Born in Antioch, c. 347, Saint John Chrysostom (Golden-mouthed) was perhaps the greatest preacher in the history of the Church, thus the name given him, and the most prominent Greek father of the Church.
He grew up in Antioch, received an excellent classical Greek education, and upon meeting the holy bishop Meletus, he decided to devote his time to the study of religious works and the Sacred Scriptures. He received Baptism after three years of study and set out for the desert to live the ascetic life of a hermit.
Chrysostom’s many writings, especially homilies and commentaries on the Gospels, are still extant and have exerted great influence over the centuries.
Rev. Fr. Jerico Habunal
Friday, August 14, 2026 8:08 am
3,046 total reads
Gospel Reading for August 14, 2026 – Matthew 19: 3-12
WORK OF LOVE
Some Pharisees approached Jesus, and tested him, saying, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any cause whatever?” He said in reply, “Have you not read that from the beginning the Creator made them male and female and said, For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, man must not separate.” They said to him, “Then why did Moses command that the man give the woman a bill of divorce and dismiss her?” He said to them, “Because of the hardness of your hearts Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. I say to you, whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage is unlawful) and marries another commits adultery.” His disciples said to him, “If that is the case of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry.” He answered, “Not all can accept this word, but only those to whom that is granted. Some are incapable of marriage because they were born so; some, because they were made so by others; some, because they have renounced marriage for the sake of the Kingdom of heaven. Whoever can accept this ought to accept it.”
————
As Jesus explained, marriage is not for everyone, because it is a lifelong journey in which two persons, raised differently and coming from different families, are brought together by God in Holy Matrimony and become ONE.
In this sacrament, the couple is showered with all the graces they need to make their union a beautiful WORK OF LOVE designed by God—a union in which they live under one roof, remain faithful to one another, support and care for one another, and honor each other’s dignity. In this sacred relationship, they strive not to allow their differences to separate them, but rather to adjust to one another, so that they may truly become ONE.
Through constant communication, they gradually develop a language all their own, where disagreements can lead to understanding and, ultimately, to agreement. If they are blessed with children, who are the fruit of their union, they are given the precious opportunity to serve the world by raising them according to God’s will.
There are countless experiences that unfold within this sacred union, which is why LOVE is essential for it to flourish and endure. St. Paul’s beautiful description of LOVE in 1 Corinthians 13:1–13 expresses this truth perfectly. As the saying goes, LOVE conquers all.
Some sectors are advocating for the legalization of divorce in the Philippines, a nation that is home to the largest Christian population in Asia. From a Christian perspective, the legalization of divorce raises serious concerns because it is difficult to reconcile with the Christian understanding of marriage as a sacred and lifelong covenant before God.
Lord Jesus, help us to be faithful to the vows we make, whatever our state of life may be. Amen.
Rev. Fr. Nicanor Lalog II
Friday, August 14, 2026 7:22 am
3,690 total reads
Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Friday, Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time, Year II
Memorial of St. Maximilian Kolbe, Priest & Martyr, 14 August 2026
O God our loving Father,
help us to always remember -
our origins and beginnings,
our past especially
the people who had cared
and nurtured us,
our parents and siblings,
relatives and friends,
those who gave us
the breaks and sparks
to begin our great journeys in life,
the people who stood by
when we were down
and nobody believed us:
dear God,
remind us always
of the basic fact,
of the principle and foundation
of our being:
that we came from you
and shall return to you.
Forgive us,
Lord God,
in forgetting you always,
in forgetting others,
in forgetting
we are nothing without you;
touch us,
nudge us if needed
whenever we forget
you and our lowly beginnings;
let us not be amazed
by our feats
and abilities.
But you were captivated by your own beauty, you used your renown to make yourself a harlot, and you lavished your harlotry on every passer-by, whose own you became. Yet I will remember the covenant I made with you when you were a girl, and I will set up an everlasting covenant with you, that you may remember and be covered with confusion, and that you may be utterly silenced for shame when I pardon you for all you have done, says the Lord God (Ezekiel 16:15, 60-63).
Photo of Auschwitz from internet.
As we celebrate today
the Memorial of your most
faithful servant
St. Maximilian Kolbe
who offered himself not just
once for a fellow prisoner in
Auschwitz for he had
dedicated himself to you
entirely before World War II
began,
may we remember
the lessons that led
to the Holocaust;
like St. Maximilian Kolbe
may we continue to remember
your covenant in Jesus Christ
by making a stand against
injustice and immorality,
in defending life especially
at its weakest points,
and most of all,
in remembering
the equal dignity of every person
created in your image and likeness;
like what Jesus told
the Pharisees,
let us go back
to Paradise,
let us return to you,
O God,
as our Lord and Master
alone,
not ourselves,
nor our pride and convenience,
nor anyone
nor their flimsy,
modern thoughts
and ideas;
like St. Maximilian Kolbe,
may we have the courage
to always stand forward
for what is true
and good
and holy.
Amen.
Rev. Fr. Nicanor Lalog II
Thursday, August 13, 2026 7:22 am
6,030 total reads
Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Thursday, Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time, Year II, 13 August 2026
Memorial of Sts. Pontian (Pope) & Hippolytus (Priest), Martyrs
Ezekiel 12:1-12 <*((((>< + ><))))*> Matthew 18:21-19:1
Photo from forbes.com.
Set my eyes on you,
Lord God,
that I may see you present
always in and around my life,
whether at work or at home,
in school or in office,
in the park,
or wherever;
set my eyes on you,
Lord God,
that I may see you always
and be reminded that
all this has been made
possible by you
because you love me;
set my eyes on you,
Lord God
that I may realize
you are holding me,
that everything that happens
in the world,
among us
are in the palm of
your hand.
The word of the Lord came to me:: Son of man, you live in the midst of a rebellious house; they have eyes to see but do not see, and ears to hear but do not hear, for they are a rebellious house (Ezekiel 12:1-2).
Indeed,
Lord God,
we have not only
become callous and numb
but sadly blind too to you
and your very presence
in us and among us;
we only have sights
without vision;
we refuse to look at
the truth and realities of life
and prefer to look through
prisms of our own making;
we have been so conceited
like that servant pardoned for
his debts in today's parable
but unforgiving to
his fellow debtor.
give me the courage
to confront myself
like Saints Pontian and
Hippolytus
who both contradicted
each other
but in the end shed off
their own pride to
totally embrace and see
your real truth
in your Jesus Christ.
Amen.
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