Bits of the Gospel

The clouds up there are moving, restlessly! Taking a direction known only to them, and the Creator! What a challenge, Oh my people, to be able to foretell the future! We watch him grow, and become a boy. He walks, he cries, he laughs, he sleeps. Never loosing his smile. While all the time he bears in his body, a reason big enough to make him perpetually out of mood! The fate of the poor children, born with handicap. And those others, innocently bearing the scurge of HIV-AIDS! When you look at them grow like other children, with dreams of a bright future. Now you need faith to confirm their dreams! Well, sadly true, sorrow and joy co-exists! And I don't know how, just as I don't know how, the clouds up there move!

Introduction A Christian family, modeled at the image of the Holy Trinity, must be so much cohered that whoever sees it sees unity, sees love, sees peace, sees harmony, sees stability and security.... These are some of the aspects of a family that render it attractive to the younger generation. Needless to say, backbiting and backstabbing, outbursts of anger and the desire to revenge, separation and divorce, to name but a few, render the institution of marriage unattrative to the younger generation. Holy Trinity and the Family St. John Paul II believed the family would play a vital role in the new evangelization. What would be a family that lives these values in an heroic way? It would be a living testimony of the Gospel of Life put in daily life. This way, the Christian family would not be a mere bystander in the Church’s evangelizing mission. We are in the midst of an eroding cultural crisis. Attempts to redefine marriage and the family are more compelling now that ...

Introduction Ashes and Words. Purple and no flowers. A new season has begun. For those lucky to have a creative liturgical corner in the Church or Chapel, a new "symbol" is place there. The colours of preparation for Easter. And the Words of prayers, all set to evoke that sense of urgency for a softening of an hardened hearts. So, the symbols have rocks (stones) for that purpose. Yet, on the dry stump and besides the rock life springs. Like a symbolic sign of the hope for a change of heart. Ashes, Dry palms, and some green ones It is a season with a lot of meaning for man. Man is a creature that survives in time. In fact, the dry brances of palms were green during last year's Palm Sunday. Now, dry as if to symbolize the "drying" of enthusiasm of the christian community. And this calls for a new cycle where our faith is reinvigorated and a new journey starts. Green palms are still symbols of hope for all. That behind the drying up is a desire to remain gr...

Hand drawing-St. J B Cottolengo by Kirimo "Kwani wote wanaoongozwa na Roho wa Mungu ni wana wa Mungu, kwa maana hamkupata roho ya utumwa mwogope tena, bali mmepokea Roho anayewafanya kuwa wana wa Mungu na kuita, "Abba! Baba!" Roho mwenyewe hushuhudia roho zetu ya kuwa sisi  ni wana, tu warithi pia, yaani warithi wa Mungu wanaorithi pamoja na Kristo, tukiwa tunavumilia mateso pamoja na Kristu, tupate kutukuzwa pamoja naye." (Rom. 8:14-17) Ni dhahiri kabisa kwamba Mt. Joseph Benedict Cottolengo sio tu mwana wa Mungu bali mwana Mpendwa na Mpenda Mungu. Upendo huu wa pekee kwa Mungu ulitokana na imani yake dhabiti. Kama Kijana alielimika katika mafundisho makuu ya imani. Alijua kuwa Mungu ametupa wote upendeleo wa pekee sana, ambapo kila mmoja wetu alipewa nafasi ya pekee machoni pa Mungu. Kwanza kabisa, imani hii ilimjengea msimamo na tabia ya aina yake. Katika utendaji kazi wake kama padre, alijitahidi kuwa na upendo wa pekee kwa kila mmoja, akiwapa nafasi ya...

"The Vision 2030 aims to make Kenya, ‘a globally competitive and prosperous nation with a high quality of life’ in the next 25 years, hinged on three key pillars. Economic Pillar: Maintain a sustained economic growth of over 10 percent per annum over the next 25 years Social Pillar: Achieve a just and cohesive society, enjoying equitable social development in a clean and secure environment Political Pillar: Develop an issue-based, people-centred, result-oriented and accountable democratic political system." ___________________________________  Most Kenyan politicians seem to have forgetten that saying they know does not assure us that they know. If you are here to take Kenya to the next level, why have you taken a totally different direction? Politics in Kenya are not issue-based, people-centred, result-oriented and accountable. They are simply 'Pathetic'. Pray, dear Kenyans, for a better Kenya regardless/in spite of who becomes our next president. However...

I would like to share with you this reflection which is based on the question of the Lord Jesus himself, "Where is my guest room where I may eat the passover with my Disciples?" (Mk. 14:14) Easter is near. The disciple are aware of this. Easter with all its festivities evokes a sense of meaning and pride for them. Yet, this Easter is like no other. They are unaware. Jesus asks hospitality from a stranger. He wants to share this Paschal meal with them now because this is not "like any other" as the disciples think. Sorry. It is not even the "Last" as we think! This Paschal event is the "First". There has been no other like this! The one who welcomes Jesus is not even among his acquintances leave alone his disciples. Strange enough, this "Unknown" person has the room ready!Then stranger than this Jesus considers this room his room. Notice the question, "Where is my guest room...?" That room is His. My brothers and sisters, this...

[This is an exerpt of a reflection given by a young boy during sharing the Word of God.] The destiny of the Christian who is called is to share a life with Christ in glory. [Rom 5:2] I realize that the promise is contained in the Word "in hope". Without that hope, the upward calling does not make sense. Hope raises my eyes up to the one who has promised me GLORY. I'm not seeking this glory that the world gives in abundance but that fades away easily. I thank God for you all, my brothers and sisters, my fellow youth and you Fr. Nicholas. This kind of sharing makes my prayer richer. I want to pray more when I discover that God desires it too. Thank you!

Lent is a period or better a season wherein one reviews a number of setbacks in his life and tries to find remedy for them. It is a season calling for personal responsibility. To be Proactive is to accept and take responsibility for your life. You can't keep on blaming your parents or grandparents for everything. A Proactive person recognizes that they are "response-abled." Genetics, circumstances, conditions, or conditioning are not to blame for their behavior. They know they choose their behavior. A reactive person, on the other hand, is often affected by their surrounding. He/she finds external sources to blame for his/her behavior. If the weather is good, they feel good. If it isn't, it affects their attitude and performance, and they blame the weather. External forces act as stimuli that we respond to. Between the stimulus and the response is your greatest power--you have the freedom to choose your response. One of the most important things you choose is wha...

A Requirement in the Daily Life of a Cottolengo Follower Introduction A debate concerning the relevance of religious life in the world today arises frequently. This kind of debate is very much found in the environment of secularism and opulence [riches]. In the circles of the poor and middle class, people do not question the validity of religious life: they embrace it, they laud it, they desire it, and actually they seek for it. One can easily see why. Religious life is synonymous with charity, selflessness, self-giving, and concern. I mean, it is synonymous to virtues. In fact, charity is defined in different ways but always retaining the sense of gratuitouness. “True charity is the desire to be useful to others without thought of recompense,”Emanuel Swedenborg. “Every good act is charity. A man's true wealth hereafter is the good that he does in this world to his fellows,” Moliere. So, therefore, cottolengo followers cannot just look at charity as their distinguishing charact...

May be my reader will see this as a comeback. Yes, is could be rightly though so. After a long time without blogging, I'm here to give you an idea of what was going on through out this period of silence. 1. Vocations Seminar @ Tuuru: in December 2011 2. Vocations Seminar @ Kisarawe: Mid December 2011 3. Christmas and New Year: Kisarawe 4. The Cardinal Archbishop of Dar Es Salaam joins the Cottolengo Family present in Kisarawe (Dar Es Salaam) in a thanksgiving Mass for the Beatification of Blessed Francesco Paleari [16/01/2012]. 5. Graduation of Form Six Students: Kisarawe The pastoral initiatives at Kisarawe, always provoked by the need of the Christians and executed with innovations and creativity by the pastoral agents, require such breaks of Technology. Meanwhile, I'm back and this means we can expect more posts here. Thanks

Whenever a chance presents /forces itself into my life, I reflect. And in reflecting, especially these days during my short stint at home, I have discovered that I need to pray more, this time round, I need to thank God a lot. I will explain. In one of my Lectio Divina , I paused to meditate on the question of Jesus: "Do you too want to go away?" As if he had started sensing the risk of being left alone and needed the reassurance of his followers. I'm imagining myself reassuaring the Lord! Oh! By the way I have a taste for many words. I would be lengthy in making it clear to the Lord that I did not intend to leave him/go away. I don't know why I want/ forced to stay . I feel that staying with the Lord is living a meaningful life. Life without him would no longer have any taste. I forgot to tell you this. Jesus prefers short answers, actually he does not need my words. Peter knew it. Rather than answering the question, he asks. He is acutely aware that Jesus ha...

Generous is the person who gives less importance to what he possesses and more importance to persons. A generous person evokes feelings of tenderness, gentleness, concern, and security. Generosity is the capacity to give without expecting reciprocation. It is the readiness to give resources, sentiments, and oneself because one feels responsible for everything, and part of everything. A friend of mine says, "Let me be won over by charity. Let generosity rule over me." And by so saying, she goes ahead to give without measure. I think that the generous person has been won over by the love of Christ, which thereby becomes the operating force from within. [2 Cor 5:14]. Reflect.

We have had three days full of lessons on various topics including, Challenges emerging from other faiths and sects, Pro-life talks, Friendship for courtship and marriage, and the Sacramental life especially on Reconciliation and Eucharist. Among other activities, we had beautiful skits, poems, songs, and comics, which rendered the whole event youthful and full of life. The religious communities present in Kisarawe collaborated in organizing the event. the event.

I have many lessons to learn just as I have learned many. For instance, young people love to predict what s likely to happen in an encounter. predictability reduces the fear of the unknown. knowing what's going to happen allows young people to prepare themselves for it, and perhaps to be predisposed to find enjoyment in it. In this way, successful self-fulfilling prophecy is built into the experience. This principle applies to youth ministers in many ways. Let's talk about my recent experience. We have organized a prayer day which was meant to have some guests present. I told some of the participants before hand that some guests would be present and that they were supposed to share with them freely during the "sharing break". Those who knew this already were very enthusiastic since morning. They arrived earlier than the rest, were well dressed, brought their Bibles and notebooks. The difference was obvious. Some of those who knew nothing came dressed "not very ...

Let me begin by clarifying that this Solemnity should be understood in the context of Resurrection, the Easter Event. The Apostles are clearly sad. The Lord has in the last days behaved "strangely", like one really serious when He says, "I'm going to my Father and your Father, My God and your God." And even more saddening facts, "The world will hate you [read, will treat you badly. Think of the Good Friday Facts fresh in mind!] just they did to me!" (John 16:16-20). It did not feel good at all, nor did the disciples seem to receive it with the faith expected [They received it with the faith they had, their little faith!) Ascension, as it is presented to us, is clearly the feast of glory. First, if we still stick to our faith that God cannot lose his Glory [Not even theoretically!]then we've already admitted that the Son kept his glory through his earthly life: birth, life, teachings, suffering, death and resurrection, even to Ascension. For us t...

I now remember the witty words of Dietrich Bonhoeffer: "Cheap grace is the mortal enemy of the Church.[...] Cheap grace is preaching forgiveness without repentance; it is baptism without the discipline of community; it is the Lord's supper without confession of sin; it is absolution without personal confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without the living, incarnate Jesus Christ." And without being aware of what we are asking for, we want to obtain what we do not know. Good Friday, for instance, is the event [sic, the experience!] that frees us from thinking about small gains in order to ponder on our own personal fate, about the ultimate meaning of all life. And yet, many abhor the Good Friday, all set to grab the sweet glory of Easter. Easter, in fact, is a big and loud 'No' to cheap grace, if cheap grace were to be understood in terms of separation of the Good Friday experience from the Easter glory!

We are all longing for peace, inner peace I mean. It can never do any good to fool oneself into ignoring the truth, for in deceiving oneself about the truth of one's own life, one is certainly deceiving oneself about the Truth, God's truth as well. The truth shall make you free. Yes, the Truth shall make you True. The truth shall make you free. And the Truth will sure make you a Son of God. God's truth is God's love, and God's love frees us from ourselves for the other. To be free means nothing except being in love. And being in love means nothing except being in God's truth. If I let this be, I can say like the Lord, "I'm the Way, the Truth and the Life."

Every new morning is a new beginning of our life. Every day is a completed whole. This day, today is the limit of our sorrows and efforts. It is long enough to find God, or to lose Him, to keep faith or to fall into sin and shame. Just as the good old sun rises every morning anew, so is God's eternal mercy new every morning. I will always begin my day with a smile!

My friends, sometimes people can’t express love in the same way as you can and they are often thought of as not loving you. yeah, some of us have chosen not to express love in some of those mundane-carnal ways. Understanding that everyone is different helps you to understand your own capacity to love and not put expectations on someone else to fulfill you. " I'm busy putting expectations for myself and fulfilling them to my satisfaction. I really do not have time to fulfill yours ". Such a statement is a statement of love, not indifference or disrespect. And God has said, " Love them as I have loved you ". It sounds like, love them by obeying Our Father, who speaks through his Spirit deep down your heart!

Anyone who has discovered Christ leads others to Christ. A great joy cannot be kept to oneself. It has to be shared, passed on, and multiplied. Some people tend to live their lives as if with or without God everything would be the same. Yet, the great secret is always the same. There is always a feeling of frustration, a sense of dissatisfaction with everyone and everything. No wonder those who refuse to acknowledge God in their lives become victims of other strange attachments. We who have discovered Christ have a duty to save others from the dreadful feeling of dissatisfaction and hopelessness. Faith shared is faith growing or expanding. Needless to say, faith is nourished by such commitment.