Category: Reflections

by Fr Wiseman Nkomo

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1st Reading 3:17-18, 20, 28-29
2nd Reading Hebrews 12:18-19, 22-24a
Gospel Luke 14:1, 7-14

Humility is the best teacher of dependence and nothingness.

At first glance the first reading seems to be emphasising the benefits that one gets when he humbles himself/herself. An attentive reflection however reveals to the reader the understanding that through one’s humility others get the right to show their worth. In verse 3 we hear that he who conducts his affairs with humility is loved. This humility gives the lover an opportunity to offer his love to the beloved. Again in relation to God we are told that the humility of the great is a sign of dependence on God who gives to all the honour that is theirs. This type of humility is one that reveals our nothingness and need of both God and neighbour, so today we are given the lesson to be able to say through our actions “MY BROTHER and SISTER I NEED YOU” and again to say “MY GOD I DEPEND ON YOU.” The second reading exhorts us not to worry about how we are to address our need and dependence to God for we have Jesus who is our mediator and the angels our intercessors.
Continue reading “22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year C” →

by Fr Wiseman Nkomo

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1st Reading: Isaiah 66:18 – 21
2nd Reading: Hebrews 12: 5 – 7, 11 – 13
Gospel: Luke 13:22 – 30

Salvation is available for everyone, but we are all invited into the narrow door.

In the first reading taken from the conclusion of the book of the Prophet Isaiah we find the Prophet reflecting on the picture of what will happen at the end of time. His emphasis is on the availability of the kingdom of God not only to the Jews but also to the Gentiles. “I am coming to gather every nation and every language.”(66:18) However as we all know that no one gathers without first sowing hence God will use his people Israel to go to all the nations proclaiming the glory of God. “I will send some of their survivors to the nations…they will proclaim my glory to the nation.”(66:19) It is God who will make out of those who have heard the proclamation of his Glory into priest. God here gives the work of mission to the Israelites who will go and proclaim a message of the glory of God and hence bring to the kingdom people from all nation. It is then that the words of the Psalmist will be fulfilled as all the nations will praise the Lord. (Ps 117:1-2).
Continue reading “21st Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year C” →

by Fr Wiseman Nkomo

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The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary: reminds us that if we like Mary the model believer place our Trust in God’s plans, we will receive our glorified bodies at the end of time.

Mary the model believer (Luke 1:38), Mary “the blessed among women” (Luke 1:45) is praised for her trust in the fidelity of God. God whose plans for humanity are always seen by him from the beginning to their fulfilment. He asks just one thing from the believer “TRUST.” She who through her “YES” becomes the mother of our Lord and it is from her that the infant Jesus got his flesh.

The Church has always known the inseparable bond that exist between Mary the blessed and her Son Jesus our saviour. Mary was preserved from the stain of original sin, she preserved her virginity even after childbirth has been venerated by the Church as one who was preserved from decomposition after death. The devotions were also coupled with request from bishops and individual devotees for this fact in the life of Mary to be declared a dogma in the Church.
Continue reading “The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary” →

by Fr Wiseman Nkomo

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In the past two weeks Jesus has been teaching his disciples that they need to live lives completely dependent upon God. He has reminded them that since even the smallest things are beyond their control, they should not be anxious about anything. In simple terms Jesus says you cannot change anything by worrying about it. In teaching the “our Father” Jesus taught us that God knows everything we need and only through prayer can we come to know what we need too. He has already taught us his disciples that we are to seek his kingdom and all these other things will be given to us as well. This is where today’s gospel reading begins. Jesus tells his “little flock” not to be anxious or afraid. He promises them that God is pleased to give them “the kingdom.” But what kind of kingdom did Jesus have in mind? And who makes up the “little flock”? This week’s gospel reading addresses both of these questions this week. Continue reading “19th Sunday in Ordinary time – Year C” →

by Guest author

Pope’s Prayer Intention: August 2019
Let us pray that families, through their life of prayer and love, become ever more clearly “schools of true human development”.

Let us first look at the Holy Family for inspirations. While the Holy Family may seem like an unreachable ideal for some, the circumstances faced by the Holy Family in life are more than relatable. Life got real very quickly for the Holy Family: Joseph had to leave his home country with his young family in order to avoid persecution; their only child was lost for three days during a family trip, and talked back at them upon being found. While many things can be distilled from these events, let us focus on one: Listening. Joseph listened to the voice of God through the angel and fled to Egypt (Matthew 2:13-14); Mary listened to Jesus after three distressing days of seeking but not finding (Luke 2:51b). After the finding, Jesus returned to Nazareth with his parents and listened to them by being obedient (Luke 2:51a). Continue reading “August 2019: Families, Schools of Human Growth” →

by Fr Wiseman Nkomo

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Eccl 1:2, 2:21 – 23;
Col 3: 1 -5, 9- 11;
Luke 12:13 – 21.

Possessions without God and others are vanity.

In last week’s liturgical readings we were taught that it is God who provides for our needs. It is God who provides true knowledge, a knowledge which comes with the duty to act justly and it is God who provides for our daily needs. The call to act justly continues in this Sunday’s readings and this time there is a call to act justly in relation to possessions.
Continue reading “Reflection for the 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year C” →

by Fr Wiseman Nkomo

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Gen 18:20-32; Col 2:12-24; Luke 11:1-13

God who is our Father has plans for us His creatures, and Prayer is the only way God reveals bit by bit His plans for Us His Children.

In today’s first reading which could be seen as a prelude to the gospel reading we see Abraham requesting to know God’s plans, and God in answering Abraham’s question regarding God’s just dealing with the righteous and wicked of the world Abraham becomes the recipient of the gift of knowing the divine plan. Such gift will demand of him to do what is just and right from that moment on.
Continue reading “Reflection for the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year C” →

by Fr Joseph Mafola

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The hospitality of Abraham.

One must remember that rain was scanty in that region. Whenever water can be found the land was fertile. But elsewhere the land was mostly barren if not a desert.

Hospitality then played an important role. A person asking for shelter was never turned away. To do so was tantamount to exposing the person to die of hunger and thirst. Abraham no doubt would have fulfilled his duty of hospitality towards anyone coming to him yet something in his heart told him that these men were no ordinary people. He soon discovered that they were God’s messengers. God himself accompanied by two angels.
Continue reading “Reflection for the 16th Sunday in Ordinary time – Year C” →