Forty Days after the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Acts of the Apostles records Jesus' ascension into heaven. The ascension is an important Christian feast attesting and celebrating the reality of the God-Man Jesus Christ's returning to the Father, to return again in the future.

The Ascension is the final component of the paschal mystery, which consists also of Jesus' Passion, Crucifixion, Death, Burial, Descent  among the Dead, and Resurrection. Along with the resurrection, the ascension functioned as a proof of Jesus' claim that he was the Messiah.

The Ascension is also the event whereby humanity was taken into heaven. Finally, the ascension was also the "final blow" so-to-speak against Satan's power, and thus the lion (Jesus) conquering the dragon (Satan) is a symbol of the ascension. Early Christian art and iconography portrayed the ascension frequently, showing its importance to the early Church. The Catholic Catechism summarizes three important theological aspects (with which most Christian churches agree) of the Ascension concisely: Christ's Ascension marks the definitive entrance of Jesus' humanity into God's heavenly domain, whence he will come again (cf. Acts 1:11); this humanity in the meantime hides him from the eyes of men

(cf. Col 3:3).
Jesus Christ, the head of the Church, precedes us into the Father's glorious kingdom so that we, the members of his Body, may live in the hope of one day being with him for ever.
Jesus Christ, having entered the sanctuary of heaven once and for

all, intercedes constantly for us as the mediator who assures us of the permanent outpouring of the Holy Spirit .

The Paschal Candle (lighted at the Easter Vigil) which symbolizes the risen lord as the Light of the World, was extinguished on Ascension Day. 

In many Catholic dioceses, the Ascension is celebrated on the 7th Sunday of Easter, which is the Sunday following the traditional date. Likely, this is done to make it easier for the faithful to fulfill their obligation to attend Mass on this day.

By Rev. Fr. Benedict Mwavu.

The Lord has made His salvation known to the whole world”

Epiphany is the climax of the Advent/Christmas season.

Epiphany is Christian feast celebrating the “Shining forth” or revelation of God to humankind in human form in the person of Jesus Christ. Its observation finds its origins in the Eastern Christian churches and included the birth of Jesus Christ the visit of the three magi (the wisemen traditionally refered with names :Casper, Melchior and Balthasar), who arrived in Bethlehem and all of Jesus childhood events up to his baptism in the Jordan by John the Baptist.  After man and woman sinned, God did not abandon them to the power of death. Therefore through His loving providence, he determined that in the last days he would aid the world, which was in the verge of  destruction. In the persons of the Magi (from the east) let all people adore the creator of the universe, let God be known, not in Judea only but in the whole world so that his name may be great in all Israel.

Epiphany is the day prophesied by David in the Psalms that all the nations that you have brought into being will come and fall down in adoration in your presence, Lord, and glorify your name.  Again the Lord has made known His salvation in the sight of the nations he has revealed His justice. All these came to be fulfilled as we know from the time when the star beckoned the three Wise Men out of their distant country and led them to recognize and adore the King of heaven and the earth.

 May Christ the true light of the world guide us throughout this year, in our families, Vocations, church, villages, institutions and wherever we go. May he drive away from us all the darkness of sin that we may live as true sons and daughters in the light. Amen

Rev. Fr. Alfons Muema

Diocesan Communication Secretary.

 Let us make haste to our brethren who are waiting for us

Why should our praise and glorification, or even the celebration of this feast day mean anything to the saints? What do they care about earthly honours when their heavenly Father honours them by fulfilling the faithful promise of the Son? What does our commendation mean to them?

The saints have no need of honour from us; neither does our devotion add the slightest thing to what is theirs. Clearly if we venerate their memory, it serves us, not them. But I tell you, when I think of them, I feel myself inflamed by tremendous yearning.

Calling the saints to mind inspires, or rather arouses in us, above all else, a longing to enjoy their company, so desirable in itself.

We long to share in the citizenship of heaven, to dwell with the spirits of the blessed, to join the assembly of patriarchs, the ranks of the prophets, the council of apostles, the great host of martyrs, the noble company of confessors and the choir of virgins. In short, we long to be united in happiness with all the saints. But our dispositions change.

The Church of all the first followers of Christ awaits us, but we do nothing about it. The saints want us to be with them, and we are indifferent. The souls of the just await us, and we ignore them.

Come brothers and sisters let us at length spur ourselves on.

 We must rise again with Christ, we must seek the world which is above and set our mind on the things of heaven. Let us long for those who long for us, hasten to those who are waiting for us, and ask those who look for our coming to intercede for us. We should not only want to be with the saints, we should also hope to experience their happiness. While we desire to be in their company, we must also earnestly seek to share in their glory. Do not imagine that there is anything harmful in such an ambition as this; there is no danger in setting our hearts on such glory.

When we commemorate the saints we are inflamed with another yearning: that Christ our life may also appear to us as He appeared to them and that we may one day share in His Glory. Until then we see Him , not as He is , but as he became for our sake. He is our Head , crowned, not with glory but with thorns of our sins. As members of the head, crowned with thorns, we should be ashamed to live in luxury: his purple robes are a mockery rather than an honour. When Christ comes again, his death shall no longer be proclaimed, and we shall know that we also have died, and that our life is hidden with him.

The glorious head of the Church will appear and his glorified members will shine in splendor with him, when he forms this lowly body a new in to such glory as belongs to himself as head.

Therefore, we should aim at attaining this glory with a wholehearted and prudent desire.

That we may rightly hope and strive for such blessedness, we must above all seek the prayers of the saints. Thus, what is beyond our own powers to obtain will be granted through their intercession

ALL SOULS DAY

Let us die with Christ, to live with Christ

We see that, death is gain, life is loss. Paul says: “for me life is Christ and death a gain.”

What does “Christ” mean but to die in the body, and receive the breath of life?

Let us then die with Christ, to live with Christ. We should have a daily familiarity with death, a daily desire for death. By this kind of detachment our soul must learn to free itself from the desires of the body.

It must soar above earthly lusts or a place where they cannot come near, to hold it fast. It must take on the likeness of death, to avoid the punishment of death.

The law of our fallen nature is at war with the law of our reason and subjects the law of reason to the law of error. What is the remedy? Who will set me free from this dead body? The grace of God, through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

We have a doctor to heal us. Let us use the remedy he prescribes. The remedy is the grace of Christ, the dead body our own. Let us then be exiles from our body, so as not to exiles from Christ. Though we are still in the body, let us not reject the natural rights of the body, but we must desire before all else the gifts of grace. What more need be said: it was by death of one man that the world was redeemed.

Christ did not need to die if he did not want to, but he did not look on death as something to be despised, something to be avoided, and He has found no better means to save us than by dying. Thus His death is life for all. We are sealed with the sign of his death; when we pray and preach His death: when we offer sacrifice we proclaim his death. His death is victory: his death is a sacred sign: each year His death is celebrated with solemnity by the whole world. What more should we say about His death since we use this divine example to prove that it was His death alone that won freedom from death, and death itself was its own redeemer? Death is then no cause of mankind’s salvation. Death is not something to be avoided, for the Son of God did not think it beneath his dignity, nor did he seek to escape it.

Death was no part of nature: it became part of nature. God did not decree death from the beginning: he prescribed it as a remedy. Human life was condemned because of sins to unremitting labour and unbearable sorrow and so began to experience the burden of wretchedness.

There had to be a limit to its evils: death had to restore what life had forfeited. Without the assistance of grace, immorality is more of a burden than a blessing.

The soul has to turn away from the aimless paths of this life, from the defilement of an earthly body: it must reach out to those assemblies in heaven (though it is given only to the saints to be admitted to them) to sing the praises of God. We learn from Scripture how God’s praise is sung to the music of the harp: Great and wonderful are your deeds, Lord God Almighty: just and true are your ways, King of the nations. Who will not revere and glorify your name: You alone are holy: all nations will bow and worship before you. The soul must also desire to witness your nuptials, Jesus, and to see your bride escorted from earthly to heavenly realities, as all rejoice and sing: All flesh will come before you. No longer will bride be held in subjection through this passing world but will be made one with the spirit.

Above all else,  David prayed that he might see and gaze on this: one thing I have asked of the Lord, this I shall pray for: to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, and see how gracious is the Lord.

By: Fr. Afons Muema

The harvest is rich, but the labourers are few”. Luke was born of a pagan family but later converted to Christianity, a Doctor who accompanied Paul on his second and third Missionary journeys. He stayed with him in Rome while Paul was in captivity. Luke wrote his Gospel in accordance with the Apostle’s preaching and also wrote the account of the early days of the church, up to the time of Paul’s First sojourn in Rome, in the book of the Acts of the Apostles.

From the preface to the Gospel, it indicates that Luke was not an eye witness or immediate disciple of the Lord; He himself states that he had carried out an extensive research and had written an orderly account about Jesus.  The extra – ordinary feature of Luke’s work is the presence of Acts, which conveys the distinctive and comprehensive perspectives of Luke – which is the actual fulfilling of the prophecies of Isaiah in the proclamation of the Gospel to the ends of the earth. This inclusion of the gentiles is often referred to as Luke’s Universalism or concern for all humanity (Lk: 2: 14, 24:47).

The Gospel according to St. Luke displays a keen interest in individuals, social out casts, women, children and social relationships especially situations involving poverty or wealth. The Gospel has special stress on prayer and the Holy Spirit which results in a striking note of Joyfulness and praise. These features tell us something about Luke as a person and his understanding of Christianity. Being a companion to Paul tells us that Luke was in Philippi (his home town) and that  he joined Paul on his way to Jerusalem and stayed with Philip at Caesarea (Acts 21: 1-18), then after Paul’s two years imprisonment in Caesarea, Luke sailed with him to Rome (Acts 27: 1 – 28: 16). Luke died at the age of 84 Years.

REFLECTIONS

From Luke’s Gospel, it is very clear that he valued those rejected, out casts and considered of low class. Do we value them in our society and come close to them like Jesus to assist them in their need? According to Luke, prayer and the presence of the Holy Spirit in oneself, results into Joyfulness and praise. What attitude do we have for prayer and does the Holy Spirit dwell in us such that we are moved to do good? Luke fulfilled the will of God in his life, then what is my purpose here on earth and what does God want me to do? “The harvest is rich and the labourers are few”. May the prayer of St. Luke strengthen us in our mission.

 By:  Fr. Alphonse K. Muema

St. Joseph was a simple village carpenter, the husband of Mary and guardian of the Child Jesus.   He has become the guardian and patron of Christ’s universal church. Being the foster father of our Lord Jesus Christ and husband to the Blessed Virgin Mary, he is said to have died in the first century.  All that is known of him for certain is contained in the gospel (Mt: 1-2, 13:55, Lk: 1-2, 4:22). 

He was of Davidic descent, but his trade as a carpenter shows us that he was betrothed to Mary at the time of the virgin birth, His doubt about her conception, the decisions to go to Egypt and return from Egypt were all the objects of a father and husband. By protection he offered to the Holy family and in the care and upbringing of the Jesus Christ.  Of great importance to learn from the life of St. Joseph is that God grants/gives his graces to his people according to their call, whenever the divine favour chooses someone to receive a special grace or to accept a lofty vocation, God adorns the person chosen with all the gifts of the spirit needed to fulfill the task at hand. 

St. Joseph was chosen by the eternal father as the trustworthy guardian and protector of His greatest treasures, namely his Divine Son, and Mary Joseph’s wife.  He carried out his vocation with complete fidelity until at last God called him saying; Good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your Lord.  In the church, St. Joseph is the chosen one of God and one who is set apart. Because though him Christ was   honorably introduced into the world, in him, the Old Testament finds its fitting close. 

He brought the noble line of patriarch and prophets to its promised fulfillment, obviously, Christ does not now deny to Joseph that intimacy reverence and very high honour which He gave him on earth, as a son to his father.  Rather we must say that in heaven Christ completes and perfects all that he gave at Nazareth.

Now we can see how the last summoning wards of the Lord appropriately apply to St. Joseph, enter into the joy of your Lord.  Such words convey not only that this holy Man possesses an inward joy, but also that it surrounds him and engulfs him like an infinite abyss.

St. Joseph is the patron saint of all fathers of families, of bursars and procurators, of Manual workers especially carpenters and of all who desire a holy death.  Many churches, hospitals, religious Congregations and Christians are called and dedicated to Joseph – Happy Feast Day.

As we celebrate this feast day, we say:  Remember us St. Joseph and plead for us to your foster child.  Ask your most Holy bride, the Virgin Mary, to look kindly upon us, since she is the mother of him who with the father and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns eternally – Amen.

Reflections

Like St. Joseph, have you taken your vocation serious to realize the will of God and accomplish it?

If we make a close examination of our lives, then, are we worthy to hear the words of Christ “enter into the Kingdom of your father?’

You have been called by God and set apart for a Mission, ask the Lord to know his will, make it yours and ask the strength to accomplish it as St. Joseph.

Rev. Fr. Alfonse Muema

Day Star University

During the presentation of the Lord, we celebrate the close of the Christmas festival of light.  In the celebration, candles are blessed and Christians carry them in procession to welcome Christ, who is the light to enlighten the gentiles and the glory of his people.  It is a device mystery where Christians hasten to meet Christ.

The lighted candles are a sign of the divine splendor of the one who comes to expect the dark shadows of evil and to make the whole universe radiant with the brilliance of his eternal light. Our Candles also show how bright our souls should be when we go to meet Christ.

The blessed virgin Mary, the Mother of God carried the true light in her arms and brought him to those who lay in darkness.  Therefore, we too should carry a light for all to see and reflect the radiance of the true light as we hasten to meet him.  That light which has come has shone upon a world enveloped in shadows; the dayspring from on high has visited us and given light to those who lived in darkness.  Being our celebration, we need to join the procession with lighted candles to reveal the light that has shone upon us and the glory that is yet to come to us through him.

That true light which has come, enlighten everyman who is born into this world.  Let’s share the splendor of this light and be so filled with it that no one remains in darkness.  Let us be shining ourselves as we go together to meet and to receive with the aged Simeon the light whose brilliance is eternal.  Just as Simeon sang the song of thanksgiving, we need to sing to God, the father of the light, who sent the true light to dispel the darkness and to give us all a share in his splendor.   

As Simeon was released from the bonds of this life when he had seen Christ, so we too were at once freed from our old state of sinfulness. By faith, we too embrace Christ, the salvation of God the father, as he came to us from Bethlehem.  Gentiles before, we have now belong to the people of God.  Our eyes have seen God incarnate, and because we have seen him present among us and have mentally relieved him into our arms, we are called the new Israel.

Reflections

Since our baptism, have we allowed Christ, the true light to shine upon our lives and lead us to our true home in heaven?

Having embraced that true light in our lives, do we allow it to spread its rays to others by enabling them to live meaningful lives.

Rev. Fr. Alphonse Muema

Day star University

"Joy to you, O Virgin Mary, Mother of the Lord".

When the Angel Gabriel visited Mary to announce to her that she was to bear Christ, she got shocked and the Gospel tells us that Mary treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart. Mary easily saw the will of God in all that was happening to her. She never got disappointed but knew how to "treasure and ponder" every thing and she was capable of discovering the loving plan of God in all that happened.

The Lord Jesus Christ took our nature from Mary. He had to take a body like ours. Mary was to provide him with that body of his own, which later was offered for our sake. When the Angel said to Mary "What will be born from you...." Makes us know by faith that her child originated within her and from her. God was not to introduce a body into her womb from outside.

By taking our nature and offering it in sacrifice, the Word was to destroy it completely and then renew it with His own nature and so prompt the apostle to say "this corruptible body must put on incorruption; this mortal body must put on immortality".

Our Saviour truly became man, and from this has followed the salvation of man as a whole. Therefore our salvation in no way fictious nor does it apply only to the body. The salvation of the whole man, (soul and body) has truly been achieved in the Word himself.

What was born of Mary was therefore human by nature, and the body of the Lord was a true body as ours. The words of St. John "The Word was made flesh", bear the same meaning. Man's body has acquired something great through its communion and union with the Word from mortal it has been made immortal. Though it was a living body, it has become a spiritual one; through it was made from the earth, it has passed through the gates of heaven.

Even when the Word takes a body from Mary, the Trinity remains a Trinity, with neither increase nor decrease, it is for ever perfect. In the Trinity we acknowledge one God Head, and thus one God, the Father of the Word, is proclaimed in the Church.

This celebration is dedicated to all Mothers. This is because Mary is a model of all Mothers. Her son was a man of peace; he spoke words and acted with love. He preached reconciliation and hope for others. Christian Mothers should know that they have a special mission, that of turning their children into peacemakers.

Reflections:

Like the Blessed Virgin Mary, how have we tasted God and especially when he made us know his will here on earth?

Has the Word of God that took flesh in the womb of Mary found a place in our hearts?

Fr. Alphonse K Muema
Day Star University

“Worthy is the lamb that was sacrificed, to receive power, riches, wisdom, strength, honor, glory and blessing” (Rev. 6:120) Christ the King is the Feast that Marks the end of liturgical year (34^th Sunday).  It is of great importance to note that this is a medieval feast which uses the metaphors of a “King” a powerful one in those days to describe the role of Jesus.  The Kingdom which Christ preached was that of His Father in heaven, a Kingdom which had always been there but which now (through Jesus) were beginning to recognize for the first time. 

The kingdom of Jesus Christ is summarized in the words of our Father.  Forgive us as we forgive no matter how many times we say that prayer, the meaning seems to allude us, we expected to be forgiven, but we don’t want to forgive.  Jesus proclaimed it clearly that, kingdom He came to preach is written within us, for the word of God is very near in our mouth and heart.

Therefore, Christians who pray for the coming of God’s Kingdom prays rightly to have it within themselves that it may grow and bear fruit and become perfect.  God’s Kingdom cannot exist along side the reign of Sins.

Therefore, if we wish God to reign in us, in no way should sin reign in our mortal body; rather we should mortify our members on earth and bear fruit in the spirit.  There should be in us a kind of spiritual paradise where God may walk and be our sole ruler with His Christ. All this can happen in us all, until the last enemy, death, can be destroyed, then Christ will say in us” Oh death, where is your sting?  O hell, where is your victory?  And so what is corruptible in us must be clothed in holiness and incorruptibility, and  what is mortal must be clothed, now that death has been conquered, in the fathers immortality, then God will reign in us and we shall enjoy even now the blessings of rebirth and resurrection.

Brethren, we give to God the father, who has made us worthy to be partakers of the lot of the Saints in light, who has delivered us from the power of darkness and has transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of his in whom we have redemption through his blood, the remission of sins, who is the image of the invisible God, the first born of every creature; for in him were all things created in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, Whether thrones or dominations or prinupalities or powers.

All things were created by him and in Him and he is before all, and by him all things consists and he is the head of the body the church, who is the beginning, the first born from the dead, that in all things he may hold the primary; because in him it has well pleased the Father, that all fullness should dwell and through Him to reconcile all things unto Himself, making peace through the blood of his cross, both to the things that are on earth and things in heaven, in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Reflections:

How do we contribute to the growth of the Kingdom proclaimed by Jesus Christ?

What kind of God do we worship, is he the King and Lord of our lives?

Have we allowed Him to rule in our hearts, families, and villages? Then lets all fight the evil in the society through the power of Christ the King.

“We are sons and daughters of Christ the King”   

By Rev. Fr. Alphonse Muema K
Day Star University

It is very clear that from November onwards, it is impossible to forget that Christmas is coming in many countries.  This celebration of Christmas on December 25^th is a high point of the year.  Coloured lights decorate many town centers and shops, along with shiny decorations and artificial snow painted on shop windows.  In streets and shops Christmas trees will also be decorated with lights and Christmas ornaments. It is of great importance to know that since 400 AD, Christians have celebrated the birth of Jesus.  ‘Christ’ means ‘Messiah’ or ‘anointed one’ the title given to Jesus and ‘mass was a religious festival. 

The real Christmas story is found in the Christian bible.  It is told in the gospel of Mathew and Luke chapter 1 and 2.  These chapters tell how Jesus was born as a baby of many.  This was no ordinary birth since Mary was not married and a virgin.  An angel breaks the story to her.  When they had to travel from their home in Nazareth to Bethlehem to register their names with the ruling Roman Government, they probably escaped many hard words from other people.  Arrival in Bethlehem brought worry and upset because there was no room for them to stay in the hotel. 

 Jesus was born that right and as they had no bed for him, they used an animal feeding box, filled with the dry grass the animals ate.  This was a very poor place for Jesus to start his life on earth.  Christians believe that it was exactly God’s plan that things happen this way.  They say that it shows that Jesus came as a humble, poor person and not as a strong, rich king.  What is the real message of Christmas? The message is “that the word of God became flesh and dwelt among us.”  He was made man like us and lived among us to tell us about the Father, what we are for the father and his plan for us.  If we want to know the father,   we need to behold Christ, see what he does, listen to what he says and teachers, watch how he believes, the people he goes with, where he takes his meals and with whom, the persons he chooses,  those he rebukes and those he defends, because this is what the Father does.  Jesus makes the father visible.   Christmas reveals to us that God loves human kind. 

He is a God who likes human company, and saves rather than finishing.  As Christians, Christmas festival calls us to love other people just like the Father loves us, no hatred, jealousy, killing etc, “The word which became flesh” is also a light which overpowers darkness (sin).  Jesus is the beginning of a new creation.  Creation that is filled with the light of God, the darkness represent the forces of evil; sin, selfishness, exploitation, oppression, bribery, corruption, violence, hatred, unfaithfulness etc.  The light fights this darkness without doing away with it immediately, but the darkness cannot overpower the light.  Such a struggle will continue until the light will be fully victorious and this victory has already been assured by the resurrection of Christ.

Reflections

How have we prepared ourselves for the birth of Christ spiritually or will he be born in a dirty place? (Our hearts filled with evils)?  Are we ready to share with the other people what we have, as a sign of that love for which God lives humanity and we are called for the same? Let us allow Christ, the new star to show us the way to the Father.

Wishing you a Happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year 2007.

 By Rev. Fr. Alphonse K. Muema

Day star University