Revelation, a book of consolation

V EASTER SUNDAY: Rev 21:1-5

The book of Revelation also called Apocalypse is a strange yet appealing book, like so many strange films that are made nowadays, where dream is mixed with reality. The book of Revelation belongs to a type of writing that is called apocalyptic and which was very common during in the years before and after Jesus. The message is encrypted and transmitted through dreams and visions full of symbolism. It is not surprising that many people get lost in the twisting of thoughts and images, mainly when one forgets the situation in which it was written and the purpose for which it was written.

Given consolation to the persecuted Christians

The book of Revelation was written as a book of consolation for the Christians undergoing severe persecution from the Roman State, who saw them as enemies of the State and as people without religion.

There are plenty of people who see the Revelation as a book about the end of the world, describing the terrors that people will go through and announcing in no uncertain terms the punishment that will be carried out by God. There are people who try to calculate the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, using the symbolic numbers of the Apocalypse. They are wasting their time and subjecting themselves to ridicule.

Denouncing the totalitarian claims of the Roman State

The book of Revelation denounces and indicts the Roman State, and specially the Roman Emperor, because of its abusive claim to absolute power and its oppressive demand of total and religious obedience, claiming for themselves the dignity and the glory that belong to God alone. In opposition to that claim, the book of Revelation proclaims the Christian faith in Jesus Christ, as the Son of God, the Lord of Lords and Saviour.

In the Roman Empire, under the leadership of the Emperor, the Christians were less than second class citizens, deprived of all rights. It was for them that the book was written, to give them hope and courage.

The book of Revelation makes it clear that the oppressive powers that are at the service of the Prince of Evil will come to an end and they will be destroyed, and God and his Christ will be completely victorious, with the faithful ones sharing in that victory. When the victory is complete, the Kingdom of God will be established, and God will make "the whole of creation new". There will be a new heaven and a new earth, where the glory of God will be present and manifest in the faces of his people.

God with us

“Then I heard a loud voice call from the throne, ‘You see this city? Here God lives among men. He will make his home among them; they shall be his people, and he will be their God; his name is God-with-them. He will wipe away all tears from their eyes; there will be no more death, and no more mourning or sadness. The world of the past has gone.” (Rev 21:3-4)

TRANSFERRED TO ST. DOROTHY PARISH

I have been transferred to St. Dorothy Parish, which is half-way between Chingola and Solwezi.

For the past four years, during my stay at St. Kizito Pastoral Centre, I dedicated myself to the formation of leaders, mainly catechists. Now, I am being sent back to Parish work. There, it will be more difficult to access the Internet, but I will try to make myself present through these pages.

I ask all my readers to pray for me, as I start a new pastoral experience.

VOCATION SUNDAY

IV EASTER SUNDAY: Jn 10:27-30

The Good Shepherd from the Catacomb of Domitilla (200-300 bc)

Jesus presented himself as a good shepherd, who cares for his sheep with love. Although Jesus himself was a carpenter, he had seen many flocks and many different kinds of shepherds. He appreciated the ones who loved their flock and who were always ready to defend and protect them. The shepherd is a leader who must be dependable, reliable and committed, because he is at the service of the community.

Describing his role as a shepherd, Jesus tells us that he established a relationship of trust and love with his people. The passage chosen for this Sunday is very clear:

“The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice;

I know them and they follow me.

I give them eternal life;

they will never be lost

and no one will ever steal them from me.

The Father who gave them to me is greater than anyone,

and no one can steal from the Father.

The Father and I are one.” (John 10:27-30)

We belong to Jesus, and nobody can steal us from him.

All the leaders in the Church, at all levels, must be good shepherds like Jesus.

This Sunday is a Sunday dedicated to the leadership in the Church, which must be a leadership of service, not of power. As we pray and reflect, we also ask the Lord for all those who are called to exercise this ministry of service, so that they may be good shepherds like Jesus.

GOD NEVER REJECTS US

III EASTER SUNDAY: Jn 2:1-19

Jesus, being the perfect image of the Father, reveals to us in his actions and in his words God’s heart: in his infinite love, God never rejects us. When we go astray, turning our backs on him, he remains waiting for us, ready to welcome us with open arms. And that is what Jesus did with Peter.

Peter’s denial

Peter denied Jesus, and even cursed (Mt 26:74), in order to save himself from trouble. He did it three times, to show that his denial was complete and trustworthy. Out of fear, in a moment of weakness, he denied Jesus. Then,  realising that he had betrayed his Lord and best friend, he cried and repented. And he went back to the group of the Apostles. He could not find meaning for his life without Jesus and without the fellowship of those who had been his companions.

Reading the Gospels, we get the idea that Peter was an outspoken and courageous man, the type of man that is easily recognised as a leader, and everybody could see that he had a special place in Jesus’ circle. 

However, it seems as if Peter was in need of an experience of failure to become aware of his shortcomings and sin. More than that, he needed to go through an experience of forgiveness, so that he could become a true witness of God’s love and mercy. It is not good to boast about one’s resolve, as he did during the Last Supper. We are no better than the others. All of us are sinners, and all of us are in need of God’s grace. The ones chosen to be leaders are not less sinners than the ones they are called to serve.

Do you love me?

Jesus asked Peter three times: Do you love me? Hearing the same question for the third time,  Peter felt sad and upset. Many times, we would prefer not to remember the past and to forget that we have sinned. However, the past made us what we are today. And then Peter answered in a more humble manner: “Lord, you know everything; you know I love you!”

And Jesus confirmed Peter in his position of leadership as a service to the community of believers: “Feed my sheep”.

Jesus asks of each one of us the same question he asked to Peter: Do you love me?

And then he calls us to be witnesses of his love and mercy, putting ourselves at the service of others.

Do you love me?

Bushe walintemwa?

Composed by Clement Musonda,

based on the question put to Peter by Jesus:

Do you love me?

THE MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION

II EASTER SUNDAY: Jn 20:19-31

Reconciliation and forgiveness of sins are central to the Gospel. Christ came to reconcile people with God and between themselves. He did it through his death on the cross, breaking down the wall of division and the hostility that pervaded through all human life (Ep 2:11-17). According to Paul the “message” and the “ministry” of reconciliation have been entrusted to us - to the Church (2 Co 5:18-19).

The Gospel of today’s liturgy is very clear on that: “As the Father sent me, so am I sending you.” (Jn 19:21). The disciples received from Jesus the same mission that he had received from the Father. To enable them to carry out this mission, he gave them, and he gives us, the Holy Spirit. Jesus was anointed with the Holy Spirit before he started his mission; and so he anointed his disciples with the same Holy Spirit, as he gives them his mission.

An essential part of that mission is the forgiveness of sins.

During his public ministry, Jesus forgave the sins of people, and that was seen as a provocation, an abuse and a blasphemy by the religious establishment. Jesus answered that accusation with the claim that the Son of Man has the power to forgive sins here on earth (Mk 2:10). And he gave this same power to his disciples, entrusting them with this ministry of reconciliation.

It is very common to hear people say: why to go to a fellow human being to have our sins forgiven? Only God can forgive sins.

We forget that all God’s salvific actions are mediated through Christ, through his body - and the Church is the body of Christ. Entrusting his disciples with the ministry of the forgiveness of sins, he gave them authority and power to forgive or not forgive:

“Receive the Holy Spirit.

For those whose sins you forgive,

they are forgiven;

for those whose sins you retain,

they are retained.” (Jn 20:23)

THE RESURRECTION IS NOT A DREAM, IT IS THE GOD OF LIFE AT WORK

EASTER CELEBRATION

This Saturday is a day of silence

- the silence that follows the tragedy

of the Lord of life being put to death.

The churches are empty,

without candles or flowers,

wit bare altars and open tabernacles.

There is no beauty, no joy,

and no voices singing God’s praises.

It is a day of silence!

The Son of man descended

into the dark world of death.

Is it the end or was it in vain?

Abandoned to ourselves,

we are faced with despair.

This is the day of God’s rest,

feeling as if he went away,

ignoring the suffering just

and allowing evil to cry victory.

But it will not be so.

The silence and rest

are for expectation,

of a glorious victory 

being prepared.

And all will rejoice

in songs of praise

to the God of life.

He is always there

with a silent presence

whispering words of love,

and bringing peace

to the suffering hearts.

The cross of execution

became the tree of life,

laying on it, the Lord of life,

made a instrument of death

into a trophy of victory.

"Worthy is the Lamb that was slaughtered

to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might

and honor and glory and blessing!" - Rev 5:12

"Do not be afraid; 

I am the first and the last, 

and the living one. 

I was dead, and see, 

I am alive forever and ever; 

and I have the keys of Death and of Hades." Rev 1:17-18

Happy Easter to you

full of the joy and peace

that come from the Risen Lord.

Alleluia.

I am Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last - being sung by Yangeni Singers, Lubengele Parish, Chililabombwe, Zambia.

HE IS THE LAMB OF GOD!

Pieta of Michelangelo

GOOD FRIDAY: IS 53:2-9

Like a sapling he grew up in front of us,

like a root in arid ground.

Without beauty, without majesty we saw him,

no looks to attract our eyes;

a thing despised and rejected by men,

a man of sorrows and familiar with suffering,

a man to make people screen their faces;

he was despised and we took no account of him.

And yet ours were the sufferings he bore,

ours the sorrows he carried.

But we, we thought of him as someone punished,

struck by God, and brought low.

Yet he was pierced through for our faults,

crushed for our sins.

On him lies a punishment that brings us peace,

and through his wounds we are healed.

We had all gone astray like sheep,

each taking his own way,

and the Lord burdened him

with the sins of all of us.

Harshly dealt with, he bore it humbly,

he never opened his mouth,

like a lamb that is led to the slaughter-house,

like a sheep that is dumb before its shearers

never opening its mouth. - Is 53:2-9

You can hear the song by Yangeni singers, Lubengele Parish, Chililabombwe, Zambia.

On the cross, Jesus prayed the Psalm 22.

From his deep suffering, Jesus cries out to God.

His cry is not a cry of despair and revolt,

but a cry of pain put before God

with the full confidence that his last word

will be a word of life and salvation.

"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

Why are you so far from helping me, 

from the words of my groaning?

O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer;

and by night, but find no rest.

Yet you are holy,

enthroned on the praises of Israel.

In you our ancestors trusted;

they trusted, and you delivered them.

To you they cried, and were saved;

in you they trusted, and were not put to shame." 

(Ps 22:1-5)