Page 72 - Reflexions of African Bishops and Priests

The Bankers Are the Pharisees of Today

Homily of Bishop Louis Nzala Kianza of the Congo

Here is the homily given on Sunday, September 2, (to Canada), and we met Christ! Yes, Christ was with
2012, by the Most. Rev. Louis Nzala Kianza, Bishop of us, He is with us, and He gave us His message!” It
the diocese of Popokabaka, in the Democratic Republic is this message which He gave us that points out to
of the Congo, at St. Michael’s parish Church in Rouge- us the line of action to be followed...and what exactly
mont, Quebec, on the occasion of the annual inter- is this message? You and I together have just heard
national Congress of the Pilgrims of St. Michael. Bish- the words of the Psalmist, “Oh, that today you would
op Nzala was one of the four Bishops who attended hear his voice: Do not harden your hearts...(Psalm 95:
our week of study and Congress this September: 7,8) We also just heard this beautiful passage of Mark
Very soon this in today’s Gospel
Week of Study and (7:1-8,14-15,21-23),
Congress will come to which I know that
an end; we will each of you all paid attention
us pack our bags and to, and have well re-
return to our homes. tained, but it is worth
Before we do, I would repeating, for, as you
like that we all ask our- know it is said, that
selves this one ques- the “mother” of all
tion: “What shall we sciences is repeti-
do with what we have tion. So, let us go
learned here?” Yes, over it once again:
there is no doubt that “The Pharisees
we shall remember and some of the
what we have learned scribes gathered
here this week, we around Him when
have all done a great they had come from
job, there is no deny- Jerusalem, and had
ing that. Every class seen that some of His
was well taught, the disciples were eating
atmosphere was won- their bread with im-
derful, and we were all pure hands, that is,
enlightened with the unwashed. (For the
truth of Social Credit. Pharisees and all
Because of all this, we the Jews do not eat
are all very happy and unless they care-
we shall return to our Bishop Nziala giving his homily in Rougemont’s church fully wash their
homes contented! hands, thus ob-

Nevertheless, my sisters and brothers, I would like serving the traditions of the elders; and when they
that we each ask ourselves these following question: come from the market place, they do not eat unless
“Is it sufficient to only be content? Do you think that, they cleanse themselves; and there are many other
after some time, the memory of all that we have lived things which they have received in order to observe,
here will only become a blur? And this light of Social such as the washing of cups and pitchers and copper
Credit, of which we are so content – and with reason pots.) The Pharisees and the scribes asked Him, “Why
– if we do not make any efforts to do something with do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition
it before the humdrum routine of our everyday lives of the elders, but eat their bread with impure hands?”
once again takes us over, will it only become just an- However, Jesus knew the Pharisees very well. We
other document to be filed away somewhere? Is this know that He was continuously on His guard with the
message not so very important or necessary to us that Pharisees in the Gospel, so often He was obliged to
we shouldn’t, at all cost, ensure that it not be forgotten defend Himself against them. This time He gets right
or neglected?” to the point; of course it is right to wash the hands, this
Without hesitation, I think that the very first thing is a fine tradition for them, but it is not just these trad-
that we all need to do, is to return thanks to God. We itions that should be followed. Much more important
need to tell ourselves that, “Yes, we went over there than these are the laws of God. What He is telling them

72 2012 session www.michaeljournal.org