The Gospels often refer to Jesus’ mission as, “He went round the whole of Galilee teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing all kinds of disease and illness among the people” (Mt 4:23; see also Mt 24:14; Lk 4:18; 7:22; 20:1)[1]. What is the good news? One way of referring to the “good news”, is to take it as the compendium of the teachings of Jesus. In this sense, the Gospels are the good news. At another level the news about the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus could be proclaimed as the good news. However, at a deeper level, Jesus himself is the Good News. Therefore, embracing the Good News just means experiencing Jesus himself.
The interesting thing about the Gospel narratives is that, as I came to discover, there is an underlying pattern in these encounters with Jesus. It is this pattern that […]
Month: May 2011
Chuo Cha Maisha – Christian Life-skills Training
‘Chuo Cha Maisha’ (Swahili for ‘Institute of Life’) is a training programme in Christian Life Skills that I initiated in 2006 within Don Bosco Youth Educational Services – Tanzania. It empowers young people, aged between 14 and 30, to celebrate adolescence and thus prepare themselves for adult life. It has as its motto: “Uhai Tele – Life in Abundance” – Jn 10:10.
29 May 2011 -Sunday witnessed the fifth ‘graduation’ of 250 youth who participated in this training programme that lasted 20 days of training, spread throughout one year. Every day of training consists of at least 6 hours of participatory sessions. I was privileged to be the chief guest at this year’s graduation function, held at Don Bosco Youth Centre, Upanga, Dar es Salaam (Photo below: one of the 5 groups). It was a very gratifying moment for me to see this programme still in growth – now 5 years […]
Discipline in School Context – A Session for Teachers
1. Individual work: Give participants individual work. For instance, last Sunday I gave the teachers two questions: a) What is discipline? b) What strategies do we follow for maintaining discipline in class?
2. Merry go around: After they have answered the questions. Take them to the 2nd step: Ask all participants to stand in a circle. They say numbers in two’s – one, two; one, two. All the ones stand where they are. The twos face the ones on their left. Now they start sharing with each other their answers. After one or so minutes when the signal is given, the one’s stand wherever they are (outer circle) but the two’s (inner circle) move a step to the left in such a way that they meet a new person in the outer circle. And now start sharing your […]
A Prayer…
Life of my Life, I shall ever try to keep my body pure, knowing that thy living touch is upon all my limbs.
I shall ever try to keep all untruths out from my thoughts, knowing that thou art that truth which has kindled the light of reason in my mind.
I shall ever try to drive all evils away from my heart and keep my love in flower, knowing that thou hast thy seat in the inmost shrine of my heart.
And it shall be my endeavour to reveal thee in my actions, knowing it is thy power gives me strength to act.
R. Tagore, Gitanjali.
Jesus, der gute Hirte, ist die Tür zum Leben in Fülle
4. Sonntag nach Ostern – Jahr A
Wenn man die Seiten des Alten Testamentes durchblättert, sieht man, dass Gott eine unbestreitbare Vorliebe für Hirten hat: Abel, Abraham, Jakob, Moses, David, der Prophet Amos und noch viele mehr. In der jüngeren Geschichte ist es Don Bosco, der Gründer meines Ordens, der ein Hirtenjunge war! Es scheint, dass Gott eine besondere Vorliebe für Hirten hat, weil ihre Aufgabe darin besteht, treu für die ihnen Anvertrauten zu sorgen. Bei der Sorge für ihre Herde, für die ihnen anvertrauten Menschen, können sie sogar selbst in Gefahr geraten.
Am heutigen Sonntag, dem 4. Sonntag nach Ostern, begehen wir das Fest des Guten Hirten. Wir denken an die ‘pastorale’ Liebe – die Liebe eines Hirten – die Gott für uns hat und die in Jesus sichtbar wurde. Außerdem beten wir um Priesterberufe. Die Priester sind die ‘Pastoren’, die Hirten, der Kirche. Jedes Jahr hören wir an diesem Tag […]