Morning Voice

September 6, 2020 Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time - A Readings:  EZ 33:7-9 ;  PS 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9 ;  ROM 13:8-10 ;  MT 18:15-20 .   An Ethiopian proverb says, “The person who grew up without correction will find his mouth slipping instead of his foot.” A Danish proverb adds, “Correction is good when administered in time and with love.” “If you do not speak out to dissuade the wicked from his way, I will hold you responsible for his death.” If there is one beautiful spiritual and human exercise that could be an expression of genuine love, it is none other but fraternal correction. By definition, fraternal or spiritual correction consists of admonishing one’s neighbor by a private individual with the purpose of reforming him or, if possible, preventing his sinful indulgence. St. Thomas Aquinas lays the moral grounds of that exercise. He teaches that by faith and because of our belongingness to Christ, we have the moral obligation to offer correction to each other. He says, “To

August 30, 2020 Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time - A.   Readings:  Jer 20:7-9;  Ps 63:2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9;  Rom 12:1-2;  Mt 16:21-27. An Italian proverb says, “Everyone thinks his own cross heaviest.” And an Icelandic proverb adds, “It is better to suffer in name the truth than being rewarded for lying.” “All the day I am an object of laughter; everyone mocks me” (Jer 20:8). We live in a world and in societies where the word seems to have lost its sacredness. Many people seem to be in conflict with truth, justice and law. Under certain skies, they think that some people, especially the politicians, are in conflict with the law. There are many who hate the truth. To live in peace and happy with them, never talk about legality, justice, rule or law, and above all, make yourself, like them, enemies of the truth. Lying for some has become an art and a second nature. They lie to others, and as if that wasn't enough, they lie to themselves. Besides, there is also the danger of

  August 23, 2020 Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time - A. READINGS:  Is 22:19-23; Ps  138:1-2, 2-3, 6, 8;  Rom 11:33-36;  Mt 16:13-20. An Akan proverb says, “The only true happiness lies in knowing who you are. Only he who does not know himself thinks no one knows him.” And a Wise man adds, “Our identity has already been chosen for us but it is up to us to accept it, or fight and change it.” Identity is the distinguishing character or personality of an individual. It is said to be the qualities, beliefs, personality, looks, and expressions that make a person. We all have, from that fact, a specific and singular identity. Besides, the problem of identity is one of the greatest questions every human being tries to answer. All that we do, all that we say, and all that we show out to people says and reveals something of who we are. While some people try all that they can to conceal their identity, others suffer from being anonymous or unknown. In the Philippines and in many other cou

August 16, 2020 Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time - A READINGs:   Is 56:1, 6-7; Ps  67:2-3, 5, 6, 8;  Rom 11:13-15, 29-32;  Mt 15:21-28. A Bambara proverb says, “United we are a rock, divided we are sand.” And a Moroccan proverb adds, “The world of humans is divided by lines, but the mind knows no limits, the heart no barriers.” The love of God makes no distinction between rich and poor, big and small, black, white, yellow, red… For, God knows no foreigner, no stranger, no Alien. We all belong to Him. Even though we have our differences, he makes of us one people. Today’s liturgy, Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time – A, comes to tell us that the categories and terminologies such as aliens or foreigners do not apply to God’s relationship with us. With Him, we are not Aliens, nor foreigners. All are called and welcomed into his love. He welcomes Jews as well as non-Jews or Pagans. The only requirement to experience his goodness and compassion is faith. Through the Prophet Isaiah, in the f

August 15, 2020 Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Readings:  Rev 12:1-6a, 10ab;  Ps 45: 10, 11, 12, 16;  1 Cor 15:20-27;  Lk 1:39-58. A Romanian proverb says, “Honor is the reward of virtue.” And a Japanese proverb adds, “The consequence is the reward of the cause.” Beyond the dogmatic definitions and declarations, all the Marian solemnities and devotions are but, an act of gratefulness and thanksgiving our humanity raises to God. For, in his great power and omniscience, he chose to become one of us, and he did it through a humble virgin whom he has elected to be his Mother. Mary is one of us. She is the instrument God was please, in all his creation, to hand-pick to contribute in his mystery of Incarnation and Salvation. We cannot separate Jesus from Mary. We cannot speak of Jesus as known through the Holy Scriptures without mention Mary his Mother. Some people try hard to eclipse Mary from the Lord's mysteries of the life, and mission. May we say it

August 9, 2020. Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time – A. READINGS: 1 Kgs 19:9a, 11-13a; Ps 85:9, 10,11-12, 13-14; Rom 9:1-5; Mt 14:22-33. A Beninese proverb says, “God conceals himself from the mind of man, but reveals himself to his heart.” And a Senufo proverb adds, “The nut doesn't reveal the tree it contains.” “Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation” (Ps 85:8). We all know this famous dictum attributed to St. Irenaeus, “The glory of God is the living man.” However, many do not quote it fully and we forget the second part which is as beautiful as the first: “The life of man consists in beholding God.” We live for God. That is, for us to live, we shall see God, for, in the vision of God is the perfection of life. We are made immortal by beholding God. A creature who loses sight of God has no reference and no life. God’s self-revelation is the essence and the substance of human life. Through the affirmations of St. Irenaeus, we can seize that Creation, R

Thursday, August 6, 2020 Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord – A. READINGS : Dn 7:9-10,13-14; Ps 96: 1-2, 4-5.6,9; 2 Pt 1: 16-19;Mt 17:1-9. A Filipino proverb says, “There’s no glory without sacrifice.” And an Amerindian proverb adds, “What reveals itself to me ceases to be mysterious for me alone if I unveil it to anyone else.” One beautiful element to ponder about on the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord is the Theophany. It is wonderful for us to hear God’s voice and to see Jesus’ glory be manifest. Thus, this feast takes on the colors of a Theophany and a Christophany as well. For in order to manifest the Son, the Father makes himself an obligation to manifest himself, to speak to human beings. The Son of God who was from of old hidden under the questionable identity leading to many qualms, even among his close followers, is today fully revealed and the Father is as well revealed. God reveals himself to men. To say it better, the Father reveals his Son to our hu