Sun 13 B (1.07.2012) "talitha kum"

If there is death around the corner - Christian people are used to pray...

the see God as Master of Life + Death.

Today we hear (in the book of wisdom 1.13-15; 2.23+24) something else -

for us strange: "Death was not God's doing"

and surprisingly: "he takes no pleasure in the extinction of the living".

It's all the contrary: "to exist - for this he created all".

Such a wisdom is demonstrated by JvN in Mk 5.21-24; 33-34

He told the girl "talitha kum" = get up!

Dying is not the way God likes. Therefore we have decided:

Our God is God of Life!

But sure: if you have a narrow view, 

if you see life only as a biological matter - nothing else -

only body no spirit - then Life is in your view a delusion.

It's good to broaden our view, to discover there is more

than only what we see...

Life is an incredible mystery - 

and as JvN was forced to die, God told him as ever:

that's not the way - pls: "talitha kum".

Sun 12 B (24.06.2012) The prophet / Lk 1.5-17,57-66

Today we celebrate the nativity of John the Baptist. He became famous because he baptised JvN in the Jordan-river and he is witness to have seen the Holy Spirit descending down on him.
Our Church knows a lot of prophets; some are mentioned in the Bible, some in the history-books. Do you know the famous nun Hildegard von Bingen (born 1098) who has gone before the Imperor and the Pope in favour of a Church-reform?
Do we have prophets today ? Sure, a lot of... but we don't have an authority to decide who is a real prophet. You may decide for yourself whom you will accept as a prophet for you, or for the Church or for the World. Do you know a Namibian as an
outspoken prophet?

But what about you? As a Baptised you are invited to become a prophet, a prophet in favour of a future for our Church. JvN is named "the prophet of Nazareth" maybe you will get the name: "the prophet from Orwetoveni" ?
Do you have a vision for our Church, a vision so clear and intensiv and benevolent - that you can't stay silent? pls come to the fore...
A prophet has not only to ponder his vision in his heart - but he has to go public...
Therefore we may hear of you...

Sun 11 B (17.06.2012) : The Kingdom of God / Mk 4.26-34

It looks like: Jesus has developped his own idea about the Kingdom of God (KG).
Following the Ev Mk, the KG was for Jesus a clear priority. Jesus has spoken about the KG by parables and explained them to his disciples.

Jesus has known God as Creator and as Covenant-partner to his people. He has seen Satan as distroyer - and he, Jesus, is now busy to rescue the situation...
The latest remark is for us well understandable - because we also see the world in dangerous troubles...

Which parable will enjoy us, encourage us to work for the KG?

The KG is an unfinished lively mosaic; the owner let work on it today 7 billion people to present the most beautiful mosaic.

The KG is like the sea: the drops are the possibilities.

The KG is like a handy, who is on net, can work.

The KG is like atoms: working together builds the world.

The KG is like a picture: by seeing it's getting real.

Every Christian is now invited to find his parable for the KG
und make it well known.

Corpus Christi 2012 / language matters

Pope Benedikt XVI has declared a new wording for the consecration
(the word over the cup). His given reason: take the Bible more literally.
The wording after the Vaticanum II in english:
                "it will be shed for you and for all so that sins may be forgiven"
      in latein as ever: "pro vobis et pro multis"
The new wording 2012 in english: "for you and for many"

Question A) Is the forgiveness of sins an offer for all or only for many?
Answer A) The whole Church all the time has declared:
                Christ has died for all und forgiveness is offered to all.
                1 Tim 2.6 etc...

Questions B) Is the new wording more biblical?
Answer B) we discover: "pro vobis et pro multis" is not written in any gospel.
                 Mk (14.24) + Mt (26.28) say: pro multis  (for many)
                 Lk (22.17) says: pro vobis (for you)
                 it means the Church has made a combination: Mk/Mt + Lk

The problem: Our wording in the new order says "for many", but it's clear we mean:
                    "for all"! Again - as often in the Church - we don't speak what we mean...
                    That's really misleading... are we going into troubles?

Solution ???
? 1) obedience
? 2) If we speak "for all the many" we may better clarify the real meaning.
       like: all the many people we have seen....
       it's sorry: but in english today "many" means exactly: "not all!"
? 3) If we consult the Gospel John, we discover clearly in Jo 6.32,51,58!
       Jesus gives himself for the life of the world.
       A new combination may help us:  Luke + John
          "for you and for the life of the world"

The picture of God (Trinity) INVITATION

[ Homily delivered at Maria-Assunta-Parish 2012 in Orwetoveni in Afrikaans ]

1.) The history has shown from time to time the idea of God has changed...
     warrior, Abraham, Moses, Tempel, Creator, Abba, ens a se, Trinity, ???
2.) The new picture of God depends on the cultural evolution
     A patriarchial culture knows God as a Patriarch... etc...
3.) The picture of God determines the behavior of the believers:
     If you feel God is listening -  you will pray...
     If you feel God is looking at - you will behave...
     If you feel God will punish you - you will be cautious... / afraid...
     If you feel God will help - you feel in good hands...
     If you know God will intervene - you have not to do it...
     If you don't know...  If God is absolute Mystery... what will happen ???
     a serious question for secular (not religious) Christianity!
     We discover: our picture of God is very important for our feelings and behaviour
     and so also for our society...
     [ The picture of God as an instrument of education, of oppression, of liberation
       in the hands of parents, of dictators, of rulers - religion as management.. ]
4.) It's not a question: the picture of God is right or wrong - the problem is, the
     picture of God should help us to unite and to live in peace.
5.) Please discover your own picture of God and adjust your picture of God for  
     a new time, for Namibia in the 3rd millenium...   it's good for us!

The feast of Trinity (03.06.2012)

Our God, well known as Jahwe since Moses, has a long history. First he was known as a Warrior-God, later as a Patriarch; ca. 550 before Jesus Christ (in the Babylonian exile) he is discovered as Creator of heaven and earth (Gn 1.1...) ;
for Jesus Christ he became Abba and for Thomas Aquinas (1250 after Jesus Christ)
he is seen as "ens a se" (absolute being).
But also the idea: There is only one God! has developped. Out of the biblical language, speaking about Father, Son, Holy Spirit - the early Church-Fathers have slowly discovered the Trinity of God; made a Dogma (first 675 in Toledo) by the 4th Lateran-council 1215.

Today nearly the whole world is of the opinion: we have one God - and for Christians he is known as Father, as Son Jesus Christ, as Holy Spirit - to this God we are baptised. God-Father is like the abundant lake, the Son is like the river and the Holy Spirit is like the flowers. Such wonderful pictures do not really reveal the relationship between God and the Creation. This relation today is much discussed and in no way clear. It seems there is a development from Monotheism to Kosmotheism (cf. Jan Assmannn 1997 / Klaus Mueller 2006). We think today the mystery of God as incarnated into the Universe. The cosmos is seen as body of God.

Much more important is the discovery that the Holy God is not an entity-a-se but a relation. Like a child: it is not an entity-a-se but child means: to be in relation (with a mother , a father). The Deity is God in relation to humanity.
And humanity is the space-time where we learn God reveals his own resurrection. Or in the language of the natural-siences: the evolution of God.
And you, are you ready to discover a new picture of God for your suvival ?