Sermon for 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Cycle C Homily

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Follow the Kingdom with a Single-Minded Devotion
There are several films on Jesus.  Each movie has its own take on the life and message of Jesus as narrated by the Gospels and, sometimes also, using extra-biblical sources. One of my own favourite films on Jesus is Jesus of Nazareth, directed by Franco Zeffirelli, and produced by Rai-Uno, the Italian TV Channel.  In fact, it was originally produced as a TV serial in1977, and later distributed in film form in different languages.
There is one particular scene in that film, that is worth recalling here in the context of the gospel text of today.  “A picture is worth a thousand words,” they say. Even with the limitation of words in comparison to image, let me attempt to describe the scene:  one evening, Jesus and his first […]

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Conceptualising and Measuring Hospitality in Relation to Wellbeing in Kenya: Is Hospitality a Character Strength?

{{unknown}}Conceptualising and Measuring Hospitality in Relation to Wellbeing in Kenya: Is Hospitality a Character Strength?
 

Sahaya G. Selvam,
Joyce Wanjiru Kiige &
Jeketule Soko

Part of the Cross-Cultural Advancements in Positive Psychology book series (CAPP,volume 16)
 
ABSTRACT
Hospitality is recognised as a salient value across most cultures, including in Africa. Yet, empirical research is narrowly focused on the hospitality industry. Psychological studies on hospitality are lacking. Therefore, the present research, consisting of three studies, explored hospitality within the theoretical framework of character strengths and wellbeing. Study 1 examined the perception of hospitality among several ethnic groups in Kenya and identified dimensions that define hospitality: spending time with guests, enjoying their presence, having long conversations, not being disturbed when guests arrive unannounced, welcoming them in one’s residence, providing good food, making sacrifices to make them feel at home, and providing comfortable accommodation. Based on the qualitative data, in Study 2, […]

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Sermon for the Feast of the Holy Trinity – Cycle C Homily

Feast of the Holy Trinity – Year C
Three Persons in One: The God of relationship
 Social scientists these days are pointing out the increase of spirituality in the contemporary world, a spirituality that is not only distinct but often separate from institutional religion.  According to one author, spirituality refers to individual and personal experiences that are related to “a search for meaning, for unity, for connectedness, for transcendence, and for the highest of human potential.”  This spirituality may or may not include belief in a personal God.  Some of the people, who follow this path of spirituality-outside-religion,  consider ‘god’ in terms of an energy or a universal soul.  What could be lacking in such a position is the belief in God who is a person!
The feast of today, once again reminds us […]

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