Morning Voice

June 30 2019: Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time- C  READINGS:  1 Kgs 19:16b, 19-21 ;  Ps 16:1-2, 5, 7-8, 9-10, 11 ;  Gal 5:1, 13-18 ;  Lk 9:51-62 An Italian proverb says, “Every one to his own calling, and the ox to the plough.” The word call, in Latin is ‘Vocare’. From there, comes the beautiful expression ‘Vocation’. Oftentimes, when people hear vocation, they automatically associate it with priesthood or religious life. What we forget is that, we all are called, each one for a specific purpose, for a special vocation: some for family life as husbands and wives, others for religious and consecrated life, some others for ministerial priesthood and others for consecrated singleness. The ordinary time is the ideal moment for each of us to feel the call of God, to reflect on it and give an answer. For the past seven years of my priesthood, I have been in the field of formation. I experienced closeness with young people who felt the call of God and t...

Peter and Paul: Sinners, but chosen pillars. READINGS:  A cts 12:1-11 ;  Ps 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9 ;  2 Tm 4:6-8, 17-18 ;  Mt 16:13-19 A Turkish proverb says, “A building without foundation is soon demolished.” Every building, in order to stand firm needs pillars. It needs strong foundation. The Church being a building does not make exception to that rule. We are talking of the Church not as structure, but the Church as community of the Lord’s believers. We are all part of that edifice, the Body of Christ, founded on Apostolic foundation, and Peter and Paul stand as its strong pillars. In our Credo we profess, “I believe in One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church…” What we profess, that is what we celebrate today, the unicity, the catholicity and the apostolicity of the Church. We are one unique community, though scattered throughout the world, under the authority of one universal shepherd who holds his authority from the apostolic succession. Today’s ...

Sacred heart of Jesus, the feast of God’s singular love for mankind. READINGS:  Ez 34:11-16 ;  Ps 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6 ;  Rom 5:5b-11 ;  Lk 15:3-7 A German proverb says, “Fire in the heart sends smoke into the head.” He who has love in his heart burns of that love to serve. We are like brought back, by steps of giants, to Holy Week, exactly at the foot of the Cross on Good Friday, to contemplate the pierced heart of Jesus, fountain of God’s love and mercy. This solemnity of today sets us in a great confidence because through the heart of His Beloved Son, God the Father shows us His unmeasurable love and washes away the stains and marks of our sins. The heart rightly is presented as the symbol of love because only love can restore everything and cancel the past. The Gospel of John tells us that after Jesus died on the Cross, one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water (Jn 19: 34). When we look at the pierci...

Born to shine Readings:  IS 49:1-6 ;  PS 139:1B-3, 13-14AB, 14C-15 ;  ACTS 13:22-26 ;  LK 1:57-66, 80 An Ivorian proverb says, “the chick that will be a rooster is recognized from the hatching.” “What, then, will this child be?” (Lk 1:66), “I will make you a light to the Nations.” (Is 49:6) In the liturgical year, only three persons see their nativity be recalled and celebrated as solemnity; the Nativity of the daughter of Anne and Joachim, the Blessed Virgin Mary on September 8, the Nativity of Jesus, Son of Mary on December 25 and the one we feast on today, the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, on June 24. These three solemnities are linked by the same purpose, the mystery of salvation. Mary being the Mother of our Savior, Jesus being the Savior and John the Baptist the precursor the one whose mission will be to prepare the way for the Savior. The Nativity of John the Baptist takes a very special meaning for us, when we look all the surrounding events ...