South Sudan Refugees in Uganda

Uganda received 0ver 30, 000 refugees in just three weeks and reception facilities are overflowing. Recent fighting in South Sudan has caused the wave of new arrivals, putting pressure on its southern neighbour, which is already hosting half a million refugees...

“The new refugee influx of South Sudan refugees is a huge burden to the government. We are constrained in terms of providing social services to these new refugees,” Titus Jogo, a refugee official at the Ugandan prime minister’s office, told IRIN. “We are looking for additional resources to provide them with social services like medical care, water, shelter and other basic necessities.”

By early December 2015, Uganda had become home to almost 511,000 refugees and asylum seekers, making it the third largest refugee-hosting country in Africa, after Ethiopia and Kenya.

As of 24 July, more than 30,000 refugees had crossed into Uganda to flee uncertainty and fighting in South Sudan between government troops of President Salva Kiir and forces loyal to First Vice President Riek Machar. Humanitarian agencies say the sudden influx has severely stretched the resources and capacity of refugee collection points, transit centres and reception centres in the northwestern part of the country. (Source: IRIN News)

17th Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)

Short Reflection for the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time (C) - Our Father Sunday

Readings: Genesis 18: 26-32; Colossians 2: 12-14; Luke 11: 1-13

Selected Passage:  "And I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” (Luke 11: 9-10)

Meditation:  We need to hold on to our belief that our God is a Merciful Father!  And we do not tire praying, asking, seeking and knocking… ‘Everyone who asks, receives; the one who seeks, finds, and the one who knocks, the door will be opened’! Cf. www.badaliyya.blogspot.com

16th Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)

Short Reflection for the 16^th Sunday of the Ordinary Time (C)

Readings:  Genesis 18: 1-10; Colossians 1: 24-28; Luke 10: 38-42

Gospel Passage:  “There is need only for one thing.  Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.” (Luke 10: 41)

Meditation:  Like Martha, we are, often, burdened with so many worries and we forget what is very important.  Often this means simply to accompany someone and listen with compassion and love. We are anxious about many things: what are we to eat; what are we to wear; and what are we to do? Mary has shown us the way, that is, being in communion with the Lord and listening to him. www.badaliyya.blogspot.com

15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (C): The Good Samaritan

Short Reflection for the 15^th Sunday in Ordinary Time (C): the Good Samaritan

Readings:  Deuteronomy 30: 10-14; Colossians 1: 15-20; Luke 10: 25-37 

"And who is my neighbor?" (Luke 10: 29)

Selected Passages: "A man fell victim to robbers as he went down from Jerusalem to Jericho. They stripped and beat him and went off leaving him half-dead. A priest happened to be going down that road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. Likewise a Levite came to the place, and when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side.”

“But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him was moved with compassion at the sight. He approached the victim, poured oil and wine over his wounds and bandaged them. Then he lifted him up on his own animal, took him to an inn and cared for him.” (Luke 10: 30-34)

Meditation: The parable of the Good Samaritan challenges us to “REVISE” our understanding of neighbor. The person in need is a neighbor to us. And people who need us most are our special neighbor. And beware that we do not pass by on the opposite side when we see a neighbor in need.

Mercy without WORKS is DEAD!

The Holy Father reflected during his address on works of mercy, drawing inspiration from today’s reading from the Gospel of Matthew 25:31.

“In fact, it is good never to forget that mercy is not an abstract word, but a style of life. It is one thing to speak of mercy and another to live mercy. Paraphrasing the words of Saint James the Apostle, (cf. 2:14-17), we can say: mercy without works is dead in itself. It is in fact thus!”

What renders mercy alive, he explained, is its constant dynamism in going to meet the needs and necessities of others.  “Mercy has eyes to see, ears to listen, hands to resolve,” he said.

Warning

The Pope lamented that so often, so many are unaware of the suffering and needs of others, or remain completely indifferent.

“Sometimes we pass before dramatic situations of poverty and it seems that they do not touch us; everything continues as if there were nothing, in an indifference that in the end renders us hypocrites and, without realizing it, it results in a form of spiritual lethargy, which renders our mind insensitive and our life sterile.”

Roll up Sleeves

“One who has experienced the Father’s mercy in his own life cannot remain insensitive in face of the needs of brothers,” Francis said, noting Jesus’ teachings do not allow for escapes, but call for helping those who hunger and thirst, the naked, the stranger, the sick and those in prison (cf. Mt25:35-36),

(Source: Zenit 7/1/16)