REJOICE: TO YOU A SAVIOUR IS BORN!

With hearts full of joy,
We join the whole creation,
singing all together
the song of heaven
first sung by the multitudes of angels in celebration of the new born king, who brings peace:

“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace
among those whom he favours” (Lk 2:14).

Merry Christmas 

to you, 

your family 

and your friends.

Fr. José

WELCOMING JESUS IN THE COMPANY OF MARY

IV SUNDAY OF ADVENT: Luke 1:26-38

As Christmas gets nearer, we are presented with the figure of Mary, a girl from Nazareth, who was chosen by God to be the mother of Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world. The gospels say very little about Mary, and what they say about her is in relation with Jesus, who occupies the centre stage in everything that is written not only in the Gospels, but in the whole New Testament. We would like to know much more about Mary, and we would like to know even more about Jesus. However, the Gospels were not written to satisfy our curiosity, but to lead us to faith in Jesus Christ, so that in him we find life and salvation.

A woman of faith

Mary appears as a woman of faith, whose life gets its meaning from God’s presence and intervention in her life. She is a woman of faith, by her openness to God, allowing him to come into her life and to turn it upside down, since God’s ways are always different from our ways. She is a woman of faith, with a listening heart, prompting her to listen to God’s word. And she proves to be a woman of faith by her readiness to believe, accept and obey. She surrenders her life to God. 

While Eve defied God, Mary surrendered herself to God

Looking at Mary, it comes to our minds the figure of another woman, totally different in character, Eve. She was suspicious of God’s sincerety and intent, and decided to ignore God’s word and follow her own instincts. Eve’s attitude was one of disobedience and revolt, with the intent of taking God’s place. Mary follows a totally different path. It was not an easy path, because the path of faith is never easy. At the greeting of the Angel, Mary was disturbed and felt perplexed. Not knowing what to make of it, she expressed her reservations and inquired about the meaning of God’s plan. Hearing the Angel’s explanation, she answered back: I am a servant of the Lord! Let it be with me according to your word (Lk 1:38).

In her surrender to God’s will, Mary has the same basic attitude of Jesus Christ: May your will be done!

Mary was the first disciple. She welcomed Jesus in her life and put herself totally at his service. Whatever she is - her dignity and her role - she is because of Jesus Christ. Like Mary, let us open our hearts to Jesus, welcome him in our lives and commit ourselves to his service.

MAY GOD KEEP US SOUND AND BLAMELESS FOR THE COMING OF JESUS CHRIST

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

In this Sunday’s second reading, Paul points out what the attitude of a true Christian must be at all times, but specially during this Advent season.  Look at the seven points that he stresses:

1. “Rejoice always, 
2. pray without ceasing, 
3. give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 
4. Do not quench the Spirit. 
5. Do not despise the words of prophets, 
6. but test everything; 
7. hold fast to what is good; abstain from every form of evil.”

Rejoicing

Christmas is a joyful feast, in which the angels come to join us in singing to God, proclaiming his glory, which manifests itself in love. He so loved the world that he sent his only Son to bring life and salvation (Jn 3:16).

A Christian moves forward, always full of hope, knowing that he does not walk alone and that God is faithful to his promises. It is from the awareness of God’s faithful love that some people gets the strength and the courage to smile and to irradiate joy, while in deep suffering. By his joy, a Christian keeps the light of hope shining in this world covered in the darkness of despair.

Prayer and thanksgiving

The rejoicing is only possible through a deep experience of God, made in prayer. Paul advises us to live in an attitude of prayer, aware of being always in God’s presence, relating to him, in a relationship of love with him. And this prayer is done in thanksgiving, because all that we are and everything that we have is a gift of God’s love: the gift of life, of the world we live in, of the people who suround us. Many times, we behave as if we are the owners of our lives, of the world and of the people from whom we demand total service, but in fact we cannot lay claim on anything but our own shortcomings and failures. In an attitude of honesty, recognising the gifts received, we must “give thanks in all circunstances”. And most of all, we must give thanks for the gift of Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh, who shared our human condition so that in him we become children of God.

Guided by the Spirit of God

We cannot be honest with ourselves, with the others and with God, if we do not pay attention to the Holy Spirit, who guides us from within. “Do not quench the Spirit”, because he illumines us and enables us to see and understand the reality around us and makes it possible for us to discern the will of God. Without a listening heart to the Spirit, we become blind, unable to see the dangers that surround us or the possibilities which are open to us. 

The Spirit speaks in varied ways and mainly he speaks through other people, those who interpret the signs that come in our times and who are ready to to give voice to the challenges that we face. It is a sound advice that Paul gives us: “Do not despise the words of the prophets”.

Test everything

There is always the danger of confusing the evil spirit with the Holy Spirit, being led astray by him and thus separating ourselves from God and from the others. To avoid such a danger, Paul instructs us to test everything, keeping what is good and rejecting what is evil.

Paul’s prayer for us

Finally, Paul prayed for the Thessalonians, and we may use his prayer ifor us and for others. May indeed God keep us “sound and blameless” for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

“May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do this.”

THE VOICE OF CONSOLATION

II SUNDAY OF ADVENT: Mark 1:1-8

As we prepare for Christmas, we are confronted with the figure of John the Baptist standing tall before us, challenging with his strange behaviour and calling us with his blunt and straightforward speaking. People of all walks of life felt attracted to him, impressed by his word and recognising in him a sincere and truthful man who touches their profound inner desires for justice, peace and righteousness. He never claimed to be what he was not, and he went always straight to the point, putting his finger on the wounds that needed healing.

His message was a message of repentance and of change to people who were in need of purification and in search of a new way of life. John the Baptist lived as he preached, always faithful to the mission entrusted to him. He was the voice crying in the desert, calling for a change of heart. He came to prepare the coming of the Lord, and his message transmits the urgency of this preparation. We must be ready, because he is coming, and must welcome him with pure hearts, totally turned to God.

John’s call to repentance was accompanied of a baptism of repentance. This bath in water given by John, was much more than the ritual purification ordered in the Law of Moses for situations of impurity. John’s baptism implied a return to God, which demanded the acceptance of sinfulness by the confession of sins and led to new attitudes towards the others and new moral behaviour, concerned with truth and righteousness.

John was well aware that he was preparing the way for someone else, who is much greater than he is. He is baptising in water, but the Messiah who comes after him, will baptise with the Holy Spirit. 

John is the voice, announced by the Prophet Isaiah - a voice to bring consolation, proclaiming that our God is here, with us, and he is ready to redeem us.

BE ON YOUR GUARD!

I SUNDAY OF ADVENT: Mk 13:33-37

A time full of expectancy

This Sunday, we begin the season of Advent, so called  because we look forward to the one who is coming. It is a time full of expectancy, filled with hope.

In the Gospel, Jesus puts forward attitudes that go with the Advent season and which are essential in our lives and for our salvation.

We must live in an attitude of waiting. We do not belong to the present, but to the future. If we are satisfied with what we are and with what we have, we will be left behind, fallen by the wayside or lost in the wilderness, tired and exhausted.

We are waiting for something - indeed for someone, who will bring fulfilment to our lives. We do not wait in vain. We know that God is faithful and he will not go back on his word. We are sure that God’s Promise will be fulfilled. In our waiting there is no despair, but hope. We live our lives in hope, looking towards the future. The hope that fills our hearts gives us the strength to go on walking and to keep on struggling, sure that in the end we will be given the victory.

Be alert and vigilant

While we are waiting, we must remain vigilant, that is we must be on the alert. Jesus stresses this admonition, repeating his warning: “Stay awake! Be on your guard” (Mk 13:33-36). We must be aware of what is happening around us, and we must be able and prepared to react. If we fall asleep, then we will be caught unaware and dispossessed of whatever we have. This attitude of alertness is very important in the various areas of life. Important in our spiritual life and in our relationships, as it is important as well in scientific research, in business and in politics.

This call to vigilance is very different from the vigilante groups that we find in some political forces. Vigilantes try to force others to keep in line with their leaders, the authority or the law. And in doing that, they are ready to use violence on anyone who is seen as going astray. Jesus’ call to alertness and vigilance is a call to a personal attitude of responsiveness to God’s intervention in our lives.

We must be ready and prepared, so that when the Lord comes, he finds us  ready and prepared wot welcome him.

CHRIST THE KING: Mt 25:31-46

Lord of lords

We end the liturgical year with the feast of Christ the King, in which we proclaim Jesus as the Lord of lords and the King of kings, following the profession of faith of the letter to the Philippians:

“Therefore God also highly exalted him

and gave him the name

that is above every name

so that at the name of Jesus

every knee should bend,

in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

 and every tongue should confess

that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father”. (Ph 2:9-11)

Jesus’ kingdom is not an earthly kingdom, even though it is all embracing, since all tribes and nations will bend their knees in recognition of his sovereignty. In fact, during his life here on earth, he refused the throne and the power that goes with it, and he went into hiding, when he heard that people wanted to make him their king. When Pilate presented him with the accusation that he was called Messiah and King, he answered: “My kingdom is not from this world”.  And explaining, he went on to say: “I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice” (Jn 18:36-37). Jesus is the king of all those who search for the truth, and the truth manifests itself in humility, kindness, peace and love. 

A king of peace

He came as king of peace, and his rule is completely different from that of the great and powerful kings of this world. They rule by force, oppression and violence. Jesus wants to be welcomed into our lives, uniting us to him with strings of love.

The charter of the Kingdom

Seated on the mountain, surrounded by his disciples, Jesus gave them the charter of his kingdom (Mt 5:1-12). In that charter, Jesus presents the guiding values, by which we must work for his kingdom to come and become a reality among us. His kingdom is a gift of God’s love and mercy, and we pray daily for its coming, with Jesus’ own words: “May your kingdom come!” (Mt 6:10). However, God wants our cooperation in the establishment of this kingdom, and our effort has to be guided by the charter of the Kingdom, the Beatitudes.

Last judgement

In the end, there will be reward or punishment, which will follow a final judgement, and in that judgement there will be only two possible outcomes: being given a place in God’s kingdom, or being permanently excluded from it.

This Sunday’s gospel presents the parable of the last judgement. From that judgement, there will be no appeal. It will be final and it will come at the end, but the outcome depends on what we do now. In the judgement, Christ will use only one rule and he will measure us against it. And this one rule will be applied to all, Christians or no Christians, believers or no believers. It is interesting that Jesus will not ask if we believed or not. And he will not ask if we were baptised or not, or if we were going to church or not. He will measure everybody against the rule of love, mercy and compassion. The ones found wanting, will be punished  by exclusion from his Kingdom. Confronted with so clear judgement, people will answer back that they do not remember to meet him or even to know him; but it does not matter. Whenever we are moved by compassion to do something in order to diminish and alleviate the pain  of the suffering ones, we are doing it to Jesus, and he will reward us for it. Whenever we are truly human, showing love and compassion, then we are welcoming God’s kingdom and living by its values. And Jesus will recognise us and give us a share in his Kingdom.

CALLED TO ACCOUNT FOR OUR ACTIONS

XXXIII SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME: Matthew 25:14-30

Look at life from different angles

The Scriptures and specially the Gospels help us (or even force us) to look at life from very different angles. Life is too complex to be described or defined in one sentence, and even less in one word. What we see depends on where we are standing, and it depends as well on our aspirations and desires or our concerns and sufferings. That’s why we may find world views that seem to be opposite or even to mutually exclude themselves.

The importance of faith for our salvation

The Holy Scriptures make it clear that we are saved by faith, meaning that we have no claims or rights over God. The life that we live is a gift that must be cherished with thanksgiving. And salvation as well is a gift bestowed on us by God’s mercy, which we must welcome and accept with confidence and total surrender to God. This may give us the idea that nothing else matters, but faith and that, if we believe with all our hearts, we are saved. However, other passages speak about attitudes, deeds and behaviour, which are essential to enter the Kingdom of God, telling us that we will be judged by our actions here on earth.

Called to account for what we did with what we were given

The parable of the talents, which is read in this Sunday’s liturgy brings it forth very plainly that we will be called to account for what we have done with what we were given. Each one of us has received a special gift that makes him special and different. And we can find different people with different abilities living in different situations that call for different actions. This difference of gifts and people brings about a great variety and richness, which always fills us with surprise. Indeed, our God is a God full of surprises, or as they say in Bemba, Shimwelenganya, that is a God full of imagination.

Initiative and creativity

We may find people who are jealous of the gifts received by others, instead of being thankful for their own gifts.  The parable of the talents makes it clear that we receive different gifts according to our different abilities. And God will not consider what we received, but the use we made of what we received. Initiative and creativity play an important role in what we may achieve, and each one on his own must do his best to excel. God looks at the effort and the struggle, not at the final result. There is a saying in Bemba that says: the trees fall to where they are bent. It is the sense of purpose and direction that is important. In the parable, the ones who worked hard and produced according to their ability were rewarded handsomely, while the lazy one was punished. We must add value to what we found or was given to us. If we only use and misuse what others left for us, we are good for nothing, and God will reject us, because we rejected ourselves.

The parable of the talents speaks about reward and punishment; and we will receive one or the other according to our actions.