All around the world, people are campaigning for the development of good leadership values early in life. Schools have taken up the challenge and have started introducing programmes and activities to promote this “new” strategy of developing humane and God fearing human capital for the nations. This will benefit the world at large. A peaceful environment will be guaranteed which in turn promotes development in every sphere of life.As all man-made institutions are struggling to be part of this change the world is clamouring for, one very important institution is rather drawing back under the guise of modernization.This institution is unbelievably the one that supplies the above mentioned institution with its human resource. This institution was created by the Almighty Creator of the Universe. This institution is the Family Institution made up of the father, mother and children.The family institution which is the foundation of all nations has failed itself and its dependants in all ways.The same man or woman heading an institution corporate or small, enforcing the promotion of good leadership values is the same mum or dad condoning every rubbish you can think of under the guise of modernization, or being a promoter of child rights.Like an educationist said, “We always talk about child’s right, but we never talk of child’s responsibility.” This he said is the problem we have with our world these days.A parent has the responsibility to educate his child, but does the child know he has the responsibility to make that investment worthwhile. You don’t blame the child, I say. The same parent is the one who provides all kinds of distractions for the child with little or no supervision. The distraction ranges from too much food or drinkables in the fridge, unmonitored T.V. viewing, too much money (they say keep the child comfortable in case they are not able to be home on time), access to all sorts of technology – computers, phones, etc.This same propagator of good leadership values will in the presence of the child discuss with spouse or friends how he desires to acquire more assets in form of cars, houses, etc. It is now a vogue among many of our institutional leaders to keep acquiring such assets without any limit. They want to own houses in every available prime location. Yet you wonder if they will still depend on the weak national grid for their electricity supply. I usually crack this joke when discussing Africa’s poor electricity supply – “Won’t these our so called money bags or power people use some of the money they intend to use to build another mansion to buy solar energy for the existing ones, so that they can depend less on the National Electricity Supply and help reduce the pollution caused by the use of generators.” “This way poor hairdresser or pepper grinder by the road side may come to benefit from a better electricity supply; that is we have many of such born again power people.”The book of Psalms chapter 112:1b-2 says “Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who takes great delight in His commandments. His descendants shall be powerful on earth, the generation of the upright will be blest.”Following this promise of God, He says our generations shall be blessed. Then why do we keep on amassing wealth as if our children will never have to work again to experience that blessing of God.No wonder our children are now behaving like brigands. They no longer want to work, but dream of acquiring wealth. We seem to have forgotten that what so ever you sow, you shall reap. See our nations falling. You acquire all the wealth but you have no peace to enjoy it. You have the money to fly wherever you want but you are not sure if death is awaiting you in the jet, which will either crash without any clear reason or it is brought down by some terrorist group.Your parents are afraid to come around you for fear of been kidnapped by your detractors or just some hopeless youth seeking to be rich by all means.What kind of a world are we in?Is it not time we looked back at the structure of our family? Should we not create more quality time to spend with our children? To know the kind of movies they watch, to attend mass with them and spend more time meditating on God’s words as a family. So that they may understand what is expected of them as a creation of God.This way we too might be able to curb our excess desires. Going down further in the above quoted Psalms, we are told “It goes well for the man who deals generously and lends, who conducts his affairs with justice.”Think today, do you conduct you affairs with justice? Do you really need to divert the funds meant for the development programmes in your organisation or the government institution to satisfy that evil urge in you? That attitude is a deadly one, called AVARICE. Drop it and be a winner in Christ.
I have been thinking a great deal about my experience at Reconciliation this past Saturday. I felt an intense and unexplainable urge to go and confess my sins when I woke up that morning. I try to go every six weeks or so, but this was no routine visit to the priest for me. I needed to unburden myself of the numerous venial sins I had committed since I last participated in this Sacrament.
Purest Gold: God's Refining Fire in our Lives »
After salvation, many young Christians wonder if there's anything more to their newfound faith than just the security blanket of "being a Christian." Time and time again, God shows himself as a "refiner," and our lives are as gold. God started leading me in this study to understand what He was doing in my life, as well as in the lives of others.
Picking up my pen to write this column, I couldn’t imagine how time flies. Since the last publication of this column I have gone through a lot, especially the loss of my dear mother to whom I dedicate this article. Not only her, but seems I lost a whole generation of my close family.
How to Achieve Business Excellence »
“Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before Kings; He will not stand before unknown men.” Proverbs 22:29
Spiritual Development for our Youth »
Most of us youth in today's fast moving world are easily thrown off by difficulties and worries.
The theme of conversion is a thread that runs all through Lent, but conversion takes on different aspects throughout the phases of Lent. The first two and a half weeks focused on the interior turning of hearts; the liturgy urges the faithful to reflect and examine consciences thoroughly.
Saint Josephine Bakhita »
Feast Day: February 8
Patron Saint Of: Sudan
Saint Josephine Margaret Bakhita was born around 1869 in the village of Olgossa in the Darfur region of Sudan. She was a member of the Daju people and her uncle was a tribal chief. Due to her family lineage, she grew up happy and relatively prosperous, saying that as a child, she did not know suffering.
Catholics Must Fast More Intensely This Lent»
The Norbertine Canons of St. Michael's Abbey have created this digital Lenten retreat so that you can journey through this holy season alongside them. If you want to have one of your best Lenten seasons yet, join us in our Lenten Program "The Great Fast" - https://theabbotscircle.com/the-great-fast-join
When Your Faith Is Put to the Test - Bishop Barron's Sunday Sermon»
Friends, we come now to the Second Sunday of Lent, and we’re on both dangerous and very holy ground with the first reading from the twenty-second chapter of Genesis. The ancient Israelites referred to it as the “Akedah,” which means the “binding”: Abraham binds and is ready to sacrifice Isaac at God’s command.
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