Homily Christmas Nativity (Luganda): Katonda azze muffe

 Homily for the Nativity of the Lord 2025

Introduction

Baganda bange, kiki kyetukuza leero ku lunaku lwa Ssekukkulu? Ddala tukuza amazaalibwa ga Yesu engeri gye tukuzaamu amazaalibwa g’omwana mu maka?

Leero tujaguza ekintu ekisingako obuziba era eky’essanyu. Leero tulangirira amazima gano: Katonda azze mu ffe.

Ekyo malayika kye yagamba abasumba nti: “Temutya, mbaleetera amawulire amalungi ag’essanyu lingi, leero omulokozi azaaliddwa ku lwammwe.”

Katonda tasigadde wala mu ggulu. Tayogedde ng’ayita mu babaka bokka. Ye kennyini azze. Ayingidde mu maka gaffe, ebyalo byaffe, entalo zaffe.

Ssekukkulu si mboozi yokka ey’edda. Kye kifo ekikulu eky’okukkiriza kwaffe: Katonda yafuuka omu ku ffe n’asigala naffe.

Scripture and Theology

Eno y’ensonga lwaki Eklezia etuwa okusoma Enjiri ez’enjawulo ku Mmisa za Ssekukkulu ennya. Buli Njiri enyumya emboozi y’emu, naye ng’eva ku ludda olw’enjawulo —ng’abantu mu kyalo nga bannyonnyola ekintu kye kimu ekibaddewo mu ngeri ez’enjawulo. Tebakontana na bannaabwe. Bamaliriza ekifaananyi.

Ka tulabe enjiri ennya.

Evanjiri ya Mariko, wadde nga tesomebwa leero, etuyamba okutegeera ensonga lwaki Yesu yajja. Mariko talina ky’ayogera ku kuzaalibwa kwa Yesu, wabula agenda butereevu mu buweereza bwe obw’olukale ne ku Musaalaba.

Mariko ayagala okutujjukiza nti Yesu yazaalibwa kutulokola. Yesu teyajja kwegomba kwokka ng’omwana eyaakazaalibwa. Yajja okuwaayo obulamu bwe ku lwaffe.

Evanjiri ya Yoanna etubuulira omwana ono y’ani: “Kigambo n’afuuka omuntu, n’abeera mu ffe.” Omwana ono si mutabani wa Maria ne Yozefu yekka. Ye Oyo ebintu byonna mwe byatondebwa —ettaka lyaffe, enkuba yaffe, ebirime byaffe, ebisolo byaffe, omukka gwaffe gwennyini.

Yoana bw’agamba nti “yabeera mu ffe,” kitegeeza Katonda yakola amaka ge mu bantu be. Mu nnimi zaffe, twandigambye nti, “azimbye simba ye mu lugya l’waffe.”

Enjiri ya Matayo etulaga ekika ky’ensi Yesu gye yayingiramu. Matayo y’oyo anyumya ku Herode ne bye yakola abaana ng’agezaako okutta omwana Yesu. Tekyali kya mirembe. Waaliwo okutya. Waaliwo effujjo. Waaliwo okubonaabona. Amaka Amatukuvu galina okudduka. Baafuuka babundabunda e Misiri.

Matayo atuyigiriza kino: Katonda teyalinda okutuusa ng’obulamu bwangu nga tannajja. Yajja mu nsi yaffe nga bweri. Kale amaka bwe gatabuka, ebirime bwe birema, obulwadde bwe bujja, Ssekukkulu etugamba kino: Katonda akyali naffe.

Evanjiri ya Lukka, bangi ku ffe gye tusinga okumanya, etulaga engeri Katonda gye yajja. Yajja mu kasirise. Yajja mu bwetoowaze. Yajja ng’omwana agalamidde ebisolo we birya. Abantu abaasooka okuwulira amawulire amalungi be basumba —abantu abakola n’emikono gyabwe, abantu abamanyi ennaku empanvu n’ekiro ekikooye. Katonda teyatandika na bakabaka. Yatandikira ku bantu ba bulijjo.

Lukka atubuulira amazima gano amangu: Katonda awulira ng’ali waka mu bantu ba bulijjo.

Christian Life

Bwe kiba nti ddala Katonda azze mu ffe, olwo Ssekukkulu erina okukyusa engeri gye tubeera. Omutukuvu Paulo atugamba leero nti: “Ekisa kya Katonda kirabise... okututendeka okubeera mu mbeera ey’obutebenkevu, mu bwenkanya, n’okwewaayo.” Eneema etuyigiriza engeri y’okubeera obulungi.

Ka mpe ebyokulabirako bisatu eby’engeri ennyangu ez’okukola kino.

Ekisooka, Ssekukkulu etuyigiriza nti okukkiriza si busuubuzi. Oluusi tulowooza bwe tuti: Bwe mba nsaba, Katonda alina okuwa omukisa olusuku lwange. Bwe mba mpaayo ekiweebwayo, Katonda alina okukuuma abaana bange. Bwe mba nzija mu Kelezia, Katonda alina okukola kye nsaba. Naye Katonda teyajja kukola busuubusi. Teyajja kola, “mpa, nkuwe.” Yajja okuzimba omukwano.

Lowooza ku bulamu bw’amaka. Ani ayagala owooluganda oba mukwano gwe akyalira nga ayagala ssente oba emmere yokka? Amaka aga nnamaddala n’omukwano ogwa nnamaddala bisigalawo ne bwe kiba nga tewali kya kuwaayo.

Katonda ayagala okwesiga kwaffe, so si kusuubulagana kwaffe. Omwana Yezu azze n’emikono emiggule n’omutima omuggule.

Ekyokubiri, Ssekukkulu eyigiriza obugumiikiriza n’obutebenkevu. Katonda teyajja ng’omusajja ow’amaanyi oba ng’omufuzi omugagga. Yajja ng’omwana omuwere ng’alina okuliisibwa, okusitulibwa n’okukuumibwa.

Yakula mpola, ng’ekirime mu nnimiro. Yalinda emyaka mingi nga tannatandika mulimu gwe. Bajjajjaffe amagezi gano baali bamanyi bulungi. Tokungula lunaku oluvannyuma lw’okusimba. Tolya nsigo zonna ezigendereddwamu sizoni ejja.

Leero abantu bangi baagala ssente ez’amangu, obuwanguzi obw’amangu, n’obulamu obwangu. Naye Ssekukkulu etujjukiza nti: Ekiwangaala kizimbibwa mpola. Katonda atuyigiriza okubeera mu busobozi bwaffe, okubeera abagumiikiriza.

Ekyokusatu, Ssekukkulu etuyigiriza okukuuma ebigambo byaffe. Yesu ye Kigambo ekyafuulibwa omubiri. Ebigambo bisobola okuwonya. Ebigambo nabyo bisobola okuvuma. Mu byalo byaffe, ebigambo bitambula mangu —ku luzzi, ku katale, ku mabbali g’ekkubo. Obulimba busobola okusaanyaawo amaka. N’emboozi entuufu, eyogerwa mu butafaayo, esobola okuswaza n’eyawukana. Matayo atulaga engeri okutya n’olugambo gye byaleeta okubonaabona.

Nga tetunnaba kwogera, tusaanidde okubuuza:

• Kyenjogera, kituufu?

• Kyenjogera, kya bwenkanya?

• Kyenjogera, kyetaagisa?

• Kyenjogera, kinaaleeta emirembe?

Ssekukkulu etujjukiza nti Katonda abeera mu bantu be. Bwe tulumya abalala n’ebigambo byaffe, twerabira nti Emmanuel aliwo.

Conclusion

Baganda bange, Ssekukkulu etubuulira amazima gamu amangu: Katonda azze mu ffe.

•       Azze mu byalo byaffe.

•       Azze mu maka gaffe.

•       Azze mu mirimu gyaffe egya bulijjo n’okulwanagana kwaffe.

Nga tujja mu Ukaristia, ka tumwanirize — si n’obukwakkulizo, wabula n’emitima emiggule.

Tumutegeere mu buli omu, nga tutambula ffenna nga twolekera Obwakabaka gye tujja okumulaba maaso ku maaso.

Homily Christmas Nativity: God has come among us

 Homily for the Nativity of the Lord 2025-26

Introduction

What exactly are we celebrating on Christmas Day?  Are we celebrating the birthday of Jesus, the way we celebrate our own birthdays?

My brothers and sisters, what we are celebrating today is a bold and joyful proclamation, that God has come among us.  That is what the Angel told the Shepherds in Luke’s gospel: “Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Christ and Lord.”

In no other religion has God ever come to be one of us, to live among us, and to remain with us always.  The Christmas event is not merely a beautiful story from long ago, and not simply a comforting idea. It is the central claim of our faith, that the eternal God, the Creator of heaven and earth, entered human history and became one of us.

Scripture and Theology

That is why, on this one feast, the Church gives us four different Masses with four different Gospel readings. We are right now celebrating the Vigil Mass of Christmas.  But why four different gospels?  It tells us that the mystery we celebrate today, the Incarnation, God becoming one of us, is so rich, so deep, that it cannot be captured by a single image or a single story.

The same thing happens when something important happens in a place.  Different people will tell the story differently. One remembers the fear, another the joy, another the struggle, another the hope. The stories do not compete; they complement one another. In the same way, the four Gospels tell the one Christmas mystery from different angles. And together they proclaim one truth: God has come among us. Let us see what they have to tell us.

Although the Gospel of Mark is not proclaimed at Christmas, it helps us understand the meaning of the feast. Mark tells us nothing about Bethlehem, shepherds, or angels. He begins his gospel with Jesus as an adult, moving quickly toward His public ministry, His suffering, and His death on the Cross.

In this way, Mark reminds us that Jesus was not born simply to be admired in a manger. He was born to save us. In this way, Christmas already points toward Good Friday and Easter. The wood of the manger points toward the wood of the Cross.  Yes, God came among us, but not as a visitor or observer. He came with a purpose—to give His life for us. From the very beginning, Christmas should be seen as an act of self-giving love.

At the Mass during the Day, we hear the Gospel of John telling us: “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” Like Mark, John does not give us any of those beautiful Christmas stories we know so well.  Instead, John lifts our eyes beyond the manger and invites us to see who this child truly is.

He is telling us that this baby is not only Mary’s and Joseph’s son. He is the eternal Word of God, through whom all things were made. The One lying in the manger is the One who created the heavens and the earth.

When John says that the Word “dwelt among us,” he uses an expression that means in our Ugandan situation would mean something like, “he built his simba” among us.  God chose to live with His people. He did not remain in heaven. He came to share our human condition from the inside.

At the Vigil Mass, the Gospel of Matthew is proclaimed. Matthew’s Christmas story is not peaceful or gentle. After giving us the genealogy of Jesus, he also tells us about Herod’s paranoia, the indifference of the people, the slaughter of the innocents, and the flight of the Holy Family into Egypt. 

Matthew reminds us of a difficult but consoling truth: God came among us in a world that was already broken. He did not wait for perfection before entering human history. He came while suffering and injustice were still present.

This should speak to us deeply. Emmanuel does not mean a life without struggle. It means God with us in the struggle—in poverty, in uncertainty, in fear, and in displacement. Sometimes when I visit sick people, they ask, has God abandoned me, and I assure them like Christmas assures us, that God is among us, even in our suffering.

At the Masses during the Night and at Dawn, we hear Luke’s Gospel—the story we know and love, the story of the angels appearing to the shepherds, of Glory filling the sky, of a child laid in a manger.

Luke shows us how God comes among us: humbly and gently. The first to hear the good news are shepherds— people very much like our own farmers, watchmen, and mothers who rise early to care for their families. God does not announce the birth of His Son to the powerful or the influential. He announces it to those who are attentive and humble.  Luke teaches us that God feels at home among ordinary people.

And so, in all these four gospels, we have one mystery, one message.  When we place all these four voices together, a beautiful picture emerges, because each Gospel answers a different question about the Christmas story.

·      Mark shows us why God came—to save us.

·      John shows us who came—the eternal Word made flesh.

·      Matthew shows us the kind of world He entered—a world of fear and suffering.

·      Luke shows us how He came close to us—with humility and joy.

My brothers and sisters, the Church does not only teach this mystery with words; she also teaches it with gestures. That is why, when we profess the Creed, we are asked to bow profoundly at the words, “and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man.” And on Christmas Day and the Annunciation, the Church even asks us to kneel, as we shall do today. Why? Because this is the heart of our faith. We bow and we kneel not out of habit, but out of awe—that God humbled Himself to become one of us. Our bodies proclaim what our lips profess: God has come among us.

Christian Life

If God has truly come among us, then Christmas must shape how we live. This is where the second reading we hear at the Mass at Night helps us greatly. Saint Paul says to Titus and to us: “The grace of God has appeared, saving all and training us to reject godless ways and worldly desires and to live temperately, justly, and devoutly in this age.”  Notice what Paul says: grace does not only save us; it trains us. Emmanuel changes how we live.

Let me offer three concrete ways this Christmas should change us:

First, Christmas challenges what sometimes appears like a transactional or commercial use of religion. God came among us to form a relationship, not a business deal. And yet sometimes we are tempted to say: I pray so that God may bless me; I give so that God may protect me; I go to church so that God may give me what I want. But that is not the way to approach the Lord.

Think of human friendship. Who among us wants a friend whose friendship is based only one what we can give them? True friendship remains even when nothing can be gained. If that is true for human relationships, how much more for our relationship with God? The child in the manger cannot be negotiated with. He comes to give us of himself, in his time and according to his will.

Second, Christmas challenges our impatience and our lack of moderation. God could have entered the world as a powerful ruler, changing everything at once. Instead, He came as a baby—small, dependent, and vulnerable, born in a manger. He accepted the slow rhythm of human life. He grew, waited, learned, and matured. For thirty years, He lived quietly before He spoke publicly.  Think of the poor family of Joseph and Mary, through which he came into our world; at his presentation, they could only afford the offering of the poor.

In our time when many desire quick money, instant success, and fast results, Christmas reminds us of the wisdom of our ancestors: what truly lasts is built slowly. A harvest does not come the day after planting. A home is not built in one afternoon. They all require patience, discipline, and moderation. Emmanuel teaches us that rushing often leads to waste and regret, while patience leads to peace and stability. We must learn to live within our means; we must learn to accept the simple life, the kind of life our Blessed Lord led.

Third, Christmas calls us to holiness of speech. Jesus is the Word made flesh. Not only is he the Word, but he also used his Word to preach the good news.  But sometimes we use words to destroy others by lies, the sin of calumny.  Even when we are telling the truth, our words, our true words, can destroy others with truth, the sin of detraction.  We can find guidance in how to use our speech, from the four-way test of the Rotarians, which invites us to ask these questions about what we say: Is it true? Is it fair? Will it build goodwill and better friendships? Will it be beneficial to all concerned?

Matthew’s Gospel shows us how dangerous careless words can be. Fear, rumours, and suspicion led to suffering and violence. When we speak recklessly, we divide families, damage reputations, and poison the community.

Christmas reminds us that God has chosen to dwell among us. He lives in us and in our neighbour. To wound our neighbour with our tongue is to forget that Emmanuel lives among His people. 

Conclusion

My brothers and sisters, Christmas tells us one simple truth: God has come among us. Not to be used, not to be rushed, not to be spoken about carelessly—but to be welcomed, trusted, and loved.

I want to end with a quote from the English author Charles Dickens, who, in his famous short novel A Christmas Carol, described Christmas in this way:

“…a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time: the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow-passengers to the grave…”

As we come now to the table of the Eucharist, may those words recommit us to the true meaning of Christmas: that God has come among us so that His life may take shape in ours. Let Dickens’ vision of Christmas become our own—not only today, but every day—by recognizing Emmanuel in our brothers and sisters, fellow pilgrims on the journey to heaven.

And there, in heaven, we shall finally experience His presence fully: not in a manger, not on the Cross, not even in the tomb, but face to face—sharing, in the glory of the God who chose first to dwell among us, forever and ever.

Homily Advent 4A: Yozefu akiriza Yezu, mujjananyina

 

Homily for 4^th Sunday of Advent Year A 2025-26

Introduction

Mu Luganda, waliwo ekigambo, mujananyina. Kitegeeza omwana ajja ne maama nga ayingidde obufumbo.

Omwana oyo mu buzaale si w‘aMusajja nannyini maka. Buli muntu ku kyalo akimanyi. Abantu, naddala ab’eŋŋanda bayinza ok’owegeera.

Naye era tumanyi ekintu ekirala. Waliwo abasajja abalungi—abasajja ab’amaanyi — abaaniriza omwana oyo nomutima gwonna. Bagamba nti, “Omwana ono aze n’omukazi gwe njagala.”

Okuva ku lunaku olwo, omwana oyo takyali “wuwe yekka.”

•       Omusajja oyo ayaniriza omwana na’muliisa okuva mu ntuuyo ze.

•       Akangavvula omwana oyo, era namukuuma.

Omusajja ng’oyo aweebwa ekitiibwa, kubanga alondawo okwagala okusinga amalala, Obuvunaanyizibwa okusinga obuteefirayo.

Evanjiri ya leero ekwata ku musajja ng’oyo.

Scripture and Theology

Tuwulide mu vanjiri, nti “Maria Nnyina ng’amaze okwogerezebwa Yozefu, nga tebannaba kubeera wamu, n’alabika ng’ali lubuto ku bwa Mwoyo Mutuukirivu.” Omwana ono si wa Yozefu mu buzaale. Mu ngeri y’abantu, omwana Maria gwe yalina mulubuto yandibadde mujananyina.

Ekyo kituyamba okutegeera ensonga lwaki era tuwulide nti: “Naye Yozefu bbawe, kubaganga yali mutuufu, n’atayagala kumuwawaabira; n’ateesa mu mwoyo gwe okumulekayo mu kyama.”  Mu kusooka, Yozefu talaba ngeri ye kennyini gy’ayinza okutwala obuvunaanyizibwa ku mwana atali wuwe; mpozzi ayagala Maria afumbirwe omusajja eyamufunyisa olubuto. Naye ne mu kiseera ekyo, asalawo okweyisa mu ngeri ey’ekitiibwa. Taswaaza Maria. Amusaasira.

Naye ate Mukama n’ayingirawo. Amuweereza malayika ng’alina obubaka obw’enjawulo: “Yozefu, owamna wa Daudi, leka, totya kuyingiza mumwo Maria mukazi wo, kuba ekitondedwa mu ye kya Mwoyo Mutuukirivu.” Malayika akiriza nti omwana si wa Yozefu mu butonde, naye alaga ekintu ekitegeerekeka obulungi ennyo: Katonda yeenyigidde mu nsonga eno.

Era malayika agenda mu maaso n’agamba nti: “Ajja kuzaala omwana wa bulenzi, ggwe n’omuyita lya Yezu; kuba ye wuuyo alirokola abantu be mu bibi byabwe.”  Anti, erinnya Yezu oba Yeshua litegeeza “Katonda alokola.”

Yozefu olwo n’akkiriza obuvunaanyizibwa buno obunene obw’okukuza omwana atali wuwe, ku lwa Katonda. Tulina okujjukira nti wadde nga Yezu yali Katonda ddala, era yali muntu ddala, ekitegeeza nti yalina okuyiga ebintu ng’omwana yenna.

•       Yozefu yamuyigiriza okutambula n’okwogera

•       Yozefu yamuyigiriza engeri y’okusaba n’okumanya etteeka lya Katonda

•       Yozefu yamuyigiriza engeri y’okukola n’emikono gye ng’omubazzi

Mu bufunze, Yozefu yayigiriza Omwana wa Katonda engeri y’okubeera omusajja, omusajja Omuyudaaya.

Naye Yozefu si ye muntu eyasooka mu Baibuli Katonda gwe yayita n’amuwa obuvunaanyizibwa obw’amaanyi.

·      Ibulayimu ow’emyaka nsanvu mu etaano yali mu kukola mirimu gye mu kitundu kati ekiyitibwa Iraq, ng’alabirira endiga n’embuzi, n’okulima ettaka! Era awo Katonda n’ajja n’agamba nti: “Owange, leka ensi yo, n’ab’eŋŋanda zo, ne mu nnyumba ya kitaawo, ogende mu nsi gye ndikulaga, nsuubiza okukuwa omukisa n’okukufuula eggwanga eddene.”

·      Ate waliwo Musa Katonda gw’eyayita okununula abantu be okuva e Misiri, naye okukikola ng’alina okuwangula Falaawo!

·      Era waaliwo abalanzi, Katonda b’ayita okwogera amazima eri obuyinza n’eggwanga lyonna, nga batuusa obubaka abantu bwe batayagala kuwulira. Ng’ekyokulabirako, mu ssomo ly’olwaleero, Kabaka Akazi tayagala kuwulira obulamzi bwa Isaaya obugamba nti omununuzi ajja kuzaalibwa mbeerera.

Era bwe kityo, ng’Omuyudaaya omwesigwa, Yozefu ateekwa okuba nga yali amanyi engeri Katonda gy’akolamu ebintu bye. Era y’ensonga lwaki, ne bw’aba nga tayagala katono, akwata omulimu ogusomooza Katonda gw’amuwa, n’atwala Maria ow’olubuto nga mukyala we n’omwana mu maka ge.

Era tukimanyi nti Yozefu yakola omulimu guno nga taata n’obwesigwa, ng’akkiriza ebizibu ebya bulijjo eby’omwana eyaakazaalibwa nebirala eby’enjawulo.

•       Yalina okutambula ne Maria okuva e Nazaaleeti okutuuka e Beetelemu. Olugendo olwo lwa mayiro nga 100, nga okuva e Mbale okutuuka e Lugazi. Ate era, Maria yali mu wiiki ezisembayo ng’ali lubuto!

•       Era oluvannyuma lw’okuyita mu kizibu ky’okutambula, batuuka e Beetelemu era wooteeri n’amalwaliro bijjudde! Nzijukira muto wange bwe yazaalibwa! Maama ne taata baatambula okutuuka mu ddwaaliro, ekirungi mayiro bbiri, so si mayiro 100, naye nga tewali musawo yenna abalabirira. Bwe batyo ne baddayo eka era muliraanwa n’ayambako maama okuzaala mu nnyumba yaffe. Yozefu ne Maria tebassobola nadde kuzala mu maka gaabwe.  Baali balina okuzaalira mu kiralo!

•       Oluvannyuma lw’okuzaalibwa kwa Yezu, ebizibu byabwe tebyakoma. Kati, nga balina omwana eyaakazaalibwa, baalina okudduka okugenda e Misiri, mu kifo ky’okudda e Nazaaleeti. Lowooza ku’babundabunda abangi mu nsi, leero, abamu ne batuuka n’okujja mu Uganda. Ogwo gwe gwali omulanga gwa Yozefu!

Christian Life

Aboluganda, Katonda talekedde awo kuyita bantu lwa mirimu gye, era talekedde awo kusaba bingi mu abo b’ayita. Nga bwe yayita Yozefu ne Maria olw’omulimu gwabwe ogw’enjawulo ogw’okuleeta Omulokozi mu nsi muno, Katonda naye atuyita naffe! Tulowooze ku kuyitibwa nebisomooza ebiri mu kuyitibwa okwo mu busaserdooti ne mu bufumbo obutukuvu.

Omulanga eri obufumbo obutukuvu kuyitibwa okuva eri Katonda nga buli omu yeewaayo obulamu bwonna eri mmune, n’omulimu gw’okukuza abaana mu kukkiriza. Abafumbo mazima ddala mujja kukkiriza nti kino si kyangu bulijjo!

•       Oyinza kola ki ng’okusikiriza okwasooka mu bufumbo kukendede? Oyinza kola ki ng’omwami wo oba mukyala wo aludde ng’alwadde ennyo? Nga Katonda bwe yasaba bingi ku Yozefu ne Maria, Katonda abasaba obwesigwa obw'enkomeredde n'okwewaayo, okutuusa okufa.

•       Era awo waliwo okwewaayo eri abaana. Nga bwe yakola ku Yozefu ne Maria, Katonda atadde obuvunaanyizibwa bungi mu ngalo zo nga maama ne taata, okukuza omwana oba babiri oba basatu, mwenda si mu kuliisa kwoka, okwambaza n’okutwalira awamu okubakuuma nga balamu bulungi, wabula n’okubakuza okumanya n’okwagala Katonda n’abaantu. Omulimu guno ogw’okukuza abaana, ogw’okuyigiriza amakubo ga Katonda tegubangako mwangu, wabula gusomooma nno leero kuba ensi ebayigiriza birala.

Kyoka mugenda mu maaso ng’abafumbo era ng’abazadde, nga mukimanyi nti kino kuyitibwa okuva eri Katonda, bulijjo asaba bingi okuva eri abo b’ayita.

Oluusi abantu balowooza nti ebintu bisingako ku ludda olulala! Abafumbo bayinza okulowooza nti obulamu bwa babasaseredooti, abasista oba babraza, abatali bafumbo, buteekwa okuba obwangu! Mbakakasa nti ssibweekiri.

•       Katonda bw’aba ayita abafumbo okubeera bamaama era bataata b’abaana babiri oba basatu oba bana, mwenda, ayita Faaza okuba kitawe wa bonna, n’abo abatamwagala.

•       Katonda bw’ayita abafumbo okuyigiriza abaana baabwe, ayita Faaza okubuulira bonna, ng’ayogera nabo kinnoomu era ng’akola ku bibaluma kinnoomu, parish yoona.

•       Katonda bwayita abantu abafumbo okubeera abeesigwa eri banaabwe, ayita Faaza okubeera omwesigwa eri omugole we, Ekelezia yonna.

Conclusion

Mu nnaku ntono, tujja kukuza Ssekukkulu kubanga Yozefu yakkiriza omwana. Teyategeera bulungi. Yatya. Naye yeesiga Katonda. Okufaananako omusajja akkiriza mujananyina, Yozefu yalonda okwagala, obuvunaanyizibwa, n’okukkiriza.

Okudda kufe, Katonda ayita buli omu ku ffe — mu maka gaffe, mu byalo byaffe, mu Kelezia yaffe.

Ekyebuuzibwa si kuba nti omulimu guno mwangu; ekyebuuzibwa kiri nti: Tuli beetegefu, okufaananako Yozefu, okukkiriza n’okuwaayo buli kimu Katonda ky’asaba?

Homily Advent 4A: When the Lord asks, he asks for everything

 Homily for 4^th Sunday of Advent Year A 2025-26

Introduction

In Luganda, there is a word many of us know very well: mujananyina.  It refers to a child who comes with the mother when she enters marriage.

That child is not biologically the father’s.  Everyone in the village knows it. People may talk. Relatives may watch closely.

Yet we also know something else. There are good men—strong men—who accept such a child fully.  They say, “This child comes with the woman I love.”

From that day on, the child is no longer “hers alone.”

• He welcomes the child and feeds the child from his sweat.
• He disciplines the child, and protects the child.

Such a man is respected, because he chooses love over pride, and responsibility over comfort. Today’s Gospel is about a man like that.

Scripture and Theology

We have just heard in the gospel, that “When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the Holy Spirit.”  This child was clearly not Joseph’s biologically.  In human terms, the child Mary was carrying would have been a mujananyina.

That helps us understand why we are also told that: “Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly.”  At first, Joseph does not see how he himself can take responsibility for a child that is not his; maybe he wants her to marry the man who made her pregnant. Yet even then, he chooses to act honourably.  He does not shame Mary. He does not expose her. He chooses mercy.

But then the Lord intervenes.  He sends him an angel with a special message: “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her.”  The angel acknowledges that the child is not biologically Joseph’s, but makes something very clear: God himself is at work in this pregnancy.

And the angel continues: “She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” The name Jesus, or Yeshua, means “God saves.”

Joseph then accepted this great responsibility of raising a child who was not his, on behalf of God.  We have to remember that while Jesus was truly God, he was also truly human, meaning that he had to learn things just like any child.

·      Joseph taught him how to walk and speak

·      Joseph taught him how to pray and know God’s law

·      Joseph taught him how to work with his hands as a carpenter

In short, Joseph taught the Son of God how to be a man, a Jewish man.

But Joseph was not the first person in the Bible that God called and tasked with a great responsibility.

·      Seventy-five year old Abraham was going about his business in what is now Iraq, taking care of sheep and goats, and farming the land!  And then God comes and says: “Hey you, leave your land, your relatives, and from your father’s house and go to a land that I will show you. I promise to bless you and make you a great nation.”

·      Then there is Moses, a stutterer like me, whom God calls to liberate his people from Egypt, but to do that he has to overcome the Pharaoh!

·      And then you have the Prophets, whom God calls to speak truth to power and the whole nation, delivering messages that people don’t want to hear.  In today’s reading, for example, King Ahaz does not want to hear Isaiah’s prophecy that a Messiah will be born of a virgin.

And so, as a faithful Jew, Joseph must have been aware of how God works.  And that is why, even if he is a little reluctant, he takes up the challenging job that God is giving him, taking pregnant Mary as his wife and the child she is carrying into his home.

And we know that Joseph carried out this mission as a father faithfully, accepting the usual challenges of a new born baby and far more serious ones.

·      He had to walk with Mary from Nazareth to Bethlehem.  Do you know how far that distance is?  I checked. It about 100 miles, like from Mbale to Lugazi.  Moreover, Mary was in her last weeks of pregnancy!

·      And after going through the ordeal of travel, they get to Bethlehem and the hotels and hospitals are full!  I remember when my youngest brother was born!  My mother and father walked to the hospital, thankfully two miles, not 100 miles, but there was no one to care for them.  So they returned home and a neighbour assisted my mother to give birth in our house.  Joseph and Mary did not even have that luxury of giving birth in her own home.  They had to give birth in a cowshed!

·      After the birth of Jesus, their problems did not end.  Now, with a new born child, they had to flee to go Egypt, rather than return to the comfort of their home in Nazareth. Think about the many refugees in the world, today, some of whom even come to Uganda.  That was the call of Joseph!

Christian Life

Friends, God has not stopped calling people for his work, nor has he stopped asking a lot from those he calls.  Like he called Joseph and Mary for their special job of bringing the Saviour into this world, God also calls us too!  I can think of two challenging calls for us today: the call to marriage and the call to priesthood.

The call to Christian marriage is a call from God to lifetime commitment to each other, and to the task of raising children in the faith.  Those of you who are married will surely agree that this is not always an easy task!

·      What do you do when the romance in the marriage has died out?  What do you do when your husband or wife is seriously ill for a long time?  Like God demanded much of Joseph and Mary, God demands of you total fidelity and commitment to each other, till "death do us part."

·      And then there is the commitment to the children.  Like he did to Joseph and Mary, God places a great responsibility in your hands as a mother and father, of raising a child or two or three, not just by feeding, clothing and generally keeping them healthy, but also raising them to know and love God and their neighbour.  This job of parenting, of teaching God’s ways has never been easy, but is made more difficult today by the often competing media messages that glorify materialism, drugs and sex.

And yet you carry on as married people and as parents, knowing that this is a call from God, who always demands much from those he calls.

Sometimes people think that the grass is greener on the other side!  Married people might think that the life of priests, sisters and brothers, who are not married, must be easy!  Well, not exactly.

·      If God calls the married people to be mothers and fathers of two or three or four children, he calls the priest to be the Father of all his parishioners, even those who don't like him particularly.

·      If God calls the married people to teach their children, he calls the priest to preach to all his parishioners, speaking to them individually and addressing their individual concerns, all with the same short homily.

·      If God calls married people to be faithful spouses to each other, he calls the priest to be a faithful bridegroom to his bride, the whole Church.

Conclusion

In a few days, we will celebrate Christmas because Joseph accepted the child.  He did not fully understand. He was afraid. But he trusted God.  Like the man who accepts a mujananyina, Joseph chose love, responsibility, and faith.

This Advent, God is calling each of us—in our families, in our villages, in our Church. The question is not whether the task is easy.

The question is: Are we ready, like Joseph, to accept and give everything when God asks?

Homily Advent 3A (Luganda): Gwe tubadde tulindirira wuuyo.

 Homily for 3^rd Sunday of Advent Year A 2025-26

Introduction

Yoanna Batista abuuza ekibuuzo ekinyuvu mu vanjiri ya leero: “Ggwe wuuyo ow’okujja, nandiki tulindirireyo omulala?”

Ffe abakristu, ekibuuzo kya Yoanna kiyinza okuwulikika ng’ekiteetaagisa. Tuyinza okulowooza: “Naye buli omu akimanyi nti Yesu ye Kristu, omununuzi!” Kale lwaki Yoanna abuuza ekibuuzo kino?

Tuleme kwanguyira nnyo okunenya Yoanna. Mu kifo ky’ekyo, ka twebuuze: Twanditegedde Yesu singa ajja mu ffe leero? Oba naffe, okufaananako Yoanna, twanditunuulidde omuntu afaanana Kristo ne tubuuza nti: “Ggwe wuuyo ow’okujja, nandiki tulindirireyo omulala?”

Era bwekityo obubaka bwe njagala tulowozeko leero bwe buno: Tutegeera tutya Kristo bw’ajja mu bulamu bwaffe?

Scripture and Theology

Wadde nga Yoanna ne Yesu baali ba kojja era nga kirabika baakula nga bamanyiganye, Yoanna akyasaba okukakasibwa. Yali alangiridde Kristu ow’amaanyi — oyo agenda okwawula eŋŋaano ku bisusunku, eyandibatiza n’omuliro. Naye Yesu y’alabika mu buwombeefu, mu kusaasira, mu kuwonya, n’okubuulira. Yoanna, kati atudde mu kkomera, ayagala kukakasa ddala nti yeyye?

N’olwekyo, ekibuuzo kye si kibuuzo kya kubuusabuusa wabula kya kutegeera —okwagala okutukuvu okutegeera obulungi Yesu. Kye kibuuzo buli mukkiriza ky’alina okwebuuza enfunda n’enfunda: “Mukama, oli ludda wa mu bulamu bwange, nsobola ntya okutegeera okubeerawo kwo?”

Eky’okuddamu kya Yesu eri Yoanna era nakyo kiyinza okutwewuunyisa. Teyawa nnyonyola mpanvu. Yagamba bugambo nti: “Muddeyo, mubulire Yoanna by’emuwulidde: bamuzibe balaba, abalema batambula, abagenge bawona, abaggavu b’amatu bawulira, abafu bazuukira, n’aaavu babuulirwa evanjili.”

Mubigambo bino, Yesu agamba Yoanna nti: Mulitegeera Kristu si mu bigambo byoka wabula mu bikolwa ebituukiriza ebisuubizo bya Katonda.

Okusobola okutegeera ebisuubizo ebyo, tuddayo mu ssomo elisose. Yisaaya omulanzi yayogera ne Isiraeri mu buwaŋŋanguse bwabwe — abantu abaali balindirira, nga beegomba, nga babuuza ekibuuzo kye kimu Yoanna kye yabuuza: “Katonda alijja ddi okutulokola?”

Yisaaya yawa ebyokulabirako bibiri eby’amaanyi:

1. Katonda ajja kukyusa ensi. Eddungu lijja kufuumuuka. Ettaka ekkalu lijja kufuuka eggimu. Eddungu lirifuuka ng’ensuku z’e Lebanooni ne Kalumeeri. Yisaaya asuubiza ekintu ng’olusuku Adeni olwa Adamu ne Eva oluzzeemu — akabonero akalaga nti Katonda yennyini abasemberera.

2. Katonda ajja kuwonya abantu be. Abanafu bajja kunywezebwa. “Amaaso g’abazibe gajja kuzibuka... amatu g’abatawulira gajja kulongoosebwa... abalema bajja kubuuka ng’empologoma... abasiru bajja kuyimba.” Okuwona, okuzzibwawo, n’essanyu — bino bye bijja okuba obubonero bwa Kristu.

N’olwekyo Yoanna bw’asindika abayigirizwa be eri Yesu, Yesu addamu ng’asonga ddala ku bulanzi bwa Yisaaya. Laba ebigenda mu maaso. Obubonero obulaga Obwakabaka Katonda bwe yasuubiza bulabika. Era Yoanna yategeera. Teyaweereza bibuuzo birala eri Yezu.

Naye Yesu era akyukira abantu n’ababuuza ekibuuzo ekirala: “Mwagenda kulaba ki mu ddungu?” Olumuli empewo lw’eyuuza?  Omuntu ayambadde ebitonya? Omuntu abeera mu lubiri?

Nedda — baasanga omulanzi ng’ayambadde amaliba g’engamiya. Era naye Yesu alangirira nti: “Mu baali bazaalidwa abakazi simusibukangamu akira Yoanna Batista.”

Lwaaki? Kubanga Yoanna yategeera Kristu bwe yajja — era n’ateekateeka n’abalala okukola kye kimu.

Christian Life

Kale ab’oluganda, naffe tulina okuyiga okutegeera si Yesu yekka, naye n’abo b’atuma okuteekateeka emitima gyaffe.

Ani Katonda ayinza okuba ng’akusindikira nga “Yoanna Batista” wo? Yandiba:

•       Omusomesa w’edinni ng’asomesa n’obwesigwa buli Ssande mu Kelezia y’oku kyalo

•       maama oba taata asaba n’abaana ekiro, ng’abayigiriza esaala

•       omuvubuka alondawo obwesimbu mu kifo ky’obuli bw’enguzi

•       muliraanwa ng’alabirira ow’oluganda omukadde

•       omusaseredooti oba munnaddiini ayogera amazima ne bwe gaba nga tegakirizibwa

•       Omukristu ayamba amaka mu nnaku oba mu bulwadde.

Gano ge maloboozi agaleekaana mu ddungu lyaffe: “Mutegeke ekkubo lya Mukama, Mulongoose amakubo ge!”

Naye okusinga byonna, tulina okuyiga okutegeera Yesu yennyini mu bikolwa ebigenda mu maaso ebitwetoolodde. Ffe, okufaananako Yoanna, bwe tubuuza Yesu nti: “Ggwe wuuyo ow’okujja, nandiki tulindirireyo omulala?” Atuwa eky’okuddamu kye kimu: “Mulabbe by’enkola.”

Kiki kye tuwulira era kye tulaba Yezu by’akola? Obwakabaka buyinza obutaba bujjuvu, nga tulinda olunaku olusembayo — naye bwatuuse dda wano.

Wano e Mbale, tulaba Obwakabaka nga bwajja dda mubikolwa by’Abakatoliki aba bulijjo.

•       Tukiraba mu abo abawanirira abaavu mu kasirise n’emmere, engoye, n’ebikolwa ebitonotono eby’okusaasira;

•       mu bavubuka abalonda ebibinja by’okusaba, kkwaaya, n’abatume mu kifo ky’amakubo agazikiriza;

•       ne mu Bakristu abasonyiwa obuvune obw’amaanyi ne balondawo okutabagana okusinga okwesasuza.

Ebikolwa bino biraga Kristo ng’akola mu bantu be.

Era Obwakabaka tubulaba mu ebyo Eklezia okutwaliza awamu by’ekola wano mu saaza lyaffe.

•       Ekelezia eyigiriza abavubuka ng’eyita mu masomero, katekisimu, ne pulogulaamu z’abavubuka;

•       Elabirira abantu abataliiko mwasirizi ng’eyita mu malwaliro amakatuliki, Babies’ Home yaffe e Gangama, n’amaka gaffe ag’abalema mu mubiri e Butiru ne Budaka.

•       Ekisinga obukulu, ng’eyita mu basaseredoti, abasomesa ne basista, elangirira enjiri y’obulokozi n’okukuza amasakramentu agatuwa eneema y’olugendo lwaffe nga twolekera eggulu.

Mu ngeri zino zzonna, Ekelezia eraga nti ddala Kristo ali wakati mu ffe — era etuyita okumutegeera.

Conclusion

Ab’oluganda, leero Gaudete Sunday — Ssande y’Essanyu. Ekelezia eyimirira wakati mu budde obw’Amatuuka okutujjukiza nti Kristo yasemberera dda, yaliwo dda, yakola dda mu bulamu bwaffe.

Ssande eno eya Gaudete eddemu mu ffe essanyu ery’okutegeera Kristo eyabeera edda mu ffe, olwo bw’akomawo nate mu kitiibwa, tumusembeze ng’oyo gwe tubadde tulindirira bulijjo.

Homily Advent 3A: Recognising the Lord who comes to us

Homily for 3^rd Sunday of Advent Year A 2025

Introduction

John the Baptist asks an interesting question in today’s gospel: “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?”

For us, who have the advantage of 2,000 years of Christianity, John’s question might sound unnecessary. We might think: “But everyone knows Jesus is the Messiah!” So why is John asking a question with such an obvious answer?

Let us not be too quick to criticise John. Instead, let us ask ourselves: Would we recognize Jesus if He came among us today? Or would we, like John, look at someone who resembles the Christ and ask: “Are You the one who is to come, or should we look for another?”

And so the message I want us to reflect on today is this: How do we recognize Christ when He comes into our lives?

Scripture and Theology

Although John and Jesus were cousins and likely grew up knowing each other, John still asks for confirmation. He had proclaimed a powerful Messiah — the one who would separate wheat from chaff, who would baptize with fire. But Jesus appears in gentleness, mercy, healing, and preaching. John, now sitting in prison, wants to be absolutely sure.

His question, then, is not a question of doubt but of discernment—the holy desire to recognize Jesus clearly. It is a question every believer must ask again and again: “Lord, where are You in my life? How can I recognize Your presence?”

Jesus’ answer may also surprise us. He does not give a long explanation. He simply says: “Go and tell John what you hear and see.”  The blind see. The lame walk. Lepers are cleansed. The deaf hear. The dead are raised. The poor receive good news.

Jesus is saying to John: “You will recognise the Messiah not by words but by the works that fulfil God’s promises.”

To understand those promises, we go back to the first reading. Isaiah spoke to Israel during their exile — a people waiting, longing, asking the same question John asked: “When will God come to save us?”

Isaiah gives two powerful images:

1.    God will transform the land.  The desert will bloom. Dry ground will become fertile. The wilderness will become like the gardens of Lebanon and Carmel. Isaiah promises something like a restored Garden of Eden — a sign that God Himself is drawing near.

2.    God will heal His people. The weak will be strengthened. “The eyes of the blind will be opened… the ears of the deaf cleared… the lame will leap like a stag… the mute will sing.” Healing, restoration, and joy — these will be the signs of the Messiah.

So when John sends his disciples to Jesus, Jesus answers by pointing precisely to Isaiah’s prophecy. Look at what is happening. The signs of God’s promised Kingdom are appearing.  And John understands. He sends no further questions.

But Jesus also turns to the crowds and asks them another question: “What did you go out to the desert to see?” A reed swayed by the wind? A man in fine clothing? Someone living in a palace?

No — they found a simple prophet dressed in camel skin.  And yet Jesus declares: “Among those born of women there has been none greater than John the Baptist.”

Why? Because John recognized the Messiah when He came — and prepared others to do the same.

Christian Life

So, brothers and sisters, we too must learn to recognize not only Jesus, but also those whom He sends to prepare our hearts.

Who might God be sending to you as your “John the Baptist”?

•       a catechist teaching faithfully every Sunday in a village chapel,

•       a mother or father who prays with the children at night,

•       a youth choosing honesty instead of corruption,

•       a neighbour caring for an elderly relative,

•       a priest or religious who speaks the truth even when it is unpopular,

•       a Christian who helps a family in grief or sickness.

These are the voices crying out in our own desert: “Prepare the way of the Lord! Make straight His paths!”

But above all, we must learn to recognize Jesus Himself in the works happening around us.  When we, like John, ask Jesus: “Are You the one who is to come, or should we look for another?”  He gives us the same answer: “Go and tell what you hear and see.”

What do we hear and see?  The Kingdom may not be complete — but it is already here.

Here in Mbale, we see the Kingdom already alive in the simple faithfulness of ordinary Catholics. We see it in those who quietly support the poor with food, clothing, and small acts of mercy; in the youth who choose prayer groups, choirs, and apostolates instead of destructive paths; and in Christians who forgive deep injuries and choose reconciliation over revenge. These hidden acts reveal Christ at work among His people.

We also see the Kingdom in what the Church as a whole is doing here in Mbale. The Church forms the young through schools, catechism, and youth programs; she cares for the vulnerable through our Catholic hospitals and clinics, our Babies’ Home at Gangama, and our homes for the physically disabled in Butiru and Budaka. Most importantly, through her priests, catechists, and sisters, she proclaims the gospel of salvation and celebrates the sacraments that give us grace for our journey toward heaven. In all these ways, the Church makes visible that Christ is truly in our midst — and invites us to recognize Him.

Conclusion

Brothers and sisters, today is Gaudete Sunday — the Sunday of Joy. The Church pauses in the middle of Advent to remind us that Christ is already near, already present, already at work in our lives. St. James tells us in the second reading to be patient, like a farmer waiting for the early and late rains. But our patience is not empty waiting — it is joyful expectation, because the Lord is close at hand.

So Jesus asks us the same question He asked the disciples of John: “What do you hear and see?” If we look with the eyes of faith, we will recognize Him — in the mercy of His people, in the work of His Church, and in the quiet ways He heals, strengthens, and guides us every day.

May this Gaudete Sunday rekindle in us the joy of recognizing the Christ who is already among us, so that when He comes again in glory, we may welcome Him as the One for whom we have always been waiting.

Homily Advent 2A: Tidying up for Jesus

 Homily for 2^nd Sunday of Advent Year A 2025

Introduction

When we expect a special guest in our homes, we prepare seriously. Before Christmas or a family introduction ceremony, you clean the compound, prepare a good meal, and make sure the house is clean, making sure you remove those cobwebs that you have been ignoring for months.  The more important the guest, the more serious the preparations.

Scripture and Theology

No wonder then that the First Coming of God's Son into the world required serious preparations.  God sent John the Baptist as that voice crying out in the desert, "Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths."  John's whole ministry was to prepare the people for the arrival of the Messiah.

But how would they prepare the way for the Lord?  How would they make straight his paths?  St. John tells them: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”

Repenting means turning around, like the military or boy scout command "about-turn".  It is a 180-degree change of direction, a complete reversal of orientation, so that you are now facing in the opposite direction to the one you were facing.  John is asking people to turn from sin back to God.  That means they must return to the ten commandments of God, putting God first above all else, treating each other with love.  That is how they are to prepare for the coming of the Messiah.

But as human beings we always need signs to show what is happening inside them.  And so John invited those who were repenting, to come to him for baptism.  This simple ritual of immersion in water would serve as a visible sign that they had repented, had turned from a life of sin back to God.  And as we heard in the gospel, “Jerusalem and all Judaea and the whole Jordan district made their way to him, and as they were baptised by him in the river Jordan they confessed their sins."

But when the Pharisees and Sadducees came for John's baptism, for this sign of repentance, he turned them away.  He said: “Brood of vipers, who warned you to fly from the retribution that is coming?”

But why is John denying them a chance to prepare themselves for the Messiah?  It seems that they came to be baptised, only because they wanted to be seen doing something righteous by the people, but inside there was no real conversion, no real about-turn.  They wanted the sign without the change.  They wanted clean clothes but not clean hearts.

But the kind of preparation for the Messiah that John wants involves real changes in one's life.  That is why he challenges the Pharisees and Sadducees saying: “produce the appropriate fruit, . . . [for] any tree which fails to produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown on the fire.”  In other words, before you come to this religious ritual called baptism, there must be a change in your heart.  And after you leave this ritual of baptism, there must be a change in the way you live your life, living it in virtue and charity.

And so, preparing for the Lord requires two services: the religious service of baptism but also service to one another in our daily lives.  By coming to John for baptism, the Pharisees and Scribes had done the first, but not the second.

Moreover, John the Baptist tells the people that what he is offering is only the appetizer; when the Messiah comes much he would provide the full meal.  That is why John says: “I baptise you in water for repentance, but the one who follows me is more powerful than I am, and I am not fit to carry his sandals.

And then John goes on to say:

·      "He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire."  The Holy Spirit will bring you forgiveness and the fire will burn away any sins that remain, a painful experience you would want to avoid by being ready now.

·      John goes on to say of the Messiah: "His winnowing-fan is in his hand."  For those who grew up in the village, we use winnower to separate the grain from the rubbish.  John says that when the Messiah comes, that is exactly what he will do, separate the good from the evil, the virtuous from the sinful.

·      And John concludes: " he will clear his threshing-floor and gather his wheat into the barn; but the chaff he will burn in a fire that will never go out.”  In other words, he will gather those who have repented and turned towards him into his Kingdom and will dispatch those who refuse to hell.

And so, seen in this light, we can understand why John the Baptist is not mincing his words at all when he says: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” 

Christian Life

John's words were meant to prepare for the people of Israel for the First Coming of the Messiah.  Those same words also help us during this season of Advent to prepare us for the Second Coming of the Messiah.  For us the message is no longer: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” For us the message is: “[Repent], for the kingdom the kingdom of God is among you” (Lk. 17:21).  Jesus Christ by his life, death and resurrection has already set the Kingdom in motion and is bringing it to fruition through the Church.  We had better be ready, be already turned around from sin to God, from vice to virtue when the Kingdom is finally fulfilled.  Although we do this preparation throughout the year, Advent is a special dress rehearsal of preparation for the Second and final coming of the Lord.

Let me offer three steps we can take to help us repent as we wait for the Lord's Second coming: interior conversion, the sacraments, a life of virtue.

First, we must repent interiorly within our hearts and minds.  After making an examination of conscience and examining our relationship with God, we might say to ourselves, "I really must get rid of this habit; why I am doing this?  There are many resources that can help us to reach this point, but reading the Word of God often convicts us into turning around towards him; so does listening to our ministers, our friends, our family.  When with God's help we have searched our lives and reached the decision to change, we are ready for the second step.

For the people of Israel that second step was the ritual of John's baptism;  for us it is the all the sacraments, but especially the Sacrament of Penance and the Eucharist.  These religious services or rituals are not empty signs.  They are the means through which God gives us his divine help, his forgiveness, his mercy.  They are also the means through which we tell God that we are committed to being faithful to him.  And because we shall come to the sacraments, only after making that interior resolution to change in our hearts, we can be sure that we will not be driven away like John did to the Pharisees.

The third step in repenting is returning from the sacraments ready to produce good fruit in our daily lives, something that the Pharisees and Sadducees failed to do.  After confession the priest often gives us a penance: a prayer to say, a bible passage to read, or an action to perform.  These penances are meant to help us remain on the straight and narrow path, producing good fruit.  Even at the end of Mass, the priest sends us forth saying: “Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life.”  This too is an invitation to continue showing our repentance by living a life worthy of the Word and the sacraments we have celebrated.

Conclusion

Advent might not be as glamorous as Christmas or Easter, since it is essentially a time of waiting.  But Advent should not be a wasted or boring waiting, a complacent or lazy waiting.  Let this Advent be for all of us a busy time of putting our house in order, tidying up a little for the arrival of the greatest guest ever: not only the newborn Jesus we celebrate at Christmas, not even the Lord we receive in the Eucharist, but also the Risen Lord who will return to us claim us for God.  On that day, he will not say like John the Baptist, that the kingdom of heaven is at hand, or like he said already, the kingdom of God is already within you; he will say, welcome to the Kingdom - Come and share your master’s happiness (Mt. 25:23).