A Sacred Journey: Three Days of Healing, Deliverance, and Renewal

Below is a description of the 3-day retreat held at a Jesuit retreat center, organized by our team from the St. Dominic Bible Study. Our Bible study group meets monthly to explore Scripture, following the Church’s liturgical reading plan. This year, being Year B, we have been focusing on the Gospel of Mark.

Twice a year, however, we step beyond our usual gatherings for an ecumenical retreat, immersing ourselves in the Charismatic life of the Church. These retreats offer a unique opportunity to pray, reflect, and experience the dynamic, Spirit-filled dimension of the Gospel that we study throughout the year. The retreat from November 8 to 10, 2024, was one such occasion—a powerful time of renewal, intercession, and an outpouring of the Holy Spirit. 

The testimony below is true to the best of my recollection. Others who were there will in due time share how they have experienced this retreat from their respective vantage point. 

"Modern man listens more willingly to witnesses than to teachers, and if he does listen to teachers, it is because they are witnesses." - Pope Paul VI

... 

FRIDAY

We were off to a great start for the 3-day retreat organized by the Dominican bible study team, Rwanda; the evening was promising. It ended with an impromptu moment of ministry. Dr. Thierry, our guest-speaker from South Africa, was hard at work.

One of the people he prayed for caught my attention as she was on her way back. Nothing seemed to visibly happen when she was prayed for, but a thought lingered in my mind—perhaps I should try to speak with her and, if possible, pray with her again. So, I did.

For the first time, I took the risk of interpreting the strange sensation I felt on part of my head. I interpreted it as her mind being attacked, causing her to struggle with doubt. When I shared this with her, she became quite emotional and briefly shared her story: she had been a Christian in the past but was no longer practicing and wasn’t sure if God still wanted her.

I prayed for her in light of her confession, and she became visibly agitated. Michel saw me struggling with her and quickly joined me. As we prayed, she collapsed to the ground in a seated position, doing strange things as if she were fighting against a suffocating and overwhelming sensation. Dr. Thierry came over, joined by Shenge, and I believe Ruti and Joelle were there too.

It was unclear what exactly she was fighting against, but Michel and Shenge pointed out that it could have been both an evil spirit and a strong sense of emotional shame. Dr. Thierry also suggested a possible evil spirit, and he encouraged her to come back for the remaining days of the retreat to experience full freedom.

This is how we ended Day 1.

I was left wondering: This is interesting—our first spiritual and tangible manifestation on someone else, without the immediate input of our guest trainers.

Was this just a one-time anomaly, or is this the beginning of what we’ve been seeking in God’s presence since 2020?

Only the remaining two days of the retreat will tell us.

SATURDAY

It wasn't their fault, but Les couples jumeaux were about to have their minds blown on this 2nd day of the Centre Christus retreat. The night was growing late, and I was worried we wouldn't have enough time to pray. I had already suggested to Dr. Thierry that I wanted to bring my There is more team to support with prayers, even though they were not part of the retreat organizing team. From the organizing team, I only wanted Teta on board for today since she has been with us the longest, ever since October 2023 at our last retreat at the Dominican sister convent. Hence she had some level of familiarity of what was about to transpire.

Dr. Thierry agreed that he and Br. Nesbert would lay their hands on them to join the ministry time. I had suggested this model because I had noticed during the week registration that there would be many people and only two speakers wouldn’t be enough, especially since Br. Valerio couldn't come. But there was a problem.

Br. Nesbert was feeling unwell and had retired to his bedroom. Dr. Thierry kept leading people in a long, ongoing prayer session of surrendering to the Lord, hoping that Br. Nesbert would recover quickly to rejoin us. It was 8:30 PM, and we were supposed to vacate the room by 9 PM. We couldn’t wait any longer; Dr. Thierry was alone, facing 62 people wanting to experience the touch of God. We signaled Tigana, who was seated at the "Command Post" (our organizing team table at the far back), to check one last time on Br. Nesbert. He returned quickly, shaking his head from the doorway, indicating that Br. Nesbert wasn’t coming.

Dr. Thierry and I exchanged looks, and he asked, " What do we do? " I glanced at my watch—8:35 PM. There was no time to waste. I replied, " What does the Holy Spirit say to you? " Dr. Thierry began a quick song with the help of Shenge and Manu, then went into what seemed a deep inner prayer. Shortly after, he told me, "Tell your team to come."

There they were: Tigana, Lisette, Teta, myself, and le couple jumeaux, aka Ruti-Joelle and Michel-Shenge. Someone joked that we should pair up since we were in couples, and some of us did, but not all, namely Dr. Thierry, Tigana and Teta. Dr. Thierry liked the idea. So, we had the Alpha Team (Dr. Thierry - Teta), Delta-Force (Michel-Shenge), Bravo Team (Ruti-Joelle), Charlie Team (Eric-Lisette), and the Lone Star Sigma agent (Tigana Birasa). 

Dr. Thierry quickly gave us instructions and asked the audience to approach any team for prayers. I wanted to remind him that he was supposed to lay hands on us first for the N-ieme time, but he said it wasn’t needed anymore. Apparently, He had received during his brief prayer that no laying on of hands was necessary, I tried to justify the unconventional move. He just lovingly threw us violently to the “sharks”!

Delta-Force Team looked understandably anxious, and I could see Bravo Team smiling nervously too. But we had no time to think nor panic; people were already coming up for prayers. I positioned myself with Lisette for our first person, an elderly mother. Following the instructions received, I asked, " Have you surrendered your life totally to the Lord? " She replied convincingly, " Yes. " So, I informed her that we would pray for her to receive the Holy Spirit. As I was explaining what could happen when the Holy Spirit comes upon a person, I heard a soft BANG on my left. Quickly glancing over, I saw someone lying on the ground. Delta Team had their first “win” and it was fast. I wanted to be shocked—Michel-Shenge? Impossible, I thought. But I quickly refocused on our own “patient.”

Lisette and I called upon the Holy Spirit on her, and as I was praying, Delta Team was already on their third person down, and Bravo Team on my left on their second person shaking like a leaf and out of balance. Ruti-Michel, also? This is not normal, I worried. Meanwhile, our first customer was still standing with her feet firmly rooted on the ground. I wondered, this is not working. On my left again, but this time a man was crying hard from the eyes and the nose. Everything was coming out. No way, this is the Sigma Agent at work. Now, Tigana also? Unacceptable!

I briefly stopped praying to regroup my wandering thoughts, every team seemed to be moving in power except ours. A thought intruded my mind, it was John Wimber famous " clinic time ". In his 'Clinic Time' he had spoken about the visible sign of the Spirit presence and work on someone during ministry time. That is when I saw it. It was there since the beginning but I had overlooked it. As we called upon the Holy Spirit again, her face began to show small spasms which varied in intensity. I asked her if she was feeling something, " Yes, my face is moving, and my teeth is also moving inside.". She looked at me, puzzled, and asked Lisette and I, "Esce que c'est la magie?" 

I then realized, the Spirit was moving in her but like the patriarch Jacob, I had not recognized his presence. Now, Lisette and I became more fervent recognizing that the Master was there and hard at work, just in a different manner.

With the 2nd person we prayed for, we noticed different reactions popping up. He started with tears coming down within what seems less than 60 second, he was visibly moved. I asked him why he was crying, " I do not know ". We continued praying for him and now he started losing balance, Lisette and I caught him to prevent him to go down. He was heavy but we managed to keep standing as he kept crying. By the time we reached our third person, Alpha team, Delta-Force, Bravo team and Sigma had already piled up body count in excess. 

We were slow as each person took a long time to pray for as I was trying to understand what was also happening to them. The 3rd person was a woman who felt nothing initially. She stood motionless while Lisette and I prayed for what seemed to me 10 to 20 min. She then started crying but for no specific reason, then it stopped. At a loss for what else to say, I continued in tongues, hoping for guidance. Nothing was coming, so I wanted to let her go back to her seat but she continued standing there her eyes closed. I had no choice, I stood there with Lisette trying to murmur all type of prayers we could think of. Suddenly, I had an impression of a curse. I then ventured to say, "I break this curse in Jesus ' name," she reacted violently, clutching her right side in pain. I asked what is happening, " It is hurting " she complained. Does this happened to you sometimes? "No" she said with her eyes half closed as she grimaced with pain. Lisette and I now were revived in our enthusiasm and prayed for her fervently and BANG ... She was thrown down, and strange noises came from her, accompanied by unusual facial expressions. Her eyes started bulging out of her eye socket. She gasped for air as if she was suffocating in real time, while letting out a terrible sound.

Dr. Thierry, sensing the situation turning into a real drama, quickly joined us after the person he was praying for fell down. Bruno also joined us from the back, and so did Father Raphael, Michel and Ruti. We were facing our first case of exorcism of the day.

As the Avenger team assembled for this final battle with my 3rd case, the ladies from Delta-force and Bravo team walked away and went to attend the last person Dr. Thierry had prayed for and who was still on the ground being prayed for by Teta. This part I did not see it but I heard it. As we focused on customer no. 3, I overheard an explosive laughter coming from the side of the ladies. I didn't at first wondered about it since the voice was totally unfamiliar to me. In addition we had a serious case of exorcism going on. After a while, I realized that people in the room were converging toward the source of the explosive laughter. I stood up to see what was going on, and I realized someone was being powerfully visited by the Holy Spirit, but this time again in a manner totally different from everything he had done so far in the night. I later learned that Joelle from Bravo Team joined Teta, and innocently said "More Holy Spirit " to the person who was lying down, and the person exploded in an eternal laughter of the highest possible decibel. I knew with all my heart that it was not natural because he laughed at the same level of strength for a good 20 minute as per my estimation. Father Raphael even closed the 2nd day session of the retreat in Prayer and I gave a communiqué while his laughter was still resonating throughout the vast auditorium. Tigana finally approached the person since no one was able to control him, laid his hand on his head and kept calling the peace of God to come upon him. He repeated that same prayer incessantly until the person suddenly stopped laughing - 1 to 2 minutes after.

As we ended Day 2 , we looked at each other, wondering exactly what had just happened. We were talking to and over each other, with no one able to finish a sentence or provide a coherent account of their emotions or experiences. We kept stumbling over each other’s words, dans la joie, truly, shaking our heads in absolute astonishment and amazement. It felt as if we were in the twilight zone.

Was today’s event an exception because our Master-Chief, Dr. Thierry, needed help, and God took some of the Spirit that was in him and spread it on us? Or was it the beginning of something new for us, independently of Dr. Thierry and Br. Nesbert?

I knew that I would find out for sure on Day 3 - the last day of the retreat. On day 3, there was no formal plan to pray specifically for the Holy Spirit to fall on people, only for physical healings and other needs (which could have included the baptism of the Holy Spirit on a case by case basis) . So if a power encounter occurred then as well, I’d know with a high degree of confidence that this grace was to stay with us, beyond Centre Christus. So I anxiously looked forward to Sunday, the Lord's Day!

SUNDAY

It was quickly becoming an agitated environment, reminiscent of the Wild West. Father Raphael had just dismissed the assembly and concluding the 3rd Day of the Retreat , but participants lingered in the conference room, waiting for the rain to pass. At the front, prayer ministry was underway, drawing the amazed attention of onlookers. I had invited those in need of prayer—for illness or personal issues—to approach the ministry team. Dr. Thierry and Michel were busy ministering at the front, while Br. Nesbert was attending to people at the back.

I was speaking with a few retreat participants to get their feedback on the now-concluded three-day retreat. Their responses were overwhelmingly positive. As I engaged in conversation, I was distracted by a small commotion at the front. Glancing over, I noticed someone had collapsed near Michel. In Catholic charismatic circles, this phenomenon is referred to as "Resting in the Spirit" (See more the works of Francis McNutt, Overcome by the Spirit). Those who come from a Pentecostal background, might have called it being " Slain in the Spirit. " Given the ecumenical nature of this Catholic retreat, however, a neutral term like " Sacred Swoon ," coined by Harvard laureate Professor Candy G. Brown in her work, "Global Pentecostal and Charismatic Healing" (Oxford University Press, 2011. Page 347), feels most appropriate.

Moments later, another person, being prayed for by Dr. Thierry, gently fell into a sacred swoon, tears streaming down their face. I turned back to my interlocutor, who was visibly captivated by the scene. Her eyes stayed fixed on what was happening at the front as she attempted to speak to me. Recognizing her desire to draw closer to the ministry team, I stepped aside and encouraged her to go forward. Finally, I, too, moved closer to assist with the prayers.

I prayed for five people in turn. Each seemed to have a meaningful encounter with the Spirit of the Lord, though their experiences varied. One case stood out. Michel had finished praying for his group, leaving Dr. Thierry with a growing crowd of people eager for his ministry. As we discussed the situation, I was asked to pray for a few individuals who desired a greater grace for a life of intercession. One of them boldly requested to receive "a greater portion than anyone." Smiling, I invited her forward.

Placing my hand on her shoulder, I prayed for her, asking the Lord to grant her this grace. True to my custom, I did not rush and soaked her in my insistent prayers. After a moment, Her face began to show subtle signs that something was happening. Curious, I asked if she was experiencing anything. Hesitant, she tried to suppress a laugh before admitting, "I feel like laughing." She restrained herself, even as the urge persisted. Romans 8 came to mind, where the Spirit intercedes with "inexpressible groanings". Though often associated with speaking in tongues in Pentecostal traditions, I felt this Scripture might also apply to her sudden eagerness to laugh.

As I continued praying, another woman joined in. The first recipient suddenly exclaimed, "I’m burning! It’s too much!" and began removing her scarf. Her earlier urge to laugh gave way to an overwhelming heat on her upper back. As her discomfort grew, struggling with the sensation, we helped her to her feet, but the burning persisted. Michel joined us, and together we prayed for her. She fanned herself with her scarf, attempting to cool  but not no avail. Now the heat was also on her feet. Another lady touched her back and exclaimed, "She’s burning hot!"

This is how the 3rd Day ended for us. We were still moving in the grace and power of the Holy Spirit. Clearly, the grace to collaborate with the Holy Spirit as co-workers was carried from the Saturday explosive night to the Sunday afternoon prayer time. Later that evening, during a closing supper with Br. Nesbert and Dr. Thierry, we shared notes on the retreat. We marveled at God’s grace and the diverse ways people experienced His presence and all sort of visitation including a healing of long term health issue. I confided in Dr. Thierry about the unusual manifestations during my prayers—two cases even pointed to a need for deliverance from evil spirits. I went back to my room both joyful and thinking, wondering if the Lord was calling me to delve deeper into deliverance ministry, as I had done with healing ministries over the past four years. Only time will tell if this intuition is correct, but one thing was certain: God’s grace had been profoundly evident during this retreat.

Nota Bena : I must confess though that the preparation for this retreat was unlike anything we’d done before. Previous retreats had been bathed in prayer and fasting by the immediate L’Équipe St. Dominique organizing committee—Father Raphael, Tigana, and myself—along with our guest speakers: Dr. Thierry, Br. Nesbert, and Sr. Olivia. My close friends from " There is More " also supported us in prayer. But this time around, we tried something new, something different. Though uncertain of what the outcome would look like, I hoped it would yield something extraordinary. The mindset was god big or go home, type of thinking. To fully appreciate what went into this retreat preparation, I’d have to take you few months back to give you an insider look at the spiritual preparation and sacrifices.

"Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them." By this [Jesus] meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive." - John 7:38-39

Mary as the Blessed Woman: Lesson from the Gospel of Luke

How can we best understand these words of the Lord Jesus in reaction to a woman who made a positive remarks about Mary, the mother of the Savior? For some people, this is a disparaging statement Jesus made against anyone who might have in mind the intention to look with admiration to the blessed mother of our savior. If you are still not sure of what I am talking about, then please read this conversation as recorded by St. Luke:

"And it happened as He [Jesus] spoke these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice and said to Him, Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts which You have sucked. But He said, No; rather, blessed are they who hear the Word of God and keep it." Luke 11:27-28 (Modern King James Version)

If you read this version of the King James, you are left with the impression that Jesus is matter of fact correcting the woman who spoke favorably of the Blessed mother of the Savior, Mary. However, when we read another version of the same King James, the tone of the savior is different and we may venture to say the whole emphasis of the text becomes different if not positive:

And it happened, as He spoke these things, that a certain woman from the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, “Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts which nursed You!” 28 But He said, “More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” Luke 11:27-28- (New King James Version)

Is Jesus saying 'no my mother is not blessed but rather are blessed those who hear and keep my words' like the Modern Version of the King James Version seems to infer or is Jesus saying 'it is more than that, it is not limited to my mother, blessed are those who hear and keep my word' like the New King James version seem to insist? It all depends on which version you pick up. What is true of these two King James version can be found equally in other translations.

So how do we resolve this seemingly opposite messaging with one being adversarial in tone while the other being non-adversarial in tone?

May I suggest we find the solution of it from the original Greek texts. Instead of choosing the source material from another biblical translation, I will use the Greek text sources used by the King James Version itself as rendered by the eStrong Greek and Hebrew Dictionary. The word used in one version as "No rather" and by the other version as "More than that" is the Greek word: Menounge.

Definition: 

menounge

men-oon'-geh
From G3303 and G3767 and G1065; so then at least: - nay but, yea doubtless (rather, verily).

Now we know why the King James Version uses different formulation of the same verse, it is because menounge could mean 'no but' or 'yes without doubt' or 'rather' or even 'verily (indeed)'. Given this wide diversity of words, translators have different preferences. They can choose one word with a tendency for adversity while another translator might choose a word with a positive connotation.

Nevertheless, I will argue here that Luke used the word, 'menounge' in a rather positive form and not in any negative way as this will become obvious shortly. Before I show you why this is the case from within the very Gospel of Luke itself, allow me to show you the other three other instances where this very word, 'menounge', is used in the New Testament beside Luke 11:28.

The Word 'Menounge' is used also in Romans 9:20, Romans 10:18: and Philippians 3:8.

1) Menounge: Positive Case from Romans 9

This chapter is known for its treatise on divine election. St. Paul approach to the Romans in discussing divine election is to point in anticipation of what his readers might be thinking by saying this:

(19)You will say to me then, “Why does He [God] still find fault? For who has resisted His will?” (20) But indeed [menounge], O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, “Why have you made me like this?”

Paul uses menounge to mean to the Romans that it is more than what they were wondering with regards to 'who can resist God's will if God decides to do what He wants?', he says, matter of fact, who are the Romans thinking they are to even question God in the first place. Here menounge doesn't means that what has been said before is not true but rather that it didn't go far enough. Not only can God do what he wants as the Romans may be wondering but we, as humans, can't even dare to challenge him. St. Paul uses menounge to expand his argument and not to deny the initial statement which says 'For who has resisted His will?'. Clearly Paul is responding to this by emphasizing in the positive that indeed none can resist the divine election of Israel and more than this no one can reply or challenge God's choice.

Hence in Romans 9, the word menounge doesn't cancel the former proposition in verse 19 but rather makes it even more harder by expanding the consequence in verse 20.

2) Menounge: Positive Case from Romans 10

St. Paul makes a long argument in chapter 10 with regard to the efficacy of the gospel and its capacity to reach people's heart. And through his explanation he makes use of the word, menounge, as seen in the verses below:

(16) But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?” (17) So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.(18) But I say, have they not heard? Yes indeed [menounge]: “Their sound has gone out to all the earth, And their words to the ends of the world.” 19 But I say, did Israel not know? First Moses says: “I will provoke you to jealousy by those who are not a nation, I will move you to anger by a foolish nation.”

The argument is rather clear in this passage, St. Paul quotes the Jewish prophet Isaiah complaining about his uncertainty on the limited number of people in Israel who might have believed in his 'gospel' message (aka report), and Paul said, menounge - it is more than Israel, the message has gone beyond Israel and has reached all the earth and the ends of the world. Clearly, menounge, is not being used in a negative sense here as if it was negating the previous verse, but rather it is used to affirm the first one while expanding its meaning beyond Israel (verse 16, 19) to the rest of the world (verse 18). St. Paul is saying not only did the report reach Israel but it also went beyond Israel to the ends of the earth so to speak. It is not a negation of the first proposition but an expansion of it to include other lands beyond Israel.

3) Menounge: Positive Case of Philippians 3

In this epistle starting from verse 4 to verse 7, St. Paul tells of his credentials as a righteous man from the perspective of his Jewish heritage according to the Mosaic Law. In the middle of it, he uses the word, menounge:

(4) though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: (5) circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; (6) concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. (7) But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. (8) Yet indeed [menounge] I also count ALL things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ

Here again, St. Paul doesn't negate what he said in verse 7 when he said, 'these I have counted loss for Christ', rather when he uses menounge in verse 8, he affirmed such loss and goes even further, he expands the category of what he considered lost (see the list from verse 4-7). He also considered now 'ALL things loss' and not only 'these things' from his Jewish heritage.

NB: In summarizing the use of 'menounge' by St. Paul, we see that St. Paul doesn't use it to denigrate or cancel former statements, but rather he uses it to show that there is much more than what was said. He uses menounge to include the former statement into a larger narrative. In Rom 9, he meant not only you can't resist God's Will in election but you can't even question him. In Rom 10, he informed that not only Israel believed the report but also the rest of the world. And in Phil 3, he points out that not only those things he mentioned about his Jewish heritage he considered as loss for Christ but also ALL the rest too.

This leads us to the question we started with as we ponder this question, 'what are the chances that St. Luke who was a companion of St. Paul through out his ministry would use menounge to negate previous statement instead of affirming and expanding it just as St. Paul did?' I believe there is no chance he will use it differently than Paul did. And let me show you why.

4) FINALLY, Menounge: Positive Case in Luke 11

If we have learned anything from this word, menounge, in the reflection above, it is that it doesn't negate what is said before but rather takes former proposition in account and expands it. The Lord Jesus is not denying that his mother is blessed, he is expanding the category of the blessed as not to limit it to only his mother:

(27) And it happened, as He [Jesus] spoke these things, that a certain woman from the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, “Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts which nursed You!” (28) But He said, “More than that [menounge], blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” Luke 11:27-28- (New King James Version)

Clearly, St. Luke is reporting Jesus words to show that what made Mary, the mother of our Lord, blessed is exactly what makes those who were in that audience blessed, namely the hearing of the word of God and the keeping of those words.

The Context of Luke Gospel About Mary

If we remember how St. Luke started his gospel, he started by informing us that he investigated the content of this gospel from the eye-witnesses of those events:

"... they were passed down to us by those who had been eyewitnesses ... I, too, have carefully investigated everything from the beginning and have decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus" - Luke 1:3 

Since he referred to eyewitness from the beginning, let us remember that among those who were there at the beginning of the Lord Jesus birth, his circumcision, his presentation at the temple, his visit at the temple at age 12 and the angelic visitation during the Annunciation event that kick-started the virginal pregnancy is ... well ... Mary, the mother of the Lord. She was an eye-witness of all these events Luke informed us.

One specific thing that we are told by St. Luke about these events is that Mary heard and kept the words from the Lord:

Example 1: Mary received the word of God and accepted it from the Archangel Gabriel:

"Then Mary said, 'Truly I am the Lord's servant. Let everything you have said happen to me.' Then the angel left her.'' - Gospel Luke 1:38  

Example 2: Mary is a blessed woman for she received the word of God according to the Holy Spirit:

''When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby jumped in her womb. Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and she loudly exclaimed, "How blessed are you among women, and how blessed is the infant in your womb! Why should this happen to me, to have the mother of my Lord visit me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb jumped for joy. How blessed is this woman for believing that what was spoken to her by the Lord would be fulfilled!" -  Gospel of Luke 1:41-45

Example 3: Mary kept the words from the Lord as received by the Shepherd in her heart:

''When they saw this, they [the shepherds] repeated what they had been told about this child. All who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. However, Mary continued to treasure all these things in her heart and to ponder them.'' - Gospel of Luke 2:17-19

Example 4: Mary kept the words of Jesus in her heart even when she didn't understand it:

''And He [Jesus] said to them, Why did you look for Me? Do you not know that I must be about My Father's business? And they did not understand the word which He spoke to them. And He went with them and came to Nazareth, and He was subject to them. But His mother kept all these sayings in her heart.'' - Gospel Luke 2:49-51


IN CONCLUSION, St. Luke was inviting us to understand that what made a blessed woman of Mary, the mother of the Lord Jesus, the Woman on which breast the Baby-Christ suckled in his infancy was the fact that she heard the word of the God and kept it. The exhortation and lesson to be learned here is that Lord expects as much from every single one of us: Hear and Keep His Words like the Blessed Virgin did.

The Lord Jesus was not correcting the woman who spoke these words, 'Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts which nursed You!', He was rather [menounge] expanding the category of those who are regarded blessed by telling her that 'you too can become blessed if you hear the Word of God and Keep It just like the Blessed Virgin Mary did countless time'.

Post Script
Allow me to end by quoting an ex-Protestant now turned Catholic apologist James Akin:

... the Greek word here translated 'rather' (menoun) does not have anything like the adversive force in Greek that 'rather' does in English. It is simply an emphatic particle normally rendered 'and'. Thus, if Bibles had italics for emphasis, the passage would be better translated: 'He said, and blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!' He i snot denying what she said, he is emphatically adding something to what she said. (Internet Question Box, 4/26/99). 

Step Up Your Game with 2018

Happy New Year 2018 to all the readers of Help Me Understand blog. Today marks the beginning of my first blog-post for the year 2018. I am feeling in a story-telling mood and that is exactly what I am going to do.  

'Why do you like reading books' my cousin Tony asked me exasperated once. He had tried unsuccessfully to bring me out of the bedroom where it seemed to him I had spent most of my holiday times in. The year was 1998, I had just started my fourth year of high-school. Though i wasn't able to answer him intelligently at the time on why my eyes clung to this particular book the whole holiday, I think I can do so now. I was reading my first troubling book, 'The Normal Christian Life' by Watchman Nee. He wrote differently from every other authors I had read at that time. His writing style was new to me. He could vividly describe a complex situation simply by appealing to casual words, no sophisticated words in his writing. He had a fine use of common words.   

Stacking books after books after it, my reading became intoxicating as I grew up, thanks to my parents' encouragement. Given that I had come to split my time between dialogues and debates with spiritual opponents, Brahnamists and Jehovah Witnesses, I had come to read a lot of their respective documentations. One of them which I came to like despite our opposite views on religion and Christian doctrines, was the Jehovah Witness book that dealt with youth, 'Les Jeunes s'interrogent.' It was the best resource out there I could find dealing with behavior and teenage lifestyle. The book was so accessible and less dogmatic which I think played in its favor unlike their Watch Tower editions. In one of its chapters, the authors encouraged teenagers to be careful about their reading habits and they made a remarkable comment that has stuck with me up to this day and I paraphrase it, 'Reading a book is like having a conversation with the author. And some authors are not worth having a conversation with.' This piece of advise has encouraged me to be selective in my readings and it has given me a different outlook on literature. Reading is an opportunity to be in conversation, so to speak, with an author. And boy, i have been in conversation with some minds that have totally changed me.

The year was 2007 and I was reading 'Dream and you will win the World' by Cesar Castellanos. I came to a chapter where the story of his wife is recounted. She was watching a particular TV program and on the program a lady practicing new age spirituality was the main guest. The new ager lady had many repulsive views to her taste. Adding insult-to-injury, she also revealed that she would be running as a presidential candidate in Columbia. By the end of the TV program, Castellanos wife found herself mumbling and lamenting to herself, 'How can this country change if we have people like this running our country?' and almost suddenly as she mentally uttered these words, she heard what she identified as the voice of the Holy Spirit challenging her with these mental counter-thoughts, 'Then why don't you run for presidency?'

She took it as a lesson realizing that you shouldn't just complain in life, sometime you have to act. She ran for presidency and lost the election in Columbia when there were only two remaining national candidates. Though she didn't reach the supreme position, she became influential and was able in many ways to influence public opinion with her perceived ethical views based on her Christian worldview.

This story really hit me like a load of bricks. As I was reading the book, incidentally at my campus was running a recruitment of student representatives. The position was widely advertised on campuses running for weeks. I didn't even think about it as I daily passed it on my way to or from school. Upon the book read, I was reminded that I had always complained that students at the University were doing drugs and other things that affected their academic performance. Sometime I did pray for it but that was all. Now things were different. I had been in "dialogue" with an author who would awaken my resolve into going the extra mile. I felt compelled to apply for this academic position. I became restless. My thoughts were agitated during day and night. Many objections came to my mind on why I should not go for it, chief of them: I was a foreign student, a foreigner! "Who will vote for me anyway?", I asked myself repeatedly. I wasn't even sure what would I do even if I became one of the elite student representative at the University in charge of five campus with close to 60,000 students. In brief, I was afraid and sweating fear.

Being unsuccessful to dissuade myself out it, I chose the path of least resistance - I embraced the challenge. Going one more time through the requirement listed, I decided to apply by faith. I was tired of complaining and running away each time I saw an opportunity to make a commitment to affect changes in my immediate surrounding. I had to make a decision that night in my room as I closed the book one last time. My choses were clear: Either I stop complaining at what happens in the Campus or I get involved and bring the little light I have as God's allows me. After some time in prayers, I finally decided to respond to the inner call. I went through the opening positions, and their requirements. I got confirmation that I was indeed eligible as Head Mentor_Student Representative candidate. I had only one problem, I wasn't known. A big issue since candidate would be voted. Mentor students from all campuses of our University (in Pretoria) would be present for the election. I proceeded anyway with my application. I chose a position that reflected best my immediate interest, Head Mentor_Student Representative in charge of Academic Portfolio. I gave God one condition though before I submit my candidacy, 'please, you know I know no body, I would appreciate as a sign that you are in this affair that you allow that I be elected at 100%'. If you dream big, why stop with the election success? I was in for the kill. I wanted a Soviet score. 

The election day came, we were at the main Campus of Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), a distant campus from Arcadia campus where I usually attended my classes. As expected, I saw probably 1 or 2 person that I knew among the participants coming for the votes. Not a good start, I needed more than 2 votes to be elected. Darkness started falling upon me. I kept hope rationalizing that this was just the beginning and were were still waiting for other voters to arrive fort the election.

By the time the election process begun, I looked again around me and noted with horror this time that all the rest of the voters were perfect strangers! The leader of the event, a psychologist/psychiatrist by academic training involved in student life, call the room in order and explained the electorate process. All candidates of different portfolios were invited to give a speech on who they were and to present their intellectual program, followed by votes from student mentors from different campus choosing who fit best the advertised position. Different positions, there were only 5 portfolios, were presented by the leader of the electorate commission. Candidates walked on the hot-spot to pitch their programs. And the votes were casted. Then came the turn of the portfolio on academics. I was shaking and almost cursing myself for being so vain and audacious as to think that I could even be a likely candidate. I had no faith at that time and in that room. I had lost my faith.  I forgot about the book I read, and if I remembered it, I would have cursed the author. I had a good life, a uneventful life but a peaceful life nevertheless until I read him. Why did I want to put myself in a position were failure was a possibility? Why did I do it? I regretted.

My name was called. I felt as pined on my chair. They called me twice and people started looking around. The one person who knew me looked at me as if to say, 'they are calling you!' Damn it, no where to hide. I stood up and walked to the stage swallowing my fear as much as I could. It seemed as a long walk. I ran mentally through my program speech that I had rehearsed the previous day and in the morning when my faith was still alive and incendiary. I gave my small presentation to the gazing audience, trying to find a friendly face I could focus on and administrate the totality of message. My presentation ended, people applauded respectfully. Then they called the other candidates for this same position on Academics. No one stood up. They insisted, no one was there. It looked like I was the 'Candidat unique'. I was voted at 100% with no abstention. The mentor group applauded their new student representative in charge of the academic portfolio. I smiled, barely realizing what was happening. I waived confidently, greeting them with a growing confidence. My faith at that time had completely returned! Did God really answered my prayers literally? I was mildly shaking my head as I was going to the new honorific chair prepared for the winner of this position.

The year 2007 to March 2009 was indisputably one of the best years of my student life and arguably my best intellectual years yet. I practiced faith as never before in my life. My wife sometimes asks me, 'what did they give you in South Africa? You always talk about it.' I always laugh. I can't stop thinking of my life then, for I have seen God walk with me in a new and unexpected way. Matter of fact, He has never stopped doing so even when I left South Africa to Rwanda, nevertheless what I had experienced there has left a mark in my mind. Probably because it was a formative year, a learning time, a time when I did many things for the first time. Maybe that is why it has marked me so much. I have lived other incredible moment of God's actions since then - sometime even more than what I lived in South Africa, but it is always difficult to compare the current moment when the marvelous is not new with when the marvelous is first experienced.

With this I end my story-telling, as I got on to vacate into my many pending project currently awaiting my attention. Be faithful and dare to believe and to try in this new year 2018. It won't cost you to try but it would cost you regrets if you do not try. To the immortal words of Pastor Rick Godwin from San Antonio, Texas: 

'Live full and die empty'

Have a blessed, prosperous and productive New Year 2018 in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Blessings, Spiritual Walk and the Kingdom

A) Unnecessary Distinctions, They are both biblically acceptable!

I am not dogmatic when it comes to some Christian practices. I don't mind when someone tells me, "God bless you" or "Stay blessed" when they wish me well. I sometimes return the blessing in that same format. My problem arises when someone tries to make me choose one of those two statements namely "Stay Blessed" as being the only appropriate way to speak. 

Some seem to have just discovered a great truth about our spiritual position in Christ (Ephesians1:3) and think that this should be the only truth to be believed at the exclusion of all other biblical truths. The reason goes a bit like this, if we are already blessed then there is no more reason to ask for more blessing. Hence the only acceptable way to speak will have to put the blessing in the past tense hence 'Stay blessed'.

Ephesian 1:3  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies in Christ; 

St. Peter in 1 Peter 1:2 tells us that Grace and peace can be multiplied. This means that a person can have more of these two blessings (grace and peace) which also implies that a person can have less of them as well. And how can a person get more grace? multiplied grace? Peter says it is through the knowledge of God and Jesus that Grace upon ones life can be increased or multiplied. 

"Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord" - 1Peter1:2. 

Hence someone who wish you well by these formula, "Stay blessed" or "God bless you" are both biblically correct. The first one in the past tense, 'Stay blessed', emphasize the truth found in the epistle of Ephesians while the second one, "God bless you", reflect the continuous experience of receiving more blessings as found in the epistle of Peter. Don't let any one cage you or force you in choosing either way of formulating your blessings!

B) Effort and Diligence in our Spiritual Walk

2 Peter1:10, "Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:"

St. Peter an old disciple have seen all just like the apostle Paul. People who started in faith and fell away from grace (Galatians 5:4), other who had started their walk with the Lord by faith but never went far because they loved the world more (2 Timothy 4:10). Knowing all these, he pressed the Christian community to make sure and make all effort and be diligent to add godly attributes to their faith (2Pete1:5-7) in order to make their grace given election and calling certain and firm. The logical conclusion from what the apostle Peter is saying is that by lacking in those godly attributes, it will make their election less firm due to their unfruitfulness (2Peter1:9). However, He even promise the Christian community to whom he was writing that by so doing, meaning practicing and incorporating godly attributes to their faith life, they will never fall (2Peter1:10). 

This is a blessed assurance from one of Jesus original apostle himself. A good advise to shout out to all churches in contemporary time and particularly to those movement who could care less about adding to their faith virtues, knowledge and other godly attributes because they don't understand that the grace of God doesn't remove our responsibility to aspire to spiritual growth.

C) The Kingdom of God belong to the Overcomers

From a New Testament perspective, there is a different between the Kingdom of God and Eternal Life. There is a difference between the Kingdom of God and Salvation. It is important to point this out before I proceed discussing below about taking hold of the Kingdom of God before I hear the typical objections about receiving salvation by grace, freely. I agree about salvation being given to us freely (Ephesian 2:8) but this is no the topic I am discussing about below.

2 Peter1:11, "For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."

St. Peter is encouraging and reminding believers that by so doing their entrance (which could very well means their call and election they had already received initially when they started believing) into the kingdom of God will be abundantly given to them. God will not deny them to experience what they had been promise if they keep their faith by adding to their faith virtues, knowledge and other godly attributes.

2Peter1:5 (ISV), 'For this very reason, you must make every effort to supplement your faith with moral character, your moral character with knowledge

St. John also heard Jesus warning believers in the Asian Churches with similar saying, reminding them that reigning with Christ (Kingdom of Christ) is not about dead faith which has no deeds/works, but it is about having an active faith. The Kingdom is for the overcomes and that is the themes of the Lord Jesus messages to the 7 Churches in Asia. Read for yourself below how He will give and reward loyalty of those who persevere with the Kingdom:

Rev3:11   " Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown."

Rev3: 21 " To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne."

Rev2:26-27  " And He that overcomes, and keep my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: And He shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father."

This is biblical Christianity, not man-made Christianity! 

Biblical Christianity encourages believers to be faithful and active, to be "diligence, not slothful, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord" (Romans12:11) and to be overcomers (Romans12:21). 

However, man-made Christianity requires believers to do nothing because they do not understand what Jesus meant when He said on the cross 'It is finished". They entertain laziness and spiritual unproductivity because they don't understand the Grace of God they like to speak of out of biblical context. That is why many have been conquered by evil instead of overcoming evil (Roman12:11) and they rejoice in sin by refusing to confess their sins because they do not understand the doctrine of repentance of sins (Revelation 2:21) nor do they experience or value the biblical blessing on forgiveness of sins by the blood of Jesus (1John1:9; 1John2:1-2), that is why they are easily overcome by evil and continuously weakening their election (2Peter1:10).

                  Romans 12:21 says, "Do not let evil overcome you, but overcome evil by good".  

The Habits of The First American Millionaire

The First Millionaire

I have started to re-read Brian Tracy book, 'The Million Dollar Habits' and i find it refreshingly new again and informative. I'd like to share with you a short story found in its pages.

Much Success to all!

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During the same period, Benjamin Franklin, who began as a printer’s apprentice and went on to become the first self-made millionaire in the American colonies, adapted a similar process of personal development [As explained the book].

As a young man, Benjamin Franklin felt that he was a little rough, ill mannered and argumentative. He recognized that his attitudes and behaviors were creating animosity toward him from his associates and coworkers. He resolved to change by rewriting the script of his own personality. He began by making up a list of 12 virtues that he felt the ideal person would possess. He then concentrated on the development of one virtue each week. All week long, as he went about his daily affairs, he would remind himself to practice that virtue, whether it was temperance, tolerance or tranquility, on every occasion that it was called for. Over time, as he developed these virtues and made these habits a part of his character, he would practice one virtue for a period of two weeks, then three weeks, then one virtue per month.

Over time, he became one of the most popular personalities and statesmen of the age. He became enormously influential, both in Paris as an Ambassador from the United States during the Revolutionary War, and during the Constitutional Convention, when the Constitution and the Bill of Rights for the United States was debated, negotiated and agreed upon. By working on himself to develop the habits of an excellent person, he made himself into a person capable of shaping the course of history.

The fact is that good habits are hard to form, but easy to live with. Bad habits, on the other hand, are easy to form, but hard to live with. In either case, you develop either good or bad habits as the result of your choices, decisions and behaviors.

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P.S: Don't forget to check out my book - Help Me Understand Jesus. Check My Book by clicking here or more here.