A SON YESTERDAY, A FATHER TODAY as…..
Father Tedius Tawanda Muziki ordained, celebrates first mass
BY VINCENT GOTAMI- ST DON BOSCO SOCCOM
Four priests, among them, Reverend Father Tedius Tawanda Muziki were attested into the priesthood ministry at a colourful ordination held at St. Don Bosco Primary school on the 20th of July 2024.
The other three were Father Stephen Gogoma of St Mary’s Nyika, Father Francis Chikutuma of Silveira Mission and Father Wayne Dziore of St Patrick’s Gokomere.
And Sunday the 21st of July was a day and time for Father Tawanda to return to the parish where his journey towards stewardship in God’s vineyard commenced, to face the very congregates he left behind, this time around from a different angle of view and social grid reference.
Those who called him son, those who called him nephew, grandchild, younger brother, you name it, about eight years ago all converged at St Don Bosco on Sunday the 21st of July to welcome him as he made the grand return to land he calls home. What intersected all whom he was reunited with after the 8 year formation journey were 2 things.
Firstly, it was the new reference canonically rooted in his new status bestowed upon him by his ordination. He may have been a son, cousin or peer when he left for the seminary, but returns a common father to all, including to his parents. How the choice of serving God and answering his calling promptly rearranges the social strata and the hierarchy of spiritual affairs. A son yesterday, a father today!
Secondly, he returns carrying the same message to all in their diversity and the diversity of their roles in his former being, with the message wrapped up in the appex gift of gratitude and appreciation…the holy mass. The message is two worded, short, precise but jabbed with meaning and genuineity…..just to say THANK YOU
And it needed thousands of congregates estimated at around two thousand to shove off the high temperatures on the day, estimated at around 32°c to bear witness to Fr Tawanda’s gratitude expression in form of his first ever mass, and toasting to the commencement of a spiritual daily routine he will undertake for as long as his pulse is functional- celebrating the holy mass
It also took the presence ‘big brothers’ like Fr Emanuel Zandonda, Fr Johanes Mabhikwa and Father Cleophas Magundani to mention but a few, to bear witness to Fr Tawanda’s grand entry into a ministry which even if the entry requirement was a voting process or referendum, his chances of scooping it would still behave the same way and in the same direction as a thermometer would do when dipped in boiling water.
In his sermon, Father Vitalis Gotami tour guided the newly ordained priest with some priestly highway code notes of the devine journey of leading God’s flock. “The faithful belong to God, they have life burdens they endure all the time, just like the crowd found comfort in approaching Christ for relief and teachings, and followed him until he felt pity and compelled to help them, so should a priest who understands his calling. He should be approachable and readily available to render service to the faithful each time his service is required”.
Father Gotami implored the new priest to appreciate the sacrifice that the faithful makes as conduits and enablers for their spiritual shepherds to lead a life better and more convenient than theirs. “Rejoice in the Lord Father Tawanda, consistent with your own ordination message, for what you have achieved derserve that, and appreciate what your flock does for you which they also wish but cannot do nor have, making your welfare and wellbeing their priority at the expense of theirs. The least they desire is to be appreciated, constantly prayed for and well wished”, said Father Gotami.
Tens of seminarians, who also now look up to Father Tedius Tawanda for inspiration and take his success story as a case study and piece of literature worth copying and pasting in their identical journey to priesthood, were also in attendance.
And the faithful did not come with bare hands, as the landmark mass for Father Tawanda was concluded with a gift presentation rite where, like the wise men from the east, congregates brought and presented a wide range of gifts to resource Father Tawanda’s take off in the track race of priesthood easy and convenient. Sections, family, friends and individuals took time to present their appreciation in gifts and kind, and partake in the celebration and thanks giving for the completion of an eight year formation journey that took Fr Tawanda to various parishes and missions around the Diocese for pastoral blacksmithing and moulding.
Soft as wool, but with traits of maturity beyond his age, Father Tawanda would not have wished for a better way of an on your marks moment in his priestly life race than to have his mother, paternal grandmother, his only sibling Livingstone, and other close family members in attendance as he took his place in the new restructured relational venn diagram, where he instantly transformed into a father to them all.
A sense of fulfilment and actualization could be felt overflowing in Father Tawanda, and at times emotions threatening to get the better of him, but he would still put on the trademark smile that he wears at every goal, interaction or encounter with him like he has copyrights to it, and does wear the smile with visible utmost genuineity and total innocence.
The ninth priest to hail from Don Bosco parish, Fr Tawanda wrapped his thanksgiving mass by assuring relatives, friends and the faithful of his commitment to pray and intercede for them, and called upon them to reciprocate by praying for him as he sets his religious life wheel in motion to navigate the bumpy pastoral surface, and endeavoring to get to the prized destination of eternal life for him and for all.
