Daily Reading for Sunday, November 8th, 2015

Reading 1, First Kings 17:10-16 ¹⁰ So he went off to Sidon. And when he reached the city gate, there was a widow gathering sticks. Addressing her he said, 'Please bring a little water in a pitcher for me to drink.'
¹¹ She was on her way to fetch it when he called after her. 'Please', he said, 'bring me a scrap of bread in your hand.'
¹² 'As Yahweh your God lives,' she replied, 'I have no baked bread, but only a handful of meal in a jar and a little oil in a jug; I am just gathering a stick or two to go and prepare this for myself and my son to eat, and then we shall die.'
¹³ But Elijah said to her, 'Do not be afraid, go and do as you have said; but first make a little scone of it for me and bring it to me, and then make some for yourself and for your son.
¹⁴ For Yahweh, God of Israel, says this: Jar of meal shall not be spent, jug of oil shall not be emptied, before the day when Yahweh sends rain on the face of the earth.'
¹⁵ The woman went and did as Elijah told her and they ate the food, she, himself and her son.
¹⁶ The jar of meal was not spent nor the jug of oil emptied, just as Yahweh had foretold through Elijah.

---

Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 146:7, 8-9, 9-10

⁷ gives justice to the oppressed, gives food to the hungry; Yahweh sets prisoners free.
⁸ Yahweh gives sight to the blind, lifts up those who are bowed down.
⁹ Yahweh protects the stranger, he sustains the orphan and the widow. Yahweh loves the upright,but he frustrates the wicked.
¹⁰ Yahweh reigns for ever, your God, Zion, from age to age.

---

Gospel, Mark 12:38-44

³⁸ In his teaching he said, 'Beware of the scribes who like to walk about in long robes, to be greeted respectfully in the market squares,
³⁹ to take the front seats in the synagogues and the places of honour at banquets;
⁴⁰ these are the men who devour the property of widows and for show offer long prayers. The more severe will be the sentence they receive.'
⁴¹ He sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the treasury, and many of the rich put in a great deal.
⁴² A poor widow came and put in two small coins, the equivalent of a penny.
⁴³ Then he called his disciples and said to them, 'In truth I tell you, this poor widow has put more in than all who have contributed to the treasury;
⁴⁴ for they have all put in money they could spare, but she in her poverty has put in everything she possessed, all she had to live on.'

---

Reading 2, Hebrews 9:24-28

²⁴ It is not as though Christ had entered a man-made sanctuary which was merely a model of the real one; he entered heaven itself, so that he now appears in the presence of God on our behalf.
²⁵ And he does not have to offer himself again and again, as the high priest goes into the sanctuary year after year with the blood that is not his own,
²⁶ or else he would have had to suffer over and over again since the world began. As it is, he has made his appearance once and for all, at the end of the last age, to do away with sin by sacrificing himself.
²⁷ Since human beings die only once, after which comes judgement,
²⁸ so Christ too, having offered himself only once to bear the sin of many, will manifest himself a second time, sin being no more, to those who are waiting for him, to bring them salvation.

St. Leonard

Short Cuts

Facts

Feastday: November 6
Patron of political prisoners, imprisoned people, prisoners of war, and captives, women in labour, as well as horses
Death: 559

---

According to unreliable sources, he was a Frank courtier who was converted by St. Remigius, refused the offer of a See from his godfather, King Clovis I, and became a monk at Micy. He lived as a hermit at Limoges and was rewarded by the king with all the land he could ride around on a donkey in a day for his prayers, which were believed to have brought the Queen through a difficult delivery safely. He founded Noblac monastery on the land so granted him, and it grew into the town of Saint-Leonard. He remained there evangelizing the surrounding area until his death. He is invoked by women in labor and by prisoners of war because of the legend that Clovis promised to release every captive Leonard visited. His feast day is November 6.

Tafakari ya Neno la Mungu, Jumapili ya 32 ya Kipindi cha Mwaka B wa Kanisa

Tafakari ya Neno la Mungu Jumapili ya 32 ya Mwaka B wa Kanisa. - EPA

 

Mpendwa msikilizaji wa Radio Vatican, ninakuleteeni tafakari Neno la Mungu lililo taa na mwanga wa maisha yetu. Tayari tuko ukingoni mwa mwaka wa Kanisa, ni Dominika ya 32 ya mwaka B wa Kanisa. Mama Kanisa ametuwekea Neno likitualika kujitoa na kujiaminisha katika Bwana bila kujibakiza, tukiwa na matumaini na kwa namna hiyo tutajaliwa yale yote mema yatokayo kwa Mungu. Ujumbe huu tunaupata kwa mifano hai ya wajane wawili wanaokubali mpango wa Mungu na kutoa kile chote walichokuwanacho, kinyume na matajiri. Matokeo ya tendo lao jema wanakirimiwa baraka tele katika maisha yao.
Katika Somo la kwanza tunamwona Nabii Eliya akimkimbia mfalme Ahab ambaye alitaka kumwangamiza. Nabii anapokimbia anakutana na mama mjane ambaye yuko katika taabu ya njaa! Nabii akitambua taabu ya mama huyu lakini pia akiwa na tumaini katika Bwana, anamwomba maji na kipande cha mkate. Mama huyu alikuwa na unga kidogo kiasi cha kutosheleza siku moja kwa ajili yake na mwanaye, na baada ya hapo kadiri ya mjane huyo basi wangekufa! Lakini kwa sababu ya tumaini kuu na akisikiliza sala ya msisitizo ya Nabii Eliya anakubali kutoa kila kitu. Kwa ufadhili huu alioufanya kwa Nabii wa Mungu, mjane huyu anapata chakula cha kutosheleza maisha yake mpaka njaa itakapoisha katika nchi ile.
Mpendwa mwana wa Mungu, ukarimu na tumaini la mjane huyu ndio unaozaa matunda mema. Matunda haya ni baraka na amani itokayo kwa Mungu. Ni alama ya kwamba Mungu huwajali walio maskini ambao wanamkimbilia na kumtumaini daima katika maisha yao. Mungu huwajali wale wote ambao wanakubali kushirikisha vipaji vyao na kugawana mali zao na wengine walio wahitaji. Jaribu kuwa mkarimu kwa Mungu utaona matunda yake!
Ewe ndugu msikilizaji, bado tunaendelea na sehemu ya barua kwa Waebrania ambayo leo yatufundisha kwa msisitizo, tofauti iliyopo kati ya Kuhani mkuu wa kweli yaani Yesu Kristo na makuhani wengine. Yesu Kristu anatolea sadaka yake si katika madhabahu yaliyotengenezwa kwa mawe bali ukuhani wake ni wa madhabahu ya mbinguni ambayo hayakujengwa kwa mikono ya wanadamu. Kuhani Mkuu Yesu Kristo hutolea sadaka mara moja na hutosheleza maisha yote kwa kuondoa dhambi na kutakasa mioyo ya watu, tofauti na sadaka za makuhani wa Agano la Kale ambazo hazikumaliza shughuli ya kuwatakasa watu, kumbe iliwapasa kurudia kila mwaka! Basi mwaliko kwetu ni kumfuasa Bwana kwa kushiriki sadaka ya Misa kwa ajili ya wokovu wetu.
Katika Injili, Mtakatifu Marko akinukuu mafundisho ya Bwana anakazia kujitoa bila kujibakiza kama mama mjane aliyetoa sadaka senti mbili ambazo ilikuwa ndiyo hazina yake! Anatoa yote bila kuogopa kwa maana analo tumaini katika Bwana ambaye ni mgawaji wa mapaji yote. Mjane huyu ni kinyume na watu wengine ambao hutoa ziada na si mali hasa inayotoka katika mioyo yao! Mpendwa yafaa kujitazama moyoni wapi ulipo katika makundi haya mawili! Kama uko katika kundi la mjane basi unayo heri ya milele na uishikilie kwa furaha maana ni zawadi toka kwa Bwana.
Basi mpendwa ndugu unayetafakari nami, jaribu kujikuza katika sala ukiomba fadhila ya ukarimu katika maisha yako. Kula, ishi, cheka na zungumza na wengine kwa furaha daima.

Tumsifu Yesu Kristo. Tafakari hii imeletwa kwako na Pd Richard Tiganya C.PP.S.

'Viongozi wateule shughulikieni vifo vya wazazi, watoto'

Wazazi waliotoka kujifungua wakiwa na watoto wao.

Tatizo la vifo vya wajawazito na watoto wachanga linasababisha majonzi makubwa kwa jamii lakini pia linaleta  ongezeko la watoto waliodumaa, wagonjwa, watoto wa mitaani kupunguza  nguvu kazi ya taifa.

 

Ili taifa lisonge mbele kimaendeleo halina budi kuimarisha huduma za afya kwa wananchi , ili kupunguza vifo vya wajawazito, wazazi na watoto wachanga kwa lengo   la  kuepusha matatizo hayo.

 

Takwimu za Wizara ya Afya na Ustawi wa Jamii za mwaka 2014 zinaonyesha kwamba Tanzania ni nchi ya saba duniani kwa idadi kubwa ya vifo vitokanavyo na uzazi, ikikadiriwa kuwa  wajawazito karibu 7,900  hufa kila mwaka, huku wastani wa watoto wachanga 40,000 wakipoteza maisha kila mwaka kabla ya kutimiza mwezi mmoja baada ya kuzaliwa.

 

Kama vile haitoshi inakadiriwa kwamba watoto 100,000 hufa kila mwaka kabla ya kufikisha umri wa miaka mitano.Kadhalika wengine 50,000 huzaliwa wakiwa wafu kutokana na sababu mbalimbali ambazo iwapo jitihada za makusudi zingechukuliwa mapema, zaidi ya asilimia 45 ya vifo hivyo visingezuiliwa.

 

Pia asilimia 44 ya wasichana wanaofikisha umri wa miaka 19 nchini wanapata ujauzito, haijalishi wapo shuleni au nje ya masomo.

 

Kwa mujibu wa sensa ya watu na makazi ya mwaka 2012 asilimia 54 ya Watanzania ni watu walio chini ya miaka 20 na hii inatafsirika kuwa takribani miaka 15 hadi 20 ijayo idadi kubwa ya vijana wataingia katika umri wa uzalishaji mali na kuwa nguzo ya kiuchumi.

 

Kutokana na hali hiyo makala hii inawapa changamoto wateule wa nafasi za urais na ubunge kuweka wazi namna watakavyo lishughulikie tatizo kubwa la vifo vya wajawazito na watoto wachanga.

 

Ukweli ni kwamba viongozi hawa wanakwenda kufunga mkataba kati yao na raia kwa miaka mitano ijayo hivyo kazi yao ni kutafuta ufumbuzi wa kumaliza tatizo hili.

 

Waliochaguliwa wafahamu kuwa afya ya mama ni muhimu kama ilivyo ya mtoto wajue kuwa tangu mwanzo suala hili halijapewa kipaumbele cha kutosha kutokana na kutokuwapo mfumo bora wa kutoa huduma kikamilifu.

 

Ni vyema sasa wabunge na mawaziri watakaounda serikali ya awamu ya tano wakatueleza kwa kina namna gani watakavyosimamia na kuhakikisha uzazi salama wa mpango unavyosimamiwa ili kuhakisha kuwa adha ya kufa wakati wa kujifungua inamalizika ama kuondoka.

 

Aidha viongozi waieleze jamii vipaumbele vyao kwenye afya ya mama na mtoto ikiwa ni pamoja na kuishauri serikali kuona suala hilo kuwa na umuhimu wa kipekee na kulipa kipaumbele zaidi ikilinganishwa na masuala mengine.

 

Tafiti mbalimbali zilizofanywa na mashirika yasiyokuwa ya kiserikali ya DSW, Marie Stopes Tanzania, Pathfinder International, Chama cha Maelezi Bora (Umati) na HDT zinabainisha kuwa tatizo la uzazi wa mpango ni kubwa.

 

Tafiti za mashirika hayo zinaonyesha kuwa mimba zisizotarajiwa husababisha uwezekano mkubwa wa vifo vya mama na mtoto kwa asilimia tisa ya vifo vinavyotokea nchini.

 

Angalizo linatolewa kuwa kiwango hicho kinaweza kuongezeka zaidi iwapo hatua za makusudi hazitatolewa katika jamii kwa hiyo ni suala ambalo wabunge wanatakiwa kulitizama na kulipa umuhimu wa kipekee.

 

Uzazi wa mpango ni mkakati muhimu wa kuwasaidia wanawake kupanga muda wa kutosha kati ya kizazi kimoja na kingine, kuzuia mimba katika umri mdogo na kuepuka mimba zisizotarajiwa.

 

Kwa mujibu wa Shirika la Afya Duniani, (WHO) gharama za kuzuia ujauzito ni za chini zaidi kuliko za matibabu yanapotokea wakati wa kujifungua.

 

Kwa hiyo uzazi wa mpango unazipa familia au mtu binafsi uwezo wa kuchagua ukubwa wa familia ambayo anaimudu, kuwekeza katika elimu na makuzi ya kila mtoto na kubaki na fedha za ziada hatua inayoweza kuchangia kukuza uchumi wa taifa. 

 

Daktari bingwa wa magonjwa ya wanawake Moke Magoma, anasema kuna uwezekano mkubwa wa Tanzania kupiga hatua za haraka kimaendeleo iwapo jamii itapata uelewa wa kutosha kuhusu uzazi wa mpango.

 

“Ni muhimu sana kuwepo kwa huduma za afya ya mjamzito na mtoto mchanga, ambayo katika uhalisia wake inajidhihirisha kwa kila aliye hai sasa amepatikana kupitia mama yake kuwa mjamzito” anasema Dk. Magoma.

 

“Uzazi wa mpango ni muhumu kwa kuwa wanaweza kudhibiti na kupanga idadi ya watoto, kuendeleza na kutunza familia kitaaluma, lishe na wakati huo wakafanya kazi wanazozitaka na kushiriki katika maamuzi ya kiuchumi na kisiasa”

Daktari Magoma anasema uzazi wa mpango ni njia bora zaidi katika afya ya mama na mtoto na kwamba mbinu za kitaalamu za uzazi wa mpango hazina madhara kama baadhi ya watu wanazovumisha na kuwatia hofu wananchi.

 

Naye Dk. Msiima Mushumba,kutoka shirika la Marie Stopes Tanzania,anasema jamii inapaswa kutambua kuwa kuzaa watoto wengi bila mpangilio ni kuhatarisha maisha ya mama, watoto na kudumaza uchumi wa taifa.

 

Anasema kwa wastani familia inapaswa kuzaa watoto wasiozidi watano na kwamba kuanzia mimba ya sita na kuendelea huitwa mimba hatarishi ambapo anaitaka jamii kufuata njia za uzazi wa mpango.

 

Kadhalika anabainisha kuwa wananchi ambao hawakusoma wanazaa zaidi kuliko waliosoma kwa kuwa wengi wao hutambua umuhimu wa kuzaa kwa mpango kuliko ambao hawakusoma.

 

Dk. Mushumba, anasema jitihada za makusudi zinahitajika kupitia serikali, mashirika yasiyokuwa ya kiserikali na jamii kwa ujumla kuhakikisha huduma za uzazi wa mpango zinawafikia wanawake wote nchini.

Magufuli aduwaza Wizara ya Fedha

RAIS John Magufuli, aliyeanza kazi juzi kwa kumteua Mwanasheria Mkuu wa Serikali, George Masaju, baada ya kumuapisha jana amefanya ziara ya kushtukiza katika ofisi za Wizara ya Fedha, Hazina.
Tofauti na ziara za viongozi wengine wakiwemo mawaziri waliowahi kuongoza ofisi hiyo, ambao huingia katika vyumba vya mikutano au ofisi za viongozi, Dk Magufuli yeye alianza kuingia katika ofisi za watumishi wa kawaida.
Dk Magufuli aligeuka kivutio kwa wananchi, pale alipotoka katika lango kuu la Ikulu Dar es Salaam kwa miguu kwenda wizarani hapo kupitia njia ambayo imekuwa ikitumiwa zaidi na wananchi.
Wizara hiyo mbali na kuwa karibu na Ikulu, lakini imezungukwa na ofisi nyingi, ikiwemo Benki Kuu ya Tanzania (BoT) na Ofisi Ndogo ya Bunge na mara kwa mara nje kuna kawaida ya kuwa na wananchi na magari mengi yenye madereva wa maofisa wanaofika wizarani hapo na wengine katika ofisi nyingine kwa shughuli mbalimbali.
Baada ya kuingia katika ofisi hizo, Dk Magufuli alianza kufungua milango ya ofisi za watumishi hao na kuwasalimia aliowakuta na kuhoji pale alipokuta meza haina mtendaji.
Katika hatua hiyo, Dk Magufuli alishangazwa kukuta meza sita kati ya nane katika moja ya ofisi hizo, hazina watumishi akalazimika kuuliza majina ya watumishi husika na alipoambiwa walikuwepo, akahoji walikokwenda akajibiwa walikwenda kunywa chai. Huku akionekana kutoridhishwa na majibu hayo, Dk Magufuli alitikisa kichwa huku akisema “wameenda kunywa chai eee!” na kuondoka ofisini hapo kwenda kwenye ofisi za viongozi wa wizara hiyo.
Alipoingia ndani, alifanya kikao cha muda mfupi na Katibu Mkuu wa Wizara ya Fedha, Dk Servacius Likwelile pamoja na makamishna wa fedha na alipotoka taarifa za wizara hiyo zilieleza kuwa Dk Magufuli ameagiza watumishi wa Wizara hiyo inayosimamia Mamlaka ya Mapato (TRA), kuhakikisha wanaongeza kasi ya ukusanyaji mapato, na akaelekeza hasa kwa wafanyabiashara wakubwa.
Mbinu aliyotumia Dk Magufuli, ni ya kitawala ambapo viongozi husimamia wizara kwa kufanya ziara za ghafla, au kutembelea maeneo ya watumishi bila kutoa taarifa, tena bila kufuata utaratibu wowote. Lengo lake mara nyingi ni kujulia hali ya watumishi na matunda yake ni kuongeza ari ya kufanya kazi, kuhimiza na kusisitiza malengo ya taasisi.
*Kuapishwa kwa Masaju
Awali kabla ya kufanya ziara hiyo, Dk Magufuli alimuapisha Masaju kuendelea kushikilia nafasi hiyo, ambapo Mwanasheria Mkuu huyo aliahidi kuendelea kusimamia kesi mbalimbali dhidi ya Serikali ili kuokoa fedha za umma.
Uapisho huo ulifanyika Ikulu na kuhudhuriwa na watu mbalimbali akiwemo Makamu wa Rais, Samia Suluhu Hassan, Jaji Mkuu Othman Chande, Spika wa Bunge, Anna Makinda na Mkuu wa Jeshi la Polisi (IGP), Ernest Mangu.
Masaju alisema ni tumaini lake kuwa wananchi wataendelea kutii sheria za nchi, ili kudumisha amani na mshikamano kama ilivyokuwa wakati wote huku Serikali ikiendelea kuimarisha utii wa sheria.
“Serikali shughuli yake ya msingi ni kusimamia utekelezaji wa sheria na yenyewe ina jukumu la kusimamia amani. Nashauri ushirikiano uliotolewa wakati wa Uchaguzi Mkuu uendelee kudumishwa,” alisema Masaju.
Masaju alisema Serikali inaokoa fedha nyingi za umma kwa kushinda kesi dhidi yake na kwamba inajitahidi kuendesha kesi zake kwa weledi, huku akitoa mfano wa mashauri 34 ya kesi za uchaguzi ya kupinga matokeo zilizofunguliwa mwaka 2010, ambazo Serikali ilizishinda zote.
Alishukuru kupatikana kwa Serikali mpya kwa amani na kwa kuzingatia maelekezo ya sheria na kuomba hali hiyo iendelee ili shughuli mbalimbali ziendelee hasa zile za kujenga uchumi na za kijamii. Alitaka amani ya nchi ipewe kipaumbele na kuonya kuwa ikivurugika hakuna kazi itakayofanyika na kusisitiza amani ndiyo itakayodumisha uchumi wa nchi.