FLOOD AND DESERT

Reflection from Gen 9: 8-15; 1Pt 3: 18-22; Mk 1: 12-15

We have started our penitential journey called Lent Season. This period proposes a journey of conversion, preparing us to celebrate the central mysteries of our faith, renewing our commitment with the new life given by Christ with his resurrection. Lent season is a great retreat of forty days for many Christians, reminding us about the period of forty days of Moses on the Mont Sinai to receive the Commandments; the forty years of the journey of purification of the people of Israel in desert and the experience of Jesus in the desert also before his mission. Jesus overcame all temptations because let himself be guided by the Holy Spirit. Everyone who follows his footsteps, opened to a journey of conversion is supported by the strength from above in order to perform the God’s will with success.

The readings of this first Sunday introduce us in the journey of renewal of our baptism, showing us the way proposed by God to renew the life in the world. Through Noah and his family God makes a first covenant with the humanity, renewing all creation. The proposal here is new creation, which happens when the human being change his options, performing new relationship with God and all others living beings. The covenant is sign that God doesn’t want to lose the human beings, proposing always new opportunity of purification and conversion. In the second reading, St. Peter speaks about the effect of the Flood for all creation as symbol of the baptism which purifies, giving human being new life in Christ.

In the first part of the gospel, Jesus is led to the desert by the strength of the Spirit. Like this he was very motivated to live this experience focused in the preparation to the mission entrusted to him by the Father. In the bible, Desert is always a special place to meet God and it was in that place where the people of Israel experienced the constant love and care of God. For Jesus it was a meaningful experience through that he could discern better the plan of God. During this time, he was also tempted by Satan and conquered all temptations by being obedient to his Father. He accepted that situation in order to show how to overcome the trap of the tempter. The temptations to wealth, power and glory faced by Jesus didn’t distract him from the essential, which was to do God’s will.

In the second part of the gospel we have the summary of the beginning of the mission of Jesus with the announcement of the Kingdom of God and the invitation to conversion. The presence of Jesus brings the Kingdom of God, inaugurating a new time, time of the salvation. That is the good news which was expected for all. In order to believe in the good news announced by Jesus, it is necessary conversion. The heart is the centre of the decisions and the conversion take place in the heart; for that true faith in Jesus is possible only if the heart is transformed.

In his experience in the desert, Jesus was guided by the Spirit, helped by the Angels and he was very focused about the plan of God. For that nothing distracted him from the essential. As followers of Jesus, constantly we are tempted to give up because it is the plan of the tempter. But the example of fidelity the Master is invitation to us to let ourselves be guided by the Holy Spirit, being helped by others and having very clear objectives in our life in order to discern well in everything. The temptation more common in our communities is to think that there are people enough to serve or to take advantage of the some duty in order to dominate and humiliate others. May this Lent season help us in our journey of conversion, motivating us to stay focused in the essential - like Jesus in relating to the plan of God - in order to overcome the temptation to follow other ways.

Fr Ndega

GHARIKA NA JANGWA

Kutafakari kutoka Mwanzo 9: 8-15; 1Pt 3: 18-22; Mk 1: 12-15

Tumeanza safari yetu ya toba inayoitwa Kwaresima. Kipindi hiki kinapendekeza safari ya ubadilifu, kutuandaa kuadhimisha mafumbo makuu ya imani yetu, kufanya upya ahadi yetu na maisha mapya kutokana na Kristo na ufufuo wake. Msimu wa Kwaresima ni mafungo makubwa ya muda wa siku arobaini kwa Wakristo wengi, kutukumbusha kuhusu muda wa siku arobaini ya Musa juu ya Mlima Sinai ili kuzipokea Amri na miaka arobaini ya safari ya usafishaji wa watu wa Israeli katika jangwa na uzoefu wa Yesu katika jangwa pia kabla ya kazi yake. Yesu alishinda majaribu yote  kwa sababu akajiruhusu kuongozwa na Roho Mtakatifu. Kila mtu ambaye anazifuata nyayo zake, na aliyefunguliwa kwa safari ya ubadilifu, yeye husaidiwa na nguvu kutoka juu ili kufanya mapenzi ya Mungu kwa mafanikio.

Masomo ya Jumapili hii yanatuingiza katika safari ya upya wa ubatizo wetu, kutuonyesha njia iliyopendekezwa na Mungu ili kufanya maisha mapya duniani. Kupitia Nuhu na familia yake Mungu anafanya agano la kwanza na ubinadamu, kufanya upya uumbaji wote. Pendekezo hapa ni uumbaji upya, ambao hutokea wakati mwanadamu hubadilisha chaguzi zake, kufanya uhusiano mpya na Mungu na viumbe vyingine vyote vilivyo hai. Agano ni ishara kwamba Mungu hataki kupoteza binadamu, kupendekeza daima nafasi mpya ya utakaso na ubadilifu. Katika somo la pili, Mtakatifu Petro anaongea kuhusu athari ya gharika kwa uumbaji wote kama ishara ya ubatizo ambao humtakasa, kumpa binadamu maisha mapya katika Kristo.

Katika sehemu ya kwanza ya injili, Yesu anaongozwa jangwani kwa nguvu ya Roho. Kama hii alihamasishwa sana kuishi uzoefu huu kulenga katika maandalizi ya kazi iliyokabidhiwa na Baba. Katika Biblia, Jangwa ni mahali pazuri daima kukutana na Mungu na palikuwa ni mahali pale ambapo Watu wa Israeli walihisi upendo na ulinzi ya Mungu mara kwa mara. Kwa Yesu uzoefu huo ulikuwa wa maana na Kupitia huo aliweza kutambua bora mpango wa Mungu. Wakati huu pia alijaribiwa na Shetani na aliyashinda majaribu yote kwa kuwa mtiifu kwa Baba yake. Alikubali hali hiyo ili kuonyesha jinsi ya kushinda mtego wa mshawishi. Majaribu ya mali, nguvu na utukufu yaliyokabiliwa na Yesu hayakumvuruga kutoka kufanya mapenzi ya Mungu.

Katika sehemu ya pili ya injili tuna muhtasari wa mwanzo wa kazi ya Yesu na tangazo la Ufalme wa Mungu na mwaliko kwa ubadilifu. Uwepo wa Yesu unaleta Ufalme wa Mungu, kuanzisha wakati mpya, wakati wa wokovu. Hiyo ni habari njema ambayo ilitarajiwa kwa wote. Ili kuamini habari njema iliyotangazwa na Yesu, ubadilifu ni muhimu. Moyo ni kitovu cha maamuzi na ubadilifu unatokea moyoni, kwa hivyo imani ya kweli katika Yesu inawezekana kama moyo unabadilishwa.

Katika uzoefu wake jangwani, Yesu aliongozwa na Roho, akasaidiwa na Malaika na akawa makini sana kuhusu mpango wa Mungu. Kwa hivyo hakuna kilichomvuruga kutoka muhimu zaidi. Kama wafuasi wa Yesu, mara kwa mara sisi hushawishiwa kuacha kwa sababu ni mpango wa mshawishi. Lakini mfano wa uaminifu wa Mwalimu Yesu ni mwaliko kwetu tujiruhusu kuongozwa na Roho Mtakatifu, kusaidiwa na wengine na kuwa na malengo ya wazi sana maishani mwetu ili kutambua vizuri katika kila kitu. Majaribu zaidi ya kawaida katika jumuiya zetu ni kufikiri kwamba kuna watu wa kutosha kutumikia au kutumia baadhi ya majukumo ili kutawala na kuwafedhehesha wengine. Kwaresima hii itusaidie katika safari yetu ya ubadilifu, kutuhamasisha kukaa kwa umakini katika muhimu zaidi - kama Yesu kuhusu mpango wa Mungu - ili kushinda majaribu kufuata njia zingine.

Fr. Ndega

Mapitio: Mwalimu Patrick

THE NEED OF A NEW TEACHING

Reflection from Dt 18: 15-20; 1Cor 7: 32-35; Mk 1: 21-28

These readings are an invitation to all of us to welcome the teaching of the Word of God which has the power of transforming the life of the people, giving them support in order to be messengers of a new time. According to the First Reading, the prophet is a person called from among the people in order to speak to them only what God asks him to speak. The inspiration of God, together with the availability of the prophet, made great difference in the life of the people of Israel, leading them to experience a new life. Saint Paul praises the person who dedicates himself/herself to the service of the Lord and motivates all members of the community to continue serving in total surrender without reservation.

Jesus starts his public mission announcing the Kingdom of God and inviting to the conversion. Like this he called the first disciples, according to our meditated last week. Jesus invites his disciples to stay with him and teaches them through the experience of life. The majority part of the miracles which he performs, he does it in the presence of his disciples. Since the beginning, his disciples have been invited to participate in his mission and to share his feelings in relating to the reality of the people, especially the poor ones. Jesus liked to visit and teach in the synagogues because in that places the people usually gathered together to listen to the Word of God and accept his will. This was also a good opportunity to teach his disciples, helping the people to open the hearts to the appeals of God.

The authority given to Jesus by the Father directly shows the superiority of his teaching before the scribe style. Little by little the people were understanding that this person Jesus, who spoke with love and authenticity, were the messenger of God.  His words are full of life and lead to the conversion. His way of speaking bore in the heart the passion for the Kingdom. As messenger of God, he is the unique with authority to teach the people. The ones who have the task to lead the people, must listen to his voice. Even the evil spirits recognise the identity and authority of Jesus, but don’t share his commitment with the sake of the humanity.  For that, Jesus doesn’t dialogue with them; he simply gives order, imposing silence to them. These evil spirits are symbol of the forces opposed to God's plan, paralyzing the people and preventing them to exercise their capabilities in full way. Before these forces, Jesus imposes authority and acts as Liberator.

The presence of Jesus among the human beings inaugurates a new time: the time of God's salvation. The salvation communicated through the mouth of Jesus is accompanied by the concretes gestures of liberation. According to the action of Jesus, the strength of the Word of God does not come from human interpretation, but from divine inspiration. For that his teaching is considered very new. But it is not enough to recognise the identity of Jesus as Messiah of God, because even the evil spirits do that. It is necessary accept his proposal of conversion, letting his power removing the shackles which prevent us to perform good relationship with God and with others. The resistance against Jesus is opposition to the realization of the kingdom. In this case, we act as adversaries of God, unable to follow faithfully the footsteps of his Son who, when proclaims the good news of the kingdom asks for free and total membership of each person. For us, the search of this kingdom should be a priority, because on it lays the meaning of our life and mission.

The message of this gospel is a proposal of a new discipleship. It is a invitation to us to review our capacity of surrender to the one who has called us and wants we should be his messengers. Identifying himself with those who follow him, Jesus continues opposing himself to any force or mentality that oppresses people’s lives. In other words, through our actions, the liberators gestures of Christ still happen in the lives of many people. From him we received the authority to be authentic people in order to speak the truth. The sure that Jesus accompanies us in our journey motivates us to fight against all evil and sin which prevent us to serve God with generosity and gratuity. May his grace help us to perform this purpose.

Fr. Ndega

UHITAJI WA MAFUNDISHO MAPYA

Kutafakari kutoka Kumbukumbu la Sheria 18: 15-20; 1Wak 7: 32-35; Marko 1: 21-28

Masomo haya ni mwaliko kwa sisi sote kukaribisha mafundisho ya Neno la Mungu ambalo lina uwezo wa kubadili maisha ya watu, kuwapa uwezo ili kuwa wajumbe wa wakati mpya. Kulingana na Somo la Kwanza, nabii ni mtu aliyeitwa kutoka kati ya watu ili kuongea nao tu ambayo Mungu anamwuliza kusema. Msukumu wa Mungu, pamoja na upatikanaji wa nabii, ulifanya utofauti mkubwa katika maisha ya watu wa Israeli, ukiwaongoza kupitia maisha mapya. Mtakatifu Paulo anasifu mtu anayejituma kwa huduma ya Bwana na anawamotisha wengine wote wa jumuiya kuendelea kumtumikia kwa kujisalimisha kabisa bila rizavu.

Yesu anaanza kazi yake kwa umma kutangaza Ufalme wa Mungu na kuwaalika kwa kitubio. Kama hii, aliwaita wanafunzi wa kwanza, kulingana na kutafakari kwetu wiki iliyopita. Yesu anawaalika wanafunzi wake kukaa pamoja naye na anawafundisha kupitia uzoefu wa maisha. Sehemu nyingi ya miujiza ambayo yeye hufanya, yeye anafanya mbele ya wanafunzi wake. Tangu mwanzo, wanafunzi wake wamealikwa kushiriki katika kazi yake na kushiriki hisia zake kuhusu hali halisi ya watu, hasa hao maskini. Yesu hupenda kutembelea na kufundisha katika masinagogi kwa sababu katika mahali hapo kwa kawaida watu husanyika kusikiliza Neno la Mungu na kukubali mapenzi yake. Hali hii ilikuwa pia nafasi nzuri kuwafundisha wanafunzi wake, kuwasaidia watu kufungua mioyo kwa mapitio ya Mungu.

Mamlaka yaliyopewa Yesu na Baba mwenyewe yanaonyesha ubora wa mafundisho yake kabla ya njia ya mwandishi. Kidogo kidogo watu walikuwa wakielewa kwamba mtu huyo Yesu, ambaye alizungumza kwa upendo na ukweli, alikuwa mjumbe wa Mungu. Maneno yake yenye uhai kabisa na yanaongoza kwa kitubio. Njia yake ya kuzungumza ilizaa katika moyo shauku kwa ajili ya Ufalme. Kama mjumbe wa Mungu, yeye ni wa kipekee na mamlaka ya kufundisha watu. Wale ambao wana kazi ya kuongoza watu, lazima kusikiliza sauti yake. Hata pepo wachafu wanatambua utambulisho na mamlaka ya Yesu, lakini hawashiriki ahadi yake kwa ajili ya ubinadamu. Kwa hivyo, Yesu hazungumzi nao; yeye tu anawamuru, kuwanyamazisha. Pepo wachafu hawa ni ishara ya nguvu za upinzani kwa mpango wa Mungu, kudhoofisha watu na kuwazuia kuonyesha uwezo wao kwa njia kamili. Kabla ya nguvu hizi, Yesu anaweka mamlaka na anatenda kama Mkombozi.

Uwepo wa Yesu kati ya binadamu unatawaza wakati mpya, ni kwamba, wakati wa wokovu wa Mungu. Wokovu uliowasilihswa kupitia kinywa cha Yesu kinaongozwa na ishara halisi ya ukombozi. Kulingana na matendo ya Yesu, nguvu ya Neno la Mungu haitoki kwa tafsiri ya binadamu, lakini inatoka kwa msukumu wa Mungu. Kwa hivyo mafundisho yake yanachukuliwa mapya sana. Lakini haitoshi kutambua utambulisho wa Yesu kama Masihi wa Mungu, kwa sababu hata pepo wachafu wanafanya hivyo. Ni muhimu kukubali pendekezo lake la kitubio, kuruhusu uwezo wake kuondoa pingu ambayo inatuzuia kufanya uhusiano mzuri na Mungu na wengine. Upinzani dhidi ya Yesu ni upinzani kwa utambuzi wa Ufalme wa Mungu. Kwa hali hii, tunatenda kama wapinzani wa Mungu, kutoweza kufuata kwa uaminifu nyayo za Mwana wake ambaye, wakati anatangaza habari njema ya Ufalme, anauliza kwa ushiriki wa bure na jumla ya kila mtu. Kwa upande wetu, kutafuta Ufalme huu lazima uwe kipaumbele, kwa sababu juu yake maana ya maisha na kazi zetu huweka.

Ujumbe wa injili hii ni pendekezo la uanafunzi upya. Ni mwaliko kwa sisi kupitia uwezo wetu wa kujisalimisha kwa mtu ambaye ametuita na anataka kwamba tuwe wajumbe wake. Yeye anatambua mwenyewe na wale waliomfuata yeye, Yesu anaendelea kutenda dhidi ya nguvu yoyote au mawazo ambayo yanaonea maisha ya watu. Kwa maneno mengine, kupitia matendo yetu, ishara za ukombozi wa Kristo bado zinatokea katika maisha ya watu wengi. Kutoka kwake tunapokea mamlaka kuwa watu halisi ili kusema ukweli. Hakika kwamba Yesu anaambatana nasi katika safari yetu, inatumotisha kupigana dhidi ya maovu na dhambi zote ambazo zinatuzuia kumtumikia Mungu kwa ukarimu na bure. Neema yake itusaidie kufanya kusudi hili.

Fr. Ndega

Mapitio: Mwalimu Patrick