Transfiguration Mt 17.1-9 2014

As the Jesus-Movement has started: it was a great question: how is the relation
between the over-famous Moses, the controversial Elijah and the Jesus of Nazareth. Three famous PROPHETS transfigured in ONE ?
Today we have a similar question: How is the relation between the State, the Church and JvN ? The PRAYER-DAY 06.03.2014 is a challenge to think about !
At least the STATE, the CHURCH and JESUS have beeen transfigured into
ONE EVENT.
WHAT HAPPEN IN NAMIBIA? the temptation of today (Mt 4.1-11) ? SCANDL?

A) Preface:
Following the Bible I see Jesus (as the prophet of Nazareth) has a SPECIAL GOAL: to proclaim, to implement, to activate, to renew the "KINGDOM of GOD" (the NEW Heaven + NEW Earth): "the fullness of Life for all".
I suppose this Jesus of Nazareth is the animator, the Head of the Christian-Church
Community and so the Churches may hopefully have first and for all the same goal.
But somehow every Baptized has accepted to take over the same goal. We are called in 2014 to activate the fullness of Life for all - also in Namibia.
Everyone who has a goal and takes it seriously is busy to find a fitting STRATEGY.
HOW to impement the goal? HOW to make it a reality? To choose the right strategyis of utmost importance; goal and strategy must be compatible and not a
contradiction. As Christians, we have to discover which strategy Jesus of Nazareth has chosen and as a Church and as Believers we may be ready to take over HIS
strategy. It's a public hope!

In the most famous Jewish-Christian religious prayer "OUR FATHER" we ask:
"lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil".  Amen = it may be so!
[religious translation: As we are in the situation of temptation give us the strength not to give in, not to fall on the knees; not to succumb to the temptation]
This sentence draw our attentin to the importance of the strategy as we adhere to the GOAL: Thy kingdom come.
                                                                                               to be continued

for YOU: a favourable time - LENTEN-time

In Lenten-time 2014 why not make an exercise:
to become a better AMBASSADOR of the Kingdom of God.

1.You must know: There is INVITATION all the time cf. Joel 2.12-13 
The Holy God ask: "come back to me with all your hearts" (and become my real ambassador; somebody who is performing my will on earth).
a) by fasting: change your unhealty eating / make a good figure
b) by weeping: change your pleasure / enjoyed by love
c) by mourning: change your attachement/ you belong to the living ones
2. "Turn to the Lord" means: you have to know this our God is tenderness,
compassion and rich in graciousness (he is not revenge, envy, punishment, patriarch etc...) at the end: He is a MYSTERY.
3. You must know: God act through his ambassador. 2 Cor 5.20-6.2
"It is as though God were appealing through us..."  If you really turn to this God
you may discover: this God is acting in this World through you.
This is one of the great mysteries of our Christianity that we see God acting through his creation (esp. through his people).
4. The Ambassador for Christ (of the Kingdom of God) goes to the people and performs the task to reconcile to God. The whole Lenten-time, all this fasting, weeping, mourning has one goal: to reconcile people to God.

The background of this ambassador-story is twofold:
a) It is supposed: a lot of people are alienated to God; God is for them strange but more: God is for them "over" (from yesterday). They tell you: I don't need God.
b) it is supposed: believers are convinced God is a reality; the source of Life und a real Salvation. God is the reason of all what is... and the fulfillment (don't forget :
Kingdom of God means "fulness of Life" !)

If you are attached to the Kingdom of God as an ambassador - you have something from Apostle Paulus and you have a good self-consciousness. And you have a task and an obligation (that is good for you). The Baptism has installed you as an ambassador; but now it's time to perform it.
Mt 6.1-6, 16-18 shows you: how to give...  how to pray... how to fast...
and the reward will be: you are a very good Ambassador !

The MYSTERY of GOD

The complain of Zion is today universal:
                      "The Lord has abandoned me" Is 49.14-15

For the most it's a question, for many a fact.
In Namibia many suspect: the situation (GBV, Corruption etc...) shows:
The blessing of God is missing.

But the Profet insists: this (and only this) is the Word of God:
                       "I WILL NEVER FORGET YOU"
and he underlined this promise with a wonderful picture.
If you reduce the whole Christian faith to one word than so:
                    "GOD LOVES HIS CREATION TOTALLY"

Paulus (1 Cor 4.1-5) is proud to be a steward of this mystery!

The GOSPEL (Mt 6.24-34) asks to make a decision!
Do you react accepting this love of God or you have decided:
God is not caring for me, therefore I have to care best for myself.

Jesuits are clever. They say:  act   - as if all depends an you
                                              trust - as if all depends on God.
And really here we find our struggle:
TRUST IN GOD AND ACT AS A SIGN OF YOUR TRUST.
The question is not: God or I ! The task is to bring God and me into a deep unity.
But go deeper: your unification with God is not your private pleasure.
In reality: Unification with God is unification with people (at least with your friends)

GOD IS BETWEEN
or in theological language: "GOD IS RELATION"
[take the sun: without radiation the sun is cool / no effect on me
                      and I : without radiation from the sun: no life
                      Radiation is the value of the sun and life for me.]

On the way to perfection... Mt 5.48

there is many discussion HOW to become "perfect" (at least "better").
There are rules:
1.) "The best is the enemy of the good".  This old word says: If you feel you are already the best possible person, it means: you don't like to develp again, therefore you are against what is good.
2.) Good is the consciousness: "I'm on the way". I'm going...
3.) As you walk, make a break: evaluation is asked for...  
4.) Start again...  

From where in what direction ...     Mt. 5.17-48 says as examples:
                  Once / old                                 now / new
do not kill                                            don't be angry
do not commit adultery                       don't feel your partner is the lust-object
do not break your oath                        don't swear at all
eye for eye / tooth for tooth                offer the other cheek
he takes your tunic                             offer the other cloak
he orders one mile                               offer two miles
hate your enemy                                  love your enemies

This development into a better future is meant for the society, for the Government, for the LAW und for every person... and sure for the Churches...
"perfect like God" is a AIM; not a situation
The sun - coming up for everybody - is a picture for good behaviour...

As we go a level deeper: baptized people have an advantage...  
they got the message: God is the Creator and the Owner of everybody
it means: nobody else is the Owner of a Person; it means: nobody is the property of me, of the Institution, of the Government. Nobody is for me an object to do with him/her what I like (slavery is over!) It's also important for the parents: "my" child is not MY child; Im not the Owner! It's very important in a relationship: "my" partner"
is not MY partner (I'm not the Owner). As we accept this message, it's easier to go the way to perfection!

DEVELOPMENT of the LAW Mt 5.17-37

The Profet of Nazareth Jesus is [following Mt] strongly in favour of LAW-Development. First - in the old time - do not kill - do not abolish this LAW!
It's the protection of human Life (cf. Baptism: Only God is the owner of a person,
nobody else! / cf. Human Rights!) Sorry: in Namibia we have too many killings!
& killing by negligence; & killing by theft; & killing by passion;
Since 2000 years JvN ask also: do not be angry with... (do not reduce the chances and possibilities of Life of the other one).This Behaviour-AIM is to achieve as we develop the Society and the Law hand in hand. In this development the CHURCH has to be "a light for the World" (cf. you are the light of the world)
cf. the new letter of the Pope Francis: the joy of the Gospel. Why is the CCN in Namibia not well known as a promoter of new Laws and the custodian of the justiciary.

Because the CHURCH may be a "City on the Hill" - we ask the CHURCH, to develop the CHURCH-LAW...
A) the sinner, who regrets... is not excluded from the eucharistic table...
B) the priesthood is open for everyone who proves a vocation...
C) to pronounce the own understanding of the BIBEL is open for everyone...
D) It is the duty and the salvation of the Christian Community (Parishes and
    Dioceses) to find own forms of Liturgy and Diakonia.
E) It's the duty and our salvation if everyone decides to live his/her sexuality
    following his/her consience and out of respect for God, the partner and the
    Community.
F) Everyone has to make a contribution to the Community-Life (it's a matter of
    negotiation) - but the  sacraments are "gratis" (grace!).
We have seen the Church in the old time as a rock; today the Church is a river;
a People of God on the way...   and we need quiet a great reformation if we like to
appear as "the sacrament of God" in our World of today!

"The Kingdom of God" means to transform the World (a new Heaven and a new Earth). Out of this insight the CHURCH has a duty and it's for our salvation that the Church is engaged with the Government and the Civil-Society. But exactly there she has to speak clear: Yes means yes; no means no!

Mt 5.13-16 refreshing + enlightening

Mt tells us: Jesus is of the opinion that his disciples are people who refresh and
enlighten the world. It's really a compliment...
If we go to Church we will get the experiences being refreshed and enlightened!
Sure: you know people they have been refreshing you and they brought light into your situation. That's good...   And you, for which people are you a refreshing and
lightening experience ?

Sorry sometimes it's not the case! people are tasteless and sure no light.
Also Pope Francis likes to tell us: enjoy the Gospel; because the Gospel will make you  "salt + light".

But now we go to the next level: not only you, but your Community as such may be
"salt + light". The Christian Community in your Village, in your City is called to be
"salt + light". And in the whole "Christian Namibia" did you ever hear of a Parish or Community (SCC), who refreshes and enlightens Namibia ? Once we got the slogan: "Community serving Humanity" sure this means to be a light and salt for
the Namibian population -  a light into the economy, policy, culture - society!
Violence, corruption etc...   where is the light ? the salt ?

Did we learn in our Church to build up such a network, such a relation between the members - to become an action-group "a light-salt-group" ?
MSC, OSB etc... these are groups (sorry: "congregations") and I like to hear of them, I wait for the moment people may tell me: Father, there is a "group" who
is recognized as "light + salt" in Namibia.

As we go into the "year of family", don't forget: the family is a group of different people - and they must learn to relate!
In our time nothing is more refreshing and enlightening as a good relation;
a friendship, a social network where the one is for the other "salt + light"
and togehter they become a "handful salt; a boundet light."

One day the word of Jesus is not only a call-up but also a description!

Presentation of Jesus / WE ARE SIMEON

sorry: for the last two weeks no blogs bc the blogger-team has changed my "password" and I struggled  to find out the new one!
And I was two times in Owambo...   it was a busy time!  and now it's rainy...

Over Christmas we have seen how Jesus was presented:
to the shepherds, to the wise men, to God in the Tempel
it seems: they all have accepted Jesus Christ...
But now Lk shows - what a wonder - a real pious Jew - Mr. SIMEON - also has
accepted Jesus Christ...  and we know: the jewish people didn't... until today!
After so much presentation - the Christmas time is now over.
It's now time to see how the presented Messiah has lived his life:
There was the stage with John's Baptism in the Jordan-river (Jesus searching
after his own life-style) and now he starts to live in  the City of Kapernaum
and has chosen the slogan: "The kingdom of Heaven is at hand".

But  for today I like to recommend the SIMEON-Therapy:
What ever happend during the day and the evening you feel it's now time to sleep.
In this moment you may take over the view of SIMEON: Today I've worked a lot
for all of us... with hope worked to solve many problems ... and I have found the one who will bring for all salvation... who will lead to a good end all problems... I'm convinced he is the Messiah, the one God has sent to redeem... what the Genesis-word told us: all creation is good... he will fulfil this prophesy... but I,
I have done my contribution, I give now over the situation into the hand of the redeemer... and I'm ready to go... to silence myself ...  to sleep... in peace.

As you bring such a SIMEON-view into your consciousness... you will experience a much better sleep: the nerves calms down, the brain works undisturbed, the body rests and the soul is in great peace (in the hand of God). And the next morning you are refreshed... you may discover a new situation...
Don't forget: a well supported faith is healty!  and lead us much deeper
into the cosmic mystery of the Universe.