Wednesday March 19, 2025

Matthew 1:16,18-21,24

Feast Day of St. Joseph

Jacob was the father of Joseph the husband of Mary; of her was born Jesus who is called Christ

If you want to experience the spirit of St Joseph, you should visit the small little church in Raywick, Kentucky. It is not really small but this church was closed down by the archdiocese many years ago but it refused to close. I mean it has very quietly stayed alive and kept the community engaged. The Spirit of St Joseph is alive in the people of this beautiful village and without much support from the archdiocese they have kept the church alive. For what is church but an engaged community that believes in Christ.

Today I invite you to look for the quiet supporters in your life. People who work to the bone but always want to stay in the shadows. Thank you for being like St Joseph. Thank you for your quiet support.

Tuesday March 18, 2025

Matthew 24:1-12

Addressing the people and his disciples Jesus said, ‘The scribes and the Pharisees occupy the chair of Moses. You must therefore do what they tell you and listen to what they say; but do not be guided by what they do: since they do not practise what they preach.

How many think our Lord had a problem with organized religion? Well maybe that is unfair. The institution is important and very much needed. I actually think our Lord loved it and was looking for ways to redirect it to its main purpose. I had a teacher in seminary who told us that Jesus never intended to start a church. That he sought to renew his religion. This Jesuit priest went on to say that Jesus was never a Christian. Scandalous absolutely scandalous.

Anyway back to the teaching. I have to look into my life and find out how I am not living out my faith. Not so long ago I began a homily by asking how many hypocrites we had in church. A few raised their hands and I was so pleased they did. Truth be told we all struggle to narrow the gap between our faith and our lived experience. This Lenten season through our prayer, fasting and alms giving may be truly become what we profess. Hey and if you are struggling with this, I want you to know that I am proud of you. It shows that you are a working progress.

Love you

Friday March 14, 2025

Matthew 5:20-26

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘If your virtue goes no deeper than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven.

Most of the scribes and Pharisees were good people who preserved the law and prophets. But they were a few who made a mockery of religion. These drove Jesus bananas. These were the few and very loud ones who had reduced religion into rules which they themselves could not keep. They became an obstacle to Grace. They had some good in them because even a dead clock is right two times a day but boy did they bring chaos and misery to the people of God.

Today I want you to think of how you in your own little corner can bring compassion and understanding to religion. Go deeper!!! I have always said that I love a God with broad shoulders who can take my not so always religious self. The people at Rabbouni have loved me through difficult times (sometimes self inflicted).

My prayer always is that we do not become a church of the insiders and outsiders. A church that does not walk the talk. So find ways today to go deeper in your compassion, in your forgiveness, in your understanding of human weakness.

On another note, join us this coming Sunday for our 16 anniversary redo. We will have a meal after mass to visit and celebrate 16 miraculous years. I cannot wait to see you. You might like us.

Thursday March 13, 2025

Matthew 7:7-12

Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.

Most of us are terrible at asking. This is a good thing by the way. We are terrible at asking for help because we have been raised in a “can do it” culture. I love people who put in the effort to getting what they want. Please do not ever stop that. However, we cannot do it all by ourselves and when we have put in the best effort adding a little divine assistance is always good.

There are also spiritual needs in our lives which when they are not fulfilled will leave us empty and broken despite our “material success.” So ask for the spiritual fulfillment from God.

Today I just want you to identify what is missing in your life? Is there peace? Is there hurt? Have the humility to simply ask. God help me.

Monday March 10, 2025

Matthew 25:31-46

Then the King will say to those on his right hand, “Come, you whom my Father has blessed, take for your heritage the kingdom prepared for you since the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food;

I hope you are having a great first week of lent. If I may ask, what did you give up? This is a holy time not only for us who observe lent but also for our Muslim friends who observe Ramadan. We are all wanting to turn our hearts to God. So what did you give up?

I was shocked when I read the instructions on fasting. As a young seminarian I thought God enjoyed seeing me hungry during this period. Obviously that is a sick image of God but it is one I had. The instructions on fasting state that “at the end of the fasting, you should count how much money you saved and give it to the poor..” Fasting is not an end to itself and no God does not want us to be miserable. God wants us to find him hidden in those less fortunate. In this beautiful passage Jesus says God is hidden in the hungry, the unclothed, the prisoners…

So if you can bring some dignity to those whom society has thrown away, that would bring you closer to God.

Love you

Fr. Chibundi

Ash Wednesday March 5, 2025

Matthew 6:1-18

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Be careful not to parade your good deeds before men to attract their notice; by doing this you will lose all reward from your Father in heaven.

Today we begin the long journey to Easter by marking ourselves with Ashes. This is a reminder of our mortality and an invitation to focus on what is really important. Our number one call in this life is to align our lives with the Will of God. Ask yourself this important question today. Where am I going? Am I going towards God or away from God? What are the little things I can do to align myself with God’s call on my life?

The church puts before us the disciplines of Fasting, Prayer and Alms giving. I have added a fourth discipline for Rabbouni: RECONCILIATION. Take this time to mend a broken relationship. I know it is difficult. It may even seem unfair that yet again you are being asked to be the bigger person when it was you who was deliberately hurt by another. Make little steps to reconciliation. You will be a better person for it.

Love you

Fr Chibundi

Tuesday February 4, 2025

Mark 10:28-31

At that time Peter began to tell Jesus, ‘What about us? We have left everything and followed you.’

Is St. Peter asking for a security guarantee? You can sense the tension in this question from him. Following the Lord has not been plain sailing, in fact it feels like a miscalculation.

Most of us have asked ourselves a form of that question. What am I doing here? I have nothing to show for all the work?

I certainly do not have all the answers to these questions but I want to believe that everything we do will have some meaning. Peter and the disciples are better people today because of the journey they are on. So do not look for results but believe that it will pay off. The disciples had a tragic end but they changed the world.

You know… I still dream of having our own church building in my lifetime but in the meantime I will enjoy this beautiful community we have. Stay encouraged on your journey my friend. Sometimes it takes a long time to see the results.

Friday February 28, 2025

Mark 10:1-12

Jesus came to the district of Judaea and the far side of the Jordan. And again crowds gathered round him, and again he taught them, as his custom was. Some Pharisees approached him and asked, ‘Is it against the law for a man to divorce his wife?’

They asked the wrong question. The right question is … is it lawful for a wife to divorce her husband? I kid. But I heard that over 60% of divorces these days are initiated by women. Yes things have changed. What is the teaching here when we take the historical context.

When you come to Zambia or Zimbabwe you will notice that polygamy is not a dirty word. In fact it can be seen as a sign of wealth. People with great wealth have several spouses and a ton of children. Everything is property…..sadly sometimes.

Women at this time in history and in my own time growing up in the motherland were dispensable. What our Lord says is “do not treat others as property, they have intrinsic value. This goes for both men and women and yes children too.

This was so tough a teaching that the disciples asked for clarification later on. They rarely did that. So today we check ourselves and ask. Am I the kind of person who ‘uses’ others? If so, I need to change that. Everyone has value

Thursday, February 27, 2025

Mark 9:41-50

Jesus said to his disciples:

‘If anyone gives you a cup of water to drink just because you belong to Christ, then I tell you solemnly, he will most certainly not lose his reward.

After 2000 years of evangelization we think this is an easy ask that Our Lord is asking of the world. But remember, the word Christian has changed. It was not always popular. Some would argue that it was a curse word. One that would bring the pain of death. The members of “the way” were a destabilizing group.

Here is a question that has been put to me. If you were arrested for being Christian Fr Chibundi, would they find enough evidence to convict you? Do you and I blend in too much that we don’t matter?

St. Francis said it beautifully “Preach always and when necessary use words.”

Love you

Monday February 24, 2025

Mark 9:14-29

When Jesus, with Peter, James and John came down from the mountain and rejoined the disciples, they saw a large crowd round them and some scribes arguing with them.

Now this is one of those passages that I ask you to read in full. The large crowd was arguing with the disciples because the disciples had failed to drive out a demon. Our Lord comes and he takes over the situation healing the young man. At the end of this passage, the disciples ask Our Lord “why were we not able to cast the demon out?” His response was “This kind can only be driven out by prayer.”

Let that sink in. What in the world were the disciples doing? What are we doing when faced with a demon in our own lives? Sometimes in church we do everything else except the one important thing—- PRAY. We can be busy bodies doing other important things that need to be done but we have to remember that church is about fostering the space for prayer.

So have you prayed about your situation or have you just talked about it or built programs around it? May we remember this instruction from Our Lord. PRAY!!!

Wednesday February 19, 2025

Mark 8:22-26

Jesus and his disciples came to Bethsaida, and some people brought to him a blind man whom they begged him to touch. He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village.

Have you noticed that Our Lord has a unique way of healing. Yes sometimes he heals you on the spot but other times he takes someone away from the noise. Remember how he healed Jairus’ daughter? He cleared the room. Today he takes this man away from the very people who brought him. For some people, no healing will happen if they keep the same company. Get away from negative people!!! In fact RUN, separate yourself so you can see clearly.

Think about this. If one struggles with alcoholism and wants to quit but keeps hanging around heavy drinkers it just does not help. Find new company!!

Do you need to go away so you can see clearly? I know that sometimes this is almost impossible but you may owe it to yourself.

Much love

Fr Chibundi

Tuesday February 18, 2024

Mark 8:14-21

The disciples had forgotten to take any food and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. Then he gave them this warning, ‘Keep your eyes open; be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod.’ And they said to one another, ‘It is because we have no bread

Oh he must have been in a terrible mood and this was the last straw. It felt like he was leading a bunch of children.

You should be a fly in our car when we are about to leave for a vacation or when we are heading anywhere. Whenever Mary Ann says let’s go, Grayson and I go to the car and we are waiting on her. She gets in sometimes in a mood and it starts. Did anyone let the dog out? Did you all switch off the lights? Did anyone grab the pool bag? Did you do this and that? There is a whole lot that has to be done before “let’s go people.”

The disciples had one job and it felt like Jesus had to do everything. How can you be better prepared for the journey of faith. Now I know this is a misreading of this passage but I had to be creative. The real teaching is below.

Yes they forgot about the bread but they had the one bread of life in the boat, Jesus. With him in the boat, there hungers will be filled just like he fed the five thousand. It would be nice though if he did not have to do everything for them.

Love you

Fr Chibundi

I am still mad we did not get to have our 16 anniversary

Friday February 14, 2025

Mark 7:31-37

BE OPENED!!!

Returning from the district of Tyre, Jesus went by way of Sidon towards the Sea of Galilee, right through the Decapolis region. And they brought him a deaf man who had an impediment in his speech; and they asked him to lay his hand on him. He took him aside in private, away from the crowd, put his fingers into the man’s ears and touched his tongue with spittle.

Happy Valentine’s Day to you my beautiful people. I am so blessed to have an incredibly loving and forgiving tribe like you.

Hey what are you deaf to? What don’t you hear that would be helpful to hear loud and clear? We often talk about our blind spots but maybe there is deaf spots too. Maybe there are things we would have loved to hear from our parents when we were children. Maybe because we did not hear those things, it makes it a little difficult for us to speak the same things today.

On this day of love, place your hands on your chest, close your eyes and say those beautiful words to yourself. And then let something happen to you. Yes give yourself to Spirit and let Spirit open you to a new hearing. It may also be a time to forgive and let go.

Love you

Thursday February 13, 2025

Mark 7:24-30

Jesus left Gennesaret and set out for the territory of Tyre. There he went into a house and did not want anyone to know he was there, but he could not pass unrecognised. A woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit heard about him straightaway and came and fell at his feet. Now the woman was a pagan…

This is one of those difficult passages to read. You would wish the gospel writers would have edited it to make Jesus look “kinder.” Our Lords response to the poor lady was “ it is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the house-dogs.” That was tough to hear.

The woman was not offended though. She asked for the scraps. I like her wittiness. I like that she did not run off offended. She was there for a bigger purpose, her daughter. She knew she was not worthy of the Lord’s kindness, hake she was a pagan but she still knelt and begged for a healing. Thank you lady for teaching us the right posture when we pray.

Secondly our Lord also shows here that God sees no religion. Even pagans are blessed. This is breaking new grounds.

Many years ago as a young priest I often asked people if they were members of my parish before I could help. That should not even matter really. Ministry should know no boundaries.

Love you

Monday February 10, 2025

Mark 6:53-56

Having made the crossing, Jesus and his disciples came to land at Gennesaret and tied up. No sooner had they stepped out of the boat than people recognized him, and started hurrying all through the countryside and brought the sick on stretchers to wherever they heard he was. And wherever he went, to village, or town, or farm, they laid down the sick in the open spaces, begging him to let them touch even the fringe of his cloak. And all those who touched him were cured.

Pay attention whenever our Lord disembarks from a boat. It is usually followed by a great miracle. It seems like he is fond of getting in the boat or going to a lonely place to recharge. We all need those places or those people who revive us. Sunday Mass could be our boat moment, maybe Sunday family dinner could be what revives us, maybe a drive to the countryside. I want you to identify a place where you know you can meet a God who fills you up again. Oh how i wish we had a church building of our own. I remember going into church many times to sit before the blessed sacrament. Something happened to my soul with every visit. This is your moment to close your eyes and say “Lord use me accordingly to your will today”.

Friday February 7, 2025

Mark 6:14-29

King Herod had heard about Jesus, since by now his name was well known. Some were saying, ‘John the Baptist has risen from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him.’ Others said, ‘He is Elijah’; others again, ‘He is a prophet, like the prophets we used to have.’ But when Herod heard this he said, ‘It is John whose head I cut off; he has risen from the dead.’

Have you ever prayed with the scriptures? It is a beautiful practice. You read the passage several times and allow it to open up. You can even go a step further and become every person in the story.

I like being Jesus in this narrative. I like to be the one through whom God’s power is striking the land. In fact we are all called to stir up goodness around us. It is not as comfortable being Herold. But I have to go there in my prayer and find times when I have tried to block God’s grace. Yes sometimes I have not been easy to work with.

Remember the beauty of Christianity is not that we become experts at catching and identifying the sin of others. We have to catch ourselves and be able to stop ourselves from being stumbling blocks.

May God bless us all.

Wednesday January 5, 2025

Mark 6:1-6

Jesus went to his home town and his disciples accompanied him. With the coming of the sabbath he began teaching in the synagogue and most of them were astonished when they heard him. They said, ‘Where did the man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been granted him, and these miracles that are worked through him? This is the carpenter, surely, the son of Mary, the brother of James and Joset and Jude and Simon? His sisters, too, are they not here with us?

Let’s get right to it: There are a few people in life who will always hold you hostage to what you used to be. Heck there are moments in your own life when you yourself cannot let go of who you used to be. One way of dealing with it is to make the past part of your present, to embrace and grow from it. I think Jesus connected with people because he might have spoken God’s word in carpenter language. He connected with people unlike the Pharisees and scribes.

You know I worked so hard to lose the accent, I wanted to fit in but every time I opened my mouth to speak I would be asked where I am from. At some point I embraced it and leaned into it.. So look again at your upbringing, see it as a gift.

On the other hand, give yourself the gift of growth. You can become so much more.

Now to the fun part. This passage is a problem for Catholics. St Mark says Jesus had brothers and he names them. This was not an issue. Good Catholics say they were his cousins, or half brothers. Do what you want with this information but for me, mother Mary does not become less holy because she had other children. In fact she becomes even holier. Imagine the patience that one has to have to raise a number of children. I only have one child and he gives me a full plate of challenges. I am going straight to heaven because of him.

Tuesday January 4, 2025

Mark 5:21-41

TALITHA KUM

When Jesus had crossed in the boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered round him and he stayed by the lakeside. Then one of the synagogue officials came up, Jairus by name, and seeing him, fell at his feet and pleaded with him earnestly, saying, ‘My little daughter is desperately sick. Do come and lay your hands on her to make her better and save her life.’ Jesus went with him and a large crowd followed him; they were pressing all round him.

I want you to pay attention whenever St Mark puts Jesus in a boat. Something big is about to happen. For this passage we have two major miracles. The healing of the bleeding woman and the restoring to life of a little girl.

I actually like what I did there, instead of saying raising to life of a dead girl, I used restore. There is still some life in her in you that needs to be revived. See what Jesus does in this miracle. He sends everyone out of the room except those who want the little girl restored. Maybe for our healing to fully occur, we need to send some people out the door. I know we are trying to grow a church here and we cannot afford to lose anyone. However be careful who you have up close. Do they breathe life in you or cry you to death? With those who wished her life left in the room, Jesus said “Talitha Kim” little girl get up. He then asked that she be fed, take it easy before she re-engages with the world. Do that for yourself.

Fr Chibundi

Friday January 31, 2025

Mark 4:26-34

He also said, ‘What can we say the kingdom of God is like? What parable can we find for it? It is like a mustard seed which at the time of its sowing in the soil is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; yet once it is sown it grows into the biggest shrub of them all and puts out big branches so that the birds of the air can shelter in its shade.’

What is the big idea here? What is the good news? Well, he cheapens the Kingdom of God. He speaks of it as if it were a common thing. That is the problem.

See people at this time would have been impressed if he had said that the Kingdom of God is like a Lebanon Cedar. Now that is impressive!! The Lebanon cedar is majestic and frankly … rare! There is value in that which is rare. Enter Jesus and he says “no the kingdom of God is so common and can even be found in the Tavern.” There is really nothing special about the mustard tree or bush. It is actually an annoying bush that is hard to kill. It is a bush that is everywhere!!!

Think about this one and pray about it. What changes in your mind when the son of man says the Kingdom is everywhere. It is not that rare.

Fr Chibundi

Thursday January 30, 2025

Mark 4:21-25

SHINE SHINE SHINE

Jesus said to the crowd, ‘Would you bring in a lamp to put it under a tub or under the bed? Surely you will put it on the lamp-stand?

Immediately my heart begins to sing my favorite childhood song “this little light of mine.”

I think we all know that we are light, that we are energy. Today for a brief moment I want to go to a time and place when my light did not shine so bright. The first time I felt that in a significant way was when as a teenager my daddy died. That knocked the wind out!! But also our little village had a way of coming together to keep my family’s light alive. They protected us.

In a very weird way I feel that our light will not shine unless we have either passed through some dark moments or we have felt what it truly feels like to lose our light.

Later on in life I was to experience some challenging times. Some brought on by my own foolishness and others by virtue of being alive. Our lord today says “remember you are light!!!” God wants us to shine. Listen I live in the real world now and I know all too well that it is challenging to keep the flame. Remember though my friend, stop apologizing for being human. In fact celebrate the challenges because then you will notice your beautiful light.

Fr Chibundi