NEW PUBLISHED MAGAZINE FOR [MAY-DECEMBER,2016]

It is almost Christmas, a day in which we celebrate the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ into our midst as man, the preparations are evident not just in our community, but in shopping malls to certain streets as well, everywhere else people are getting ready, and pastors are preparing for the festive season, with the hope that we will not externally celebrate the savior’s birth, but receive the savior in our hearts as well.

This season comes drawing to a close a special year, one in which a lot has happened not just to the community of the Apostles of Jesus Scholasticate, but the entire church and specifically the Church here in Kenya. The year was dedicated for the consecrated, and the papal intention for January 2015, read, that religious men and women, may rediscover the joy of following Christ and strive to serve the poor with zeal. So for many religious institutes this was hopefully a year of renewal, one in which we can learn to; look back to the past with gratitude, live the present with passion and look to the future with hope. This we are to do, by serving the poor with zeal in Jesus Christ.

As if that is not enough, we as a Church here in Kenya, prepare to receive the Pope, in our midst, hopefully not just as Christians but as a country, since his message is to Catholics and non-Catholics alike, he has always spoken out against intolerance of any kind, and emphasizes that we live in fraternity, in a world that is so commonly torn apart even by globalization, a world in which one has a thousand Facebook friends but hardly speaks to any let alone knowing any. Since globalization merely makes us neighbors but not friends, not brothers and sisters,

We have therefore to make this effort to follow Christ, in our difficult situations, of broken families, in the reality of sicknesses like HIV/AIDS, CANCER, in a time when tolerance is mistaken for weakness, when pessimism is daily life, we have to challenge the world, living and proclaiming the MERCY of the good Lord.

As the year draws to a close, we take this chance to wish you a Merry Christmas and a MERCY packed 2015

A Religious as a Prophetic Statement

(Fr. Petri Assenga, AJ)

n a common language, a prophet is simply identified as a seer, a person who predicts the future, or simply, a visionary. In a Christian/biblical sense however, a prophet is God’s mouthpiece. This means that a prophet speaks on behalf of God; i.e. he/she speaks what God intends to tell his people in a certain situation. Commonly, a prophet is aroused to speak to the people as a warning and as an invitation to repent and return to him. It is in this context that Jesus begins his mission according to Mark. He calls the people to repent and believe the good news, for the Kingdom of God is near (Mk 1:15). The gospel of Luke gives us indications of what needs to be left behind as a mark of this repentance. Among the groups that came to be baptized by John, the multitude were asked to share what they had (tunics, food, etc.) with the poor; the tax collectors were told not to collect more than what was required and the soldiers were asked to avoid bribery and not to accuse people unfairly (Lk 3:10-14). John was a prophet, a precursor of Jesus. His life, deeds and words were themselves prophetic statements. He is a model for religious in this regard. His life was austere, but there is no indication that he was sad.

One becomes a religious by professing in a radical way the evangelical counsels, which highlight the entire gospel. Those who embrace them are really blessed, as the term given to them indicates: beatitudes (cf. Mt 5:3-12). It has to be noted here that all the baptized are called to embrace these counsels, for their status is unique as God’s chosen people, a holy nation and a royal priesthood (1Pt 2:9). However, the religious embrace the gospel values as expressed in the beatitudes in a radical way, the fact that makes them salt and light of the world (Mt 5:13-16). They are the salt to enliven others; they are the light to enlighten others. If they succeed to be faithful to this calling, they don’t need to talk, since their influence as salt and light is self evident.

To narrow it down, the religious embrace what seems to be contradictory in the world. Three things seem to summarize what seem to be values in the world. These are influence (power), wealth and love (intimacy). Generally speaking, there is nothing wrong with these “values”. However, they have become the avenues of misconduct and oppression in many parts of the world. Jesus makes it clear that the rulers of this world lord it over their subjects (Mk 10:42). Lordship is a value in the world as Jesus puts it, but it should not be the case with his disciples (Mk 10:43-45). Wealth has become a preoccupation of many. People look for wealth regardless of the ethical considerations. This is seen in situations of poor salaries and disparity between the rich and the poor. This disparity spreads in the provision of basic necessities of life such as health, food and education. The poor cry and no one listens. In this connection, Jesus asks the young man who wants to be perfect to sell what he has and share it with the poor. Predictably, the young man goes away sad (Mk 10:21-22). Intimacy and un-chastity rules the world. This is seen in various fashions, licentious lifestyles, advertisements and the like. It is difficult to convince many that one can live contrary to this move, particularly when its influence is clear in social media like in the internet that is accessible throughout on one’s fingertips. Actually, to live without marriage and in so strict a chaste life is living like angels: they neither marry nor are given to marriage (Mt 22:30). It is clear: this is a life of the world to come, and the religious are a reflection to this. In a word, religious are a testimony of values contrary to the mechanisms of the world.

As prophets, religious are called to scrutinize their surroundings/environments in order to read the signs of the times, which need to be rectified. In doing so, they listen attentively to the voice of God which calls and motivates them to witness to the contrary. Indeed, as the motto of the Sisters Association of Kenya (AOSK) states, their unity regardless of their ethnic background or other elements of social stratification such as wealth, positions of authority or the like is a “sign that God lives”. It is no wonder that, in his attempt to build a united and classless society, Julius Nyerere, the first president of Tanzania who is now the Servant of God, sent his team to do thorough research among religious in their communities. In fact, the religious communities became the light for his effort.

The people around religious communities have always benefited from their way of life. Looking at a simple religious in his/her daily routine of work, prayer and apostolate has been a motivation for many priestly and religious vocations in Africa, in particular. Religious are a happy lot. They may be carrying crosses from within, but their outward appearances radiate joy and life. They look composed, patient and courteous. Certainly, they manage this being self-controlled in order to shun evil and embrace the good. This attitude is a result of prayer, common life (fellowship) and meditation. As Paul tells us, these are the fruits of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-23). The joy radiated by religious is a statement by itself that giving up what is one’s right such as wealth should not lead to sadness as noted in the case of the rich man cited above. In fact, the spirit of sharing that the religious witness and their readiness to help the needy is a product of allowing God to lead them, thanks to a common religious maxim: ora et labora.

Looking at Africa today, we see dangerous trends where political authority (power), fame and wealth seem to be everything a person should desire. Politically, supreme leaders are changing their countries’ constitutions to extend their term limits. Materially, the gap between the rich and the poor is increasing. One wonders whether it is fair to pay some civil servants about 500,000 while others earn about 20,000 in the same civil service. In the same way, while estates are increasing, slums with pathetic living conditions are also adding up. Sexual misconducts/abuses have caused untold pain to many in the society. By living a life of self-denial in following strictly evangelical counsels, religious speak loudly that God wants a change. This prophetic stance is made clearer when the religious engage in the life giving activities such as helping directly in health, educational and social services like working with street children/orphans and other services in the slums like helping the alcoholic and drug addicts. In doing these services, the religious demand no payments, and they always look satisfied and happy. This is what it means to be a prophetic statement, and it is a powerful statement out there.

THE SPIRIT OF ICYCS

(Andrew Kagwa -A.J Philosophicum)

ICYCS. Stands for; inter college young Christian Students. It is a catholic movement which unites all students from different universities and colleges all over the world. Its prime objective is to; ensure that young people work together to change the world for the better through the word of God by evangelizing to the people within and far. In doing this precious activity, young people are expected to see, judge and act so that they can make a difference in their lives and in those of the rest. These young Christian students of different universities and colleges in Kenya, most especially in Nairobi are very active whereby they come together, share their joys and sorrows as young people, encouraging one another, bringing in their talents most especially through music extravaganza concert which is organized yearly. In this case Music and dance provide ways for young people to be together to harmonize voices and body with others, to communally celebrate the universe and human experience, and to rejoice in one another and in the pleasure of life.

On the side of environment preservation, ICYCS fully participate in national rally of environmental walk organized by NEMA of Kenya every year whereby they offer their contribution towards the cleanliness of Nairobi city and the surrounding areas by planting trees, colleting garbage and burning it. This therefore, reduces the risk of drought and other consequences that may come out of violating nature as it is always said “God always forgives, Man sometimes forgives, but nature never forgives.” To improve these young Christians intellectually, so as to change the world by their ways of living, educational week and conferences are always organized to ensure that students are enriched and encouraged on how they can effectively improve, manage and use the skills acquired in their respective colleges and universities well, so as to ensure that their education is accessible to lay people and that highlights what significant moral, social, religious issues may be at stake.

Leadership training is another agenda organized by the official at national level to ensure that young people are equipped with leadership skills which will help them become good administrators and responsible leaders, starting from individual self to the rest since ‘A person cannot lead other others if he /she cannot lead him/herself.’ Engaging in public education, participating in forum and speaking about social and political issues are some of the key notes encouraged in leadership training not for personal benefit but instead for societal benefit.

Therefore the present time needs much support of this movement because we live in the world where ethical and spiritual goals have been excluded and criticized, we find the human spirit shrinking with disastrous consequences. All of us are called upon to be the light and salt of the earth. The joy of achieving that is not only in words but in good deeds, acts of charity, living our motto and most of all to be exemplary.

THE BIRTH OF OUR LORD IN THE HOLY MASS

(Sc Nyaki Francis)

his mystery is truly a revelation of divine love. We find ourselves in Bethlehem on charismas nighty looking on the divine infant lying on a bed of straw, warmed by the breath of two poor animals and he is god. We see holy Mary bending over Jesus her son and her god, adoring loving, blessing, thanking him. What oceans of love fill her heart?St Joseph is filled with rapture that no words can scribe. He is the adopted father the protector the defender of his god. He actually takes the place of eternal father in regard to Jesus. There are throngs of angels singing their heavenly canticles; here they are contemplating a vision of love that they had never seen in heaven.

There they looked on the unveiled glory and majesty of the god head .here they gaze on that same god reduced for love of men to the form of infant, wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger. We behold the shepherds entering the cave kneeling and adoring their god, of all the great ones of earth these humble men were the first guests and friends that god invite to visit his divine son. A stranger, peace of joy that they had never felt before.

And we assist at the self-same scene each time we hear holy mass. Jesus is really and as truly born on the alter, as he was born in Bethlehem . around the alter around the priest are throngs of blessed spirts wrap in contemplation. We are the gests, the friends whom God has specially invited to adore his son.

Furthermore still Jesus is born in our hearts in Holy communion. He enters into our very souls, he embraces us he loves us, he unites himself most intimately to us. As the water is united to the sponge which is immersed in it, as it is in its very particles, as the fire is in every pore of the iron placed in a furnace, so God is united to us most intimately in holy communion.

Dear riders let us God’s Blessed mother to make us understand how Jesus is born on the alter at holy mass, and how Jesus is born in our souls in Holy Communion. Ooh if we had eyes to see and minds to understand, we should not be so cold, so distracted at mass; our hearts would burn with love if we only knew what Holy Communion means, the churches would be thronged and Catholics would flock in multitudes to the altar rails.

What was the difference between that communion which made blessed Imelda a saint and our communions? Just that she felt that her God was born in her Heart but we do not. If Zacchaeus that hardened sinner, became saint, by one visit of our dear Lord. Much more can us by one Holy Communion. Jesus entered the house of Zacchaeus, but he comes not onto our house but into our very souls.

The happiest moment in a mother’s life is when she holds her first born baby in her arms and folds it to her heart. All her friends come to see her, to congratulate her; her happiness is full. Brethren do we ever congratulate the mother of God on that most blessed moment when Jesus was born, when she held him in her arms and pressed him to her heart?

If an earthly mother can feel such joy at the birth of her child, what must not God’s dear mother have felt at the birth of Jesus? Let us then offer her a new this happiness, let us congratulate her, let us rejoice with her by honoring Jesus in the blessed sacrament, she will be most grateful and will take our prayer to Jesus his son happily.

APOSTLES OF JESUS MISSIONARIES ON COUNT-DOWN TO GOLDEN JUBILEE

(Sc. John Baptist Lubega)

n the past few years many African countries have celebrated their golden jubilees. One would not fail to admire the struggles majority of these countries have gone through to be where they are today. Men and women of courage dedicated their entire hopes and aspirations to see a better tomorrow to an extent of shedding their blood. That’s why we celebrate them every year. But there are some unsung heroes and heroines whose vision, aspiration, hope and more so belief in Africans will always be unforgotten however much we don’t celebrate them. These heroes and heroines are the missionaries. Even when some philosophies had scrapped the greater part of Africa from the world map, these people risked to venture into the ‘jungle’ guided by only faith and motivated by God’s love to save his people. In Africa where conditional Baptism was even witnessed, two great missionaries; Bishop Sisto Mazzoldi and Fr. John Marengoni moved by faith and God’s abundant grace and providence set out to establish a Family in a very humble beginning. A new child was born by names of Apostles of Jesus Congregation. The late Rt. Rev. Paul Kalanda once told that, when He saw our Co-founders starting our congregation in Moroto, the words of Mk.1:66 which surrounded the birth of John the Baptist came to his mind “All who heard of it treasured it in their hearts. ‘What will this child turn out to be?’ they wondered. And indeed the hand of the Lord was with him” One cannot fail to envy and admire in all measures how this child conceived in troubled waters of Moroto, Uganda is growing both in quality and quantity. Forty seven years ago, the first indigenous African congregation was founded on 22^nd August 1968 with a mission to evangelize Africa and the whole world. In just these 47 years, the charism of apostles of Jesus has been felt in all the continents of the world. The impact this first founded congregation has and is making is enormous. As we look forward to celebrate our Golden Jubilee in three years’ time, we cannot stop re-living the dream of our founders who believed in us as Africans to be worthy missionaries in equal measure as those who brought the faith to us.

The first article of the constitutions of the Apostles of Jesus states ‘Called by our Lord Jesus Christ “to be with him and to be sent to preach to the nations” (Mk.3:14)’ where we derive our charism “to be good shepherds”. The challenge for this young congregation is written in black and white. Witnessing in this digitalized generation doesn’t come easy. Our charism finds consolation in the words of St. Paul in his letter to the Philippines “there is nothing I cannot do in the one who strengthens me” (Phil. 4:13). We are all called upon to pray for the Apostles of Jesus missionaries that as they approach their golden jubilee, they remain zealous and faithful to their charism in saving Souls.

APOSTLES OF JESUS’ GOLDEN JUBILEE

(Tumushabe Raphael, A.J Philosophicum.)

n 2018, the Religious Missionary Institute of the Apostles of Jesus will celebrate 50^th anniversary. The congregation was founded by very Reverend Bishop Sisto Mazzoldi, MCCJ and very Reverend Father John Marengoni, MCCJ at Moroto, Uganda in 1968. The Religious Missionary Institute of the Apostles of Jesus was founded for the express purpose of recruiting, and educating African youth to become Religious Priests or Brothers, to evangelize the Gospel massage in Africa and the world.

The goal for an Apostle of Jesus Missionary is to have a total commitment to the spiritual services, and to live a life of pastoral activity, entirely dedicated to the welfare of the people of God with preference to the poor, following Christ the Good shepherd.

The celebration will be a happy birth day of the congregation and also a moment to reflect on the Mission and the insights gained at Apostles of Jesus and plan for the Mission ahead. The celebration will also lead the Apostles of Jesus to a deeper understanding and appreciation of their call and deepen their faith.

WHAT EXACTLY DO CHRISTIANS BELIEVE ABOUT JESUS?

1^ST, Christians believe in Christmas. When Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit in the Virgin Mary’s womb and born 9 month later, God Himself entered human history

2^nd, Christians believe in Good Friday. After 3 to 4 years of ministering throughout Palestine, Jesus told His disciples that He would be arrested, convicted and crucified on the cross.

Jesus willingly died to bring us into a right relationship with God the Father by paying the penalty for our sins, granting us the promise of eternal life, making us part of God’s family 4evedr , and giving us free access to God through prayer.

3^rd, Christians believe in Easter. After 3 days in a tomb, Jesus Christ rose from the dead, appeared to His disciples repeatedly over a period of 40 gay, they met together with 100s of followers b4 ascending back to heaven.

According to scriptures, the resurrection of Jesus Christ is the most radical of Christian doctrines. His teaching, his compassion 4 others, even his matters death, all find parallels in other stories and religious teaching. But no other historical figure has ever claimed to be God and risen from the dead

To truly experience Jesus Christ’s divinity, we have to believe what the Apostle Paul wrote, “Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, that He was buried, and He was raised on the third day according to the scripture” (1 Corinthians 15:3-6) and “There is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all men” (1 Timothy 2:5-6).

GREAT PAIN OF RACISM

(Meditation on the Racism in United States)

[Sc.Churchill Ojok ]

Writing through the tears "My enslaved ancestors whisper to me during a summer bloated with the weight of Black Death; they are my co-authors."

The blood of my enslaved ancestors is baked into the rich Mississippi earth of my hometown. The echo of their screams harmonizes with the whistle of the whip as it snaps in the air, connecting with bone, skin, and heart. I wasn't there, but I remember.

They whisper to me on a breeze heavy with the scent of magnolias and sweat during a scorching summer bloated with the weight of Black Death.

Every day, all around me, I see Confederate flags waving proudly amidst antebellum homes and lush plantation landscapes. Horses tied to buggies clip-clop down quaint streets, allowing benevolent racist tourists to get a glimpse of where 'The Old South Still Lives'. Across the tracks, dilapidated houses some of the old folks swear they are former slave quarters - stand untouched along streets dotted with churches, fish joints and liquor stores.

The Forks of the Road, at one time the largest slave-trading post in the South, forms a wishbone in the centre of town. A restaurant named Black Mammy's (and shaped like one, too) stands on the outskirts and mostly white patrons slip beneath her skirts to dine, either unaware or unbothered with a history fraught with the violent subjugation of black female bodies.

Somewhere in the middle, there is the mingling of white and black people joined by a tacit refusal to do the hard work of challenging white supremacy. To do so is often viewed as an attack on white people, framing black people who demand dignity as the "real racists" because " not all white people ... ".

Interracial friendships often hinge upon being silent in the face of rampant and entrenched racism and the systemic dehumanization of black people throughout the diaspora, specifically the United States. This silence creates a racial hierarchy where failing school and healthcare systems unapologetically serve a struggling black populace. High unemployment rates, food deserts and a good ole' boy sheriff's department are accepted by too many people as just the way it is and the way it is going to be.

To paraphrase Zora Neale Hurston, ”I wake up every morning in the Deep South, smothered by neo-Confederate politics that threaten to kill me and my people and say we enjoyed it”. I guess in a world where black bodies are divorced from their humanity and considered dangerous and worthy of destruction on sight, loving black people is both a revolutionary and radical act. I write so black people can see their pain, strength and beauty illuminated in a white-washed media reeking with the stench of implicit and explicit racial bias that too often fails to recognize any of the three.

During this past year, the brutalization of black people has served as both political platform and morbid reality television. Police departments replicate their history of slave patrols as their bullets plow into black chest cavities, hips, faces, arms, legs and heads, on a relentless loop.

In Ferguson among many others, the killing of Michael Brown, Jr. that so riveted the nation. His death not only raised the profile of the Black Lives Matter Movement, first organized in the wake of George Zimmerman's state-sanctioned killing of unarmed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin it

Intensified it. Unfortunately the only responses are always;

"He reached for my gun.

"She was resisting."

"He was charging at me."

"He was playing with a toy gun."

All of these flimsy excuses have been given to justify the brutalization and killing of unarmed black people - black

children - who dared to live in the world with the expectation that they would be treated as human beings and not moving targets. And sometimes, looking at my brothers and sisters and too many brown and black children like them, makes it difficult to write through the tears.

The greatest trick that white supremacy ever pulled was positioning racism as merely a belief system and not a power structure built on the bones and forced labour of black people. I am teaching my brothers and sisters in abroad not to be more tolerant of race when people who look like them are being gunned down every day, but to be more intolerant of racism.

If that makes me racist, so be it because it is not a secret that

racism is an American problem. Black lives are not respected and our rage is not accepted anywhere in this country. We know this to be true despite the desperate protestations of neo-liberal politicians pandering for votes instead of telling small gods the truth that; "Just because you have an AK-47 doesn't mean you have to shoot to empty the clip every time".

This is the burden, the beautiful burden of blackness that lives on my shoulders, often slumped over my computer into the early hours hoping that my words are doing my people justice especially during this Chrismas season where by we all have hope that Mary the Queen of Peace will pray for America as well as Jesus the prince of Peace will unite all Americans.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

CALMING OUR HEARTS AS “MANGERS” FOR THE NATIVITY OF OURLORD JESUS CHRIST

(Sc. Robert Mugabe)

he Nativity of our lord Jesus Christ as a commemoration, contemplation and celebration takes place on Christmas day. It is one of the greatest feasts that the Mother Church celebrates it communally, joyfully, faithfully, solemnly and yearly. During this period, God becomes human and as such makes man share freely in his divinity. It is a moment when the entire world in a very special way, realizes the sweet fruits of the light from the infant Jesus the ruler promised to be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2). This encourages us to share it with others and also in a special way to recognize the role of the Blessed Virgin Mary; the Mother of Jesus and our very own Mother because of her noble responsibility of her virginal conception of Jesus our Lord and finally her birth to our Lord and universal King. However before we enter into the real mystery of incarnation and Christmas period in particular, the mother church thought it wisely to spare four weeks preceding this moment of the Lord’s Nativity primarily and intensively for spiritual preparation especially as presented in the Liturgy of the word through various prophesies. This period emphasizes on the belief about the second glorious coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and also calls for the zealous re-living of the first coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

During Christmas period, Biblically, the Old Testament Prophesies about the birth of Jesus Christ and the need for the preparation of his coming, are fulfilled in the New Testament. Prophet Isaiah who in his Prophesy foretold the coming of John the Baptist who in turn called upon the people to prepare for the Lord’s coming saying “Prepare in the wilderness a road for the Lord” (Isaiah 40:3).Our Hearts which are full of “valleys” and “mountains” of all kinds of iniquities in preparation of the “Manger” for the Nativity of the Lord, need to be leveled in order to create a pleasant place for his Nativity (Isaiah 40:4). Prophet Isaiah in his prophesy of the birth of Jesus’ nativity, says “a young woman who is pregnant will have a son and will name him Immanuel” (Isaiah 6:14) thus foretelling the Birth of our Lord Jesus Christ by the Blessed Virgin Mary. The birth of Jesus is important in our History of Salvation because if Jesus was not born, he would definitely not go through the Passion, die and “eventually would not have been raised from the dead, and if Christ has not been raised from the death, then we would have nothing to preach and believe” (1Corinthians 15:14).

In this 21^st Century, Happy Birth Days are among the most valuable moments for a huge number of People since they are among the three important events in the life of a human being. Some people today spend much time in singing Happy Birth Day songs, much money in purchasing what to eat for example cakes and drinks, exchange of Happy Birth Day cards and gathering with different friends. Even when a child is born in some cultures, there is total joy in the whole family and the entire neighbourhood characterized by performance of different relevant rituals in order to appear very crucial and worth celebrating. If then we can celebrate the Birth Days of our mere fellow human beings in such a great sacrificial manner, what and how much then, should we sacrifice in preparation and eventually the celebration of Our Lord Jesus Christ’s Nativity? .Jesus Christ doesn’t need a cake, Happy Birth day songs from us in preparation for his birth; He rather demands us to open our heartily doors in order for him to get a “Manger” where he can be born in every Christian. This is a spiritual demand for all Christians during Advent and Christmas; even though the need for the physical necessities also in preparation for the nativity of the Jesus remains necessary. He needs us to calm our hearts as spiritual Preparation Primarily that involves a serious response of; “Yes” to good deeds, attitudes and mentalities as well as an extra ordinary “No” to evil acts, thoughts and words. The Sacrament of Reconciliation for Christians during Advent time we ought to take it as a necessary condition for our spiritual preparation for the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, let us struggle humanly to give a more spiritual preparation than the Physical preparation during Advent in order welcome and have our Lord Jesus Christ be born in our heartily “Mangers “as our everlasting light. Let us be the “Other John the Baptists” in our own human way taking it as our duty, responsibility and pride to prepare and remind others about the need for the celebration of Jesus’ Nativity; the unseen Guest in our hearts so as to make our homes, Communities and societies to be “Mangers in Bethlehem”.

A very Blessed and Merry Christmas to us all!

COMMUNITY LIFE

(Gregory paulkitonga, A.J Philosophicum)

t is simply a state of life where individuals come together with common intentions and attracted by a common feature.Religious come together to form communities from which they live together serving the church in their different ways and also follow a certain order of life which conform to that of the small community that our Lord Jesus lived together with His Apostles.They do all things togetherfor the common good of all; the good of the immediate members of the community and also for the rest of the world. It is an act of abandonment of self and the commitment to serve all without limits.

All the members are to accept each other despite their weaknesses always having in Memory that it is not the perfection that matters but the affection. Our Lord Jesus invites all to community life, since mankind is obliged to live together and all living creatures exist together excluding none.

It is the duty of every member to become the presence of God in the community, that’s being the yeast and the salt of the community.Once one seizes to be these they are no longer members of a community but residents of the community. It involves relating and existing as brothers despite their diversity, as the sages of the old says that diversity is not only celebrated but also appreciated.

Unity is a paramount tool, which in the community which must be taken care of. In John 17, Jesus prays for his small community five times repeatedly saying, “Father, as we are one, may they also be one”. He sets a good example for his followers thatthey may also pray for one another.For the success of the ministry that our Lord started, all member all entitled to contribute towards its very success.It demands giving all that we have willingly and fully, expecting nothing in return.We receive from a greater source that never lasts.Of great importance is to love one another, the greatest being a slave for all.

After His ascension, the Apostles continued living together in common observing all the teachings that Our Lord had instructed them. None of them loses heart,they all ready to lay down their lives for our sake. Truly,the Lord fulfills his promises to all those who fear him,he had promised his apostles to be with them until the end of the ages.He was even with them during the time they experienced martyrdom. Who else if not we the Apostles of modern days, of not us religious of the modern time to follow their examples?. It is a call, it’s a desire, it’s an invitation, it’s not in vain and it’s a vocation.

FAMILY; THE ONLY STEM

(Ambrose orama, A.J Philosophicum)

amily can be defined as the fundamental social group of people consisting of parents or a parent with children who are related to each other either by blood, marriage or adoption. It is fundamental because is the base and principle of all vocations, this institution is socially united as there is interaction among the members in respect to the familial roles; but this definition should not kick off or negate other type of family i.e. the extended family.

This social group do come up as a result of marriage where male and female engage themselves together to fulfill God’s plan by working together as one couple (Mathew 19:3-6, Ephesians 5:31). The coming together can be traced back to the second creation account in the book of Genesis when God created the man (ha adam)from the soil (ha adamah), it is from this that God created helper (ezer) from the side/ rib (tsela) of man. God desired it that way because it is the sign of equality where they can walk side by side, God created Adam and Eve as one body in the Garden of Eden to do his will.

The union of the male and female should not be accidental unity because this may lead to the break down; the common case of the 21^st century but rather it should be in the plan of God and purposely for offering love to each other, love is the internal principle by which each human being participates in the intimate relationship of Christ and the Father. This makes it essential for the operation of all the spiritual gifts since man is the only noble creature capable of offering praises to the first cause.

Being in the plan of God, the family then is the one and the only source of all vocations be it religious or whatever case may be. In this way it is the main institution which is second and behind NONE of the institutions providing love, education, social, economic, rendering health facilities to the dependents.

Back to the Biblical context, to the Holy family of Nazareth which produced the Savoir, we have to learn a lesson by working together as a team for the full realization of our vocation; team stands for: Together Everybody Achieves More. We also learn that family lend only what it can regain after as for Christ who was persecuted but in the long run brought salvation to the whole world. Christ erected from the family but he was betrayed by brothers who still emerge from the family, this triggers me then to see that whatever we do we either crucify the family or make it lively.

The only thing to those who are preparing and willing to start one is that you need to take opportunity and the best time to do good to all especially to those who belong to the family of faith (Gal. 6:10). We should learn to advice each other and accepting to be admonished before long because time may come when we shall long for corrections and there will be none, the issue here is positive change. But even to those already in control that they should not fail to plan for they will be planning to fail the whole world as the global family; it is through good family that the best fruits are obtained for the different vocations.

There is one thing painful in this current world of dot com, the issue of family is losing the meaning and yetwe are aware of the purpose as to why everything around us is designed the way it isaccording to the designer. May be we do not believe and if we do, then blindness has affected the eyes from seeing the book of Genesis, and if not that way then understanding is a problem otherwise evil demon (deceiver) is at work, why should you put on trouser as long sleeve shirt or pullover ? The book of Joshua 24:15 is clear enough as sun at the noon day but we shall always be responsible for our choices and decisions, my question is where is the world going?

This then calls for more prayers because it is through good family that we are able to move Northwards not Southwards to our destinations, we may say that; every man should carry his own cross and follow Christ but look here friends we should not forget that the one the family is upon our shoulders since we are the branches supported by this stem. In my own opinion and vision therefore, more prayers are still in store to be offered for the family for it to regain its former glory.

Special thanks then goes to the Holy Father; Pope Francis for offering good intention for the family since it is an institution which needs no bush, being the year of consecrated life therefore we kneel to God for families to sacrifice more who will be formed and then sent back to them. It is through family that we are able to realize that truth is just the opposite of what we think in this world of turmoil and uncertainty.

AN INTERVIEW WITH REV FR .GEOFFREY INIRA: THE RECTOR OF THE APOSTLES OF JESUS SHRINE LANGATA

Fields Afar: Fr, May you introduce yourself?

Fr. Inira: Am called Rev. Fr Geoffrey Inira AJ; The Rector of the Apostles of Jesus Shrine Langata in Nairobi.

Fields Afar: Fr, How did you come to join the Missionary Institute of the Apostles of Jesus?

Fr Inira: As a Child, I loved to be a Priest and I could gather with other fellow children, cut the Cassava as well as wild grapes and dramatize the Eucharist. I was inspired by a Comboni Missionary Priest who had left his home Place and was eating our very own food, speaking the same Language which eventually became an inspiration for me be a Missionary like him by joining the Apostles of Jesus Missionary Institute.

Fields Afar: In which Minor Seminary were you? What are some of the challenges you met there during your Formation? And how did you overcome them?

Fr Inira: My Minor Seminary was Apostles of Jesus Moroto in Uganda. I joined it after inspiration from some Seminarians whom I had interacted with. Insecurity in Northern Uganda was my big challenge as well as that felt by my Parents; although the zeal for priesthood remained. Also going to Nairobi that was a new place to me was a challenge during that time even though meeting new people for me was a blessing. It was through spiritual directions that I overcame the uncertainty of my Priestly vocation.

Fields Afar: Which stage of Seminary formation did you enjoy most? And why?

Fr Inira: I enjoyed most Minor Seminary among the Stages of Seminary Formation. This was because I was accepted there; this was the best feeling for me.

Fields Afar: What is the most profound memory in your Seminary formation?

Fr Inira: My Most profound memory is when I was admitted at the Apostles of Jesus Minor Seminary Moroto in Uganda. Taking the “risk” then influenced my thesis “The Spirituality of a Missionary” in line with the Apostles of Jesus missionaries when I was a student at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa.

Fields Afar: How many Assignments have you had so far since your ordination?

Fr Inira: I have so far had two assignments. After my Ordination, I was assigned at the Apostles of Jesus Philosophicum Langata as a Spiritual Director and later after some time was assigned at the Apostles of Jesus Shrine as a rector up today.

Fields Afar: Many People think that you are successful in you Apostolate, what is Your Secret in this?

Fr Inira: It is only the Grace of God that is behind the success of the Apostles of Jesus Shrine Langata. The goodness of the Christians and all other people who support me also contribute a lot for the Succeful Apostolate at the Shrine

Fields Afar: What are some of the Challenges you meet in this Apostolate?

Fr Inira: Sometimes I feel like doing more, giving myself, but find that am not giving the best witness.

Fields Afar: Which Piece o f Advice do you have for all those who carry out Apostolate?

Fr Inira: Relying on God’s Providence and trusting in Him in all moments of life, doing the work of God among his people by supporting our institutes and all the people. These are all my personal pieces of Advice for all those who carry out Apostolate

Fields Afar: Word, has it that you have acquired a replica of the Ark of the Covenant! Congratulations, We Are also told there are only 7 replicas of the Ark of the Covenant in the whole world; and the Shrine happens to have one of them .How did the Shrine get it and for which motivation?

Fr Inira: The replica of the Ark of the Covenant at the Apostles of Jesus Shrine at Langata is among the 7 biggest replicas of the Ark of the Covenant in the world. According to Bishop Sisto Mazzoldi and Very Rev Fr. John Marengoni the Founders of the Apostles of Jesus Missionary Institute, we are to promote Love, Unity among all the people. The Apostles of Jesus Shrine being a Sacred Heart of Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, it is supposed to be a centre of devotion in order to learn the love of one another. It is to be a way of increasing our faith, confidence in God and eventually lead to our conversion as a directive in our way of life.

Fields Afar: What is your personal Philosophy of Life Fr?

Fr Inira: As Socrates once said “Un reflected life is not worth living”, every Year I come up with a new Motto. For Example in 2013, it was “Nothing without Christ”, 2014 was “Jesus is the Lord” and this year 2015, is “Living for the Lord”. So I reflect on life and accordingly come up with a motto.

Fields Afar: What has been the lowest moment in your life and how did you get it?

Fr Inira: My lowest and therefore toughest Moment is when I was a Spiritual Father at the Apostles of Jesus Philosophicum, Rector of the Apostles of Jesus Shrine and at the same time a student at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa.

Fields Afar: What has been the happiest moment of your life so far?

Fr Inira: My happiest Moment was when I was ordained to priest hood, it was what I had longed for as my vocation.

Fields Afar: Now that we are in preparation for Christmas, which short massage do you have for our audience?

Fr Inira: My message for the readers is; try to live for the lord in our daily activities of life, for he is the True Vine and we the branches. We ought to detach ourselves from all that draws us away from God because we can’t do anything without Him. We should always remember that God doesn’t expect success but rather Fidelity from us. Merry Christmas and a Christ Filled 2016.

LIVING AT THE THRESHOLD

(Fr. Thomas Komakech, AJ.)

think the decision of the Holy Father, Pope Francis to declare the Year 2015 the Year of Consecrated Life is very symbolic of the working of the Holy Spirit speaking to our time. I consider this to be an opportune moment to celebrate but more importantly for the Religious, to ask fundamental questions about who they are and why they are.

Human civilization has reached a stage where on one hand there is great hope for better ways of promoting and living life than before. To mention but one factor that has contributed to this hope; is the fact of advancement in knowledge especially in the area of technology. This has enabled humanity to improve the means of economic production, it has enhanced the understanding of human health and its care, a great improvement on the means of transport and communication have enhanced the sense of solidarity among peoples.

However, on the other hand, this very same hope is evidently being undermined by this so call advancement in knowledge which gives the impression that humans are more civilized today than before, if in any case we have to accept it as a genuine civilization. The sense of freedom that has left humanity without any point of reference is very troubling. The kind of individualism being witnessed today that militates against any sense of connectedness in creation itself is a cause for worry. What are we to say about the unprecedented spirit of exploitation, oppressive manipulation of the vulnerable of the society and greediness of some few among the human races? This is clearly manifested in the wars in which millions of people are forced out to live as refugees. The invention of nuclear weapons puts the whole world at the brink of a global disaster. What about the issues of human trafficking and immigrants? Is there nothing to be said about the wanton destruction of ecosystem in the name of development that threatens the very existence of life here on planet earth? This latter question is the very reason for the Pope’s Encyclical letter: “Laudato Si’.”It appears then that the current trend in human progress poses more threats than hope.

The theme: “Living at the threshold,” is biblical with particular reference to who the Prophets were in ancient Israel. Terms like marginal, liminal, and watchman (sentry) are currently in vogue with the attempts to understand who a Prophet is and the role he/she plays in the society. The latter term was specifically used by the Prophets Hosea (cf. 5:8), Ezekiel (cf. 3:11 – 21; 33:1 – 9) and Habakkuk (cf. 2:1). Certainly there are differences among these terms but the basic underlying idea is to articulate the figure of a Prophet and the nature of his/her role. The figure and nature of the role can best be understood by analyzing the importance of the position – “the threshold.” The position exposes the Prophet not only to danger but hope which is precisely the legacy of biblical Prophets in general.

The condition at the threshold is certainly harsh to say the least. The Prophet is physically exposed to either heat or cold depending on the weather condition and time. The full time duty leads to physical exhaustion and the necessity to sleep on duty. The Prophet is constantly exposed to attacks by either the enemies from without or within. The enemies from within may even be worse than those from without because these are the enemies who know the Prophet very well and whose interests are threatened by his word or better, God’s word because a Prophet is essentially a person of God’s word. The Prophet is constantly faced with the temptations to either compromise the word of God for comfort or for fear of the enemies. This can lead to either being just there with no impact at all or giving up the whole business altogether.

One of the most important aspects of the Prophet’s duty is the acuity to listen to God who commissions him/her. Listening to God gives the Prophet the clarity of perception and the accuracy of response. This explains why solitude and contemplation (the designation of threshold position) can only be ignored at the expense of who the Prophet is and his role. Do Religious see themselves as carved in the images of biblical Prophets?

Today, many questions are being raised both by Religious and non Religious alike regarding who Religious are and what they are for. Questions from Religious merit deeper consideration for our purpose. Are Religious concerned about the ambiguity of the threshold position or the difficulty at the position? If it is about the latter, then Religious have reasons to celebrate because the demands of any worthy cause and the seriousness to commit oneself completely for that cause always express themselves in such difficulties as we have tried to describe briefly above. However, if the former is the case, then that is a question of identity.

When Religious hold meetings to discuss such important issue as identity; it is important to analyze the agenda; less questions on raising funds to run the affairs of the community and or Congregation and who is to play which role in the implementations of the decisions reached, take centre stage at the expense of the more salient fundamental questions of what God is telling them through the experiences of what is taking place now.

If the threshold position exposes the Prophet to danger, the danger should not lead the Prophet to throw out the child with the bath water. The Prophet should not lose sight of the hope inherent in the position. Firstly, Biblical Prophets can teach us something because no matter how terrible the catastrophe and desperate the situation might have been the Prophets always assured the people of God’s fidelity to his promises of the past. These Prophets risked their lives whenever they pointed out the infidelity of the covenant people as the reason for the disaster. Secondly, the ambiguity of the threshold is like what the book of Genesis tells us about the act of creation; that the earth was formless void – in Hebrew tohu; and that there was darkness over the deep, with divine wind sweeping over the waters. God said let there be light and there was light (cf. Gen.1:1 – 2). With God, there is always light at the end of the tunnel even when the forces of chaos appear to be stronger than the forces of life. The Prophet Par excellent – Jesus Christ defeated these forces of chaos by his weakness on the cross. St. Paul would later say “For power is made perfect in weakness ……for when I am weak, then I am strong” (2Cor.12:9 – 10). Both Jesus and St. Paul carried out their mission while at the threshold position.

Let us pray through the marginal and liminal figure Jesus; the watchman par excellence and Man of the threshold, to strengthen us to be at the threshold because this is the place of hope for humanity and creation itself.

Happy Year of Consecrated Life!

THE RELIOGIOUS MISSIONARY INSTITUTE OF THE APOSTLES OF JESUS

(Sc. Gimuyi Samson Masuba)

he religious missionary institute of the Apostles of Jesus was founded in Moroto Uganda, reginamundi parish, moroto diocese in 1968. This date however marks the beginning of their realization of a plan which had been in the mind and hearts of its founder’s right from when the idea was manifested during their stay in South Sudan for about a period of ten years, still thinking of the innet missionary idea of how to actualize it. Through personal experiences, and social changes they gained in central and East Africa, Bishop Sisto Mazzoldi of great memory, and very Rev Fr. John Marengon, each in his own way had come to the conclusion hence sparking off its development and its survival in Africa up to date.

The world of today needs an extensive form of evangelization, planting a mustard seed even on the igneous rocks by pouring out more and more of the constructive spiritualities such that the lay faithful may bear fruits. So to say the church bodies run by diocesan clergy, and missionary oriented clergy, have a task to awaken the faith of people which seem to be melting at a lower level, through various ways. God brought together these two men of high reputation, the combon religious in a conception in August 1967, looking at the historic journey these two giant in the spirit of God made from Gulu to Moroto Uganda, it is said to be the lengthened one with lengthened exchange of ideas along the road, in the vicinity of Morulem a name of a local village named after a desert tree, the two missionaries agreed and took a firm decision to plant the sounding institute [APOSTLES OF JESUS MISSIONARIES FOR AFRICA AND THE WORLD] making the first step on the 16^th August 1967, with this brilliant idea, official correspondences started with cardinal G.p. Agagianian together with the Bishops of Uganda to solicit their opinion. On 3^rd May 1968, this first letter of good news was filed in the documents and archives of the institute by Bishop Sisto Mazzold informing and Very Rev. Fr. John Marengoni to start the institute.

What is an institute? Its an organization that has a particular purpose, especially connected with particular profession. Apostles of Jesus religious missionaries, have a purpose and its their task drowned from their specific Chrism “Christ the Good Sheperd, imitating the compassionate, active and joyful zeal of His Heart for the lost sheep [cf. jn. 10:1-21]” co, chtr two, art, 10. This specific service is exercised through Evangelization, Praedicatio evangelii, planting of the church in Mission lands, Plantatio ecclesiae interris missionum., Help individual churches so that once established, and grown, can became self supportive; Ecclesiis particularibus auxilum, ut ecclesiae sufficieter conditae, crescent et viribus propriis ac maturitate sint praeditae. This has been supported by a supreme gift of Prayer through adoration to the blessed sacrament, every member in his mission is entitled to offer such precious dedication to God in praying primarily for our two founders [Bishop Sisto Mazzold and Very Rev. Fr. John Marengoni in loving memory] and other departed members of the institute who have supported our institute together with the prosperity of it to greater stages

Religious life on trial

(SC.Hillary Bett A.J)

is holiness Pope Francis dedicated this year 2015/2016 as the year of consecrated life. It is encouraging to see that the Mother Church considers that there is an urgent need to pay more attention on our baptismal consecration ( promises) and in deeper need to pay more consideration our religious commitment ( consecration0 through the evangelical counsels.

Why now this particular moments? (Does he want us to reflect on our commitment?). We are living in a exacted and to the extreme , freedom ( divinized ) of an individual where the other does not matter so long as my agenda has gone relevant where the other begs many may question but more critical is how relevant is religious life in this situation? can religious lifestyle offer a solution to this deviated character of the society?

The prime reason of living consecrated life is to have a deep intimacy with God and the vows we take should bring us more close to God and to our brothers and sisters. Religious life calls for a constant exodus from ourselves and constant entrance into the gracious life of God and the service of our brothers and sisters engineered by sincere love and concern.

We are living in a society dominated by erosion of values, religious fanaticism corruption, crime and “ divinized freedom” where the ultimate destination is to please man, acquire happiness by all means where the means of acquiring it does not matter even if stepping on others. Yes we are in the world but we are not the world, we need not to run away from those trying moment but to encounter the world and transform it, and by all means overcome the temptation being assimilated in it, that is, the temptation of being like the rest ( others )(of the world).

The essential elements of consecrated life are seriously on trial. The vow of voluntary poverty is being challenge by the philosophy materialism , consumerism and high appétit for riches. It is not evil to have or to be rich but religious should always remember that God is the true wealth of human heart. Whatever we have as individuals and ( or) as a community is meant to serve God and the brether. Therefore we are called to give antimaterialism witness and give to the world the spirit that depend on divine providence and fight a dehumanizing poverty. Advocate for distribution of resources and avoiding wrester.

Obedience is confronted by the strong wave of misconceived freedom whereby it is taken to mean autonomy or being independent and not to depend on anyone but each one should forget that there is no absolute independence for man. Human freedom therefore should be understood on the fact that we are free to choose who and what to depend on. Religious are reminisced in this year of consecrated life to take the will of God as their daily bread as Christ did ( CF Jn 4:34). Yes, we are free human beings but still obedience to God and superiors is required our lives, therefore religious obedience is free obedience where we freely surrender our lives and wills to God and Superiors. On free obedience should always be motivated by the commandment of love. (and service).

Due to great advancement in technology which has promoted much globalization free love, permissiveness and exaltation of sex in terms of rights of gaysim, lesbianism, commercial sex, indecent dressing in the context of “ my dress my choice!” instead of “ my dress my dignity”. This has become a great challenge in the vow of chastity in both religious and married life.

The vow of chastity means to fall in love with Christ to entirely such that one give her/his life totally to him/ which individed heart. Just as the married couple dedicate their time and total exclusive love to each other. Religious ought to give in time and his/her entire life to Christ and the Mission entrusted to him. This deep and intimate relationship with Christ should be exclusive and try as much as possible, and course with the help of the grace of God, to fight both interior and exterior temptations that confronts us against the vow of chastity.

The primary apostolate of every religious institute and indeed for the entire church is to fight evil and good. I strongly believe it was also the reason why every founder and founders found a particular institute of consecrated life.

In order to Evert this trend where seclusion is taking over the face of humanity, I think we need religious to go back to the basics and reawaken our consciousness of the meaning and value of religious life, This will help us to correct our deviated characters.

More so by living faithful the charism and spiritual of our different institutes within the confines of the mission of entire church. Through the guidance of the holy spirit, the consecrated will be able to invent many ways of convincing the world about the unconditional love of God for humanity .It should be remembered that we are not doing our work but of God, even if we fail , God’s purpose will not fail. Our mission is in the hands of God but we have to do our part faithfully.

In our apostolate, it should be an apostolate with a difference! By people also can do social work like as teachers, nurses , chaplains, administrators but sometimes show the face of Christ for them to intimate! It is a pity that sometimes we perform nurse than them. When we live the Gospel values we call make a desirable difference and hence change the face of the world .

In this secularized our source of power to live and change it is in Prayer A praying ( neighbour and religious community is a power-house. In prayer we create a close relationship with God who empowers us in our missions full of strong values of anti-Christ. As we celebrate the birth of Christ, who came to make a difference and indeed he made it, may he strengthen us to follow

RECTOR’S DESK

CHRISTIAN PROPHETIC VOCATION

(Rev. Dr. Raphael Obetia, A.J)

God always calls his prophets from specific human and ecclesial contexts which inevitably influenced them and to these same contexts, a prophet is sent for the service of the Christ’s Gospel in order to transform them. Likewise, every Christian calling takes place in a given context. I identifying that context is critical task for giving specific shape to the prophetic role each Christian is called to play.

Although much could be said about the human and ecclesial contexts in which today Christians are called from and to play their prophetic role in, it suffice to say that Christ’s faithful; priest’s laity and members of consecrated life must, with vigour, reclaim their divine mandate to continue the authentic transformation of the world and they must have a renewed sense of mission. They ought to engage in evangelization and allow themselves to be filled with the enthusiasm of prophetic preaching to confront with courage the current human and ecclesial context which is characterized by pride, lust, sloth, envy anger, covetousness and gluttony. In this edition we offer some reflection on pride, one of the seven evils of our time.

To have pride or high self-esteem in one’s self is important for any success in life and that is not sin. No one ought to make another person or him/her self feel inferior. A person’s self-esteem need not rise or fall according to the temperature of other peoples opinion. By feeling confident and enhancing the positive qualities in others, we actually are revealing our own qualities. No one knows another person’s capabilities better thus while motivations we received from others may inspire us to carry out our prophetic role in the society, each person needs to be self motivated in his Christian prophetic call. To allow other people to set or adjust the thermostat of your self-esteem or to become one for others may not bring about transformation which is required by the nature of our Christian call. It is by looking squarely at our human and Christian dignity and worth that we may be able transform ourselves and by so doing transform the world around us.

However, in the current human and ecclesial contexts many people set themselves as special people and more important than others. This is evil. A society which treads on this way is heading to immanent destruction and fall, for the scripture says “pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall (Proverb 16: 18). Like an inflated hot-air balloon that flies up but on cooling comes down soon or later, a person or society with inflated sense of self-importance may appear to rise up quickly, but come down. Every person has inherent value. More than often, those who do not feel that self worth try to find ways to look better than others by making others seem or feel wrong in an attempt to appear more righteous. When each member of a society begins to understand that we are all equal as human beings and have equal rights and duties in a given society, that there is neither basis for shame nor pride, then the hot-air balloon of pride is deflated.

As Christians, we cannot remain indifferent as our society is headed for self-destruction. Our prophetic vocation calls us to reverse this situation. In order to do this, we must become critical of our own practices. We need to come to rest in a balanced and realistic view of ourselves as the equal of the other. In this way, we can then hope to express the unique and valuable qualities we have and help other do likewise. It is better to light a candle than to curse darkness. The only way to mend bad world is to create the right world.

Tribute to

Rev. Fr. Mapendo Nzuva Biloko A.J

(Sc. Lomol Koryang)

ust been three month in the Lord’s vineyard,

Your virtue of meekness a wonder we admired,

Your simplicity a joy, creating in us an expectation,

Your integrity a daily challenge to us both young and old.

The news of your passing, ohh, how disheartening,

What could be more heartbreaking?

A life just newly born, yet now gone

A priesthood newly gifted yet already lived,

A joy just experienced yet now extinguished,

An inspiration still fresh, now no more.

Yet though we loved you brother the Almighty loved you more,

We have a Saint in you up there with him,

God in You Father Mapendo, Broke our hearts, to let us know that he takes the best to himself.

Fare thee well father, so long brother, till we meet again

Rest in The Fathers eternal Abode.

HAPPY CHRISMAS AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR

APOSTLES OF JESUS RELIGIOUS MISSIONARIES

EVENTS IN PICTURES SINCE

JUNE-2015

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7.

8.

9

1.FINAL VOWS 2015, 2.PRAISE AND WORSHIP VISIT TO SHRINE, 3 & 4.CONSECRATED DAY IN TANGAZA ,5.MISSION SUNDAY,6.ICYCS ENVIRONMENTAL WALK,7&8.FIRST VOWS 2015-TENGERU,TANZANIA & MERU-KENYA,9.LECTORSHIP MINISTRY 2015.

6.

4.

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[PUBLISHED ON LINE BY; SC. CHURCHILL OJOK ]

EDITORIAL

Lots of greetings to you our esteemed Brothers and Sisters, readers of Fields Afar. Ser­vice in the little ways is our theme for this edition. It is rooted in the ministry and lifestyle of Jesus Christ. He exercised his Glory in little ways. We are challenged dur­ing this festive season to learn and imitate Jesus.

I hope we still remember our time as Children, how innocent and sincere we used to be. Do we still have that innocence? Or have we lost it and we have become proud? Humility is a virtue. It opens us to the transcendence of God. God in turn helps us to live virtuous lives. He helps us to shun evil so that we can be just, prudent, wise and charitable in our interactions with others. If however for any reason you think you know better than God, just know that you are dwell­ing in vices. Hence we are called upon to live out our Christianity with child-like trust in God, just

like St. Theresa of the child Jesus who imitated Jesus in her service by perfecting the basics. This is an ideal example of a child-like way of executing our responsibilities. Children don’t aim at doing extra-ordinary things, but normal little things in which holiness is rooted. For this and many other reasons, we are to look up to Christ whose birth we commemorate each year as the true model of a Servant.

There is no other role model to look up to apart from Jesus, who reminds us always in Mt 18:3 “… unless you turn and become like Children , you will never enter the Kingdom of heaven…..”. Anybody who can afford to dispute this has lost the way to salvation. Jesus Christ humbled himself and be­came man. He allowed himself to go through natural human growth even when he was God. He went through infancy, childhood, teen­age and adulthood. So if the God- Man embraced the character of a child, who are we not imitate the little ones?

Our lives should grow more virtu­ous like wine so that as we grow older every day we become wiser and more conscious on how we can live better as children of God. Sc. John Baptist Lubega, Chief Editor

Bye to the Year of Faith

This year’s Christmas celebra­tion coincides with the end of the Year of Faith. This was a privileged time of reflection on our relationship with God and the commitments we made to him through the Church. It is our hope that we have renewed our search for God in the example of the Magi (Mt 2:1-12) who were guided by the star on their journey to greet the new born baby, Jesus of Nazareth, “the origin and the end of history” (Lumen Fidei, 35). This was a year of renewal in response to the love of God to us by giving us his only Son so that all who believe in him may not be lost, but may gain eternal life (Jn 3:16). Among the many efforts to re-focus our response to God’s love to us was the decision to recite basic prayers in the liturgy such as the creed and the Our Father, on one hand, and to encourage frequent reception of the sacraments, together with organizing pilgrimages, seminars and retreats with various groups in the Church as renewal programs, on the other. The end of the year of faith is the beginning of a more dedicated life of faith.

We have to acknowledge the fact that Pope Benedict XVI gave us this year in his effort to counteract the increasing secular influence that is devoid of God. As he constantly reiterated, true joy, true civilization and human progress can only be possible with God. Trying to side­line God in the guise of freedom is a futile exercise, and a journey toward self-annihilation! Certainly, the life of faith is not an easier option; but as Jesus responds to the one who asks whether it is only a few who will be saved, let us try our best to pass through the narrow path (Lk 13: 22-24). This narrow path is the resolve to commit ourselves to what we promised in baptism – to reject Satan and all his allurements-and to hold firm in the new life we have embraced in Christ. It is the resolve to re-commit ourselves in our later promises in God, in our vows and priestly ministries and in the various responsibilities given to us. Perhaps we have relaxed our resolutions, we have not become prudent enough to safeguard the life we embrace, and we have fallen victim to our negligence in livingthe purity of heart, in obedience to God through our superiors and in the life of obedience. It is time to learn from the Lord who came not to do his own will, but the will of his Father (Psalm 40:6-8, Heb 10:7). This is the cause of a true joy, the result of God’s love to us.

Writing from a theological point of view, I concur with Pope Francis that my mission in the theological field is to search for God in the light of faith (Lumen Fidei, 36). God’s self-disclosure has culminated in the incarnation of his Son who pitched his tent among us (Jn 1:14) and became a fellow camper with us. He feels with us in all circum­stances. He has tasted the bitterness of human rejection right from his birth, but he has stood with us: the poor and the rich alike, in sadness and in joy. His love for us has made him to go to the extent of giving his life on the cross as our ransom. What a perfect image of the life of faith given to us! If we live as he lived, then we shall say confidently that this year had meaning to us. Christmas is therefore a call to reflect and re-live our life of faith in full.

Jesus came to give us life. This self-giving is an act of love. Love calls for love. It is in this regard that we go before him in prayer and praise to offer him our gratitude. When we assemble in the liturgy we praise him, and in return we re­ceive grace for sanctification. Thatmeans, when we gather in prayer, we express our filial dedication, we thank him and offer our petitions. In return, we receive forgiveness of sins and get energy to journey to­ward him. In order to come to this awareness, we need reflections and time to listen to him – to refresh our memories of his loving care to us so that we can be able to give thanks to him, because “gratitude is a child of memory”. It is in this regard that the word of God plays a central role in our life of faith and in the liturgy – to insert us in the history of our salvation that is characterized by the great deeds of the Lord to us so that we can constantly refresh our memory. It is in this reason that we recite the creed as a commitment to renew our faith in response (gratitude) to God’s love, the love shown also in God’s willingness to give us his law (Decalogue) so that we may remain the path of life. Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount on the Beatitudes is just a renewal of this teaching (Lumen Fidei, 46). This is also the founda­tion of our faith. Thanks be to God that we have a rich calendar which brings us continuously the great deeds of the Lord to us. Christmas is a celebration of this love. May God renew our love for him and strengthen our resolve to serve him. May we live truly to what we believe.

(Fr. Petri Assenga)

“BEHOLD, WE HAVE LEFT EVERYTHING AND

FOLLOWED

In normal circumstances, when you accompany somebody or offer a helping hand to an individual, you expect praise or a reward, as our lord Jesus puts it; “the workman deserves his keep” (Mt. 10:10). Probably it is from this back­ground that Peter wanted to have his keep and thus put this question to his master; “Look,” he said “we have left everything and followed you. What shall we have?” (Mt. 19:27)

The same question has been re­peated again and again by you and me when we sometimes feel insecure in our vocations. Particu­larly, for those who have decided to follow Jesus Christ as conse­crated men and women, we may be tempted to think that the evan­gelical counsels of chastity, poverty and obedience contradict natural law. This makes us ask ourselves, “what shall we gain?” However, blessed John Paul II in his Post- Synodal Apostolic Exhortation ‘Vita Consecrata’no.87, points out that; “The evangelical counsels should not be considered as a denial of the values inherent in sexuality, in the legitimate desire to possess material goods or to make decisions for oneself. In so far these inclina­tions are based on nature, they are good in themselves.” He asserts that the consecrated life especially in difficult times is a blessing for human life and for the life of the church. This therefore assures us of the great rewards we shall receive from the one we have fol­lowed. We are told in Mt. 19:28“…. You can be sure that when the son of man sits on his glorious throne in the new age, you will yourselves sit on twelve thrones to judge the twelve tribes of Israel.” The same question has not only been askedby the consecrated men and women but also by the lay faithful, for they too participate in the life of the church not only in exercising their tasks and charisms, but also in many other ways. The call of the Lord Jesus Christ “You go into my vineyard too and I will pay you a fair wage” (Mt 20:4) is addressed to every person who comes into this world. Jesus himself has al­ready promised to give a fair wage, why then do you go ahead to ask; “what shall we gain?” it is from this point that, while addressing the lay faithful in the Apostolic Exhorta­tion “ChristifidelesLaici”, John Paul II appeals to all the people never to get tired in following Jesus Christ. “Therefore I make a strong appeal to one and all, pastors and faithful, never to become tired of maintaining – indeed always taking an active part to fix deeply in one’s mind, heart and life- an ecclesial consciousness”. This of courseentails active participation in the church of Christ by taking part in her mystery of communion and in her dynamism in mission and apostolate.

Therefore, as we celebrate this Christmas, let us remember that all serious and upright human conduct of ours leads to hope in action. It is through our serious actions that we exercise our hope in the promise of our Lord Jesus; “I will pay you a fair wage”. And let’s remember that if lack of commitment is always unac­ceptable, the present time renders it even more so. It is not permissible for anyone to remain idle. “Why do you stand here idle all day?” (Mt. 20:6). Go and work in the vineyard and you will have your fair wage! For sure you will not regret as to why you have left everything and followed the Lord, no matter which vocation you have in life.

( Frt. Jude ThadeoTumwesigire, Philosophy III)

THE INCARNATION,

A GIFT FOR ALL.

“ We have seen and testify that the Father sent his son as savior of the world, whoever acknowledges that Jesus, is the Son o God, God remains in him and he in God” (1 John 4:14-15)

This is a period in which we ex­pect a lot from our family members, relatives, and friends. It would not be Christmas as usual if some of us have not received a Christmas card, Christ­mas baskets or other Festive goodies from our dear ones. Failure to receive either of the above spoils the “festive mood”. Among the Baganda of central Uganda, when you are to visit a family which has just got a newborn Baby, you must go with a gift just like the three wise men from the East did, as we see in Mathew 2:1-ff. This is true in most cultures all over the world. This could presuppose that those who cannot af­ford a gift cannot experience the Joy of a newborn baby.

We as Christians are very lucky. More than 2000 years ago, the Lord visited a young woman named Mary and miraculously wrapped himself in her womb. When all seemed lost, God embraced himself as a gift for us with care through the incarnation. The Word became flesh, yes our daily bread. Unlike in our cultures, where we have to offer goodies to the newly born, it is now the one who has been born is the one giving us goodies, gifts from God his Father. From 2000 years ago, this Baby has been constantly splashing love, mercy and grace to those who believe in him.

The best gift God has ever given us as human beings was to lower himself to become like us through the incarna­tion. It is indeed humbling that true God embraced our humble limited nature from birth to resurrection. Throughout his ministry, he became an exemplar for humanity. God the Son accepted the Father’s command to come and journey with us in our sinful nature. The Bible describes this act of God as a wonderfully mysterious gift that goes beyond anything that we’ve ever received. God’s love is immense and everlasting, after disobeying him through our first parents Adam and Eve, he gave us a second chance by coming to stay with us.

As we celebrate the birth of our Lord, his words in John: 10:9 should stick in our minds and hearts “I am the gate. Anyone who enters through me will be saved. He will go freely in and out and be sure of finding pasture”. His sole reason to be born among us was to restore our relationship with his father. Now our chances to be with our creator eternally are brighter for all who believe in him.

(Sc. John Baptist Lubega)

CHRIST LIGHT OF THE WORLD.

What light can illumine the world more than the light of Christ Jesus who is the savior of the world? Given that we are now in the Chrismas season in the Church calendar, the whole world is filled with great joy for we celebrate the birthday of the Lord Jesus Christ whose coming in the world brought the world the great illumination. However, somebody might ask him/ herself, “How is Jesus the light of the world?” Response to this question will definitely differ from person to person.

In the Gospel of John 12:46, Jesus says of himself “I have come as the light into the world, that whoever be­lieves in me may not remain in darkness.” With the above dec­laration from Jesus himself, we come to realise that Jesus was born into the world and he illu­mined the whole world as the eternal Logos became man and dwelt among us (Jn 1:14). However, not every hu­man being receives this light; this is so because we have some people who still do not believe in the Lord Jesus who is the only true source of light of the world who even shines in the darkest moment in our lives because he con­quered death through his resurrection on Easter Sunday.

In order for someone to realise that Jesus is the true light of the world he/ she must have faith. When we have faith in Jesus Christ, we see him as the light (sun) of the world, Human beings see the sun, moon, and stars as the light of the world. This is true, except the fact that although they give us light, they cannot save human souls from the darkness of sin. As St. Justin the Martyr wrote, “No one has ever been ready to die for his/her faith in the sun.” Many Christians of strong faith in Christ Jesus invoke on him as the true “sun” the light of the world, whose rays bestow life.

In a nutshell, Jesus Christ is the true light of the world. This is proved in the gospel of John 8:12. Let us join hands and welcome Christ in our life and follow him.

(Frt. Brian Oponjuru Bush

WATER OF BAPTISM

“Is it very difficult to find a good Christian”Reads a facebook post . “Yes, it is indeed”. A facebook pager re­plies. A good Christian never says that he is good: He says:, “you may look upon me as a brother, sister, friend, Rabi, son or a slave /servant but imitate my actions and follow my words” . When you succeed in this , you will see for yourself the position and respect that a good Christian commands. Reflecting on this conversation, the word of God strikes , “there is only one who is good. If you wish to enter into his life, keepthe commandments.” (Mt.19:17b). Then the question comes: “being good, does it mean following the law?” As Christians we need to take up the cross of Jesus and follow him without looking back or even side ways.. Anybody who bears the cross of Jesus becomes the source of encouragement to others and he will treat everyone equally.

A “good” Christian might be the only bible that others read . Such a living will make our Christian com­munities be real communities that witness Christ . In such communi­ties the following words will have more roots to most of us when they are constantly reflected: “blood is thicker than water . But, water of baptism is thicker than blood.” As Christians, we tend to forget that we are brothers and sisters by the water of baptism because baptism binds us more than our blood re­lations. Many Religious communities describe their congregations as fam­ily. Constitution No 1 of the Apos­tles of Jesus confirms this when it reads : “Called by our Lord Je­sus Christ to be with him and to be sent to preach to the nations (Mk.3:14) we form a religious fam­ily.” This should help any Christian community to transcend any tribal affiliation and embrace one another as real brothers/sisters . “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you , fornication: impurity, passion, evil desire and greed which is idolatry (col.3:5) “That is what most of you used to be , but you were washed, you were sanctified , you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ , and in the spirit of our God .”(1Cor. 6:11).

This transformation will help us understand the mystery of Incar­nation in our life . God taking the form of a human being and be­ing born by a woman (Gal: 4:4) is a clear manifestation that we are truly called not only to be good Christians but also to be saints imitating his example here on earth .We are all potential sharers of his heavenly Kingdom.

As a Christian , Religious or priest looking. what should be troubling us should be: amidst all my plans this Christmas , will I allow Christ to be born in my heart ? If you don’t prepare for the child Jesus to be born in your heart , you will not be different from those who reject new born babies.

Friends , a child has to be born in a clean environment and should find many members waiting to wel­come him . We can only welcome a child in our clear and ready hearts.

( Sc. Kibaki Nyaga.)

THE SYMBOLIC ORNAMENTS

OF CHRISTMAS:

Christmas is the solemnity in the liturgical year celebrated on December 25th each year by many Christians, do commemorate the incarnation of the divine Word at the birth of Jesus Christ. Christmas is the second solemnity in importance only to the annual celebration of Eas­ter. The Christmas season traditionally begins from the eve of Christmas, 24th December up to about 6th January. All this time Christmas decorations and ornaments are put in churches, homes, towns, shops and other con­ducive places by Christians and even by people from other religions.

We often lose sight of some of the wonderful things about Christmas with our busy lives, with all the parties and travel at Christmas. It is however good to look back to the real reason behind Christmas

We decorate our homes at Christmas to celebrate Jesus birthday; but have you ever thought of the meaning and origins of these decorative ornaments? The Christmas after the official Year of Faith, all Christians should ask themselves whether they can draw any meaning from the Christmas decora­tions or ornaments.

Many of us have already decorated our homes, churches, our shopping centers and our business places. I guess it is more exiting decorating for Christmas when you have younger children; the lights on the Christmas tree always excite them. In this sense then what do these ornaments stand for?

(a) The star:- this signifies the star of Bethlehem that guided the three wise men (Magi) from the East who were Melchior, Balthazar and Gasper according to tradition. The star led them to the place where Jesus Christ was born. The shin­ing of the star signifies hope formankind of good fortune and of reaching above oneself.

(b) The lights:- The lights on the Christmas tree and on the crib symbolize the birth of Jesus Christ who is the light of the world to re­move the darkness in the world. In the gospel of John we read: “what came to be through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race; the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:3-5). Light is the truth and goodness. Fellowship with God and with one another consists in a life according to the truth as found in God and in Jesus Christ. The lights also symbolize the light Jesus Christ cast upon the lives of the people.

(c) The traditional colours:-(Red, Green and Gold) . Red:- symbol­izes the sacrifice that Christ made for humanity, the blood he shed by his crucifixion. Green:- symbolizes eternal life through Jesus Christ, particularly the ever green tree. Gold:- it is the first colour associ­ated with Christmas as one of the three gifts of the Magi, symbolizing royalty-Christ is the king.

(d) The Christmas tree- The Christmas tree is one of the most popular and cherished Christmas customs. The tree symbolizes life and this life has the name of Jesus Christ. Christmas tree is the symbol of life and hope that is decorated with ornaments and lights around the world. The decorations show the importance of the birth of Jesus as the light of the world. According to Pope John Paul II, “the Christmas tree is an ancient custom that exalts the value of life, because the ever­green tree remains unchangeable through the harshness of winter. The tree of life, a figure of Christ, God’s greatest gift to all men” thus the tree further symbolizes Chris­tian belief in eternal life through Jesus. But more importantly, some scholars hold that the tree as an anticipation of the cross, reminds Christians of the tree by which our sin was overcome, namely the tree upon which Christ Jesus was cruci­fied. Peter writes, “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed ” (1Peter 2:24). Therefore, the Christmas tree is a wonderful symbol and reminder of our salvation and forgiveness through Jesus Christ.

(e) The gift bow (it is the roundish cloth flower). The way the bow is tied symbolizes how the Christiansshould all be tied together in bonds of goodwill forever. Christians should live as brothers and sisters in the love and unity of Christ.

(f) The candle and the bell. The candles reflect a mirror of starlight, signifying our gratitude to the star of Bethlehem. The bells ring out to guide lost “sheep” back to the fold. They signify that the people of God are all precious in the eyes of God. Christmas after the of­ficial Year of Faith should make us better Christians as we reflect the incarnation of our lord Jesus Christ who is the prince of peace and has brought light to liberate man from darkness and slavery of sin. The birth of Jesus who is the shining star should help us to renew our relationship with God and within our societies where we live. The ornaments we use in this season are symbolic with strong hidden meaning, images, parables and even allegories. But the most important thing is to have faith, hope and love in Jesus Christ our Lord. The human mind receives its object through senses and that is why revelation is made to us by way of symbols.

(SC. Eladius Ngowi

CHRISTMAS

‘Give and take’ is the game people play in the society in which we live. Jesus came into the world to overturn this fake philosophy of the world. He is the most precious gift humanity has ever recieved there will be no other gift better than this.

God gave us his only son with no expectation of paying him back. There is nothing of equal value to pay. Jesus came so that he could redeem us from sin whose consequence is death.

The best love stories told, short stories, poems, drama, novels and films have touched the feelings of billions of peo­ple. Some of these stories even moved people to tears of joy or sorrow. Nevertheless, the greatest love story ever told and enacted in reality is the life of Jesus Christ.

The most intense tears have been shedin gratitude to God for this. His birth is the beginning of his Pascal Mystery. It is an element in the economy of salvation. The Messiah could not undergo that shameful death on the cross as a cli­max of soteriological plan had he not been born.

Christmas, therefore, is a feast of some measure similar to Good Fri­day and Easter Sunday. It marks the beginning of our Redemption. It was necessary for God to send his Son Christ to die for us because the original sin committed by Adam and Eve was an offence against the Infinite majesty of God. Hence, no finite being, not even all the angels and heavenly bodies grouped together and sacrificed could pay for this sin. Only an Infinite being can do this because the degree of an offence is directly proportional to the dignity of the person offended. And so Jesus Christ [God the Son] had to take on the human nature in order to redeem us from that corruption of sin.

It is incredible that God’s benevolence led him to device such a mysterious plan to redeem us back to our former glory. Re­demption is guaranteed to all those who believe in Jesus Christ but on condition that we develop an attitude like that of a child: humility, depen­dencytrust, receptivity and teach­ability qualities that are predominant of Children. These are diametrically opposite to pride, distrust, hostility and reservation.

Christmas is such a great feast. It calls for happiness! It calls for Joy! It calls for merry making and feasting. Feasting inco-operates the other. It is not self centered. It is an outward ex­pression of a radical extreme pleasure in one’s heart. In this Christmas season, let us reach out to those who do not have and share with them what we have so that we give this Christmas feast its proper significance.

(Sc. Kipng’enoh Stanley Korir.)

LET US TURN TO MARY’S PRAYER ON OUR BEHALF

Mary consented to the In­carnation of the eternal word by means of faith. She saw the Infant in the manger at Bethlehem and believed Him to be the Creator of the world. When she fled to Egypt to escape from Herod she knew that He was king of kings. She saw Him born and believed Him to be eternal. She saw Him poor and in need and believed Him the Lord of the Universe. She heard Him weep and believed Him the joy of the Universe. She saw Him despised and crucified and her faith remained firm that He was God. Therefore faith is not only to be the rule of belief but also that of our actions.That is that’s what Mother Mary showed. Her trust in Divine Providence, her trust in her son at Cana, her words reflect that hope. “Do whatever He tells you” (Jn 2:3). Her love of God was so ardent that no defect of any kind could seen in her. “Divine love” penetrated and filled the soul of Mother Mary that no part of her was left untouched so that she loved with her whole soul, with her whole strength and so we call her full of grace.

“Here is your mother” (Jn 19:27)

In the light of the Gospel passage of the Wedding at Cana and Christian experience, let us turn with confidence to Mary’s prayer on our behalf, to her maternal intercession. It is God Him­self who gave to Mary a heart full of love.He made us her children through Christ. Let us not be afraid to bring to Mother Mary our human needs, our distress of body and spirit. She will have no trouble in seeing how they are connected with the manifestation of the Lord’s glory and with our growth in faith. Let us ask Mary for the gift of the Holy Spirit who will then bring us to knowledge of the glory that is the mystery of the love mutual love between the God the Father and Son.

“My soul makes its boast in the LORD” (Ps 34:2)

Let us turn to her with confidence that her maternal intercession will lead us closer to Jesus. Mary’s life is wholly centered on the person of Jesus, the Son of God. The favor we ask of Mary is to give us her Son and to “show to us Jesus as she showed Him to the shepherds and Magi, then made Him known to the Disciples. To pray with Mary is to pray simply and trustingly. “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my Spirit rejoices in God my Saviour” (Lk 1:46). Mary’s presence in the midst of the community on Pente­cost disposes us for the prayer which is beyond our ordinary power and is the gift from the Spirit. With her the disciples “all… with one accord de­voted themselves to pray” (Acts 1:14). In union with Mary the Mother of the Church, Christian experience and the apostolate becomes a life giving love, inspired work and a participation in the spiritual Motherhood of Mary.

Mary is as it were the locus sign and “Living icon” of the Holy Spirit. Since the Spirit is her life (Gal 5:25), she disposes us in a concrete way to live according to the Spirit of Jesus, the Spirit of love between Father and Son, the Spirit who causes Christ to be born and grow in us.

We pray that the Mother of mercy may obtain for us the grace to imitate her in holy charity towards God and our neighbours.

By Sc. Deocres R Benezeth

NO ROOM INN FOR BABY–JESUS

Dear brethren, I salute you all in the name of our Lord and wish you a Merry- Christmas and a happy new year. I also urge you that as we merrily celebrate the birth of our lord Jesus Christ, who was truly divine and truly human, we reflect on this scripture passage of St. Luke 2: 7. Mary gave birth to her first son she wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger because there was no room for them to be in the inn.

Humanly speaking, when we meditate on this Gospel passage we are baffled. How can God allow his only son who was fully human and fully divine to be born in such a pitiful state? As if that is not ironical enough, he is being laid in a manger because there is no room for them in the inn. Oh! How can the Jesus through whom all things were made miss a room? How and why did God allow all these to happen to poor Mary and baby Jesus? This is indeed a million words question.

Looking at this situation in a manger, I can speak with all authority as some­one who hails from a village where livestock farming is part of our activi­ties. Animals have their feeding tray. The feeding tray is known as a manger and so it means that Jesus was laid in a feeding tray of animals. The image imprinted in my mind is that of Jesus being laid in a dirty feeding tray. He is laid in a place which is unhygienic .i.e. unclean for people to eat from there, let alone/imagining to lay a new born baby in. Sometimes the place does not give good smell due to the rough feeding habits of animals. Please the litany of the negatives is too long for me to continue. I can simply say it is not a good place to be.

However, in the midst of all these chal­lenges, God allowed his only begot­ten son to be born in such a situation. He came in a state that no one could ever imag­ine in his or her wildest dreams. Yet s c r i p t u r e tells us that Mary never complained to God. We can take consolation on these words: that God’s ways are not human ways and the way he does things is quite different from our expectations.

So brethren, as we remember the birth of our Lord Jesus, we have basket full of lessons to learn from. Our God is so unique that sometimes he may use a particular situation in our lives that we end up doubting who he is and give up in life. Dear people of God we are to be consoled by the courage of Mary. We are invited to look at Jesus himself who being God, allowed himself to be born in such an unthinkable state.

To my brothers and sisters in forma­tion houses, as we continue with our journey let us follow the footsteps of Jesus. The birth of our vocation in one way or the other might be surrounded by very peculiar circumstances. This should not make us lose taste and stop eating good fruits that come from the tree of religious life. I mean you see dark­ness day- in and day- out, p r o b l ems from within and with­out tossing you h e r e and there like a soc­cer ball that you doubt whether you were called by God or you called yourself. You go to the point of writing your vocation obituary. Dear brethren, this revelation of the birth of our Lord Jesus is showing us God’s secret cards that his ways are not our ways. It is showing us that as long as we trust in him, all these things are just but some of the ways he uses to upliftus just as He did to Mary and Jesus. Please never give up, keep praying ‘‘I am the handmaid of the Lord, let your will be done’’.

To the pastors in the missions, your case might be identical with this too that you are wrestling with frustrations left, right and centre that you even run out of words to explain your situation. Please this Christmas is giving us the message of hope that we shouldn’t give up in life but soldier on as we con­tinue praying the Lord’s will be done.

To the families, you too are not left outside the bracket. You may be fac­ing challenges in your families that you pray daily yet things are not working out. This Christmas is giving us the message of hope. You should be en­couraged because the birth of Jesus shows how God cares for our human families. He came from heaven to fix our brokenness. So take heart; he will bring His kingdom to reign in your hearts. We should not lose our trust in God for he created us and brought us into this world. This is the message of Christmas to people who belong to all walks of life. It is a message that we should not lose our trust in the Lord and that we should preach the gospel of hope to ourselves as well as to our neighbors.

Wishing you a merry Christmas of Hope and a happy new year 2014. ( Sc. Thadeus Otieno)

JESUS,

THE MODEL OF

FRIENDSHIP

Friendship is a gift from God. In Genesis 1: 31, God said of everything he created ‘It is very good.’ Friendships are more than very good. Friendships are very necessary for psychological well-being, for joy and success in work. Without them a person dries up and feels unaccepted. Without friendships one becomes depressed and unproductive. With friendships one becomes warm, lovely and more human in his/her personal relations. The person becomes more productive in his/her daily tasks.

So you people, who are becoming priests and religious, need to form friendships so as to become more hu­man and warmer in relating to others so you can become more Christ-like. You must love your friends with your hearts, with your feelings. This is to love as Christ loves. That is why he took human flesh and became like us.

Christ- Like Friendships

Jesus Christ as we know him from the Gospels was the perfect friend. For one he loved John so much that John in his old age called himself the disciple whom Jesus loved. This showsclearly that John was deeply loved by Jesus. We can see the tenderness of Jesus in his friendship with Saint John in Chapters 13- 17 of the same evangelist.

In Matthew 19:16 we see how Jesus loved the rich young man and how sad he felt when he turned away from him. So we should extend Jesus’ friendship with others and become perfect in being trustful, confiding, sympathetic, warmhearted, outgoing and self-sacrificing.

The experience of human friendships of being loved teaches us to love all like Jesus and be a friend to all like Jesus. Without this experience one is exposed to becoming bitter, cold, and unapproachable. This results in being unproductive in one’s activities.

However, in our friendships, we should not ignore the fact that we areborn of Adam and prone to selfish, possessive, exclusive, manipulative behaviors. We should strive to become Christ-like because selfishness can turn our friendships to evil attitudes based on jealousy.

Therefore in order to be a friend like Jesus the incarnate Word, we ought to protect our friends from selfishness, so that we can avoid keeping them for ourselves. But how will you know that your friendship is turning into a selfish and manipulative friendship? These are the signs: A selfish friendship takes fervor out of prayer, it troubles the soul with uneasy feelings of jealousy, guilt and diminishes interest in the larger community. When these things happen to you, humbly and bravely disclose them to your spiritual director.

In conclusion, what we have seen is just one of the aspects of Jesus’ spirit.The Spirit of Jesus Christ is open to all reality. Analogically, the spirit of Jesus can be compared to the sun. Like the sun, it gives out a shining radiance. When you pass the sun’s rays through a prism, it produces different colors. In the same way, when the spirit of Christ is passed through the prism of our minds and hearts, the products are various attitudes like friendship, celibacy, marriage, pleasures, honor and glory. Jesus is the model of friend­ships. His heart is guided by one prin­ciple that is ‘openness to his Father, openness to all men and openness to all reality, Jesus was happy to say yes to his Father; that is why he took on human flesh and dwelt among us. He discerned the will of his Father. We have seen the gesture of his generos­ity by him accepting to obey the will of his Father.

Happy Christmas to everyone. (Sc. Sistus Massawe)

CHRISTIS THE PEACE

.The Spirit of Jesus Christ is open to all reality. Analogically, the spirit of Jesus can be compared to the sun. Like the sun, it gives out a shining radiance. When you pass the sun’s rays through a prism, it produces different colors. In the same way, when the spirit of Christ is passed through the prism of our minds and hearts, the products are various attitudes like friendship, celibacy, marriage, pleasures, honor and glory. Jesus is the model of friend­ships. His heart is guided by one prin­ciple that is ‘openness to his Father, openness to all men and openness to all reality, Jesus was happy to say yes to his Father; that is why he took on human flesh and dwelt among us. He discerned the will of his Father. We have seen the gesture of his generos­ity by him accepting to obey the will of his Father.

Happy Christmas to everyone.

CHRIST IS THE PEACE

No one can go back and change a bad beginning, but anyone can start and create a successful ending. For our own good, taking the inspiration from Jesus, the Prince of Peace, we have to pray for peace to all hearts and all parts of the world.

Peace is of such importance that it must be proclaimed anew and promot­ed by all. There is no human being who does not benefit from peace. There is no human heart that is not uplifted when peace prevails. Therefore, peace plays a significant role in our daily activities in the world.

Every successful person or nation has a painful story and every painful story may have a successful ending. Accept pain for the sake of peace and get ready for success, have a good start in your life. Peace never comes the way we want it but it comes when we struggle, but more effort without God is like pushing a car while you are inside. From God’s perspective everything is possible. Therefore, all the nations of the world can fully realize their interlinked destinies only if, together, they pursue peace as a universal value.

Peace is a value that responds to the hopes and aspirations of all people and all nations, young and old, and all men and women of good will. Look­ing at the situation we have at hand, people killing each other, killings of the religious leaders, threats of dif­ferent groups of people to mention but a few and the people in authoritynot taking the necessary precautions, a universal value needs to be faced with extreme intellectual honesty, sincerity and an acute sense of responsibility to oneself and the people of the world.

Remember, that the absence of peace in a given community leads to exploitation of others and the spiral grows towards a polarization that feeds on the fruits of self-interest and increasing mistrust of others. When we have reached to such a situation, it is the small and the weak, the poor and the voiceless who suffer most.

This is a call for all the people, especially the leaders of the church, politicians and statesmen to give the leadership that will inspire people to a renewed ef­fort towards true peace and use of expertise in ways that promote dialogue and understanding.

Begin! When? Now! Don’t wait for time. Time doesn’t wait for us. Wishing you all the best as we celebrate Christmas so that Christ is borne within our Hearts. (Sc. Albert Mugisha.

THE SIN NER

not taking the necessary precautions, a universal value needs to be faced with extreme intellectual honesty, sincerity and an acute sense of responsibility to oneself and the people of the world.

Remember, that the absence of peace in a given community leads to exploitation of others and the spiral grows towards a polarization that feeds on the fruits of self-interest and increasing mistrust of others. When we have reached to such a situation, it is the small and the weak, the poor and the voiceless who suffer most.

This is a call for all the people, especially the leaders of the church, politicians and statesmen to give the leadership that will inspire people to a renewed ef­fort towards true peace and use of expertise in ways that promote dialogue and understanding.

Begin! When? Now! Don’t wait for time. Time doesn’t wait for us. Wishing you all the best as we celebrate Christmas so that Christ is borne within our Hearts.

THE NER

(Frt. Benedicto Niwamanya Rutemba)

At the beginning of this year, my heart was filled with many questions after listen­ing to a homily given on the new years’ eve. The homilist posed some questions to the Christians. He asked about the sinners, how we sin and why we sin and it kept disturbing my intellect until I took this chance to share it with you the esteemed read­ers of Fields Afar. The times, in which we live demand, I believe that we become seriously aware of the phenomenon of sin in our modern world. Here is a list of some sins that may no longer be counted as sins in our society: neglect of our neigh­bours needs, the pursuit of pleasure at the cost of hurting others, the inflicting of physical, emotional or psychological pain on other and sup­porting or encouraging campaigners of sin who disguise themselves as “equality seekers”.All these are sins, since they damage the dignity that God has given to all human beings.

It is not unusual these days to come across people with uninformed or distorted consciences, or with con­sciences relying primarily on instinct or personal preferences rather than the sober awareness of what is right Apostles of Jesus Religious Missionaries 21 FIELDS AFAR

and wrong, and on an acknowledge­ment of God’s law. Christians need to be truly sensitive to sin. We should live lives which really renounce sin. For goodness to prevail in the world, an intelligent and consistent effort is required from people of good will. There is sin in the world and we are right to meditate at length and in depth at the mercy of God, and his love for us. This theme offers endless possibili­ties of feeding our minds and warming our hearts. We should not be blind to the reality of sin, which is part of our unhappy world and part of our own lives. We sin from human frailty and from malice.

It has been a long time since I listened to the puzzling homily on the new year’s eve, but that now I can at least answer the questions that were posed by the homilist: who is a sinner? How do we sin? And why do we sin? In his book, “Love Beyond Reason”, John orbtberg writes: “… Jesus said that the foolish choice is to build a house on sand. It is placing your ultimate trust in that which cannot sustain you through the storms of life, gambling that you will get ultimate fulfillment from anything other than life guided by the wisdom and power and care of God.” Ortberg also makes us remem­ber to prepare for our final day when he says, “… to every student comes examination day. A loving teacher does not try to spare the student from this but rather prepares the student for it.

The time that our teacher Jesus Christ has given us for preparation is at hand; we all have sinned and we must for that case try to revise for the final exam. Christmas is the period of renewal in love, care, faith and mercy, for others so that we may unite ourselves to the new born baby Jesus. Remember that he himself said … the kingdom of God belong to such as these [ children] (mt.19:14).’ If we fail we shall not blame anyone except ourselves. Think of how you have lived throughout the outgoing year and then ask the teacher to mend your ways during this Christmas.

I talked to a business man who con­fessed that in every business, there is a period of investing and a period for checks and balances. What amused me is the way he ended: “… if you invest poorly, you definitely have to find yourself into a loss. But if you plan a good adventure, you must end in profits.

To a Christian pilgrim,Christmas is a time for our checks and balances; it is a time to update our books of accounts. Ensure that when our chief account­ant comes, you are not in debts or crisis. This is to be realized by the way we invest. If you invest love, mercy and care, among others, you will be found with faith. If you invest in sin of any kind, you will harvest sin. (Frt. Benedicto Niwamanya Rutemba)

GOOD NEWS TO ALL PEOPLE.

(Rev. Fr. Aloysius Lwanga Bukenya)

Rector

In this issue of the Fields Afar, I take this privileged oppor­tunity to wish you all, our dear readers and collaborators, the joy of Christmastide. This message re-echoes that of the angel who an­nounced the birth of the Savior: “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which shall be to all people, for today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you, who is Christ the Lord (Luke, 2: 10 -11). The proclamation of the good news to all people is part of the identity of the Church, which is always defined and shaped by the very message that it teaches.

In his gospel, St. Luke does not tell us how the angel announced the good news, so we do not know which means he used to communicate to the shep­herds. Perhaps, at that time the evange­list did not consider it important to tell the angel’s means of communication. It could be assumed that at the timeof the birth of Christ, the dominant means of communication was the human voice, announcing in speech or song, and by a physically present herald. It is only an assumption that perhaps the angel came from heaven and announced, because, we learn that shortly after that, a group of angels crowded together in joyous song of the “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men of good will (Lk, 2: 14).”

Today, however, the Church when dealing with the theme of announcing the good news, necessarily discusses the means of communication to be employed, like every other aspect of human life mass media are rapidly changing due to technological, and electronic innovations that character­ize to our age.

The fathers of the Second Vatican Council considered it crucial to discuss the means of social communication in the Decree on the Means of SocialCommunication (Inter Mirifica, pub­lished on 4th December, 1963). The decree states that in its task of preach­ing the gospel, the Catholic Church has not only to make use of the means of social communication, but must also teach men how to use them properly. At that time the available means in­cluded: the press, the cinema, radio and television. Although the document remained open to any other available means which today are defined by the use of the internet, and all sorts of electronic social media.

Our times, different from the past, give us fast and efficient means of commu­nication and therefore of evangeliza­tion. This simply means that we have faster means of reaching out to many people with the message of the good news of joy. As recipients of the good news, we too have a rare opportunity to get to many people the announce­ment of the gospel which many hu­man hearts are eagerly waiting for.

“I bring you good news of great joy”, this is the central message of all agents of evangelization. Everybody longs for joy, that priceless gift of the Holy Spirit, to fill human lives that experi­ence fears, anxieties, traumas, betrayals, and radical uncertainty about the pre­sent and the future. Since the shaking up of the buttresses of traditional metaphysics that defined standard morality with its sets of values, there is radical relativism in all discussions about the nature of human being and human conduct. Personal opinions, which will always be different, have become canons in deciding moral standards. This, however, comes with a price of moral confusion and a certain lack of direction about what is accept­able. The traditional African cultures have also been greatly influenced due to the shakeup of the last 150 years of the history of colonialism with its political, economic, sociocultural movements that have created a new Africa: this is experiencing both the old and the new. This is the Africa that is invited to open up to the angel’s an­nouncement of the good news of joy.

The Church, whose mission is to be teacher of the nations presents the good news of Jesus Christ. Our task as believers is to be missionaries, an­nouncers of the gospel to every corner of the earth. This grand mission, how­ever, has to start from where we are, with our next door neighbor. In the proclamation of the good news, we are invited to make use of the instant means of the mass media. Sometimes, we have been slow to start, because of suspicions of possible abuses that may ensue from adopting to electronic media in the missionary task.

The Apostles of Jesus Scholasticate (Philosophicum and Theologicum), this institution of evangelization, hasset up a website to move with the times in the field of communication. There is a general belief, “Things happen only when their time is right.” This is the right time for us as Apostles of Jesus Scholasticate Community to set up and manage a website. You can get to us at: <www.apostlesofjesuss­cholasticate.org>. This is one way of communicating to the world the good news of Our Lord Jesus Christ, by displaying how we live our disciple­ship to him who calls us each day. We announce the good news in the very lifestyle we lead, and in the website we join the angel to announce to the world the good news of the Christ who was born for the salvation of all.

I once again with you all, dear readers and collaborators, a Joy-filled Christ­mas Season.