RESPONSIBLE PARENTHOOD

Dear friends in Christ and people of Good will. Allow me to reflect with you on the teaching of the Church On Human Life - an Encyclical letter of St. Paul VI. 

Married love, requires of husband and wife the full awareness of their obligations in the matter of responsible parenthood, which today, rightly enough, is much insisted upon, but which at the same time should be rightly understood. Thus, we do well to consider responsible parenthood in the light of its varied ligitimate and interrelated aspects.

With regard to the biological processes, responsible parenthood means an awareness of,and respect for, their proper functions. In the procreative faculty the human mind discerns biological laws that apply to the human person.

With regard to man's innate drives and emotions, responsible parenthood means that man's reason and will must exert control over them.

With regard to physical, economic, psychological and social conditions, responsible parenthood is exercised by those who prudently and generously decide to have more children, and by those who,for serious reasons and with due respect to moral precepts, decide not to have additional children for either a certain or an indefinite period of time.

Responsible parenthood, as we use the term here, has one further aspect of paramount importance. It concerns the objective moral order which was established by God, and of which a right conscience is the true interpreter. In a word, the exercise of responsible parenthood requires that husband and wife, keeping a right order of priorities, recognize their own duties toward God, themselves, their families and human society.

From this it follows that they are not free to act as they choose in the service of transmitting life, as if it were wholly up to them to decide what is the right course to follow. On the contrary, they are bound to ensure that they do correspond to the will of God the creator. The very nature of marriage and its use makes His will clear, while the constant teaching of the Church spells it out.

To foster responsible parenthood therefore dear friends in the Lord, to the married, spinsters, bachelors, widows, widowers ,and single parents...we ought to design our moral order to those in the society. Like in the past, children were considered special in a community and not of a particular family; therefore the community today should feel it has roles to play in moulding  the children of our time deeply in virtues. A rotten society will definitely bring about more rotten future society. If we all stand and use the correct means of bringing them up, realizing our role, and most especially minding the future society then we should be moral upright. 

Conclusively, a society that kills morals and virtues is rooted in the ways of the evil, whereas true significance of the Christian virtues can and should make morality a dynamic way of life.

Thanks for reading this article: 

Samuel Nyonje Muhanji wishes you God's blessings.

[ Further reading: Paul VI, Encyclical Letter Humanae Vitae ( On Human Life), no 10 ]

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SPIRITUAL CORRUPTION

The path of holiness is a source of peace and joy, given to us by the Spirit. At the same time, it demands that we keep "our lamps lit" (Lk 12:35) and be attentive. " Abstain from every form of evil" ( 1 Thess 5:22). "Keep awake" (Mt 24:42;Mk 13:35). Let us abit fall asleep" (1 Thess 5:6). Those who think they commit no grievous sins against God's law can fall into a state of dull lethargy. Since they see nothing serious to reproach themselves with, they fail to realize that their spiritual life has gradually turned lukewarm. They end up weakened and corrupted.

Spiritual corruption is worse than the fall of a sinner, for it is a comfortable and self-satisfied form of blindness. Everything then appears acceptable : deception, slander, egotism and other subtle forms of self-centredness, for "even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light". (2 Cor 11:14). So Solomon ended his days, whereas David , who sinned greatly , was able to make up for disgrace. Jesus warned us against this self-deception  that easily leads to corruption. He spoke of a person freed from the devil who, convinced that his life was now in order, ended up being possessed by seven other evil spirits ( Lk 11:24-26). Another biblical text puts it bluntly: " the dog turns to his own vomit" ( 2Pet 2:22, Proverbs 26:11).

Let's be true to ourselves. Let's allow the Holy Spirytp lead us.

Thanks for reading this article. 

Samuel Nyonje Muhanji wishes you God's blessings.

{ for further reading Cf: Francis - Rejoice and be glad ,no 164)

BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO HUNGER and thirst for righteousness , for they will be filled

Reflecting on this beatitude, in the light of Pope Francis' teaching in his Apostolic Exhortation Gaudete et Exsultate ( Rejoice and be glad ). Hunger and thirst are intense experiences, since they involve basic needs and our instinct for survival. There are those who desire justice and yearn for righteousness with similar intensity. Jesus says that they will be satisfied, for sooner or later justice will come. We can cooperate to make that possible, even if we may not always see the fruit of our efforts.

Jesus offers a Justice other than that of the world, so often marred by petty interests and manipulated in various ways. Experience shows how easy it is to become mired in corruption,ensnared in the daily politics where everything becomes business. How many people suffer injustice, standing by powerlessly while others divvy up the good things of this life. Some give up fighting for real justice and opt to follow in the train of the winners. This has nothing to do with the hunger and thirst for justice that Jesus praises.

However, true justice comes about in people's lives when they themselves are just in their decisions; it is expressed in their pursuit of justice for the poor and the weak. While it is true that the word "justice" can be a synonym for faithfulness to God's will in every aspect of our life, if we give the word too general a meaning, we forget that it is shown especially in justice towards those who are most vulnerable: "Seek justice, correct oppression; defend the fatherless, plead for the widow" ( Isaiah 1:17).

To hunger and thirsting for righteousness: that's Holiness. What else do I seek if not to be holy? 

My Lord and my all, help me to be faithful and sensitive to the situations around me...may I render my help to myself and those who need me.

[ Thanks for reading this article: Samuel Nyonje Muhanji wishes you fruitful weekend]

Further reading : Francis, Rejoice and be glad: Apostolic Exhortation Gaudete et Exsultate. no 77-79

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