By Kellys Kaunda
MORAL AUTHORITY VS THE FORCE OF ARMS – HIGHLIGHTS FROM POPE LEO XIV VISIT TO CAMEROON
Romans 1:16.
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”
I asked myself as to why the Pope chose to visit Cameroon just as I asked myself why not.
The visit triggered memories for me. I visited Cameroon on two occasions as a journalist on VOA assignments.
On both occasions, I was covering the outbreak of bird flu and how the government there was handling it.
The cameroonians I met were wonderful people who volunteered to take me out for dinner and got to meet many of them.
To this day, some of them have remained good friends. During my tour of duty in Berlin, I met some of them. I shared my momeries of their country as they shared theirs, too.
But there was something that had changed about their memories. They talked of fleeing their Homeland.
Not just fleeing. Some of them fled via the perilous waters of the Mediterranean sea.
They talked of armed conflict and human rights violations at the hands of the state.
They talked of declaring a portion of their Homeland as the independent state of Ambazonia.
Things must have changed since I last visited as a journalist, I thought to myself.
So, when Pope Leo XIV was in Cameroon, these memories came flashing back. I paid attention to his messages.
They were messages of human dignity, peace and justice. Whatever the problem, the Pope’s message was that peaceful means must be relied upon as instruments for its resolution.
He was speaking of the moral authority of the church, of the gospel, of the Bible, and above of all, of God.
When Paul proclaimed that he was not ashamed of the gospel for it was power for the salvation of mankind, He was holding high up, an eternal truth, namely, force or arms are not God’s preferred instruments for settling differences among human beings, among nations.
He didn’t have to name the government of Paul Biya and its human rights record; he didn’t have to name Benjamin Netanyahu or Donald Trump.
But for those who are driven by the spirit discerned from his messages the moral authority of the church contrasted with the blunt nature of the instruments of war at bringing about peace among nations.
Happy Sabbath👏
I have followed Pope Leo XIV , his Teachings, and homilies. He comes out as someone who understands the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He brings to the Catholic Church important Theological Foundations of Christianity.. Salvation, Faith, Love , Charity for the neighbour.
I listened to the farewell Homily in Yaonde today, and moved by the richness of his message..The Catholic Church is in safe Hands. His message radiates to all , whether Protestant, or Pentecostal. And his message is Jesus Christ.
Am at a loss to understand how Donald Trump can pick a quarrel with such a humble Soul.