Category: Reflections

by Fr F. Onyango IMC

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Acts 2:1-11
Psalm 103:1, 24, 29-31, 34
1 Corinthians 12:3-7, 12 -13
John 20:19-23

Theme: Receive the Holy Spirit!

We all love gifts because gifts make us feel special, appreciated and loved; gifts make us realise that someone is thinking about us and actually cares about us and whenever we celebrate birthdays or anniversaries we always look forward to receiving gifts to make the day memorable. In the gifts lie the well wishes from others; they are an expression of love and affection and every time we see them, we remember those who gave them to us. Pentecost marks the birth of the church; the actual beginning of the church’s missionary endeavour and so today we celebrate the birthday of the church. For this birthday God has chosen to send to us the wonderful gift of the Holy Spirit! Every time the Lord makes a promise, he fulfils it and as he promised his apostles that he won’t leave them like orphans, that he will send them another advocate – the spirit of truth, so today he fulfils that promise by sending us the Paraclete! With this, Christ has filled and equipped his church with the power of his Spirit and sent us into the world to bring peace, unity, joy, forgiveness, love and eternal life to all mankind.
Continue reading “Pentecost Sunday – Year A” →

by Fr W. Nkomo

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First Reading Acts 1:12-14
Responsorial Psalm: Ps 27:1.4.7-8.
Second Reading 1 Peter 4:13-16
Gospel John 17:1-11

PRAYER Is the Ability To; See Your Struggles In The Light Of God’s Great Plan and Take Your Sufferings as an Opportunity to Identify with Jesus.

Today is the last Sunday of Easter, the special Sunday that falls between the Ascension and the Pentecost. On this Sunday we commemorate an important waiting: After the ascension the disciples waiting for the promised coming of the Holy Spirit. As we wait we are given the example of Jesus’ prayer; a prayer that he prayed to be heard by his Father and overhead by his apostles. Remember that this is a prayer that Jesus offers to God on the night before He died. Aware of his fate he prayed and in his prayer we realise that he sees his mission in the light of God’s great plan which is to save us. In his prayer he asks his Father to bestow eternal life on all who accept him. It is in the very same prayer that Jesus teaches us what eternal life is; to know God and Jesus Christ whom he sent. Three things are vitally important in the life of every Christian; knowing God and Jesus, prayerfully waiting for the fulfilment of his word and uniting ourselves with Christ at all times. Continue reading “Seventh Sunday of Easter – Year A” →

by Fr W. Nkomo

1st reading: Acts 1: 1-11
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 47: 2-3, 6-9
2nd reading: Ephesians 1: 17-23
Gospel: Matthew 28: 16-20

The Ascension of the Lord is the fulfilment of Christ’s work of salvation, that is, humanity now belongs entirely to God

The book of the Acts of the Apostles tells us that after Jesus had given them his last command “you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem and all in Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8) Jesus was taken up whilst they looked on. The Ascension of the Lord marks the fulfilment of salvation that started with the incarnation. That is God has found a place in humanity (Incarnation) and humanity has found a place in heaven (Ascension). Both the immortality of the soul and body is proclaimed here because as we will hear in the preface Jesus was never separated from our condition, but in his humanity he took each one of us with him into the intimacy with the Father thus revealed the final destination of our earthly pilgrimage.
Continue reading “The Ascension of the Lord – Year A” →

by Fr W. Nkomo

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First Reading Acts 8: 5-8.14-17
Responsorial Psalm Psalm 66: 1-7.16.20
Second Reading 1 Peter 3: 15-18
Gospel John 14: 15-21

Jesus Assures Us That We Will Never Be Alone If We Remain In Love With Him.

Every time someone special, someone you care about, someone who brings meaning to your life leaves, you have no choice but feel the void that their departure brings in your life. People may depart from our lives for many different reasons; death, relocation, misunderstanding, breakups and growth. We have all experienced the struggle to adjust to life without them. Today our readings tell us that it is not the same with Jesus. He assures us that our relationship with him only has a beginning but knows no end and today he introduces us to our new family: The Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit; the Spirit of Truth and counsellor.
Continue reading “Sixth Sunday of Easter – Year A” →

by Fr W. Nkomo

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1st Reading Acts 6: 1 – 7
Response. Psalm 33: 1-5. 18 – 19n
2nd Reading 1Peter 2: 4 – 9
Gospel John 14: 1 – 12

Jesus Heals The Bleeding Scars Of Our Faith No Matter How Often They Bleed.

Whenever someone new comes into our lives we cannot help but feel the anxiety of not knowing what change they will bring in our lives. Today Jesus guarantees us that an intimate relationship with him ensures us success regardless of the motives of those who come into our lives. Which means that everyone and everything that comes into our lives should pass through Christ first, because He is the Way, Truth and Life. Through him, we can do the same things he did for the people of his time.
Continue reading “Fifth Sunday of Easter – Year A” →

by Fr W. Nkomo

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1st Reading Acts 2:14a. 36-41,
Responsorial Psalm 23:1-6,
2nd Reading 1Peter 2:20b-25
Gospel John 10:1-10

Jesus Christ the Good Shepherd Among Us: Who Gives Us Life and Reveals To Us God’s Care for His People.
This Sunday’s Gospel presents us with the familiar image of the Good Shepherd. When speaking of the sheep of God’s flock, Jesus uses several images to describe the attitude of those who look after the flock.  All of those images focus on the theme of life; the life which he the Good Shepherd gives, preserves and nourishes.
Continue reading “Good Shepherd Sunday – Year A” →

by Fr W. Nkomo

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First Reading Acts 2: 14, 22-28
Second Reading 1 Peter 1:17-21
Gospel Luke 24: 13-35

The Road of Hope: Jesus is always besides us to give us hope, to warm our hearts and to urge us on our journey of faith.The story we heard today in the gospel of Luke reveals to us; Jesus our Risen Lord who understands that when we are caught up in our little world of discouragement and depression we do not bother to look out to see the brokenness of others. Jesus who understands that in our anger, frustration and unexpressed feelings we need someone who would listen to us talk and offer us a message of hope, of comfort and of life. This is the experience of the two disciples of Jesus on the road to Emmaus. We all know of a family member, a friend, a colleague, a loved one or a distant neighbour who is going through a rough patch and in need of a message of hope. Jesus is one who makes himself available to us in order for us to be available to others.
Continue reading “Third Sunday of Easter – Year A” →

by Fr W. Nkomo

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1st Reading Acts 2: 42 – 47
Rsp Psalm 118: 2-4.13-15.22-24
2nd Reading: 1 Peter1: 3 – 9
Gospel: John 20: 19 – 31

Divine Mercy: the Easter gift through which God comes down to humanity’s level to provide for every need.
Today the Church celebrates the second Sunday of Easter also known as the Divine Mercy Sunday. Divine mercy is “God’s loving mercy” towards humanity. Loosely translated it is God coming into communion with humanity; pain, sorrow, suffering and death in order for humanity to be in communion with God in His glorious splendour. This year is the 20th anniversary of the inauguration of this special feast of the Church, a feast on which the Church remembers the mercy of God and acclaims together with the Psalmist “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his mercy endures forever!”
Continue reading “Second Sunday of Easter – Year A” →