JUMAPILI YA 3 MWAKA C Maana ya Sheria

  • Sheria katika jamii ina kazi nyingi. Nne kati ya hizi ni muhimu sana.
    • Kuweka vipimo (Establishing Standards)
    • Kudumisha mpangilio na taratibu (Maintaining order)
    • Kutatua migogoro (Resolving disputes)
    • Kulinda haki na uhuru (Protecting liberties and rights).
  • Kila mtu akishika sheria, jamii itakuwa na amani na maendeleo. Watu wakikiuka sheria lazima kutakuwa na mafarakano na shida nyingi.
  • Mwana falsafa Aristotle alisema kwamba mwanadamu ni mnyama mwanasiasa. Maana yake ni kwamba mwanadamu anaishi na kujitambua katika polis, yaani kati ya wanadamu wengine. Lakini pia Mwanafalsafa Thomas Hobbes alisema kwamba, mwanadamu anajitambua kama sawa na mwenzake na kuwa na haki sawa kwa kila kitu. Ikiwa watu wawili watataka kitu kimoja lakini hawawezi kukimiliki kwa pamoja, lazima kutakuwa na mvutano na vita, kila mtu akitumia nguvu kukipata, hivyo kuna haja ya kuweka mkataba kati ya wanadamu ili kusalimisha nguvu na mamlaka yao kwa kile kinajulikana kama sheria ambayo inaamua kati yao kila wanapokumbana na utata wa ubinafsi. Ili kuishi maisha mazuri, wanadamu wanakusanyika na kuweka mpangilio wa sheria zitakazowalinda dhidi yao wenyewe.
  • Sheria ya Mungu ni mwongozo wa wokovu katika Yesu Kristu ambaye ni kilele cha Sheria.
  • Katika Somo kutoka kitabu cha Neemia (Neh 8:2-10), tumesikia kusomwa kwa sheria ya Mungu mbele za watu ili wapate kuzijua na kuzishika.
  • Miaka mia moja baada ya Waisraeli kurudi kutoka uhamishoni babeli, bado mambo hayakuwa yanaenda sawa. Kulikuwa na ukihukaji mkubwa wa haki za watu, unyanyasaji na dhuluma.
  • Ezra, ambaye alikuwa mwalimu wa sheria, anaguduwa kwamba watu hawakiuki sheria ya Mungu makusudi, bali kwa sababu hawakuzijua sheria zile. Hivyo anaamua pamoja na walawi wengine kuwasomea watu sheria na kuwaeleza maana yake wapate kujua na kuzifuata.
  • Katika siku zetu, tuna walawi – waklero ambao wameteuliwa, kuandaliwa na kuwekwa wakfu kwa ajili ya kuwafundisha watu sheria ya Mungu na kufafanua maana yake.
  • Sheria ya Mungu ni msaada kwa watu wake. Mungu alitupa sheria na kuikamilisha katika Kristu ili iwe mwongozo wa maisha mazuri na njia ya kuurithi ufalme wa mbinguni.
  • Tunasikia kwamba watu walilia baada ya kuisikia torati. Waliishi bila kuijua sheria. Katika nyakati hizi pia watu wengi wanaishi pasipo kujua sheria ya kweli kwa sababu hawajafundishwa. Hawaendi kanisani wala jumuiya, au wanaabudu tu kwa hisia bila kujifunza sheria na haki. Hawatembei pamoja na wengine, wanatafuta wokovu wa binafsi. Hivyo wanaishi gizani.
  • Ezra anawaambia watu wafurahi kwa sababu sasa wameijua sheria. Kujua sheria na taratibu kunaleta uhuru na furaha. Watu wengi wanaishi kama watumwa kwa sababu hawajui sheria.
  • Kujua sheria kunasaidia pia kujua haki na majukumu yetu. Kwa mfano, mtu akijua sheria na taratibu za nchi, anaweza kujitetea dhidi ya unyanyasaji wowote. Asiyejua sheria kila wakati atanyanyaswa.
  • Katika mwimbaji wa katikati Zab 18, mwandishi anasema kwamba sheria ya Bwana ni kamilifu na huiburudisha nafsi. Hii inamaana kwamba sheria ya Bwana ina kila kitu kinachohitajika kuishi maisha mema, na mtu anayeijua na kuishika anapata faraja na hekima. Amri ya Mungu ni safi huyatia macho nuru, inaangaza njia ya mtu.
  • Kicho/hofu ya sheria ya Mungu ni mwanzo wa hekima. Mtu ambaye hana hofu ya sheria anapata adhabu kila wakati. Atakuwa hana amani, anasakwa kila wakati.
  • Sheria pia uandikwa ili iweze kuhifadhiwa na kufundishwa kwa vizazi vingine. Kama vile katika jamii zetu za kiafrika kulikuwa na mithali. Mithali ni mafundisho ya kina ya maisha yaliyofanyiwa utafiti na kutumika kuonya, kufariji, kutia moyo na kufundisha.
    • Asiyesikia la mkuu huvunjiaka guu.
    • Mtaka cha mvunguni sharti ainame.
    • Pole pole ndiyo mwendo.
    • Ngoja ngoja utakuta mwana si wako.
    • Ujanja wa tumbili uishia jangwani.
    • Kuvunjika kwa mwiko sio mwisho wa kupika ugali.
    • Aliye juu mngojee chini.
    • Aliyevalia kiatu ndiye anayejua kinapombana. Nk.
  • Luka mwinjilisti, alifanya utafiti wa kina kuhusu maisha ya Yesu aliyeitwa Kristu ili awaandikie watu waweze kumfahamu na kumfuata.
  • Sababu kubwa ya kuja kanisani ni kusikiliza Neno la Mungu ambalo ni chemichemi ya hekima na uzima, ili tuzijue sheria zake tupate kuishi kikamilifu. Yh 10:10, Yesu anasema, “Nimekuja duniani ili wapate kuwa na uhai na wawe nao tele”. Maisha ya milele mbinguni tunaanza kuyaonja hapa duniani tukizijua na kuzishika sheria za Mungu.
  • Yesu mwenyewe alikuja kufundisha wanadamu sheria ya Baba. Kazi hii aliifanya kwa maneno na kwa matendo yake. Aliifanya kwa dhati ya moyo bila kuogopa kuwakera watu. Yesu aliwaambia wanafunzi wake. “Mtu akinipenda atalishika neno langu, na Baba yangu atampenda, nasi tutakuja kwake na kukaa naye” (Yh 14:23).
  • Yesu anatimiza unabii wake Isaya 61:1-2, kwamba yeyé alikuwa mjumbe wa Mungu kuleta habari njema ya wokovu kwa wote, hususan waliokandamizwa.
  • Hii ndiyo habari njema ya wokovu wetu. Kuzijua sheria na taratibu za Mungu kutatupa maisha mema.
  • Yesu ndiye kilele cha sheria na tukimjua yeyé tutakuwa kitu kimoja. Paulo katika waraka wake wa 1 kwa Wakorintho 12:12-30, anatuambia kwamba sisi wote ni viungo vya mwili mmoja wa Kristu. Hivyo sisi ni kitu kimoja.
  • Wiki iliyopita kama kanisa tulikuwa tukiombea umoja kati ya makanisa yanayomwamini na kumhubiri Kristu kama Mwana wa Mungu na Mkombozi wa ulimwengu.
  • Mashindano yanayoshuhudiwa kati ya makanisa ya Kikristu ni ishara ya kutomfahamu huyu Yesu na mafundisho yake. Tungemjua Yesu kwa kweli tungelipendana pasipo kujali tofauti zetu za kuabudu. Yesu mwenyewe anawaambia wanafunzi wake: “Watu wote watawatambua kama wafuasi wangu, mkipendana” (Yh 13:35).
  • Ni uongo kusema kwamba sisi ni wakristu, maana yake wafuasi wa Kristu, kama hatupendani sisi kwa sisi. Tunashindana na kukomoana, kisa na maana tunaabudu kwa njia tofauti.
  • Ukifuatilia wengi wanaochochea chuki na migawanjiko katika misingi ya tofauti katika teolojia na liturgia, wengi wao hawajamtambua Kristu wala sheria ya Mungu. Wao wamejiumbia kristu wao badia ambaye anakidhi vigezo vyao na matakwa yao. Sio Yesu wa Nazareti Mwana wa Mungu bali Yesu mali ya mtu binafsi.
  • Hii pia inafanyika kwa Roho Mtakatifu, sio Roho Nafsi ya tatu ya Mungu, bali roho nguvu na mali ya binafsi inayouzwa na kununuliwa katika sehemu za kuabudia. Huyo roho kwa kweli hawezi kuwa Roho Mtakatifu Mungu.
  • Utapeli huu wa kiroho umekuwa janga kubwa linalowaacha watu vibaya sana, kiafya, kihisia, kisikolojia na kijamii.
  • Kwa mfano Mungu alitupa akili ya kubumbua matibabu ya magonjwa mbali mabli, lakini utamsikia mtu akiwaambia watu wasiende hospital wakaombewe. Mtu ameng’atwa na mbu na kuambukizwa na malaria anapaswa kupata matibu ya haraka. Asipopata matibabu haraka, viruzi vya malaria uhadhiri ubongo na uenda mtu akachanganyikiwa. Hii inatafsiriwa kama mapepo ya kuombewa.
  • Mungu aliwapa wanadamu uwezo wa kuzaa na kuitiisha dunia, maana yake aliwapa uwezo wakujua mambo yatakayowezesha kuishi ulimwenguni. Yesu alifundisha kwa miujiza yake kwamba, lazima tushirikiane na neema ya Mungu na kuchangia katika miujiza tunayohitaji.
  • Kwa mfano: siku moja alipokuwa akiwafundisha watu wengi, wafuasi wake walimwambia awaage watu waende vijijini kujinunulia chakula, lakini Yesu akawaambia wawape chakula wao. Wao walimjibu kwamba hawakuwa na hela ya kutosha kununua mikate ya kulisha umati mkubwa. Yesu akawauliza “Mnayo mikate mingapi” wakasema mitano na samaki wawili. Yesu alibariki kile walichokuwa nacho, mchango wao, na kikawa kingi na cha kuwatosha walio wengi (Mk 6:34-44). Mungu anataka tuwajibike na kushirikiana kwa yale ametupa akili na uwezo kuyafanya, kisha tumwachie yale hatuwezi.
  • Ndugu zangu, kubatizwa na kutajataja jina la Yesu haimaanishi kwamba tuna imani au tunamjua Kristu. Yesu alisema mwenyewe: “Sio kila mtu aniambiaye bwana bwana atakayeingia katika ufalme wa mbingu, bali yeyé afanyaye atakayo baba yangu aliye mbinguni” (Mt. 7:21).
  • Na twende leo tukajifunze mapenzi ya kweli ya Mungu katika maisha yetu. Matayo 25:31-46 inatuongoza kujua mapenzi ya Mungu. Tusiwe wepesi wa kutapeliwa kiroho na baadhi ya watu wanaofanya biashara ya kuuza na kunuua miuza ambayo haina risiti kutoka kwa Mungu. Ni baadia, na ni feki.
  • Amina

Fr.  Lawrence Muthee,  SVD

 

Celebrating Sts. Arnold and Freinademetz

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This week the SVD Family in Kenya – Tanzania Province gathered in the Common Formation Centre in Langata, Nairobi , to celebrate the life, mission and Sainthood of the two great men, who formed the foundations of the Congregation of the Divine Word Missionaries: Sts. Arnold Janssen and Joseph Freinademetz.

The first day the celebration began with a Lectio Divina led by Bro. Douglas Simonetti, SVD. the reflection was from John 15, “The vine and the Branches”.  After that, there  followed part 1 of the Brendan Memorial Lectures, given by Fr. Albert Fuchs, SVD. This is the first lecture of the kind. According to the provincial, these lectures will be a continuous programme of the province and will be given by different people on different topic on different occassions.

The first lecture was on Bibliolog/Bibliodrama, and the drama was on the story of Joseph and his family in Genesis 37.

On the second day, the celebrations began with a prayer led by the Eldoret District and followed thereafter by the part 2 of the lecture centered also on the Bibliodrama which included some dance and movements. Then there were some indoor games led by Fr. Eric Lacandula, SVD. Later in the afternoon there was a game of Volleyball between the senior confreres and the Students.

The climax was the celebration of the Holy Eucharist in which the new postulants were accepted, the installation of the Minor Orders of Acolytes and Lectors, the acceptance into the second novitiate and the presentation of the Mission Cross to Fr. Alex Owino, who will be leaving for his mission destination in Germany.

The Mass was presided by Fr. Laurensius Lelu Bau, SVD. The Homily was given by Fr. Peddy Castelino, SVD and con-celebrated by fr. Leo Fernando, SVD, who also presided the minor orders.

After the mass there was plenty of Nyama Choma (grilled meat) and lots of other delicacies to enjoy, as well as lot of entertainment and dance. It was indeed a lovely celebration.

Fr. Lawrence Muthee, SVD

The Mysteries of Joy By Evans Koech

THE ANNUNCIATION

What Joy it Brings?

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With the wings He appeared, He comes the good news. Though weird it appears, Salvation of the World is what it bears, Gabriel comes with Annunciation.

 

With a leap on her womb, Even the unexpected get amazed. Unlike the unbelieving groom, in her heart happiness blooms, Elizabeth receives the scoop.

With the hustle of a room, no doubt Mary was in labour. Looking for a place to give birth, some place high in the rocks of Bethlehem, away from the water but sheltered from wind.

I have heard of this happening before, normally eight days after birth. positively thrilled to present the Lord, here they come with a dove, the Temple leaps with joy.

From house to house they searched, like looking for needle in hay stack. Wishing they had a picture to described, With worry their heads scratch, looking for him with the Temple scribes. 

Next…The Visitation…

Epiphany: Burka Parish Celebrates Feast Day

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On 6 January 2019, our confreres working in Burka Parish in the Archdiocese of Arusha, led their congregation to mark the Parish Feast Day. The Holy Eucharist was presided by Rt. Rev. Bishop Prosper Balthazar Lyimo, the Auxiliary Bishop of Arusha Archdiocese. During the Mass, very nine couples blessed their marriage.

After the Mass, there were two main events to mark the occasion. The first one was a Bible quiz that also included some questions form the history of evangelization by the Catholic Church in Tanzania. The second one was the Zonal Choir Competition that was marking its second edition since its inauguration in 2017.

Epiphany is the Feast of our Lord that celebrates the Manifestation of God to all human king, through His son Our Lord Jesus Christ. In the Western Church, it is celebrated on sixth of January after the Nativity or Christmas day, which is celebrated on 25 December. However, the Eastern Churches celebrates Christmas on the day of the Epiphany.

This feast may seem a very regular and comprehensible for many Christians but it calls for very deep understanding, because it is the very foundation of the Christian Faith, which makes it so different from other faiths. In fact, this celebration can be traced in the very beginning of the Christian community: “”But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews indeed a stumbling block, and unto the Gentiles foolishness” (1 Cor 1:23).

The reason why the Jews were scandalized by the preaching of the crucified Christ was their very understanding of who God was which that God was is Almighty, all-powerful, non-human, far away from the creation and who can never become a creature like human.

However, for the followers of Jesus (later known as Christians), the very God of their fore fathers who was the Almighty, powerful, non-human, far away from the creation and who could never become a creature like human; had indeed broken the barrier and intervened in the lives of human beings. This was by becoming like them in order to save them from damnation that they wrought upon themselves by sinning against him. In the letter of St. Paul to Philippians, we read, “Who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. 7.Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, 8.he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross” (Phil 2:6-8).

This fundamental difference in faith is what divides the religious world today into two opposites. Sometimes, this has brought a lot of conflict, when people from these opposed sides engage into religious competition about who is right and who is wrong. However, should there be a cause of conflict in this? In my opinion, the answer would be NO. I explain: As John Mbiti, a Kenyan religious scholar, put it in the 60s, human beings are religious from the core and Africans are notoriously religious for that matter. Nevertheless, being religious and professing a certain creed are two different things.

Now, no one chooses to be religious or no because man and woman are religious by nature. Again, not very many people get the chance to choose the creed they profess either. Many of us became followers of the creeds we profess today by birth, we did not choose. For instance, majority Spaniards are Catholics by birth just the way many Indonesians are Muslims by birth. Therefore, that is how we find ourselves in either of the opposing sides. However, fundamental this difference might be, in my opinion it should not, be used as the cause of conflict and religious competition. Creed, though it is the foundation of faith, it is not the central value. The main faith groups champion the values of Love and Charity, Justice and human rights, etc. This I propose should be the unifying factor between all human beings.

Fr. Lawrence Muthee, SVD

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