Category: Reflections

by Fr N. Vilakati

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Growth and transformation from within adversities is our Call.

Many of us grow within confines of society, either with a family, a village or those from urban areas, towns. Sometimes we are aware that those within ourselves are not intending to do good for you, personally. Yet as Christians we are called to be jolly, smiley and adopt the African adage that the rise of an individual from a village is the development of a nation. But lo and behold, that is not always the case. There are moments of travesties, challenges, sorely because we grow within weed. But a malicious weed-sowing can tell us something about the nature of the kingdom of God as seen in Matthew 13:25. Here Jesus uses a common everyday example of the time, like that of planting, harvesting, and sorting the good fruit from the bad. Weeds can spoil and even kill a good harvest if they are not separated and destroyed at the proper time. Uprooting them too early, though, can destroy the good plants in the process. Continue reading “Sixteenth Sunday of Ordinary time – Year A” →

by Peter Schineller, SJ

Pope’s Prayer Intention: Let us pray that today’s families may be accompanied with love, respect and guidance, and especially, that they may be protected by the State.

The family ought to be protected.
It faces many dangers: the fast pace of life, stress…
Sometimes, parents forget to play with their children.
The Church needs to encourage families and stay at their side, helping them to discover ways that allow them to overcome all of these difficulties.
Let us pray that today’s families may be accompanied with love, respect and guidance, and especially, that they may be protected by the State.

Much writing about the family, for example in letters of the Pope and bishops, emphasises the mission or tasks of the family – what the family should do, and what we expect of families. Continue reading “July 2020: Our families” →

by Fr N. Vilakati

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For the umpteenth time, may we please “Look to the Heavens”

One of the greatest tragedies of our times, knowingly and unknowingly has been playing a God. Do we actually confess this? Yes or no? Well the answer is always in the palm of our hands. We have become so pre-occupied with our earthly gains, and sometimes of our intellectual abilities. We tend to focus at the me, as the end product of all, and putting the real God aside. We become masters of our destinies and cast aside the idea of God. Probably it is time we stepped into the black night. We do self-emptiness, the kenosis so we could find out who we are, and that we cannot be God. For the God that we have is only One, and He is in Heaven. Probably this would be a great time we give Him all the praise He deserves. The One who mesmerises us by the hum of whirling galaxies, and the orderliness of the universe, surely He deserves His place of honour.
Continue reading “Fourteenth Sunday of Ordinary time – Year A” →

by Fr Onyango IMC
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2 Kings 4:8-11,13-16
Psalm 89:2-3,16-17,18-19
Romans 6:3-4,8-11
Matthew 10:37-42

Theme: The Cost of Discipleship!

In the gospel today Jesus teaches us about the cost of discipleship; the Lord did not lie to his disciples that following him would be easy; he did not sweet talk them so as to lure them to himself; he told them the truth from the onset and left it to them to make a choice either to follow him or to walk away. It was a choice they had to personally make after they had known what to expect. In the gospel, he mentions some of his expectations of those who would like to follow him. He says: ‘He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me – he who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me – he who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake will find it!’
Continue reading “Thirteenth Sunday of Ordinary time – Year A” →

by Fr Onyango IMC

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Jeremiah 20:10-13
Psalm 69:8-10, 14, 17, 33-35
Romans 5:12-15
Matthew 10:26-33

Theme: Do not be Afraid!

The world we live in is very cruel especially to those who stand for truth and justice. As Christians this is our call and Jesus already warned us when he said that: ‘In the world you will have trouble. But take heart; I have overcome the world!’ Today, a day hardly passes without hearing news of terror; there are threats everywhere, threats that make life difficult for us like the daily persecutions, sin and death. This is what causes great fear for many. But Jesus still calls us to take up our crosses and follow him. In the first reading we hear of the deadly plot against prophet Jeremiah: ‘I hear many whispering. Terror is on every side! Denounce him! Let us denounce him! Jeremiah’s friends are busy plotting for his fall. Jeremiah’s confidence comes from his trust in God’s presence; he knows that God is on his side and will not disappoint him.
Continue reading “Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary time – Year A” →

by  guest author

Pope’s prayer Intention: We pray that all those who suffer may find their way in life, allowing themselves to be touched by the Heart of Jesus.

Many people suffer due to the great difficulties they endure. We can help them by accompanying them along an itinerary full of compassion which transforms people’s lives. It brings them closer to the Heart of Christ, which welcomes all of us into the revolution of tenderness.

I picked up a scrap of paper that was placed under the statue of the Sacred Heart in the church. Someone had written a one line prayer that was invested with a gem-like faith. It read: O Sacred Heart of Jesus, fill the hearts of the new First Communion children with your presence of love always. This is a prayer of wonder and mystery. It is in keeping with the prayer intention of this month that people, including children may “find their way in life, allowing themselves to be touched by the Heart of Jesus.” Continue reading “June 2020: Compassion for the world” →

by Fr F. Onyango IMC

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Deuteronomy 8:2-3, 14-16
Psalm 147:12-13, 14-15, 19-20
1 Corinthians 10:16-17
John 6:51-58

Theme: The Lord who feeds us!

Today we are called to a deeper appreciation of the Holy Eucharist which is the true Body and Blood of Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. In the first reading we see how God fed his people in the wilderness with manna from heaven. St Paul poses a question to us in the second reading: ‘the cup of blessing which we bless is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?’ Jesus tells us today that he is the living bread which came down from heaven and that whoever eats this bread will live forever.
Continue reading “Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ – Year A” →

by Fr F. Onyango IMC

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Exodus 34:4-6, 8-8
Psalm Daniel 3:52-56
2 Corinthians 13:11-13
John 3:16-18

Theme: God is Love!

Today we celebrate the feast of God himself: the feast of the Most Holy Trinity. We have been taught and we know that we worship one God in three persons and we acknowledge this whenever we begin our prayers, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. When we recite the Creed we also profess our belief in God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit; we do the same when we pray the glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit and indeed most of our prayers end in the same way: through Jesus Christ your son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you (The Father) in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen! Our second reading today also ends in the same way: the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all! So who is God and how can he be one in three persons?
Continue reading “Feast of the Most Holy Trinity – Year A” →