Morning Voice

December 1 2019: First Sunday of Advent - A READINGS:  Is 2:1-5 ;  Ps 122: 1-2, 3-4, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9 ;  Rom 13:11-14 ;  Mt 24:37-44 An Arab proverb says, “Dawn does not come twice to awaken a man.” Another proverb adds, “Who stays vigilant, will win.” Every time that we enter the season of the Advent, our meditation is turn toward a new beginning. Advent, actually, is always a new opportunity the Church offers us to get closer to God, to come back to him. With this Sunday’s celebration, we start a new liturgical year, the Year A. Every newness is a challenge and also a chance. Who says newness says evaluation of the past and commitment toward the future. We are like called to begin anew our being with the Lord. About the Advent Season, the documents of the Church agree to say that, it is before all, a time of expectation. Thus, the Catechism of the Catholic Church can state, “When the Church celebrates the liturgy of Advent each year, she makes present t...

November 24 2019: The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe READINGS:  2 Sm 5:1-3 ;  Ps 122:1-2, 3-4, 4-5; Col 1:12-20 ;  Lk 23:35-43     A Wolof proverb says, “To love the king is not bad, but a king who loves you is better.” It will sound surprising, but the first chapters of the New Testament (the Gospels) referring to Jesus birth introduce him as king (Luke 1:32-33). The last chapters talking of his death speak of his kingship (John 19:19). He was born king, he died king. That is what we celebrate today. There is a soon to come American fiction movie, “The King’s Man”, which gives a beautiful definition of power and nobility. It says, “real power is not found running after war. But real power lies in understanding who it is you are truly fighting, and how they can be defeated.” We all dream of kingship, noble life, power and position of authority; and to reach the fulfilment of that dream, we will easily do anyth...

November 17 2019: Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time - C READINGS:  Mal 3:19-20a ;  Ps 98:5-6, 7-8, 9 ;  2 Thes 3:7-12 ;  Lk 21:5-19 A Chinese proverb says, “All the past died yesterday; the future is born today.” The Kingdom of God is a coming reality. Yet, it manifests itself in the present. The Theologians speak of the already and not yet of God’s kingdom. That concept of “already but not yet” holds that believers are actively taking part in the kingdom of God, although the kingdom will not reach its full expression until sometime in the future. We are “already” in the kingdom, but we do “not yet” see it in its glory. Christians are people of dual citizenship. While fully living on earth, we have the obligation to contribute in building the Kingdom of God. We say it clearly in the Lord’s Prayer: “Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Mt 6;10). Our longing for heaven does, however, not disconnect us from thi...

November 9 2019: Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome   READINGS:  Ez 47:1-2, 8-9, 12 ;  Ps 46:2-3, 5-6, 8-9 ;  1 Cor 3:9c-11, 16-17 ;  Jn 2:13-22 A British proverb says, “Burn not your house to fright the mouse away.” Another proverb adds, “A house that is not seen by the sun, is visited often by the doctor.” “Behold God’s dwelling with the human race. He will dwell with them and they will be his people, and God himself with them will be their God.” This opening antiphon of our eucharistic celebration gives the true meaning of what we are feasting on today. We are commemorating with great joy the dedication of the Lateran Basilica, the Cathedral of the Pope as Bishop of Rome. This church is also called the “Mother of all churches”. Beyond the stony and architectural building of the Lateran constructed by the Emperor Constantin, back the years 320, what we are celebrating is a God choosing to make his dwelling in the midst...

November 10 2019: Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time - C   READINGS:   2 Mc 7:1-2, 9-14 ;  Ps 17:1, 5-6, 8, 15 ;  2 Thes 2:16-3:5 ;  Lk 20:27-38  An Arabic proverb says, “A horse which is tamed at forty is only good for resurrection day.” “I believe in the resurrection of the body,” proclaims Catholics in the Creed. An act of faith that raises many misunderstandings. It is in fact what distinguishes Christianity and especially Catholicism from many other religions. By our belief in the resurrection, we profess that to die with Christ is to live. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states, “Because of Christ, Christian death has a positive meaning: "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain" (Phil 1:21.) "The saying is sure: if we have died with him, we will also live with him (2 Tim 2:11). What is essentially new about Christian death is this: through Baptism, the Christian has already "died with Christ" sacramentally, in ord...