Prayer of the Day for Friday, October 30, 2015

Psalm 111

Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord:
in His commandments he shall take great delight.

Mighty on earth shall be his seed:
the generation of the righteous shall be blessed.

Glory and wealth shall be in his house:
and his righteousness endureth for ever and ever.

He is risen in darkness, a light to the upright:
He is merciful, and compassionate, and just.

Acceptable is the man that showeth mercy and lendeth;
he shall order his words with judgment:
and he shall never give way.

The righteous man shall be in eternal remembrance:
he shall not fear an evil report.

His heawrt is ready to hope in the Lord:
his heart is strengthened:
he shall not yield till he despise his enemies.

He hath distributed and given to the poor;
his righteousness remaineth for ever:
his power shall be exalted in glory.

The sinner shall see it, and be enraged;
he shall gnash his teeth and pine away:
the desire of sinners shall perish.

Ant. He that feareth the Lord,
in His commandments shall have great delight.

Ant. Blessed be the Name of the Lord.

Daily Reading for Friday, October 30th, 2015

Reading 1, Romans 9:1-5

1 This is the truth and I am speaking in Christ, without pretence, as my conscience testifies for me in the Holy Spirit;

2 there is great sorrow and unremitting agony in my heart:

3 I could pray that I myself might be accursed and cut off from Christ, if this could benefit the brothers who are my own flesh and blood.

4 They are Israelites; it was they who were adopted as children, the glory was theirs and the covenants; to them were given the Law and the worship of God and the promises.

5 To them belong the fathers and out of them, so far as physical descent is concerned, came Christ who is above all, God, blessed for ever. Amen.

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Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 147:12-13, 14-15, 19-20

12 Praise Yahweh, Jerusalem, Zion, praise your God.

13 For he gives strength to the bars of your gates, he blesses your children within you,

14 he maintains the peace of your frontiers, gives you your fill of finest wheat.

15 He sends his word to the earth, his command runs quickly,

19 He reveals his word to Jacob, his statutes and judgements to Israel.

20 For no other nation has he done this, no other has known his judgements.

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Gospel, Luke 14:1-6

1 Now it happened that on a Sabbath day he had gone to share a meal in the house of one of the leading Pharisees; and they watched him closely.

2 Now there in front of him was a man with dropsy,

3 and Jesus addressed the lawyers and Pharisees with the words, 'Is it against the law to cure someone on the Sabbath, or not?'

4 But they remained silent, so he took the man and cured him and sent him away.

5 Then he said to them, 'Which of you here, if his son falls into a well, or his ox, will not pull him out on aSabbath day without any hesitation?'

6 And to this they could find no answer.

St. Alphonsus Rodriguez

Short Cuts

Facts

Feastday: October 30

Birth: 1532

Death: 1617

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Confessor and Jay brother, also called Alonso. He was born in Segovia, Spain, on July 25, 1532, the son of a wealthy merchant, and was prepared for First Communion by Blessed Peter Favre, a friend of Alphonsus' father. While studying with the Jesuits at Alcala, Alphonsus had to return home when his father died. In Segovia he took over the family business, was married, and had a son. That son died, as did two other children and then his wife. Alphonsus sold his business and applied to the Jesuits. His lack of education and his poor health, undermined by his austerities, made him less than desirable as a candidate for the religious life, but he was accepted as a lay brother by the Jesuits on January 31, 1571. He underwent novitiate training and was sent to Montesion College on the island of Majorca. There he labored as a hall porter for twenty-four years. Overlooked by some of the Jesuits in the house, Alphonsus exerted a wondrous influence on many. Not only the young students, such as St. Peter Claver, but local civic tad and social leaders came to his porter's lodge for advice tad and direction. Obedience andpenance were the hallmarks of his life, as well as his devotion to the Immaculate Conception. He experienced many spiritual consolations, and he wrote religious treatises, very simple in style but sound in doctrine. Alphonsus died after a long illness on October 31, 1617, and his funeral was attended by Church and government leaders. He was declared Venerable in 1626, and was named a patron of Majorca in 1633. Alphonsus was beatified in 1825 and canonized in September 1888 with St. Peter Claver.

Daily Reading for Friday, October 23rd, 2015

Reading 1, Romans 7:18-25

¹⁸ And really, I know of nothing good living in me -- in my natural self, that is -- for though the will to do what is good is in me, the power to do it is not:
¹⁹ the good thing I want to do, I never do; the evil thing which I do not want -- that is what I do.
²⁰ But every time I do what I do not want to, then it is not myself acting, but the sin that lives in me.
²¹ So I find this rule: that for me, where I want to do nothing but good, evil is close at my side.
²² In my inmost self I dearly love God's law,
²³ but I see that acting on my body there is a different law which battles against the law in my mind. So I am brought to be a prisoner of that law of sin which lives inside my body.
²⁴ What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body doomed to death?
²⁵ God -- thanks be to him -- through Jesus Christ our Lord. So it is that I myself with my mind obey the law of God, but in my disordered nature I obey the law of sin.

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Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 119:66, 68, 76, 77, 93, 94

⁶⁶ Teach me judgement and knowledge, for I rely on your commandments.
⁶⁸ You are generous and act generously, teach me your will.
⁷⁶ Your faithful love must be my consolation, as you have promised your servant.
⁷⁷ Treat me with tenderness and I shall live, for your Law is my delight.
⁹³ I shall never forget your precepts, for by them you have given me life.
⁹⁴ I am yours, save me, for I seek your precepts.

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Gospel, Luke 12:54-59

⁵⁴ He said again to the crowds, 'When you see a cloud looming up in the west you say at once that rain is coming, and so it does.
⁵⁵ And when the wind is from the south you say it's going to be hot, and it is.
⁵⁶ Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the face of the earth and the sky. How is it you do not know how to interpret these times?
⁵⁷ 'Why not judge for yourselves what is upright?
⁵⁸ For example: when you are going to court with your opponent, make an effort to settle with him on the way, or he may drag you before the judge and the judge hand you over to the officer and the officer have you thrown into prison.
⁵⁹ I tell you, you will not get out till you have paid the very last penny.'

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Reading 1, Romans 7:18-25

¹⁸ And really, I know of nothing good living in me -- in my natural self, that is -- for though the will to do what is good is in me, the power to do it is not:
¹⁹ the good thing I want to do, I never do; the evil thing which I do not want -- that is what I do.
²⁰ But every time I do what I do not want to, then it is not myself acting, but the sin that lives in me.
²¹ So I find this rule: that for me, where I want to do nothing but good, evil is close at my side.
²² In my inmost self I dearly love God's law,
²³ but I see that acting on my body there is a different law which battles against the law in my mind. So I am brought to be a prisoner of that law of sin which lives inside my body.
²⁴ What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body doomed to death?
²⁵ God -- thanks be to him -- through Jesus Christ our Lord. So it is that I myself with my mind obey the law of God, but in my disordered nature I obey the law of sin.

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Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 119:66, 68, 76, 77, 93, 94

⁶⁶ Teach me judgement and knowledge, for I rely on your commandments.
⁶⁸ You are generous and act generously, teach me your will.
⁷⁶ Your faithful love must be my consolation, as you have promised your servant.
⁷⁷ Treat me with tenderness and I shall live, for your Law is my delight.
⁹³ I shall never forget your precepts, for by them you have given me life.
⁹⁴ I am yours, save me, for I seek your precepts.

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Gospel, Luke 12:54-59

⁵⁴ He said again to the crowds, 'When you see a cloud looming up in the west you say at once that rain is coming, and so it does.
⁵⁵ And when the wind is from the south you say it's going to be hot, and it is.
⁵⁶ Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the face of the earth and the sky. How is it you do not know how to interpret these times?
⁵⁷ 'Why not judge for yourselves what is upright?
⁵⁸ For example: when you are going to court with your opponent, make an effort to settle with him on the way, or he may drag you before the judge and the judge hand you over to the officer and the officer have you thrown into prison.
⁵⁹ I tell you, you will not get out till you have paid the very last penny.'

Kushindwa kwa chaguo lako isiwe ni chanzo cha vurugu na ghasia!

Mkurugenzi mkuu wa Batarokota Social artwoks  Paskal Linda amewataka watanzania wote wenye mapenzi mema na nchi yao, amewataka wote kudumisha misingi ya haki, amani na utulivu wakati watakapokuwa wanapata matokeo ya kushindwa kwa wagombea wanao wapenda.


Wananchi wa Tanzania watapiga kura kwa ajili ya kuchagua Rais, Wabunge na madiwani hapo tarehe 25 Oktoba 2015.

Paskal Linda alisema li kuepuka kwa  Machafuko, mapigano kiasi cha kumwaga damu ya watu wasiokuwa na hatia ni mambo yasiokuwa ndani ya  nchi ya Tanzania inabidi kukubaliana na matokeo yatakayo tolewa na Tume ya Taifa ya Uchaguzi` alisema.

Vijana wawe makini ili wasitumiwe na baadhi ya watu wazima kusababisha machafuko na uvunjifu wa amani.

Daily Reading for Thursday, October 22nd, 2015

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Reading 1, Romans 6:19-23

¹⁹ I am putting it in human terms because you are still weak human beings: as once you surrendered yourselves as servants to immorality and to a lawlessness which results in more lawlessness, now you have to surrender yourselves to uprightness which is to result in sanctification.
²⁰ When you were the servants of sin, you felt no obligation to uprightness,
²¹ and what did you gain from living like that? Experiences of which you are now ashamed, for that sort of behaviour ends in death.
²² But, now you are set free from sin and bound to the service of God, your gain will be sanctification and the end will be eternal life.
²³ For the wage paid by sin is death; the gift freely given by God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

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Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 1:1-2, 3, 4, 6

¹ How blessed is anyone who rejects the advice of the wicked and does not take a stand in the path that sinners tread, nor a seat in company with cynics,
² but who delights in the law of Yahweh and murmurs his law day and night.
³ Such a one is like a tree planted near streams; it bears fruit in season and its leaves never wither, and every project succeeds.
⁴ How different the wicked, how different! Just like chaff blown around by the wind
⁶ For Yahweh watches over the path of the upright, but the path of the wicked is doomed.

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Gospel, Luke 12:49-53

⁴⁹ 'I have come to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were blazing already!
⁵⁰ There is a baptism I must still receive, and what constraint I am under until it is completed!
⁵¹ 'Do you suppose that I am here to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division.
⁵² For from now on, a household of five will be divided: three against two and two against three;
⁵³ father opposed to son, son to father, mother to daughter, daughter to mother, mother-in-law to daughter-in-law, daughter-in-law to mother-in-law.'

St. Pope John Paul II

Short Cuts

Facts

Feastday: October 22
Patron of World Youth Day (Co- Patron)
Birth: 1920
Death: 2005
Beatified By: May 1, 2011 Saint Peter's Square, Vatican City by Pope Benedict XVI
Canonized By: April 27, 2014 Saint Peter's Square, Vatican City by Pope Francis

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Karol J. Wojtyla, known as John Paul II since his October 1978 election to the papacy, was born in Wadowice, a small city 50 kilometres from Cracow, on May 18, 1920. He was the second of two sons born to Karol Wojtyla and Emilia Kaczorowska. His mother died in 1929. His eldest brother Edmund, a doctor, died in 1932 and his father, a non-commissioned army officer died in 1941.
He made his First Holy Communion at age 9 and was confirmed at 18. Upon graduation from Marcin Wadowita high school in Wadowice, he enrolled in Cracow's Jagiellonian University in 1938 and in a school for drama.
The Nazi occupation forces closed the university in 1939 and young Karol had to work in a quarry (1940-1944) and then in the Solvay chemical factory to earn his living and to avoid being deported to Germany.
In 1942, aware of his call to the priesthood, he began courses in the clandestine seminary of Cracow, run by Cardinal Adam Stefan Sapieha, archbishop of Cracow. At the same time, Karol Wojtyla was one of the pioneers of the "Rhapsodic Theatre," also clandestine.
After the Second World War, he continued his studies in the major seminary of Cracow, once it had re-opened, and in the faculty of theology of the Jagiellonian University, until his priestly ordination in Cracow on November 1, 1946.
Soon after, Cardinal Sapieha sent him to Rome where he worked under the guidance of the French Dominican, Garrigou-Lagrange. He finished his doctorate in theology in 1948 with a thesis on the topic of faith in the works of St. John of the Cross. At that time, during his vacations, he exercised his pastoral ministry among the Polish immigrants of France, Belgium and Holland.

Maadhimisho ya Sinodi ni tukio endelevu katika maisha na utume wa Kanisa!

Maadhimisho ya Sinodi ya Maaskofu kuhusu familia ni mchakato endelevu! - OSS_ROM

Mababa wa Sinodi wanasema, maadhimisho ya Sinodi ni changamoto endelevu inayogusa maisha na utume wa Kanisa kwa ajili ya ndoa na familia; ni changamoto inayofumbatwa katika Mafundisho tanzu, Sakramenti na Nidhamu ya Kanisa. Utume wa Kanisa kwa ajili ya familia unapaswa kutekelezwa kwa kufumbatwa katika fadhila ya upendo, uvumilivu; kwa kutambua, kuheshimu na kuthamini uzuri na utakatifu wa maisha ya ndoa na familia. Kushughulikia familia zinazoteseka kutokana na myumbo wa imani na maadili kwa ujasiri, hekima, busara, ukweli, huruma na mapendo.
Mababa wa Sinodi katika muhtasari wa tafakari za makundi madogo madogo mintarafu sehemu ya tatu ya hati ya kutendea kazi, Instrumetuma Laboris kuhusu utume wa familia katika Kanisa na Ulimwengu mamboleo wanakaza kusema, Injili ya familia ni ujumbe unaopaswa kuwashirikisha Wakristo wote, ili waweze kusimama kidete kulinda, kutetea na kushuhudia Injili ya familia inayojikita katika uhalisia wa maisha.

Kwaya ya Mwenye Heri Papa Yohane Paulo II Nifanyeje Bwana Official Video

Daily Reading for Wednesday, October 21st, 2015

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Reading 1, Romans 6:12-18

¹² That is why you must not allow sin to reign over your mortal bodies and make you obey their desires;
¹³ or give any parts of your bodies over to sin to be used as instruments of evil. Instead, give yourselves to God, as people brought to life from the dead, and give every part of your bodies to God to be instruments of uprightness;
¹⁴ and then sin will no longer have any power over you -- you are living not under law, but under grace.
¹⁵ What is the implication? That we are free to sin, now that we are not under law but under grace? Out of the question!
¹⁶ You know well that if you undertake to be somebody's slave and obey him, you are the slave of him you obey: you can be the slave either of sin which leads to death, or of obedience which leads to saving justice.
¹⁷ Once you were slaves of sin, but thank God you have given whole-hearted obedience to the pattern of teaching to which you were introduced;
¹⁸ and so, being freed from serving sin, you took uprightness as your master.

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Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 124:1-3, 4-6, 7-8

¹ [Song of Ascents Of David] If Yahweh had not been on our side -- let Israel repeat it-
² if Yahweh had not been on our side when people attacked us,
³ they would have swallowed us alive in the heat of their anger.
⁴ Then water was washing us away, a torrent running right over us;
⁵ running right over us then were turbulent waters.
⁶ Blessed be Yahweh for not letting us fall a prey to their teeth!
⁷ We escaped like a bird from the fowlers' net. The net was broken and we escaped;
⁸ our help is in the name of Yahweh, who made heaven and earth.

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Gospel, Luke 12:39-48

³⁹ You may be quite sure of this, that if the householder had known at what time the burglar would come, he would not have let anyone break through the wall of his house.
⁴⁰ You too must stand ready, because the Son of man is coming at an hour you do not expect.'
⁴¹ Peter said, 'Lord, do you mean this parable for us, or for everyone?'
⁴² The Lord replied, 'Who, then, is the wise and trustworthy steward whom the master will place over his household to give them at the proper time their allowance of food?
⁴³ Blessed that servant if his master's arrival finds him doing exactly that.
⁴⁴ I tell you truly, he will put him in charge of everything that he owns.
⁴⁵ But if the servant says to himself, "My master is taking his time coming," and sets about beating the menservants and the servant-girls, and eating and drinking and getting drunk,
⁴⁶ his master will come on a day he does not expect and at an hour he does not know. The master will cut him off and send him to the same fate as the unfaithful.
⁴⁷ 'The servant who knows what his master wants, but has got nothing ready and done nothing in accord with those wishes, will be given a great many strokes of the lash.
⁴⁸ The one who did not know, but has acted in such a way that he deserves a beating, will be given fewer strokes. When someone is given a great deal, a great deal will be demanded of that person; when someone is entrusted with a great deal, of that person even more will be expected

Prepare for the St. John Paul II Feast Day Celebration

By Paskal Linda  (Batarokota Network )

Feast Day October 22

With St. John Paul II feast day just around the corner, Thursday, October 22, take a moment to brush up on his wonderful life and celebrate with a prayer.

Mwanza Batarokota  Online Co. - Saint John Paul II was born May 19, 1920 and passed away April 2, 2005. He was beatified on May 1, 2011 and was canonized by Pope Francis on April 27, 2013.

John Paul was born Karol Józef Wojtyla in Wadowice, Poland and was the first non-Italian Pope in over 400 years. During his vocation and papacy, he visited over 100 countries and initiated World Youth Day in 1985. Because he and Mother Teresa of Calcutta began World Youth Day, he is sometimes called the patron saint of the celebration.

He often spoke out on human rights topics, but is known for using his influence to bring political change -he is even credited for the fall of communism in Poland.

When Pope Francis allowed his canonization only one month following his death, which was met with public disdain since canonizing someone is usually a lengthy process. He was beatified by Pope Benedict XVI and two miracles were attributed to him: a French nun and a 50-year-old woman were healed.

The first miracle was when Sr. Marie Simon-Pierre Normand was dying with Parkinson's disease, the same illness St. John Paul II suffered. She prayed to John Paul and was cured.

Pope John Paul II was the first Pontiff to visit Philadelphia, back in 1979.

A 50-year-old woman claimed to have been cured of a brain aneurysm after a picture of Pope John Paul II spoke to her and her healing was accepted as the second miracle.

Following his death, people began to call him John Paul the Great, and is the fourth Pope ever to be labelled "Great."

A wonderful prayer to recite on his feast day is the following:

O Holy Trinity, we thank you for having given to the Church, Pope John Paul II, and for having made him shine with your fatherly tenderness, the glory of the Cross of Christ and the splendor of the Spirit of love

He, trusting completely in your infinite mercy and in the maternal intercession of Mary, has shown himself in the likeness of Jesus the Good Shepherd and has pointed out to us holiness as the path to reach eternal communion with You.

Grant us, through his intercession, according to your will, the grace that we implore, in the hope that he will soon be numbered among your saints.

Amen

Yaliyojiri katika mahojiano na Baba Mtakatifu Francisko!

Waamini na watu wote wenye mapenzi mema wanaalikwa na Baba Mtakatifu Francisko kuwa mashuhuda amini wa utakatifu na ukuu wa familia. - OSS_ROM

Baba Mtakatifu Francisko katika mahojiano maalum na Paris Match anakiri kwamba, maandalizi ya hija za kitume pamoja na maadhimisho ya Sinodi ya Maaskofu ni kati ya mambo ambayo ameyapatia kipaumbele cha pekee katika miezi ya hivi karibuni na kwamba, kwa mara ya kwanza katika maisha yake, Mwezi Septemba aliweza kutembelea nchini Marekani. Hakuwahi kufika huko kutokana na sababu za maisha na shughuli zake za kichungaji.

Ratiba hija ya kitume ya Papa Francisko Barani Afrika!

Ratiba  ya hija ya Papa Francisko Barani Afrika kuanzia tarehe 25 hadi tarehe 30 Novemba 2015. -Baba 

Mtakatifu Francisko kuanzia tarehe 25 hadi tarehe 30 Novemba 2015 anatarajiwa kutembelea Barani Afrika, ambako atapata fursa ya kukutana na kuzungumza na Familia ya Mungu, hususan: Wakleri, watawa na waamini walei; Viongozi wa kidini na madhehebu mbali mbali ya Kikristo; Viongozi wa Serikali, wanasiasa na wanadiplomasia wanaowakilisha nchini zao huko Kenya, Uganda na Jamhuri ya Watu wa Afrika ya Kati.

Kipaumbele cha kwanza ni kuwaimarisha waamini katika imani kwa Kristo na Kanisa lake; kukoleza majadiliano ya kidini na kiekumene Barani Afrika pamoja na kuendelea kuwahimiza viongozi wa Serikali, Kisiasa na Kidiplomasia kujikita katika mchakato wa haki, amani, mafao ya wengi na upatanisho wa kweli kama vigezo muhimu katika ustawi na maendeleo ya Familia ya Mungu Barani Afrika. Maskini, vijana na wakimbizi watakuwa na upendeleo wa pekee wakati wa hija ya Baba Mtakatifu Barani Afrika atakapokuwa anatembelea: Nairobi, Entebe, Munyonyo, Namugongo, Kampala, Nalukolongo na Bangui.
Ratiba rasmi iliyotolewa na Vatican inaonesha kwamba, tarehe 25 Novemba 2015,majira ya asubuhi, Baba Mtakatifu Francisko ataondoka kwenye Uwanja wa Ndege wa Fumicino na kuwasili saa 11: 45 jioni kwenye Uwanja wa Ndege wa Jomo Kenyatta, Nairobi. Baada ya kukaribishwa rasmi nchini Kenya, atakwenda kumtembelea Rais Uhuru Kenyatta wa Kenya na hapo atapata nafasi ya kuzungumza na viongozi wa Serikali, wanasiasa na wanadiplomasia wanaowakilisha nchi zao Kenya.
Alhamisi, tarehe 26 Novemba 2015, Baba Mtakatifu ataianza siku kwa kukutana na kuzungumza na viongozi wa kidini na madhehebu ya Kikristo nchini Kenya, kwenye Ubalozi wa Vatican nchini Kenya. Baadaye atakwenda kwenye Uwanja wa Chuo kikuu cha Nairobi ambako ataadhimisha Ibada ya Misa Takatifu na jioni atakutana na watawa na majandokasisi kutoka Kenya kwenye uwanja wa michezo wa shule ya St. Mary, Nairobi. Baba Mtakatifu atahitimisha siku ya pili ya hija yake nchini Kenya kwa kutembelea Ofisi za Umoja wa Mataifa ziliko mjini Nairobi.
Ijumaa, tarehe 27 Novemba 2015, asubuhi na mapema, Baba Mtakatifu Francisko atawatembelea na kuzungumza na watu wanaoishi katika mazingira magumu kwenye kitongoji cha Kangemi, kilichoko Jijini Nairobi, kwani maskini na wote wanaosukumizwa pembezoni mwa jamii ndio walengwa wakuu wa Habari Njema ya Wokovu inayojikita katika imani, matumaini na mapendo. Baba Mtakatifu atakutana na vijana kutoka sehemu mbali mbali za Kenya katika Uwanja wa michezo wa Kasarani.
Kabla ya kuondoka kuelekea Entebe, Uganda, Baba Mtakatifu akiwa kwenye Uwanja wa Ndege wa Jomo Kenyatta atakutana na kuzungumza na Baraza la Maaskofu Katoliki Kenya kwenye chumba cha watu maarufu uwanjani hapo. Baba Mtakatifu anatarajiwa kuwasili kwenye Uwanja wa Entebe majira ya jioni.
Jumamosi, tarehe 28 Novemba 2015, Baba Mtakatifu ataianza siku yake ya pili nchini Uganda kwa kutembelea Madhabahu ya Mashahidi wa Uganda kutoka katika Kanisa Anglikani na baadaye atatembelea Madhabahu ya Mashahidi wa Uganda yaliyoko Namgongo na hapo ataadhimisha Ibada ya Misa Takatifu. Atakutana na vijana kwenye Uwanja wa Ndege wa Kampala, Uganda, atatembelea nyumba ya huduma ya upendo iliyoko Nalukolongo na baadaye jioni atakutana na Wakleri, watawa na majandokasisi kwenye Kanisa kuu la Jimbo kuu la Kampala, Uganda.
Jumapili, tarehe 29 Novemba 2015, Baba Mtakatifu ataondoka nchini Uganda kuelekea Jamhuri ya Watu wa Afrika ya Kati na kuwasili asubuhi majira ya saa 4:00 kwa saa za Afrika ya Kati. Hapo atapokelewa kwenye Uwanja wa Ndege wa “M’Poko, Bangui kwa heshima zote za kitaifa. Baba Mtakatifu atazungumza na viongozi wa Serikali, wanasiasa na wanadiplomasia wanaoziwakilisha nchi zao Jamhuri ya Watu wa Afrika ya Kati.
Atatembelea kambi ya wakimbizi, atazungumza na Baraza la Maaskofu Katoliki Afrika ya Kati pamoja na kuzungumza na viongozi wa Madhehebu ya Kikristo nchini humo, tukio litakalofanyika kwenye Kitivo cha Kitaalimungu cha Makanisa ya Kiinjili Bangui. Baba Mtakatifu ataadhimisha Ibada ya Misa Takatifu, atawaungamisha baadhi ya vijana watakaokuwa wameandaliwa pamoja na kuzindua mkesha wa sala kwenye Uwanja wa Kanisa kuu la Bangui.
Jumatatu, tarehe 30 Novemba 2015, Baba Mtakatifu Francisko ataianza siku yake kwa kukutana na kuzungumza na Jumuiya ya waamini wa dini ya Kiislam kwenye Msikiti mkuu wa Koudoukou, mjini Bangui, baadaye, atakwenda kuadhimisha Ibada ya Misa Takatifu kwenye Uwanja wa michezo wa Barthèlèmy Boganda. Majira ya mchana, Baba Mtakatifu atakuwa anatua nanga ya hija yake ya kitume Barani Afrika, tayari kurejea mjini Vatican, kuendelea na maisha na utume wake. Baba Mtakatifu Francisko anatarajiwa kuwasili usiku kwenye Uwanja wa Ciampino, Mjini Roma.
Kama kawaida ya Idhaa ya Kiswahili ya Radio Vatican, itaendelea kuwa nawe bega kwa bega ili kukujuza yale yanayojiri wakati wa hija hii, lakini ukiwa na haraka zako, usikose kutupia jicho kwenye mtandao wa Radio Vatican.

Daily Reading for Thursday, October 15th, 2015

Reading 1, Romans 3:21-29

21 God's saving justice was witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, but now it has been revealed altogether apart from law:

22 God's saving justice given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.

23 No distinction is made: all have sinned and lack God's glory,

24 and all are justified by the free gift of his grace through being set free in Christ Jesus.

25 God appointed him as a sacrifice for reconciliation, through faith, by the shedding of his blood, and so showed his justness; first for the past, when sins went unpunished because he held his hand;

26 and now again for the present age, to show how he is just and justifies everyone who has faith in Jesus.

27 So what becomes of our boasts? There is no room for them. On what principle- that only actions count? No; that faith is what counts,

28 since, as we see it, a person is justified by faith and not by doing what the Law tells him to do.

29 Do you think God is the God only of the Jews, and not of gentiles too? Most certainly of gentiles too,

---

Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 130:1-2, 3-4, 5-6

1 [Song of Ascents] From the depths I call to you, Yahweh:

2 Lord, hear my cry. Listen attentively to the sound of my pleading!

3 If you kept a record of our sins, Lord, who could stand their ground?

4 But with you is forgiveness, that you may be revered.

5 I rely, my whole being relies, Yahweh, on your promise.

6 My whole being hopes in the Lord, more than watchmen for daybreak; more than watchmen for daybreak

---

Gospel, Luke 11:47-54

47 'Alas for you because you build tombs for the prophets, the people your ancestors killed!

48 In this way you both witness to what your ancestors did and approve it; they did the killing, you do the building.

49 'And that is why the Wisdom of God said, "I will send them prophets and apostles; some they willslaughter and persecute,

50 so that this generation will have to answer for every prophet's blood that has been shed since thefoundation of the world,

51 from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who perished between the altar and the Temple." Yes, I tell you, this generation will have to answer for it all.

52 'Alas for you lawyers who have taken away the key of knowledge! You have not gone in yourselves and have prevented others from going in who wanted to.'

53 When he left there, the scribes and the Pharisees began a furious attack on him and tried to force answers from him on innumerable questions,

54 lying in wait to catch him out in something he might say.

St. Teresa of Avila

Short Cuts

Facts

Feastday: October 15

Patron of Headache sufferers, Spanish Catholic Writers

Birth: March 28, 1515

Death: October 4, 1582

Canonized By: Pope Paul VI on September 27, 1970

---

Teresa of Ávila was born Teresa Ali Fatim Corella Sanchez de Capeda y Ahumada in Ávila, Spain. Less than twenty years before Teresa was born in 1515, Columbus opened up the Western Hemisphere to European colonization. Two years after she was born, Luther started the Protestant Reformation. Out of all of this change came Teresa pointing the way from outer turmoil to inner peace.

Teresa's father was rigidly honest and pious, but he may have carried his strictness to extremes. Teresa's mother loved romance novels but because her husband objected to these fanciful books, she hid the books from him. This put Teresa in the middle -- especially since she liked the romances too. Her father told her never to lie but her mother told her not to tell her father. Later she said she was always afraid that no matter what she did she was going to do everything wrong.

Injili ya Familia ni kiini cha maadhimisho ya Sinodi ya Maaskofu

Injili ya familia ni kiini cha maadhimisho ya Sinodi ya Maaskofu, changamoto kwa wanafamilia kuwa ni mashuhuda amini. - OSS_ROM

Mababa wa Sinodi katika taarifa yao kutoka kwenye makundi madogo madogo wanasema Injili ya familia ni kiini cha maadhimisho ya Sinodi ya familia, inayojikita katika Neno la Mungu, mwaliko na changamoto kwa vijana wa kizazi kipya kukumbatia maisha ya ndoa na familia, pamoja na familia kuendelea kushuhudia uzuri na utakatifu wa maisha ya ndoa unaojikita katika mapendo thabiti na dumifu.

Kuzeni ari na moyo wa kimissionari, ili kutangaza Injili ya Furaha!

Zaidi ya wadau elfu mbili na mia mbili wa Uinjilishaji nchini Argentina, kwa muda wa siku tatu, kuanzia tarehe 10 hadi tarehe 12 Oktoba, 2015 wamekuwa wakikisanyika kwenye mji wa Santiago del Estero, ili kushiriki katika kongamano la nne la kimissionari kitaifa, lililokuwa linaongozwa na kauli mbiu “Utume ni mtindo wa maisha”. Kongamano hili limehitimishwa kwa Ibada ya Misa Takatifu iliyoadhimishwa kwenye Uwanja wa michezo wa “Quimsa” huko Santiago del Estero sanjari na kuwatuma wamissionari wapya kutoka kimasomaso ili kuwatangazia Watu wa mataifa Habari Njema ya Wokovu inayojikita katika ushuhuda wa maisha. Itakumbukwa kwamba, kongamano la kwanza la kimissionari kitaifa lilifanyika nchini Argentina kunako mwaka 1990.

Baba Mtakatifu Francisko katika ujumbe wake kwa maadhimisho haya anawakumbusha wajumbe kwamba, wanayo dhamana ya kuwashirikisha wengine kile ambacho wamekishuhudia kwa kuona na kusikia, kama ilivyokuwa kwa Mitume wa Yesu na kwamba, waendelee kutumainia na kujiaminisha katika nguvu inayobubujika kutoka kwa Yesu, ili kuwaimarisha katika udhaifu na mapungufu yao ya kibinadamu.

Yesu daima anaendelea kufanya hija na waja wake katika maisha yao ya kiimani, changamoto kwa waamini kuhakikisha kwamba, wanashirikisha jirani zao ile furaha ya kukutana na Yesu kwa mara ya kwanza katika maisha. Waamini wawe wadumifu katika maisha ya Sala na Tafakari ya Neno la Mungu; tayari kumwachia nafasi ili kuwafunda kuwa ni vyombo vya huruma na mapendo; tayari kuondokana na ubinafsi pamoja na kukumbatia malimwengu.

Baba Mtakatifu anahitimisha ujumbe wake kwa kuwataka waamini kujenga utamaduni wa kutoka, tayari kuwatangazia jirani zao Injili ya matumaini; kwa kujenga Kanisa linalojikita katika mshikamano wa umoja, udugu na upendo, ili kushirikiana na wengine katika furaha ambayo Yesu amewakirimia katika mioyo yao!

Kongamano hili limezinduliwa na Askofu Vicente Bokalic Iglic, Mwenyekiti wa Tume ya Utume wa walei, Baraza la Maaskofu Katoliki Argentina, ambaye kwa namna ya pekee kabisa, amefafanua mchango wa shughuli za kimissionari zilizotekelezwa na Mashirika mbali mbali ya kitawa na kazi za kitume nchini Argentina. Anawataka waamini walei kujitosa kimasomaso kwa ajili ya kushiriki katika mchakato wa kutangaza Injili ya furaha kwa watu wa mataifa kama anavyokazia Baba Mtakatifu Francisko.

Vyama vya kimissionari vimekuwa na mchango mkubwa katika ustawi na maendeleo ya Kanisa nchini Argentina, licha ya magumu na changamoto mbali mbali wanazokabiliana nazo. Vijana wanahamasishwa kuitikia wito wa Kipadre na Maisha ya kitawa, ili kushiriki katika azma ya Uinjilishaji. Utume wa Kanisa unapaswa kuwa ni sehemu ya vinasaba vya maisha ya waamini, kwa kutambua kwamba, wao pia ni wadau wa Uinjilishaji, kwani maisha ya Yesu mwenyewe yalijikita katika utume uliokuwa unapania utekelezaji wa mapenzi ya Baba yake wa mbinguni.

Katika kongamano hili, mada kuu tatu zimechambuliwa: Utambulisho wa vyama vya kimissionari katika Kanisa linalotoka ili kuinjilisha; mwelekeo wa maisha ya kiroho katika Waraka wa kichungaji Injili ya furaha “Evangelii gaudium” pamoja na umuhimu wa utangazaji wa Habari Njema ya wokovu, “Ad gentes”. Kongamano hili limetajirishwa na shuhuda za kimissionari kutoka kwa wadau mbali mbali. Makongamano ya kimissionari hufanyika kila baada ya miaka minne nchini Argentina ili kuimarisha ari na mwamko wa kimissionari miongoni mwa waamini.

Na Padre Richard A. Mjigwa, C.PP.S.

Idhaa ya Kiswahili ya Radio Vatican.

SAMSON AND DELILAH

Kanisa linahamasishwa kuwa ni shuhuda wa huruma ya Mungu katika ukweli!

Baada ya Baba Mtakatifu Francisko kuzindua maadhimisho ya Sinodi ya Maaskofu, Kardinali Peter Erdo, mwezeshaji mkuu alitoa tafakari ya utangulizi iliyogawanyika katika sehemu kuu tatu: changamoto, wito na utume wa familia. Hii ni tafakari elekezi inayofumbatwa katika huruma ya Mungu kwa wanandoa wanaoishi katika mazingira magumu ya kifamilia, lakini katika ukweli. Ni mwaliko kwa Kanisa kuendelea kushikamana na familia maskini sanjari na kusimama kidete kulinda maisha tangu pale mtoto anapotungwa mimba tumboni mwa mama yake, hadi mauti inapomfika kadiri ya mpango wa Mungu.

Familia zinakabiliana na changamoto nyingi zinazoendelea kujitokeza katika ulimwengu mamboleo, kati ya changamoto hizi ni: uhamiaji, ukosefu wa haki msingi za kijamii, ujira kiduchu usiokidhi mahitaji msingi ya familia; nyanyaso na ukatili dhidi ya wanawake; mazingira magumu ya kazi; utoaji mimba kwa shuruti; mimba za chupa, idadi ndogo ya watoto wanaozaliwa; hamu ya kupata mtoto kwa gharama yoyote ile na madhara yake.

Mambo yote haya yanapelekea taasisi ya familia kuwa dhaifu, kiasi kwamba, baadhi ya watu wanakuwa wagumu kufanya maamuzi machungu katika maisha. Baadhi ya wanandoa wanaonesha utashi wa kuwa na haki zao binafsi, hali inayopelekea ubinafsi wa kutupwa, kiasi cha kushindwa kutambua mipaka kati ya ndoa na familia. Jamii ambayo kwa sasa inajikita katika suala la ulaji inashindwa kutambua tofauti kati ya tendo la ndoa na dhamana ya uumbaji ambayo wanandoa wamekabidhiwa, kiasi cha kugeuza maisha ya binadamu kuwa kama bidhaa.

Kardinali Erdo anaendea kukaza kwa kusema, ndoa na familia ni mambo ambayo yana mwambata mwanadamu katika hija ya maisha yake na hivyo kusaidia katika mchakato wa kurithisha tunu msingi za maisha ya kijamii na kwamba, ndoa inasimikwa katika udumifu ambao kimsingi ni zawadi kutoka kwa Mwenyezi Mungu na wala si mzigo kama wanavyodai baadhi ya watu.

Kutokana na ukweli huu, Kanisa linapenda kusimama kidete kulinda, kutetea na kudumisha tunu msingi za maisha ya ndoa na familia, kielelezo cha Jumuiya inayojikita katika maisha yanayofumbata upendo. Familia kama Kanisa la nyumbani linajikita katika msingi wa Sakramenti ya Ndoa, mahali ambapo, wanafamilia wanajifunza kujikita katika kutafuta na kudumisha mafao ya wengi.

Kardinali Erdo anasema kwamba, kuna haja kwa Mama Kanisa kuhakikisha kwamba, anatoa majiundo makini ya awali na endelevu kwa wanandoa watarajiwa, kwa kugusa mambo msingi katika maisha yao: kiroho, kimwili na Kikanisa. Wakleri waandaliwe vyema ili waweze kuwasaidia wanandoa katika makuzi yao, hususan waweze kuwa makini kuwasaidia wanandoa wanaoishi katika mazingira magumu ya kifamilia, daima wakijitahidi kuwasaidia waamini hao kwa kuzingatia huruma na haki. Hii ni changamoto kubwa kwa Wakleri na wahudumu wa Neno la Mungu, wanaopaswa kuanza kutafuta mfumo mpya wa Katekesi na shuhuda kwa kuonesha uaminifu na ukweli mfunuliwa kutoka kwa Kristo.

Dhamana ya familia ni pamoja na kuendelea kushirikiana na taasisi nyingine, hasa katika maeneo ambayo dhana na uelewa wa familia haushibani wala kuendana na Mafundisho ya Kanisa au mpango wa Mungu katika maisha ya binadamu. Lengo ni kusaidia kuonesha umuhimu wa familia katika jamii. Familia za Kikristo anakaza kusema Kardinali Erdo, zinapaswa kuonesha mshikamano wa dhati kwa familia maskini, familia zisizokuwa na fursa ya ajira; zinazokabiliwa na magonjwa au ambazo zimejikuta zikifilisika kwa kutumbukia katika mchezo wa kamali. Familia za Kikristo ziwe mstari wa mbele kuzisaidia familia zinazoishi katika vita na machafuko ya kisiasa, kijamii na kidini.

Kwa namna ya pekee kabisa, Kanisa linahamasishwa kuwa karibu zaidi na familia ambazo zimejeruhiwa, kwa kuzionjesha huruma na ukarimu pamoja na kuzisaidia kutambua ukweli wa maisha ya ndoa na familia. Kilele cha hali ya juu kabisa cha huruma ni kusema ukweli katika upendo, kwani upendo wa kweli unaunganisha, unabadilisha, unainua na kutoa mwaliko wa toba na wongofu wa ndani.

Kardinali Erdo anasema kwamba, huruma inajikita katika wongofu kwa mdhambi kutambua mapungufu yake, jambo linalohitaji majiundo makini, ili kutambua mpango wa Mungu katika maisha ya mwanadamu hususan kwa wanandoa waliotengana na kuamua kuoa au kuoana tena. Majimbo yatenge vituo vya kuwasikiliza wanandoa wanaokabiliana na changamoto katika maisha na utume wao. Huu uwe ni mwanzo wa hija ya msamaha na upatanisho pale inapowezekana. Kwa wale waliooa na kuachika na baadaye wakaamua kuoa au kuolewa wanapaswa kusaidiwa kwa kuzama katika mikakati ya kichungaji inayobainisha kweli za maisha ya ndoa kadiri ya Mafundisho ya Kanisa sanjari na huruma inayotolewa na Mwenyezi Mungu kwa msamaha wa dhambi, unaojikita katika toba na wongofu wa ndani.

Kardinali Erdo anasema kwa wanandoa wanaotamani kupokea Ekaristi Takatifu wanapaswa kufuata hija ya toba itakayowawezesha kupokea Sakramenti ya Upatanisho, bila kusababisha makwazo. Sakramenti ya Kitubio inaweza kutolewa kwa wale wanaotaka kufanya mabadiliko ya kweli katika maisha kwa kuzingatia kanuni maadili, utu wema na wajibu wa wahusika; mambo yanayohitaji majiundo makini ya dhamiri ya wahusika.

Kanisa linahamasishwa kuwa na mbinu mkakati makini kwa ajili ya kuwasaidia mashoga; kwa kuonesha heshima bila kuwabagua, lakini watambue kwamba, ndoa za watu wa jinsia moja si sehemu ya mpango wa Mungu kwa binadamu katika maisha ya ndoa na familia. Kanisa halitakubali shinikizo kutoka katika mashirika ya kimataifa kama sehemu ya masharti ya msaada wa kiuchumi hususan kwa nchi changa zaidi duniani.

Kardinali Peter Erdo katika tafakari yake elekezi anakazia kwa namna ya pekee Injili ya uhai inayopaswa kulindwa, kutetewa na kudumishwa tangu pale mtoto anapotungwa mimba hadi mauti ya kawaida inapomfika kadiri ya mpango wa Mungu. Kanisa linapinga kwa nguvu zote vitendo vya utoaji mimba na kifo laini kwa kukumbatia Injili ya uhai. Ni mwaliko kwa Kanisa kuendelea kutoa huduma kwa watoto wanaotelekezwa na wazazi wao; kwa kuwasaidia wanawake wanatoa mimba na familia zihakikishe kwamba, zinaendelea kuwahudumia wagonjwa wao. Kanisa litaendelea kuwahudumia wagonjwa: kiroho na kimwili.

Kardinali Erdo anawahamasisha waamini kuwasaidia watoto wanaoishi katika mazingira hatarishi kama kielelezo cha mshikamano wa upendo unaofumbata Injili ya uhai dhidi ya utamaduni wa kifo. Kanisa linaendelea kuwataka wanandoa kuwajibika barabara kwa kuzingatia mpango wa uzazi kwa njia ya asili. Kanisa linapaswa kila wakati kuwa ni kielelezo cha huruma ya Mungu kwa waja wake na kumbe, wazazi ni wahusika wa kwanza wanaowajibika kutoa malezi makini kwa watoto wao. Wawe makini kuangalia elimu inayotolewa kwa watoto wanapokuwa shuleni.

Kardinali Peter Erdo anahitimisha tafakari elekezi kwa kulitaka Kanisa kutubu na kuongoka, ili liweze kuwa hai kama mtu binafsi na kama jumuiya ya waamini. Tayari kushuhudia huruma ya Mungu kwa binadamu.

Na Padre Richard A. Mjigwa, C.PP.S.

Idhaa ya Kiswahili ya Radio Vatican.