Morning Voice

November 2, 2023. The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls). Readings: Wis 3:1-9; Ps 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6; Rom 6:3-9; Jn6:37-40. “For if we have grown into union with him through a death like his, we shall also be united with him in the resurrection.” Romans 6:5 A Corsican proverb says: “The soul to God, and the body to the Earth.” And a Swahili proverb adds: “If you don't know death look at the grave.” Love goes beyond death. And death has no power to separate us from the people we love. Even though we may be physically split apart, away from senses and sensuality, the bond of love unites us always with them and gives us a motive to pray for them. Today, the Church invites us to remember in a very singular and special way our brothers and sisters who have gone ahead of us into the journey toward eternity, but whom, we believe, are on a journey of purification before entering God's glory. Our remembering or commemoration of the faithful departed is n...

November 1, 2023. Solemnity of All Saints. Readings: Rv 7:2-4, 9-14; Ps 24:1bc-2, 3-4ab, 5-6; 1 Jn3:1-3; Mt 5:1-12a. "Let us all rejoice in the Lord, as we celebrate the feast day in honor of all the Saints, at whose festival the Angels rejoice and praise the Son of God." A Sicilian proverb says: “Blessed is the one who cares for his soul.” An Ivorian proverb adds: “Happy is a man who goes hunting for rats and catches an elephant.” Today is a day of great rejoicing. The whole assembly of believers is brought together to celebrate our common vocation, which is holiness. The Church, both in Heaven and on Earth, is invited to celebrate the triumph of God's grace, which makes all of us sharers in the holiness of God himself. In the Book of Leviticus, the Lord exhorted his people: "For I am the Lord your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy." Lev 11:44. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus emphasized this call to holiness and made it ...

October 29, 2023. Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time – A. Readings: Ex 22:20-26; Ps 18:2-3, 3-4, 47, 51; 1 Thes1:5c-10; Mt 22:34-40. "You shall love the Lord, your God… You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” A Yiddish proverb says: “Love your neighbor, even if he plays the trombone.” And a Sicilian proverb adds: “Who loves God with all his heart, lives happy and dies happy.” We can never say enough about love, for love is all that matters in life. Either in our relationship with God or in our relationship with each other, love is the reason, love is the mobile, and love is the measure. Nothing good can be done without love. And besides, all that has been done was because of love. One just needs to look back at the creation, the mystery of salvation, and redemption, and ask, if there is anything in all these which is not the fruit of love. Even when we sin, God forgives us because of his love. He is the God of love and mercy. Therefore, in response to so great a love, we s...

October 22, 2023. Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time – A. Readings: Is 45:1, 4-6; Ps 96:1, 3, 4-5, 7-8, 9-10; 1 Thes1:1-5b; Mt 22:15-21. "Tell us, then, what is your opinion: Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?” Mt 22:17 A Russian proverb says: “A good citizen owes his life to his country.” A Romanian proverb adds: “The law is good if a man uses it lawfully.” The good citizen is above and, before all, a lawful, law-abiding citizen. This goes beyond religion and denominations. We can not live in a society and disregard the rules that regulate social life. What makes us people and citizens of a place is the respect we give to the rules of that place. As Christians, our faith itself calls us to obedience, not only to God but also to the laws of our countries. The Christian in society, here is what today's readings, and mostly the Gospel make us think of. How must Christians behave in the world and society? A beautiful ancient literature, dated fro...

October 15, 2023. Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time – A. Readings: Is 25:6-10a; Ps 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6; Phil 4:12-14,19-20; Mt 22:1-14. “On this mountain the Lord of hosts will provide for all peoples a feast of rich food and choice wines…” Is 25:6 A Kikuyu proverb says: “Every feast has its guest of honor.” And a Hebrew proverb adds: “A guest who comes empty-handed does not deserve a warm welcome.” Arriving in the Philippines, back in 2014, one beautiful frame in the dining room of our Seminary of Montalban caught my attention. It is the famous "Hapag ng Pag-asa", transliterated, as "table of hope". The singularity of this frame is that it portrays the Last Supper of the Lord but with very special guests. Not the Twelve Apostles as we traditionally see it, but with poor boys and girls that the age goes between 4 to 14 years. Looking closely, the twelve guests of the Lord are squatters. That gives all the meaning of the frame as the table of hope, a ba...

October 8, 2023. Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time – A. Readings: Is 5:1-7; Ps 80:9, 12, 13-14, 15-16, 19-20; Phil4:6-9; Mt 21:33-43. “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; by the Lord has this been done, and it is wonderful in our eyes?” Mt 21:42 A Tswana proverb says: “We are people because of other people.” A Kikuyu proverb adds: “People are consumed by evil because of keeping close to it, but not because of keeping away from it.” We are God's people. We are his vineyard. We are the tenants of his vineyard. These three main expressions in today's readings sound like a challenge to each one of us and tell us of our obligations toward God and his kingdom:  His people, His Vineyard, and the Tenants. There is a great implication of these expressions on our relationship with God and our responsibility toward salvation and the coming of his kingdom. It is now the fourth consecutive week the Lord speaks to us about the kingdom of God and our ...

October 7, 2023. Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary. Readings: Acts 1:12-14; Cant. Lk 1:46-47, 48-49, 50-51,52-53, 54-55; Lk 1:26-38. A Romanian proverb says: “Step after step the ladder is ascended.” And a Yiddish proverb adds: “If a link is broken, the whole chain breaks.” Saint Dominic, once said: "One day, through the Rosary and the Scapular, Our Lady will save the world." To this, Saint Louis de Montfort echoes: "Never will anyone who says his Rosary every day be led astray. This is a statement that I would gladly sign with my blood." Saint John Paul II goes on to add: "The Rosary is my favorite prayer. A marvelous prayer! Marvelous in its simplicity and its depth." Among the many beautiful things said about the prayer of the Holy Rosary and the devotion to Mary, Mother of the Most Holy Rosary, we could highlight these words of Pope Leo XIII and it will open and lead today's meditation. He says: "The Rosary is the most excellent for...