30th April 2020

30th  April 2020

Homily: Rev. Deacon Samuel Muhanji Nyonje 

Theme: Effective evangelizer 

Acts 8:26-40

John 6:44-51

Shalom people of God. Jesus in today's Gospel asserts that he's the bread of life. Jesus has come to offer us His Word and His Flesh so that we can find life.  His Word is His Spirit and His Flesh is His Body. Both Word and Flesh is Jesus in His entirety, who came to give Himself to us. Enlightened by His Word and encountering Him in person, we are transformed by His presence.  

Our Lord continues that everyone who believes in him has eternal life. How do I attain this? Only through faith in him because he's the way to the Father, he's come from the Father. Unless one is drawn by the Father he can't know the Son. However we ought to know that faith is a gift of grace, not all merit this grace, that's why we need to walk out from our comfort zones and evangelize that many may have faith in Christ.

Such move is what we have encountered in the first reading. Philip is a great evangelizer and effective indeed, he's used all skills possible in his encounter with the Ethiopian Eunuch.

To be an effective evangelizer as a baptist Christian in which ch we all share the ministerial Priesthood, we should be lead by the Holy Spirit. Like Philip who was lead by the Holy Spirit to walk down and meet this Ethiopian. Philip was humble as the Spirit of God, he didn't rush to evangelize, he awaited invitation but of course he's ready and fully armed for this.

This gift we can't get it from the world but from reading the Holy Scriptures. Especially now in this havoc of covid-19, the scriptures should form basis of our family.

Today too we celebrate the Feast of Mary our Mother of Africa. She too was an effective evangelizer, after receiving the message of the Angel, she walked out to evangelize / share good news. May she intercede for us and our families to embrace this truth.

Wishing you all God's blessings.

( +254708607911 / nyonjes146@gmail.com / Samuel.nyonje@yahoo.com/ samnyonje.blogspot.com)

27th April 2020

Readings:

ACTS 6:8-15

Jn 6:22-29 

Homily by Rev. Deacon. Samuel Muhanji Nyonje 

Shalom people of God. Today's Mass readings reminds me of past time when the Catholic Church was vocal in promoting and safeguarding human life, moral issues, religious and economic issues through various encyclicals ( Pope's official documents). Though I don't mean this has changed, but compared to today, even the voice of faithful members of the Church is changing rapidly in the world. What brought this change?

To regain this we ought to live a blameless life, both Clergy and laity, we must shun from double life and rise to defend what we teach. Saint Stephen is a model for living a blameless life in the first reading.

Because of his sincerity in doing the will of God, the Lord made use of him powerfully for the proclamation of the Kingdom both in word and deed.  He was also granted the wisdom to refute the arguments of those who were opposed to the gospel. 

Stephen defended the faith not just with brilliant arguments and words.  More importantly, he defended the faith with his life.  Indeed, it was his integrity and honesty that eventually won over Saul who was responsible for Stephen being stoned to death.  It was his calm demeanor before the Sanhedrin.  He spoke with utter conviction and fearlessly.  He was not afraid to speak the truth.

Is this lost today? If so why? Could it be because we go to Jesus with other ulterior motives? Maybe to even us Clergy and religious, why do we join this life? Is it because we want a,b,c,d...? To the laity as well?

It happens that we often come to look for Jesus to get something from Him, like the Jews in the gospel.  They pretended to look for Jesus after seeing Him multiply the loaves for the five thousand.  In fact, they thought that Jesus would liberate them from the Romans and so they wanted to make Him king.  Jesus knew their ulterior motives and exposed them accordingly. 

How true, many of us profess our faith in Christ only because Jesus has helped us to be rich, successful, famous and powerful.  We want Jesus to do our will and fulfill our vain desires, not because we love the Lord.  The moment we get what we want, we forget about Jesus and become arrogant, thinking that we arrived at where we are by our ingenuity and hard work.  We forget that without God’s help, we would not be where we are today. We shouldn't wait him to expose us and te Church.

Fellow members of Christ, the Lord wants us to seek the real thing, which is Himself.  The real bread is not the loaves that He multiplied but Him who is the bread of life.

May God help us to seek him in truth amidst our human weaknesses. This we shall attain when we choose to life uptly to what he's taught us in the Good News handed down to us by the Apostles. Peace be with you.

( Rev. Deacon. Samuel Muhanji Nyonje. +254708607911 : email . nyonjes146@gmail.com)

HOMILY : 24th April 2020

Readings:

ACTS 5:34-42

JOHN 6:1-15

HOMILY: Rev. Deacon. Samuel Muhanji Nyonje 

Theme: Credibility of true religion

The Lord be with you dear friends. Hope you're faring and sojourning well. 

Dear friends, today's Mass readings brings us to ask ourselves on the credibility and authenticity of true religion. Over centuries, the Catholic Church has always held and taught that which is true. However, past history has shown some theologians misinterpreting the doctrines of the Church thus causing schism. This is what the Church as custodian of Faith and Morals would not wish as the Lord prayed in John 17:21-22.

In the first reading, Gamaliel a Jewish Doctor/ teacher of law after judging the actions of fellow Jews to the Apostles of Christ, simply gave out the measure of criteria to judge the Apostles and followers of Christ.

First, for him, if truly something can endure, most likely, it has some divine origin, otherwise, if it were a human endeavor, it will not last. He cautions Jewish that if it has divine origin they will not only fight them but find themselves fighting with God. This is something Jewish wouldn't wish to hear. Religion in not like a political party that shines during campaigns and fades completely afterwards. This too is what we see in today's true religions  as presented in the Vatican II Document Nostra Aetate number 2.

The second principle that Gamaliel employed is the continuity of a religion after the death of the founder. If they were merely a human movement, normally, when the leader dies, the cause also dies.  But in the case of Jesus, the cause lives on.  But not only the cause, but the proclamation that He lives on. 

Thirdly, we must examine the truth of the religions by the lives of the faith followers. Do the disciples live a life of charity, compassion and generosity?   Are they living a meaningful life, a life that is expended in service and love?  This was the way the Lord in the gospel demonstrated His divine origin, not just by His words but by His life. 

Jesus Christ demonstrates well his divine Origin and so he asks his disciples "give them something to eat". He made apparent Isaiah 61 as interpreted in Luke 4:16-19. True religion should value life and dignity of human person. That can easily be seen in the action of Jesus which takes a liturgical setting, after the Word, he invites them for Bread. In Liturgy, Jesus is present in the Word and in the Holy Eucharist.

Apostleship is not about being sent to take care of the flock but that as leaders, we must seek to attend to people's needs, using whatever resources God has blessed us with. Most especially the Church ought to come out during this pandemic. In as much as we nourish the souls of Christians we too should be on the fore-front to bring them daily bread to sustain them. But who is responsible for this? It's the Church and all her members since all members make up a Church as people of God...Clergy and Laity.

Dear friends today's readings too answer the question of authentic and fake prophets in our time. It gives answers to the true and false Church. The true Church and her members remains still amidst this pandemic...are you among them?

Wishing you fruitful Friday.

HOMILY

ACTS 5:17-26

JOHN 3:16-21 

Shalom children of God. Hope you're well and strong amidst pains caused by selfish nations.

This term lockdown has become a cliche,so famous that even little children will well you "its lockdown". Recently when I was leaving home for Parish, my nephew told me , " Deacon, where are you going yet there's lockdown?". But who locked us in/ out?

Often We lock ourselves in our own world and we lock out others from coming into our lives.  We lock out God; especially for fear that He will mess up our lives and make our lives difficult. This we see among the "secularised youths", anytime you engage them on religious issues, they will definitely say they are busy or simply " unatukazi" ( you're not fr our good).

Today's Gospel assures us how God was not locked-in in Himself.  He came out of Himself into the world so that the world might share in His life and love. Jesus came into the world and became locked-in permanently to the world by His incarnation.  This is the heart of God’s love.  One who is not locked-in is always going out to share His life and love with others.

Should this not be the Spirit of the true image of a resurrected man?  When we share in the life of the Risen Christ, we will also be outgoing.  In fact after Easter we ought to go out and proclaim as the disciples did. For them after being set free from their guilt, fear and anxiety, they proclaimed courageously that Jesus is the Lord and Saviour of all humanity.  They were not fearful even of the authorities or of torture, imprisonment and death.

This ought to be the Spirit of true pilgrim Church. But most of you will ask me, How is it possible Deacon? Do you think we can transcend this? My dear friends, Indeed, the gospel cannot be locked-in.  The gospel must continue to spread even when there are oppositions like what we experience currently. The UN has always been on forefront in debating world issues, but why not prioritising this pandemic like what we've seen them doing before this? Have they left everything for us? For sure because many have realised it's beyond them, but if we now lock God from the World, how will this work?

In embracing love and joy, the Apostles wanted to set the Jewish leaders from being locked-in in their guilt for killing the Lord and to be set free to find life in Him.  The Jewish leaders were jealous and insecure in seeing miracles happening in the name of Christ. That's what the world has turned out today. If Parliament sitting is ON, why is it painful for 5 people even in their homes praying together as a family that they are arrested?

We must not allow the world to lock us in or lock the gospel out.  We must proclaim the gospel, welcomed or unwelcomed from our homes. Let the Father of the house lead the prayers,wife be the intercessor and children sing and shout to the Lord.

Dear friends, let us take courage in the risen Lord. Shalom.

@Deacon. Samuel Muhanji Nyonje ( +254708607911 / nyonjes146@gmail.com )

DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY HOMILY

DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY

ACTS 2:42-47; 

1 PETER 1:3-9; 

JOHN 20:19-31 

SHALOM Dear friends. We are privileged to celebrate this noble second Sunday of Easter that's Divine Mercy Sunday.

This title reminds me of a conversation I had recently with a young girl...whilst at home after Easter Sunday, this young girl came to visit me and asked me if really God is merciful. The reason for her query was because there's too much pain and suffering in the world, there's more fear that people are locked in their rooms because of covid-19. Yes I told her God remains merciful and in fact I reminded her the coming Sunday ( today ) we shall celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday.

Like this young girl, many of us still ask where's Divine mercy in all this suffering? Is God really caring? To some, is God really there? All thirst is because of fear of death. We all want good for ourselves and loved ones, no one wants death in their homesteads.

But the world that's full of materials and selfishness suffered more even bedsore covid-19. In fact there's more fear in the past; political temperatures were higher, level of corruption was beyond, manner of media news was too personal attacking  one man.

It's this same fear that the disciples of Christ encountered after the resurrection as depicted in the Gospel passage and the first reading.They were locked in their rooms, but alas! Christ came in their midst with words of peace. Peace defeats fears, Christ knew they were afraid and this needed peace.

For St. Maria Faustian Kowalska in her diary number 2, she asserts " when I look in to the future, I am frightened, but why plunge in to the future?".  This Saint teaches us to live the present moment but still with hope of future because the future is in God's hands.

How then can a fearful planet dream of future? The second reading invites us to see to it that there's future for us if and only if we make Christ the centre of this world. We are hopeful of the vaccine but our hope should transcend Corona since there's life after Corona.

As we all look upon the Divine mercy, we should as well seek this mercy. But how in this situation? Make merry with the vulnerable, utilise your time and come closer to God with your family and the community you live in, above all encourage each other amidst this situation as a community of believers, share with your fellow members of small Christian communities not only spiritual articles, also know how your neighbors are faring.

Wishing you all fruitful Divine Mercy Sunday. May the peace of Christ be our guide and hope.

samnyonje.blogspot.com

EASTER SATURDAY

Theme: Secularism in 21st Century 

Readings:

ACTS 4:13-21; 

MARK 16:9-15 

Shalom dear friends. Hope you'd a peaceful night despite the challenges we all encounter.

Have you noticed something different in our world today as compared to early 90s up to lately 2010 there? Personally I can recall because I was not that old. Today, it's difficult for Christians to reveal themselves in public. Most of all to us Catholics it's become harder to make the sign of the Cross in public or even professing the same, maybe there very few of us who can do this.

Secularism has or is controlling us slowly, we could evade this but we tended weak. Today there are many groups such as Atheists among others who fight for their recognition as minorities. It's shameful that the UN set time to discuss and order nations to give these people chance, anyway do I say.

In today's first reading, we encounter the same scenario, Peter and other disciples do wonders in the name of Jesus but alas! The are warned not to use the name JESUS CHRIST. 

In most public schools today, religion has been outlined, no more CRE or Islam or Hindu. No more freedom of worship, no PPI as it used to be serious during our time. Have we fallen to a secularised world? Fare report this to the Ministry, they will answer "teachers want to finish syllabus ".

Peter stood firm amidst the challenges from the Sanhedrin. We ought to be like this. Christians from all walk should come together, embrace each other and other Abrahamic religions so that we may return the world back to God. 

The Gospel invites us to be receptive of the testimony of others. Our faith as Christians is built on the faith of the Apostles. We ought not be skeptics when we hear testimony of other people. Embrace each other and especially when you meet as a small Christian Communities or families. 

May God bless you abundantly as you choose to fight for true meaning of Freedom of Worship and Association in our Constitution. Fruitful Saturday.

HOMILY: 6th April 2020

MONDAY OF THE HOLY WEEK. 6th April 2020

Homily by Rev. Deacon. Samuel Muhanji Nyonje 

Theme: True Love is a Sacrifice

Readings: 

Isaiah 42:1-7

John 12:1-11

My beloved Christ faithful , good morning. I welcome you to the mood of the Holy Week which is always ushered by Palm Sunday and leads us to the great mystery of the Passion, death and Resurrection.

Have you ever loved? Myself as a deacon I have loved not only once but daily. There's love for persons and personalities. In today's world this subject remains to be abused not daily but every time. I have chosen the theme " true love is a sacrifice " since not all people can offer sacrifice. Indeed, love has no measure.  Love means to give all and to surrender all.

Indeed, Jesus showed us the depth of His love for us, by emptying Himself of His divinity and assuming our humanity, and became obedient even unto death on the cross. This text from Philippians is what we read yesterday in the second reading ( Phil 2:6-11). Jesus is the fulfillment of the Suffering Servant in the first reading.  

The first song of the Suffering Servant in today’s reading prefigures the role of the Messiah. This affirmation equates to the voice heard during the baptism of the Lord, "this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased" ( Mt 3:17). This suffering servant gives all not for personal gain but for other people's gain. This will be termed as "vicarious suffering", that means, higher power ( Jesus) fighting on our behalf.

Indeed, the Lord, filled with the Spirit of His Father, in His self-emptying love, sought to win us over by His love, compassion and tenderness.  Instead of using violence and retaliation to win over His enemies, the Lord submitted Himself to the cruelty of unjust suffering inflicted by His enemies.  He did not shout but gently invited us to repent.  He has compassion for us because we are being harassed and helpless, like “sheep without a shepherd.’  (Mt 9:36).

Mary in today’s gospel, having received Jesus’ overwhelming love for her, returned her love without measure.  She was extravagant in expressing her love for the Lord since Jesus in the first place had demonstrated by His life what love is. Indeed, she teaches us that love does not count the sacrifices or the costs when she showed her love for the Lord by indulging Him with an anointing of His body using very costly ointment. Although the ointment cost 300 denarii, which is almost a year’s wage of a labourer, she did not mind “wasting” it on our Lord.

Love is not measured in material or monetary terms but expresses itself in humility.  Instead of using a towel, Mary hurriedly untied her hair and used it to wipe the feet of Jesus.  Such was the love of Mary.  She was like a servant stooping so low, not just to wash the feet of Jesus but even using her hair to wipe His feet, anticipating how Jesus would also, like a servant, wash the feet of His disciples. In so doing, she showed that love means being always comfortable before one’s beloved. Are we comfortable to the married , union and life that I am in?

In contrast to the true love offered by Mary, those who are not sincere in love will always count the cost of giving. This is explicitly seen in Judas. Judas did not have love for the Lord or for the poor.  He used the poor as an excuse not to love the Lord.  When we lack love, we lack generosity.  In order to disguise our lack of love, we rationalize and find excuses for not doing what we know should be done.  When there is no love, we tend to be calculative in what we do.  

I call you friends because you're loved by the Lord Jesus Christ. Lenten season has prepared us to this forthcoming Paschal mystery. We've prayed on the way of the Cross, read and received the discipline of Lent. During this Holy Week, the Lord asks for our love for him and the Trinity. In the midst of challenges we all experience, the difficulties in the families, please share with those in need around you out of love.

Wishing you God's blessings all. You may follow us on daily online Mass via Facebook through ( taide Jude) and also find us on daily live Mass and adoration on YouTube via search ( Jude Kariuki) St. Anthony Dck Parish. 

By Rev. Deacon. Samuel Muhanji Nyonje 

samnyonje.blogspot.com

HOMILY: 04-04-2020

SATURDAY 4.4.2020

5th Week of Lent 

HOMILY By Rev. Deacon. Samuel Muhanji Nyonje 

Readings: 

Ezekiel 37:21-28

John 11:45-57

Theme: My duty to reconcile God's People

Dear Children of God, good morning. 

People of God, in today's first reading, we are presented to the view of David’s kingdom which was divided after the death of Solomon. The kingdom that God wanted to establish collapsed.  The Northern Kingdom of Israel fell to the Assyrians and later the Southern Kingdom of Judah to the Babylonians.  They were exiled and the temple was in ruins.  The people were already scattered before the kingdom fell because their leaders were corrupt.  But through Ezekiel, the Lord promised that He would make them one nation again. For this to be fulfilled, they would need a new King. This New David that Ezekiel prophesied would be realized by Jesus, who would establish the New Covenant as foretold by Jeremiah.  (Cf Jer 31:33-34).

Unwittingly, the Gospel present Caiaphas inspired by the Holy Spirit to utter the prophetic words confirming the role of Jesus. Indeed, Jesus is the One designated by God to bring unity not just to Israel but to the whole of humanity so divided by sin. This is made possible through his passion that we are soon celebrating. 

Indeed, the death of Jesus is the key to the new reign of God on earth.  By His vicarious and innocent death for us all, He will reunite all of humanity into one people. Dialogue and reason alone cannot resolve division in our world today. 

Secularism and individualism have rendered the world into a fragile fragmented humanity where no one can agree on anything.  We no longer hold common values and what is right and wrong.  That is why we are all dispersed and isolated because of this covid-19, it's because some people wanted to feel superior than others. This is precisely what the devil is seeking, to divide and destroy.  The works of the Evil One is to sow division, through lies, half-truths, fake news as we encounter in our Kenyan media today, fear, selfishness, distrust and competition. 

The Evil One has managed to spread the culture of division by destroying the integrity of the human person, marriage and family, narrow nationalistic trends.  The Evil One has propagated the culture of death through despair, suicide, abortion, euthanasia, killing, terrorism, violence, wars, Corona virus and drug abuse.  Indeed, the world is the most unsafe place today.  Have we ever asked, what causes it? Simply because the world has rejected Christ and the gospel of peace.  They fund creation of Virus and creating super nations/ super man.

The Jewish and Caiaphas  in the Gospel saw Jesus as a threat to their authority and they feared that the gospel that Jesus preached would unsettle the Romans and cause them to intervene.  So in the name of protecting the people, he advocated the elimination of our Lord.  Isn’t this the way the world works today?  In the name of unity, they proclaim religions to be a threat to peace and so only secularism can promote unity, secure peace and progress.  

How can secularism that says that no truth can be found establish unity among all peoples?   On what basis will unity and peace be found?  Like Caiaphas, Jesus was but a pawn to get his agenda accomplished.  Truth and morality are surrendered to expediency. Am much worried by the urgency of locking down places of worship...we have watched most police countrywide brutalising families that pray together at home, we have watched some police beating up innocent young men n women and the aged, others have even logged preachers. This makes me to think different outside the havoc. Will this act spread or save the situation?

My dear friends, I am convinced that The cross of Christ will heal humanity because it shows the foolishness of the world. I believe that the same testimony that the soldier beside the Cross said " truly this is the Son of God", all the nations will say soon. Many people will regret, true religion that honours God in the Trinity will  gain more strength just like it happened to the Disciples after the resurrection of Christ.

I urge you as Christians and beloved children of God. Please during this time that the world has closed the Churches, reach out to your neighbor through text messages, WhatsApp, Skype or you can form a WhatsApp group as a jumuia/ Small Christian Community. In doing this we shall strengthen our unity as sons and daughters of God. Together we shall conguor the forces against us. That they may be ONE ( John 17:21).

Wishing you God's blessings, healthy Weekend, stay safe and pray for me. 

Rev. Deacon. Samuel Muhanji Nyonje 

samnyonje.blogspot.com

HOMILIA: Ijumaa 3rd April

FRIDAY 3rd April 2020

5th Week of Lent

Homily by Rev. Deacon. Samuel Muhanji Nyonje 

Readings:

Jeremiah 20:10-13

John 10:31-42

Theme: Am Consecrated for a Mission

Dear friends in the Lord, good morning. The Gospel today present Jesus in the temple. He was actually awaiting the feast of the dedication of the temple. Jesus took this occasion to speak of His own consecration by the Father. So, too, Jeremiah the prophet in the first reading believed that he was consecrated by God to save his people. 

How do we know that we are consecrated for God’s mission?  Firstly, we need to receive the inner word of God.  This was the case of Jeremiah.  He heard the Lord calling him in spite of his inadequacy and his youth. Similarly, Jesus Christ was assured by the Father during his baptism at river Jordan. 

I may equate this mission to that of Blessed Virgin Mary- Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ, she too said yes for the consecrated life.

We too must discern our calling in life.  Have we heard that inner voice from God calling us for a particular vocation or mission, or is it our own desire and ambition?  This is the first step of the discernment process.  In the case of Jeremiah, he heard the call so clearly that he could not resist even if he wanted to. We can't resist the call of God, for he has destined for us sanctity and salvation. God called them for a mission not self but for all people ( Mathew 28:19-20).

Secondly, if we claim that we have a divine mission or calling to serve our people, then we need to verify by the works we do.  When we truly serve the people and put their interests first before ours, then we can be more certain that we are called.  But if it is a question of serving our ambition and satisfying our ego and desires, then it shows that such a call is inauthentic.  It is in the process of graciously serving our people, uplifting their lives and giving them hope and meaning, that we know that this call is from the Lord.  When we have nothing to gain from our service, then we know that this call is genuine.

My dear friends, we are living in a world of many imposters. Recently we've heard many young men and women purporting to be Sisters, Seminarians, Deacons and Priests. Many of our Christians have been conned by fake Seminarians and Clergy. These people are within us and they know how we operate our Liturgy. 

We ought to ask God today being Friday as we shall culminate by the way of the Cross, that he may grant us the gift of discernment so that we may know our mission, either as a young lady, a mother, a father, religious or cleric. Above all, that we may know well our shepherds.

I plead with you today, please consecrate yourself, your family and friends to the Lord. Let's remember the blood and water that gushed from side of Jesus is our only strength.

May God bless your family during this test and hardship. Be still and remain connected to the Cross of Jesus Christ.

I remain yours in Christ.

Rev. Deacon. Samuel Muhanji Nyonje 

samnyonje.blogspot.com

HOMILIA: ALHAMISI Aprili 2, 2020

THURSDAY 2nd APRIL 2020

Homily by Rev. Deacon. Samuel Muhanji Nyonje 

Theme: MY IDENTITY 

Readings: 

Genesis 17:3-9

John 8:51-59

Dear friends in our Lord Jesus Christ, good morning. 

Naming in African culture is something special and characterised by unique lineage. To most African communities a child  is named according to a particular clan or renowned personality. This is the experience we encounter in the first reading. Abram is renamed by God to Abraham, Sarah is renamed Sarah. 

This new names given to the son and daughter of God is linked to a particular mission, first is identified with the ratification of the covenant between God and Abraham. 

Though Abraham didn't see all the prescribed  promises, he believed in the Word of God and desires to witness to them.

Beloved friends, Christians are also marked, named in our flesh, as God's own. Baptism is a physical sign, invisible apart from the moment that it takes place, of our true identities. How does God name us, all of us, each of us, who stand in the line of Abraham? According to some biblical passages in which God is said to know our names, God names us as creatures in whom God delights (62:4), as precious (Isaiah 43:4), as utterly known and loved (Isaiah 49:1; John 10:14-15).

Similarly, by virtue of our baptism ( canon 96 of 1983 code) we are made adopted sons and daughters of God, we share in his Kingdom. This kingdom is made manifest by the Word made flesh ( Jesus Christ). This is what we heard in the collect ( opening prayer) this morning. 

In the Gospel passage, Jesus identifies himself with Abraham, great man of faith. He goes ahead telling his audience that before Abraham was I AM. This we all know is the identity of Yahweh. His revelation to likened himself with God is the subject of conviction  to the Jews who doubted the divinity of Christ. To them, this was blasphemy.

Dear friends, to some extend, some of us tend to question the power of Christ because at this havoc of covid-19 many tend to rationalise Christ, some have become skeptical, some have lost their trust in the power of Christ manifested in the Cross.

According to John Mbiti, a renowned African theologian, he has worked on the identity of man to the closeness of the God of our ancestors. Likening Christ to his ancestors. We too are named after our ancestor Abraham. Similarly, St. Thomas Aquinas in his theology on Most Holy Eucharist assert that the Sacrifice we celebrate is one, the same sacrifice Christ offered on the Cross is what is made present in Mass though bloodless. See here, Thomas equate the present to the past.

We should remember that God knows who we really are, and frees and calls us to live into the name that he's given us. To know our true name is, as it was for Abraham and Sarah, to turn, to reorient ourselves according to that name, and to live it. Just as God's naming of Abraham and Sarah was also a calling, in naming us God is calling us to discipleship, casting off the old names by which we've been known, and living into the name that God bestows.

Let's embrace a new identity just like Moses after his encounter with God he didn't remain the same, Jacob after encountering the Angel of God he too changed, Saul after encountering Christ he changed to Paul and a great Apostle. Me and you we have encountered God through the various Sacraments in the Church, and most especially now that most of our Christian's can't make to Churches, you ought to encounter the God in the WORD/ HOLY SCRIPTURE.

Yours in the Lord.

Rev. Deacon Samuel Muhanji Nyonje 

samnyonje.blogspot.com

HOMILIA : Jumatano katika Juma la tano la Kwaresma

WEDNESDAY 1st APRIL 2020 . Fifth Week of Lent.

Rev. Deacon. Samuel Muhanji Nyonje 

Theme: FREEDOM IS CHOOSING GOD

Readings: 

Daniel 3:13-20,24,49-56,91-95

Gospel:  John 8:31-42

Greetings of the new month of April dear friends, brethren in our Lord Jesus Christ.

My dear friends, the world today is obsessed with personal freedom.  The world has abused the notion of freedom to the extent that it has become a new form of slavery. To an extend today, many people have become addicted to drugs and other kind of pleasures as a form of freedom according to their convictions . This I term as slavery under the guise of freedom.

Freedom is not an option to choose good or evil.  This for St. Augustine is free will. However Freedom is the ability to choose life, love and truth.  When one lacks the capacity to do what is true and good, one has lost his or her freedom.  He or she is a slave of the world and a slave of Satan.  

This is what we experience in the first reading. King Nebuchadnezzar under the power of golden gods is forcing the three devoted men to worship his gods. What is exemplary with these three men is their choice to remain and worship YAHWEH the true God.

Their torture is a form of conversion to the hard-hearted king. Is this what God asks of us? The disposition, firmness in faith amidst the fear of furnace , mockery and abuses they still choose to worship the true God who's love. He's infringing the freedom of worship by forcing others to his religion. This is a kind of dictatorship. This form of governance is apparent in most African states, to some extend we have seen and experience this in our country in various public offices, homes and private arenas where most especially Christians are forced to denounce their faith so that they make seek job.

Beloved in the Lord, we must come back to the true meaning of freedom, which is to be faithful to the truth. In whatever we do, we must always ask, whether it is true, whether it is good, whether it serves life, love and truth. This then is true freedom as acclaimed by our Lord, he's the way, truth and life.

Today, we are asked to stand up for what we believe to be the truth, especially in our faith.  Do we have the courage to be like the three young men in the first reading? Dear youths in the Church, if you were in such harsh treatment of these three men, would you choose the truth? 

How, then, can we remain true to our faith so that we enjoy true freedom? First we must live by the Word of Christ that was made flesh. Secondly we must fight to reclaim our dignity, as persons and as sons and daughters of God. 

Today, I compare the furnace / higher degree flame of fire to the Covid-19 in our planet. I compare King Nebuchadnezzar to the source of this virus, be it an economic pride of developed state or persons. Amidst this test of faith I choose to remain steadfast in my faith as Son/ Daughter of God redeemed by Christ Jesus. I believe that the Lord will send his Angel to help us in this fire, just as he sent his Angel to rescue Meshack, Shadrack and Abednego. 

Wishing you fruitful new month and healthy weeks of April.