The Parish of Christ Church/Iglesia de San Juan

African Thanksgiving Harvest 2012

Posted on December 1, 2012 by mporche

African Thanksgiving Harvest Sunday, November 25, 2012

Thanks to everyone who made this fundraiser such a success!

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The Ethics of Radical Neighborism

Posted on October 12, 2012 by dpbsmith

Father John Kaoma, Oct. 12, 2012

The ethics of radical neighborism is visibly illustrated in the parable of the Good Samaritan. In this parable, an identified man is attacked by robbers and left for dead. While religious people ignored his plight, perspective Samaritan (avowed enemy of the Jews) came to his rescue. The Samaritan did not count the cost, but looked at the other with compassion. Interestingly, the other remains nameless, without status, race or nationality, sexual orientation but is spoken of only as a human being (umuntu). He is attacked by robbers and could not empower himself to get the desired liberation. The radical love of a Samaritan met the needs of the man in need. From an ecological perspective however, this concept should include nonhumans as well.

The attitude of the Good Samaritan is not self-seeking but selfless because to him all life is sacred. Saving life is more valuable than saving money in a capitalistic sense. The attitudes of a Levite and a priest are arguably closer to the values of capitalism. In political terms, their attitudes are similar to politicians who demand millions of dollars from multi-national companies – while children are dying from curable diseases across the world. However, Christianity is about radicalneighborism. This understanding has special implications for the Church in the face of globalization. Our neighbors are all over the globe, human and nonhumans alike. If capitalism demands competition and enjoys profit at the expense of our neighbors, Christian faith demands that we deny ourselves for the sake of saving life (Jn 3:16). To be neighbours, therefore, is to realise that we are each other’s keepers in this sinful world. It means politicians giving up their entitlements for the sake of the other. It also means standing up for the plight of the unemployed and advocating policies that will create wealth for all.

The world should realize that love for the neighbour is more valuable than profits. But to postmodern humanity, radical neighborism fails to make sense. To the economists for example, Jesus’ answers and parables reflect complete ignorance of economic policies and realities. How can we live without property? Or how does he expect people to give up competition and give up all they have for the sake of a stranger? To Jesus, however, relationships and equality are more important than profits. In reality, if all of us lived on the Jesus’ principle of love for God and the neighbour and put God’s creation above profits, we will be “all one, strong and free,” as the Zambian national anthem proudly states. Only then can we accomplish more and make this world a better place for all.

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About John Kaoma

Posted on November 1, 2009 by dpbsmith

(Father John Kaoma maintains a blog with his poems and his reflections at fatherjohnkaoma.blogspot.com).

I remember asking those who sought to share the gospel of Christ with me, “Who created God?” For those believed in the “Big Bang” theory, I had a similar question, “Where did the first gases that caused the big bang come from?” I did not consider myself an atheist neither did I consider myself a Christian until I personally met Jesus Christ. Today, I join millions of Christians in singing Edward Mote’s hymn:

“My Hope is based on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly trust in Jesus’ Name.
On Christ the solid rock I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.
All other ground is sinking sand.

Indeed, “all other ground is sinking sand” for those who seek to know and be known by Christ. I am humbled that Christ called me to serve him as a minister in his Holy Church. My strength comes from his blood and righteousness and from the prayers of my beloved wife Phie, our three lovely daughters, Dorothy, Nattie and Nandi, and all the faithful of Christ Church/ISJ.

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If Bill Gates came through these doors…

Posted on August 16, 2009 by dpbsmith

Christ Church/Iglesia de Christo

Hyde Park

Fr Derrick M. Muwina

1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14, Psalm 111, Ephesians 5:15-20, John 6:51-58

If Bill Gates came through those doors and sat next to you and said, “What do you want me to do for you?” what would you say? How would you react?

I know what I would say, “give me some of your money”

After all in these tough economic times we all want a breather, a couple of thousands will go a long way. Now imagine instead of Bill Gates, God showed up and sat next to you asked the same question, “What would you want me to do for you?”

What would you ask for? Think about it. What would you ask God to do for you? What would you ask for? I know what I would say: A couple of millions dollars in my bank account so I do not have to wake up in the morning to go and work, a huge house in a location of my choosing, a nice expensive leather bound car.

Would you ask the same or perhaps a few more things on top of that?

Would you ask God to erase your debts? Would you ask God to reconcile you to a friend, to heal a sick family member? I am sure we would have many requests for God to grant.

In today’s first reading, we hear how Solomon encountered God and is asked to request for anything. Very lucky man we would say. Solomon had serious challenges before him.

His father David had led Israel with peace and prosperity. Israel had become a kingdom of peace and prosperity because his father David was a good God-fearing leader. David had walked before God in righteousness and uprightness.

When he sinned against God, he did not say after all I am the king I can do anything I want, he fell on his knees and confessed. Such was a king Solomon was succeeding. Solomon was taking on large shoes as we may say and walking in those shoes was not going to be easy. This was Solomon’s first challenge.

In order for Solomon to succeed, he too needed to walk righteously before God.

In fact the book of the Kings were written specially to deliver this point; Kings who obeyed God and led an upright life reined longer and peacefully, those who did walk in God’s ways had trouble and did not survive for long.

The second challenge before Solomon was that he was not the immediate heir to the throne. David had older sons. In fact, it was Bathsheba, the mother, who engineered for Solomon to become king. She went to David and requested that Solomon should be king. Solomon knew that somehow he was not the rightful heir to the throne. Perhaps he had a sense of guilty even.

With these challenges in mind, Solomon asked for what he thought he needed most. He asked God to grant him an understanding mind to govern the people, a mind able to discern between good and evil

He did not ask for the life of his enemies, or those who would oppose his leadership, he asked for a discerning mind.

He got what he had asked for; a discerning mind. In addition, he was granted wealth and honor.

However, God said, “If you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your life”

Simply having a wise mind was not enough. He needed to keep God’s statutes and commandments. We rarely talk about what God required of Solomon.

It was as though God was saying “in addition to a wise mind, I need a faithful heart.” The success of Solomon depended on walking upright before God.

His success did not depend on the size of his army or the size of his territory, but on walking in holiness with his God.

Not all the Wisdom of Solomon, all the splendor of Israel would make Solomon a good leader. Solomon’s leadership had to be anchored on the word of God.

We can ask ourselves this question ‘On whose foundation have we built our work?” Most of us want the glory but not the hard work. we want wise minds but not faithful hearts. We want a good church but not the work that creates a good Church, we want a vibrant church but we are reluctant for godliness and fellowship.

Jesus said, seek ye first the Kingdom of God and all things shall be added unto you. Not seek ye first all things and then the Kingdom of God shall follow you, but seek ye first the Kingdom of God and all things shall follow you.

Just as Solomon knew that without wisdom he would not be a good king, we too know that without Jesus, the bread of life, we cannot have life, we cannot have a successful Church.

At Bible study on Thursday, we concluded that if we had this true life within us we would not have most of the problems that we have with each other.

What do we need most at this time? WE need the bread of life, Jesus, let us feed on him so that we may have life and life in abundance. We may not see Bill Gates enter our doors, but we surely have the Lord of Life with us, asking, ‘what would you have me do for you?’ Come, partake, and have life. Amen.