WinfieldKunda

The time for Jesus Christ to be crucified is slowly approaching. Jesus knows that the end of his life here on earth is near. The Jewish leaders had already planned to do away with him; ‘it is better for one man to die for the people than for the entire nation to be perished and they were looking for an opportunity to arrest him’ (Jn 11:50, 53). Like any other human person, there has been a growing tension and anxiety in Jesus’ life.         The prophecy of Caiaphas the High Priest gives the right meaning of Jesus’ death (Cf. Jn 11:49-50) . Jesus Christ will die for the sake of the entire human salvation. The death of Jesus becomes the way through which people will be saved. This is prophecy as it was foretold a long time ago (Read Isaiah 54:13 – 53: 12). The time for Jesus to be crucified has come for him to bring about the birth of a new world. One only reaches the utmost fulfilment of ones’ life when one gives oneself up to death for love of ones...

   We believe that we cannot merit salvation by our own actions. Salvation is not given to us because of our merits; it is a gratuitous gift from God the Father; so nobody can boast of the good they find in themselves, and no one should despise those who have not as yet opened up their hearts to God’s grace.   But how have we gained our salvation? It is through the love of God which is so great that he gave up His only Son (Jn 3:16). Jesus became lowly for our salvation and that through his dying on the cross humanity could be once again reconciled to God: “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life” (Jn 3:14). When Jesus spoke about the lifting up of the Son of Man (Jn 3:14; 8:28; 12:32, 34), he was referring to his own personal exaltation and the judgement of the world. Jesus saw his mission here on earth as the expression of God’s love for the world in spite of the world’s...

Religion can at times become a formality. Prophets like Amos have always condemned formalism in worship (Cf. Am 5:21-27) At one time Jesus by quoting Isaiah told Jewish Religious leaders that: ‘this People honours me only with lip-service, while their hearts are far from me. Their reverence of me is worthless; the lessons they teach are nothing but human commandments’ (Mt 15: 8-9). Once religion becomes ‘a partial fulfilment’ as it were, it has lost its essence. ‘I go to church to spend some time with friends and associates. I go to church because I have been made to’. At times religion can be confused with civil society, politics as if it is there to advance political or social agenda. At other times religion can confused with economic interests. Nowadays the ‘get rich’ Gospel message is preached more often than the ‘Cross’, all in the name of ‘blessings’. However, Christianity hinges on the Gospel of the Cross as St. Paul tells us ‘we preach a crucified Christ: to the Jews an obs...

    When one wants to discover God’s will in his/her life, one has to take a risk. Every growth entails taking a risk – the way of the cross.     Abraham, our great father in faith took a very great risk by entrusting his entire life in God. He was told; “Leave your country, your kindred and your father’s house for a country which I shall show you; and I shall make you a great nation, I shall bless you and make your name famous” Gen 12:1-2. For Abraham to leave everything behind in Canaan was truly a risk. Above all he took a great risk to try and offer his only true heir to his generation. But God in his magnificence provided what to offer and in return blessed him. Today Abraham is considered the father of the three faiths Judaism, Christianity and Islam and even other descendants alike (Gen 25: 1-6). He is our Father in faith. Glorification only comes after suffering. Jesus showed his disciples a glimpse of the resurrection and glorification at the trans...