“Your life is interwoven with the life of the people of God. So, the people are watching over you, protecting and guiding you,” he said, and encouraging the new CST members to remain in communion with God added, “Tweet with God on the altar; God loves you; He will listen to you”.
The Local Ordinary of Nairobi since November 2021 used the example of finding the Child Jesus in the temple and His obedience to Joseph and Mary as He grew up under their care to underline the importance of obedience in vowed life and Christian living.
“Mary witnessed Jesus grow in the mind, spirit, and physique and his social life and Mary pondered about them,” he recalled, and told the three new CST members, “You’re growing in this Congregation where that spirit is present, and, if you are imitating St. Therese of the Child Jesus, remember how she was very obedient and she grew in the hands of her parents, especially her father, just like Jesus Christ grew in the hands of Mary and Joseph and obeyed them.”
Archbishop Anyolo continued, “As you grow, learn that your First profession gives you a chance to continue learning in obedience, learning what and how the Congregation in which you are living practically responds to God’s calling in a charismatic way.”
Emulate Jesus’ obedience that allowed Him to learn from His parents, the Catholic Archbishop, who started his Episcopal Ministry in February 1996 as Bishop of Kenya's Kericho Diocese emphasized.
“As Jesus grew in wisdom, he also learned from what His parents were doing,” he said, and added, “Out there, you will not be growing alone, but you will be in a community; you are going to live in a Congregation.”
Archbishop Anyolo noted that the call to obedience is for all the people of God. He said, “We can deduce that there is no Christian Church or there is no Christian way of life without obedience. Jesus Christ obeyed unto death, so that we may be saved.”
Silas Mwale Isenjia is a Kenyan journalist with a great zeal and interest for Catholic Church related communication. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Linguistics, Media and Communication from Moi University in Kenya. Silas has vast experience in the Media production industry. He currently works as a Journalist for ACI Africa.
