TWENTY-THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B

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1 Since October 30, Christ the KING Kampala UG PARISH PRIEST Msgr. Gerard Kalumba ASSISTING PRIESTS Msgr. Joseph Mugambe Rev. Fr. John Bosco Ssembatya Rev. Fr. Richard Arthur Muwonge LEAD CATECHIST Evaristo Mary Baguma Sunday, 09th September 2018 When the Lord commanded us to be vigilant, he meant vigilance in both parts of man: in the body, against the tendency to sleep; in the soul, against lethargy and timidity. As Scripture says: Wake up, you just, and I have risen, and am still with you; and again, Do not lose heart. -- St Ephrem TWENTY-THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B The OptionalMemorial of St. Peter Clever, Priest is not celebrated this year CHAIRPERSON LAITY Rogers Semakula SECRETARY LAITY John Baptist Ssemitego PARISH EXEC. SECRETARY Mrs. Euphemia Kiwuwa SUNDAY MASSES 07.00am: Luganda 08.00am: English 09.00am: Luganda 10.00am: English 11.00am: English 12.00pm: English 05.00pm: English (Charismatic) SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION Monday - Friday 07.45am (after 7.00am Mass) 12.15pm (before 01.00pm Mass) 01.45pm (after 1.00pm Mass) Saturday 07.45am (after 7.00am Mass) 05.15pm (before 06.00pm Mass) First Saturday of the Month (dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary) Additional Mass: 09.00am FIRST READING: Isaiah 35:4-7 Then the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy. A reading from the Book of Isaiah Say to those who are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy. For waters shall break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert; the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water. The Word of the LORD DAILY MASSES: Monday to Friday: 06.30am; 07.00am; 01.00pm Saturday: 07.00am; 06.00pm (for Sunday)

2 RESPONSORIAL PSALM: Ps. 146:6c-10 (R. see Isaiah 35:4) R. Come, LORD, and save us. Or: Alleluia. It is the LORD who preserves fidelity forever, Who does justice to those who are oppressed; It is He Who gives bread to the hungry, the LORD Who sets prisoners free. R. It is the LORD opens the eyes of the blind, the LORD Who raises up those who are bowed down; It is the LORD Who loves the just, the LORD Who protects the stranger. R. The LORD upholds the orphan and the widow; but thwarts the path of the wicked. The LORD will reign forever, the God of Sion from age to age. R. SECOND READING: James 2:1-5; Has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be heirs of the kingdom? A reading from the Letter of Saint James My brethren, show no partiality as you hold the faith of our LORD Jesus Christ, the LORD of glory. For if a man with gold rings and in fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, and you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, Have a seat here, please, while you say to the poor man, Stand there, or, Sit at my feet, have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts? Listen, my beloved brethren. Has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which He has promised to those who love Him? The Word of the LORD 2 Remember, Rejoice, Renew

3 GOSPEL ACCLAMATION: Matthew 4:1 V. Alleluia R. Alleluia V. Jesus was preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom, healing every disease and every infirmity among the people. R. Alleluia. Gospel: Mark 7:31-37; He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak. A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Mark At that time: Jesus returned from the region of Tyre, and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, through the region of the Decapolis. And they brought to Him a man who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech; and they begged Him to lay His hand upon him. And taking him aside from the multitude privately, He put His fingers into his ears, and He spat and touched his tongue; and looking up to Heaven, He sighed, and said to him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened. And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. And He charged them to tell no one; but the more He charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, He has done all things well; He even makes the deaf hear and the dumb speak. The Gospel of the LORD. Remember, Rejoice, Renew 3

4 As Isaiah encourages the exiled Israelites in the First Reading to be strong and Msgr. Gerard Kalumba not to fear so are we strengthened by Christ Who has the capacity to do ALL THINGS WELL by removing ALL Our impediment and making us all equal before God. The First Reading is full of images that point to impediments and these are: Blindness, deafness, lameness, muteness and desert land. All these conditions are indicative of impairment. The Israelites who were living in EXILE were impaired, because they were not free and they had been deprived of their homeland. It was like living in a desert where there is scarcity of water and hence little life. So Isaiah is sent to a people with FEARFUL HEARTS: Say to those who are of a fearful heart; BE STRONG, FEAR NOT! Behold your GOD will come to save you? This God will remove all the above impediments and the people will recover their freedom and use their bodies normally. This is to say that the time for the exile was over. So the message of the First Reading links up very well with the Gospel of this Sunday: Christ has done well all things, He has removed 4 Remember, Rejoice, Renew THE PARISH PRIEST S REFLECTION Isaiah 35:4-7 James 2:1-5 Mark 7:31-37 THEME: CHRIST HAS DONE ALL THINGS WELL, HE HAS REMOVED ALL OUR IMPEDIMENTS AND HAS MADE US ALL EQUAL BEFORE GOD. all impediments even those considered to be very challenging. Jesus looked up to Heaven where the source of His authority and power is based and He opened the way for the man to talk and to hear: He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak. The people appraise Him and say that He has done well all things. This activity of Jesus leads to the reflection of St. James in the Second Reading: My brothers and sisters show no partiality as you hold the Faith of our LORD Jesus Christ, the LORD of Glory. The faith in Christ Jesus our LORD, removes the impediments between the RICH and THE POOR, those with authority and those under authority, those with power and those who are weak, those with guns and sticks and those with empty hands. James emphasizes that we should not make distinctions among ourselves and become judges with evil thoughts. We are all, in faith, chosen to be heirs of the Kingdom which Christ promised to those who love Him whether poor or rich, powerful or simple. That is why Jesus started His ministry of preaching by appraising the poor: Blessed are the poor in Spirit, theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. (Mt 5: 3). So whatever, the situation may be. Be strong, fear not! We are equal in dignity before God. Msgr. Gerard Kalumba Christ the King Parish, Kampala

5 Early life: Claver was born in 1580 into a devoutly Catholic and prosperous farming family in the Catalan village of Verdú, Urgell, located in the Province of Lleida, about 54 miles (87 km) from Barcelona. He was born 70 years after King Ferdinand of Spain set the colonial slavery culture into motion by authorizing the purchase of 250 African slaves in Lisbon for his territories in New Spain, an event which was to shape Claver s life. Later, as a student at the University of Barcelona, Claver was noted for his intelligence and piety. After two years of study there, Claver wrote these words in the notebook he kept throughout his life: I must dedicate myself to the service of God until death, on the understanding that I am like a slave. SAINT PETER CLAVER, S.J. (26 June September 1654) was a Catalan Jesuit priest and missionary born in Verdú (Catalonia) who, due to his life and work, became the patron saint of slaves. During the 40 years of his ministry in Colombia it is estimated he personally baptized around 300,000 people. He is also patron saint for seafarers. He is considered a heroic example of what should be the Christian praxis of love and of the exercise of human rights. harsh treatment and living conditions of the black slaves who were brought from Africa. Local natives were considered not physically suited to work in the gold and silver mines and this created a demand for blacks from Angola and Congo. These were bought in West Africa for four crowns a head, or bartered for goods and sold in America for an average two hundred crowns a piece. Others were captured at random, especially able-bodied males and females deemed suitable for labour. Cartagena was a slave-trading hub and 10,000 slaves poured into the port yearly, crossing the Atlantic from West Africa under conditions so foul that an estimated one-third died in transit. Although the slave trade was condemned by Popes Paul III, Urban VIII and later by Pope Pius IX, it was a lucrative business and continued to flourish. In the New World: After he had completed his studies, Claver entered the Society of Jesus in Tarragona at the age of 20. When he had completed the novitiate, he was sent to study philosophy at Palma, Mallorca. Claver after several urges from the porter of the College, now St. Alphonsus Rodriguesz, volunteered for the Spanish colonies and was sent to the Kingdom of the New Granada, where he arrived in the port city of Cartagena in Required to wait six years to be ordained as a priest while he did his theological studies, he lived in Jesuit houses at Tunja and Bogotá. During those preparatory years, he was deeply disturbed by the Claver s predecessor in his eventual lifelong mission, Father Alonso de Sandoval, S.J., was his mentor and inspiration. Sandoval devoted himself to serving the slaves for 40 years before Claver arrived to continue his work. Sandoval attempted to learn about their customs and languages; he was so successful that, when he returned to Seville, he wrote a book in 1627 about the nature, customs, rites and beliefs of the Africans. Sandoval found Claver an apt pupil. When he was solemnly professed in 1622, Claver signed his final profession document in Latin as: Petrus Claver, aethiopum semper servus (Peter Claver, servant of the Ethiopians [i.e. Africans] forever). Remember, Rejoice, Renew 5

6 Ministry to the slaves: Whereas Sandoval had visited the slaves where they worked, Claver preferred to head for the wharf as soon as a slave ship entered the port. Boarding the ship, he entered the filthy and diseased holds to treat and minister to their badly treated, terrified human cargo, who had survived a voyage of several months under horrible conditions. It was difficult to move around on the ships, because the slave traffickers filled them to capacity. The slaves were often told they were being taken to a land where they would be eaten. Claver wore a cloak, which he would lend to anyone in need. A legend arose that whoever wore the cloak received lifetime health and was cured of all disease. After the slaves were herded from the ship and penned in nearby yards to be scrutinized by crowds of buyers, Claver joined them with medicine, food, bread, brandy, lemons and tobacco. With the help of interpreters and pictures which he carried with him, he gave basic instructions. Claver saw the slaves as fellow Christians, encouraging others to do so as well. During the season when slavers were not accustomed to arrive, he traversed the country, visiting plantation after plantation, to give spiritual consolation to the slaves. After Baptisms, he would then follow up on them to ensure that as Christians they received their Christian and civil rights. His mission extended beyond caring for slaves, however. He preached in the city square, to sailors and traders and conducted country missions, returning every spring to visit those he had Baptised, ensuring that they were treated humanely. During these missions, whenever possible he avoided the hospitality of planters and overseers; instead, he would lodge in the slave quarters. Claver s work on behalf of slaves did not prevent him from ministering to the souls of well-to-do members of society, traders and visitors to Cartagena (including Muslims and English Protestants) and condemned criminals, many of whom he spiritually prepared for death; he was also a frequent visitor at the city s hospitals. Through years of unremitting toil and the force of his own unique personality, the slaves situation slowly improved. In time he became a moral force, the Apostle of Cartagena. Illness, and death: In the last years of his life Peter was too ill to leave his room. He lingered for four years, largely forgotten and neglected, physically abused and starved by an ex-slave who had been hired by the Superior of the house to care for him. He never complained about his treatment, accepting it as a just punishment for his sins. He died on 8 September When the people of the city heard of his death, many forced their way into his room to pay their last respects. Such was his reputation for holiness that they stripped away anything to serve as a relic of the saint. The city magistrates, who had previously considered him a nuisance for his persistent advocacy on behalf of the slaves, ordered a public funeral and he was buried with pomp and ceremony. The extent of Claver s ministry, which was prodigious even before considering the astronomical number of people he baptized, came to be realized only after his death. He was canonized in 1888 by Pope Leo XIII, along with the holy Jesuit porter, Alphonsus Rodriguez. In 1896 Pope Leo also declared Claver the patron of missionary work among all African peoples. 6 Remember, Rejoice, Renew

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8 WEEKDAY READINGS Monday 10th September 2018 Ordinary Weekday (Mass of choice): First reading: 1 Corinthians 5:1-8; Responsorial Psalm: Ps. 5:5-7, 12, 17 (R. 9a); Gospel: Luke 6:6-11. Tuesday 11th September 2018 Ordinary Weekday (Mass of choice): First reading: 1 Corinthians 6:1-11; Responsorial Psalm: Ps. 149:1-6a and 9b (R. 4a); Gospel: Luke 6: Wednesday 12th September 2018 Thursday 13th September 2018 Friday 14th September 2018 SAINTS AND READING OF THE WEEK The Most Holy Name of Mary (Mass of the memorial): First reading: 1 Corinthians 7:25-31; Responsorial Psalms: Ps. 45:11-12, 4-17 (R. 11a); Gospel: Luke 6: St. John Chrysostom, bishop and doctor (Mass of the memorial): First Reading: 1 Corinthians 8:1b-7, 11-13; Responsorial Psalm: Ps. 139:1-3, 13-14, (R. 24b); Gospel: Luke 6: THE EXALTATION OF THE HOLY CROSS (Mass of the feast): First Reading: Numbers 21:4b-9; Responsorial Psalm: Ps. 78:1-2, (R. cf. 7b); Second Reading: Philipians 2:6-11; Gospel: John 3: Other Masses are not permitted, except funeral Masses Saturday 15th September 2018 Our LADY of Sorrows (Mass of the memorial): First Reading: Hebrews 5:7-9; Responsorial Psalm: Ps. 31:2-6, 15-16, 20 (R. 16b); Gospel: John 19:25-27, (or: Luke 2:33-35). Vigil Mass of the Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B Sunday 16th September 2018 TWENTY-FOURTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B: First Reading: Isaiah 50:5-9a; Responsorial Psalm: Ps. 116:1-6, 8-9 (R. 9) Second Reading: James 2:14-18; Gospel: Mark 8: Other Masses are not permitted, except funeral Masses The Memorial of Sts. Cornelius, Pope & Cyprian, bishop, martyrs is not celebrated this year Christ the King Parish, Kampala Tel: Plot 3 Colville Street, P. O. Box 2551, Kampala - Uganda info@christthekingkampala.org