A BLESSING TO ALL FOR THE NEW YEAR

At the beginning of the New Year, let us call upon the Lord, that he may bless us.

In the book of Numbers 6:22-27, Moses is ordered to tell Aaron, the priest, to bless the people, using the following formula:

“May the Lord (Yahweh) bless you and keep you.

May the Lord (Yahweh) let his face shine on you and be gracious to you.

May the Lord (Yahweh) uncover his face to you and bring you peace.”

That is the blessing that I call upon you all. May the Lord be gracious to us; may the light of his face illumine us, so that we walk no more in darkness; and may he grant us peace.

As we enter the New Year, we cannot allow the doubts, the uncertainties, the shortcomings and the sufferings prevalent in the past year cover us in a dark cloud of despair, which does not allow us to see any way out any more. The optimism of the previous years has been shattered to pieces. The conviction that we become always bigger and get always more has been challenged by the downturn of the rich economies, which in the end were found to be bankrupted. People got used to consume and to enjoy life and they think it to be their right, even when they keep up the consumption with borrowed money that they cannot pay.

As we start the New Year, let us be realistic. We must stop living beyond our means, and must learn to save instead of spending. We need to work for a society that is fairer to all and which all can find a life worth of living.

May God bless you all.

CHRISTMAS: THE SAVIOUR COMES TO US

THE SUN OF JUSTICE COMES TO END THE DARKNESS OF OPPRESSION

In the gospel of today’s morning mass, we read the hymn of Zechariah (Lk 1:67-79) pronounced at the birth of his son, John the Baptist. It is a song of praise to God, because he fulfilled the promises made to our ancestors by sending a saviour to rescue his suffering people.

At the end of the hymn, we find these words: “God from on high will bring the rising Sun to visit us, to give light to those who live in darkness and the shadow of death and to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

These words help us to understand why the birth of Jesus Christ is celebrated on 25^th December. We do not know in which day Jesus was born; and as for the year, we guess, because we know the date of Herod the Great’s death and Jesus was born while he was still alive. However, for past generations, the day and the year of one’s birth did not matter. Think of it… how many of the old people you know can tell you when they were born? In spite of that, the fact remains that they were born. And so it is with Jesus: the truth of the fact remains: he was born. And that is what we celebrate.

The fact that Jesus’ birth is celebrated on 25^th December is due to a well succeeded effort of inculturation. Throughout the Roman Empire, people celebrated the rising sun on 25^th December, which is the date of the winter solstice in the Julian calendar, used in the first centuries. The feast of the sun was a pagan feast, which persisted even after the majority of the population in the Empire had become Christians, putting in danger their faith in Jesus Christ. Guided by the Holy Spirit, the Church decided to celebrate the birth of Jesus on the same date, because he is the true rising sun, the sun of justice, which dispels darkness and oppression, and brings peace, joy, life and salvation.  At Christmas, celebrating the birth of our Saviour, we proclaim that Jesus Christ is the light of the world.

Merry Christmas to all, full of Jesus’ blessings.

IV SUNDAY OF ADVENT: Luke 1:26-38

MARY, THE FAVOURED ONE

We cannot end the Advent season without talking about Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ. To her, the angel applied the words of the prophet Zechariah: “Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion” (Zech 2:10), when he greeted her saying: “Rejoice, so highly favoured” (Lk 1:28).

Mary is like the daughter of Zion, and she is going to see the fulfillment of God’s promises. She must rejoice, because God has remembered the suffering of his people and is going to send the liberator, the Messiah; and she must rejoice because God has highly favoured her, choosing her to be the mother of the Messiah. Later on, Elisabeth would recognize this favour bestowed on Mary and call her “Blessed among women” and the “mother of my Lord” (Lk 1:42-43).

We are preparing ourselves to celebrate the birth of Jesus and we will do it rejoicing together with Mary. She carried Jesus in her womb and welcomed him in her arms; she brought him up with love and care; in a similar way, we must be ready to welcome Jesus in our lives and to give him a place in our homes.

With Mary, we must learn to listen to God’s message and be ready to accept his will, even when we do not understand it very well. She gave her final answer to God’s messenger: “I am the handmaid of the Lord, let what you have said be done to me.” (Lk 1:38). Every time we pray Our Father, we say: Your will be done.

Looking at Mary, we must realize that we cannot be true disciples of Jesus and we cannot find salvation without having the same attitude and making the same decision: I am the servant of Lord; let your will be done.

In Chililabombwe, for a wedding

Austin Chiluba and Cecilia Solo

Chililabombwe, in Zambia, is like my home. I worked there for many years, and there I have many friends, with whom I feel at home; they have become my family. As a priest, I had influence in the lives of many; however, that influence was reciprocal. They have taught me so much, and with their guidance and their love I have grown in wisdom and understanding. 

It was with great joy that I spent the weekend in Chililabombwe. Chiluba and Cecilia invited me to their wedding. Both of them were active members of youth groups; both enjoy singing and both were members of Yangeni Singers group. In their wedding ceremony, after the exchange of rings, they sang “Umbike pa cifuba cobe” (Set me as a seal upon thy heart), taken from the Song of Solomon 8:6-7).

In the years spent in Lubengele Parish, I always paid attention to the youth and I always made an effort to give guidance to the ones in a relationship, being aware that a good foundation for marriage starts in the early years, when love starts changing their lives. Young people need guidance and support, so that they enter in marriage with a love that is strengthened and cemented by their commitment to each other. And that guidance and support must be there during the early years of marriage as well.

To the Lord I ask that he may pour his blessings upon Chiluba and Cecilia and all the other young couples.

III SUNDAY OF ADVENT: John 1:6-8,19-28

John the Baptist, a witness

The gospel of John presents the Baptist as man who came as a witness. After John’s death and even after Jesus’ resurrection and the spreading of the Christian Church throughout the Roman Empire, there were people who thought of John of being much more than a prophet. Paul found some of his disciples in Ephesus (Eph 19:1). It is possible that some confusion arose between Christians and the disciples of John; that’s why John’s gospel states it very clearly: John the Baptist was just a man. He was not the light, but he came to speak for the Light. In fact, John refused to be the Messiah; instead, he presented himself as a voice crying out in the wilderness and calling on people to come to the Saviour and to accept him.

A witness only can be considered a witness, if he speaks the truth; and John was true to himself and to his mission. Questioned about his baptism, he did not make much of it, since he was baptizing just with water. In a way, that statement presents the difference of the Christian baptism, in which we are baptized with the Holy Spirit.

In baptism, we are born of the Spirit

In the Christian baptism, water is used as symbol and an instrument of the Holy Spirit. Some people think that the most important thing is the water, and that one has to go under water in order to be truly baptized. The Holy Spirit does the miracle of a new creation, which takes place in baptism. It is from him that we are born again as children of God.

THE GOSPELS ARE PROCLAMATIONS OF THE NEWS OF SALVATION

Reading the Gospel of Mark

The Gospel of Mark will be the main gospel book to be read during this liturgical year. It is the shortest gospel and it is counted as the first to be written, becoming one of the sources of the later gospels of Matthew and Luke.

The first verse is like the title of the book: “The beginning of the good news (gospel) of Jesus Christ, the Son of God” (NRSV – New Revised Standard version), and it tells us what to expect of the book: it gives us news about Jesus Christ. And those are good news (gospel), because he is the Son of God, who came to live among us.

In a way, Mark sets up the standard and the scope of the books called gospels: they are proclamations about Jesus, and they intend to lead us to faith in Jesus, the Son of God. They are not biographies of Jesus, in which we expect to find a thorough report of what he did and said. In his gospel, John tells us that Jesus said and did much more that he reported. He wrote just enough for us to know Jesus, and to believe that he “is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name” (Jn 20:31).

The Gospels reflect the preaching, the catechesis and the life of the Christian Communities. Jesus is the centre of the Christian life, and the Gospels were written to lead us to Jesus, so that in him we find life and salvation.

II SUNDAY OF ADVENT: Mk 1:1-8

JOHN THE BAPTIST, A FREE AND FEARLESS MAN

By his message and his character, John the Baptist still stands out today as an extraordinary man. 

In a way, he was a strange man; one may even consider him to be crazy. Alone in the desert, surviving on a frugal diet of honey and locusts, and dressed in camel’s hair tied with a leather belt around his waist – what a frightful vision. However, appearances are deluding.  And he was looked upon as a holy man, with plenty of people coming to him for guidance.

By his life, John was a protest and a challenge to the society, which he lived in. He rejected its values and its way of life, and showed it in everything that he said and did. He looked upon it as a rotten society that was interested only in the pursuit of pleasure, wealth and power. So he decided to run away from it. In him, we can see an angry man who dealt with his anger by going into the desert, instead of taking a sword in order to clean society in a blood bath. He wanted a radical change, but he would not bring it about by shedding others’ blood. 

Surprisingly, his way of life was appealing to many people who started going to him, and for them he had a powerful and meaningful message: “Prepare the way of the Lord”.

John was a free and fearless man. Nothing was powerful enough to bring him into submission and keep his mouth shut. He lived by the truth, and he was ready to die for it. In his freedom, he would speak out and denounce the vices of the powerful, and he would call the common people to repentance and conversion.

Questioned about his own identity, he had a very simple answer: I am just a voice calling in the desert (Jn 1:23).

Looking at John, we should always remember that the word spoken in freedom and truth is powerful and effective and, sooner or later, it will bring change.

I SUNDAY OF ADVENT: Stay awake

We are starting the season of Advent, in which we prepare ourselves for the great celebration of Christmas.

Advent: the coming of the Saviour

The word advent means arrival or coming; and by that we mean the coming of the Saviour. The season of Advent is a season in which our hearts are full of hope and expectation. The history of salvation as we find it in the Scriptures, is a history pregnant with expectation, born out of God’s promises. Christians are a people of hope, who do not dwell in the past, but keep on walking towards the future, knowing that, in spite of the present problems, tension and anguish, better times will come, which will be times of joy and peace.

False optimism

As a teenager, during the sixties, I shared the prevalent optimism, believing that science would solve the biggest problems of the world. Science had made so many strides, that nothing seemed impossible any more. We did not think much about the constant nuclear threat pending over our heads, which was a product of science.

Nowadays, science is taking even bolder steps, researching everything that can be researched and inventing new machinery and new gadgets every day. However, we have lost all that optimism and all that confidence in the power of science to solve our problems. In fact, if we look deep, we find that human situation is not better today than it was before. Science has made life easier, but has brought innumerable problems as well.

The harsh world we live in

The world we live in is not as bright and happy, as it may seem. The words of Isaiah (in the first reading) apply to us: “We are all like men unclean, all that integrity of ours like filthy clothing. We have all withered like leaves and our sins blew us away like the wind.” (Is 64:6).

The reality of life is harsh, and the days in which we can enjoy life are short. The world is in crisis, a crisis that leads many people to despair. Every day, we hear about economic crisis and about thousands of people being thrown out of employment. We cannot trust the politicians, or the financiers or the managers of the big companies. They do not care about the common people; they only care about their own interests.

God’s faithfulness

In a situation like this, how can our hearts be filled with hope? Our hope is based on God’s faithfulness and love, not on human cleverness. Paul says it very clearly: “God is faithful” (1 Cor 1:9). The Saviour is coming, and we must prepare ourselves to welcome him. That’s why the Advent comes also with a call to be prepared and to stay awake. We must remain vigilant and committed.

“And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake!” (Mk 13:37).

SHE HAS GONE TO JOIN THE CHOIRS OF HEAVEN

performing as Elizabeth, in 1996

The phone call came at 0:20 and as soon as I saw the name, I had a premonition. Then, with a repressed cry , the message came, short and chilly: Bafather, umunandi Catherine afwa (Father, my friend Catherine died). 

Catherine Daka was among the first members of Yangeni Singers in Lubengele Parish. She was not much of a composer, but she had a nice and strong voice. In the musical we did for ZNBC on Christmas in 1996, she played the role of Elisabeth. Together with Anne Katongo, in the style of the psalms, she composed a song about the suffering of the widows.

When she got married, they moved to Lusaka. From time to time she would phone. With the work of both of them, they were able to build their own house. As they settled down, they decided to celebrate the sacrament of marriage. Then a few months ago, before going on leave, her mother called from Lusaka, asking for prayers. Then she did the same herself. She had breast cancer. On the day of the operation, the husband phoned. Today, in the middle of the night, she answered God’s call.

We entrust her to the Lord and pray for the husband, the children and the family. May he lead her to the place of rest and peace and strengthen the family and friends in home.

XXXIV SUNDAY: Christ the King

This Sunday is the end of the liturgical year, and, as a summary of the mystery of salvation that we have been celebrating, the Church presents us with the feast of Christ the King.

I would like to stress three important themes from today’s readings:

There will be a judgement.

This implies the seriousness of our life, meaning that a lot is at stake and that our actions and our decisions have consequences for our future. The judgement reminds us that there is a future, and that future depends on what we do now. We are answerable for what we do or refuse to do; and we will harvest what we sow now. Our future will depend on our present.

And we will be judged according to our attitudes towards the others, mainly towards the needy, the poor and the suffering.

Jesus is the King of kings, 

meaning that everything must submit to him. Jesus is the centre of everything, and only in him our hearts will find rest and our lives have meaning. 

However, the word king is misleading, because Jesus never wanted to be a ruler like the kings or emperors of this world. Certainly he is not a king like Herod was. He never had an army to impose his rule or a secret service to keep his enemies in check. When people tried to make him a king, he went into hiding. He said it very clearly that the Son of man did not come to be served but to serve. Jesus is king, but we should remember that he was proclaimed king on the cross. He is a king of love, who puts himself at the service of all those who accept him. And he is the king of truth, which liberates all those who are ready to walk on its path.

Jesus presents himself as a shepherd, 

because his kingship is of peace and love. He does not oppress; instead, he liberates all those who are downtrodden. Jesus is the good shepherd who gives his life for his people, paying attention and showing great love for each on of them.

We celebrate Christ the King, because his kingship of love and mercy will be victorious, destroying the powers of hatred and death.

To him all glory, honour and power for ever and ever.

XXXIII SUNDAY: Matthew 25:14-30

Called to responsibility

Like all parables, this Sunday’s parable is very interesting, giving insight into human attitudes and revealing God’s ways towards us. A man, having to go abroad for a long journey, entrusted his property to his three servants, allotting to each one a portion according to his ability.

God puts us in charge

We should not forget that this is a parable about God and about us. In Gen 1, we find that as soon as God finished creating the world, he entrusted it to humankind. In the parable, we discover the same attitude on God’s side. He puts his trust in us and leaves us in charge. Many times, it may seem that he has gone and left us alone. But we know that he is coming and that we have to present ourselves before him, giving an account of our stewardship.

In the parable, we find two different types of servants, and it is good to compare their different attitudes.

Self-confident, committed and responsible

The first two felt honoured by the trust put on them. They considered themselves lucky, as they saw an extraordinary opportunity to affirm and prove themselves. Being trusted by their master, they were able to develop self-confidence; and in their self-confidence, they were able to devise new initiatives and to take risks. In all that, they showed themselves to be courageous and hardworking. Their commitment paid off, as they doubled the amount of wealth received.

Lazy and good-for-nothing

The third servant was a lazy fellow, with a poor image of himself. He had no initiative and no commitment. And he was lazy. He could not trust his master or his colleagues, because he had no confidence in himself. He had not an optimistic approach to life; he was not able to think about the opportunities that lay ahead; instead he was afraid of the risks.

We can imagine that he was jealous and envious of the others who received more. Or maybe he was happy, as having received less, he would be faced with less work and fewer risks. 

What is very clear in the parable is that he was afraid of his master. He considered his master as very demanding and harsh. For him, his master was giving him an opportunity to excel, but offering him a poisoned cup, by putting him to the test and expecting him to fail in order to punish him. He felt threatened in his security, his livelihood and his future. In his fear, he was afraid of life itself. So he decided to tread carefully. The interesting is that he kept the property safe and he gave it back as he received it. However, because of his laziness, he was considered wicked and as a good-for-nothing servant. 

We are called to share with God the task of building up the world, so that it becomes a better place than we found it. 

EXTRAORDINARY MINISTERS OF THE EUCHARIST FINISH THEIR TRAINING

A group of fourteen women finished their training at St. Kizito Pastoral Centre in Solwezi, as Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist. Their main role will be to take the Eucharist to the sick and the elderly and to help giving the Eucharist in the Sunday mass.

The three main linguistic groups of the Diocese were represented. So we had Luvale, Lunda and Kaonde speaking people. We may say that the course was like a Pentecost, where people come together and live like a family, in spite of their different languages. We had ladies from Chavuma, Zambezi, Lwau, Ntambu, Manyinga, St. Francis and Solwezi.

The course was practical, training how to give the Eucharist, to preside a Sunday Service, to preach and to conduct a funeral. The practical side of the course was accompanied by teaching on the Eucharist, and introduction to the Bible and a short course on Jesus Christ, to know and love him better.

We should not forget that the women are the majority in the Church, and they do a lot of pastoral work that many times is not recognised. We must train them, giving them knowledge, skills and responsibility, so that they can make their service to the community more effective.

XXXII SUNDAY: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

WHO TO BLAME FOR DEATH?

Every year, at the beginning of November, we celebrate our ancestors in faith, in the feast of All Saints, and reflect on the reality of death, remembering and praying for our dead. 

In this Sunday second reading, Paul advises us about the way we should grieve; not as people who have no hope, but as people who believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Death is blamed on a fellow human being

It is interesting to note that in the traditional culture (here in Zambia), God is not blamed for someone’s death. In fact, there death is never considered natural, unless in old age. When someone dies, his death is brought about by the jealousy, the envy and the hatred of the enemy; and that enemy is a fellow human being. He may be a relative or a neighbour, who lives by destroying others. Death is brought upon someone by the powers hidden in the evil heart of a witch (umuloshi). That’s why after death, many people cannot rest until they discover who bewitched their beloved one, who has been taken away from them. In Solwezi area, that is done through Kikondo. As they take the coffin for burial, the pallbearers behave like possessed, guided by a strange power coming out of the coffin, which forces them to move around until they find the killer of the deceased. Then, they exact punishment on the supposed witch, beating him/ her, taking the foodstuffs, animals and sometimes even destroying the house, as a form of compensation and revenge.

Is there any hidden power in the coffin? Not at all! Will the coffin move, if they put it down? What power can there be in a dead and cold body, which cannot stand up and move around? The ones who carry the coffin are the ones who have hatred in their hearts and who are intent on disrupting and destroying the harmony of the family. In fact, they are the witches (abaloshi), because they bring a lot of suffering on innocent people. As long as such type of behaviour is perpetuated, there can be no development.

Kikondo brings suspicion and hatred within the family and the community. The accused with their families have to move out of the village and start afresh somewhere else, leaving behind their homes and their fields.

A quest for imortality

In a way, the search for the source of death is a refusal to accept our mortality and a refusal to recognise that death is the natural course all of us will take. This search shows the conviction that we have a right to everlasting life, and that we are not able to enjoy it because of the hatred of our fellow human beings who become our enemies.

Death alone already brings a lot of pain. The work of relatives, friends and neighbours should be to lighten that suffering by sharing in it, and by bringing consolation and hope. Instead, by Kikondo or by any other form of divination, we inflict suffering and sow hatred, making it impossible to live and to work together in the community.

Paul is very clear: before death, a Christian cannot behave as the unbelievers do. We know that the journey of our lives will come to an end here on earth. However, death will not be the end; instead, it will be a time of passing from this life to the next, and a time to be welcomed in the Kingdom of the Father. Jesus is our Lord in life and in death; and like him we will be raised to life to share in his glory.

Fr. Miha, a witness of Jesus Christ

The news, received by phone, came as a shock. Fr. Miha is dead. Was he sick? – I asked. And the answer came: His heart was weak.

Fr. Miha was a man full of energy, who could speak out his mind without fear. He was a hard worker, who could not sit still or keep quiet, seeing things going wrong and doing nothing about it.

Three times he went to Lubengele to video record some programmes that we had prepared. Many people will remember him going around with a video camera or with a microphone. He dedicated a good part of his life to the social media, knowing that they play an important role in society, being a force for change. In there, he gave witness of Jesus Christ, silently when he presented himself as a serious and committed professional; and openly as well whenever he prepared religious programmes and presented the values of the Gospel.

Fr. Miha will be remembered as well by his courage in denouncing policies and political actions that he considered harmful to democracy and to the goodness of the people.

May the good Lord welcome him into his Kingdom.

XXXI SUNDAY: Matthew 23:1-12

An accusation and a warning

In his chapter 23, Mathew presents a very outspoken Jesus, who does not mince his words, making a frontal attack on the attitudes of the Pharisees. Jesus showed himself to be a fearless prophet who stands up to the leaders of the people and points out their failures very clearly.

Mathew 23 is a chapter that should be read by all leaders, because it will help them to scrutinize themselves and see how far they have strayed from true leadership. According to Jesus, true leadership is service, meaning that the leader must put himself at the service of the people. In Jesus’ accusation against the Pharisees, we can point out some important points:

• Their life is a lie. They appear to be holy and present themselves as perfect, rigorously keeping the law in all its details, but, in fact, they use double standards. They don’t do what they preach.

Any leader must be true to himself and to the people. If not, people will find him out, and stop trusting him. True leadership must be based on trust, not on power that imposes itself. People have to see the leader guiding himself by the same principles that he presents to the others.

• They put heavy burdens on the shoulders of the common people, while they don’t move a finger to lift them. How true it is! In the countries in deep economic crisis, the taxes are increased, the benefits reduced, and many jobs are lost, while the ones who daily speak about it and seat in continuous meetings to find solutions, get fat salaries and even fatter allowances.

And the same can happen in the Church. From the top down, the leaders may be too harsh no people, lacking compassion and being unable to understand the daily life of the people.

• Jesus accuses the Pharisees of being self-conceited. The name Pharisees was given to them as a nickname, meaning “separated”, because they would not mix with the ones they considered sinners. They had no sins to be confessed or forgiven; they did not need conversion; in fact, they were already saved.
• They looked for prestige and influence. They wanted to be respected and considered “honourable”. They liked to show off and to present themselves as important. And they demanded to be given the first places in any function. They wanted to be called “masters”, “teachers” and “fathers”. Separating themselves religiously from the sinners, they were separating themselves socially as well from the ones they consider as second-class people. 

A true leader must be always in touch with people and be among them as one of them. The Bemba proverb says: Mulangishi wa bantu alapalama. The true leader always remains close to the people.

XXX SUNDAY: Exodus 22:20-26

From slavery to freedom

The suffering of slavery in Egypt and the liberation from that slavery experienced as God’s call and God’s gift marked forever the history of the People of Israel and it had a profound influence in their laws. The coming out of slavery into freedom became the foundational experience of a small group of people, who considered it so important that they based all their religious, cultural and social life on it.

God wants his people to be a free people. In fact, the whole Scriptures speak about that: God does not want to be a God of slaves. He only feels at home in a nation of people who live in freedom and accept his commandments as the law of freedom.

In this Sunday’s first reading, taken from the book of Exodus, God makes it very clear: The freedom enjoyed by his people must be extended to all. We are not free people if we oppress others. We should never forget where we came from. That’s why God told the people of Israel: You lived as foreigners in Egypt; so respect the stranger who lives among you. Don’t molest or oppress him.

Freedom to be true freedom goes together with justice and justice implies special care for the underprivileged. Take care of the orphan and the widow. If they cry to God in the middle of their suffering, God will listen to their cry of distress, and then he will punish the oppressors.

In the books of Moses and in the Prophets, we discover a God that sides with the poor and the oppressed. And he wants us to do the same. We cannot ignore the poor and the suffering people among us. Jesus’ compassion for the poor, the sick and the suffering is based in this very old tradition that recognises and expresses God’s love for them.

With so many widows and orphans in our country, we must ask ourselves what has been done to diminish their suffering and to make their life easier.

Greed and usury are sins

The capitalist society which we live in is ruled by greed, in which one tries to maximise the profits. Be it business between individuals or between nations, the principle is the same: If I can get 50% profit, why should I content myself with 10% only? People and their living conditions count for nothing; to have a huge profit and to declare big dividends are the only thing that counts.

How far we are from the Bible and from God’s will of a free and fair society! In the book of Exodus, the rule is very clear: If you lend money, “you must not demand interest”. We may say that this is a rule impossible to follow. There would be no investment and no lending without some interest paid on the money borrowed. It is a service, and you must pay for that service. But can we justify the big interest rates that make borrowing impossible? Can we justify the so called lundalunda or kaloba?

The capitalist model which guides the organisation of our society and our economy only favours the rich, leaving the poor more and more indebted. As the communist model disappear, the capitalist one must go the same way, because it does not contribute to build a fair society, in which all can have a share.

SELF-SUSTAINABILITY

Yesterday, we had the Presbyteral Council meeting, which included all priests of the Diocese. In territory, Solwezi is a huge diocese with a small population scattered throughout the Northwestern Province. Being late comers, the Catholics are in a minority in this province. Like most of the dioceses in Zambia, the Diocese of Solwezi is heavily dependent on money received from outside for the daily running of its pastoral programmes. Most of the help come from our Catholic brothers of Europe and America. This sharing between churches comes from the beginning of Christianity and it has always been there. St. Paul urged the Christians of Corinth to contribute in order to help the Church in Jerusalem in their time of need. We can say that this sharing between churches is part of being catholic. However, when it is one sided, it creates dependence, and dependence destroys responsibility and commitment.

The economic crisis in Europe and the dwindling contributions of the Catholics in those countries is forcing us to rethink our situation and to make an effort to sustain ourselves. It is a duty of all Christians to take care of their church. And we should not complain about the lack of means. In Bemba, there is a proverb that says: Apali umunwe, pali ne bala, meaning Where there is a hand, there is a farm. We should not underestimate our capabilities and our resources. It is true that in a rural set up, people have little cash to give, but they cultivate and can cultivate much more in order to produce enough for themselves and for the work of the community. The bishop proclaimed this year as the year of self-sustainability, in which all of us must do a concerted effort to increase substantially the local contribution in order to diminish our dependence and in order to be proud of our own Church.

XXIX SUNDAY: Matthew 22:15-21

NO POLITICAL POWER CAN DEMAND UNQUESTIONABLE OBEDIENCE FROM ITS SUBJECTS

Being the leaders in the synagogues, throughout the Roman Empire, the Pharisees made the life of the first Christian communities very difficult and they were in the forefront of the well succeeded efforts to expel them from the Synagogue. That’s why it is not surprising that Matthew gives great important to the conflicts of the Pharisees with Jesus. They became enemies and they would stop at nothing in order to destroy Jesus; to bring down a common enemy, Jesus, they joined forces with their enemies, the Herodians.  In their effort to defeat Jesus, they tried to transform the religious conflict into a political one, with the question about paying taxes to the colonial power, the Romans.

Jesus never got involved in the affairs of the government. He was not a politician, and he was not a revolutionary intent on the overthrow of the Roman Government.  His heart and his mind were totally set on the Kingdom of God. And he made it very clear in the answer he gave to them: Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar. This answer has always guided the Christian attitudes to political authorities. They are legitimate and they have a right to respect and obedience. However, there is a greater power, which has the right to put greater demands on us. And Jesus put it straightforward: Give to God what belongs to God. No state has total rights over people; and no state can demand unquestionable obedience from its subjects. Whenever the State takes the place of God, it stops being legitimate, and the ones in power keep their power only through oppression.

The fact that we must give to God what belongs to him sets a limit to political power, and it always reminds us that any human form of power is relative and it should be put at the service of the people.

THANKSGIVING FOR PEACEFUL ELECTIONS

Zambia is full of good surprises. It is normal to have ecumenical services to celebrate important occasions in the life of the Nation. What a difference with Europe. There, it is a taboo to mention Christianity in the affairs of the State. In many places, the cross was banished from the schools or from any public building. People are afraid to accept their past and to recognize their roots. Religion has no place in politics, and when it does it is to be spoken against. In Zambia, nobody is afraid of quoting from the Bible or of seeking guidance from the word of God.

The elections were peaceful and the transition from one regime to the other went smoothly. People have understood that they have the power to say no and to vote out the ones who are mismanaging the country; and they are ready to exercise that power at the ballot box. They don’t need violence and war; they just need the stroke of a pen, and the powerful come tumbling down, leaving the place to others.

More than the clear vote for change, what surprised us most was the people’s vigilance, so that their votes could not be stolen. Those are attitudes of a democratic society that knows the value of freedom and of peace. And for all that we must give thanks to God.

XXVIII SUNDAY: Mat 22:1-14 and Is 25:6-10

WHO ARE EXCLUDED FROM SALVATION?

This Sunday’s parable gives an answer for a basic question, which so many people ask: Who is saved? Or who is excluded from salvation? The parable is very clear: the ones who will not find salvation are the ones who excluded themselves by refusing to accept the invitation to the feast of salvation, which is the feast of the wedding of the king’s son – Jesus Christ.

God does not reject anybody and he wants everybody to rejoice and to celebrate. He invites us time and again, but he will not force us to accept his invitation. If we prefer our own business to the honour of being God’s guest, then we will find what we chose, discovering that nothing will be able to satisfy us and to give us joy. True joy and true feast are possible only in the Lord.

The parable warns us that to accept the invitation is not enough: we must answer it with honour. Otherwise, we will be thrown out.

THE BANQUET OF THE GREAT FEAST OF SALVATION

Isaiah is a great prophet with passages that are simply marvellous, unforgettable. The beginning of chapter 25 is one of such passages. It is remarkable by its universality, proclaimed in vivid, powerful and imaginary language to a closed and nationalistic society, as it was the nation of Judah. 

According to Isaiah, God offers salvation to all, because he is the ruler of all. Even the enemies of Israel are not excluded.

And what is salvation? It is celebrating and rejoicing. It is a feast, where a big banquet is offered to all, with the best foods and the best wines. People are gathered together to exult and rejoice, because “he has saved us”. God has taken away the shame of his people. Salvation is a feast, because we regain our dignity and our honour.

And more than that: salvation is a feast, because God has destroyed death forever, removing “the mourning veil covering all peoples”. God is the Lord of life, a life that he shares with all who recognise him. Salvation is a feast in which we celebrate life received as a gift. In God’s kingdom, there will be no more suffering, because God himself “wipes away the tears from every cheek”.

Isaiah’s words are full of promise and full of hope. They were proclaimed to a people who live in fear, in order to restore their confidence and their courage. That’s why they are important for us today, in this world where so many people are lost in despair. God is offering us life and joy.

GREAT NUMBERS ARE DENIED THE EUCHARIST

Today, at St. Kizito Pastoral Centre, Solwezi, we started one month course for women chosen in their parishes to be extraordinary ministers of the communion.

As I inquired about their expectations, the question came: What about the people who live very far away from the centre of the Parish? Who can take the Eucharist to them?

This is a difficult question, for which we don’t have an answer. The distances are enormous, and people live isolated in small communities. It is impossible for the priest to attend to those communities, even when he tries to visit regularly the centres of the Parish; and the priests are few. The extraordinary ministers of the communion will not solve that problem. If they live far away from the Parish Centre, how are they going to come to the church on a Sunday morning and go back the same morning in time for the Sunday service in their community? It is impossible. The same applies to the sick. If they live far away, who will take the Eucharist to them? They will die in God’s hands, trusting his love and mercy, without the sacraments of the Church.

We teach, preach and believe that the Eucharist builds the Church, putting us in communion with Christ and helping us to establish communion among ourselves. We believe that receiving communion is part of our spiritual journey towards salvation, and yet we don’t find a way to make it available for many of our Christians. It is like a luxury for the ones living in towns, with a church near by. On one side, the Catholic Church is closer to the less privileged than many other churches; on the other side, she is elitist, leaving a great number of people out of the sacraments. Our traditions about the sacraments and especially about the priesthood are so heavy that we have lost the creativity and the imagination to find new answers for people living in different situations. 

XVII SUNDAY: Mt 21:33-43

THE PARABLE OF THE VINEYARD

The theme of the vineyard as representing the people of Israel was an old one, used specially by Isaiah, who spoke harsh words against the leaders and the people in general, because of their unfaithfulness and their bloody oppression.

In the same vein, Jesus told the parable as a warning and an indictment against the leaders of the people, the chief priests and the elders - the ones who would be responsible for his death. Jesus was aware of his impeding death and he used the parable to show it and to put it in the context of the history of salvation.

God, represented by the landowner, took the initiative. He prepared everything that was necessary, planting vine of the best choice, in such a way that in Isaiah God asks: “What could I have done for my vineyard that I have not done?” God called the People of Israel and made out of them his own people.

And then what happened? The tenants forgot the landowner and behaved as if the vineyard belonged to them. The parable presents the history of the people of Israel as a history of rejection of God and of his messengers and a history of opposition and violence against all those who stand for God’s rights. At this point, we must remember that the attitude of the tenants attributed to the people of Israel and especially of their leaders is a paradigm of our own attitudes. Humanity as a whole does what the people of Israel did, taking their destiny in their own hands.

God’s plan was a plan of cooperation, in which we are called to share the work and the rewards with God. However, people (the tenants) turn against God, ignoring God’s rights. But God doesn’t let it go. He goes on pursuing his claim on us. And so he decided to send his only son, thinking that they would respect him son. In the letter to the Hebrews (Heb 10:7), we find that the son offered himself to go. It was a dangerous mission into the unknown: although expecting respect and obedience, the worst might happen! 

At this point, the parable reaches the climax: Seeing the son, the tenants grasped the opportunity of getting rid of the owner once and for all. If they kill the son who will inherit the vineyard, then they will become its owners. Nobody would bother them anymore. And so they did what they had planned. They killed the son.

Jesus was telling them: You are going to kill me, but the vineyard will not be yours. God will find people who are ready to accept him and to recognise his rights.

Some people think of Jesus’ death as part of God’s plan, stating that he sent his son to die. It was not so; God sent him to be accepted, loved, followed and obeyed. They did not carry out God’s will by killing his only son. Their action was an evil action, inspired by the great enemy. The rejection and the killing of Jesus was a crime. Jesus’ death is the ultimate proof of what we are capable. That’s why the words of Isaiah still reverberate in today’s world: “He (God) expected justice, but found bloodshed; integrity, but only a cry of distress.” (Is 5:7). On the other side, Jesus death is the ultimate proof of his faithfulness and his love.

XVII SUNDAY: Phil 4:6-9

THERE IS NO NEED TO WORRY!

Paul is able to say important truths in just a few words easy to remember. What is surprising is that they are still relevant for us today, in spite of being written long ago. However, we should not be surprised that sometimes they go against the prevalent thinking in our society.

“There is no need to worry” – he tells us. Hearing these words, we may think: Only fools don’t worry, or those who are very rich and don’t need to count their money. Nowadays, the wealthy nations live in a constant fear of the way the markets may react, tumbling down and causing the loss of millions. We may ask: who are the markets? The markets are people buying and selling, and in this case they buy and sell money, or papers that stand for money. Those are frenetic, worried people, without a soul, constantly looking for a profit. They are never satisfied and they live in fear, in spite of all their wealth. They move their money around, always looking for the place that represents fewer risks for their investment. In their greed, they control the world and bring economic disaster to many countries.

In our capitalist society, people count for nothing, and profits are the supreme rule that decides the future of companies and countries.

Nowadays, with huge debts in many countries, anxiety grips the hearts of many. That’s why it is for us that Paul speaks: There is no need to worry. By saying this, he is simply repeating the words spoken by Jesus: “Do not let your heart be troubled” (Jn 14:1). In spite of the difficulties, we must be full of confidence in God. He is our father and he loves us. When we are in need, we should present our needs to him, and he will make a way where there is no way. This doesn’t mean that God is going to give us money or wealth, but he is preparing our hearts and minds to seize the opportunities that come our way. Because we don’t loose trust and confidence in him, we are not ready to go out of the way in order to get what we want, and we will be content with little.

It is time to get rid of the capitalist mentality that instils greed in our hearts, so that we are never satisfied with what we have. Paul advises us on the attitudes that help us to remain human: 

“Fill your minds with everything that is true, everything that is noble, everything that is good and pure, everything that we love and honour, and everything that can be thought virtuous or worthy of praise.” (Phil 4:8)

If we don’t listen to Paul’s advice, then one day the words of Isaiah will be applied to us:

“He (God) expected justice, but found bloodshed; integrity, but only a cry of distress.” (Is 5:7).

BACK IN SOLWEZI

Finally I am back in Solwezi, in St. Kizito Pastoral Centre. I spent a few days in Lusaka. First, with the Tutes, who welcomed me in their home. With them, I went to the Sunday mass in the Parish of Mary Immaculate in Woodlands. It is a new parish, full o life. Here, in all parishes, the Eucharistic celebration is always a great feast, where people come together as one family rejoicing in the Lord. The singing was good and everybody participated. What a difference with the Sunday masses of my home parish in Portugal. There, it seems that people and priest have mass as a duty that they must perform. The singing is poor, the participation is almost zero and the atmosphere is dull and somber. In Portugal, the majority of the congregation is over forty years old. Here, there are plenty of children and plenty of young people. It is the whole community participating and giving thanks to God.

After spending two days with the Tutes, I spent three days in Lilanda Parish, with Frs. Joaquim, Piero and Anthony. Fr. Dario, my friend, who comes from a neighbouring diocese in Portugal, was also there, and I moved with him around town, to have an experience of the chaotic traffic of Lusaka, during the rush hour. Lilanda Parish is just in the middle of the compound, close to the people who struggle every day to survive. There, like in so many other places in Zambia, we can find a joyful people, who are able to celebrate life in the middle of hardships. In Europe, many people think that riches and wealth are essential to find joy and happiness, and they live worried about the future. Here, we find plenty of people who find joy and happiness with very little and with no riches at all. They find joy and happiness in each other, in a life lived in family and community, knowing that they are accepted and loved.

Back in Solwezi, I put my life at the service of people, knowing that in sharing with them I receive more than I give.

XVI SUNDAY: Phil 2:1-11

The political situation has changed in Zambia, and in fact big changes are expected. The second reading of the Sunday liturgy gives some insights into the type of attitudes that the new leaders should consider.

1. Be united… This does not mean that all have to repeat the words of the President, or that any initiative and individual differences and gifts must be excluded. It simple means that they are able to work together and that they never fight each other. They must cooperate and build together. 
2. With a common purpose and a common mind. The common purpose must be the service of Zambia and the development of the country done in fairness and justice. Selfishness must be excluded.
3. There must be no competition among you, no conceit. Put away pride; have only pride for Zambia. Don’t quarrel among yourselves and do no compete for influence and position. “So that nobody thinks of his own interests first but everybody thinks of other people’s interests instead.”
4. Always consider the others and respect them. Never despise or insult anybody. Instead, show respect and try to bring the best out of people’s abilities.
5. Finally have the same mind as Jesus Christ, which was one of service. You were chosen to serve. Never use your political power to get profit or to be feared. That will destroy your political basis. Remember that no leader is eternal, and that people in the end gets tired, and when they are tired they will do to you what they did to others. Let people see that you are at their service and that you put their interests and worries at heart.