DIOCESE OF MUTARE MUSIC COURSE 20-25 APRIL 2014
Theme - Ndakaitwa muparidzi , munyai nomudzidzisi (I have been made herald, apostle and teacher) 2 Timothy 1:11 ST. JOSEPH MISSION SAKUBVA Check in : 20 April 2014 We await with joy, the visitation by you ,our esteemed brothers and sisters to this faith shaping event. This music course is in support of the universal church's theme of evangelisation. We come to pray and pray.....yes to pray
St MARY'S NEW HIGHFIELD HOSTING “MINI MUSIC COURSES” Archdiocese of Harare Composers Association is conducting mini music courses every fortnight at St Mary's New Higfield. The purpose of the music sessions is to help each other learn the catholic hymns particularly those that are relevant for lent and Easter. “The music courses are done free of charge and we are encouraging people to come in their numbers so that singing in some of the parishes will not be different especially on seasonal songs” said Mr Muchenu, a music composer from the archdiocese of Harare.
i)Songs are now in place ii)Accommodation and Registration systems are in place iii)Information , publicity , copyrighting is in place The next ‘mini course” is on the 6th of iv) Health and Hygiene is taken care April 2014 and all choirs are expected of to be there. v) Food and Catering have an appetite for service vi) Security is tight vii) Liturgy is in order.
St Patricks’ Catholic Church Glen Norah Bulletin St Patrick
6 April 2014: 5th SUNDAY OF LENT. 3rd Scrutiny of the Elect. Ez 37: 12-14 Ps130: 1-2. 3-4. 5-6. 7-8 Rom 8: 8-11 Jn 11: 1-45 Reflection on the death and resurrection of Jesus in the Holy Week leading to our own death with the hope of resurrection is the central theme of the Scripture readings for the fifth Sunday of Lent. Scripture lessons: Ezekiel, in the first reading, bears witness in his vision to the reanimation of the dead Israel in preparation for her return to the Promised Land. The Lord God assures His people that nothing, not even death will stop Him from carrying out His promise. In the second reading, St. Paul assures the early Roman Christians who were facing death by persecution and us who are surrounded by a culture of death, that the same Spirit Who raised Jesus from the dead and Who dwells within us will give life to our mortal bodies. Paul considers the Resurrection of Jesus the basis for our hope of sharing in it after our own death. For John, in today's Gospel, the raising of Lazarus is the final and greatest sign of Jesus, the Deliverer, a symbolic narrative of His victory over death at the cost of His own life and a sign anticipating His Resurrection. Describing this great miracle, the Church assures us that we, too, will be raised into eternal life after our battle with sin and death in this world. Thus, resurrection hope is the central theme of the Scripture readings for the fifth Sunday of Lent. The readings assure us that our faith in Jesus, Who is “the resurrection and the life,” promises our participation in resurrection and new life.
TSAMBA YAARCHBISHOP WEHARARE YE LENT 2014 “Remekedza munhu akwegura.” (Revitiko 19:32)
The touch of human sentiments: The moving story of sorrow and faith: While the miracle of raising Lazarus from grave shows Jesus' divine power over death itself, it also shows Him as a wonderfully sensitive human being. His love for Lazarus and his sisters is palpable. Martha's and Mary's complaint that Jesus' presence would have averted Lazarus' death shows us how real their friendship was. So do Jesus' tears. He feels the pain of Mary and Martha. He feels the anguish that death brings. He feels the pain for those who refused to believe. Today he weeps for those caught up in war and famine. He weeps for children lying in hospitals with serious medical problems. He weeps for those who feel unwanted, unloved and useless. He weeps with each of us and feels the pain and anguish that we feel. The story also represents the best of that special human quality in Jesus of openly expressing real feelings. The fact is that God is Good – and not because everything in life is smooth sailing. He's Good because He IS Goodness. That is why He comes with us into the valleys of despair, why He climbs the difficult and slippery slopes with us, why He feels the highs and lows that we feel and, when we feel as if we can't go any further, why He carries us. Hurt and pain will always be close by during our life on this earth, but we can be certain that God doesn't leave us to endure these alone. Bad things may be happening in our life right now, but somehow God is in this with us. He promises that we won't be tested beyond what we can endure and that He will bring us through it. Let us pray that He will help us to be strong and that His glory may be seen in the way that He helps us through the hard time ahead.
John's Gospel begins with a wedding and closes with a funeral. There are four primary characters in this story: Jesus, Martha, Mary, and Lazarus. Martha, Mary and Lazarus were good friends of Jesus. John tells us that Jesus “loved” them. The funeral rituals of Jesus' day were obviously different from ours. When somebody died, there was no embalming. Instead, the body was wrapped in linen and, before sunset on the day of death, was put into the burial vault -- a cave carved into limestone rock – often with myrrh, frankincense and perfumes. Then there was intense mourning for seven days followed by a less intense mourning period of twenty-three days. Lazarus' sisters had sent word to Jesus that their brother Lazarus was ill and perhaps would soon die. On receiving the message, Jesus waited two days so that the will of God might be demonstrated and that God might be glorified by His Son through a major miracle. At last, Jesus went to the house of Lazarus, knowing very well that His friend had died. On his arrival, Jesus pacified Martha with one of the most treasured of His teachings which brings great consolation at funeral service, “I am the Resurrection and the Life. Whoever lives and believes in me will never die.” Jesus offers “eternal life,” which begins with Faith now and lasts forever in its fullness. Then He asked one of the most important questions found in the Bible, “Do you believe this, Martha?” Martha answered, “I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the One Who is coming into the world.” Martha pronounced her confession of faith as a response to Jesus Who had revealed Himself as the Resurrection and the Life. Her faith did not depend upon seeing her brother raised from the dead. Proof begets knowledge and confirms faith; faith does not rest on proof. As John writes this story for his persecuted early Christian community, Martha represents that grieving community in asking the perennial question: "If Jesus gave us eternal life, why are believers still dying?" John's story offers a challenging response and offers us all those words that bring such consolation at funeral services: “I am the Resurrection and the Life; whoever believes in Me even if he [or she] die, will live, and everyone who believes in Me will never die.”
Life Messages: 1: “Roll away the stone, unbind him and let him go.” There are so many dark areas in our private life. We often bind ourselves with chains of addiction to alcohol, drugs, sexual deviations, slander, gossip, envy, prejudices, hatred or uncontrollable anger and bury ourselves in the tombs of despair. Sometimes we are in the tomb of selfishness, filled with negative feelings such as worry, fear, resentment, hatred, and guilt. Jesus asks us today to seek His help and that of the community around us to loosen those chains and come out of tombs of our own creation. Is there an area of life where hope is gone? Why should we not invite Jesus to visit this area? If we want Jesus to visit our dark dungeons of sin, despair and unhappiness, let us ask Jesus during this Holy Mass to bring the light and the power of His Holy Spirit into our private life and liberate us from our tombs. Are there times when we refuse to let God enter into our wallets, fearing that faithful tithing will endanger our savings? When we receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation, Jesus will call our name and command, "Come out!” Jesus calls each of us by name to come out of our graves and to help others to do the same. “Lazarus, come out! Mary, come out! Jim and Joe, Kathy and Lisa, come out!” This is particularly good news to someone who is addicted, whether to a chemical substance or to unsavory habits. “Lazarus, come out!” This is good news for the person who has lived an empty, meaningless life, “Lazarus, come out!” This is good news for the tired, the hurting, the person at his or her wit's end. “Lazarus, come out!” This is good news for all of us, “Lazarus, come out!” This can be the beginning of a new life. 2) We need to be ready to welcome death any time. We live in a world that is filled with death. We kill each other in acts of murder, abortion, euthanasia, execution, war and terrorist activities. We kill ourselves through suicide, drug and alcohol abuse, smoking, overwork, stress, bad eating habits, and physical neglect. We watch calmly as others die from poverty, hunger and malnutrition, homelessness, unemployment, poor education, disease, child abuse, arms proliferation, discrimination, pollution, and destruction of the environment. The most important question is: am I ready to face my death? A strange question and its truthful answer are found in the sacred scriptures of the Hindus. “What is the greatest wonder in the world?” The answer is: “All of us know that we will surely die, but each of us foolishly thinks that he or she will not die any time in the near future." Let us not be foolish; let us be wise, well-prepared and ever ready to meet our Lord with a clear conscience when the time comes.