Adeladius Makwega – MBAGALA,
“Today we celebrate the Baptism of Jesus, which is another epiphany or manifestation of the Lord. The Gospel of Saint Matthew gives a unique account. Here, Jesus and John had a brief conversation before the baptism itself. John, in humility, said that it was he who ought to be baptized by Jesus. After all, John had preached that one greater than himself would come, who would baptize people with the Holy Spirit and fire.
Jesus, also in humility, replied by saying: ‘Let it be so now; for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.’ Later, Jesus spoke with great respect about John and his mission. When John baptized Jesus with water, the heavens were opened and the Holy Spirit descended. Then the voice of the Father was heard saying:‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.’ The Baptism of Jesus reveals God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. My brothers and sisters, the one spoken of by the prophets has truly come and has lived in solidarity with his people. Truly, Emmanuel.”
These words are from Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, the Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples (Propaganda Fide) of the Catholic Church worldwide, which is responsible for evangelization.
Mwanakwetu also appeared on Vatican Radio website, where Father Joseph Herman Luwela offered a long reflection, part of which reads as follows:
“The Holy Spirit is the solution: not weapons, not the power of the state, not hatred or revenge, not politics, not money or wealth. But the Spirit, who builds within the human heart goodness, forgiveness, compassion, and justice. Therefore, as the baptized, we are not asked to change the whole world at once… We are asked to begin with our own place: our family, our workplace, our parish, our friends. That is where we build justice and peace, little by little, until the wall of hatred falls.”
As Mwanakwetu was preparing this article, he reflected on many things, including his own baptism:
“He was baptized at Nansio Murutunguru Parish in Ukerewe, at that time under the Catholic Diocese of Mwanza, now the Catholic Diocese of Bunda. This was on October 27, 1974. His baptism sponsor was Pauline Magere, whom she has never seen to this day, though he continues to look for her. She was an employee of Murutunguru Development College 51 years ago.”
The second thing he remembered was this:
On May 11, 1994, at Kurasini Parish in the Archdiocese of Dar es Salaam, several children were baptized. Mwanakwetu stood as sponsor for a small child named Petro David Njama, who later, by the year 2026, is known as Njama David Njama and is now a pharmacist.
One day, as Mwanakwetu was browsing social media, he came across a photo of his child from May 11, 1994. The young man had taken a picture at a celebration, and on the table where he was seated, there were several bottles of alcohol. Mwanakwetu sent a message to the young man: ‘My baptismal son, how are you? Tell me, my son, is the baptismal garment you received at the altar of Kurasini Parish still white? And what about the baptismal candle—is it still burning or has it gone out?’ The young man laughed a lot and then replied, ‘My baptismal father, the candle is still burning and my baptismal garment is still white.’ When asked about the bottles of alcohol, the young man replied that he was at a celebration and was simply seated at that table; the others were drinking alcohol, but he himself does not drink at all. Online commentators then began attacking the baptismal father over those questions.
Mwanakwetu asks his reader: Is the candle still burning? And is the baptismal garment still white?
These are matters of the Church. As for the weather: in the town of Mahenge, Ulanga District, Morogoro Region, Tanzania, on Sunday, January 11, 2026, the temperature is 28°C, humidity is 20%, the probability of rain is 58%, and the wind is blowing at 6 km per hour. Meanwhile, in the town of Musoma in Mara Region, Tanzania, the temperature is 25°C, humidity is 40%, probability of rain is 89%, and wind speed is 14 km per hour. In the town of Bukoba, the temperature is 24°C, humidity is 64%, probability of rain is 66%, and wind speed is 6 km per hour.
Are you there ? Remember:
“As the baptized, we are not asked to change the whole world at once.”
I wish you a Blessed Sunday.
makwadeladius@gmail.com
0717649257
Post a Comment