Tuesday July 8, 2025

Matthew 9:32-37

A man was brought to Jesus, a dumb demoniac. And when the devil was cast out, the dumb man spoke and the people were amazed. ‘Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel’ they said.

What is your biggest fear? Did you know that public speaking and fear of spiders rank among the top fears in America? I was asked this question about my biggest fear when I was entering seminary here in the Archdiocese of Louisville. Without missing a beat I said, LIONS!! I can’t stand those!! The psychologist laughed and he said he had never received such an answer in all his years. Guess I was the first African he had interviewed. Americans fear things such as getting old, speaking, being alone, getting out of shape etc etc different places, different fears.

Anyway in the scriptures Our Lord casts out the dumb spirit. He frees the tongue to speak. This is a freeing of someone to proclaim the good news. You have a beautiful expression in English…. Tongue tight. Do you become tongue tight when it comes to sharing your faith, sharing the good news? Today our Lord casts that spirit out that you may sing the song of your life in your own unique way.

Mahalo

Thursday July 3, 2025

John 20:24-29

The Feast of St Thomas the Apostle

Thomas, called the Twin, who was one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. When the disciples said, ‘We have seen the Lord’, he answered, ‘Unless I see the holes that the nails made in his hands and can put my finger into the holes they made, and unless I can put my hand into his side, I refuse to believe.

The Easter proclamation: The Lord is truly Risen; He is risen indeed, is a very powerful statement that has carried the church for 2000 years. Do you know an even more powerful statement? Mary of Magdala said it first and it is repeated in the passage above: I have seen the Lord.

Sit with that one today. I have seen the Lord or We have seen the Lord. Until St Thomas experiences the Risen Lord his life is somewhat miserable. He is not as happy, he is not at peace because he has not seen the Lord.

We experience the Lord in our daily lives but this passage invites us to be with the other believers at our Sunday Eucharist to experience, to see the Lord. The following week St Thomas was at mass when Our Lord showed up. On this feast day of St Thomas may we be reminded to seek this community experience with the Lord. Folks, I have seen the Lord at Rabbouni. Sometimes he is at peace and other times he is worried because life presents more questions than answers. In doing life with you, I see the Lord.

Fr Chibundi

Friday June 20, 2025

Matthew 6:19-23

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Do not store up treasures for yourselves on earth, where moths and woodworms destroy them and thieves can break in and steal. But store up treasures for yourselves in heaven, where neither moth nor woodworms destroy them and thieves cannot break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

May I remind you again today my friend that you are not an earthly being who sometimes has spiritual experiences, rather you are a SPIRITUAL BEING having an earth experience. Please repeat that line to yourself as often as you can and eventually things will be put in right perspective for you. There is more to you and your path than what meets the eye.

Today Our Lord reminds the disciples that as citizens of heaven (The place where God is now) they ought to seek the things of heaven. Those things satisfy the soul. Things of the earth may make us comfortable but we may still have some restlessness, some hunger, some thirst. But when our souls are fed, when we find our peace, we become complete.

Someone once asked me when we were struggling at Rabbouni. He said “Tell me, how much is Rabbouni worth to you?” Priceless!!! Absolutely priceless!!! It is our place of peace, here my soul is fed. He said “then spend your time, talent and treasure there.”

As for you, make sure you are investing in what gives you the things of heaven. A good question to ask would be “how would my life be without …..”

Love you!!

Thursday June 19, 2025

Luke 19:11-17

Today we celebrate the solemnity of the body and blood of Christ. Most churches will also celebrate this feast this coming Sunday. Whenever this feast comes around, I become nostalgic. I remember as a young boy in the blistering hot sun of my motherland serving mass and then taking Jesus into the streets. This feast and Palm Sunday were the mother of processions. People would line up, the sick would be brought out as the priest carried the Blessed Sacrament from the church to the different stations, walking all the way. I really never saw father in the gym but that day he had the muscles and stamina.

The jesuits changed this feast for me. One Jesuit priest asked us later in life: Does it make sense to have Jesus leave the church once a year? Shouldn’t our Lord leave the church every time you leave the church? Yes this feast is important but the full meaning of it is that there is also real presence in you. Become what you receive!!! Become the body and blood of Christ!!

Monday, June 16, 2025

Matthew 5:38-42

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘You have learnt how it was said: Eye for eye and tooth for tooth. But I say this to you: offer the wicked man no resistance. On the contrary, if anyone hits you on the right cheek, offer him the other as well; if a man takes you to law and would have your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone orders you to go one mile, go two miles with him. Give to anyone who asks, and if anyone wants to borrow, do not turn away.’

The disciples were ready to pick up arms, they were ready to kick the Romans out by force. And for a while there it seemed to them like Jesus was building an army of resistance. And then today he seems to have second thoughts about a real fight. He asks them not to waste their energies with fools.

A long time ago someone told me that in most relationships it’s about power. Who has the power and how do they use it! This is why we want the last word and we scream to get it in. What if we changed that. Say our truth quietly and firmly and then move on. It always drives the weak ones or rather the bully, crazy when you don’t give them the fight.

So today do the hard thing! Just observe, learn your lesson and move on. Now sometimes you have to say something but other times, silence speaks louder.

Wednesday June 11, 2025

Matthew 5:17-19

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Do not imagine that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have come not to abolish but to complete them.

I wonder what would give them that impression? Maybe it was seeing Our Lord touch the unclean peoples when the law itself was clear that those people shall be avoided. Maybe it was being friend to those who were headed to hell in a hand basket. He just seemed to be taking liberties with what was clear cut.

Do you know that mama was the most difficult person to learn cooking from? She never had a book!!! It was a little bit of this and a little bit of that. Her experience freed her from the recipe book. I on the other hand have tons of cooking books. Well frankly I don’t use them anymore but there was a time I could not boil water without looking it up. Experience freed me.

I think there is a time in all our lives when we keep to the script. In fact there are fundamentals that we ought to keep. Our Lord invites us also to use our God given common sense. Here is a beautiful truth: if your religion makes you less human it may be time to look at it again. There was a time when priests could not go to the funeral of someone who committed suicide. That person would not even be allowed in church. But is the funeral for the dead or the living? At a time when they needed the church to hug them we closed our arms. Thank goodness that has changed.

Tuesday June 10, 2025

Matthew 5:13-16

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘You are the salt of the earth. But if salt becomes tasteless, what can make it salty again? It is good for nothing, and can only be thrown out to be trampled underfoot by men.

The Easter season concludes with the celebration of Pentecost which we had last Sunday. We are back in ordinary time. Can we still talk about the Holy Spirit though? Do you feel like you have had the baptism of the Spirit? Most of us Catholics have had confirmation but few ever experience what is called the greater outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

I don’t want you to be caught up in the jumping up and down and loud praying. Yes I love that manifestation of the Holy Spirit but St Paul tells us that there are many gifts but the same Spirit. So do not compare your gifts with someone else’s. Don’t they say still waters run deep?

What do you do well? What is it in you that you think God created you for? Are you a kind person? Are you a great decorator? A good mother or father or aunt or uncle? Today find again what you are particularly good at and see it as Ghost Power, Holy Ghost power!!

Thursday June 5, 2025

John 17:20-26

Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and said:

‘Holy Father,

I pray not only for these,

but for those also

who through their words will believe in me.

Perhaps today we can find comfort in this beautiful passage from the gospel of John. Jesus the Son of God prayed for us. What is that prayer? That we may be one. Of course the world has moved on and there have been many differences that have led to war or enemies being formed. His great prayer however is that we may be one. What does that mean?

There is a beautiful passage in Philippians 2:5 which says “…be of the same mind that was in Christ..” Though different we all can adopt for ourselves the values that were in Christ Jesus. We can for example learn to think of others first. We can for example extend the gift of forgiveness.

Be like Christ, be Christ today.

Monday John 16:29-33

June 2nd 2022

Listen; the time will come – in fact it has come already –

when you will be scattered,

each going his own way and leaving me alone.

And yet I am not alone,

because the Father is with me.

It happens all so fast doesn’t it? One minute you are with your friends and then life strikes. You find yourself with new friends and new relationships. Sometimes you find yourself with no friends. Just you and your responsibilities. I have often found myself as a working horse as my social interaction has dwindled to my family of choice.

I certainly hope you do a better job at remembering to tag the lord along a you become more alone. I pray we find the gift of being alone and that we lean into it. Maybe when we are scattered to the ends of the earth we will remember to be creative in finding him who first loved us and called us to communion. May God bless us all

Wednesday May 28, 2025

John 16:12-15

Jesus said to his disciples:

‘I still have many things to say to you

but they would be too much for you now.

But when the Spirit of truth comes

he will lead you to the complete truth,

since he will not be speaking as from himself

but will say only what he has learnt;

I remember reading a book called “The Spirit bed me go” many years ago. This little book began a process within me of listening to the Spirit, listening to the promptings of the Spirit. Then a few days ago Mary Ann introduced me to the podcast of Mel Robbins and she had a lady on there that spoke about changing the way we pray and asking “The Universe” what our place is in it. The Universe for me is God or SPIRIT. Spirit does reveal to us all things but the most important revelation for me is my place, my vocation, my calling.

Let us pray for an awakening to what SPIRIT wants of us. And let us pray for a willingness to listen to the difficult asks of this divine spirit. Don’t worry friend, you don’t have to do much because you are already participating in the divine work.

Tuesday May 27, 2025

John 16:5-11

Still, I must tell you the truth:

it is for your own good that I am going

because unless I go,

the Advocate will not come to you;

We have been meditating on the farewell discourse of Our Lord for a while now. This was of course a very difficult time for the disciples because they could not imagine a life without him. He had been their strength, their reason to get up every day. Now he speaks of departure. I don’t think this passage is historical, that is Jesus actual words. I think the author is responding to a need or sense of abandonment that his faith community is experiencing in the year 120AD. This is a growing church but also a church under persecution.

Let’s talk about you. I don’t think you and I are facing persecution. We certainly are not living in 120AD. How does this passage preach? You have to let go of something or someone so you can experience new life. Our Lord says “ unless I go… the Advocate will not come. May we begin today the process of letting go so we can experience more.

May God, bless us all.

Thursday May 22, 2025

John 15:9-12

Jesus said to his disciples:

‘As the Father has loved me,

so I have loved you.

Remain in my love.

On this day 21 years ago I was ordained a priest by Archbishop Kelly. It has been the most unpredictable 21 years that a soul could ever live. But if you look back on your past 21 years would you have ever dreamed of being where you are? I believe a few people would say yes to that but for the vast majority it has been an unpredictable future. I often sing to my soul the beautiful song “be still my soul, God will undertake to guard and guide the future as he has the past.” So thank you to all who have blessed me with your presence these past many years. Yours are the pieces that make the mosaic of the face of God.

Our Lord says today “Remain in my love.” I love to people watch and whenever I see an older couple holding hands or dancing I reflect on what it takes to be in love that long. How in the world do you remain in love? I think part of the answer is to choose your person every day. To proudly say “she is my girl or he is my guy.” Do you choose God as he chooses you? Today I hear God say “yup that’s my priest.” Thank you Lord for being my friend.

May God Bless us all!

Monday May 19, 2025

John 14:21-26

I have said these things to you while still with you;

but the Advocate, the Holy Spirit,

whom the Father will send in my name,

will teach you everything

and remind you of all I have said to you.’

We now in this second part of Easter shift our attention from Resurrection to the action of the Holy Spirit. I frankly did not know much about the Holy Spirit. I mean I knew about confirmation and the gifts of the spirit but I did not have an experience of it. It all changed when a friend of mine introduced me to the charismatic renewal movement that was sweeping the Zambian Catholic community. This was the time when we the Zambian Church allowed ourselves to get caught up in the movement of the Spirit. I can clearly see now why it made the church leaders nervous but they did a great job in giving guidance to this free praying, dancing and singing group. I so wish you could experience it.

Remember I once said that there is a difference between saying “The Lord is Risen” and “I have seen the Lord?” One is a proclamation of faith and the other an experience. I wish for you an experience of the spirit. Not trusting that God’s Spirit is leading us in a mysterious way but actually feeling that we are being led. Both by the way are valid experiences of faith but the latter for me, has been very powerful.

Today go in your silent prayer and invite the spirit, let yourself be led.

“Come Holy Spirit and renew the face of the earth.”

Wednesday May 14, 2025

John 15:9-17

Jesus said to his disciples:

‘As the Father has loved me,

so I have loved you.

Remain in my love.

If you keep my commandments

you will remain in my love.

I don’t think I ever noticed this but my eye caught it this morning. There may be nothing to it and scripture scholars might say I am reading into the text. However our Lord says “.. If you keep MY commandments…” why not say “..THE Commandments…” Are we talking about other commandments than the ten(10). But why would he call them .. his? Is this part of the high Christology of John showing us that Jesus was there from the very beginning and so God’s commandments are his commandments?

Allow me to think he had other rules for his group which fed into the Decalogue. What would those commandments be? To mention but a few this morning, I would say:

1. Do not be Afraid

2. Turn the other cheek. Understand this one in particular. It does not call you to be a doormat.

3. Do this in memory of me. Taking the bread and wine #eucharist.

4. Love God, love neighbor. Remember the story of the Good Samaritan.

5. Heal the Blind.

We can peruse the scriptures and find his instructions. If you find another please drop it in the comments below. Remember these are not in order of seriousness. They are just instructions that came from his lips.

Tuesday May 13, 2025

John 10:22-30

It was the time when the feast of Dedication was being celebrated in Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was in the Temple walking up and down in the Portico of Solomon. The Jews gathered round him and said, ‘How much longer are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.’ Jesus replied:

‘I have told you, but you do not believe.

The works I do in my Father’s name are my witness;

but you do not believe,

because you are no sheep of mine.

I think it was St Francis of Asisi who said “preach always and when necessary use words.” I have always loved this exhortation. It is a reminder that we preach with the actions of our lives. Those who are ready to listen only have to see and they will believe. There has not been a shortage of books and homilies about our Lord. There has not been a shortage of works of mercy by the believers. I think of the many people who have embraced the call to be missionaries and those here at home who have dedicated their lives to ministry and yet that may not be enough if one is not ready to see, to hear, to believe. Heck Jesus will come back from the dead and the Pharisees will still look for a sign.

How about you? In what ways are you like the Pharisee? What would it take for you to know that you are not alone? I cannot tell you how many miracles I have experienced and yet I am still not absolutely sure sometimes.

Like St Thomas let us pray “Lord I believe, help my unbelief.”

Friday, May 9, 2025

John 6:52-59

This is the bread come down from heaven;

not like the bread our ancestors ate:

they are dead,

but anyone who eats this bread will live for ever.’

When I was in seminary we would remark that there will never ever be an American Pope. Well folks, it is true, never say never!! The Spirit blows where it feels and the “impossible” has happened. What an exciting time to be alive. We pray for the Bishop of Rome,may God who has called him to this mission bring it to fulfillment.

You know we also celebrate another miracle, one we touch everyday but maybe we do not pay it as much attention. The miracle of God becoming bread, God becoming our daily sustenance. In this bread of life series our Lord gives himself to the disciples in the form of Eucharist. I pray today that we find the answers to all our questions when we loin together for the breaking of the bread.

My novice master used to caution us and would say. Don’t bow to the Jesus in the tabernacle and despise the Jesus in your brothers. Namaste!!! Learn Namaste!!!!

Thursday May 8, 2025

John 6:44-50

Jesus said to the crowd:

‘No one can come to me

unless he is drawn by the Father who sent me,

and I will raise him up at the last day.

It is written in the prophets:

They will all be taught by God,

and to hear the teaching of the Father,

and learn from it,

is to come to me.

Think of all the people who were drawn to Jesus during his time until now. He has had quite a character of peoples coming to him and he has the shoulders to carry us all with our differences. Today I just want to remember those who for whatever reason feel self conscious and like they don’t fit in. Listen if you knew half the stories of people in the pew, you would know you are in good company. Someone once told me a long time ago that we all have three lives. The Public life, The private life, The Secret life.

These lives can be very compartmentalized and that helps us on our journeys. But maybe the goal is to make the walls of these lives thinner and thinner until their is just life and what it brings.

Monday May 5, 2025

John 6:22-29

After Jesus had fed the five thousand, his disciples saw him walking on the water.

I love reading these stories of the power of God striking all over the ancient near east. One minute Jesus is feeding five thousand people and the next minute he is walking on water. I stand as one of those who has been fed quite abundantly by the good Lord. I always remind myself of where and how I grew up. We literally were fed by the Lord. It may not have seemed like that at the time, but looking back I am filled with gratitude. In the Lord’s Prayer we say “from the earth, give us today and tomorrow our daily sustenance…” May we see everything we have as gift.

Let’s get to the walking on water part. Have you ever done that? The sea is meant to symbolize the unknown, dangerous, unpredictable world. A world that has its own mind and will swallow you up and spit you out without any reason. This is the world which Jesus terms and invites us to do the same. But we need tools to do this, don’t we? I have found that daily meditation, yoga, Holy Mass, prayer, family these are some of the things I relay on to help me walk on water. You and I will do well to remember that nothing is guaranteed when we walk on water! Keep the faith my friend!!!

Wednesday April 30, 2025

John 3:16-21

Jesus said to Nicodemus:

‘God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son,

so that everyone who believes in him may not be lost

but may have eternal life.

For God sent his Son into the world

not to condemn the world,

but so that through him the world might be saved.

Well here is the good news:God is working overtime to Save not condemn. Somehow I thought his natural inclination was to condemn. I was led to believe that a good Christian, indeed a good Catholic is one who punctuates his life with Penance. We actually had a guy who was sent away from seminary because he was always happy and cracking jokes. He was considered not serious enough. Frankly he pushed the limits too but you were almost guaranteed a good laughing time when Michael Maganga was around. We, the seminarians, very quickly got the message. Look sad and miserable and they (The Priests in seminary) will consider you holy and serious.

Did you know Pope Francis asked the major seminaries why they were producing little monsters as priests. He seriously was concerned that the younger priests were little monsters terrorizing the people of God who are simply trying to get by. Not all the young priests of course but enough to concern the Pope.

Anyway back to the message: Jesus is saying to Nicodemus that if only the scribes and Pharisees could see that he is not the enemy here. There was so much opposition to Jesus and the whole place was so toxic that they eventually killed in the name of God. Meet the good in people and you will most likely lead them to God. But if you always condemn, well it either drives them away or you create holy monsters. I can’t stand the latter.

Tuesday April 29, 2025

John 3:7-11

Jesus said to Nicodemus:

‘Do not be surprised when I say:

You must be born from above.

The wind blows wherever it pleases;

you hear its sound,

but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going.

That is how it is with all who are born of the Spirit.’

Are you born again? That question used to make me very uncomfortable as a young Catholic boy. I just did not know how to answer it. I would point to my baptism but it was not enough for the born again Christians. They would fire back “But have you accepted Jesus as your personal Lord and Saviour?” Ahhhh yes … maybe… I don’t know. Listen I go to church, I don’t hang out with weed smoking boys and I am in seminary. These are good indicators that we are good here.

I still don’t like that question. So what is our Lord talking about here. Well I think he is asking Nicodemus to be open to change in his life. As you grow things change and you change. There is no way I could understand then what I understand now. Now I understand myself as a spiritual being having an earth experience. This earth experience is but a moment of my life. I am part of the Church Pilgrim and someday I will no longer be here and will join the Church Triumphant! Am I born again… I am constantly being born into who God wants me and sometimes this birthing process sucks and many times it is a joy.

Incidentally Mary Ann is cleaning out Grayson’s bedroom since we have a teenager now and we found a book we used to read to him. The title made me stop and I teared up as I was flooded with emotions “Oh the places you will go” by Dr Seuss.