Morning Voice

July 2, 2023. Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time – A. Readings: 2 Kgs 4:8-11, 14-16a; Ps 89:2-3, 16-17, 18-19; Rom6:3-4, 8-11; Mt 10:37-42. “Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward…” Mt 10:41 An Akan proverb says: “Generosity is white and pure like milk.” And a Chinese proverb adds: “When someone gives you a drop of water reward him with a never-ending source.” God always rewards uprightness, kindness, and the generosity we show to others. No act of goodness goes unseen, and unrewarded by God's love. In Matthew 10:41, we can hear from the Lord Jesus: "Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet's reward..." Generosity and hospitality are acts of great value. They speak of the inner being of a person. He who shows to be generous and hospitable is like making a long time-saving. He will harvest plentiful in the future. Besides, uprightness and generosity mean in no way that one will not face...

June 29, 2023. Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles. Readings: Acts 12:1-11; Ps 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9; 2 Tm4:6-8, 17-18; Mt 16:13-19. “You are Peter, and upon this rock, I will build my Church…” Mt 16:18 An English proverb says: “No good building without a good foundation.” And a Latin proverb adds: “A weak foundation destroys the work.” Today we celebrate the solemnity of two great Apostles, Peter and Paul. This feast is also known and celebrated as Pope's Day. For, Peter is looked at and venerated in the Catholic Church as the “First Pope”, the Vicar of Christ, and so, the successive Popes as successors of Peter, and Vicars of Christ on earth. Peter, the martyrology says, was chosen by the Lord to be the leader of the Church and given the task to preach the Gospel, especially among the Jewish communities. Paul became the chosen instrument of God to bring the Good News to the whole world. In the process of conversion, both Apostles, Peter, and Paul, experienced t...

June 25, 2023. Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time – A. Readings: Jer 20:10-13; Ps 69:8-10, 14, 17, 33-35; Rom5:12-15; Mt 10:26-33. “Fear no one…” Mt 10:26 A Sicilian proverb says: “Who serves God, fears nothing.” And an Albanian proverb adds: “Courage is fear that has said its prayers.” Persecutions, trials, rejections, and all the like are inevitable, and even more, they have become the common and daily reality of many. Day after day, we hear of oppression. It goes from social, economic, political, and racial, even to the religious and spiritual. Everywhere in the world, man to man is brought to face persecution. In some places, it is due to the political and social choices. In others, because of gender differences and sexual orientations. While other people, in some other places, are brought to suffer for their religious beliefs and the faith they profess. A few days ago, a conflict in Manipur, India, left scores killed, thousands displaced, and churches destroyed. In the Demo...

June 24, 2023. Solemnity of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist. Readings: Is 49:1-6; Ps 139:1b-3, 13-14ab, 14c-15; Acts13:22-26; Lk 1:57-66, 80. “A man was sent from God, whose name was John. He came to testify to the light, to prepare a people fit for the Lord.” Cf. Jn 1, 6-7; Lk 1, 17. A Romanian proverb says: “No man is born into the world, whose work is not born with him.” And an Albanian proverb adds: “What a man can be is born with him; what he becomes is a result of his environment.” There is a purpose, a cause for everyone's life. No one is on earth for nothing. God has not created you just for the sake of creation. He created you for a reason. Your life is for a cause. What matters is to discover that cause, the inner purpose of your life, and live accordingly. Born six months before Our Lord, St. John, the Son of Zechariah and Elizabeth was the last and greatest of the prophets. His birth, as well as his life, were oriented, aimed at something special. As ...

June 18, 2023. Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time – A. Readings: Ex 19:2-6a; Ps 100:1-2, 3, 5; Rom 5:6-11; Mt9:36—10:8.  “The harvest is abundant, but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.” Mt 9:36 A British proverb says: “For one mission, there is one leader.” And an Akan proverb adds: “You cannot send a goat to rescue a lamb from a lion's attack.” The Christian life is above all, a divine election. It is like the call to follow Christ and be his disciples. No one does it for himself, nor by himself. The Lord is the one who chooses, consecrates, and sends. Among the Apostles of Christ, no one elected himself. Though we can read from the Gospel of John that Philip and Andrew, the first two to follow Jesus, joined him by themselves, and later on brought him their brother and friends, Philip brought Nathaniel, and Andrew brought Peter, it was about Jesus to elect them or not. Every election and mission are divine work God...

June 16, 2023. Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus – A. Readings: Dt 7:6-11; Ps 103:1-2, 3-4, 6-7, 8, 10; 1 Jn4:7-16; Mt 11:25-30. “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart…” Mt 11:29 A Sicilian proverb says: “Who loves with his heart sees from a distance.” And a Japanese proverb adds: “The heart is the most essential human quality.” The heart, in many cultures, languages, and traditions, is the symbol of love. And he who says love, speaks of the greatest gift, the gift above any other. It has become a social and iconic language in many places today. To express their love and pride for their city or subdivision, people write, "I ❤️ ..." and the name of the place. Social communication is filled with those iconic messages, mostly among young people and lovers. Myself, on Social Media, I do speak of love every day. At the center of what I call, a “Daily Love Story”, is something about the heart. What my heart goes through and how i...

June 11, 2023. Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ - Corpus Christi – A. Readings: Dt 8:2-3, 14b-16a; Ps 147:12-13, 14-15, 19-20; 1Cor 10:16-17; Jn 6:51-58. "He fed them with the finest wheat and satisfied them with honey from the rock." In the Holy Eucharist, our bodies are fed by the Holy Body of Christ, and our souls are satisfied through the Blood he shed on the Holy Cross at the Calvary. The Body and Blood of Christ are turned into the nourishment that not only satisfies our present and continual needs but also feeds us for the life to come. A Japanese proverb says: “Food is delicious when one is hungry.” And a Ghanaian proverb adds: “The goat says: "Where there is blood, there is plenty of food."” Today's solemnity puts a very singular accent on the centrality of the Holy Eucharist. It is the "source and summit of the Christian life" and faith. In the Holy Eucharist is revived the passion, death, and resurrection of the Lord, and ...