AND JESUS GREW IN WISDOM AND STATURE

THE FEAST OF THE HOLY FAMILY - Luke 2:22-40 

Remembering the family of Nazareth - Jesus, Mary and Joseph - we must look at our families and reflect upon the challenges that the families are faced with.

In the Gospel, we find Joseph and Mary taking the child Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem in order to consecrate him to God. Life is always a gift and we must recognise the one who gives it. It is important to accept that the children belong to God. Joseph and Mary put the life of the child Jesus in the hands of God and put themselves as well at God´s service and at the service of their child. Sometimes, parents may behave as if they are the owners of life and as if the children belong to them. Coming through them, the children were called forth to life to reaffirm that they are created in the image of God and that they are always a gift of love from God.

The family of Nazareth helps us to realise that it is difficult for a family to be a family without children. They are a blessing and a gift, in spite of the worries and troubles that they may bring. A family gets its strength from the love that unites them, and love only comes to its completion when it is fruitful.

After the consecration in the Temple, they went back to Nazareth and the life in Nazareth is summed up in a very simple statement: “And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favour with God and man.” (Lk 2:52) Jesus grew up becoming strong in body and in mind, as we expect it from any normal child so that he found favour with God and man. The bringing up of our children must be harmonious, taking care of all aspects of life, so that the child is sound in body and soul. The formation of the character of a child is, first of all, the responsibility of his parents. Nowadays, it is the common policy of the State to overrule the parents, taking the children out of their control and becoming the sole educator from early childhood up to the end of formal education.

In his letter to the Colossians, Paul gives basic rules for a healthy relationship in the family and in the community. He points out the necessary qualities for a fruitful relationship: compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Besides that, one must be ready to “bear with one another” and to forgive. Without forgiveness and reconciliation, the life in the family and in the community will end in failure. Only love makes it possible to be caring and attentive to the needs of the others: “Over all these clothes, to keep them together and complete them, put on love.” (Col 3:14) And it is through the love within the family and the community that we may be able to enjoy peace, the peace that comes from Christ. And we should not forget to have a thankful heart. Looking to the family of Nazareth, we can learn to live with an attitude of praise and thanksgiving to God.

COME, JESUS

Come, baby Jesus,

Sit in my lap

And warm my cold heart.

Come, baby Jesus,

Enlighten my blind eys

And open my deaf ears.

Come, baby Jesus,

To fulfil my dreams

Sown in the hope of life.

Come, baby Jesus,

And make in my heart

Your eternal home. 

I wish you all a Merry Christmas
and a New Year full of Child Jesus' blessings.
Fr. José

Isa, Mwana Lesa, 

tukupakate mu maboko yesu

mukafye ne mitima yesu iyatalala.

Isa, Yesu mwana,

Ukwisula amenso yesu iyapofula

No kukomona amatwi yesu ayakoma.

Isa, Mwana Lesa, 

Ukukosha ifyo tukumbwa

Ifimenena mu cisubilo ca bumi.

Isa, Yesu mwana,

Ukupanga mu mitima yesu

Icifulo cobe ica muyayaya.

 Musefye Noel ne cimwemwe,
kabili Yesu Mwana amufumfumwine amapalo.
Fr. José.

HE DESCENDED FROM DAVID ACCORDING TO THE FLESH

IV SUNDAY OF ADVENT - Luke 1:26-38

In the history of Israel, David was the greatest king. He defeated the Philistines, who constituted a continuous threat to the survival of the People of God, conquered Jerusalem and established a strong and secure kingdom. After all his victories, he thought of building a temple to the Lord. However, through the prophet Nathan, God asked David: “Are you the man to build me a house to dwell in?” God does not need a house; the whole world is his house. And God told David that it will be the other way round: “The Lord will make you a House.” It is the Lord who cares takes care of us and provides for our needs. He loves and because of that love, he offers us life and salvation.

God made a promise to David, a promise that would be fulfilled in Jesus Christ: “The Lord will make you great; the Lord will make you a House. And when your days are ended and you are laid to rest with your ancestors, I will preserve the offspring of your body after you and make his sovereignty secure. I will be a father to him and he a son to me” (2 Sam 7:11-12,14) Although this text referred directly to Solomon, it came to be understood as a promise of the coming of the Messiah, who will come, being God’s Son. 

In his letter to the Romans, Paul speaks of “the gospel concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh” (Ro 1:3). At Christmas, we celebrate the mystery of the Incarnation, that is the mystery of the Son of God who assumes the human nature, being “born of a woman” (Gal 4:4) and belonging to the family of David. He is the one who has come to establish a kingdom that will last forever - the Kingdom of God.

In this Sunday’s gospel, we are presented with the Annunciation: God sends an invitation to Mary through the angel Gabriel; God has chosen her to be the mother of the Messiah. And she believed the message and accepted the mission, putting herself totally at the service of God: ““Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” (Lk 1:38).

Mary’s attitude of service must be our attitude, the attitude of all those who chose to be disciples of Jesus Christ. 

Come, Lord Jesus! We are ready to welcome you into our homes and in our hearts. With Mary who welcomed you in her womb, we learn to put ourselves at your disposal: Let you will be done.

BE HAPPY AT ALL TIMES

III SUNDAY OF ADVENT - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24

In the Third Sunday of Advent, both the first and the second readings stress the need for happiness. Paul, in his letter to the Thessalonians, puts it very clearly: “Be happy at all times.” (1 This 5:16). And we find in the prophet Isaiah similar words: “I exult for joy in the Lord, my soul rejoices in my God”. (Is 61:10).

We may ask ourselves what is the reason for all this happiness. Isaiah gives the answer: 

“for he has clothed me in the garments of salvation,

he has wrapped me in the cloak of integrity,

like a bridegroom wearing his wreath,

like a bride adorned in her jewels.” (Is 61:10-11).

We know that in Jesus Christ we are forgiven and reconciled because we are loved; in Jesus Christ, we are children of God and God has decided that we may have a share in his glory. Indeed, “he has clothed me in the garments of salvation”. And life and salvation are to be celebrated, that is why the dimension of feast is so important, and God himself is the one preparing a feast for us. There is a Bemba proverb, filled with insight and the wisdom that comes from the Spirit, which reminds us that God is preparing a banquet for us: Apatebeta Lesa tapafuka cushi (Where God is cooking, there is no smoke). In spite of the lack of smoke, we are aware that God is preparing something good for us, and that awareness fills us with joy. Therefore, it is not surprising that the arts which celebrate life play an important role in the life and in the liturgy of the Church. Architecture, sculpture and painting expressing our faith and helping us to grow in faith present us with some of the most beautiful realisations in the world. And music, in a great variety of forms, comes in to show and to enhance the happiness that comes from Christ.

This joy and this happiness must be expressed in the life of the community and in our relationships with the others, becoming a source of peace.

With the call to happiness, Paul presents a simple rule of life: 

1. constant prayer
2. an attitude of thanksgiving
3. open to the Spirit
4. think and reflect before doing anything
5. hold on to the good
6. avoid every form of evil.

Finally, Paul’s prayer for the Thessalonians must be the prayer which we do for each other: 

“May the God of peace make you perfect and holy; and may you all be kept safe and blameless, spirit, soul and body, for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thes 5:23)

CONSOLE MY PEOPLE, CONSOLE THEM!

II SUNDAY OF ADVENT - Mark 1:1-8

We cannot go through the Advent season without hearing the voices of Isaiah and John the Baptist. Isaiah comes with a message of hope based on God’s promise, reassuring us that God is faithful to his word and he will never break his promise.

This Sunday’s first reading starts with the words: “Console my people, console them”. God intends to console us from all our troubles and sufferings, and he will bring to an end our servitude, setting us free and leading us to have a share in his rest.

The Lord is coming and himself is going to take care of his people.

“Here is the Lord coming with power,

his arm subduing all things to him.

The prize of his victory is with him,

his trophies all go before him.

He is like a shepherd feeding his flock,

gathering lambs in his arms,

holding them against his breast

and leading to their rest the mother ewes.” (Is 40:10-11).

In the Gospel, John appears on the scene. Referring to him, Jesus said that he is more than a prophet (Mt 11:9); indeed, “among those born of women, no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist” (Mt 11:11). However, his greatness does not come from his teaching, since he taught so little. He is great because he prepared the way for the Messiah and introduced people to his coming. His message is twofold: a call to repentance and conversion, as a way for people to prepare themselves for the impending coming of Christ; and an affirmation of Christ’s greatness, since he is going to baptize in the Spirit, while his own (John’s) baptism is simply a baptism in later. John was a righteous and outspoken man who stood for truth and justice. He paid with his life the price of his courage and his truthfulness.

John is the voice of truth that cannot be silenced; in death, his voice cries out the loudest. He speaks for the voiceless and for all those who are trampled upon, challenging and denouncing the oppressors that lead people astray. John’s appearance and preaching are reassuring: God comes to bring consolation to his people.

COME DOWN, LORD, AND LET YOU FACE SHINE ON US

I SUNDAY OF ADVENT - Isaiah 63:16-17,64:1,3-8

We start Advent with a reading from Isaiah in which he speaks of our sinfulness, because we behave like rebels, ignoring the Lord and breaking our covenant with him:

“You were angry when we were sinners;

we had long been rebels against you.

We were 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.

No one invoked your name

or roused himself to catch hold of you.

For you hid your face from us

and gave us up to the power of our sins.” (Is 64:5-7)

Recognising our sins, we put our trust in the Lord because he is our Father and our Redeemer. We are like the clay in his hands and he is the potter, who is able to shape our lives and lead us to salvation. That’s why we are bold enough to plead with him and to put our lives in his hands. And we call on him to come down and to be with us:

“Oh, that you would tear the heavens open and come down!” (Is 64:1)

It is with trust and confidence that we begin the Advent season, preparing ourselves to welcome Him because He is coming. Indeed, the Lord is coming and we pray:

“let your face shine on us and we shall be saved.” (Ps 80:3)

This trust and confidence in God’s care and love lead us to an attitude of thanksgiving. We give thanks to the Lord because “he will keep you (us) steady and without blame until the last day, the day of our Lord Jesus Christ”. (1 Co 1:9) God is faithful and he has called us into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ.

Since the Lord is coming, we must be ready to welcome him. And the Gospels calls on us to be awoken and to remain always on the alert. We must keep watch while waiting for the Lord. We must keep watch over ourselves and over what happens around us, so that we may notice the signs of his coming.

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