Of DIVINITY in a man when God POSSESSES him! [my reflection on Canisius Banda]
Canisius Banda
…It’s not blasphemy, dear Pilgrim, divinity also applies to mortals! The root of the word “divine” is literally “godly”, when used on mortals. A just man!
…you see, I always looked forward to his next epistle. Being a writer myself, I know exactly the relief Canisius gets when he put his mind to an epistle – unmatched relief!
…his creativity in his style of self-expression and selection of words is simply out of this world, it is divine! His ingenuity is incomparable!
…I miss the man, when he’s quiet! I love him, I learn from him.
…may Canisus live forever, oh God. The pain of losing such a Christ-like man would be excruciating, no physician can define it in his learned medical terms. My heart would sink, sink so low that only Christ would revive, revitalize, restore it!
…he is an epitome of true Christianity. He’s God’s child, he lives up to Christ’s ideals. He is a Christian!
…the term “Christian” was first coined in Antioch, because the people there lived their lives like Christ… I look at Canisius today, I see a native of Antioch living in the 21st century…
…like the Samaritan woman of John 4 who ran back into her community telling men, ‘come & see a man’, I can also shout “we’ve got a man among men in Zambia”…
…his name is Canisus Banda. When his dearest wife was pronounced dead, he gathered himself and put it to writing. Unimaginable!
…I read his soul epistle with tears in my eyes. He opened his heart to the world over her. He loved her. He really did. A part of him had died…
…you see, dear Pilgrim, there are two types of widowers; the GRIEVED & the RELIEVED… Canisus was GRIEVED…
…but where did he get the courage to write an epistle before he even laid his dear wife to rest? I asked myself. He’s God’s child, God gave him courage, I concluded. In the midst of intense adversity & pain, Canisius stands tall.
…he’s courageous. He’s strong! He’s divine….
…when speculations were rife about him being kicked out of a rented house, he wrote epistles that left the simple bewildered over what he meant. He’s a philosopher. He’s sophisticated.
Men failed to comprehend him, even his own compatriots… He’s divine!
I spoke to him during that trying moment. I wanted to help draft a statement that would clear the dirty fog; the misconceptions, the propaganda, the persecution… I was so sincere.
You see, I needed not be silent. For many are killed, not by the violent & barbaric like Gen. Idi Amin Dada, but by the silent peaceful, the noble! …I spoke to him to get his position, he responded;
… ‘Senzo I’m safe. God is my refuge. I’m safe. The family is safe somewhere within Lusaka. Let them speculate. I’m safe in God’s hands. I am under severe attack for merely siding with the poor! Allow the story to blow over for now. Let’s not fan its flames!’
…when the enemies of self, the enemies of right thinking accused HH of neglecting him during the alleged eviction, he responded in one of his epistles;
“Kindly note that Hakainde Hichilema is NOT my father. Let us leave him out of this. He is such a fine fellow, deserving of the Republican Presidency.
…my father is Protazio, and I buried him 25 years ago.”
…his wisdom is unmatched. His speech is superb. Many wish they could speak like him. He speaks English as though he knew no single vernacular word, yet he speaks Chewa as if he were not a Medical Doctor. Trained overseas!
…he’s a master in everything he does. He is divine.
…though accused of renting, his home is a home to many, who pay him no rent! Wayfarers & the homeless have found a haven of rest in his home! It’s a community house!
He is a man you’d want to listen to all day long when he speaks; he’s a master of wisdom. And he knows how to speak prudently, wisely & imparts wisdom. …he is divine!
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…he commands total silence when he stands to speak; his mouth is a fountain of wisdom & a hub of life! Everyone, including the elderly listen attentively. He is wisdom itself. He speaks life!
…every political party & grouping want him on their side! He is a source of pride & prestige. He’s God’s son. He is divine!
…two seating presidents have tried to buy him, to make him defect from the political party of his choice; they offered him lucrative appointments & opportunities! …he refused!
…Canisus cannot be bought or sold. He’s true to principle as a needle to the pole. Even those who oppose him politically & philosophically find pleasure in reading his epistles. …they get enlightened, & inspired! …their ignorance evaporates! They learn to love him in turn, realizing he’s a just man! God’s son!
…they ridicule him because of his philosophy of life; yet he remains mute! He has no enemy. No frenemy. He makes no enemies himself. He likes peace at all cost. He’s divine! He keeps no grudges. He counsels the vengeful. He preaches forgiveness even to those unwilling to be forgiven!
…he never retaliates! He forgives! He’s divine.
…an eye for an eye? What is that? He doesn’t know the meaning of those words!
…he loves genuinely. He has built more lives than houses. He prioritizes others. He’s an epitome of true Christianity. He’s divine!
…we are blessed to have him. He could have been born Malawian, or Nigerian. Better still, black American. But God chose Zambia!
…we are highly indebted to God for this man. He’s a national pride. We love him. We cherish him. He’s a mentor to masses, even the mentally retarded!
Dr. Canisus Banda! Know this, Zambia loves you! We cherish you. Your life is a life for many. Live forever!
…God bless you!