Woman's Month



This month in the Republic of South
Africa we celebrate Woman. Without woman the human race would not exists at all.
One of the many strengths of woman is the ability to be constantly being there.
I am a product of a woman who stood by me, to success. My mother Lillian Nqindi
(Nee Maseko) was a rock of note and to her and all other woman who have stood by
Barnabas thank you. To my wife Rumbie who has taken the role of standing by me,
whether I am wrong or right, sick or health, broke and feeling comfortable.
Thank you. May God continue to Bless all the woman in our lives for these make
it worthwhile to live on this earth.  Viva Woman!  The Church would be at loss without woman. Woman is approached by God to participate in the salvation of the human race by carrying Jesus our Lord. Mary the Virgin gave her
permission and Mary holds the title of being the Blessed amongst all women. Mary
as a woman took a risk with God. Woman during the time of Jesus’s journey to
  Golgotha walked with him, the disciples ran away but woman did not. Woman
  stayed with Jesus right up to point of his death and burial. It was woman that
  witnessed the resurrection. It was woman that took this Good News to the rest
  of the disciples. So we celebrate woman as creatures that God found worth to partner with to bring salvation to
  the human race. It was woman who experienced the first miracle, the birth of
  the Jesus, the mid wives and the first miracle Jesus performed the wedding in
Cana. Woman was the first disciple of Jesus, Mary his own mother, She is
regarded as the Queen of the Apostles.  “Mary
is Queen of Apostles because she was chosen to be the Mother of Jesus Christ and
to give Him to the world; she was made the Apostles' Mother and our own by Our
Saviour on the cross; she was with the Apostles while awaiting the descent of
the Holy Spirit, obtaining for them the abundance of supernatural graces they
received on Pentecost." God’s favour rests on woman. As a parish priest one knows that without
woman many of the ministries would not happen. Most of the Church service would be empty. So this month we
  celebrate woman and what she does for her as children, for her husband, for her
  brothers, nephew and nieces and the ministers at the altar of God. Viva Woman.
Fr. Barnabas Nqindi

There is no Option/ No Alternative

The London 2012 Olympics are on and what an opening ceremony. We can all agree that the English have a way of doing things with great taste. Between parish visits and parish administration, I have had the opportunity of watching the games.  South Africa has two gold medals as I write this article and England just got her first gold medal from the women rowing. After  all the months of preparation, this is what is comes down too. It is sad to see the first expulsion of the Badminton women caught trying to throw the game. That was a harsh decision, but not easy either to have made. For these athletes being an Olympiad was not an option. It is the pinnacle of their careers. As your parish priest I hope that Jeandre Petersen, our 14 year old swimmer who is number six in KZN will be ready for the next Olympics, for he too does not have an option. Going to the Olympics is the icing on the cake and what a year that it will be, when one of our young people is an Olympiad.  It will be so stupendous! It will be a life changing experience and who knows that he might even secure a University Scholarship to the US. “Jeandre I have plans for you! Work with me, stay focused!  Think Olympics and University Scholarship in the States.” You really have an opportunity - grab it with both hands. The Olympics have inspired me to look at the Parable of Kingdom of heaven (Mtt 13 vs. 44-46):about  finding the buried treasure in the field. The one who found it had no alternative but to sell all that he had to buy this field. It was the same with the disciples after meeting Jesus Christ; they too left mother and fathers and work to follow Jesus for there was no alternative after encountering Jesus Christ. Just as it is for the serious athlete, going to the Olympics is the only Option.  St Barnabas our patron Saint we are told,  was a rich land owner but he too sold those lands for the benefit of the young church. He too discovered that owning these things came to nothing compared to Kingdom of God. There is no alternative, to the Kingdom of God.  The Kingdom of God is: The Only Option. That is why those who have discovered it never look back. Like the example of Francis of Assisi  who left his legacy of wealth to follow Jesus Christ; we too are invited to follow Jesus Christ every day of our lives, for there is no other alternative.

Fr. Barnabas Nqindi