your name "I AM", 
Lord is most unique -
right away when I say
your name, I feel you!
Your name is more than a name
for it is YOU yourself - so deep,
so true, so powerful that you envelop 
me in your person; when I think of
your name "I AM", I am already
dissolved and overwhelmed!
Moreover, 
your "I AM" is exactly 
what I feel,
and realize,
and experience
in Christ calling us:

“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

Today I come to you,
Jesus with all my burdens
and worries,
pains and hurts,
sickness and
sufferings;
you are I AM, Lord -
heed our cries like in Egypt:
the crime and corruption
so rampant,
the selfishness and pride
of everyone,
the sin and evil that stink,
 a kind of darkness lurking
everywhere;
yes, there are modern Pharaohs
lording over us today
but most of all too,
it is us who lord over
our lives most of the time;
bring us back to the burning bush
so we may take off our
sandals because the whole
earth is yours which we have
usurped and destroyed;
let us feel you again, "I AM"
all around,
all encompassing;
let us enter you, Lord,
to experience your abundance
of love and mercy,
warmth and light,
life and new hope;
let us rest in you, Lord
like in Eden when you alone
is God.
Not us.
Amen.

Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Our Lady of Fatima University
Valenzuela City

Simplicity of God. And Mary.

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Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul, 16 July 2025
Wednesday, Memorial of Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Exodus 3:13-20     ><}}}*> + ><}}}*> + ><}}}*>     Matthew 11:25-27

Today, O Lord
your words bring us 
to the mountain
as we celebrate too
the Memorial of Our Lady of
Mount Carmel; 
in the first reading you 
brought Moses to your
mountain in Horeb to see you in the 
burning bush while the
Memorial of our Blessed Mother
today reminds us of the early monks 
who banded together 
to pray at Mount Carmel.

When the Lord saw him coming over to look at it more closely, God called out to him from the bush, “Moses! Moses!” He answered, “Here I am.” “Come, now! I will send you you to Pharaoh to lead my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.” But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and lead the children of Israel out of Egypt?” He answered, “I will be with you; and this shall be your proof that it is I who have sent you: when you bring my people out of ??Egypt, you will worship God on this very mountain” (Exodus 3:4-5, 10-12).

How lovely 
was your conversation, Lord
with Moses,
so similar with our
conversations when we would
readily answer your call
with the declaration
"Here I am" that suddenly
when you hand us our mission,
we balk and question you,
"Who am I that I should go
to Pharaoh?"

Many times
we are like Moses -
while showing humility 
with some fears in our quick response
to your call,
we suddenly doubt ourselves
upon learning the mission you
entrust us with whereas you
simply assure us of your presence,
of being our companion
with your simple statement
"I will be with you."
Such is your simplicity, Lord.

Teach us to be like Mary
your Mother, dear Jesus Christ,
simple and childlike
filled with humility,
always open to God and
his plans; after all, you call us
first of all for a relationship
with you not with a task to be
achieved.

May the Brown Scapular 
given by Mary to St. Simon Stock
be a reminder of our relationship 
with God in Christ with Mary;
always open to his will but most
of all faithful and obedient to his call
of communion and oneness. Amen.

Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Our Lady of Fatima University
Valenzuela City

Feeling God

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Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul, 15 July 2025
Tuesday, Memorial of St. Bonaventure, Bishop & Doctor of the Church
Exodus 2:1-15     ><))))*>  +  ><))))*>  +  ><))))*>     Matthew 11:20-24

Sometimes I wonder
O God how it feels to be
in front of you,
of what to feel when you are
so like us humans - sadly
frustrated, 
exasperated.

Jesus began to reproach the towns where most of his mighty deeds had been done, since they had not repented. “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would long ago have repented in sackcloth and ashes” (Matthew 11:20-21).

Forgive us, dear Jesus
when we are so callous
and numb before you,
not feeling you at all
because we are so absorbed 
in our own pride and foolishness,
justifying our sinful ways
that we hardly feel you,
because we could not feel others
nor ourselves as our bloated egos
numbed our humanity; we have lost our
sense of sinfulness and could no longer
appreciate what is good and beautiful,
right and orderly; we have become like 
those two Hebrews Moses caught fighting
each other that instead of feeling his care
and concern for them,
they felt separated he would kill
them like the Egyptian officer.

How true were the words
of our Saint for today,
the most pure Bonaventure 
who wrote, "If you do not know
your own dignity and condition,
you cannot value anything
at its proper worth."

Help us realize Jesus 
how once mighty cities
like Chorazin, Bethsaida
and Capernaum remains in ruins
to these days, never to have 
recaptured their old glory days
because since your time,
they never saw their dignity
and condition as your beloved
ones; let us not fall into ruins too
because of our unrepentance for
our sins. Amen.

Come. Welcome.

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Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul, 14 July 2025
Monday, Memorial of St. Camillus de Lellis, Priest
Exodus 1:8-14, 22   <*((((>< + ><))))*>   Matthew 10:34-11:1

What a lovely Monday
dear God when your words
are "come" and "welcome" - 
two words that indicate 
challenges in our relationships,
challenges we refuse to face
and resolve, challenges that
are so difficult to accept 
nor understand.

A new king, who knew nothing of Jospeh, came to power in Egypt. He said to his subjects, “Look how numerous and powerful the people of the children of Israel are growing, more so than ourselves! Come, let us deal shrewdly with them to stop their increase; otherwise, in time of war they too may join our enemies to fight against us, and so leave our country” (Exodus 1:8-10).

Jesus said to his Apostles: “Do not think that I have come to bring peace upon earth. I have come to bring not peace but the sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law” (Matthew 10:34-35).

Many times
we come to foreign countries
like Israel in Egypt
upon your own sending,
Father,
 but instead of
opportunities and green pastures,
we come to many sufferings
and trials like our OFWs
and immigrants;
and there are times
that because of our being
a follower of Christ,
a wedge is driven between
us and our family
or friends or colleagues.

What are you teaching us,
Lord in every coming?

That life is a series of coming,
never of going, and,
whenever we come,
we take up our crosses
and follow you,
Jesus.

The difficulties
and trials that come our way
teach us to "welcome"
these in itself as
the opportunities
and blessings in disguise
we have actually
"come" for!

“Whoever receives you receives me, whoever receives you receives the one who sent me” (Matthew 10:40).

How lovely in other translations
that to receive is to welcome;
what matters most in life
and discipleship,
dear Jesus
is we always come to you,
come to where we are sent
and most of all,
to welcome every coming
as your very presence
like St. Camillus
who lovingly served
the sick
in whom he found you
in each one of them.
Amen.

St. Camillus de Lellis,
Pray for us!

Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Our Lady of Fatima University
Valenzuela City

Stop “overthinking” to be a good Samaritan

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Lord My Chef Sunday Recipe, 13 July 2025
Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C
Deuteronomy 30:10-14 ><}}}*> Colossians 1:15-20 ><}}}*> Luke 10:25-37

Jesus continues his journey to Jerusalem with his disciples, teaching us with some important things “to do” following the questions of some people along the way.

Last Sunday Jesus taught us the five do’s and five don’ts of discipleship; today, he teaches us what we must do to inherit eternal life with the parable of the good Samaritan.

There was a scholar of the law who stood up to test Jesus and said, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus said to him, “What is written in the law? How do you read it?” He said in reply, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” He replied to him, “You have answered correctly; do this and you will live.” But because he wished to justify himself, he said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied, “A man fell victim to robbers as he went down from Jerusalem to Jericho.” (Luke 10:25-30)

First thing we notice is our similarity with the scholar of the law who already knew the answer to the question “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” We know deep in our hearts the answer and like in the gospel, we have felt Jesus affirming us many times like the lawyer. But, Jesus wants us to revisit his parable of the Good Samaritan this Sunday to realize its meaning as we continue to imitate the lawyer with the same question “who is my neighbor?”

But because he wished to justify himself, 
he said to Jesus, 
"And who is my neighbor?"

The Filipino translation gives us a better picture of the lawyer justifying himself, “Sa hangad ng eskriba na huwag siyang lumabas na kahiya-hiya, tinanong niya uli si Jesus, ‘Sino naman ang aking kapwa?’”

See how Jesus did not give a straightforward answer but situated the lawyer including us today into something very concrete so that we stop thinking more and start feeling more. That was the problem with the scholar of the law and with us today: we analyze everything that we have become “over thinkers” but not necessarily “critical thinkers”. We know so many things about our faith but, we still ask for more clarifications because we think more than feel more.

As a chaplain giving recollections and talks to our students, I have seen many young people today are over thinkers but not critical thinkers. I always remind them that critical thinking is about comprehension and analysis of data and information gathered. Over thinking is different. It is not of the mind but of the heart because overthinking is lack of trust. It is a vice when we worry a lot – over think – because we lack trust with others and with ourselves. And ultimately with God!

The scholar of the law was overthinking when he asked “who is my neighbor?” because for them at that time, their neighbors were just their fellow Jews. Sad to say, until now our society remains stratified into categories of people like ice cream – the old rich and famous as “all-time favorites”, the recent rich and popular as “flavor of the month” and the ordinary folks as “dirty ice cream” or sorbetes cheaply sold in carts pushed usually by old men.

Of course we know everyone is our neighbor or whoever needs us. But the problem with this all-encompassing view is that it leads us to casuistic argumentation, a kind of over thinking like when we start citing exceptions and excuses or alibis. That is why Jesus used the characters of a priest and Levite who were examples of holiness vis-a-vis a Samaritan who was an enemy of the Jews at that time.

The priest and the Levite passed by the victim of robbery to maintain the Jewish purity law of not touching a corpse to perform their tasks and duties in the temple, both were “overthinking” of their rites and rituals than the dying person. Holiness for Jesus is beyond names and titles but more of the heart seeing and feeling the other person like the Samaritan who alone acted out of his good naturedness as a person, even beyond giving first aid to the robbery victim.

Many times we are like the priest and Levite when we come up with many arguments like “do I not have any other obligation” or “does it really fall on me personally” and so on and so forth when confronted in real life with some people so badly injured or in need of attention.

We overthink with what would happen if we personally get involved with somebody in trouble that people these days are more quick in pulling out cellphones to record an accident and mishap instead of doing something to help.

We over think like the lawyer in the gospel, forgetting to feel more of the other person. That is why in answering his question, Jesus threw it back to him him in another form that is more personal and experiential, “Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the robbers’ victim?”

St. Therese of the Child Jesus wrote in her journal more than a hundred years ago, “I have understood that true greatness is found not in the name but in the soul.”

Beautiful! If we would just look more into our heart, into our soul, we find Jesus, we find our true self, and we find everyone our neighbor to be loved and respected, cared and understood. This is what Moses is telling us in the first reading that the Lord and his commandment are right there in our hearts.

That is exactly what the scholar of the law felt after hearing the story of the good Samaritan that he forgot all labels and categories, answering Jesus’ question with, “The one who treated him with mercy.” There is no need to justify ourselves, of who we are, or even ask who is our neighbor. Everyone is our neighbor because everyone is a brother and sister in Christ; hence, no need to ask that question at all!

But, there is still something deeper to this. When Jesus ended their conversation with the instruction to “Go and do likewise”, the Lord is telling us this Sunday that whenever we encounter a person in need of help, regardless of who she/he is, let us put ourself in that person’s place for it is them – not us – who shall recognize us whether we acted as neighbor to them, or saw them as neighbor!

Recall those moments we were down when those dearest to us abandoned us and of all people, the least we expected were the ones who acted as neighbor to us. It is when we are down and low when we come to recognize our neighbor, not when we are up and able, when we feel proud asking what must I do to gain eternal life.

Stop all these over thinking. Simply remember and find Jesus in every person who is the “image of the invisible God” who “reconciled all things for him”(Col.1:15, 20) for he alone is our truest neighbor always present when needed most. Amen. Have a blessed week ahead, everyone! Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II, Our Lady of Fatima University, Valenzuela City ([email protected]).

Accompany me, Lord

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Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul, 11 July 2025
Friday, Memorial of St. Benedict, Abbot, Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Genesis 46:1-7, 28-30   <*{{{>< + ><}}}*>   Matthew 10:16-23

For those still moving places,
changing careers, 
pursuing new love, hobbies
and interests;
for those in their senior years
embarking on new journeys
in life,
for those who have finally
decided to leave their
"comfort zones" to dare
live life authentically,
let us learn from
Jacob, aka, Israel:

Israel set out with all that was his. When he arrived at Beer-sheba, he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. There God, speaking to Israel in a vision by night, called, “Jacob! Jacob!” He answered, “Here I am.” Then he said: “I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will make you a great nation. Not only will I go down with you; I will also bring you back here, after Joseph has closed your eyes.” (Genesis 46:1-4)

Thank you, dear God
our loving Father in calling us
and sending us still to missions
despite our age
and unworthiness;
just be patient with us.
Accompany us in this
new journey we take in life;
be our companion.

Thank you, dear God
our loving Father in believing
in us,
in trusting us
after all these years of
hiding and running away from you;
keep us faithful
to your call and direction.

Thank you, dear God
most of all for Jesus,
in sending him to us
who commissioned us to be
like "sheep in the midst of wolves";
enlighten our minds
and our hearts
with your Holy Spirit
so we may be "shrewd as serpents
and simple as doves"
(Matthew 10:16)
in this world that values
youth and technology,
forgetting persons to be loved
and cared
and cherished
like you.

Like St. Benedict who in his
old age continued to follow you
in new directions in his life
and ministry,
give us the courage
to do the same
for your greater glory.
Amen.

St. Benedict,
Pray for us.

Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Our Lady of Fatima University
Valenzuela City

Praying to be better, not bitter

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Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul, 10 July 2025
Thursday in the Fourteenth Week of Ordinary Time, Year I
Genesis 44:18-21, 23-29; 45:1-5   <*{{{>< + ><}}}*>   Matthew 10:7-15

“Come closer to me,” he told his brothers. When they had done so, he said: “I am your brother Joseph, whom you once sold into Egypt. But now do not be distressed, and do not reproach yourselves for having sold me here. It was really for the sake of saving lives that God sent me here ahead of you.” (Genesis 45:4-5)

Dear God our Father:
give me that magnanimity
of Joseph to his brothers,
give me that same kind of 
attitude of being better
than bitter with life's many
trials and difficulties caused
by others especially those closest
to us; what a tremendous grace
for Joseph after all those years of
pains of being sold and lost in a far-away
country, he remained faithful to you
and you gifted him the wisdom
to save not just a nation
but the whole region.

Teach us to be empty always
to never carry so many
baggages and luggages,
so many wealth and
extras in life journeys
whether they be positive
or negative because in life,
it is always that attitude of
emptiness for you and your plans
that matters for us to fulfill your
mission, everything else is
incomparable to you as our
most cherished gift
and treasure;
for those going through
many trials these days
especially when the days
are dark and rainy,
teach us to have fun
and celebrate life
with much love in you.
Amen.

Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Our Lady of Fatima University
Valenzuela City

Praying for those “lost”

 8,620 total views

Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul, 09 July 2025
Wednesday in the Fourteenth Week of Ordinary Time, Year I
Genesis 41:55-57, 42:5-7, 17-24  <'[[[[>< + ><]]]]'>   Matthew 10:1-7

Praise and glory
to you, most loving
God our Father
in making us so strong
beyond our knowing like 
Joseph in the first reading
when he met after so many years
his brothers who have sold him
into Egypt; I could feel the strong
tensions within him,
of bursting into tears of
joy and sadness,
pain and healing when he
finally met again his 
brothers who disowned him
and sold him ---
Of that lingering feeling
within him of being lost,
a lost one so sadly lost
not due to his but own brothers'
making.

When Joseph’s brothers came and knelt down before him with their faces to the ground, he recognized them as soon as he saw them. But Joseph concealed his own identity from them as soon as he saw them and spoke sternly to them. The brothers did not know, of course, that Joseph understood what they said, since he spoke with them through an interpreter. But turning away from them, he wept (Genesis 42:6-7, 23-24).

I pray dear Jesus
today for those many children
so lost these days after they
were given away by their
own mother or after their parents
have breakup in marriage;
fill their emptiness within 
with your loving presence,
Lord, while making them
realize human love is always
imperfect like our relationships;
make them choose to become
better not bitter
despite their broken homes.

Most especially,
I pray for those lost in life -
those who have lost
their dreams,
their faith,
their belief in others;
help us find them,
Jesus and lead them
back to you.
Amen.

Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Our Lady of Fatima University
Valenzuela City

Wrestling with God

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Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul, 08 July 2025
Tuesday in the Fourteenth Week of Ordinary Time, Year I
Genesis 32:23-33     <*((((>< + ><))))*>     Matthew 9:32-38

Once again,
you challenge us O Lord
to get closer to you like
the readings yesterday;
but, this time much, much
closer like in wrestling.

Jacob was left there alone. Then some man wrestled with him until the break of dawn. When the man saw saw that he could not prevail over him, he struck Jacob’s hip at its socket, so that the hip socket was wrenched as they wrestled. The man then said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go until you bless me.” Then the man said, “You shall no longer be spoken of as Jacob, but as Israel, because you have contended with divine and human beings and have prevailed” (Genesis 32:25-27, 29).

How I love this scene,
God most powerful yet 
so loving, 
so engaging,
always inviting us to a wrestling
but nobody would dare
not because we are afraid of you
but more because of pride -
we do not want to lose,
we always want to be on top,
always in control
even with you,
O God;
remind us always, 
Lord,
that every fight 
we have in this life is
already assured of victory in you.

At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd (Matthew 9:36).

Like that Angel
wrestling with Jacob,
you finally wrestle with us
in your Son Jesus Christ
who became truly human like us;
and like your Angel at Peniel,
humans prevailed over you,
Lord;
your heart
 is always moved
with pity,
stirred
to bow down
to us from your immense
love and mercy;
we are all Jacob,
Israel who prevailed over you
not because we are stronger
but because we believe
and rely only on you, Lord.

Let us pick up your fight,
Jesus;
let us not be proud
and be humble
to wrestle with you
because whether we win
or lose our battles in life,
we still prevail
for after every fight
and struggle,
we are transformed
into a better person
in you,
O most loving
Jesus.
Amen.

Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Our Lady of Fatima University
Valenzuela City

If….

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Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul, 07 July 2025
Monday in Fourteenth Week of Ordinary Time, Year I
Genesis 28:10-22     <*((((>< + ><))))*>     Matthew 9:18-26

If.
A conjunction so short
we often use to express 
a condition or a supposition,
expressing something not certain
like when we say,
"If it rains, then we stay."
But today, dear God, you taught me
another dimension of this conjuction
"if" just like that verb "to doubt"
last week at the Feast of St. Thomas Didymus.

Like the verb "to doubt",
to use the conjunction "if" 
is not necessarily negative in 
meaning; it could even be a grace
too in itself as it already implies 
certainty like when the woman 
suffering hemorrhages for 12 years
came up behind Jesus and touched 
the tassel on his cloak:

She said to herself, “If only I can touch his cloak, I shall be cured.” Jesus turned around and saw her, and said, “Courage, daughter! Your faith has saved you.” And from that hour the woman was cured (Matthew 9:21-22).

Teach me, Lord Jesus
like that woman to have that deep
faith and trust in you,
to claim always what is mine,
what I truly deserve because
you know what is best for us;
many times, Jesus,
we prefer to stay on the side
of the road, afraid to dare get close
and touch you because
of the more negative connotations
of that conjunction "if"
like what if I fail,
what if I don't get it,
and many other "ifs"
of hesitancy;
like that woman,
let my "if" be my final push
to get close to you.

Or,
like Jacob in the first
reading, let my "if" lead me
into action, into doing something
like an altar for the Lord
after meeting him in a dream
to remind him of your promise,
of your presence,
of your power.
Like Jacob,
we flee for many reasons
yet always end up being found
by you, Lord,
in the most ordinary instances.
If we could just learn
from your ways, Lord,
then our ifs would be
more of certainty
than suppositions.
Amen.
Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Our Lady of Fatima University
Valenzuela City

Representing Jesus well

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Lord My Chef Sunday Recipe, 06 July 2025
Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C
Isaiah 66:10-14 ><}}}*> Galatians 6:14-18 ><}}}*> Luke 10:1-12

Finally, we hit the fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time with Luke as our guide after a month of Solemnities.

We are at the turning point in the gospel of Luke – chapter 9 and first half of chapter 10 – where Jesus was identified by Peter as the Messiah (9:20) while Jesus for the first time made known his coming pasch (9:22). From this point on, Luke tells us of how Jesus “resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem” (9:51) to fulfill his mission as they took a detour from a Samaritan town that had refused them passage (9:53). After this scene comes our gospel this Sunday.

At that time the Lord appointed seventy-two others whom he sent ahead of him in pairs to every town and place he intended to visit. He said to them, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of harvest to send out laborers for his harvest. Go on your way; behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves. Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals; greet no one along the way. Into whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this household’… Stay in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you, for the laborer deserves his payment. Do not move about from one house to another. Whatever town you and enter and they welcome you, eat what is set before you, cure the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God is at hand for you.’” (Luke 10:1-5, 7-9)

First thing we notice about discipleship according to Jesus is that it is never easy, “behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves.” Disciples need to be “resolutely determined” in the mission like Jesus, focused only on Jesus.

Early in his teachings during the Sermon on the Plain, Jesus enunciated in his Beatitudes the contradictions of his life and teachings to the ways of the world his followers have to imitate. Hence, his list of “do’s” and “don’ts” of discipleship in today’s gospel.

Do’s: greet peace every household they entered; stay in same house; eat and drink whatever is offered; cure the sick; and proclaim “the kingdom of God is at hand.”

Don’ts: no money, no sack, no sandals, no greetings along the way, and do not move about from one house to another.

Notice there are five do’s and five don’ts. And there are only two “do’s” that require speaking: to greet every household with peace and then the other is to proclaim to everyone the kingdom of God is at hand (10:5, 9) which is the sum of discipleship in Christ.

“Into whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this household’”…

The only valuable we as disciples of Christ must have is peace that we have to offer generously to everyone.

Peace is the work of the Holy Spirit, a sign of the coming of the Kingdom of God as the angels proclaimed on Christmas, “on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests” (Lk. 2:14). Most of all, peace is the fruit of Easter that the Risen Lord offered his disciples upon seeing them on that evening, “Peace be with you” (Jn.20:19).

Vatican II defined peace “is not merely the absence of war… but the fruit of love which goes beyond what justice can provide” (Gaudium et Spes 78). Peace is something we all have to work and strive for, entailing wounds and sacrifices for us to achieve it by cooperating with the grace of Jesus Christ in overcoming sin and evil. It is a process that never stops, calling for perseverance and daily conversion on our part.

Peace comes when we disciples are open for Christ, for others, and for change and transformation. That is why Jesus insisted us his disciples not to bring anything material that may influence our dealings with others, especially with those who are poor.

The great irony of our time is that the more we have grown affluent with wealth and material things, the more we have become empty in meaning and directions in life. So many are disturbed, longing for peace but could not have it because we the disciples are also lost in the things and the ways of the world.

“…cure the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God is at hand for you.’”

In the Luminous Mysteries of the Holy Rosary introduced by St. John Paul in 2002 is its third mystery, the proclamation of the Kingdom of God.

It is truly a mystery of light because Jesus is the Kingdom of God! To proclaim the coming of the Kingdom of God is to proclaim the coming of Jesus Christ in our midst. When John the Baptist’s disciples asked Jesus if he was the One they were waiting for or had to wait for another, Jesus said in reply, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the good news proclaimed to them” (Lk.7:22).

Where there is healing, there is new life, there is proclamation of the good news, there is Jesus Christ! Proclaiming the Kingdom of God is representing Jesus in our lives, in our mission.

In the previous chapter and scenes before our gospel this Sunday, Jesus asked his disciples what people said about him, the very same gospel we have last Sunday during the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul.

Recall how Jesus was mistaken for John the Baptist, Elijah and Jeremiah or one of the prophets.

That’s the problem we still have today: many followers of Jesus do not represent him well that people are lost at who he really is! And it first happens right in the Sunday Eucharist as noted by a Facebook group called Catholic Fortress in its series this past week.

Many reacted positively for the series that was really good and timely for us priests and ministers at the altar who have unconsciously abused the Mass, unknowingly deviating from Christ himself who could no longer be found and experienced by the people. Truly the Mass is about Jesus; but, when it becomes like a showbiz with so many ek-ek and palabas by the priest, the servers and ministers and the choir, then it leads us away from Jesus who is paloob or inside our hearts.

In 400 AD, St. Augustine wrote the first manual for catechism called De Catechizandis De Rudibus (On Instructing Beginners) detailing, step by step the many things to consider and lessons to teach people being prepared for Baptism. From a simple request by his deacon named Deogratias, St. Augustine came up with an entire book on how to catechize with a final lesson that is the heart of his book when he wrote, “Remember, the catechist is the lesson himself.”

The same thing is very true with us priests and altar ministers and every disciple of Jesus Christ! Do we have Jesus Christ or not especially in the celebration of the Holy Mass where we proclaim the Kingdom of God is at hand and share peace with everyone?

How can there be peace of Christ among us when priests fail to love first of all Jesus in prayers as reflected in his love for the people by preparing for the Mass so that the sick and the burdened may experience Jesus – not an actor or actress of a telenovela no matter how popular it may be?

Where is the Kingdom of God when people have to bear the tantrums and antics and hangups of their priest as they already have so much burdens in life? Or, when people have a hard time tightening their belts and the priest keeps on asking for collections without any reports?

Where is the Kingdom of God when priests play favorites among the parishioners and servers, when some support Pride Movement and corrupt officials?

How can there be peace when all we have in the Mass is clapping of hands that we never have time to listen to God speaking to us in silence?

This Sunday, Jesus invites us to examine our faith journey in him if we are still following him or somebody else.

Let us pray for that grace to represent Jesus well always in our lives as priests and laity alike that we truly become the Body of Christ, his presence on earth.

It is the relationships that we have with God that matters in discipleship which Isaiah likened to that of a mother and child in the first reading. This finds it fulfillment when like St. Paul in the second reading, it is Christ’s Cross that we carry in ourselves – not bags nor money nor self and fame. Amen. Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II, Our Lady of Fatima University, Valenzuela City.

Thomas, our twin?

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Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul, 03 July 2025
Thursday, Feast of St. Thomas the Apostles
Ephesians 2:19-22     <*{{{{>< + ><}}}}*>     John 20:24-29

Lord Jesus,
teach me to be like you -
so understanding,
so caring,
so loving
to those who are doubting
you like Thomas your Apostle;
poor Thomas -
he has been called "Doubting"
when the evangelists simply
referred to him as "Didymus"
or twin; however, it is so lovely
too to know that doubt and
certainty are like twins because
when we doubt,
the more we seek and find 
the truth which Thomas did.

When I think of my own faith
journey in you, Lord,
many times I was worst
than St. Thomas for I was not only
doubting you
but also hesitant in following you
because of fears and mistrust,
lack of confidence in my self,
and simply self-centered.
Could it be, Lord,
that in each one of us is 
Thomas our twin -
doubting,
hesitating,
indecisive,
in following you?

Now a week later his disciples were again inside and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.” Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:26-28).

How nice of you, 
Lord Jesus
to be so warm with Thomas
on that night 
when you appeared again;
instead of engaging Thomas 
into a debate or discussion,
you called him,
invited him to touch your wounds,
to feel your scars; 
what an incredible courage,
Lord Jesus 
to let us see and feel
closely your wounds,
to stare and look at your
sufferings, to remember and
imagine your lowest point in life
if only to show us that it is
the only way to glory;
many times, we are afraid
to admit even to ourselves
and to others our wounds and hurts,
preferring to keep them
even hide them
to keep our illusions
of greatness.

May we find 
the graces of
joy and warmth,
love and kindness
that fill our many wounds
in life as a result of our
following you, Lord Jesus
for it is in our woundedness
and hurts that we become 
"members of the household of God
who are built together to be
the dwelling place of God 
in the Spirit" (Ephesians 2:19, 22).
Amen.

Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Our Lady of Fatima University
Valenzuela City

God remains

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Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul, 02 July 2025
Wednesday in the Thirteenth Week of Ordinary Time, Year I
Genesis 21:5, 8-20     <*[[[[><  +  ><]]]]*>     Matthew 8:28-34

Praise and glory
to you, loving Father
for always remaining faithful
with us,
for always staying with us
especially in those times
of expulsions,
when we are driven out,
when we are shoved off
by situations and occasions,
especially by people.

Sarah noticed the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had bore to Abraham playing with her son Isaac; so she demanded of Abraham: “Drive out that slave and her son! No son of the slave is going to share the inheritance with my son Isaac!” Abraham was greatly distressed, especially on account of his son Ishmael. But God said to Abraham: “Do not be distressed about the boy or your slave woman… God heard the boy’s cry, and God’s messenger called to Hagar from heaven: “What is the matter, Hagar? Don’t be afraid; God has heard the boy’s cry in this plight of his” (Genesis 21:9-12, 17).

How lovely of you,
God our Father
to be still there,
remaining,
staying
with Abraham so distressed
with Sarah's order to drive out
his son Ishmael and his mother Hagar;
many times,
we too are caught in such a bind
and dilemma when people close
and dear to us demand us to expel
some people dear to us;
stay on our side so we can make
the right decision;
most of all,
remain with us,
hear us and follow us,
Father when we are expelled,
driven out from our comforts
into life's wilderness like
Hagar and Ishmael.

Most of all,
be with us Jesus
when people drive us out
of their lives,
of our friendships
and relationships
when like you,
after driving out the demons
from those possessed
was the one expelled from the town.
There are times,
Jesus, when after doing what
is right,
what is just,
what is proper,
it happens that we are
the ones driven out.
Remain with us,
stay with us.
Amen.

Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Our Lady of Fatima University
Valenzuela City

Kindness of God

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Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul, 01 July 2025
Tuesday in the Thirteenth Week of Ordinary Time
Genesis 19:15-29     ><)))*> + ><)))*> + ><)))*>     Matthew 8:23-27

Praise and glory to you,
God our loving Father for
this brand new month of July,
for the blessed first half of 2025!
You have been most kind to us
this year with so much grace 
poured on us despite our being
undeserving while at the same time,
so merciful to have spared us from
many troubles we truly deserved
for our sins.

That is why, Father, 
I hate seeing those prayers
and wishes of many 
saying at the start of each month
to please be more kind to us;
you have always been kind and
generous more than enough to us
especially in giving us your Son Jesus
who have enabled us to cross many seas
and lands in this journey of life;
many times, there are storms in life
that we get so afraid like in the gospel
today....

Many times we feel 
so caught in the middle of a
"violent storm on the sea" of life
where we are "swamped by waves",
so terrified,
so lost,
feeling alone when deep in our hearts
Jesus is with us,
probably "sleeping".

Then in the nick of time,
he comes, rebuking the winds
and the sea when great calm
follows just like what the angels
did to Lot and his wife when you
destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah
in the frist reading.

Lord Jesus,
give me that gift of a sense
of "dead calm" in you;
to be at peace and still
in you while in the midst of
a great storm when I feel
like being flattened by waves;
let me seek your peace
and kindness amidst the
the cries and shouts
when I feel like sinking,
of perishing.

This brand new month of July,
I know you will fill me again with
your blessings;
let it be enough
for me to forge on
in this remaining six months
of the year,
to continue crossing
life's many seas
to bring you,
to share you,
and simply be with you.
Amen.

Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Our Lady of Fatima University
Valenzuela City

Life of a disciple, a follower

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Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul
Monday, Memorial of the First Martyrs of Rome, 30 June 2025
Genesis 18:16-33     <*((((><  +  ><))))*>     Matthew 8:18-22

*Apostle, from "apostolein", 
to be sent forth;
Disciple, from "discipulous",
to follow.

A day after celebrating the
Solemnity of your Apostles
Saints Peter and Paul,
you gave us today Jesus the
memorial of the first martyrs
of the Holy Roman Church
who were killed during the reign
of Nero in 64 A.D.; many of them
were literally used as torches and
lamps when their mutilated bodies
were burned to light the city of Rome.

How inspiring, 
dear Jesus to hear their
story of witnessing their faith
in you at that time;
grant us the same courage today
to always follow you, Jesus,
to follow your footsteps by doing
your work and most specially,
in carrying your Cross;
let us seek sanctity regardless
of our social status, age or
skills.

Let us imitate Abraham in
the first reading who walked
with God, his visitors at Mamre;
like Abraham walking with you,
following you, Lord,
let us work more for the conversion
of others not their judgment;
in following you, Jesus,
let us think more of how to save
followers lost in their directions
in life; instead of leaving them behind
on their own in their evil ways,
may we appeal to God for their
conversion.

May we not be like
the two hesitant disciples
in today's gospel: though
willing to follow you, Jesus,
one was impulsive 
and the other was cautious;
give us courage to do a
sincere reality check today of our
discipleship in you:
help us bring back the joy
and zeal of following you,
Jesus when we started to heed
your call of discipleship;
let us dare again to leave the sides
to walk at the middle of the road 
following you Jesus even to the Cross;
help us bring back that desire
to go near you, Jesus,
to always seek you and follow you
by forgetting our selves;
and like Abraham,
let us be gracious always
to one another as your followers.
Amen.

Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Our Lady of Fatima University
Valenzuela City