Category Archives: INJILI

TWENTY SEVENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

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From: Ouko joachim omolo
The News Dispatch with Omolo Beste
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2013

In today’s first reading taken from Hb 1:2-3; 2:2-4 Prophet Habakkuk condemns political intrigue and idolatry. The prophet is arguing with God about this state of affairs—why should God allow these things to happen? God tells him, he has prepared a severe punishment for Judah and its wicked inhabitants but the just will be saved.

Habakkuk is not talking of the use of statues, relics, and other articles as our Catholic friends and family members have been indoctrinated to believe that the use of statues, relics, and other articles is acceptable and even necessary for worship. These images and icons are used in the church not actually “worshiped” but are simply “visual aids” to worship.

The idolatry Habakkuk is talking of here has at its core the three lusts found in 1 John 2:16: “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.”

In the Bible to be idolatrous or worship idol is to believe in witchcraft or hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, and factions. Use of strange powers, fighting, desire for what another has, angry feelings, attempts to get the better of others, divisions, false teachings.

It is also identified with drug use and casting spells, hate, losing your temper, conflict, involvement with the occult, factionalism, intrigue, making people angry with each other, causing divisions among people.

When people are afflicted by such misfortunes as ill-health, poverty, unemployment, infertility and poor crops, instead of seeking earthly solutions, instead want spiritual intervention.

Our hearts and minds must be centered on God and on others. This is why when asked what is the greatest commandment, Jesus replied, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37). When we love the Lord and others with everything that is in us, there will be no room in our hearts for idolatry.

If we take care and companionship to the lonely, especially the elderly create system that can enable young people to get employments, to change a global economic system that puts people in hardship and miserable life.

The second reading is from 2 Tm 1:6-8, 13-14. In it Paul is encouraging Timothy the need to continue preaching and preserving the faith which he had learned from his father-in-Christ. For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and self-control.

So do not be ashamed of your testimony to our Lord. You should bear your share of hardship for the gospel with the strength that comes from God in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. Guard this rich trust with the help of the Holy Spirit that dwells within us.

Paul exhorts Christians to “walk by faith and not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7). The main reason why so many Christians struggle with a lack of faith is because we follow our perceptions of what is true rather than what we know to be true by faith.

Faith is not belief without proof, or belief despite the evidence, rather faith is a complete trust or confidence in someone or something. That trust or confidence we have in someone is built up over time as they prove themselves faithful time and time again.

The Gospel is taken from Lk 17:5-10. It tells of the story where the apostles said to the Lord to increase their faith. The Lord replied, “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.

Scriptures about faith teach us to hold our faith in Jesus Christ in hope for eternal life. The scriptures also tell us to put our faith in action and to share faith with others. This is because as Paul tells us in Rom. 10:10, faith is tied to love, because love itself brings enlightenment.” It is love that opens the eyes of the mind.

Yet most of us are inclined to forget God and his providence when our earthly affairs are going well. How often do we thank him when we are enjoying good health, and when our home-life and business are going smoothly?

In most cases it is only when a storm arises in our lives that we think of God and prayer. Jesus wants us to have faith all the times, whether we are in good health, terrorist attacks, rich or poor.

Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail omolo.ouko@gmail.com
Facebook-omolo beste
Twitter-@8000accomole

Real change must come from ordinary people who refuse to be taken hostage by the weapons of politicians in the face of inequality, racism and oppression, but march together towards a clear and unambiguous goal.

-Anne Montgomery, RSCJ
UN Disarmament
Conference, 2002

MY HOMILY ON TWENTY SIXTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

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From: Ouko joachim omolo
The News Dispatch with Omolo Beste
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2013

Today’s first reading is taken from Am 6:1a, 4-7 . The reading presents Amos as being inspired by God to warn the rich who use their wealth to exploit and oppress the poor.

“Thus says the LORD the God of hosts: Woe to the complacent in Zion! Lying upon beds of ivory, stretched comfortably on their couches, they eat lambs taken from the flock, and calves from the stall! Improvising to the music of the harp, like David, they devise their own accompaniment.

They drink wine from bowls and anoint themselves with the best oils; yet they are not made ill by the collapse of Joseph! Therefore, now they shall be the first to go into exile, and their wanton revelry shall be done away with”.

Amos railed against the injustice of obtaining wealth through oppression or fraud. He denounced the unjust means by which it is sometimes achieved and the effect it can have on our lives.

We read in Proverbs 30:8-9 and Hosea 13:6 that wealth often tempts us to forget about God. Wealthy believers may no longer look to God for their provision because they can meet their basic needs.

We read in Ecclesiastes 2 and 5 that people who are wealthy cannot really enjoy their wealth. Even billionaires often reflect on the fact that they cannot really enjoy the wealth that they have. Proverbs 28:11 and Jeremiah 9:23 warn that wealth often leads to pride and arrogance.

Prophet Amos lived during the long reign of King Jeroboam II. Under his reign the Northern Kingdom of Israel many people became very wealthy, and began to lead a luxurious life. People turned away from God and built many altars on mountains to serve the Canaanite gods, the Baal and Ashtarte.

Amos warned the rich who had amassed their fortunes by cheating and robbery, that they would not enjoy their riches, but would lose everything when the land went down in doom. He announced the terrible punishment that God would bring upon the sinful people of Israel.

The second reading is taken from 1 Tm 6:11-16. Paul called Timothy his true son in the faith. He charged Timothy with instructing others not to listen to lies or myths about God and his truth, not to waste time in unproductive, distracting issues.

Paul wanted Timothy to teach others the matters of faith that would build the congregations of God and encourage them to avoid endless debates that would detract from their spiritual growth. He encouraged Timothy to hold fast, to remain faithful, to keep his calling in sight and to inspire others to do the same.

“But you, man of God, pursue righteousness, devotion, faith, love, patience, and gentleness. Compete well for the faith. Lay hold of eternal life, to which you were called when you made the noble confession in the presence of many witnesses.

I charge you before God, who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus, who gave testimony under Pontius Pilate for the noble confession, to keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ that the blessed and only ruler will make manifest at the proper time, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, and whom no human being has seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal power. Amen”.

The Gospel is taken from Lk 16:19-31. Jesus does not condemn wealth in itself. Part of the reason the rich man ended up in hell was because of his hard-heartedness toward the beggar Lazarus. His great wealth was obviously not a sign of God’s favor.

Jesus saw wealth as a gift from God to be used in his service (Matthew 25:14-30). Those who have been blessed with wealth must share generously with the poor (Matthew 25:31-46), and avoid the sins of arrogance (1 Timothy 6:17-19), dishonesty (Exodus 20:15, Mark 10:19, Luke 3:12-14) and greed (Luke 12:13-21).

Both men die eventually. The beggar goes straight to heaven to a state of endless happiness. His bodily sufferings have ended forever- he will never be in want again. The rich man fares very differently. His enjoyments are over forever.

Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail omolo.ouko@gmail.com
Facebook-omolo beste
Twitter-@8000accomole

Real change must come from ordinary people who refuse to be taken hostage by the weapons of politicians in the face of inequality, racism and oppression, but march together towards a clear and unambiguous goal.

-Anne Montgomery, RSCJ
UN Disarmament
Conference, 2002

MY HOMILY ON TWENTY FIFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

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From: Ouko joachim omolo
The News Dispatch with Omolo Beste
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2013

Today’s first reading is taken from Am 8:4-7, second reading is from 1 Tm 2:1-8, the Gospel is from Lk 16:1-13. All the readings today emphasize the concept of Justice and peace. While justice is a virtue which guides the human will, prompting us to give others what is due to them by reason of their existence and their actions, peace is a gift of God implored with faith.

As prophet Amos speaks out in the first reading, we must fearlessly condemn greed, self-indulgence, corruption, complacency, and religious indifference in the strongest term possible. We must condemned political, religious and any other leaders who exploited and oppressed the poor.

We should emulate the courage of Anglican Bishop Alexander Muge who became a true voice to the voiceless of the exploited and oppressed people of God in Kenya. He fearlessly condemned Moi’s regime for corruption and ethnic cleansing which had begun sweeping through the Rift Valley, Western, Nyanza and other regions.

We should also emulate the courage of American Mill Hill missionary, Fr John Anthony Kaiser who fearlessly brought attention to the social problems facing people of God in Kenya. He became a vocal critic of the waves of evictions which were clearly government-backed.

He came into national limelight in the early 1990s when he vigorously resisted the eviction of the internally displaced people who had camped at Maela in Narok, following their eviction from Enoosupukia.

In the second reading St. Paul insists that we must speak the truth without fear, bias or favor. We should emulate the courage of American human rights activist, Malcolm X who courageously and fearlessly spoke the truth:

“I’m for truth, no matter who tells it. I’m for justice, no matter who it is for or against. I’m a human being, first and foremost, and as such I’m for whoever and whatever benefits humanity as a whole.”

Jesus told his disciples that to believe in his is to know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” John 8:31,32. The key to genuine freedom is found in the phrase; “continue in my word”. Jesus says we come to know the truth by continuing in his teachings, and truth is that which will liberate us or make us free.

Truth will lead men and women, boys and girls to love one another. To the extent that we love one another, we shall also respect each other’s rights and privileges.

Later Saint Paul would write about the necessity to be numbered among those “who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For…ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit” (Romans 8:4-6, 9). It is not a matter of being “bad” or “good” but of being truthful.

To live as a material being is to live a lie; to live as a spiritual being is to live the truth. And that is truly “life and peace.” “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit,” for “he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit” with the Divine (Galatians 5:16; I Corinthians 6:17).

In the Gospel Christ is warning those who would follow him on the road to heaven not to become the slaves of earthly things. We should serve God, not money. No servant can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and mammon.”

In simple word, Jesus wants us to be generous with what you have. Generosity is the habit of giving without expecting anything in return. It can involve offering time, assets or talents to aid someone in need. Generosity can also be spending time, money, or labor, for others, without being rewarded in return.

Although generosity often goes hand-in-hand with charity, it is not solely based on one’s economic status, but instead, includes the individual’s pure intentions of looking out for society’s common good and giving from the heart. In other words, generosity should reflect the individual’s passion to help others.

Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail omolo.ouko@gmail.com
Facebook-omolo beste
Twitter-@8000accomole

Real change must come from ordinary people who refuse to be taken hostage by the weapons of politicians in the face of inequality, racism and oppression, but march together towards a clear and unambiguous goal.

-Anne Montgomery, RSCJ UN Disarmament Conference, 2002

BISHOP OBALLA’S MESSAGE TO THE YOUTH ON MORAL VALUES

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From: Ouko joachim omolo
The News Dispatch with Omolo Beste
MONDAY, AUGUST 26, 2013

Bishop John Oballa Owaa of Ngong Catholic Diocese yesterday told youth to keep to moral values and self-discipline. He said if youth are not careful they can be mislead by mass media, especially mobile phones which is easily accessible to children.

Bishop Obala said this during his homily at St Thomas Catholic Church, Magadi Soda, Kajiado County. He came to confer the sacrament of confirmation to about 71 confirmands.

Moral values and self-discipline he said are slowly diminishing over the years, as most of the younger generation are gradually disregarding these ethics. People who do not have base values he said are not even able to feel good about doing something right, that explains why the statistics of abortion among teenagers in Kenya is worrying.

Since children and adolescents are constantly watching those around them, especially the adults who are most present and significant in their lives, bishop Oballa said it is, therefore, extremely important for parents to model the kind of actions they want youth to engage in.

Because children observe and imitate the behavior of adults, adults must be sure to demonstrate consistently appropriate behavior at all times. Parents should guide their children how to get rid of negative media which can ruin their moral values, especially pornography.

Because generations of young people today have grown up with computers, the internet, email, chat rooms, social media, cell phones, etc, children are encountering pornography at younger ages and more teens are becoming addicted to it.

The average age when a child first encounters hard-core pornography today is 11. Their use of the internet, email, texting, social media websites, video games, and chat rooms make them more vulnerable to exposure to pornography and to sexual predators.

Exposure to pornography can affect a child’s psychosexual and spiritual development. This is because they are introduced to a world they are unable to understand. That is why for example, for boys the message is that “girls are to be used for men’s sexual pleasure.

When it comes to abortion, young girls in Kenya were more afraid of carrying a pregnancy to term than contracting sexually transmitted infections like HIV/Aids. They with pregnancy, most people disown you including parents and it is seen as shameful.

The main determining factor for termination of pregnancy amongst these women appeared to be the fact that it was unwanted and/or unplanned, either because of inappropriate timing, the type of man responsible, the relationship itself and the social and economic implications thereof.

As a result, at least 2,600 Kenyan women die in public hospitals each year after having botched backstreet abortions. Many more die at home without seeking medical care. This is despite the fact that Kenya is a deeply religious Christian country where the church is vocal in its condemnation of abortion.

Basing his homily on the first reading from Isaiah 66:18-21: “They shall bring all your kindred from all the nations as an offering to the Lord”, the bishop said we must co-exist as one family of God. He said we should not allow politicians to divide Kenyans along tribal lines.

“It did not matter whether you are a Luo, Kikuyu, Kalenjin, Kisii, Kamba, etc, what matters is that we are Kenyans, and above all children of God”, bishop said amid cheers from the crowd.

And on the second reading from Hebrews 12:5-7,11-13, the bishop said that as Christians we should endure trials. He said nothing should separate us from God, whether hunger, poverty, unemployment, etc.

“God is treating you as children; for what child is there whom a parent does not discipline? Now, discipline always seems painful rather than pleasant at the time, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed”.

On the Gospel taken from Luke 13:22-30 -the bishop said since salvation is a process, no one can claim that he/she is saved. Giving the reason why God created us, “to know him, serve and live with him for ever in eternal life”, the bishop said we must works hard towards our salvation.

“Jesus went through one town and village after another, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. Someone asked him, “Lord, will only a few be saved?” He said to them, “Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able. When once the owner of the house has got up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us,’ then in reply he will say to you, ‘I do not know where you come from.’

Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’ But he will say, ‘I do not know where you come from; go away from me, all you evildoers!’ There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrown out. Then people will come from east and west, from north and south, and will eat in the kingdom of God. Indeed, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”

Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail omolo.ouko@gmail.com
Facebook-omolo beste
Twitter-@8000accomole

Real change must come from ordinary people who refuse to be taken hostage by the weapons of politicians in the face of inequality, racism and oppression, but march together towards a clear and unambiguous goal.

-Anne Montgomery, RSCJ UN Disarmament Conference, 2002

MY HOMILY ON TWENTIETH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

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From: Ouko joachim omolo
The News Dispatch with Omolo Beste
SUNDAY, AUGUST 18, 2013

My homily today is given at Ukarimu Centre in Molo, Nakuru Diocese to the Blessed John Paul II Parish Evangelizing Team. Next Sunday August 25, 2013 Bishop John Oballa Owaa of Ngong Catholic Diocese will come at Magadi Soda, St Thomas Catholic church for confirmation rite. It means I shall not have my homily.

The first reading of today is taken from Jer 38:4-6, 8-10. It narrates how prophet Jeremiah was maltreated and imprisoned, but being a man of God full of faith he endured suffering all his life for the sake of the true religion.

Jeremiah was called to prophetic ministry in c. 626 BC. The Lord had Jeremiah speak against false prophets. After Jeremiah prophesied that Jerusalem would be handed over to the Babylonian army, the king’s officials, including Pashur the priest, tried to convince King Zedekiah that Jeremiah should be put to death because he was discouraging the soldiers as well as the people.

The second reading from Heb 12:1-4 and the Gospel from Lk 12:49-53 are similar. They narrate how our Lord Jesus Christ endured the cross for the sake of the joy which lay before him. Jesus came not to bring peace but to set the earth on fire.

Household of five will be divided, three against two and two against three; a father will be divided against his son and a son against his father, a mother against her daughter and a daughter against her mother, a mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.”

Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. You will be hated by everyone because of Jesus, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.

Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

Whoever acknowledges Jesus before others he will also acknowledge before his Father in heaven- But whoever disowns Jesus before others, he will disown before his Father in heaven.

He warns scribes and Pharisees for their hypocrisy-For they cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. Jesus wants us first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish that the outside of them may be clean also.

His first condemnation is in 23:13, related to the fact that they did all they could to shut out others. False religion and pretense are always the worst enemies of the truth and are far more dangerous than immorality or indifference. As the religious leaders of the Jews, they were held guilty before God of blocking the way for others seeking to enter into the kingdom of God.

Yet, Jerusalem, which means “city of peace,” was the scene where the blood of the prophets was spilled, and stones were cast at those who brought a message of love.

Again and again, prophets had been killed and stoned, and the end was not yet.

They taught about God but did not love God. They preached God but converted people to dead religion. They taught the law but did not practice some of the most important parts of the law — justice, mercy, faithfulness to God.

They exhibited themselves as righteous on account of being scrupulous keepers of the law, but were in fact not righteous: their mask of righteousness hid a secret inner world of ungodly thoughts and feelings. They were full of wickedness.

They professed a high regard for the dead prophets of old, and claimed that they would never have persecuted and murdered prophets, when in fact they were cut from the same cloth as the persecutors and murderers: they too had murderous blood in their veins.

Jesus message was clear, that all of us are sinners. John says: “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves”. One may say that “I have no sin” with reference to his standing in Christ Jesus as a forgiven sinner.

In 1 John 1:10, the apostle said: “If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar.” Before the all-searching God, are we without sin? If there is no sinner, no Saviour is needed. Let us not make our God a liar by our self-justification.

Those who deny the existence of sin within them are rejecting the infallible testimony of God’s Word, which says that “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23; cf. Jeremiah 17:9).

By prescribing their own doctrines, traditions and creeds, the Pharisees were actually hindering others from truly accepting God’s rule in their lives. They had formulated their own standards of right and wrong.

Jesus summarizes his point thus far by saying, They will treat you this way because of my name. So he concludes that the reason they reject him is their ignorance of the One who sent me. The conflict his disciples experience is a part of something much bigger than themselves.

Even today Christians today are being persecuted for the sake of God. They are being rejected merely because they are obnoxious. Jesus gives his disciples the larger perspective, helping them understand that what they are going through is part of the world’s rejection of the Father and the Son.

Thus Jesus is giving the disciples two grounds for assurance, himself and the Scriptures. They should look to him for his example and for what he has said to them. The Scriptures in general and the Gospels in particular, continue to play such a role in the lives of faithful disciples today.

Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail omolo.ouko@gmail.com
Facebook-omolo beste
Twitter-@8000accomole

Real change must come from ordinary people who refuse to be taken hostage by the weapons of politicians in the face of inequality, racism and oppression, but march together towards a clear and unambiguous goal.

-Anne Montgomery, RSCJ UN Disarmament Conference, 2002

REFLECTION FOR ELEVENTH SUNDAY BY CHRISPIN ONYANGO

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From: Ouko joachim omolo
The News Dispatch with Omolo Beste in images
SUNDAY, JUNE 16, 2013
Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail omolo.ouko@gmail.com
Facebook-omolo beste
Twitter-@8000accomole

Real change must come from ordinary people who refuse to be taken hostage by the weapons of politicians in the face of inequality, racism and oppression, but march together towards a clear and unambiguous goal.

-Anne Montgomery, RSCJ UN Disarmament Conference, 2002

– – – – – – – – – – –

REFLECTION FOR ELEVENTH SUNDAY BY CHRISPIN ONYANGO

It seems incredible to us that King David did not seem to realize he had done wrong in having Uriah sent to the front of a battle to get him killed so he could have his Uriah’s wife. We could say he had lost his senses. What brought him to his senses again? It was the prophet Nathan speaking the word of God to him.

In the passage in 2 Sam before our first reading today God sent Nathan to David and Nathan used a very clever story to help bring David to his senses (2 Sam 12:1-7). Nathan told David there were two men in a town, one rich and the other poor. The poor man had one lamb but when a visitor came to the rich man he took the poor man’s lamb and made a meal of it.

When King David heard this he became angry and said the rich man deserves to die and should restore the lamb to the poor man fourfold. Nathan responded, “You are the man.” Then David realized the wrong he had done to Uriah. It seems King David would not have realized he had seriously sinned unless God had pointed it out to him through the prophet Nathan.

We too are no strangers to sin. Even the best of us are no strangers to sin; Prov 24:16 says a just man falls seven times a day and rises again. We do not want to sin but we do. If even the really good sin seven times a day as Prov says, why do some think they have no sin or at least are not aware of sinning? We can deaden our conscience to sin and sometimes it might take a jolt for us to realize that we are sinning.

In a similar way sometimes it happens that someone with a serious alcohol problem will not go to AA or get himself/herself treated until something serious happens when they are forced to admit that they need to sort themselves out.

In our first reading King David realized that he had done something serious and needed to sort himself out after Nathan spoke the word of God to him. What about us? Are we examining our conscience to see where we stand before God? Do we allow the word of God to penetrate us and show up the dark spots in our lives so that we can bring them to the Lord for his healing and forgiveness?

Sin always leaves bad effects, sin always destroys something good. King David had Uriah and his marriage destroyed. Not only does sin hurt other people but it always hurts God. So as we heard in our first reading King David said, “I have sinned against the Lord.” Because our sins hurt the Lord our sins also hurt us when we come to our senses like David because we know the Lord loves us so much.

We know that it was because of our sins that Jesus suffered his passion and death. Sin always has bad effects and consequences. Restoration and healing is always needed after sin. There is always a price to be paid for sin and Jesus paid that price for us in his passion and death. Therefore when we sin it hurts us because we know that it is our sin that inflicted all the suffering on Jesus during his passion and death.

But the wonderful thing is that God is forgiving. We cannot even begin to imagine how ready God is to forgive us. We think in a human way and we find it hard to imagine God being so full of love and forgiveness. It has been said that God created us in his image and likeness (Gen 1:27) and ever since we are creating God in our image and likeness. But to try to make us understand how loving and forgiving God is Jesus spent much of his time ministering to sinners.

We heard in our Gospel the beautiful account of the woman who was a known public sinner meeting Jesus. It is one of the most tender and intimate moments in all the Gospels. She washed his feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. In this beautiful intimate encounter Jesus is saying something to all of us; we are not to allow past sins to drag us down, the Lord wants to forgive us and release us and wants an intimate friendship with us.

Recently when I was on retreat one of the preachers told us the story of the monkey and coconut. If you cut a coconut in half, take out its contents, put something hard into it and put it together again with a chain or something to keep it firmly together while leaving a hole in it big enough for monkey to put his hand in the monkey will not let go of what you put into it until he gets it out.

It has to be something hard that you put into it, not something soft like a banana. Sometimes we can be like that monkey when we will not let go of our past or allow the Lord’s forgiveness and healing to renew and heal us. (A more developed form of that story is in.

Again look at the beautiful intimate picture we see in our Gospel between Jesus and the woman who had been a known public sinner. Jesus wants an intimate friendship with all of us and is ready to forgive us, we are not to allow ourselves to be dragged down by the past. As we heard in our Gospel the one who is forgiven most loves Jesus most.

How wonderful it would be if we could truly understand how much the Lord loves us and wants to forgive us.

If we could truly understand this we would have no fear in approaching the Lord asking for his mercy. Jesus suffered and died for you, he desires intimate friendship with each of us. Why keep Jesus distant? Draw close to Jesus and allow him to draw close to you. Live all of each day with Jesus.

Our whole life is meant to be a close loving relationship with Jesus. If we have sinned in a serious way let us not drag ourselves down. Sin does have consequences but God can turn evil to good in his own mysterious way.

In a mysterious way good came out of David’s sin. The son born of his adultery with Uriah’s wife died but the next son became King Solomon who is credited with being the wisest man in the Old Testament although unfortunately towards the end of his life he allowed his heart to be distracted from the Lord.

In Rom 8:28 we read, we are well aware that God works with those who love him, those who have been called in accordance with his purpose, and turns everything to their good. Also in Rom 5:20 we read, where sin increased, grace overflowed all the more.

So let us allow the Lord who is all merciful and loving to be more powerful than sin in our lives and turn everything to good. As Paul wrote to the Galatians in our second reading today, insofar as I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God who has loved me and given himself up for me. (Gal 2:20) we also heard Paul write earlier in that reading that a person is justified not by works of the Law but by faith in Jesus. This text was badly understood in past centuries. Paul does not say that we are saved by “faith alone”, nowhere do the Scriptures say we are saved by “faith alone.”

Jas 2:24 says we are not justified by faith alone, Paul says that works of the Law do not save, faith does. What are those works of the Law that Paul is referring to? They are the prescriptions of Moses in the Old Testament, specifically the law about circumcision. Paul is saying that circumcision is not necessary for salvation but faith in Jesus.

Naturally when we have faith in Jesus we will do Christian works of charity. Faith and Christian works are the two sides of the one coin and go together. David sinned and was forgiven by God. The woman in our Gospel sinned and was forgiven by Jesus.

Our sins caused Jesus to suffer and die but Jesus desires us to live in intimate friendship with him. Let us not be like a monkey with a hand in the coconut holding onto the past, let us allow the Lord to renew and heal us so that we may say like Paul in our second reading, “I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me.” (Gal 2:20)

Kenya: MY HOMILY OF ELEVENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

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From: Ouko joachim omolo
The News Dispatch with Omolo Beste in images
SUNDAY, JUNE 16, 2013

The first reading of Eleventh Sunday in ordinary time is taken from 2 Sm 12:7-10, 13. While it shows us the weakness of human nature, at the same time it shows the infinite mercy of God. David acknowledges his sin and asks for God’s mercy and forgiveness. God’s forgives him and vows never to repeat that sin again.

The second reading is from St. Paul to the Galatians- Gal 2:16, 19-21. Paul is speaking here of justification and faith. In Christian theology justification is God’s act of removing the guilt and penalty of sin while at the same time declaring a sinner righteous through Christ’s atoning. In Protestantism, righteousness from God is viewed as being credited to the sinner’s account through faith alone, without works.

Catholic and Orthodox Christians distinguish between initial justification, which in their view occurs at baptism, and permanent justification, accomplished after a lifetime of striving to do God’s will.

Most Protestants believe that justification is a singular act in which God declares an unrighteous individual to be righteous, an act made possible because Christ was legally “made sin” while on the cross (2 Cor 5:21). This is contrary to James 2:24-26. “You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone. But faith without works is dead.”

In Romans, Paul develops justification by first speaking of God’s just wrath at sin (Rom. 1:18 – 3:20). Justification is then presented as the solution for God’s wrath. One is said to be ‘justified by faith apart from works of the Law.’

The Gospel is from Lk 7:36—8:3. It shows the mercy of God for sinners and the willingness and eagerness, with which God welcomes back the sinner. A Pharisee invited Jesus to dine with him, and he entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at table.

Now there was a sinful woman in the city who learned that he was at table in the house of the Pharisee. Bringing an alabaster flask of ointment, she stood behind him at his feet weeping and began to bathe his feet with her tears.

Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them, and anointed them with the ointment. When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, that she is a sinner.”

Mary Magdalene was believed to be a reformed prostitute and is identified as the woman who ‘was a sinner at the house of Pharisees, who washed Christ’s feet with her tears, wiped them with her hair and anointed them. Christ then forgave her sins.

The lesson we learn here is forgiveness, a decision to let go your sins and never to repeat them again as we see in the first reading and the gospel. David and Mary Magdalene never repeated the action they were accused of. It was wrong for David to kill Uriah and take his wife.

For unfaithful partners in Kenya where marital infidelity is as intertwined as nyama choma, also known as mpango wa kando, it would mean that forgiveness must go with justice. It means doing justice to your partner and your entire family that you will never cheat on your partner anymore.

In Kenya men are the ones closely linked with big percentage of mpango wa kando than women. A 2008 study carried out by Spylink International, a private investigation outfit based in Kenya, revealed that marital infidelity was on the rise with men taking the lead with 75 per cent share of cheating, while women at 25 per cent in 2002. By 2008 this figure rose from 25 to 45 percent of women cheating on their men.

The study pegged this scenario on “changing lifestyles, and women’s empowerment through higher education and knowing “their rights.” Hard economic times implied that more women were exchanging their bodies for material favours. The survey, however, revealed that “as the data stands, women in Kenya will be “leading the infidelity game by 2010.”

Even worse was the fact that 99 per cent of married couples cheat on each other, with Nairobi, of Kenya’s eight provinces, leading with 60 per cent of unfaithful men, and women at 40 per cent.

Nyanza comes second with 55 per cent of men and women at 45 per cent. Western and Rift Valley take fourth and fifth slots respectively, with men taking 65 per cent, while Coast came fifth with men leading with 60 per cent.

In Eastern province, unfaithful men stood at 70 per cent and 85 per cent in case of men in North-Eastern, a region where women are socially, culturally and economically suppressed.

Central Province was the surprise package with women taking a 60 per cent stake a head of their men.

This trend has led to single women in Kenya. A survey released few years ago by consumer market research firm Ipsos-Synovate, shows that 44 per cent of women dislike infidelity among men.

In terms of the state where the government is to ensure that all the citizens have an equal right to the most extensive total system of equal basic liberties compatible with a similar system of liberty for all, the forgiveness would also mean doing justice.

You must do justice on social and economic inequalities, nepotism, negative ethnicity, human rights abuses, and assassinations, tortures among other ills as recommended by The Truth Reconciliation and Justice Commission (TRJC) in their report.

The report recommends that the head of the state and other departmental heads apologize to Kenyans and then for justice to be done it recommends that actions should be taken. IDPs must be reallocated, people who lost their dear ones be compensated.

TRJC was set up following deadly post-election clashes five years ago. After those elections some 1,500 people were killed and more than 600,000 forced to flee their homes. Some IDPs are still in the camps and people whose dear ones died have not been compensated.

TRJC mandate was to investigate and recommend appropriate action on human rights abuses committed between Kenyan independence in December 1963 and the end of February 2008 – including politically motivated violence, assassinations, corruption and land disputes.

It recommends that those with alleged involvement in the Wagalla massacre should no longer hold any public office. The killings occurred in 1984 during efforts to disarm ethnic Somali clans in the north-east of the country. Survivors say close to 5,000 people died.

When justice is done it is when the forgiveness will bring a kind of peace that helps the victims go on with life. Forgiveness here means that you are now at peace with yourself and the community. Click here to read Pope John Paul II Message for the World Day of Peace 2002.

Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail omolo.ouko@gmail.com
Facebook-omolo beste
Twitter-@8000accomole

Real change must come from ordinary people who refuse to be taken hostage by the weapons of politicians in the face of inequality, racism and oppression, but march together towards a clear and unambiguous goal.

-Anne Montgomery, RSCJ UN Disarmament Conference, 2002

MY HOMILY ON THE SOLEMNITY OF THE BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST

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From: Ouko joachim omolo
The News Dispatch with Omolo Beste in images
SUNDAY, JUNE 2, 2013

Today is the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, also known as the Solemnity of Corpus Christi. The feast calls us to focus on two manifestations of the Body of Christ, the Holy Eucharist and the Church. The opening prayer at Mass calls our attention to Jesus’ suffering and death and our worship of him, especially in the Eucharist.

The secondary focus is upon the Body of Christ as it is present in the Church. The Church is called the Body of Christ because of the intimate communion which Jesus shares with his disciples.

It appears as if some Apostles did not understand this dimension spiritually. That is why when Jesus told them that he wanted to have last supper with them since he would no longer be with them any sooner, the Apostles began arguing about power-who would be greater among them, in other words who would succeed Jesus.

This dispute is likely to have taken place in the absence of Jesus, but he knew what they were arguing about. “And he came to Capernaum: and being in the house he asked them, what was it that you disputed among yourselves by the way? Jesus told them: “If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all” (Mark 9: 34-35).

In the course of the meal Jesus predicts Judas will betray him. When Judas asks, “Is it I?” Jesus replies, “You have said.” Later, he encourages Judas to do quickly what he intended to do, and Judas leaves the upper room.

They were eating bread and drinking wine a few times throughout the meal. And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it.” And then broke bread after blessing it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body.

As Pope Leo XIII in his encyclical letter-Leo XIII – Mirae caritatis spells out, Eucharistic worship is the expression of that love which is the authentic and deepest characteristic of the Christian vocation. This worship springs from the love and serves the love to which we are all called in Jesus Christ.

The Eucharist educates us to this love in a deeper way; it shows us, in fact, what value each person, our brother or sister, has in God’s eyes, if Christ offers Himself equally to each one, under the species of bread and wine. If our Eucharistic worship is authentic, it must make us grow in awareness of the dignity of each person.

We must become particularly sensitive to all human suffering and misery, to all injustice and wrong, and seek the way to redress them effectively. In this way the Eucharist does not become a mere habit, and that we do not receive Him unworthily, that is to say, in a state of mortal sin.

Jesus in the Eucharist wants us to be one (John 17:21-24). He wants us to love one another just as he has loved us. In love he wants us to be patient and kind; not to envy or boast; arrogant or rude. Not to insist on our own way; not to be irritable or resentful; not to rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth (1 Corinthians 13:4-7).

Yet many of us today are more impatient than patient. We struggle with impatience because we easily loose hope. This is when we do not get what we want. As a result of this hopelessness some of us end up in committing suicide.

People who commit suicide seek the end of the conscious experience, which to them has become an endless stream of distressing thoughts with which they are preoccupied. Suicide offers oblivion.

People who attribute failure or disappointment to their own shortcomings may come to view themselves as worthless, incompetent or unlovable. Rates of suicide increase during periods of high unemployment and high cost of living.

For them suicide provides a definitive way to escape from intolerable circumstances, which include painful self-awareness. It is a feeling that conditions will never improve, that there is no solution to a problem, and, for many, a feeling that dying by suicide would be better than living.

In the Eucharist we are to be kind, caring genuinely for others around you, wanting the best for them, and recognizing in them the same wants, needs, aspirations, and even fears that you have too.

Being kind is a vital way of making our own lives, and the lives of others, meaningful. Being kind allows us to communicate better with others, to be more self-compassionate, and to be a positive force in other people’s lives.

The first reading is taken from Gn 14:18-20. In those days, Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought out bread and wine, and being a priest of God Most High, he blessed Abram with these words: “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, the creator of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, who delivered your foes into your hand.”
Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

Second reading is taken from 1 Cor 11:23-26. “This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” The cup is the new covenant in Jesus’ blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes.

The Gospel is from Lk 9:11b-17. As the day was drawing to a close, the Twelve approached him and said, “Dismiss the crowd so that they can go to the surrounding villages and farms and find lodging and provisions; for we are in a deserted place here.” He said to them, “Give them some food yourselves.” Click here to read Full text: Pope Francis’ Corpus Christi homily.

Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail omolo.ouko@gmail.com
Facebook-omolo beste
Twitter-@8000accomole

Real change must come from ordinary people who refuse to be taken hostage by the weapons of politicians in the face of inequality, racism and oppression, but march together towards a clear and unambiguous goal.

-Anne Montgomery, RSCJ UN Disarmament Conference, 2002

KENYA: MPS AND LOVE OF MONEY

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From: Ouko joachim omolo
The News Dispatch with Omolo Beste in images
THURSDAY, MAY 30, 2013

Ecclesiastes 5:10 warns Kenyan Members of Parliament against and consequences of love money: “Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless”- For the love of money is the root of all evil, and it destroys men’s lives.

According to this saying, all immorality and wickedness is caused by money. It implies that all immorality and wickedness is caused by people loving money, not by money itself. Kenyans MPs should know that money is the means and not the end. In other words, having a lot of money is great, but having a lot of money should not be an ultimate goal.

Love of money is closely related to the lust. In the Book of Proverbs (Mishlai), among the verses traditionally associated with King Solomon, it states that the Lord specifically regards “six things the Lord hateth, and the seventh His soul detesteth”, namely:

1. A proud look

2. A lying tongue

3. Hands that shed innocent blood

4. A heart that devises wicked plots

5. Feet that are swift to run into mischief

6. A deceitful witness that uttereth lies

7. Him that soweth discord among brethren

Another list, given this time by St Paul’s letter to Galatians 5:19-21. It includes more of the traditional seven sins: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, “and such like”.

St Paul goes on to say that the persons who commit these sins “shall not inherit the Kingdom of God”, they are usually listed as (possible) mortal sins rather than capital vices.

Against the background that Civil Society equated MPs’ greed to pigs. They were not saying that MPs are pigs. They were simply comparing their bad character and behavior to that of the pigs.

Pigs have become synonymous with several negative attributes, especially greed, gluttony, and uncleanliness, and these ascribed attributes have often led to critical comparisons between pigs and humans.

In Luke 15, Jesus tells about the youngest son coming to his father to ask for his inheritance ahead of time. He then took the inheritance and ran away to spend it all on having a good time. He had plenty of “friends” to help him spend it but quickly ran out of his inheritance funds.

Then he was reduced to working in a pig pen and the pigs ate better than he. For a Jew, to tend to pigs was the height of humiliation since they were deemed unclean according to the Old Testament dietary laws.

Kenyan demonstrators released a litter of pigs and poured blood on the pavement outside the gates of parliament in Nairobi to protest a proposed law that would raise wages for parliamentarians.

Police and parliament officials chased the pigs after using tear gas, batons and water cannons to disperse the nearly 250 protesters who marched through downtown Nairobi and sat down at the entrance to parliament.

The names of specific MPs have been written on the bodies of some of the pigs. Yet Kenyan parliamentarians are already some of the best paid on the continent. In January, parliamentarians voted themselves a $107,000 send-off bonus, their last work before parliament closed ahead of elections, after earlier efforts to grant themselves the windfall were vetoed by the then President Mwai Kibaki.

Like Orwell’s Animal Farm where the animals revolted against the cruel human leaders and set up a better method of farm management where all animals are equal, the protesters wanted the MPs recalled back so that Kenyans can vote leaders who can serve them and not leaders who enrich themselves.

In Orwell’s Animal Farm, as time passes, the new leaders become greedy and corrupt, and the other animals realize conditions are just as miserable as before. The pigs are one of the most significant of these connections, representing the communist rulers of Russia, like Joseph Stalin and Leon Trotsky.

In the novel Animal Farm, the pigs represent the communist leaders of Russia in the early 1900s. In Buddhism the pig is a symbol of ignorance. In ancient Christian symbolism the pig is symbol of greed. Jewish, Moslums and Islamic cultures view the pig as unclean and they are forbidden to eat pork.

The following are my suggested biblical texts for MPs to reflect upon

1 Timothy 6:10-For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs. Hebrews 13:5-Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Luke 12:15-And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” Matthew 6:24-“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

Matthew 6:31-33-Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

1 John 3:18-Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.

2 Timothy 3:2-For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy.

1 Timothy 6:9-10- But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.

Romans 13:9- For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Matthew 6:19-21-“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

2 Corinthians 7:1- Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God. Romans 5:8-But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. John 14:15- “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.

Proverbs 23:4-5-Do not toil to acquire wealth; be discerning enough to desist. When your eyes light on it, it is gone, for suddenly it sprouts wings, flying like an eagle toward heaven. Proverbs 13:11- Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it. Revelation 2:4- But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first.

Luke 16:19-31- “There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table.

Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side.

Proverbs 30:8-9- Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, lest I be full and deny you and say, “Who is the Lord?” or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God.

Proverbs 28:20-A faithful man will abound with blessings, but whoever hastens to be rich will not go unpunished. Proverbs 23:4-Do not toil to acquire wealth; be discerning enough to desist. 1 John 2:15-Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 1 Timothy 6:9-11-But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. Luke 12:15-21-And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.

Real contentment will not be found in the riches this world has to offer, but only when we can be happy with what we have, and not believing it is in what we do not have (Heb. 13:5). Real contentment will be found when the Lord blesses those whose hunger is for righteousness and not material goods (Matt. 5:6).

Solomon himself learned this lesson the hard way, after many attempts to find happiness in material pleasures (Eccl. 2:4-10). His conclusion was that it was all “vanity and grasping for the wind” (Eccl. 2:11).

Real treasure is not the riches the world sees, but we can hold one great treasure in our hands: the word of God (Psa. 19:10). The psalmist said it best when he said of the word of God, “More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.”

In the precious words of God are found things more valuable than any earthly treasure, for these are the words of life (John 6:63); these are the words by which we may be saved from our sins (Acts 11:14); these are the words given to us by God that we might know His will and the very words that will judge us in the end (John 12:47, 48)! Our MPs and all of us need these words!

GOD BLESS KENYA

Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail omolo.ouko@gmail.com
Facebook-omolo beste
Twitter-@8000accomole

Real change must come from ordinary people who refuse to be taken hostage by the weapons of politicians in the face of inequality, racism and oppression, but march together towards a clear and unambiguous goal.

-Anne Montgomery, RSCJ UN Disarmament Conference, 2002

EMERGING ISSUE JUST IN

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From: Ouko joachim omolo
The News Dispatch with Omolo Beste in images
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27, 2013

Father I am one of your readers who like your News Dispatch very much. There is one question which has been bothering me so much and I would like if you can answer me-
Was it possible for Jesus to have been romantically attracted to Mary Magdalene?

Answer

If I may answer you correctly and firmly, the issue here is not whether Jesus was romantically attracted to Mary Magdalene or other women, the issue here is the fact that every normal human being is romantically attracted to the opposite sex and this is very normal human emotion.

As Jesus was fully man, it was within the realm of possibility that he experienced it just as all of us do. Scripture tells us that Jesus experienced normal human emotions such as anger (John 2:14–17), love (John 11:5), grief (John 11:32–35), and joy (Luke 10:21). He also experienced normal human desires such as hunger (Matt. 21:18), thirst (John 4:7; 19:28), and the desire for rest (John 4:6).

The only different is that Jesus did not suffer disordered romantic attraction. This is because Jesus’ mission did not include marriage to a human being—his bride is the Church (Eph. 5:25–33)—so there was no apparent purpose for him to feel romantic attraction to form a family of husband and wife.

Secondly Jesus could not be romantically attracted to or involved with a single woman for sexual purposes since his mission was focused on saving mankind. Another input here is that women loved Jesus because he cared for them unlike other priests who distanced themselves from them according to Jews customary law that required that no priest would associate with women.

On the way of the Cross Station six we see Veronica caring for Jesus as she took a cloth and began to wipe the blood and sweat from his face. She could not do much, but she offered what little help she could in appreciation for what Jesus cared for women.

The 8th Station, we see the women of Jerusalem mourn over Jesus. The women were just wondering what could happen to them when Jesus dies. Who would be closer and care for them?

Another explanation here is that despite the popularity of the DiVinci Code alleging that Jesus and Mary Magdalene were married with children, the women weep because they know Jesus is about to die and leave no offspring.

This is because the two greatest values of life in ancient times were the maintenance of your ancestral land and your family; your ancestors behind you, your unborn descendants before you.

“Woe be it if your generation cuts that because you don’t have kids and all of your ancestors behind you are anticipating an unlimited eternity of descendants but that stops because you were infertile.”

Jesus loved women in their weaknesses and flaws that is why he was quick to forgive them no matter how serious the sin, showing mercy and grace instead of judgment and condemnation. In deed Jesus respected women. They discovered Jesus was one of the few men they could fully trust.

The best example here is the adulterous woman Jesus forgave. As he was teaching in the Temple in Jerusalem some scribes and Pharisees interrupted his teaching as they brought in a woman who had been taken in the very act of adultery. The man was not brought in along with the woman.

After a time of silence, Jesus stooped down and wrote with his finger on the ground. It was unlawful to write even two letters on the sabbath but writing with dust was permissible (m. shabbat 7:2; 12:5). The text includes no hint of what he wrote.

The woman’s accusers were trying to entrap Jesus, not just the woman. To them she was a worthless object to be used to “catch” Jesus on a theological legal issue.
Finally, Jesus stood up and said to the accusers, “Let the one among you who is without sin cast the first stone.

He stooped down once more and again wrote on the ground. In his answer Jesus did not condone adultery. He compelled her accusers to judge themselves and find themselves guilty—of this sin and/or others. No one could pass the test, and they slipped out one by one, beginning with the eldest.

The Gospels record several instances where Jesus reaches out to “unnoticeable” women, inconspicuous silent sufferers who blend into the background and are seen by others as “negligible entities destined to exist on the fringes of life.

The issue here is that people were not happy that Jesus associated with women. That is why they were not happy when Jesus chatted with Mary as Martha cooked. Luke relates the story of tension between Martha and Mary on the occasion of the visit of Jesus to their home (Lk. 10:38-42).

While Martha prepared the meal, Mary sat at the feet of Jesus and “she was hearing his word. Martha became distracted and frustrated over having to serve the meal without any help from her sister.

Finally she openly shared her feelings, stood over Jesus who was either seated or reclining, and complained: “She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” Jesus gently rebuked Martha for being so distracted and troubled over many things, when only one thing was necessary.

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Mary’s choice was not a conventional one for Jewish women. She sat at the feet of Jesus and was listening to his teaching and religious instruction. Jewish women were not permitted to touch the Scriptures; they were not taught the Torah itself, although they were instructed in accordance with it for the proper regulation of their lives.

A rabbi did not instruct a woman in the Torah. Not only did Mary choose the “good part,” but Jesus related to her in a teacher-discipleship relationship. He admitted her into “the study” and commended her for her choice.

In the tradition of that day, women were excluded from the altar-oriented priestly ministry, and the exclusion encroached upon the Word-oriented ministry for women. Jesus reopened the Word-ministry for woman. Mary was at least one of his students in theology.

Jesus vindicated Mary’s rights to be her own person—to be Mary and not Martha. He showed his approval of a woman’s right to opt for the study and not be compelled to be in the kitchen. Jesus established his own priorities in declaring, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word proceeding out through the mouth of God.

Apparently, Martha and not just Mary had benefited from the study. Mary stayed in the house until Jesus called for her. When Martha went to get her, Mary came quickly fell at Jesus’ feet.

Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail omolo.ouko@gmail.com
Facebook-omolo beste
Twitter-@8000accomole

Real change must come from ordinary people who refuse to be taken hostage by the weapons of politicians in the face of inequality, racism and oppression, but march together towards a clear and unambiguous goal.

-Anne Montgomery, RSCJ UN Disarmament Conference, 2002

KENYA: MY HOMILIY ON PALM SUNDAY

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From: Ouko joachim omolo
The News Dispatch with Omolo Beste in images
SATURDAY, MARCH 23, 2013

There will be no network where I will be for mass tomorrow so I have decided to send my homily in advance.

Tomorrow is Palm Sunday. It commemorates the triumphal entrance of Christ into Jerusalem. Jesus chose to ride a donkey when he entered Jerusalem instead of a horse which was usually ridden by Kings. He chose the donkey to demonstrate his humility and to fulfill a prophecy in Zechariah 9:9:

“The Coming of Zion’s King Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey”.

Jesus thought of people he served dearly than himself because he practiced humility (Phil. 2:3). Jesus did not only put the well-being of others ahead of their own well-being (Phil. 2:4) but also wanted us to be ministers and servants instead of kings and princes (Matthew 20:25-28).

In other wards, what Jesus wants from us is to be servants instead of masters (Matthew 23:10-12). Jesus was not hypocrite. He always practiced what he preached and preached what he practiced.

Jesus walked on this earth with no place to lay his head, he walked on foot hundreds of miles to preach the gospel, he ate what his disciples ate, he stood in the background, did not advertise himself, he placed other interests above his own, he wrapped a towel around his waist and washed his disciples feet.

Jesus was moved with compassion when he saw crowds of people who did not know God, he was moved with compassion over the plight of an adulterous woman, a widowed bereaved woman whose only son had died, a Samaritan immoral woman, Mary a demon possessed sinful woman, a lying thieving tax collector.

Jesus lived for others, not for himself or his comfort. Many times he was interrupted by crowds on his way to prayer and he took time to give them the good news. He taught his disciples that whoever wanted to be great must be the servant of all, if anyone wanted to be first he must be the slave of all.

Though the word of God gave him the right to be supported financially and fed through his ministry, he gave up this right and worked and toiled and even helped others with his sweat. Instead of walking on a red carpet he decided to walk on palm branches placed in his path, before his arrest on Holy Thursday and Crucifixion on Good Friday.

He gave an example of two men who went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income.’

But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather than the other, for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted.” (Luke 18:10-14)

And when the hour came for him to dine at table with his Apostles he took the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide among you”. And he took bread, he gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them saying, “This is my body given for you, do this in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:14-23).

It demonstrates that Eucharistic celebration is not only a symbol of unity but also as one people of God should divide the little things we have as a community justly. In other wards we should not allow the seeds of tribalism and nepotism to be planted in us.

When we come together to celebrate the Eucharist we express who we are as Church. The liturgy, especially the Eucharist, “is the outstanding means whereby the faithful may express in their lives and manifest to others the mystery of Christ and the real nature of the true Church” (Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, 2).

Pope John Paul II explains the Roman Catholic position regarding intercommunion in his encyclical letter on ecumenism, That All May Be One. He says that Vatican II’s Decree on Ecumenism (#22-23) “pointing out that the post-Reformation Communities lack that ‘fullness of unity with us which should flow from Baptism.

He observes that ‘especially because of the lack of the Sacrament of Orders they have not preserved the genuine and total reality of the Eucharistic mystery,’ even though ‘when they commemorate the Lord’s Death and Resurrection in the Holy Supper, they profess that it signifies life in communion with Christ and they await his coming in glory’ (#67).

We see these seeds of tribalism and nepotism planted among early Christians (Acts 6). “In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food”.

So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.”

This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.

So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith. These good leaders destroyed these seeds of tribalism and nepotism what was being planted in the people.

Those who did not want these seeds of tribalism and nepotism destroyed accused Stephen of insulting other tribes and so they tried to kill him all the times he condemned leaders who only favoured their tribes and relatives when it came the time of distribution of common cake.

Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people. Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called)—Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia—who began to argue with Stephen. But they could not stand up against the wisdom the Spirit gave him as he spoke.

Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, “We have heard Stephen speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God.” So they stirred up the people and the elders and the teachers of the law.

They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin. They produced false witnesses, who testified, “This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place and against the law. For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs Moses handed down to us.” All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.

Condolence message:

On behalf of News Dispatch and my own I would like to send my condolences to the priests, Christians, religious, family and relatives of Bishop Akio Johnson Mutek, Bishop of Torit following his death at the Aga Khan Hospital in Nairobi on Sunday night and was laid to rest on Friday March 22, 2013.

Mutek who was also my college mate at Fordham University in Bronx, New York was rushed to the hospital in Juba in Nairobi as a result of serious kidney complications. Mgr. Mutek was 55 years old and had undergone two kidney transplants in India.

Mgr. Mutek was ordained a priest on December 18, 1988, and appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Torit on May 18, 1999. He was ordained a Bishop on August 15, 1999 and appointed Bishop of Torit on June 9, 2007. He worked closely with People for Peace in Africa, the organization I worked with for 13 years.

May Almighty God rest his soul into eternal peace-AMEN.

Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail omolo.ouko@gmail.com
Facebook-omolo beste
Twitter-@8000accomole

Real change must come from ordinary people who refuse to be taken hostage by the weapons of politicians in the face of inequality, racism and oppression, but march together towards a clear and unambiguous goal.

-Anne Montgomery, RSCJ UN Disarmament Conference, 2002

MY HOMILY OF FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT

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From: Ouko joachim omolo
The News Dispatch with Omolo Beste in images
SUNDAY, MARCH 10, 2013

Today is Sunday March 10, 2013, the 57th of my birthday and fourth Sunday of Lent. I celebrated 2 masses today. Specific theme for Kenya Episcopal Conference Justice and Peace Commission Lenten Campaign is ‘Reconciliation’.

This Sunday is known as Laetare Sunday and is a Sunday of joy. Rejoice, Jerusalem! Be glad for her, you who love her; rejoice with her, you who mourned for her, and you will find contentment at her consoling breasts.”

The Sunday was formerly called “Laetare Sunday” since its mood and theme was one of hope and rejoicing that Easter was near. The day is important because it is the day of the second scrutiny in preparation for the baptism of adults at the Easter Vigil.

The first reading is taken from the book of Joshua, 5:9, 10-12. It recounts the celebration of the Passover in the Promised Land by Joshua and those who had sojourned with him in the desert for 40 years.

The second reading is from the second letter of Paul to the Corinthians, 5: 17-21. It talks of reconciliation of mankind with God as been brought about by Christ’s death on the cross as an atoning sacrifice for all those sins, thereby reconciling men to God; through this sacrifice we became the righteousness of God.

The Gospel is from St. Luke 15:1-3, 11-32. This reading recounts the parable of the Prodigal Son, one of Jesus’ most beautiful parables. It teaches us once more that God is a kind and understanding and merciful Father.

In its introductory message, the chairman of Justice and Peace Commission, Archbishop Zachaeus Okoth of Kisumu urges Kenyans to remain peaceful even if your preference leader was not elected on March 4, 2013. That we should accept the elected leaders, and those who want change them in court should do that peacefully.

In Kenya we are yet to honour what two parties agreed to tackle four main agenda items to end the political crisis and address its underlying causes. They include immediate action to stop Violence and restore fundamental rights.

To address the humanitarian crisis, and promoting healing and reconciliation- how to overcome the political crisis and tackling long term issues by addressing the cause and effects of historical injustices and gross violations of human rights-working towards national unity, reconciliation, and healing.

This is mandated to the Truth, Justice, and Reconciliation Commission of Kenya which has the ability to investigate, analyze, and report on what happened between 1963 and 2008 in regards to gross violations of human rights, economic crimes, illegal acquisition of public land, marginalization of communities, ethnic violence, the context in which the crimes occurred, and educate the public about its work.

Since the TJRC does not have the power to prosecute, they can recommend prosecutions, reparations for victims, institutional changes, and amnesty in exchange for truth for perpetrators who did not commit gross human rights violations.

Although in terms of justice, lack of retributive justice has been a source of concern for many Kenyans, the commission can recommend prosecutions, there has been a long standing culture of impunity in the country, which threatens to keep political leaders safe from prosecution.

It is to be pointed out here very clearly that even though recommendations for redistribution of power and resources has been a focus of the mandate, conflicts have arisen due to imbalances in power, land, and resources between ethnic groups. Unless this is resolved, we cannot talk of genuine reconciliation in Kenya.

Moreover, an accurate, complete and historical record of violations and abuses of human rights, committed between 12 December 1963 and 28 February 2008, such as

abductions, disappearances, detentions, torture, murder, massacres, extrajudicial killings, crimes of sexual nature against female victims and expropriation of property suffered by any person has not yet been resolved.

In order to resolve once for all, there is need to investigate and provide redress of crimes of sexual nature against female victims. To investigate the context, causes and circumstances under which the gross violations of human rights occurred.

To identify actors who purported to have acted on behalf of any public body responsible for the gross violations of human rights, and persons who should be prosecuted for being responsible.

Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail omolo.ouko@gmail.com
Facebook-omolo beste
Twitter-@8000accomole

Real change must come from ordinary people who refuse to be taken hostage by the weapons of politicians in the face of inequality, racism and oppression, but march together towards a clear and unambiguous goal.

-Anne Montgomery, RSCJ UN Disarmament Conference, 2002

THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT COINCIDES WITH GENERAL ELECTIONS IN KENYA

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From: Ouko joachim omolo
The News Dispatch with Omolo Beste in images
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2013

March 3 will be the eve of general elections in Kenya, the third Sunday of Lent. The Kenya Episcopal Conference, Justice and Peace Commission in their Lenten campaign chose “county governance” as their specific theme.

There are 47 counties in Kenya representing the initially recognized districts and each one of them forms a county government. Every county government shall further decentralize its services and coordinate its functions in order to efficiently serve the interests of the people of Kenya at the local levels.

Better known as majimbo in Kiswahili, commonly used to refer to political devolution of power to the country’s regions, its entrenchment into the new constitution was heavily opposed by some section of religious leaders and politicians who had their own interest.

Like some religious leaders who were opposed to devolve government system in Kenya, retired President Daniel Moi spoke strongly against introduction of majimbo, saying it would divide Kenyans along tribal lines, warning he would campaign against the Proposed Constitution if it includes majimbo.

While some religious leaders backed Moi’s views, saying majimbo is likely to spark tribal animosity, in Coast Province, leaders threatened to shoot down the Proposed Constitution if it failed to provide for majimbo.

The Coast people like other marginalized ethnic communities rooted for majimbo to ensure that residents benefit from enormous resources in the region, arguing it would ensure equity and encourage economic productivity.

Historically, the coastals have been fervent proponents of majimbo, spearheaded by Ronald Gideon Ngala, Kenyan politician whose life was marked by a realistic approach to politics and by a devotion to Kenya which allowed him to place his country’s stability and growth first over his own political ambition.

Ngala co-founded Kenya African Democratic Union (KADU) in 1960 when several leading politicians from marginalized communities refused to join Jomo Kenyatta’s African National Union (KANU).

KADU’s aim was to defend the interests of the so-called KAMATUSA (an acronym for Kelenjin, Maasai, Turkana and Samburu ethnic groups), against the dominance of the larger Luo and Kikuyu that comprised the majority of KANU’s membership.

Even though religious leaders and churches opposed to devolved government described the system of governance as “disastrous”, arguing that Kenya was not ready for devolve government, up to almost 95 percent Christians and other religious affiliates opted for the new constitution and entrenchment of devolve government system as opposed to their religious leaders. This was because of their bad experience with the old one.

Kenyans had suffered great deal under all regimes since independent that is why the vast majority of Christians and other religious affiliates opted to oppose their leaders this time along. They pushed for devolve government because they wanted resources closer to all Kenyans, especially the marginalized groups.

They believed that a well thought out devolution system will ensure that they will have a better access to resources as opposed to a purely centralized system which they believe will concentrate resources in Nairobi.

They also perceive that devolution will help to reserve all jobs, resources, businesses etc for the people indigenous to that particular region. To the best of the understanding, after their version of devolution also known as Majimbo is introduced, all the people who have residences, businesses, properties, jobs etc in these regions will be required to surrender the same to those indigenous to that area.

Yet there are those who argue that majimboism had been tried in 1963, it failed, and must be forgotten. It failed because the 1963 majimbo experiment was a hastily conceived, clumsily crafted and badly presented variant of federalism.

Partly because the powerful presidency of the time (as it is today) was never enthusiastic about the idea, it is why Kanu government was reluctant to adopt the system.

Majimboism is about letting Kenyans take ownership and full responsibility for the economic development of their regions by managing the planning and day-to-day management of their affairs. Majimboism is about taking the CDF concept further and truly localizing the local authorities.

The North Eastern Province, for example, may soon turn out to be the richest region in Kenya when drilling for oil and gas starts. The Coast Province is endowed with a lot of wealth and has the port facilities to generate revenue. The Central Province is already well ahead of other regions in development.

Most of Rift Valley is endowed with good agricultural land and can easily take care of the development of drier parts of the Province. The same goes for Western and Nyanza provinces. Most of these two provinces have very good agricultural land and the fishing industry can become a major income earner in the two provinces.

In addition, most parts of Eastern Province have good agricultural land whose potential can be fully tapped if irrigation is widely used. Understood in this way, Majimboism is about cutting wastes and eliminating corruption by reducing the number of pest-like middlemen.

With Majimboism for example, it will mean that there will no longer be KTDA but local Tea authorities. For example, there will be Rift Valley Tea Development Authority which will be responsible for managing the growing, processing, and export of Tea that is grown in Rift Valley within Rift Valley.

In Nyanza, there will be Nyanza Tea Development Authority which will be responsible for managing the Tea affairs within Nyanza. The same goes for Western, Eastern, and Central Provinces.

The first reading for third Sunday of Lent is taken from the book of Exodus, 3:1-8, 13-15. The reading portrays Moses as a good shepherd who is committed to tending the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian.

As he led the flock across the desert, he came to Horeb, the mountain of God where an angel of the LORD appeared to him in fire flaming out of a bush. As he looked on, he was surprised to see that the bush, though on fire, was not consumed.

When Moses decided to go over to look at this remarkable sight, and see why the bush is not burned,” God called out to him from the bush, told him to remove the sandals from his feet, for the place where he was standing was holy ground.

God told him “I have witnessed the affliction of my people in Egypt and have heard their cry of complaint against their slave drivers, so I know well what they are suffering. Therefore I have come down to rescue them from the hands of the Egyptians and lead them out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey.”

Moses said to God, “But when I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ if they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what am I to tell them?”

God replied, “I am who I am.” Then he added, “This is what you shall tell the Israelites: I AM sent to you.”

God spoke further to Moses, “Thus shall you say to the Israelites: The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. “This is my name forever; thus am I to be remembered through all generations.”

Responsorial Psalm Ps 103: 1-2, 3-4, 6-7, 8, 11 says how God is merciful, God who forgives all our iniquities, heals all our ills, and redeems our life from destruction, crowns us with kindness and compassion. He secures justice and the rights of all the oppressed.

The second reading is taken from 1 Cor 10:1-6, 10-12 – Even though all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they drank from a spiritual rock that followed them, the rock was the Christ, yet God was not pleased with most of them, for they were struck down in the desert.

These things happened as examples for us, so that we might not desire evil things, as they did. Do not grumble as some of them did, and suffered death by the destroyer.

These things happened to them as an example, and they have been written down as a warning to us, upon whom the end of the ages has come. Therefore, whoever thinks he is standing secure should take care not to fall.

Gospel is taken from Lk 13:1-9 –It talks of some people who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with the blood of their sacrifices. Jesus wants people to repent: “But I tell you, if you do not repent you will all perish as they did!”

And he told them this parable: “There once was a person who had a fig tree planted in his orchard, and when he came in search of fruit on it but found none, he said to the gardener, ‘For three years now I have come in search of fruit on this fig tree but have found none. So cut it down.

Why should it exhaust the soil?’ He said to him in reply, ‘Sir, leave it for this year also, and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it; it may bear fruit in the future. If not you can cut it down.’”

Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail omolo.ouko@gmail.com
Facebook-omolo beste
Twitter-@8000accomole

Real change must come from ordinary people who refuse to be taken hostage by the weapons of politicians in the face of inequality, racism and oppression, but march together towards a clear and unambiguous goal.

-Anne Montgomery, RSCJ UN Disarmament Conference, 2002

PRAYER FOR PEACEFUL AND FAIR ELECTIONS IN KENYA

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From: Ouko joachim omolo
The News Dispatch with Omolo Beste in images
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2013

Today is second Sunday of Lent. My mass intentions were for peaceful and fair elections in Kenya. My first mass was at 7 am, Ngere center, second one was at 9 am, Nyangoma center, and the third and last was at 11 am, Wang’ang’a center, both under Awasi Catholic, Kisumu Catholic Archdiocese.

I traveled home ready to vote on March 4, 2013. I am a registered voter at Nyasore Primary poling station, Kabondo West assembly ward, Kabondo Kasipul constituency, Homa- Bay County.

Since independence tribalism has been used in Kenya to sentimentally gain, manipulate and misuse national office and Presidential power. That is why rowdy youth are used to cause chaos. It is used by Kenyan leaders to suppress certain tribes and communities that are considered a threat, or for other baseless, absurd, and mundane reasons.

There have been since then, unfair allocation of national resources through nepotism and corruption which has been the major factor that triggers conflict in the nation as some communities feel neglected while their counterparts enjoy enormous share of the national cake.

In return the neglected communities unleash their anger to other communities as a way of portraying their dissatisfaction with how government resources and offices are run. During 3 masses we prayed that Kenyans should elect leaders who will not make lives of innocent Kenyans lost yet again.

We prayed for leaders who will enact anti-nepotism, anti-tribalism and anti-cronyism Act of Parliament immediately the 11th Parliament commences-Leaders who will appoint Kenyans on merits and not on nepotism or favouratism.

The first reading was taken from the book of Genesis 15:5-12; 17-18. God made a Covenant or pact with Abram in which he promised to make Abram the father of a great race to which he would give the land of Canaan as their territory. The faith of Abram is praised because he believed God’s promise.

During my homilies I did mention that like Abraham we need leaders who will make covenant with God that they will serve Kenyans justly. “15:1 After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, “Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.”

15:2 But Abram said, “O Lord GOD, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” 15:3 And Abram said, “You have given me no offspring, and so a slave born in my house is to be my heir.”

15:4 But the word of the LORD came to him, “This man shall not be your heir; no one but your very own issue shall be your heir.” 15:5 He brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your descendants be.”

15:6 And he believed the LORD; and the LORD reckoned it to him as righteousness.15:7 Then he said to him, “I am the LORD who brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to possess.”

15:8 But he said, “O Lord GOD, how am I to know that I shall possess it?”15:9 He said to him, “Bring me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.”

15:10 He brought him all these and cut them in two, laying each half over against the other; but he did not cut the birds in two.15:11 And when birds of prey came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away.

15:12 As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram, and a deep and terrifying darkness descended upon him.15:17 When the sun had gone down and it was dark, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces.

15:18 On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates….”

The psalm of today was quite inspiring: Psalm 27-27:1 The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

27:2 When evildoers assail me to devour my flesh– my adversaries and foes– they shall stumble and fall.27:3 Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war rise up against me, yet I will be confident.

27:4 One thing I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: to live in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple.

27:5 For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will set me high on a rock.27:6 Now my head is lifted up above my enemies all around me, and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and make melody to the LORD.

27:7 Hear, O LORD, when I cry aloud, be gracious to me and answer me! 27:8 “Come,” my heart says, “seek his face!” Your face, LORD, do I seek.27:9 Do not hide your face from me. Do not turn your servant away in anger, you who have been my help. Do not cast me off, do not forsake me, O God of my salvation!

27:10 If my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will take me up.27:11 Teach me your way, O LORD, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies.27:12 Do not give me up to the will of my adversaries, for false witnesses have risen against me, and they are breathing out violence.

27:13 I believe that I shall see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.27:14 Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!

The second reading was from the letter of St. Paul to the Philippians 3:17; 4:1. In the preceding verses St. Paul has been telling his converts that he has given up all earthly things for the sake of the Christian faith and promise. He admits he is far from perfect but he continues to press forward on the road to heaven.

Philippians 3:17-4:1-3:17 Brothers and sisters, join in imitating me, and observe those who live according to the example you have in us.3:18 For many live as enemies of the cross of Christ; I have often told you of them, and now I tell you even with tears.

3:19 Their end is destruction; their god is the belly; and their glory is in their shame; their minds are set on earthly things.3:20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

3:21 He will transform the body of our humiliation that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, by the power that also enables him to make all things subject to himself.

4:1 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved.

The Gospel was from Luke 9: 28-36. Now about eight after these things Jesus took with him Peter, John and James, and went up to the mountain to pray. 9:28 an while he was praying the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white.

9:30 Suddenly the saw two men, Moses and Elijah talking to him. 9: 31 they appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. 9:32 now peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep; but since they had stayed awake, thy saw his glory and the two men who stood with him.

9:33 Jesus as they were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”—-not knowing what he said.

9:34 While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were terrified as they entered the cloud.9:35 Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!”

9:36 When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and in those days told no one any of the things they had seen.9:37 On the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a great crowd met him.

9:38 Just then a man from the crowd shouted, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son; he is my only child.9:39 Suddenly a spirit seizes him, and all at once he shrieks. It convulses him until he foams at the mouth; it mauls him and will scarcely leave him.

9:40 I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.”9:41 Jesus answered, “You faithless and perverse generation, how much longer must I be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.”

9:42 While he was coming, the demon dashed him to the ground in convulsions. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father.

9:43a And all were astounded at the greatness of God.

Our prayers also require casting out demons-Luke 13:31-35-13:31 At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, “Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.”

13:32 He said to them, “Go and tell that fox for me, ‘Listen, I am casting out demons and performing cures today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish my work.13:33 Yet today, tomorrow, and the next day I must be on my way, because it is impossible for a prophet to be killed outside of Jerusalem.’

13:34 Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! 13:35 See, your house is left to you. And I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you say, ‘Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.'”

Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail omolo.ouko@gmail.com
Facebook-omolo beste
Twitter-@8000accomole

Real change must come from ordinary people who refuse to be taken hostage by the weapons of politicians in the face of inequality, racism and oppression, but march together towards a clear and unambiguous goal.

-Anne Montgomery, RSCJ UN Disarmament Conference, 2002

UNDERSTANDING CHARACTER OF PROPHET MICAH

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From: Ouko joachim omolo
The News Dispatch with Omolo Beste in images
THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2013

Prophet Micah was hated and rejected by corrupt leaders, both political and religious. They hated and rejected him because he preached against their hypocrisy, for disconnecting justice and peace and serving their own needs.

They cried “peace,” but declared war on the poor by supporting and legitimizing the injustices of the land, which rob them of their food and well-being. Their power was self-serving.

His sermons can be divided into three roughly equal parts: Judgment against the nations and their leaders (chapters 1-3). His visionary mission was to restore Zion (chapters 4-5) – God’s lawsuit against Israel and expression of hope (chapters 6-7).

Micah also anticipated the destruction of the Judean state and promised its restoration more glorious than before. He prophesied an era of universal peace over which the Governor will rule from Jerusalem.

Being contemporary of Isaiah, Amos and Hosea, Micah never got discouraged despite rejection. There are several similarities in their two prophetic books (Isaiah 2:2-4 and Micah 4:1-3 are almost identical).

Answering the question as to what does the Lord require of you?! Micah 6:8 answers the question — “To do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.” “How will the world know that I am walking humbly with my God? They will know by the way I treat people.

Those who walk humbly with their God have a passionate concern for justice being done in society, and a deep concern to treat people lovingly and mercifully. This was precisely what he learnt from Isaiah, Amos and Hosea.

Amos lived in a time of considerable material prosperity for a few and poverty for most. His message of social justice and the downfall of the royal dynasty did not go down well at the royal sanctuary just over the border in Bethel.

The people were divided into two kingdoms, a more powerful northern kingdom of Israel and a weaker kingdom of Judah, centred on Jerusalem and ruled by kings of David’s line.

Amos was not only rejected by greedy and corrupt leaders, he was an unwelcome, claiming that he was uneducated foreigner from a poor neighbouring state who declaimed words of judgement from God for the evildoers of Israel.

Amos denounced in his poetry many injustices. The weights and measures in the marketplaces were false. The poor were treated with contempt by the law-courts. Foreign women were treated as prostitutes.

The corrupt upper-class women are compared to the fat cows of Bashan. Their husbands’ drunken songs are compared to David’s psalms. Amos’s constant theme is that the powerful people are corrupt and care for nothing but their own pleasure and increased wealth.

Their poorer compatriots, equally heirs of God’s promise, are fit only for oppression and exploitation. Since that is how they treat God’s covenant, God will destroy them and their whole society.

His desire for justice and peace was for a more equitable distribution of the world’s resources; a longing for a more compassionate society. He hated leaders whose services were designed to please themselves, not God (Amos 4:5).

Their worships were not thanks giving to God, and there was no content of repentance in it. It was not leading to holy living. (Amos 4:6-13). God he asserted will not accept worship without the practice of social justice. (Amos 5:24; 8:4-6; Amos 3:10; 5:6-17)

Prophet Micah is the author of the Holy Book of Micah. His name means “one who is like God”. Living between approximately 737 BC and 690 BC, he grew up to have prophetic visions. He used to prophesy not by word alone, but in visions also.

Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail omolo.ouko@gmail.com
Facebook-omolo beste
Twitter-@8000accomole

Real change must come from ordinary people who refuse to be taken hostage by the weapons of politicians in the face of inequality, racism and oppression, but march together towards a clear and unambiguous goal.

WEEK OF PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY 2013 CALLS FOR JUSTICE AND PEACE

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from: Ouko joachim omolo
The News Dispatch with Omolo Beste in images
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 23, 2013

Rev Fr Charles Odira, the National Executive Secretary, Kenya Episcopal Conference (KEC) Commission for Ecumenism documented resource for week of prayer for Christian unity 2013- January 18- 25, 2013. The theme is drawn from Micah 6:6-8: “What does God require of us?”

The answer to the question is to do justice, lover tenderly and walk humbly with your God. The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is traditionally observed from the 18th to the 25th January – the octave of St. Peter and St. Paul, even though some areas observe it at Pentecost or some other time.

The theme of the Week of Prayer 2013 was prepared in India. It was decided that in a context of great injustice to Dalits (“outcasts”) in India and in the church, the search for visible unity cannot be dissociated from the dismantling of the caste system and a greater appreciation of the contribution of the poorest of the poor to unity. For more information click here to read the resources for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

Christian disunity in India within churches and between them is further accentuated by the caste system. Casteism, like apartheid, racism and nationalism poses severe challenges for the unity of Christians in India and therefore, for the moral and ecclesial witness of the Church as the one body of Christ.

Micah who was one of the twelve minor prophets of the Old Testament who prophesied from approximately 737-690 BC in Judah, and who lived in the same political, economic, moral, and religious conditions as his contemporary Isaiah wept over the plight of his people as he harshly criticizes those in authority, both political and religious, for abusing their power and stealing from the poor: They “tear the skin off my people” (3:2), and “give judgment for a bribe” (3:11).

Micah’s strong call to justice and peace is concentrated in chapters 6:1 – 7:7, part of which forms the theme of this year’s Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (WPCU). He sets justice and peace within the history of the relationship between God and humanity but insists that this history necessitates and demands a strong ethical reference.

Micah compared the greed of those who exploited the poor to those who “eat the flesh of my people, flay the skin off them, break their bones in pieces” (3:3). His rejection of rituals and sacrifices which were impoverished by a lack of concern for justice, speaks of God’s expectation that justice ought to be at the core of our religion and rituals.

Day 1-8 themes:

Day 1: walking in conversation. We reflect on the importance of the practices of dialogue and conversation, as a means of overcoming barriers. Both in ecumenism, and in the struggles for liberation of people across the globe, the skills of speaking and listening are recognised as essential. In such authentic conversation we can come to recognise Christ more clearly.

Day 2: walking with the broken body of Christ. Recognising the solidarity between Christ crucified, and the “broken peoples” of the world, such as the Dalits, we seek as Christians together to learn to be more deeply a part of this solidarity ourselves. In particular, the relation of eucharist and justice is opened up, and Christians invited to discover practical ways of eucharistic living in the world.

Day 3: walking towards freedom. Today we are invited to celebrate the efforts of communities across our world that are oppressed, like the Dalits in India, as they protest against all that enslaves human beings. As Christians committed to greater unity, we learn that the removal of all that separates people from one another is an essential part of fullness of life, freedom in the Spirit.

Day 4: walking as children of the earth. Awareness of our place in God’s creation draws us together, as we realize our interdependence upon one another and the earth. Contemplating the urgent calls to environmental care, and to proper sharing and justice with regard to the fruits of the earth, Christians are called into lives of active witness, in the spirit of the year of Jubilee.

Day 5: walking as the friends of Jesus. Today we reflect on the biblical images of human friendship and love as models for God’s love for every human being. Understanding ourselves as beloved friends of God has consequences for relationships within the community of Jesus. Within the Church, all barriers of exclusion are inconsistent within a community in which all are equally the beloved friends of Jesus.

Day 6: walking beyond barriers. Walking with God means walking beyond barriers that divide and damage the children of God. The biblical readings on this day look at various ways in which human barriers are overcome, culminating in St Paul’s teaching that “As many of you were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.”

Day 7: walking in solidarity. To walk humbly with God means walking in solidarity with all who struggle for justice and peace. Walking in solidarity has implications not just for individual believers, but for the very nature and mission of the whole Christian community. The Church is called and empowered to share the suffering of all by advocacy and care for the poor, the needy and the marginalised. Such is implicit in our prayer for Christian unity this week.

Day 8: walking in celebration. The biblical texts on this day speak about celebration, not in the sense of celebrating a successful completion, but celebration as a sign of hope in God and in God’s justice. Similarly, the celebration of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is our sign of hope that our unity will be achieved according to God’s time and God’s means. The last day coincides with the feast of the conversion of St Paul.

Within the New Testament, Paul’s conversion experience is discussed in both Paul’s own letters and in the book known by the title Acts of the Apostles. According to both sources, Paul was never a follower of Jesus nor knew him before Jesus’s crucifixion; instead he persecuted the early Christians. Paul’s conversion occurred after Jesus’s crucifixion.

Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail omolo.ouko@gmail.com
Facebook-omolo beste
Twitter-@8000accomole

Real change must come from ordinary people who refuse to be taken hostage by the weapons of politicians in the face of inequality, racism and oppression, but march together towards a clear and unambiguous goal.

-Anne Montgomery, RSCJ UN Disarmament Conference, 2002

HOLY FAMILY AND CHALLENGES OF GAY MARRIAGES

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From: Ouko joachim omolo
The News Dispatch with Omolo Beste in images
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2012

Tomorrow is Sunday December 30, 2012, the feast of Holy Family. Even though one of the primary functions of the family is to produce and reproduce persons biologically, today the church faces challenges on gay families-click here to see The 10 Most Famous Gay Parents And Their Families.

Today the question is not whether homosexuals should adopt children or not, but rather on whether people involved in homosexual or lesbian relationships be allowed to adopt children, or whether children who grow up in single-sex parented homes advantaged or disadvantaged.

These statistics show the tragic consequences of fatherless and single parent homes in the United States: 63% of youth suicides are from fatherless homes, 85% of all children that exhibit behavioural disorders come from fatherless homes, 80% of rapists motivated with displaced anger come from fatherless homes, 71% of all high school dropouts come from fatherless homes, 75% of all adolescent patients in drug abuse centres come from fatherless homes, 85% of all youths sitting in prisons grew up in a fatherless home.

While this applies to children who grow up in fatherless homes, mothers are equally important in the lives of children and the results of ‘motherless’ homes are equally tragic. Children, who grow up with two mothers and no father, and those who grow up with two fathers and no mother, will be horribly handicapped in life.

According to Dr Sotirios Sarantakos from Charles Stuart University, Australia, children in normal marriages faired the best, and children in homosexual homes the worst. Children of homosexual couples scored the lowest in language ability, mathematics and sport.

They were more timid, reserved, unwilling to work in a team or talk about home lives and holidays. They felt “uncomfortable when having to work with students of a sex different from the parent they lived with” and were the least sociable.

A study in Family Planning Perspective showed that male homosexuals were at greatly increased risk for alcoholism: “Among men, by far the most important risk group consisted of homosexual and bisexual men, who were more than nine times as likely as heterosexual men to have a history of problem drinking.

The church is opposed to same sex marriages because God’s Word is clear that only a man and a woman can enter into marriage, and this is the foundation for the family. Genesis 2:24 reads, “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.”

Malachi 2:15 says that God made a man and his wife one because “He seeks godly offspring.” For those who stray from the wisdom of God, the results are tragic. These statistics show that homosexual homes are less stable, more unfaithful and relationships are shorter, and there is more drug and alcohol abuse and domestic violence.

As Reuters report, children growing up in lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender families are more likely to live in poverty and may be denied legal ties to one of their parents according to report released on Tuesday.

Yet still, the gay issue in the world has become acute. In France, mass demonstrations were held against the government’s intention to legalize gay marriage. In Great Britain, the spiritual head of the Anglican Church, Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, has resigned. According to local media he left his post because of his inability to cope with homosexuality among the clergy.

In Russia, the Moscow Regional Duma refused to include in the agenda the bill similar to the one recently adopted in St. Petersburg about prohibition of homosexual propaganda to children and adolescents. Allegedly, the document “does not agree” with the federal law.

The primary purpose of the Church in instituting and promoting this feast is to present the Holy Family as the model and exemplar of all Christian families. That is why the Feast of the Holy Family is not just about the Holy Family, but about our own families too. The main purpose of the Feast is to present the Holy Family as the model for all Christian families, and for domestic life in general.

Above all, our family life becomes sanctified when we live the life of the Church within our homes. This is called the “domestic church” or the “church in miniature.” St. John Chrysostom urged all Christians to make each home a “family church,” and in doing so, we sanctify the family unit.

This is because marriage is too often conceived as the sacrament which unites a man and a woman to form a couple. In reality, marriage establishes a family, and its purpose is to increase the number of the elect, through the bodily and spiritual fecundity of the Christian spouses.

While every marriage intends children, the purpose of every marriage is to establish a Christian family. Yet every Christian family must live in harmony and in prayer, which are the pledges of joy and union.

Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail omolo.ouko@gmail.com
Facebook-omolo beste
Twitter-@8000accomole

Real change must come from ordinary people who refuse to be taken hostage by the weapons of politicians in the face of inequality, racism and oppression, but march together towards a clear and unambiguous goal.
-Anne Montgomery, RSCJ UN Disarmament Conference, 2002

THE POPE’S BOOK ON JESUS IS IN ORDER

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From: Ouko joachim omolo
Voices of Justice for Peace
Regional News

BY FR JOACHIM OMOLO OUKO, AJ
NAIROBI-KENYA
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2012

Since Pope Benedict XVI released his new book on Jesus of Nazareth challenging Christmas Traditions I have received several requests from Regional News readers if I could comment on the challenge.

Pope’s book says the Gospels do not support the presence of animals at Jesus’ birth. The pope says the Christian calendar is actually based on a blunder by a 6th century monk, who Benedict says was several years off in his calculation of Jesus’ birth date.

According to the pope’s research, there is also no evidence in the Gospels that the cattle and other animals traditionally pictured gathered around the manger were actually present. He also debunks the claim that angels sang at the birth, a staple theme of Christmas carols.

The book, which is being published in multiple languages in time for Christmas, is the third in a series by the pontiff. The previous two volumes dealt with Jesus’ adult life and his public ministry.

The 176-page volume, which comprises a brief foreword, four chapters and an epilogue, traces Jesus’ life up to the age of 12, when, according to the Gospels, he was presented by his parents in the Temple in Jerusalem.

Chapter 1 considers the “question about Jesus’ origins as a question about being and mission, while Chapter 2 is on the annunciation of the births of John the Baptist and Jesus. Referring to the angel’s greeting to Mary, “Rejoice, full of grace!” the Holy Father points out the connection between joy and grace.

One section of the book is dedicated to “Virgin Birth — Myth or Historical Truth.” There, the Pope makes the observation: “If God does not also have power over matter, then he simply is not God. But he does have this power, and through the conception and resurrection of Jesus Christ he has ushered in a new creation.

Chapter 3, on the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, offers this meditation, regarding the fact that there “was no room for them in the inn”: “He who was crucified outside the city (cf. Heb. 13:12) also came into the world outside the city.

The last chapter of “The Infancy Narratives” includes a consideration of astronomy as context for a discussion on the star that led the Wise Men from the East, as well as a look at who those men were. It addresses the overall question of the historicity of the two chapters of Matthew’s Gospel dedicated to Jesus’ childhood.

“The Infancy Narratives” completes the Pope’s series on Jesus of Nazareth. The first book in the series, published in 2007, dealt with the period from Jesus’ baptism through the Transfiguration. The second volume released before Lent 2011, covered Christ’s passion and death. Both those volumes were immediate bestsellers (Zenit).

To our Regional News readers, the pope is not against the historical critical method at all, in fact, he uses it, and he appreciates it, as Anthony Valle, a professor of theology says. Only that the pope has been open to scientific inquiry in his own study of Jesus’ life. The pope uses “both faith and reason” in his efforts to bring the life of Jesus closer.

In other words, the pope used his writing to explore “the inner meaning of the infancy narratives, showing how they pick up on Old Testament themes and develop them in new and unexpected ways.” He helps us to understand the world where Jesus was born.

According to the Westar Religious Institute in America, it was a monk from Russia called Dionysius Exiguus who was asked by Pope John to work out the dates for Easter. It was back in 527 A.D. when Dionysius formalized the date of Jesus’ birth as December 25 on the Christian calendar, thus making a mistake on his calculations.

As Professor of Classics, Nature and History at Warwick University, Kevin Butcher states, the idea that Jesus wasn’t born on December 25 is nothing new. Churchmen in the 17th century had also challenged the date before.

This discrepancy has been known about for many centuries, in fact. In the 17th century it became quite apparent that the calculations by Dionysius Exiguus were incorrect. The dating basically rests on the New Testament.

Birth of Jesus occurs during the reign of King Herod the Great. And King Herod the Great died in 4 B.C., so if this story about the birth of Jesus is correct, obviously he would have to be born before 4 B.C.

The fact that there were plenty of other dating systems in use is one of the reasons why it was so hard for Dionysius to figure out the date, in the first place. There are lots of competing dating systems. And trying to create some kind of universal one is very hard, if you’re working with lots of other dating systems.

According to popular tradition however, the birth of Jesus took place in a stable, surrounded by farm animals. A manger (that is, a feeding trough) as mentioned in Luke 2: 7, where it states Mary “wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn”.

Popular tradition also holds that three kings or wise men (named Melchior, Caspar and Balthazar visited the infant Jesus in the manger, though this does not strictly follow the Biblical account.

The Gospel of Matthew instead describes a visit by an unspecified number of magi, or astrologers, sometime after Jesus was born while the family was living in a house (Matthew 2:11), who brought gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to the young child Jesus, following a mysterious star, commonly known as the Star of Bethlehem, believing it to announce the birth of a king of the Jews. The commemoration of this visit, the Feast of Epiphany celebrated on January 6, is the formal end of the Christmas season in some churches.

Against the background that Jehovah’s Witnesses do not celebrate Christmas. The Bible says there were shepherds out in the fields with their sheep. In Jerusalem it is very cold in the winter and often snows. It is very unlikely that the shepherds would live outside during these months.

Not only was Christmas not Jesus’ birthday but it was never observed by first century Christians. Its origins lie in the ancient Roman festival Saturnalia, beginning Dec. 17 and ending Dec. 25, the “birthday of the unconquered sun”.

In the first century, the apostle Paul warned Timothy that “wicked men and impostors” would slip into the Christian congregation and mislead many. (2 Timothy 3:13).This great apostasy which began after the death of the apostles indicates that many changes in traditional calendars took place around this time.

Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
People for Peace in Africa
Tel +254-7350-14559/+254-722-623-578
E-mail omolo.ouko@gmail.com

Peaceful world is the greatest heritage That this generation can give to the generations To come- All of us have a role.

JESUS WANTS LEADERS WHO SERVE IN HUMILITY

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From: Ouko joachim omolo
Voices of Justice for Peace
Regional News

BY FR JOACHIM OMOLO OUKO, AJ
NAIROBI-KENYA
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2012

Sunday November 25, 212 will be the Feast of Christ the King. Established by Pope Pius XI in 1925 as an antidote to secularism, the feast is intended to proclaim in a striking and effective manner Christ’s royalty over individuals, families, society, governments, and nations.

Jesus knew the oppressive nature of secular kings, and in contrast to them, he connected his role as king to humble service, and commanded his followers to be servants as well. In other passages of Scripture, his kingdom is tied to his suffering and death.

His teachings spell out a kingdom of justice and judgment balanced with radical love, mercy, peace, and forgiveness. That is why when we celebrate Christ as King, we are not celebrating an oppressive ruler, but one willing to die for humanity and whose “loving-kindness endures forever.” Christ is the king that gives us true freedom, freedom in Him.

Jesus wanted the type of a King who serves in humility. He wanted his disciples to do the same: “Whoever wishes to become great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all. For the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:42-45)”.

He wanted the type of King who is not like the rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen and dined sumptuously each day. And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps that fell from the rich man’s table. Dogs even used to come and lick his sores.

It means Kings whose kingships are to serve people justice and peace. Jesus wants his followers to do the same. Peace with God, peace in human relations, peace among nations, and peace with God’s creation. Peace that includes healing, reconciliation, and well-being.

Peace that is more than the absence of war; it includes the restoration of right relationship. We are talking of justice and peace because justice and peace belong together, since right relationship involves both.

According to Greek and Roman ideas of justice, people should get what they deserve. According to the Bible, justice involves healing and restoring relationships. That is a reason for the special concern for the poor and the oppressed.

Our peace witness also includes peacemaking and working for justice. Peace witness is needed even when the nations in which we live are not at war, ministries of mediation, conciliation, and nonviolent resolution of everyday conflict.

This made the Kingship of Jesus different from the Kingship of the Jews. When Pilate said to Jesus, “Are you the King of the Jews?”… Jesus answered, “My kingdom does not belong to this world. If my kingdom did belong to this world, my attendants would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews.

But as it is, my kingdom is not here.” So Pilate said to him, “Then you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say I am a king. For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth (John 18:33b, 36-37).

A Jewish king was not supposed to be a king “like all the nations” had. A Jewish king was supposed to be a model of what an ideal Jew is all about ? a model for the rest of the nation to emulate.

It explains further why the earliest Christians identified Jesus with the predicted Messiah of the Jews. The Jewish word “messiah,” and the Greek word “Christ,” both mean “anointed one,” and came to refer to the expected king who would deliver Israel from the hands of the Romans, to bring glad tidings to the poor, to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.

In the first Encyclical Letter of Pope Pius XI promulgated on 11 December 1925 he stated that is only in the Kingdom of Christ that peace could be more effectually restored. Furthermore, it has long been a common custom to give to Christ the metaphorical title of “King,” because of the high degree of perfection whereby he excels all creatures.

So he is said to reign “in the hearts of men,” both by reason of the keenness of his intellect and the extent of his knowledge, and also because he is very truth, and it is from him that truth must be obediently received by all mankind.

He reigns, too, in the wills of men, for in him the human will was perfectly and entirely obedient to the Holy Will of God, and further by his grace and inspiration he so subjects our free-will as to incite us to the most noble endeavors. He is King of hearts, too, by reason of his “charity which exceedeth all knowledge.”

As we reflect on Kingship of Jesus, we remind ourselves that in Kenya it was on November 21, 2005 that the first constitutional referendum was held. The proposed new constitution was voted NO by a 58 percent majority of Kenya’s voters.

Many government officials, including President Mwai Kibaki, had campaigned for a ‘Yes’ vote on the constitution, which divided the ruling National Rainbow Coalition into camps, for and against the proposal. Those who supported the constitution were assigned the symbol of the banana, while the opposition was assigned the orange as their means of representation.

The referendum divided Kenyans and spurred serious fight for political supremacy between Orange and Banana leaders and supporters, but the process itself was peaceful. Since then, political life in Kenya has been characterised by this stalemate. The results of the referendum were: 58.12 percent (No) and 41.88 percent (Yes).

The outgoing Constitution granted Kenya’s president imperial powers and the ability to effective control the executive and judicial branches of government and a tremendous leeway to manipulate and coerce the legislature.

The new Constitution seeks to introduce a system of checks-and-balances which will strive to keep future presidents from exploiting the state for their own personal gain. In particular, new Constitution establishes a bi-cameral parliament, with a legislative assembly and a Senate.

The new Constitution will also entrench a Bill of rights as well as promote gender equality. In particular, the Constitution stipulates that as a general rule state institutions should not have more than two-thirds of one gender to the exclusion of the other.

Furthermore, the Constitution has established a framework for the comprehensive review of land reform and create legal protection against corruption to enable business to flourish unhindered by state exploitation.

If the provisions of the new Constitution are upheld Kenya could gradually become a place to do business without fear of bureaucratic or political heavy-handedness.

Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
People for Peace in Africa
Tel +254-7350-14559/+254-722-623-578
E-mail omolo.ouko@gmail.com

Peaceful world is the greatest heritage That this generation can give to the generations To come- All of us have a role.

JOY OF PARTICIPATING IN GOD’S MISSION OF JUSTICE AND PEACE

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From: omolo.ouko
Voices of Justice for Peace
Regional News

BY FR JOACHIM OMOLO OUKO, AJ
NAIROBI-KENYA
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2012

Today is November 15, 2012.There are 15 days remaining to enter December and 24 days to go home for my holidays. I will be travelling home on December 10, 2012 where I will remain till the first week of January when my new appointment commences. I have not known exactly where but will keep you updated.

For my Christmas best wishes to you all my colleagues and friends of Regional News, allow me to share with you the inspired words of Robert Jalbert, M.M, the Editor of Magazine of the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers in its editorial, November/December 2012 issue.

“In order for us to recognize and accept Good News, we had to have heard and seen it proclaimed by others. Along life’s journey, even as we ourselves announce this Good News to others, we also hear and receive it anew from them as well”.

For about 13 years working with People for Peace in Africa (PPA) where I continued to advocate human rights and justice through networking with other peace groups, sharing our vision of peace with human dignity, exchanging communication experiences through Internet Journalism.

Apart from journalism I took part in a pilot program of peace education in the schools, particularly at Tangaza College, a constituent of Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA). I also provided guidance and counseling to refugees and displaced persons, using Africa Refugee Day to raise awareness about the plight of refugees.

I also supported peace initiatives in the Horn of Africa with particular emphasis on the Sudan, encouraging warlords, warring factions, religious leaders, and elders to talk peace and justice wherever and whenever they were willing.

Over the years, I have done this by giving long term support to initiatives, groups and processes that are working for sustainable democracy and peace, as well as by limiting and weakening the forces that prolong and aggravate conflict.

I also continued using PPA capacity to engage directly with other stake holders to ensure that existing African traditional conflict resolution methods are documented and that both the religious and civil society in the region are sufficiently trained on Human Rights.

This year’s Christmas first reading is taken from Isaiah 52:7-10: How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring Good News, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, for the Lord has comforted his people he has redeemed Jerusalem. The Lord will lay bare his holy arm in the sight of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God.

The responsorial song is taken from Psalm 99: The King is mighty, he loves justice— you have established equity; in Jacob you have done what is just and right. Moses and Aaron were among his priests, Samuel was among those who called on his name; they called on the Lord and he answered them.

He spoke to them from the pillar of cloud; they kept his statutes and the decrees he gave them. Lord our God, you answered them; you were to Israel a forgiving God, though you punished their misdeeds. Exalt the Lord our God and worship at his holy mountain, for the Lord our God is holy.

Second reading is taken from Hebrews 1: Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy.

The Gospel is from John 1:1-18: In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe.

He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive.

Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
People for Peace in Africa
Tel +254-7350-14559/+254-722-623-578
E-mail omolo.ouko@gmail.com

Peaceful world is the greatest heritage That this generation can give to the generations To come- All of us have a role.