7 Minute Homily for the Solemnity of the Pentecost

 First Reading: Acts 2:1-11

Second Reading: 1Cor 12;3-7, 12-13

Gospel: 20:19-23

"Receive the Holy Spirit" 

As the transitional day between the Lenten/Easter Season and the season of Ordinary Time, Pentecost Sunday is a significant and well-known feast in the history and liturgical calendar of the Church. According to scholars, because it represents the true start of the Church's missionary endeavor, it signifies the founding of the church. Lord, Holy Spirit, and all believers who have received the Holy Spirit are the main participants in today's celebration. Christ sent us out to bring peace, unity, joy, forgiveness, love, and eternal life after he filled and equipped his church with the power of his Spirit. The use of speaking in tongues and making claims in the name of the Holy Spirit, however, has led many Christians misinterpreting or abusing the gifts of the Holy Spirit poured on the events of Pentecost. A really attractive young man who was a fellow prayer warrior was once single and sought by a young lady at a particular "Charismatic gathering" at our parish. She began prophesying in unusual languages and translating it into songs to be heard by the young man and the entire crowd because she was unable to approach him to ask for his hand in marriage due to the possibility that it would be considered against custom, she said things like: “Shimaa karabakala raaaa katura” (the Holy Spirit says you shall marry me). The young man initially felt ashamed, but he soon realized the joke and deception. He then instantly entered his own trance and flew into a frenzy, giving a contrary prophecy in his own made-up language and song, like this: “Yesuu yaala yalala marakata” (the Holy Spirit says I should not marry you). Immediately, chaos descended upon the crowd. It quickly became clear that they both had lied about the Holy Spirit. What a sin and a mockery!

The first reading of this Sunday tells the story of how Christ fulfilled his promise to his disciples who faithfully heeded the injunction, "Do not leave Jerusalem until the advocate comes" (Acts 1, 5). Today's celebration is of a promise fulfilled and the reward of faithful obedience and steadfastness in prayer. Like the early disciples, true believers have been empowered by the Holy Spirit and must appreciate the various gifts made available to them. One of the greatest aspects of this feast is the gift of tongue. The most important details are that one must be careful when exercising or claiming to have received the gift of speaking in tongues, as this can lead to sinning against the Holy Spirit. Jesus warned that any sin against the Son will be forgiven, but against the Holy Spirit will not. It is important to understand Paul's teachings on the issue of gifts and speaking in tongues, as it is a gratuitous gift from God and does not come through learning and practicing. The most important details are that one must be careful when exercising or claiming to have received the gift of speaking in tongues, as this can lead to sinning against the Holy Spirit. Jesus warned that any sin against the Son will be forgiven, but against the Holy Spirit will not. It is important to understand Paul's teachings on the issue of gifts and speaking in tongues, as it is a gratuitous gift from God and does not come through learning and practicing. Today, it is quite easy and alarming to hear people using parlance like: “the spirit says”, “the spirit moved me”, “the spirit ministered to me”, “I heard the spirit speak to me”, and so on. Anyone who prays or speaks false tongues is both blaspheming against God and committing sacrilege – a sin against the Holy Spirit. The gift was given to the apostles to help them spread the good news to different people from all nations. It was not given to boost their ego or break away and found their own Churches, but rather to pass on the message of eternal life to others.

Paul says something very significant in today's second reading: "No one can proclaim 'Jesus is Lord' unless they are under the power of the Holy Spirit." This implies that, as Christ also tells us: "No one comes to me unless the Father draws him," it is God himself who gives us the ability to realize the lordship of Christ through the gifts we received today (John 6: 44). Because he lacked the Holy Spirit, Satan the tempter found it incredibly challenging to acknowledge Christ's lordship. Paul is referring to making Jesus the Lord of one's life when he says to "speak". He is referring to living it and making him the real lord of our lives. True children of God are those who are being directed by the Holy Spirit, and the Spirit that we receive today will inspire us to declare the lordship of Christ. Paul states that we are God's children, as the spirit bears witness with our spirit (Rom 8: 15-16). The gospel of today shows the cooperation of the Trinitarian God in action, each doing and completing His action. Jesus says, "As the Father sent me so I am sending you, receive the Holy Spirit." The Holy Spirit has come to help us achieve what he helped Christ achieve, such as forgiveness of sins. Jesus commissioned his disciples as ministers of the Sacrament of Penance, and today the Spirit empowers them to move out with wisdom and gentility to testify to the lordship of Christ. Today we have a new Pentecost, and let us beckon on the Lord to send forth his spirit and renew the face of the earth. 

Nelson Shirima

IV Year Theology

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REFLECTION FOR TUESDAY, 23RD MAY 2023

 ACTS 20:17-27

 Jn 17:1-11)

 “‘I Pray for Them’ (Jn 17:9)”

 One day, a man went to visit his friend who was blind, and it was at night. When the blind friend heard the steps coming into his room where he was, he switched on the light; and the man who went to visit him in very funny way he asked: “why do you put on the light yet you can’t see”? The blind friend switched off the light and started laughing at him for a long, and after a short while he switched on the light again. And then he said: “You’re quite right, I can’t see, but I did not put on the light for my own sake, I did it for you, because you needed it, since you are not blind like me”. And then he asked him: “how many times have you switch off the light for other people and denied them an opportunity to see light just because you yourself do not need it”?  

     Dear friends, in today’s Gospel, we heard about Jesus’ Farewell Prayer or High Priestly Prayer, which is a petition, a proclamation and revelation at the same time, where Jesus does not only pray for himself (Jn 17:1-5), but also for his disciples (Jn 17:6-19) and for the future believers or the coming Church (17:20-26). Jesus prays for others as a Mediator in a priestly way, between the Church and the Father, that is why he prays for the unity of the Church in an example of the unity and relationship between him and the Father. Therefore, you and I have a responsibility of praying not only for ourselves, but also for others and the entire Church.

     Jesus tells us about his glorification, as well which in the Gospel of John is grounded on suffering and death of Jesus. Likewise, St. Paul, in the First Reading shows that he rejoiced in sufferings like Christ, in proclaiming the Gospel of the Lord, and he served the Lord with all humility and with the tears and trials, because the plot of the Jews; and with all these challenges he did not stop to carry out the Gospel to many nations.

     Through this example, we, too, as Claretian Missionaries, our glorification should be rooted on the Cross of Jesus Christ, in the proclamation of the Gospel in our torments and sufferings as our Constitutions details: “A Son of the Immaculate Heart of Mary… embraces sacrifices, smiles at slander, rejoices in all the torments and sorrows he suffers, and glories in the cross of Jesus Christ…” (CC no. 09).  

Antonio Nungulu Lohoca

II Year Theology

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7 Minutes Homily for The Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord – Year A

First Reading: Acts 1:1-11

Resp. Ps: Ps 47:2-3, 6-7, 8-9

Second Reading: Eph 1:17-23

Gospel: Mt 28:16-20

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you” (Mt 28:19-20).

Dear brethren, today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord into the glory of heaven in the presence of his disciples, on the fortieth day after his glorious resurrection.

In the first reading, St. Luke narrates Jesus’ post-resurrection episode. After spending forty days with his disciples teaching and encouraging them and preparing them for the task he wanted them to accomplish, he ascended to the glory of his heavenly Father. Jesus’ appearances and instructions to his disciples were meant to prove that he had a real physical body and that he was truly alive. Jesus instructs his disciples not to leave Jerusalem, the holy city until they receive the power of the Holy Spirit who will strengthen and accompany them in advancing and perpetuating the mission of Christ.

In the second reading, St. Paul prays to God the Father to send us the Holy Spirit to take control of the mission we were entrusted by Christ, and to enlighten the dark spots of our lives, “So that with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know the hope to which he has called you” (Eph 1:18). God manifested his power by raising Jesus from the dead and by his glorious ascension into heaven. All things in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth were put under His feet.

In the Gospel, the Risen Lord appears to his disciples on the mountain of Galilee and announces that all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to him. Having proclaimed this his transcended power and majesty, Jesus then commissions his disciples to embark on a new mission. The scope of the mission is to all the earth. The Lord will never abandon them in their mission.

In his book, “Surprise Ending,” Ronald Duane Mehl recounts a story of a seventy-eight-year-old minister who was hired by the Church in California. Not long after his arrival, the Church members began to murmur that he was not wanted. He was not a great orator. The congregation opted for guerilla warfare. They talked during his sermons and belittled him behind his back, and many people stopped attending his sermons. Fortunately, he got the message. Just because he did not want to hurt the Church, he quietly resigned. As he was leaving, two seminary students walked up to him, “So, what are you going to do? You do not have any family, money, or home. Where will you go? The humble man of God replied, “I am going to heaven.” “Well of course we know that,” they chortled. “But what are you going to do? You have nowhere, and no one to help you.” “I am going to heaven,” he replied. “The fact that I am going to heaven makes these times of temporary hardship seem insignificant.”

Dear brethren, by entering heaven, Jesus completed His redemptive work. This reminds us that heaven is our ultimate hope. Therefore, all of our activities should be directed toward heaven. In his letter to the Colossians, St. Paul tells us to “seek the things that are above where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God” (Col 3:1). By so doing, God of peace will be with us (Phil 4:9). Where do we place our hearts? Do we allow our hearts to be disheartened and coldhearted by the difficulties and troubles of life? The Solemnity of the Ascension gives us hope that after the battle of our earthly life, if we hold fast to our faith, perseverance, and prayer, we will gain the promises which God promised to those who love him. As Jesus ascends into heaven, he did not leave us as orphans. He promises the gift of the Holy Spirit, the protagonist who fortifies and guides us in our mission. He promises to be with us “always, to the end of the age” (Mt 28:20b). This is the confidence that we have in our God. God is always with us in all the circumstances of our lives. Let us not lose our confidence and hope in God, especially in the darkest moments of our lives. Let us hold fast to the gift of faith that we have received.

The Ascension of the Lord highlights the truth that we profess in the Nicene Creed: “He shall come again…” Jesus ascends to his heavenly Father and leaves us in charge of the affairs of his kingdom till he comes again in glory. While waiting for the second coming of Christ, our Master, we are expected to be faithful and trustworthy servants. Are we such servants? Are we ready for the Lord’s coming at any time? Do we take the works of evangelization and conversion of souls seriously? As we commemorate the Ascension of the Lord, we are being commissioned to go forth to the whole world to proclaim the Gospel by the witness of our lives. On this day of hope, commissioning, and encouragement, let us renew our commitment to being authentic disciples everywhere we go beginning with our families.

Let our daily song be: All my hope in God is founded; he doth still my trust renew, Me through change and chance he guideth, only good and only true. God Unknown, He alone calls my heart to be His own (Robert Bridges).

Kudzai Innocent Tonganai

IV Year Theology

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Reflection for Tuesday 16, May 2023

 

1st Reading: Act 16:22-34

Gospel: Jn 16:5-11

The sacrifice is always necessary in order to get something beneficial. And this is a mystery still to be unveiled. If we come to the experience of vegetable garden we shall come to understand that in order to have vegetable on our table there was a need of the death of the seed which is at the same time conception. So our mother earth conceived the dying seeds in order to give birth to “munafu” which I, bro. Vincent and bro. Isaac enjoy the most on the table. In the same way for our survival there is need of sacrifice of water for example. The water has to suffer, to be kidnapped to the bottle to be put in stomach and then we get energy.

There was a necessity of the sacrifice of Paul and Silas as we have listened from the first reading, in order to get the entire family of the jailer converted into Christianity. How it happened it is still a mystery, the same way that a death seed becomes a living plant. Saint Anthony Mary claret our founder suffered a lot of persecutions, the Martyrs of Barbastro, the patron saints of our formation house endured martyrdom and because of their perseverance today we are enjoying the fruits.

In the Gospel Jesus speaks of the coming of the Holy Spirit, His followers could not understand properly what He was speaking about. They were happy being with Jesus sharing with him but now He is telling them that He is going. Of course, they had to sacrifice their joy and put themselves in eschatological hope, waiting for fulfilment of Jesus` promise of sending the Holy Spirit by which they were to get the fullness of joy and enough power to carry out their mission.

What is my attitude towards difficult moments?

Geremias Armando Carlos 

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7 Minutes Homily for 6th Sunday of Easter - Year A

1st Reading: Acts: 8:5-8, 14-17

2nd Reading: 1Pt 3:15-18

Gospel: Jn 14:15-21) 

 

“He will give you another advocate”

By the term advocate we mean the person who acts on behalf of the other particularly before the court. In other words, he may be the counsellor, comforter, advisor, helper, the one who offers you help, courage and support.

The first reading we see that Jesus continues to manifest that He is with apostles through their ministry in Samaria. The apostles were able to perform miracles of healing, exorcism and finally baptism. There was great joy after receiving the Holy spirit and Baptism. Thus, the second reading exhorts the newly baptized who have received the gift of the Holy spirit not just to end with receiving the Holy spirit but to be able to give this Hope which is in them to those who would ask them at any moment. But we know that the Christians left alone they can do nothing,

That is why in the Gospel Jesus commends them to love him and obey his commandments that they may receive the advocate from his father According to Paul the gift of the Spirit is the beginning of Christian experience (Gal 3:2ff), another way of describing the new relation of justification. One cannot belong to Christ unless one had the Spirit (1Cor 6:17); one cannot share Christ’s sonship without sharing his Spirit. In John, the Spirit from above is the power effecting new birth, for the Spirit is the giver of life; bringing life to those who believes in him. But for John there is a theological unity of the ‘death, resurrection, and ascension with the mission of the gift of the Holy Spirit (20:21-23).

Today Jesus is challenging us that we who have become one with him in baptism have to put on the new armor of love, it is only in love to our neighbors and in our daily life style that God can fill us with the advocate to overcome the allurements of the passing world. We need to abandon the old self and open ourselves to the spirit of the lord otherwise we shall remain in that stagnant faith where there is no growth at all. The condition for obtaining all that Jesus has promised is our love expressed in our faith in Jesus and our love for one another and by doing this, we shall experience the love of Jesus and God which will intense because we shall be in intimate dwelling with the divinity.

There is a saying which says “you cannot go on being a crude egg you either hatch or go bad” Brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus let the faith we have received just like the Samaritans, move us to accept God, and profess his name publicly in all our dimensions of life. We are the living witness of the spirit of the lord at work in us. He (Holy spirit) will counsel us, comfort us, help us, and support us if we really live good moral and spiritual life.     

James Kanakulya

IV Year Theology

           

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Reflection for Tuesday, Fifth Week of Easter

Acts 14:19-28

Jn 14:27-31

The theme of perseverance and courage through faith in Jesus is resounding in today’s readings. John 14:27-31a and Acts 14:19-28. In John 14:27-31a, Jesus tells his disciples that he is leaving them with his peace and encourages them not to be troubled or afraid. He reminds them that he is going to the Father, and they should believe in him and love him. Similarly, in Acts 14:19-28, Paul and Barnabas faced persecution and opposition in their missionary work. They were stoned and left for dead, but they persevered and continued their mission, preaching the good news and strengthening the faith of the disciples.

 St. Anthony Mary Claret was a man who exemplified perseverance and courage through his unwavering faith in Jesus. As a missionary and founder, he faced numerous challenges and obstacles. He endured persecution and opposition from civil authorities and fellow clergy, yet he remained steadfast in his mission to evangelize and serve the people. Our founder’s perseverance and courage were rooted in his deep prayer life and love for Jesus. He recognized that his strength came from God and sought to do his will in all things. His love for the Eucharist and devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary sustained him in times of trial and helped him to remain faithful to his mission.

 In our own lives, we can draw inspiration from St Paul and St. Claret whose example of perseverance and courage through faith gave them the energy to stand by the will of God in all circumstances. Like them, we may face challenges and obstacles in our own journeys of faith, in our discernment process, and in our different ministries,  but if we remain rooted in prayer and seek to do God's will, we too can find the strength to persevere and overcome.

 

Xavier Tinaye Moyo

I Year Theology

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ALTERNATIVE THERAPY: REFLEXOLOGY

 Reflexology is an alternative medical practice involving the application of pressure to specific points on the feet, ears, and hands. This is done using thumb, finger, and hand massage techniques without the use of oil or lotion. It is based on a system of zones and reflex areas that purportedly reflect an image of the body on the feet and hands, with the premise that such work on the feet and hands causes a physical change to the supposedly related areas of the body.

Our students of theology in Martyrs of Barbastro Formation House, exercise this alternative medical practice to help the people who suffer from various ailments. To an extent reflexology helps the patients to relieve pain and become better in health.

 

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7 Minute Homily for 5th Sunday of Easter

 

BUILDING A BETTER SOCIETY WITH HARMONY, PEACE, UNITY AND LOVE

 

Today’s readings call us to be at the service of Christ. In the first reading we are informed about the reason of the choice of the first deacons, thus treasuring vocations. God’s justice and right prevail in the psalm. The second reading we hear about the holy priesthood and faith is the sole requirement in the following of Jesus as it is said in the gospel.

 Dear friends, the early church faced a threat of division whereby the widows from the Greek speaking areas were not receiving equal share on the distribution of food. This problem came to be solved by the apostles by calling all to focus on preaching and prayer and trying to share with each other what is to be shared.  This passage calls us for unity and communion with one another. As Christians we are all called to build the unity and be communion with another so we can hold each other by hand and move forward doing the will of master, the Lord Jesus Christ, which is the imperative mandate received in the Gospel of Matthew 28:19.

 This mandate which is not our own but a call received from the Lord, put us to be at the service of others. The call for service is urgent in our time especially to the refugees, the vulnerable and marginalized. In serving in the Lord vineyard, there is need for laborers as it is in Matthew 9:35-38, asking the Lord to send laborers in his vineyard. This need was seen by the apostles; thus they had to choose seven great men to come, serve and be leaders in the society so that they might make sure that equal share is offered to all in the community. The Lord Jesus now brings us words of encouragement. He tells us that we should not let our hearts be troubled and as we believe in God, we ought to believe in him. Faith takes the lead of everything. Despite having many challenges of life but we shall overcome all of them due to the faith we have in Jesus. We focus should be on the heavenly where many rooms are prepared for us. Each one us has to secure a room and go to enjoy it for the Lord says that in his Father’s house there are plenty of dwelling places.

 The only way to take us to that place is Jesus Christ for he is the way, the truth and the life. He is the fullness of God’s love so, following him, walking in his footsteps and seeking him will lead us to the Father. As a people that follows Christ, we are told to live by doing good deeds, showing love, serving and others and making God’s Love seen in us.

 Once Margaret J. said, “the greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members”. Beloved brothers and sisters, the needs that arose for the early Christian community is now our need today. They discovered their problem and solved it. Have we discovered the problem or need of our community? Are we ready to take a step ahead and find out a proper solution for the benefit of all? We are invited today to find for harmony which is lost between us and God and among us. The world is facing making troubles, wars, sicknesses, let us come together as a family and address these issues so as we might get a good solution for the betterment of all mankind.

 

Desire Bushiri

IV Year Theology

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