Bishop A Mnisi message for Nelson Mandelas memorial
13 Dec 2013
Lutheran Community Centre Manzini
May
the grace of God be with you all Amen,
We
are gathered here today to bid farewell to Africa’s greatest personality. A
universal teacher that taught all of us the meaning of African values, values
that are for all human beings. 1Corinthias
13:6 Love takes no pleasure in injustice but sides happily with the truth. Our
Christian faith teaches us love, Love thy neighbour, Jesus instructed us.
Nelson Mandela showed love and sacrifice. He said in 26
JUNE 1961, “I have had to separate myself
from my dear wife and children, from my mother and sisters, to live as an
outlaw in my own land. I have had to close my business, to abandon my
profession, and live in poverty and misery, as many of my people are doing I
shall fight the government side by side with you, inch by inch, and mile by
mile, until victory is won”. Struggle is a painful sacrifice.
You
cannot be free until your neighbour is free, that is the love Jesus Christ
taught us.
Love
and sacrifice are sides of the same coin. Jesus showed that by dying at Calvary
for us. You can image the power of the heavens that he could have let to bear
against the people who wanted to crucify him, but instead he decided to teach
us the value of sacrifice for the better good. Mandela speaking from the dock
at the Rivonia trail said, “have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society.... It is an ideal,
which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for
which I am prepared to die.” It is now a historical fact that he meant those
words. He made the sacrifice, it achieved its goal. A good South African
society has emerged.
Mandela’s
teachings are not for South Africa’s only but for the whole world. These events
around his death are a lesson for African leaders, that dialogue is better than
war, that freedom of your enemy is your own freedom, restoring dignity to a
fellow being, is guarantying your own freedom. The doctrine of reconciliation
introduced by Mandela as president of a powerful state is indictment to many
leaders.
It
is painful to note that in many African countries today, there are still
political prisoners. Christian souls that languish in jail for simple reason
that the hold a different opinion. That security forces are used to refuse
people the right to worship freely. Mandela fought for human rights as Gods
given rights we out to align ourselves with.
This
is a moment of reflection for each leader. What do I need to do to be a
Mandela? To have multitudes shed rivers of genuine tears. One ear shedding a
tear of pain, the other a tear of joy. The answer is simple, do the right thing
always. The
legacy Mandiba teaches us is Love thy neighbour, as you love yourself. Do the
right thing no matter what. On
children, he said play in the open veld, no longer tortured by the pangs of
hunger or ravaged by disease or threatened with the scourge of ignorance,
molestation and abuse . . . children are the greatest of our treasures.
He
also said, “As long as poverty, injustice and gross inequality persist in our
world, none of us can truly rest.”On poverty, he said, “Overcoming poverty is
not a gesture of charity. It is an act of justice.”
We
are blessed to have lived during this extra ordinary time. When Mandela was
released from prison, he went to Sweden and attended a service at our Cathedral
at Uppsala the Lutheran church. Forever we shall be proud.
Let us pray:
I
pray for our neighbours, colleagues, business friends, for consolation and
comrades who share the same sentiments as the icon of democracy had. God give
them strength especially those who promote social welfare and peace in the
world and for the end of all racial and national hatred. I pray for those that
are in authority to be able to listen to those that they govern. I pray for
unity among the civic society in the country for it will make them strong when
they speak in one voice. I pray for genuine talks about talks in the kingdom for
the country develop economically and socially.
Bani
nelive lakitsi nebantfu balo, yenta kube nenhlalakahle, nekuthula nelutsandvo.
Susa kuzindla nekunganakekeli kulaba phetse. Yenta bonkhe bantfu bavakale, babe
nelitfuba lapho kwentiwa khona tincumo. Asitfole natsi tibusiso lotiphe lelive
lakitsi kute buphuya bungaveli ebugovini. Nelulaka lolusuka elubandlululweni.
Bani nalabo labanesitunge ngenca yelutsandvo nekucabangela labanye.
I
pray for faith and Gods guidance and His power to heal the wounds of the world.
In
the name of the father and the Holy Spirit. Amen
My
God Bless all of you.
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