Morning Voice

November 3 2019: Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time - C   READINGS:  Wis 11:22-12:2 ;  Ps 145:1-2, 8-9, 10-11, 13, 14 ;  2 Thes 1:11-2:2 ;  Lk 19:1-10 A Moroccan proverb says, “The donkey has limited abilities, but its love for carrot is boundless.” The Lord’s mercy knows no limit. It is opened to all, righteous as well as sinners. Those who experience that merciful love can in return not contain it for themselves. They are pushed to give it out to others. It happens times that my reflection goes to the deep meaning of the name of Jesus, “God saves”. Then comes to me a question on salvation: Does God make any selection or segregation in redeeming? Today’s liturgy comes to provide an answer. God makes no distinction, no classification, neither discrimination or segregation in his redemptive mission. From the book of Genesis, we read that he created all things good and out of love. Sin, however, through the evil one brought corruption into th...

November 2 2019: The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls)   READINGS:  Wis 3:1-9 ;  Ps 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6 ;  Rom 5:5-11 ;  Jn 6:37-40 A Bantu Proverb says, “A dead man does not know where his grave is.” It is up to the living to bury and to pray for the dead. A Senegalese writer, Birago Diop, in his work ‘The Breath of the Ancestors’ wrote, “Those who died never left. They are in the shadow that lights up and in the shadow that thickens. The dead are not under the ground. They are in the trembling tree, they are in the groaning wood, they are in the flowing water, they are in the hut, they are in the crowd. The dead are not dead.” Why do we pray for the dead? Far from being an act of idolatry or a necromantic rehearsal, it is an act of faith, to pray for the dead. It is the expression of our faith in the resurrection. We pray for the dead to demystify death. The Psalm 115:17-18 sings, “The dead do not praise the Lord, no...

  November 1 2019: Solemnity of All Saints   READINGS:  Rv 7:2-4, 9-14 ;  Ps 24:1bc-2, 3-4ab, 5-6 ;  1 Jn 3:1-3 ;  Mt 5:1-12a An American proverb says, “It is a man's challenge to go as far as he can on the right road.” Life is made of challenges. Christian life the more, is a challenge to holiness. God created us “very good” (Gn 1:31), and we are called to perfection. Our vocation, the finality of our existence is to be in the Glory of God, that is to live and be with God. St. Augustine could therefore affirm in his Confessions, “You have made us for Yourself, and our hearts are restless until they rest in You.” We are actually created to be in God. The Catechism of the Catholic Church in its article 2013 states, “All Christians in any state or walk of life are called to the fullness of Christian life and to the perfection of charity." All are called to holiness: "Be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect."” Then, it carr...

October 27 2019: Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time - C READINGS:  Sir 35:12-14, 16-18 ;  Ps 34:2-3, 17-18, 19, 23 ;  2 Tm 4:6-8, 16-18 ;  Lk 18:9-14 An Igbo proverb says, “The voice that comes to borrow is more humble than the voice that comes to sake payment.” In prayer we are like people coming to borrow God’s graces and forgiveness. We should thus, be the humblest. Humility actually is a very rare virtue. In each one of us there is a kind of pride pushing us to show up in all the possible way. We do all things to be seen. We will like others to notice our presence. We fear not being acknowledged. What we forget is that we are made of ‘Humus’, that is, of nothing and that we will return to that ‘humus’. When it comes to our relation with God, we need more that sense of humility. For, says the Lord, “all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” (Luke 14:11) Humility is the key and the secret...

October 20 2019: Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time - C READINGS:  Ex 17:8-13 ;  Ps 121:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8 ;  2 Tm 3:14-4:2 ;  Lk 18:1-8 A German proverb says, “Most people like short prayers and long sausages.” Another proverb adds, “Prayer knocks till the door opens.” What is prayer? Here is a beautiful question to which each one should try to answer while entering this 29 th Sunday in the Ordinary Time of the Year C. As basic definition, prayer is “talking to God.” It is not a mere meditation or passive reflection; but a direct address and active communication with God. I once read an article where the author was trying to outline prayer. He said, “Prayer is the practice of the presence of God.  It is the place where pride is abandoned, hope is lifted, and supplication is made.  Prayer is the place of admitting our need, of adopting humility, and claiming dependence upon God.” From that definition, something very beautiful to ...

October 13 2019: Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time - C READINGS:  2 Kgs 5:14-17 ;  Ps 98:1, 2-3, 3-4 ;  2 Tm 2:8-13 ;  Lk 17:11-19 A Native American Minquass proverb says, “If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies in yourself.” And another proverb adds, “You can't keep a word of thanks in your pocket.” There is always a sufficient reason in life to be thankful. Thus, Paul can exhort, “In all circumstances, give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thes 5:18) The thanksgiving is from far, the greatest form of prayer we can raise to God. It is an act of faith to give thanks and it disposes one’s to receive more blessings from God. He who knows how to be grateful, even for little, receives always more. And in that sense, gratitude becomes an act or an expression of belongingness to God. We live in a world where people have tendency of taking everything for granted. No matter how much sacrifice you un...

October 7, 2019 - Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary READINGS:   Acts 1:12-14 ; Canticle:  Lk 1:46-47, 48-49, 50-51, 52-53, 54-55 ;  Lk 1:26-38 A Bambara proverb says, “A long beard and a rosary will not make you a priest.” But to pray devotedly the Rosary brings you closer to God and help you defeat the evil. Ours, is a time of battles. Not only that our world is opened to many physical, social, political, economics and intellectual or theological battles. But mostly, we all face spiritual combats. For those spirituals’ warfare, we can only make use of spiritual weapons. One cannot use atomic or thermonuclear gravity bomb in the fight against the devil. It won’t be of any effect on him. The devil is the worst of all the terrorist mankind has ever be confronted to. And only spiritual weapon can help overcome him. For us, one of the simple, yet very effective weapon is the Holy Rosary. Thus, St. Padre Pio of Pietrelcina affirmed, “The Rosary is the weapon for ...