Morning Voice

MAY 24 2020 - THE ASCENSION OF THE LORD. READINGS : Acts 1:1-11; Ps 47:2-3, 6-7, 8-9; Eph1:17-23; Mt 28:16-20. A Sicilian proverb says, “Everyone wants to go to heaven; the desire is there but the fortitude is not.” And an Afghan proverb adds, “Your aspirations are in heaven, but your brains are in your feet.” A few years ago, I saw a beautiful drama movie based on the book of an American Pastor, Todd Burpo, “Heaven is for real: A little boy's astounding story of his trip to Heaven and back.” The movie was about the near-death experience of a three-year-old boy. The boy, from the story, is supposed to have visited Heaven. His experience, not only provides many opportunities and insights to discuss our belief in Heaven, but it also showed the realness of that reality. It is like answering to doubt about Heaven asserting that Heaven is not a utopia. It is for real; it is possible and that's where we go. From the experience of that little boy, Heaven is a place of eternal

MAY 17 2020: SIXTH SUNDAY OF EASTER - A READINGS: Acts 8:5-8, 14-17; Ps 66:1-3, 4-5, 6-7, 16, 20;1 Pt 3:15-18; Jn 14:15-21. A Namibian proverb says, “A warrior does not let a friend face danger alone.” And another Zimbabwean proverb adds, “Those who eat alone, die alone.” Easter season, besides pointing our minds and hearts on the rejoicing for the Resurrection of Christ, is also a time of separation and expectation. It is a time of separation because the Risen Lord won’t ever again be with his disciples the way he was with them before his Passion, Death, and Resurrection. The Lord will have to return to where he came from, to his Father and our Father. That is what we will be celebrating at the coming solemnity of the Ascension. At the same time, Easter becomes a time of preparation for a coming. We have to prepare ourselves to welcome the promised Paraclete, the Advocate, the Holy Spirit. For two weeks, from now, all the readings in the liturgy will point to the Holy Spirit

May 10 2020: Fifth Sunday of Easter - A READINGS: Acts 6:1-7; Ps 33:1-2, 4-5, 18-19; 1 Pt 2:4-9; Jn14:1-12. A Nigerian proverb says, “A single man cannot build a house.” And a Bambara proverb adds, “One beam, no matter how big, cannot support an entire house on its own.” From our Baptism, we all are chosen, appointed, and sent for a mission, that is, make actual the kingdom of God here on earth. All Christians, share in a common priesthood, our Baptismal Priesthood which makes our inner identity. The day of our Baptism, the Priest or the Deacon who Baptized us, while marking our front head with the holy chrism said, “As Christ was anointed Priest, Prophet, and King, so may you live always as a member of his body, sharing everlasting life…” These words, more than simple words, carry with them a mission and an obligation to live our Baptism as chosen people. For, we are born again to become priests, prophets, and kings, instruments of God’s love and his representatives amid our

May 03 2020: Fourth Sunday of Easter – A. READINGS : Acts2:14a, 36-41; Ps 23: 1-3A, 3B4, 5, 6; 1 Pt 2:20B-25; Jn 10:1-10. A Russian proverb says, “The wolf can always be hired very cheap as a shepherd.” Another Latin proverb adds, “It is the part of a good shepherd to shear his flock, not to skin it.” “The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.” Here is the beautiful response of the Psalm that gives meaning and color to our today’s Eucharistic celebration. He who has the Lord by his side wants for nothing; for, he already has everything. ‘Christ alone suffices,’ could we say, paraphrasing St. Teresa of Avila. The Easter season is the best time for us, Christians, not only to strengthen our belonging to the Risen Lord, but also to recognize and affirm that he is our all, and that in him and through him, we have all things. For, “He made us, we belong to him, we are his people, the flock he shepherds” (Ps 100:3). Though we are humble, weak and broken by sin, he,

April 26 2020: Third Sunday of Easter – A. READINGS: Acts 2:14, 22-33; Ps 16:1-2, 5, 7-8, 9-10, 11; 1Pt 1:17-21; Lk 24:13-35. A Cuban proverb says, “Brief encounters can result in long relationships.” And a Ghanaian proverb adds, “Dogs do not actually prefer bones to meat, it is just that no one ever gives them meat.” Easter season is the time where each Christian is called to rediscover and reevaluate his sacramental life. That goes from the Baptism, the sacrament of Reconciliation, the Eucharist, and the Confirmation, and even it can touch also the sacraments of service, Matrimony, and Holy Order. For, Easter is a sacramental season, Christ being the Sacrament of all sacraments, the Mystery of all mysteries, the center and visible sign of all things. Rightly, many Parishes and communities choose the Easter season to celebrate most of the sacraments of Christian Initiation. I remember that I received those sacraments on the Easter season. In this sacramentality of Easter,

April 19 2020: Second Sunday of Easter (or Sunday of Divine Mercy) READINGS: Acts 2:42-47; Ps 118:2-4, 13-15, 22-24; 1 Pt1:3-9; Jn 20:19-31. A Sicilian proverb says, “Who doesn't approach with disbelief, won't see the face of paradise.” And a Filipino proverb adds, “Mercy resides in God; deeds are in men.” Man’s life is a continual journey from unbelief to belief, from skepticism to faith. In this journey, we realize that conversion is never the result of personal action, but the work of God’s mercy. We are pilgrims in the merciful love of the Risen Lord. Each one of us has either gone through or still will have to go through that journey. No one has ever got a faith that is without question. Our faith in the Lord matures through hours of doubts. In that sense, we all are Thomas, and St. Thomas will always stand as our ‘Patron Saint’. Speaking of the faith of the disciples of the Lord, the Catechism affirms, “The disciple of Christ must not only keep the faith and l

April 12 2020: Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord - A READINGS:  ACTS 10:34A, 37-43 ;  PS 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23 ;  COL 3:1-4 ;  JN 20:1-9 . A Senegalese proverb says, “He who waits for the moon waits for darkness.” Another Latin proverb adds, “After darkness comes light.” Before all and above all, the resurrection of Christ is a mystery not to be questioned, but simply, to be believed as St. John the beloved disciple did, “he saw and believed.” Some people’s life is made of so many obscurities, so much dark, and sad happenings. All that they seem to hear and see around is bad news, thus, they end up not believing anymore in light and a better tomorrow. Many have lost hope in life and the future. Amid this frenzy of darkness, sounds a piece of beautiful advice, “do not forget in the darkness what you have learned in the light.” As to say, there is always a great hope. There will always be a better tomorrow. Light will always come forth from darkness and life fr

APRIL 11 2020:  HOLY SATURDAY – EASTER VIGIL – A READINGS: Gn1:1—2:2; Ps 104:1-2, 5-6, 10, 12, 13-14, 24, 35; Gn 22:1-18; Ps 16:5, 8, 9-10,11; Ex 14:15—15:1; Canticle:  Ex 15:1-2,3-4, 5-6, 17-18 ; Is 54:5-14 ; Ps 30:2, 4, 5-6, 11-12, 13 ; Is55:1-11 ; Canticle: Is 12:2-3, 4, 5-6 ; Bar 3:9-15, 32--4:4 ; Ps19:8, 9, 10, 11 ; Ez 36:16-17a, 18-28 ; Ps 42:3, 5; 43:3, 4 ;Rom 6:3-11 ; Ps 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23 ; Mt 28:1-10. A Cameroonian proverb says, “The darkness of night cannot stop the light of morning.” And a Kenyan proverb adds, “Life without battle is life without victory.” In the Islamic lunar calendar, there is one particular night with great significance. It is called the “Laylat al-Qadr” variously translated as the Night of Decree, Night of Power, Night of Value, Night of Destiny, or Night of Measures. The Muslims believe that it is the night when the Quran was first sent down from heaven to this world and also the night when the first verses of the Quran were revealed to

April 10 2020: Good Friday of the Lord’s Passion - A READINGS:  IS 52:13—53:12 ;  PS 31:2, 6, 12-13, 15-16, 17, 25 ;  HEB 4:14-16; 5:7-9 ;  JN 18:1—19:42 . A British proverb says, “Truth fears no trial.” And a Ghanaian proverb adds, “The cockroach cannot be innocent in a court where the hen is the judge.” The world, from ever to ever, has known only one trial that all could agree to call the greatest of all trials. First, this trial was unique because it took place in three different courts: it began at the Sanhedrin, continued at Herod's palace and ended at Pilate's palace. Second, this trial was great because it was a trial that opposed truth against lie. And finally, it was an incredible trial because, although having no evidence, the verdict was unique and without appeal, the truth had to die for the lie to prevail. The righteous has been sentenced to death so that sinners may live. What has happened on that very day is the sad fate in which humanity has always

April 09 2020 - Holy Thursday - Lord's Supper   READINGS:  Ex 12:1-8, 11-14 ;  Ps 116:12-13, 15-16bc, 17-18 ;  1 Cor 11:23-26 ;  Jn 13:1-15 . A Danish proverb says, “He who would buy sausage of a dog must give him bacon in exchange.” And a Hawaiian proverb adds, “When love is given, love should be returned.” There is an Ivorian Eucharistic hymn that could nicely open us to today’s celebration, the feast of the institution of the Holy Eucharist. The song goes this way, “O, what admirable exchange, God gives himself to us. God for us made himself bread and wine, to dwell in us! O, what a beautiful mystery, wonderful love. It is the Creator, who unites with his creature.” Here is the heart of tonight’s celebration. God becomes bread and wine and finds his dwelling in man’s heart, in our souls. In the Holy Eucharist, God, not only becomes our food but moreover, he becomes our friend and companion of life. God in the Holy Eucharist calls us to participate in the mos