Morning Voice

May 31, 2022 Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Readings: Zep 3:14-18a; Cant. Is 12:2-3, 4bcd, 5-6; Rom12:9-16; Lk 1:39-56. “Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.” Lk 1:39 A Traditional proverb says: “Visits always give pleasure; if not the arrival, the departure.” And a Rwandese proverb adds: “A friend who visits you when you are suffering is your best friend.”  There is a great song of joy that springs from today's feast. Rightly, in the meditation of the Holy Rosary, we recall today's event as a mystery of joy. It is the mysterious encounter of two unborn children through the happenstance of their mothers. It is the mysterious foretaste of the joy that the Incarnation and Nativity of the Lord will bring in our human likeness. Besides the color of joy, the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary to her cousin Elizabeth provides us a great lesson on h...

May 29, 2022 Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord. Readings: Acts 1:1-11; Ps 47:2-3, 6-7, 8-9; Eph 1:17-23 or Heb9:24-28; 10:19-23; Lk 24:46-53. “As he blessed them he parted from them and was taken up to heaven.” Luke 24:51 A Sicilian proverb says: “Everyone wants to go to heaven; the desire is there but the fortitude is not.” And a Cambodian proverb adds: “You can't claim heaven as your own if you are just going to sit under it.” Many people will like to have a taste of heaven while still on earth. Many others live on this earth as if heaven does not exist and will never exist. In front of these two types of people, today's solemnity sounds like a call to hope for heaven without disconnecting ourselves from the earth and its realities. "Men of Galilee, why gaze in wonder at the heavens? This Jesus whom you saw ascending into heaven will return as you saw him go, alleluia." Acts 1: 11 This is the beautiful entrance antiphon that plunges us into today's ...

May 22, 2022 Sixth Sunday of Easter – C. Readings: Acts 15:1-2, 22-29; Ps 67:2-3, 5, 6, 8; Rev21:10-14, 22-23; Jn 14:23-29. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.” John 14:27 A Russian proverb says: “A bad peace is better than a good quarrel.” And a Danish proverb adds: “Peace feeds, war wastes; peace breeds, war consumes.” The Little Poor Man of Assisi, St. Francis, one of the greatest Saints the Church has ever known, had a famous greeting to his brothers and companions: "Pax et Bonum", literally translated, as Peace and Good, but which could also mean, Peace and Love. This expression became a hereditary and a testament to the Franciscans. Peace and love, quite a simple expression, but a challenge for he who uses it to make himself an instrument of peace and love. We do not merely wish peace and love to others but we promise, as an oath before God and men, to contribute to bringing about peace and love and good wherever we are and to whoever we meet. ...

May 15, 2022 Fifth Sunday of Easter – C. Readings: Acts 14:21-27; Ps 145:8-9, 10-11, 12-13; Rev21:1-5a; Jn 13:31-33a, 34-35. “This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” Jn 13:35 A Swahili proverb says: “A new thing is a source of joy even if it is sore.”   And an English proverb adds: “New meat begets a new appetite.” The beautiful news of Easter is something that renews man from within. It is a joy that completely transforms us. We are made new creatures in the Risen Lord, and so given new life and called to sing him a new song, a song of life, a song of joy, a song of love, a song of hope. The entrance antiphon of today's Eucharistic celebration already gives the tune of this Sunday: “O sing a new song to the Lord, for he has worked wonders; in the sight of the nations, he has shown his deliverance, alleluia.” (Cf. Ps 97: 1-2) The joy of the Lord's Resurrection compels us to sing to him our Alleluias, to laud him, and...

May 8, 2022 Fourth Sunday of Easter – C. Readings: Acts 13:14, 43-52; Ps 100:1-2, 3, 5; Rev 7:9,14b-17; Jn 10:27-30. “My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” Jn 10:27 A German proverb says: “Straying shepherd, straying sheep.” And a Russian proverb adds, “The wolf will hire himself out very cheaply as a shepherd.” Genuine leadership is when shepherds smell like their sheep. Here is one of the dearest callings of Pope Francis to Priests and Bishops. And that could also sound like a calling to all who have positions of authority, starting from the basic social structure, the family, to anyone in any kind of leadership and authority. During the homily he gave on Chrism Mass on March 28, 2013, a few days after his election as Successor of Peter and Vicar of Christ, Francis said: “This is what I am asking you, be shepherds with the smell of sheep.” What could it mean? The antiphon of the acclamation, the second reading, and the Gospel give the tune of what we a...