"We Wish to See Jesus"

Holy Trinity College Nabbingo Youth Encounter the Saviour.

This weekend Holy Cross Family Ministries' team retreated with the students of Holy Trinity College Nabbingo. This is a girl's school with a population of 1,200. Our theme: I Am alive with Christ. This focused on encouraging this young and vibrant group to encounter the Saviour and trust in his providence and support. The team also encouraged the youth to pray through the intercession of Our Blessed Mother, who is our prayer partner that constantly intercedes for all her children. We made extensive reference to the excerpts from the message of John Paul II to the Youth of the World on Palm Sunday on the occasion of the World Youth Day 2004 to be celebrated at diocesan level

My dear young people!
1. … We wish to see Jesus (John 12:21).  This is a request made to the Apostles one day by some "Greeks." They wanted to know who Jesus was. They had come not simply to see what kind of impression the man Jesus would make. Moved by great curiosity and a presentiment that they had found the answer to their deepest questions, they wanted to know who he really was and whence he came.
2. My dear young people, I want you too to imitate those "Greeks" who spoke to Philip, moved by a desire to see Jesus. May your search be motivated not simply by intellectual curiosity, though that too is something positive, but be stimulated above all by an inner urge to find the answer to the question about the meaning of your life. Like the rich young man in the Gospel, you too should go in search of Jesus to ask him: What must I do to inherit eternal life? (Mark 10:17).
The desire to see Jesus dwells deep in the heart of each man and each woman. My dear young people, allow Jesus to gaze into your eyes so that the desire to see the Light, and to experience the splendour of the Truth, may grow within you…
3. …Try by every means to make this encounter possible, and look towards Jesus who is passionately seeking you. Seek him with the eyes of the flesh through the events of life and in the faces of others; but seek him too with the eyes of the soul through prayer and meditation on the Word of God, because The contemplation of Christ's face cannot fail to be inspired by all that we are told about him in Sacred Scripture (Novo Millennio Ineunte, 17).
4. …Those "Greeks" in search of the truth would not have been able to approach Christ if their desire, animated by a free and voluntary act, had not been expressed through a clear decision: We wish to see Jesus. To be truly free means having the strength to choose the One for whom we were created and accepting his lordship over our lives. Only an encounter with Jesus can give full meaning to your lives: …Do not let yourselves be distracted from this search. Persevere in it because it is your fulfilment and your joy that is at stake.
5. Dear friends, if you learn to discover Jesus in the Eucharist, you will also know how to discover him in your brothers and sisters, particularly in the very poor.... Jesus speaks to us in the wonderful language of the gift of self and of love so great as to give our own life for it. Is that an easy thing? You know very well that it is not! It is not easy to forget our self, but if we do, it draws us away from possessive and narcissistic love and opens us up to the joy of a love that is self-giving.
…Do not forget to seek Christ and to recognise his presence in the Church...It is in the Church and through her that Jesus continues to make himself visible today and to allow humanity to come to him. In your parishes, movements and communities, be welcoming to one another in order to build communion among yourselves. This is the visible sign of the presence of Christ in the Church, in spite of being so often blurred by human sin.
6. Do not be surprised, then, when you meet the Cross-on your way. Did not Jesus say to his disciples that the grain of wheat must fall into the earth and die in order to bear much fruit (cf. John 12:23-26)? He was indicating in this way that his life given unto death would bear fruit…
7. Your contemporaries expect you to be witnesses of the One whom you have met and who gives you life… Philip and Andrew brought those "Greeks" to Jesus: ... Feel responsible for the evangelisation of your friends and all your contemporaries.
…The Virgin of Nazareth, the compassionate and patient Mother, will mould within you a contemplative heart, and teach you to fix your gaze on Jesus so that, in this world that passes away, you shall be prophets of a world that does not die.

Holy Cross Family Ministries is committed to forming the youth and nurturing them in faith. We do this through retreats, seminars, 'Try Prayer Contest', youth conferences, radio, TV and social media: Internet, Facebook, and Twitter. Please visit our website: http://www.hcfmeafrica.or.ug and Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/Holy Cross Family Ministries-East-Africa page and interact with us. Make prayer request and help us serve you better.

Mission of Holy Cross Family Ministries in East Africa:

In the spirit of our founder, servant of god father Patrick Peyton, CSC, and under the sponsorship of the congregation of holy, holy cross ministries east Africa serves Jesus Christ and his church throughout East Africa by promoting the spiritual well being of the family. Faithful to Mary, the mother of god, we encourage family prayer, especially the rosary. We direct our efforts to the evangelization of culture using mass media to entertain, inspire and educate families

 

Kuuliza Si Ujinga!

Kuuliza si Ujinga

Jumapili ya Tano ya Paska

Mtume wa Yesu Thomasi alimuuliza Yesu: "Bwana, hata uendako hatujui; basi, twaijuaje njia?" (Yohane 14: 5).

 

Anayeuliza njia hatakosa njia. Ni methali ya Kiswahili. Kuuliza ni msingi wa kujua. Kuuliza ni msingi wa hekima. "Ufunguo wa kwanza wa hekima ni kuuliza kwa uangalifu na mara nyingi…kwa kuwa na mashaka unauliza na kwa kuuliza unafikia ukweli," alisema Peter Abelard mwanafalsafa wa Kifaransa (1079–1142). Kuna mtoto aliyemuuliza maswali mengi baba yake kama: Baba lami inatengenezwa na nini? Baba kwa nini Mungu ameficha madini mbali sana? Baba kiberiti kinatengenezwaje? Baba mimi nilitoka wapi na namna gani? Baba yake akamwambia mtoto mimi ningewasumbua wazazi wangu kwa maswali mengi kama haya ingekuwaje? Mtoto akamjibu: "Ungepata majibu ya kunijibu."  "Mtoto anaweza kuuliza maswali elfu moja ambayo mtu mwenye busara sana hawezi kujibu," alisema Jacob Abbott. Nakubaliana na Charles Proteus Steinmetz aliyesema: "Hakuna mtu yeyote anageuka mpumbavu isipokuwa akiacha kuuliza maswali." Huyu alikuwa mwamerika mwenye asili ya Kijerumani (1865 – 1923).

 

Mtume wa Yesu Thomasi alimuuliza Yesu: "Bwana, hata uendako hatujui; basi, twaijuaje njia?" (Yohane 14: 5). "Kuuliza si upumbavu ni tamaa ya kusikiliza yote vizuri kabisa." Ni methali ya Kilozi. Mtume Thomasi Msimamizi wa Watafiti alikuwa na tamaa ya kusikiliza vizuri. Yesu alimjibu: Mimi ni Njia Ukweli na Uzima.  Watanzania wana methali isemayo: Kuulizia njia wakati umekanyaga kwenye njia hiyo. Thomasi alipoulizia njia alikuwa kwenye njia ya Yesu. Wanafunzi wa Yesu walijulikana kama Wanafunzi wa Njia. Yesu alisema kuwa yeye ni Njia. Swali la Mtume Thomasi lilikuwa swali la msingi. Methali ya Kiswahili inasema yote: Usiende bila kuuliza. Mtume Thomasi alijua kama isemavyo methali ya Uganda: Kuuliza ni kujua. "Ukitaka jibu lenye hekima, lazima kuuliza swali lenye maana," alisema Johann von Goethe. Thomasi aliuliza swali lenye maana na alipata jibu lenye hekima.

 

Wayahudi ni watu waliongolea sana njia. Katika Biblia tunasoma maneno kama haya: Njia za Mungu si njia zetu. "Patakuwepo na barabara kuu, nayo itaitwa njia takatifu: wasio safi hawataruhusiwa pale" (Isaya 35:8). Njia inaweza kumaniisha falsafa au mtazamo mfano Njia za Mungu si njia zetu. Falsafa ya Yesu ni Ijumaa Kuu kwanza Jumapili ya Paska baadaye au dhiki kwanza faraja baadaye. Yesu yeye ni njia kwa maana hii. Fikiria huko nchi ya ugenini. Unaulizia njia. Mtu anakwambia. Chukua barabara ndogo upande wa kulia utakayokutana nayo. Ukifika kwenye makutano ya barabara panda kushoto. Nenda moja kwa moja. Utaona Kanisa upande wa kulia. Pita hapo. Usitoke barabara hiyo. Hesabu barabara ndogo nne upande wa kushoto. Barabara ya tano ndipo penyewe upande wa kulia kwake. Lakini fikiria huyo mtu uliyemuuliza anakwambia nitakupeleka mimi mwenyewe. Yesu hakutoa ushauri na maelekezo. Anatuongoza yeye mwenyewe. Hatumwambii tu juu ya njia yeye mwenyewe ni njia.

 

"Jambo muhimu ni kutoacha kuuliza," alisema Albert Einstein. Mitume hawakuacha kumuuliza Yesu. Baada ya Thomasi kuuliza swali hilo Philipo naye aliuuliza: "Bwana, utuoneshe Baba, yatutosha." Philipo alitaka kumuona Mungu kwa macho ya akili yaani kumwelewa. Mazoea ambayo huleta dharau labda yalimfanya kuuliza swali la namna hiyo. Matendo ya Yesu yalikuwa ya kimungu kama: kutembea juu ya maji, kufufua wafu, kukemea upepo na ukamtii, kuponya wagonjwa kwa neno tu, na kusamehe dhambi. Kama tunataka kumjua Mungu hatuhitaji kuifikiria njia yetu kwa mzunguko au kutumia muda mwingi katika utafiti wa pekee. Tunachohitaji kufanya ni kumwangalia Kristo, kuona alichokifanya, kusikiliza kile alichofundisha, kuangalia alivyotenda, kuangalia jinsi alivyopenda, kuangalia ni nani aliyempendelea, nani alishirikiana naye na kwa sababu gani, nani na pamoja na nani alikula chakula chake, ni nani aliyemkaripia au kumtetea, kwa sababu yeye ni sura ya kibinadamu ya Mungu. Kuna aliyesema hivi: "Mungu atajibu maswali yetu yote kwa njia moja na njia moja tu – kwa kuitaja, kutuonesha zaidi kuhusu Mwana Wake." Mwana wake ni Yesu.

 

Ni katika kuuliza mambo mengi yamevumbuliwa. "Katika mambo yote, biashara na shughuli binafsi, ni jambo lenye tija kwa sasa na baadaye kutundika alama kubwa ya kuuliza kwenye mambo ambayo umeyachukulia kuwa ni ya kweli," alisema Bertrand Russell. Kuuliza si ujinga ni kutaka kujua. "Lugha ilivumbuliwa ili kuuliza maswali. Majibu yanaweza kuwa minongono au ishara, lakini maswali lazima yaulizwe kwa sauti. Ubinadamu ulikomaa pale ambapo mtu aliuliza swali la kwanza. Kudumaa kijamii hakutokani na kukosekana kwa majibu bali kutukuwepo na msukumo wa kuuliza maswali," alisema Eric Hoffer.Ukweli unabaki. Kuuliza si ujinga.

 

Maswali ni Nusu ya Majibu

 "Anayeuliza mengi, atajifunza mengi, na kubaki na mengi," alisema Francis Bacon (1561 – 1626) mwanafalsafa wa Uingereza. Methali ya Kiswahili inayapa uzito maneno ya mwanafalsafa huyo: Kuuliza si ujinga. Kuuliza swali hakumaanishi mwulizaji ni mjinga bali huonyesha kuwa angetaka kujielimisha au kujifahamisha. Ukiuliza maswali unajua mengi. Baba alimwambia mtoto wake wa miaka mitano. Wewe ni mtoto wa ajabu katika kuuliza maswali mengi. Sijui ingekuwaje kama mimi ningeuuliza maswali mengi nikiwa mtoto. Mtoto akamjibu: ungepata majibu ya kujibu baadhi ya maswali yangu. Maswali yanaweza kukusaidia kumpima mtu anayeuliza. Ni katika msingi huu Voltaire (1694 – 1778) mwandishi wa Kifaransa na mwanahistoria alisema: "Wahukumu watu kwa maswali yao, badala ya majibu yao." Kadiri ya mwandishi huyu unaweza kugundua mjinga. "Atakuwa ni mjinga sana kwa vile anajibu kila swali analoulizwa," alisema Voltaire.

Yesu akiwa na umri wa miaka kumi na miwili alikuwa na ufahamu wa kushangaza. Ufahamu huo ulionekana katika kuwauliza walimu wa sheria maswali. Tunasoma hivi: "Ikawa baada ya siku tatu, walimkuta hekaluni, ameketi kati ya walimu akiwasikiliza na kuwauliza maswali; nao wote waliomsikia walistaajabia ufahamu wake na majibu yake" (Luka 2:46).  Bila shaka Bwana Yesu aliuliza maswali sahihi kupata majibu sahihi. Ni kweli "ufundi na sayansi ya kuuliza maswali ni chanzo cha ujuzi  wote," kama alivyosemaThomas Berger. Lazima katika maisha hujioji maswali mbalimbali juu ya maendeleo yako kama: Je una mtazamo chanya au hasi? Je unashindwa kupanga au unapanga kushindwa? Je umetoka wapi? Uko wapi? Unakwenda wapi? Pilipili usiyokula kwa nini inakuwasha? Je unatembea barabara kuu ya wito wako au uko kwenye mchepuko au vichochoroni? Kwa nini uliumbwa? Yaliyopita si ndwele kwa nini unaishi katika wakati uliopita? Je ya wengine sebuleni ya kwako moyoni?

 

Zig Ziglar aliyekuwa na ufundi mkubwa wa kutia watu moyo aliweka katika maandishi maswali kama haya: "Je unajiandalia ya kesho au unaingoja kesho? Je unajua zaidi kuhusu kazi yako, familia yako, na kuhusu wewe leo kuliko ilivyokuwa jana? Ni habari gani mpya au ufundi gani mpya umejifunza? Je unaiacha kesho itokee tu, au unachukua hatua kesho iwe unavyotaka iwe? Je unaacha jana ikufundishe au ikushinde? Je unajua kuwa mtu mwingine ana maoni mengine na yanaweza kuwa sahihi?" Alihitimisha kwa kusema: "Maswali ni majibu kweli, na ukiuliza ya kutosha nay a kweli, utaishia kwa mtu wa furaha zaidi, mwenye afya zaidi.." Ingawa anayaona maswali ni majibu, mimi nayaona maswali ni nusu ya majibu. Ni kama barua ilivyo nusu ya kuonana. Kuelewa swali ni kama nusu ya jibu. Kuuliza swali sahihi unaweza kupata jibu sahihi. Uwe kama  Anne Rice aliyesema: "Kila mara ninatazama kila mara ninauliza maswali."  Kuuliza swali sahihi ni jambo la msingi. "Mwanasayansi sio mtu anayetoa majibu sahihi, bali ni yule anauliza maswali sahihi," alisema Claude Lévi-Strauss. Alikazia umuhimu wa kuuliza maswali sahihi.

 

Sio kila swali linakuwa na matokeo mazuri. Inategemea ni swali la namna gani.  Mwanamke fulani alimwambia mme wake: haunipendi tena, maana unapoona ninalia hauniulizi kwa nini ninalia. Samahani sana maswali haya yamenifanya nitoe pesa nyingi katika kuyajibu.

 

Easter Sunday Homily

Today, world over, we echo the angel's message to the women: "Do not be afraid! I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has been raised. Come, see the place where he lay" (Mt 28:5-6).

My dear brothers and sisters, one might be curious to ask, what is the message of Easter? The message of Easter is one of hope. And also of a life-transforming power of the resurrection, which is the central theme of the gospels. Our Lord's resurrection gives us the power to transform our lives and make life better. Christ's resurrection is the basis of our faith and hope.

Let us be people of hope. Hope doesn't kill anyone. Even though hope cannot be eaten like food we cannot live without hope. Hope is the foundation of the world. Let us all be traders of hope. Forget about the past cultivate a new beginning.  Today is today, what can be done today it shouldn't wait for tomorrow. Hope is yours let it strengthen you.

Yesterday is yours let it teach you. Today is yours fulfill your dreams. Tomorrow is yours hope for the best. Tribalism exists end it. Religious divisions exist, pull away from such divisions. The people are yours love them. The truth is yours know it. The disease that is disturbing you, give it a good bye never to see it again. Death is not the ultimate end delay it. The life is yours increase it. The victory is yours claim it. Don't be scared by anything you have been wonderfully created in the image and likeness of God.

If you have got a grudge, drop it. If you want to revenge, forgive. If you have got a temptation, overcome it. If you have got hatred, wipe it away. If you have pain, transcend it. If you have a personal difficulty, go beyond it. If there is no reconciliation, reconcile. If you have got intrigue in your heart, chase it away. If you have got a mountain of problems send it away by faith. If you have got bad manners overcome it by goodness. If death worries you, delay it. If you have a cross, carry it. If you have got a challenge, face it. If they throw you down, stand up. If they laugh at you, give them a smile. If they badmouth you, pray for them. If they hate you, love them. If they kill you, resurrect.

In conclusion, please know of the two philosophies of life:

1.    First there is Good Friday then Easter Sunday

2.    First there is a Crown of thorns then there is a Crown of Glory

Homily prepared by Rev. Christopher Letikirich, CSC

Director of Holy Cross Family Ministries, East Africa

Easter Sunday, 20 April 2014