‘The rich man replied, “Father, I beg you then to send Lazarus to my father’s house, since I have five brothers, to give them warning so that they do not come to this place of torment too.” “They have Moses and the prophets”, said Abraham “let them listen to them.” “Ah no, Father Abraham”, said the rich man “but if someone comes to them from the dead, they will repent.” Then Abraham said to him, “If they will not listen either to Moses or to the prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone should rise from the dead.”’…
Tool 55 of 104 is to act with integrity
‘No servant can be the slave of two masters: he will either hate the first and love the second or treat the first with respect and the second with scorn. You cannot be the slave both of God and of money’, Luke 16:13 What is your profession? Why did you choose it? Growing up with grandpa helped me experience first hand the elusiveness of money. Money was so scarce that earning it came after so much hard work. With hindsight, such experience helped us to become competitive as I am able to focus on the issues at hand without quitting.…
An act of kindness or a missed opportunity to lead
A story of a benevolent Nigerian is making rounds on the Internet. Following increasing high levels of violence against Africans living in South Africa by black South Africans, a rich Nigerian, invested over Nairas 280,000,000 (or US $772,413) to airlift fellow Nigerians still stuck in South Africa and exposed to attacks. Much as this act is timely and well-intended, we could be missing a point. As many others have explained, what is happening in South Africa is an indicator of society at crossroads. There is misinformation and to some extent, lack of leadership to address the rifts and economic gaps…
Tool 54 of 104 is to learn so as to be empowered
“‘And indeed, which of you here, intending to build a tower, would not first sit down and work out the cost to see if he had enough to complete it?- Luke 14:28” What is your early childhood experience that has influenced your work ethic and values? If you are a regular reader of this column, you already know that I was greatly influenced by mom and my Grandpa, Mzee Atanansi Komunjara, a staunch Catholic who even had a dedicated seat in our village church. He was so regular and an early riser that he always sat on the same spot…
Tool 53 of 104 is to know your role in the journey
What exactly is your role in the journey to the next 50 years? What kind of Church do you envision and what will be your contribution starting today? Dear Parishioner, On 16th September 2019, Our Lady of Africa Mbuya Parish celebrated a Golden Jubilee to mark 50 years since its founding. What a great milestone! As I sat in church with the rest of you, on that Saturday morning, I reflected on the opportunity and privilege to be part of the history of our Church. So many people attended the sacrifice of mass that was led by His Grace,…
Tool 52 of 104 is to anticipate and pass the life exam
“You may cheat your way out in school exams. You may take lifts instead of walking the stairs. You may cheat and do away with it. However, when it comes to the ultimate life exam, there is no shortcut. No lift. You must take the staircase.” Life is so tough that no one ever leaves it alive. That is the ultimate exam: how will you be judged after you die? Will you be judged harshly in your afterlife? Will your soul truly rest in peace or it could continue hovering for unfinished business in which case it becomes restless? In…
