Bits of the Gospel

The night she died, her mood was high. Anita smiled frequently and broadly, talking energetically to those who came to see her. She wanted to share out all her riches--riches she had earned through sweat, her own sweat. For sure, the richer in experience a person's humanity, the more she is critical of herself, conscious of the limits of her human progress, conscious of her reality, the more she knows how and when to trust. When you know reality through such people, a witness of this kind, your whole personality is engaged, not just your reason. Your whole personality is drawn to her and you notice in her values that fortify her. "I will leave all my property to Agape Centre," she declared to her lawyer. "Please, change my will to suit this. I have already given my two children their share. My daughter lives like a queen just across the road. She owns that estate. My son lives happily in Thailand. He has enough to spend even if he were to retire at the age of thir...

One of the things I have noted about my readers is the way they quickly grasp my point of view and positively comment on my posts. In a very down-to-earth manner, the discussions ensuing become real lessons for me. I love people in my own way. I like others because of their capacity to say exactly what they mean, how they are direct in their communication. Without this, how would wisdom be defined? With this capacity to focus and name things precisely, that definition of Wisdom that is perennially acceptable still holds true. Wisdom, it states, is knowing what the right things to do and say are, then saying and doing them. Now, serving people of various cultural and religious background has taught me a thing or two. I will state three. One, be confident if you want to inspire confidence. This applies to all the other virtues. Two, listen to people and tether the terrible urge of solving their problems. They are capable of doing this themselves. All they need is the assurance that the...

Let's smooth our lives, scrub off old and dead skin, it might be the right action, for this time outlives, every man and woman. We're already facing the word, the contact must be felt, for by nature is silent, and silently shapes the world, giving new life first. Let's make ourselves ready, today, not tomorrow my friends, because the Word is God's and you can only be happy, to get by it moulded. This is purple time, yes, it's advent season, if you want to listen, now, God's promises in rhyme, and you can with him reason. In and out, we all go, but what matters is shape, get yourself a proper shape, before He sets all on the go, with Him in a timeless shape.

Is death really to be feared? Does death speak the last word? Without pushing far a reflection, the last word is from God's Son. You, being a son, or daughter of God then, you speak the last one. Is death to cause a scare, or push us towards overcautiousness? Even though it's not rare, death hasn't the last words, you know it, though not aware? It should be understood, not as a terminator of life, but as a passage to God, who stands as true Life, where joy and not strife, laden all who it ruled. It is transfiguration, in fact, a change for better. And so I should say as a christian, "I'm not afraid of death bitter, because I know I will be risen, by Him who promised life." "Eloi, Eloi!" we cry, a feeling of aloneness. yet, He's there as we cry, to cry with us and wipe our tears. He's God with us, saviour! Deo Gratias! Fr. Nick

Well, let me alert you that this is an emotional and personal confession. I did not want to write this. I did not feel like penning this post. In fact, as I key in this article, I have mixed feelings. I feel as if something big has suddenly dropped off my bag. I feel as if someone has snatched away my golden case. Yes, there is sorrow connected to detachment. Yet, I have another feeling of anxiety which is actually more pressing. I have this feeling that I am about to begin a truly exciting adventure. Yes, these two feelings are alternating frequently. I have been slowly persuaded to write this by my four friends, now mentored learners. I did not want to bid them farewell by they brought up the topic so frequently that I had to give in. When I celebrated a farewell mass on Thursday evening, I realized then that I was not alone in feeling that my imminent departure had caused pain to majority of pupils and staff in the school community. The announcement was taken by many as a conspira...

Mukethi smiles frequently. Her smiles are spontaneous, eruptive and broad. I'm writing about this for several reasons but especially for the fact that her genuine and beautiful smiles are contagious. Let me explain. Mukethi embodies beauty not because of her body complexion. In fact she has nothing about her that you could call physical beauty. Yet, Mukethi stands out from among her agemates some who have lost their natural beauty to creams and skin lighteners. I stand to take the podium in defense of grace! While I do the talking, I know that I am not fit to make a specimen. I will let Mukethi's beauty take that role. Without seeming petty, let me propose the measure of beauty. Physical beauty is skin deep. You can lighten your skin only for a day, I am told, by simply taking a tablet. That impresses the viewer only for a while. In that case, you rely on others for you to feel beautiful. So this kind of beauty is easily tampered with. It is actually commercialized, a target of...

This time round, I feel that it is good to shelf my fiery article on the attitude of Kenyans towards their own leaders and that of leaders towards their citizens. I have decided to post a prayer that has been in my heart for a couple of days. I know it is not just a prayer but a poem, an emotional presentation of my thoughts and feelings to the almighty. Lord, despite the darkness, I can see you clearly!  Your hands has not yet grabbed me, but I can feel your touch, your caress on my head. Lord, with all the darkness, I still see you clearly! You're in my thoughts, as I seek solutions to these problems. You're in all my imaginations, in all the vast horizons; like a small seed. You're there in the flowing rivulets, in the plains and mountains. You're with the children and their mothers, their siblings and their fathers. You're in all that's born and dies. Lord, I see you clearly, despite the dense fog of life! You're in the mind ...